Forbidden Item

When Qing Chen heard Li Shutong recounting the Knight lineage, he could imagine how many thorns the Knights' predecessors had to cut through to forge a new path.

Since the oceanic environment no longer allowed them to complete the eight Life and Death Trials, they had to find their own way out.

He asked, "What's the relationship between Breathing Techniques and endorphins? Why can you open the Gene Lock early with the help of Breathing Techniques?"

"Because Breathing Techniques allow you to secrete endorphins instantly after feeling pain. This itself is a skill to control your body. By training your body with Breathing Techniques, you can achieve in three months what others take years to accomplish," Li Shutong replied. "So, when you complete the Life and Death Trials entirely through Breathing Techniques, the endorphins in your body will be far higher than normal."

"Are there any other effects?" Qing Chen asked.

"I'll tell you the remaining effects after you complete your first Life and Death Trial. Knowing them now wouldn't mean much," Li Shutong said.

"Can't you just inject endorphins directly?" Qing Chen asked, believing that with the Inner World's technological level, it was probably possible to extract and inject endorphins without any side effects.

Li Shutong chuckled and said, "This is an era where even love can be faked with phenyl ethylamine chips, but you must understand that any action relying on external forces won't work for us. Some predecessors tried to inject endorphins directly without using Breathing Techniques, but after passing the Life and Death Trial, they didn't open their Gene Locks."

"We can understand the principle of endorphins, but we still can't understand the Gene Lock. To this day, the secret of the Gene Lock remains sacred and untouchable to the Knights."

"We can only use the most cumbersome method, adhering to the rules of the old era. That's why I say this is the longest path among all shortcuts in this world. And there is only one path to the throne: painful cultivation."

"Okay, I've noted that," Qing Chen said. "Then what will happen if I complete all eight Life and Death Trials with the help of Breathing Techniques?"

"That question is meaningless," Li Shutong shook his head.

"It is meaningful," Qing Chen said, looking at him. "Because in the oceans of the Outer World... there are no Forbidden Zones."

He saw Li Shutong's stunned expression for the first time. The latter always appeared to have everything under control, as if nothing concerned him.

But after hearing this sentence, his state of mind clearly fluctuated.

"Yes, your world never had Transcendental beings, so how could it have Forbidden Zones?" Li Shutong murmured blankly. "Therefore, you can complete all the Life and Death Trials in another world."

"What exactly are Forbidden Zones and Forbidden Items?" Qing Chen finally asked.

Seeing that his boss was deep in thought, Ye Wan explained in his stead, "The origin of both Forbidden Items and Forbidden Zones comes from the same kind of existence: Transcendental beings."

"Transcendental beings?" Qing Chen asked.

"Yes," Lin Xiaoxiao said. "After a Transcendental being dies accidentally, their abnormal and powerful blood flows into the land, nourishing the creatures there: ants, centipedes, scorpions, any insect that exists. It also nourishes the plants and even microorganisms that grow there. Thus, the creatures in the places of death evolve, and the places of death become Forbidden Zones."

"The reason the Inner World's oceans are terrifying is suspected by the Kashima Corporation to be due to a whale, an evolved species that grew old and died, and its flesh and bones nourished the entire ocean."

"How did they find that out?" Qing Chen asked.

"Kashima built unmanned submarines to explore the ocean, to see if there was a possibility of sailing out to find new continents. Before the unmanned submarine was destroyed by marine creatures, they captured a giant whale skeleton on the seabed," Lin Xiaoxiao explained. "This was classified information from hundreds of years ago, declassified decades ago."

Qing Chen asked curiously, "How big was that whale skeleton?"

"Uh," Lin Xiaoxiao was at a loss for words. "It was really, really big?"

"Speak human language," Qing Chen's face darkened.

"The unmanned submarine's wide-angle lens was over 300 meters away when it took the photo, and it couldn't even capture its entire skull in the frame," Lin Xiaoxiao said.

Qing Chen sighed, "It was truly, truly massive."

From then on, humans on land never again entertained the idea of going out to sea.

"Then what are Forbidden Items?" Qing Chen asked.

"Forbidden Items are the mutated forms of a Transcendental being's abilities after their death, occurring between ten years and a century later," Lin Xiaoxiao explained.

"Can you give some examples?" Qing Chen asked.

"Some Forbidden Items are the direct manifestations of a Transcendental being's abilities during their lifetime. For example, in the wilderness near City No. 16, there has always been a black steam train with six carriages traveling across the plains. Few people know where it's heading. It stops occasionally, and if you throw a gold coin into the first carriage through the window, it will take you anywhere and won't stop until you reach your destination."

"A gold coin..."

"Yes, its first carriage is filled with gold coins, and many organizations like to use it for smuggling goods, although it's not easy to find."

"What if you steal its gold coins?" Qing Chen asked.

"It will close the carriage and trap you inside until you die, which is why the last carriage is filled with skeletons," Lin Xiaoxiao said cheerfully. "So, if you ever encounter it, don't steal the gold coins."

Qing Chen nodded.

"Some Forbidden Items are also unrelated to the Transcendental being's abilities, and might even be mysterious creatures with infinite life," Lin Xiaoxiao continued. "If you have a way to contain it, it might serve you."

"What if you don't have a way to contain it?"

"Then it will be extremely dangerous."

At this moment, Li Shutong seemed to have figured something out and stood up, saying, "When facing Forbidden Items, we are like hunters in a forest, holding a long sword. We know there are beasts in the forest, and we realize these beasts are different. We have learned to classify these beasts and have experience dealing with them. We know which beasts can be fought and which need to be avoided. But now there are more and more beasts, so specialized hunters are needed to deal with them, which is why the Tribunal of Taboos emerged. They are not only enemies of the beasts but also enemies of those who raise the beasts."

"They not only contain Forbidden Items but also contain Transcendental beings who might produce Forbidden Items, because they don't want the number of beasts to grow to a point where they can destroy humanity."

Qing Chen listened to these words, lost in thought.

Li Shutong looked at him and said, "Starting today, Ye Wan will teach you combat techniques, train your physical fitness, and skills for the eight challenges. I envy you for being born in the Outer World, but that's not important. What's important is that you might be able to change an era. Let's begin, I can't wait to see that day."

With that, Li Shutong left.

The Prison No. 18 was gloomy in the dark night, but Qing Chen suddenly felt that compared to the bright and sunny Outer World, he actually preferred it here.

Although he was in prison, he felt hope and freedom.

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