Abstraction for a bad world

Chapter 155 Knowledge Explodes Caroline, Perfect White Iron Level Promotion Ritual (4.3k)

【Ding! 】

[You have completed the urgent mission: Vision of the Molten River! ]

[Caroline's favorability increases.]

[Caroline's current impression: Neutral (↑↑)] → [Caroline's current impression: Friend]

[——The gaze from the great devil has disappeared.]

[You have completed the emergency mission branch: Death of Molten River! ]

[Caroline's favorability increases.]

[Caroline's current impression: Friend] → [Caroline's current impression: Friend (↑)]

[You have obtained a perfect Stainless Steel Rank Promotion Ceremony x 1! ]

[You have obtained "Flandel's Blessing"! ]

[You have obtained a large number of cult merits, and your personal reputation has increased significantly! ]

[——The Son of Lava died in your hands, in a glorious fight.]

【…】

After casually closing the screen notification that he had not had time to read, Yuan Qingzhuo cast a heavy gaze on the dragon girl who was lying on top of him and shouting out some very incomprehensible lines.

——The big problem now is to figure out why Caroline has become like this and how long it has lasted.

"Ahhhh... Daddy... I want a hug..."

Caroline gave an innocent smile, opened her mouth and opened her arms towards Yuan Qingzhuo.

Yuan Qingzhuo suddenly felt like retreating. He glanced at the demon army below who were still waiting for him to speak.

We have to solve Caroline's problem quickly.

Thinking of this, he was ready to directly use words to provoke Caroline. He would just get beaten up, it would save time anyway:
"——You brainless idiot Dragon Girl, wake up now!"

"Wow... cry cry..."

But who would have thought that Caroline, instead of cursing and punching like she did in the past, had a pitiful and aggrieved expression, and even had some tears in the corners of her eyes.

This silenced Yuan Qingzhuo. He switched the "channel" and asked Flandel, who was silent but perhaps staring at him, "What do you think?"
"Sister Fa, can you see this?"

After Yuan Qingzhuo repeated it several times, Flandel's voice came again:
"Hmm? Calling me?"

Yuan Qingzhuo poked the dragon girl's face, causing her to change from sadness to joy and she burst into giggles.

Then he spread his hands:

"Sister Fa, look at Caroline's current situation..."

But Farandel asked back:
"Why don't you seize this good opportunity to improve Caroline's favorability? Instead, why do you ask me to disturb your world of two?"

"?"

As if sensing Yuan Qingzhuo's confusion, Flandel said while smoking something, "Although we can't see it directly, I think Caroline has been in the [True Dragon Form] for too long, so her [emotions] have been stripped away for too long."

"Now that all her emotions are returning at once, she should be able to return to her childhood for a few minutes... or even to the blank state of a newborn."

"White paper..."

Yuan Qingzhuo looked down at Caroline's clear and stupid vertical pupils and agreed with this statement.

Then he fastened the hood of Caroline's coat and, under her puzzled gaze, grabbed her wrist to stop her from running away.

"How long will this situation last?"

"Not long, so I told you to hurry up."

Flandel took a long breath and said with a smile: "You know, although Caroline can't do anything now, this part of her memory undoubtedly exists and can be recalled by her in another way in the future."

"——Because this is the first time she has fallen into such a state, this part of her memory is particularly prominent."

She laughed and gave her own advice: "If it were me, I would use all the means and methods I could think of to humiliate, subdue, torture, and control Caroline, both physically and mentally."

The Saint of the sect spoke faintly:
"This way, after she recovers, you will most likely be able to get a new obedient puppy instead of having to tame an arrogant dragon like you are doing now."

The "method" that came out of Flandel's mouth far exceeded Yuan Qingzhuo's expectations.

It’s not that I think this method is so shocking or unreasonable.

Instead, Yuan Qingzhuo thought: It turns out that Flandel is someone who would say such words and do such things.

It's simply that I overlooked it before and didn't notice it.

Or was she such an extremely bad person from the beginning, but was just a little too gentle to herself and Rush?

Considering that Flandre could watch Caroline die here, Yuan Qingzhuo felt that the second possibility was more likely.

He was silent for two seconds, then replied: "Sister Fa, I will have a good discussion with Sister An about what you said when I get back."

Now it was Farandel's turn to be silent.

Along with the sound of something being sucked in forcefully, Farandel's dull laughter rang out: "Go ahead, then go talk to her... and see how she'll teach you a lesson."

Yuan Qingzhuo didn't know if it was an illusion, but he could also hear a hint of mockery in Flandre's tone, as if he was waiting to see a joke.

Yuan Qingzhuo said "hmm" and began to look at Caroline again.

——This confused state can indeed convey some positive values ​​to her.

Of course, he didn't force his values ​​into Caroline's mind - all choices still had to be in his own hands.

This is the difference between Yuan Qingzhuo and Flandre's educational methods.

Yuan Qingzhuo guides people in the direction, hoping that a person can see and witness more, understand good and know evil, and finally make a choice that belongs only to him through his own will.

It doesn't matter even if the final result is contrary to his expectations.

But Farandel prefers to be in control, treating each person as a puppet and chess piece, pushing them to the position she wants.

Farandel's will is their will.

"So where do I start?"

Yuan Qingzhuo touched his chin, and the first thing he thought of was the problem that Caroline was particularly easily angered.

But this point cannot be erased, because Caroline's strongest form relies on [anger] to prolong time, and those killing moves probably also consume a lot of [anger].

If Caroline became as rarely angry as he was, she would have exited her true dragon form long ago and would never have been able to defeat Molten River just now.

Have it.

After thinking for a moment, Yuan Qingzhuo took Caroline's wrist and walked to the edge of the high canyon, then looked down at the demon army below.

He asked loudly to the demon army: "Everyone, can you just hit someone when you are angry?"

When Caroline heard this, she lowered her head blankly, staring at Yuan Qingzhuo, not knowing what she was thinking.

And the demon army below needs to use their brains.

They all had question marks over their heads, not knowing what the Grand Duke was doing.

The next moment, Yuan Qingzhuo used the legendary inheritance [Devil's Heart Language] and coughed twice at the demon army: "Everyone, please do me a favor. Just follow my answer."

After getting the Grand Duke's accurate information, the demons still didn't know what he was doing, nor did they know what magical method the Grand Duke's voice was transmitted into their minds.

But there is no need for a reason to follow orders from your superiors.

What's more, it is such a harmless and easy order.

Yuan Qingzhuo dispersed his martial arts will and replied, "No!"

So the demon army below also answered, with a voice that shook the earth: "No!"

"Ugh!"

Caroline was startled, until Yuan Qingzhuo repeated it in her ear and the Demon Legion repeated it again, only then did she roughly understand the meaning of these words.

There is no doubt that Caroline is also an absolute genius.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to understand the meaning of these languages ​​in just a few strokes.

Then, Yuan Qingzhuo began to output words like "Be firm in your own path", "Distinguish between good and evil", "Learn to keep your anger in your heart", "Respect others", and "If you encounter evil demons, you must punish them severely".

With the help of the demon army's huge momentum, Caroline quickly understood the meaning of these words without exception. So, if you really do what Flandre just said...

Yuan Qingzhuo thought back to Sister Fa who could say those words without hesitation, and in his mind he put a red dangerous label on her head.

What this label will become in the future will have to rely on follow-up observation.
.
"Ugh... I feel dizzy."

After a long period of confusion, Caroline slowly opened her eyes. The dizziness and another strange feeling made her head swell as if it was about to split.

Fortunately, someone held her hand and saved her from falling.

Caroline narrowed her eyes and saw the figure so close:

"Yuan Qingzhuo...teacher?"

She hesitated for a moment and did not pull out her hand to slap Yuan Qingzhuo again. Instead, she focused her eyes on Yuan Qingzhuo's wrist and said, "Thank you."

Yuan Qingzhuo withdrew his hand at the right time, thinking that the results seemed to be quite good.

She covered her head, frowned and sat down: "Where are we now?"

"It's still the Second Abyss, but I changed the location and asked your two companions to go back first."

Yuan Qingzhuo fixed his eyes on the huge ancient ritual, or "ritual", which stretched dozens of meters in front of him, and then said to Caroline:
"I'm staying here because I want to break through to the first level, White Iron... The demons around here are all my subordinates now, so there's no need to be nervous."

"Just trouble you to wait a moment."

"No problem...wait."

Caroline loosened her hands that were covering her head, stared at him blankly, tilted her head and asked: "Break through the white iron? Aren't you only two..."

"Yes."

Yuan Qingzhuo smiled at her: "Any questions?"

Caroline did not feel ashamed of her lack of progress over the years, nor was she angry about being surpassed by others. Instead, she nodded seriously:
"Then you are much better than me, teacher."

This word "teacher" has nothing to do with Yuan Qingzhuo's previous teachings.

She was convinced.

Damn it, I was only two and a half years old and was still drinking milk and eating cereal, but he had already joined hands with me to slay the big devil in the abyss.

Caroline looked around and saw the fanatical and expectant eyes of the demons - because they were witnessing a future strong man taking the first step on his own path.

She recalled Yuan Qingzhuo's extremely accurate judgment and his will that could not be shaken even if his limbs were broken, and thought:

I am looking forward to it too.

Yuan Qingzhuo fixed his eyes on the "3D" promotion ritual in front of him.

It is called 3D because it does not just have "front, back, left, and right" like ordinary techniques, but has six directions: "up, down, front, back, left, and right".

[Perfect White Iron Level Promotion Ritual]

[Quality: Legend]

[Effect: A perfect ritual for advancing to the rank of Stainless Steel, which comes with a sufficient amount of "Miracle Crystals", "Phenomenon Spells", "Constant Time Sands" and "Resistance Branches", and the user does not need to collect such common consumables.

At the same time, the channel of "sacrificial consumables" is opened, allowing users to sacrifice consumables according to their own will to adjust the direction of the ritual. 】

[——Original point: Spirit of Iron and Stone.]

Yuan Qingzhuo walked into the center of the ritual.

He looked up at the golden crystals above his head.

【Perfect Miracle Crystal】

【Quality: Sublimation】

[Effect: The crystallization of miracles, one of the foundations of the promotion ceremony. ]

【——The foundation for all miracles. 】

He looked at the ancient gray-black characters on the soles of his feet.

【Perfect Event Mantra】

【Quality: Sublimation】

[Effect: A spell that records the past events of the promoted person, one of the foundations of the promotion ceremony.]

【——All your affairs are included here.】

According to Farandel, simply possessing the Miracle Crystal and the Phenomenon Spell is enough to cast a ritual of ascension.

So, what are the remaining two for?

【Perfect Constant Time Sand】

【Quality: Sublimation】

[Effect: Maintain the soul of the ascender unchanged after the ritual fails, a layer of insurance.]

[——The state of the soul remains constant here.]

Of course, the promotion of rank will fail.

After failure, the soul of the ascendant may become confused and forget some memories, or be damaged or even shattered.

Finally, there is the area at the back where the branches are placed.

【Perfect resistance branches】

【Quality: Sublimation】

[Effect: Prevents the abyss from corroding the soul during the promotion process, another layer of insurance.]

[——The abyss whispers, shutting out the door. ]

Flandel said that there were some of these things in the past, but they have rarely been seen in recent years... because the monasteries or large bases of the cult have more complete and super-large spells to block the corrosive effects of the abyss.

However, most people are promoted in a safe place, so these resistance branches are naturally of no use.

"But Yuan Qingzhuo, where did you get these from?"

Flandel raised his question, then laughed and said, "Do you want me to send you some sacrificial supplies?"

Yuan Qingzhuo glanced at the upper limit of the [Sacrificial Consumables], he was prepared for this:
"Oh, suddenly a guy called [Faceless Sleeper] came and said that I was the future of the royal court, and gave me these things."

Just put the blame on the Demon King's court.

Then he heard Farandel muttering, "Fuck, how come those stingy old men are so generous now... Don't worry, I'll give you something better when you come back."

"Then I'll look forward to it."

Yuan Qingzhu responded, then took out two "beads" of different colors from the mark and threw them into the location marked with the sacrificial supplies.

[Molten River Body]

[Quality: sublimation ~ core casting]

[Effect: After Ronghe's death, the body left behind by the power of "fire" has many uses. ]

[——Longhe died at the hands of the demon archduke Rush.]

【Fighting to the point of madness】

【Quality: Casting core】

[Effect: Taking it directly can improve your physical fitness. Crushing it and using it will definitely improve your "Liaohe's Combat Skills Inheritance"... Other uses are for the user to discover. ]

After throwing the two beads from the molten river into it, Yuan Qingzhuo could see that the number of sacrificial supplies had changed.

35/100.

Another 65 copies are needed to reach the maximum value that the ritual can withstand.

It seems like a pretty big number.

But Yuan Qingzhuo tried it, and found that not only the consumables in reality could be put into it, but even his [Blessings] and [Achievements], and even the choices of evolution could be thrown into it.

After casually throwing out a few achievements to fill up the sacrifice bar, Yuan Qingzhuo took them back and fell into a brief contemplation.

This is something that needs careful consideration.

(End of this chapter)