Everyone ascended, but I didn't get on board

Chapter 212 The Higher You Rise, the Dumber You Become

When Qiu Ci opened her eyes again, she felt as if there were many more things in her mind, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what they were. It was like some kind of intangible enlightenment that made her feel sharper and more alert than ever before, and she could even easily mobilize some kind of power in the world. But... she was still in the Celestial Realm.

"What's going on? That damn system promised me I could advance to higher levels of education, so why hasn't my cultivation level increased?" she asked.

[Huh? Master, I did indeed synchronize all the high school material!] The dog system was also taken aback. [Master, wait a moment, let me check myself!]

As it spoke, the entire orb of light began to drip data again.

Qiu Ci was speechless. She knew this little idiot was unreliable; he always caused trouble every time he leveled up. Just as she was carefully sensing what the new power within her was, a series of beeps suddenly sounded in the control room, as if some operation had been completed.

She was startled and looked around before realizing that the sound was coming from the wall, from the psionic machine that had just dispersed.

Is the upgrade complete?
Qiu Ci immediately turned her head to look, and saw that the psionic machine that had just been embedded in the wall had indeed popped out of the wall. The indicator lights that had been flashing on it had also gone out. She walked closer and took a closer look. She saw that the psionic machine was completely different. It seemed to be smaller in size, and the outer shell was shinier. The original black color had faded a lot and was faintly showing a blue glow.

and many more!

blue?

She was startled and immediately grabbed a piece of the psionic machine and examined it closely. Although it was a dark color, it was definitely not black but a deep blue, which made it appear more composed and... familiar?
In a flash, Qiu Ci suddenly remembered the blue object embedded in the northern city wall and the strange blue building of the temple, which seemed to be exactly the same color as the one in his hand. Instantly, the question that had been puzzling him was answered.

The psionic machine was actually the sealed device that the temple took from the base.

No wonder those chaotic substances were so afraid of it, no wonder they could safely reach this base. It turns out that what suppresses the chaotic substances is the psionic machine itself, the psionic machine is also embedded in the far north city wall, and even the temple building is formed by its aggregation.

She had wondered why Blue Star hadn't prepared more of something as important as the sealing device when it was sealed away. Now it seems that it wasn't that they hadn't prepared more, but that the temple had taken them all.

Qiu Ci couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. The temple clearly knew the importance of the psionic machine and that it could suppress chaotic matter—the things on the city wall were proof of that—yet they still took them all. Weren't they afraid that their greed would plunge the entire Divine Radiance Continent into catastrophe? Or were they simply too selfish to consider these things at all?

Qiu Ci's expression darkened. No matter what, these dangerous weapons of war, the psionic machines, absolutely could not be allowed to fall into the hands of the temple. She had to go back to the temple again to retrieve the weapons.

"Master." The old man from Juanshan also woke up after the synchronization ended. Just like me, his cultivation level had not improved and he was still at the Celestial Realm, but for some reason, he was completely different. His body was even faintly surrounded by white spiritual energy that was about to materialize.

Unlike her, the old man from Juanshan had a joyful expression on his face, and even said with some excitement, "I just sensed the laws of heaven and earth of this world. The Great Dao is right before my eyes. So this is what it means to synchronize cultivation. No wonder you are a celestial being from Blue Star."

"..." What heaven and earth? What laws? She didn't sense anything just now.

"Never mind that, we need to get back as soon as possible." Qiu Ci quickly told Juan Shan her guess and pointed to the psionic machine next to her that had changed color.

Old Man Juanshan's expression also changed. "How dare they lay a finger on the creations of the people of Blue Star!"

As soon as he angrily got up to leave, Qiu Ci waved his hand, recalling two psionic machines to protect himself, while the others were scattered to various coordinates according to the base's layout, remaining here to temporarily suppress the chaotic matter and prevent it from increasing further.

After doing all this, the two walked out of the base. Just as they stepped out of the gate and were about to take off on their swords, the old man from Juanshan suddenly stopped and stood frozen in place.

"What's wrong?" Qiu Ci turned around and looked.

Juanshan's face paled, his eyes widening in disbelief as he said, "Master, perhaps... I cannot go with you." "Why?"

"Because..." he suddenly looked up at the sky, "I feel like I'm about to ascend to heaven!"

"Huh?" What myth are you talking about?

But the next moment, a heavenly sound suddenly came from the sky, and the entire sky seemed to be forcibly torn open and lit up. The sky was filled with colorful rays of light, and even the surrounding chaotic black energy was forced back. A golden beam of light suddenly shone down and enveloped Mount Juan. As if he was being pulled up by something, he slowly rose up.

Qiu Ci, a friend from Juanshan, was stunned.

What the heck?! Suddenly ascending to heaven?!

"Master." Juanshan was also somewhat flustered. He subconsciously reached out his hand, but he could not resist the pull of the pillar of light and flew higher and higher. He could only shout, "This old man will be waiting for you in the Upper Realm."

After saying that, he flew into the sky and disappeared into the glowing sunset.

The tractor beam of light began to shrink and disappear, and specks of golden light drifted down. The rosy clouds and auspicious clouds in the sky slowly dissipated, and the sky darkened again, leaving only a bewildered Qiu Ci.

"..."

what the hell!

[Master, I know why your cultivation hasn't leveled up. It's because of the rules of this world. The upper limit of a mortal's cultivation is the Celestial Realm, and there's no way to advance further. Only by breaking through the boundary and going to the upper realm can one continue to increase their cultivation. Old Man Juanshan must have flown away because of this.]

"So... graduating from high school means you can become an immortal?" Qiu Ci's lips twitched.

Yes, Master!

"It's a der, why didn't you say so sooner?"

[Waaaaah... I just found out too!] The little ball of light shed golden dust in a pitiful state.

Qiu Ci rubbed her forehead. Everyone else gets stronger as they level up, so why did she feel that the damn system was getting more and more stupid?

"Wait a minute!" She suddenly remembered something. "If you can ascend after graduating from high school, then why am I still here?" It doesn't make sense that she only ascended to Mount Juan; she didn't graduate, did she?
"Oh, right." The dog system paused for a moment, then continued, "Logically, breaking through the world barrier requires ascension, right? Master, did you sense the existence of the barrier just now?"

Qiu Ci paused for a moment, then suddenly remembered that when she was synchronizing just now, she did sense a barrier and heard a breaking sound. She had just stopped. Could that be the world barrier?
With a thought, she released her divine sense and indeed felt another layer of seemingly imperceptible barrier, which was extremely fragile, as if it could be broken at any moment. Qiu Ci resisted the urge to immediately break through and ascend, deciding to first ask that troublesome fellow for clarification.

"Damn system, does this mean that if I break through the barrier, I can ascend back to Earth and reunite with everyone?"

【Oh, this won't do, Master.】

"..."

really.