Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The white buildings in the middle of the hilly forest rose and fell like faintly discernible waves. Most of them were surrounded by big tall trees while others were simply built on top of these trees. Meanwhile, Two Hearted Disciples like himself seemed to be treated very well. They were people in front who were specially assigned to the task of opening a path while the old woman and the beautiful senior sister led the way behind them and introduced everything.
The most beautiful part of the Scarlet Snow Sect’s public base was its gigantic triangular library that was embedded in a precipice halfway up the hill. This library used the most primitive method to record their books. The largest books were as tall as a person and as wide as two people, while the smallest books were the size of a palm.
All of these books were made of metal. They were unusually solid and could not be removed from here.
When the line of people walked past the library on the precipice and looked afar, they could see clusters of One Hearted Disciples who were stepping on suspended flying platforms, carefully reading the contents of the books as they faced the forceful strong winds.
“Alright, we can take a better look another day when we have more time.” The old woman led Garen through a sparse forest of peach trees. Suddenly, the area in front of them turned bright as neat rows of white villas and buildings came into view. A pair of these buildings were grouped as a unit. Meanwhile, their surroundings were covered by a thin protective membrane layer.
The two other people allowed Garen to pick a little three-story villa on his own. These villas were located in an area that was slightly lower than where the library was built. The administrative areas and the library were located on higher ground while the dwellings of One Hearted Disciples were located at the lower areas, making everything very convenient.
Once they had helped Garen settle in properly, the old woman and the beautiful Third Senior Sister told him the ways to contact them before leaving on their own.
“Senior Brother, I’ll return first for now. You can message me anytime if you require any assistance,” said Bainster to Garen, respectfully.
After nodding, Garen exchanged contacts with him as well before standing at the front of the villa, watching him leave quickly.
The entire villa was snowy-white and filled with faint chills that were of low temperatures. The surrounding areas were also desolate as he could only see a few people passing by in the distance. They left right after stepping on a flying platform the moment they exited the door and did not seem to remain at all.
Suddenly, Garen’s eyes shifted to the right. He saw that the grey curtains behind one of the windows on the second floor of a nearby villa on the right had been opened. Inside, a silver eye was staring at him right now. He could instantly feel icy chills crawling up his spine.
“What is that?!” He was certain that it was not human. When he noticed that the eye was shifting away before it finally disappeared behind the curtains, he looked away as well.
“Looks like the neighbor isn’t very friendly…” Garen furrowed his eyebrows slightly while his mind stirred as the main door of the villa closed on its own instantly.
He turned around and returned to the main hall on the first floor. After that, he took out the Space Ring as a thought flashed through his mind.
Boom!
There was a dull thud before various items flew over and suddenly shot out of the floor of the main hall. Some of the things were presents from the One Hearted Disciples, whereas most of them were provided by the sect.
Most of these large piles were made up of various materials and metal pieces.
Two blueprints were laid aside as well.
Garen picked the blueprints up and glanced at them. The instructions for building Biochemical Pools and experimental platforms were written there. The part of the villa that was allocated to them was written there as well.
‘Two Hearted Villas have specialized Biochemical and experimental laboratories that can house Biochemical Pools and experimental platforms respectively. There are people who will be specially in charge of delivering your food and drink. Besides that, you will need to wear the sect’s uniform and adornments at all times when going out. Please note, when the assembly bell rings, please be sure to abandon all tasks and rush to the transmitting beam at the doorway to be sent to the center of the main plaza to gather there. — May the honored Two Hearted Disciples receive a promotion as soon as possible (from Scarlet Snow’s logistics supervisor: Donlai Olsen)’
Garen put the blueprint down and walked around in a circle, inside the villa for a few times. The layout of this villa was very simple. He had seen this too many times in the other world and was too lazy to look at everything properly. He merely checked whether any surveillance equipment was present here. At the same time, he went to check the locations of the other important rooms like the bedroom, toilet, and kitchen.
Both the Biochemical and experimental lab were nearby each other on the right side of the first floor. All of the rooms had automatic lights. Therefore, the lights would turn on by themselves once he approached the room. The important part was that the main door was controlled by his mind, making it extremely advanced.
The materials for the Biochemical Pool, experimental platform, and Nutritional Liquid were fully prepared. The other blueprint explained the fixed proportions that were allocated for each period of time. However, he would need to pay a price in exchange for enjoying these privileges. He would need to complete a task for the sect every five years that was corresponding to his current level. Fortunately, he could go to the task center and select it on his own.
Beep beep…
Suddenly, a faint trembling noise echoed from Garen’s key again. A voice that sounded slightly familiar drifted into his ears.
‘Garen, I’ve entered successfully! The Star Cloud Sect!’
It was Accord. Prideful and happy tones could be heard clearly in his voice. However, he also sounded exhausted.
‘Where did you go? Why couldn’t I find you?’
‘Congratulations, I’ve entered a little group far away called the Scarlet Snow Sect,’ Garen smiled. Although Accord was someone who he had just met on the road, both of them had gained a close relationship with each other during their journey.
‘Why did you join a small sect?’ echoed a voice that was indicated that the other party could not comprehend the current situation. ‘Someone with Appraisal like yours would not need to enter a small sect, right?’
‘We don’t have to talk about me first. How’s Liz now?’ Garen changed the subject.
‘She went to the Dragon Light Sect and entered it smoothly without any obstacles. Unlike you,’ Accord sounded troubled. ‘Didn’t I recommend some mid-range and large-scale sects to you that were pretty good? Why did you join a small sect?’
‘Don’t worry, I’m very certain about my choice,’ Garen smiled in response. He could sense that Accord did not have much experience with the negative feelings of others. His nature was still pure and he did not plan to abandon their friendship despite the difference between their positions.
‘I can only wish you good luck then,’ said Accord helplessly. ‘Alright, I have some things to take care of here. I’ll contact you again when I’m free.’
‘Mmhmm, okay.’
Both of them disconnected the call.
Garen stood at the hall on the first floor and muttered to himself for awhile. He used the key to send a message to Celine again but he did not receive a reply. Perhaps the distance between them was too far and the key’s message transmissions could not pass through planets. He did not know whether she had received it or not.
Since he was currently in the Scarlet Snow Sect, he would only need to wait to get past the Judge at the time when he would grant the sect’s important Inherited Secret Tactics. Only then would he become one of Scarlet Snow’s true disciples. However, he did not think that this would take a long time as this meeting was more important than the usual. Despite being individuals who had always preferred jobs that allowed them to research things on their own, these Energy Machinists had managed to dispatch so many groups to meet, explain things, and even arrange everything for him. One could well imagine that he was an outsider who had only entered this place after being introduced by someone else.
After walking out of the villa, he could faintly see a few silvery-white Flying Ships that were continuously shuttling back and forth in circles from afar. They formed a white river that was dense and unusually magnificent.
‘If you want to enter my Scarlet Snow Sect, you’ll need to pass through four rudimentary checkpoints and undergo strength and physique examinations, as well as a computing test. Those who are eighteen-years-old and above may not enter. Those who cheat will be killed!’ echoed a low voice from the faraway sky.
Next, music could be heard faintly. Occasionally, it sounded like a lively child was yelling as well.
Although he could not see the scene below the Flying Ships because he was too far away, Garen guessed that this was probably from the selection and recruitment ceremony.
“Scarlet Snow has been dismissed by the main central city but it’s obvious in this area that they’re a powerful force. So these are the regional limits…” He sighed and recalled Blackboard Region where he had stayed in previously. Was that place not similar as well?
“Rise well…” Everything was prepared and in order. He only needed to wait until the examination was over before he could immerse himself in training fully. Garen’s mind began to calm down.
With the protection of the sect, he would use his spare time to dash determinedly towards higher Energy Machinist levels. The Seventh Divine Wind General was waiting for him in Blackboard Region!
He turned around and walked into the main door slowly before the heavy white large doors sealed themselves automatically.
******************
Without any obstacles, Garen passed the examination successfully half a month later. Although his true identity had been discovered, as long as it did not harm the interests of the sect or threaten it, it was not a problem at all.
As a Two Hearted Disciple, he had successfully obtained the Scarlet Snow Sect’s most precious Core Inherited information, a training secret method that was used to counter one’s own radiation — Scarlet Snow.
Scarlet Snow was similar to the previous Black Wind except that it was more complicated and it was of a higher level. He could see that the Black Wind had modeled itself after Scarlet Snow’s rank faintly.
From this Training Method, Eighteen Grade Cold Scarlet Snow, Garen could vaguely detect something that was unusually familiar. This training technique resembled Secret Techniques and felt like advanced and top Secret Techniques.
Eighteen Grade Cold Scarlet Snow was an extremely terrifying Secret Method that was slightly similar to Living Secret Techniques. As long as he practiced this and upgraded it by one level, it would spur on all aspects of his Willpower, Vitality, Secret Method powers, and computing power. In other words, it would improve all four factors simultaneously. It would purely separate out the physical tactics and secret tactics as both of these skills would need to achieve higher levels before they could be elevated at the same time.
These peak eighteen grades referred to the peak environments that the sect leader had achieved previously. Level Nine Energy Machinists were close to the level of the Perpetual Motioners, while the current Elders were around Level Fourteen. Most of them would stay at Level Seven because those with prodigious Vitalities could not depend on their talents to break through the limits either. In the future, they would need to rely on other things to continue advancing because the uses of their talents would disappear completely.
Their levels would not drop once they had reached Level Fourteen of this Secret Tactic Training Method. This was extremely similar to the Living Secret Technique in which Garen was currently practicing. From this Secret Method that he had obtained, he could vaguely see a reflection of his Secret Techniques… He had his suspicions that it was very likely that Secret Technique Users had come to this place previously.
However, he could not be bothered to overthink it now. Instead, he would rather concentrate on practicing the strict training of the Scarlet Snow Sect.
Garen discarded the thoughts of his Living Secret Technique and Mech Pilot Willpower so that he could focus wholeheartedly on improving his Energy Machinist skills.
He focused all of his attention on practicing the Cold Scarlet Snow Secret Method. Due to the influence of his Level Three Willpower, as a Level Three Energy Machinist, he was able to reach Level Three of this Secret Method after practicing it. However, following that, his progress slowed down instantly.
Those with average Appraisals would need at least seven to eight hours of accumulated computing from Level Three to Level Four. Garen did not even leave the area and merely spent all his time computing determinedly inside the sect. Other than contacting Accord and Liz occasionally, he would only send messages to Celine.
He had found a way to contact Celine as there were long distance message transmission services within the sect. However, he would need to bear the expenses of sending these messages on his own.
Only then did Garen discover that the Planet Naga and Mother Planet were in different dimensions. This was a dwelling planet that the almighty Energy Machinists had pioneered in an antimatter universe.
Everything was well on Celine’s end. She had sent people to look after Nono’s parents, especially to keep them safe and secure. The only ones who were still lost were Baylon and the others. Clint, Baylon, and Red Moon had disappeared without any news for a long time.
By training his computing power strictly while using the resources of the sect, he was able to build a good foundation for his Energy Machinist Willpower. As expected, Garen’s computing powers began to increase gradually and steadily.
