0045 - Level Zero - 108 Debuff Run.

The Automated System no longer bothered to warn Lu Sheng. However, as a system, it couldn't abandon its own rules.

[100/108 pores opened.]

Lu Sheng no longer had excitement but a stubbornness, a madness to prove that his ideas, his path can be right. 

[108/108 pores opened.]

The Automated system announced in monotone, emotionless voice, instead of its usual normal human-like voice.

Silence.

The Automated System didn't say anything beyond the necessary. Lu Sheng, however, was expecting more input from it. But seeing its silence, he oddly found it comforting. "We can ascend now. Right?" he asked, feeling a bit uncertain.

The Automated System stayed silent.

"Okay, I am sorry," he quickly apologized, feeling a desire to have someone to talk to and share his inner thoughts with. 

[I am not angry, Host. I am an Automated System, I am incapable of emotions. I am just disappointed.] 

Lu Sheng rolled his eyes, this System is pure drama queen. Incapable of emotions, my ass. You just expressed disappointment.

"Then lets, Ascend. Automate Ascension," he said, feeling a bit of happiness at hearing the system's normal voice.

[Automation Initiated.]

Lu Sheng waited with held breath figuratively. However, nothing happened. "Umm...report?" he asked, remaining calm.

[Host, Ascension will take time, we have lost the pressure, the force to Breakthrough is no more.] 

The Automated System explained.

"Explain?" Lu Sheng asked, listening intently.

[If we were a cola bottle, filled to the brim and after a little shake the pressure would rise with the fizz inside, loosening the cap would Breakthrough.]

"Okay?" Lu Sheng responded, trying to understand.

[Now, the bottle has suddenly become bigger and the cola inside now very little compared to the size of the bottle, the pressure is nothing enough to even burp, forget about Breakthrough.]

"I thought you were going to say we now have 108 holes or something, everything is leaking out," Lu Sheng joked, feeling a bit relieved.

[That is true but I can close the pores to force out ascension but I can't do anything about the new space we have created opening the 108 meridians too, now to ascend we would have to fill up out entire 108 meridians and build up a new pressure to Breakthrough.]

"Then let's resume Automated Cultivation," Lu Sheng suggested, ready to move forward.

[Host, how about you sense your meridians first.] 

The Automated System advised.

Lu Sheng didn't argue and did as asked. After a moment, he realized, "There is nothing left?"

[Yes, 16 pores were enough to suck up everything, we have nothing left to absorb.]

"What now? Wait. What about this Spirit Gathering Formation?" Lu Sheng asked, thinking of a solution.

[Yes, let's try that but first let's read that second Jade Slip.]

"Yes, let's do that, nice of you to remember it. Automated it," Lu Sheng agreed.

After a moment, 

[I think Ming Mei suspects us to be a Genius.]

"Why?" Lu Sheng inquired, curious.

[Everything she has given us is kind of a subtle test, this Jade slip not only contains the basic information on how to use a formation but how to set up or break it.]

"Should we avoid being a genius?" Lu Sheng asked, considering their options.

[Hard to answer but instead of lying this is the best course so far now, if we have to leave the clan.] 

The Automated System advised.

"Yes, I keep forgetting our real job. Then what to do with this Spirit Gathering Formation?" Lu Sheng asked, refocusing on the task at hand.

[Normally we should put the spirit bead and it will automatically take care of the flow of Natural Essence but we only have one which we created.]

"So create more?" Lu Sheng's eyes lit up with greed.

[Wouldn't it be redundant? We need a new source.]

"Sigh* So ask for Spirit Beads from Ming Mei?" Lu Sheng suggested, a bit disappointed.

[Yes, that or...] the Automated System trailed off.

"Or?" Lu Sheng raised his eyebrow.

[Or Void Anchor.]

He quickly left the mediation stone and entered the small Void Anchor room. He stood in front of the Dark pillar which looked similar in shape to the Eiffel Tower with wuxia architecture mixed in. However, the script written or rather weaved into it was the most attractive feature of the tower.

"How?" Lu Sheng asked, his curiosity piqued.

[Void Essence.]

"Void Essence?" Lu Sheng questioned, his eyes shining to know about something new, something exciting.

[Yes, Void Essence, it's also called Chaos Essence, just like Natural Essence, it's abundant but in the Void, not in the physical world.]

"Okay, and this Void Anchor is the way to get more Void Essence, right?" Lu Sheng asked, intrigued.

[Correct.]

"What is this, anyway?" Lu Sheng inquired, looking around the room.

[As per the Jade slip, this Void Anchor, as the name suggests, has anchored the void here, which means it has stabilized the Void in this place and created an entrance in the void.]

"Okay, so this is another formation?" Lu Sheng asked, trying to understand.

[Yes and no. What I have understood from the Jade slip and a little bit of help from your memories and the novels you have read, the formation in general is the external study of harnessing the Essence to your will. Internally we harness the Essence with our meridians, externally we need to identify meridians like pathways or carve out new pathways which will mimic like meridians to take advantage of Natural Essence.]

"Sounds right," Lu Sheng nodded, following the explanation.

[And then we have Void, the chaos, this jade slip does not give us the history of it, but it seems the Formation Masters who encountered the void first, tried to close it and that started the study of void. Later, they named this branch of study into Void Weaver because instead of carving, they had to weave, keep it together, hold it in one place, collect it, anchor it to stabilize.]

"Is that the reason why these scripts on this pillar looks like someone weaved it?" Lu Sheng observed, his eyes studying the intricate script.