0043 - Press A to Ascend.

"Does it not sound good to hear? I don't know why Ming Mei thinks it's a bad thing to get wider and stronger meridians?" Lu Sheng said, still confident in his belief of 'strong is best,' not able to understand the concept of 'balance in all' shared by Ming Mei.

[I have no comment on it until and unless we get to the level of experience and knowledge of Ming Mei or even better, right now it is working in our favor and it's good for us.] 

The Automated System replied and stated the logical reasoning.

"Yeah, that's what I am talking about. Let's enjoy the perk now and worry about it later," Lu Sheng said eagerly.

[Do you take loans from others without giving a thought on how to pay it back?] 

The Automated System asked with a hint of disapproval.

"Okay, stop making fun of me, I am ordering you not to do it at all," Lu Sheng said, slightly annoyed.

[...] The Automated System remained silent.

"What? Acknowledge it?" Lu Sheng asked, sounding exasperated.

[...] The Automated System stayed silent.

"Okay, fine, talk," Lu Sheng said frustratingly.

[...] The Automated System continued to remain silent.

"I am ordering you to talk," Lu Sheng demanded, his voice rising.

[it's hard to follow contradictory commands, I went into error mode because of it. Please be aware of it or else you will render me useless.] 

The Automated System explained calmly.

"You are trolling with me, don't you?" Lu Sheng accused, suspicion in his tone.

[I am not a Trolling System, Host.] 

The Automated System assured him emotionlessly.

"Fine, without you I am just another trash, even lower than a trash so I will suffer your antics," Lu Sheng said, resigned in his voice.

[Trolling aside, you should not test your luck more, your skin is red, it could have been green or no skin at all so do not force me to take such risks.] 

The Automated System warned him gently.

"Fine, fine. Let's focus on cultivation," Lu Sheng said, finally giving up.

[I can focus on multiple things at the same time and you are not doing anything at all.] 

The Automated System resumed his antics.

"Okay, at least share with me the progress or method, wait, answer me first, how come I was out of juice?" Lu Sheng asked curiously.

[Natural Essence does not react or interact much, it's a very inert essence and in abundance in comparison to other essences, churning the natural essence in the meridians as per the cultivation method it transformed into the required essence we are cultivating for, when we used all your essence in you to create the spirit bead, you become empty, however, the automated breathing from the two pores kept on going, it was slow, very slow and was not enough to fill it up quickly, that's why you are out of juice.] 

"Ahh! So now you are using all my 16 pores? Right?" Lu Sheng asked, his excitement growing.

[Yes, and it will be faster. Maybe a few more minutes to access the Spatial Ring.] 

"Okay, then," Lu Sheng said, anticipation clear in his voice.

A few minutes later.

[We have enough, we can begin now.] 

The Automated System announced.

"Let's Go!" Lu Sheng exclaimed, his eyes shining with enthusiasm.

Lu Sheng raised his hand holding the spatial ring, and a very faint, almost negligible verdant green essence rose from his fingertip like a vapor and vanished into the spatial ring. Like a link had been connected, his vision became swarmed with visual items in the spatial ring.

"Whoa! So cool!" Lu Sheng cried out, his childlike excitement rising with each item that floated around him. They were not really out of the spatial ring, but two visions were superseding upon each other. Like a magic trick, he enjoyed it for a moment and then got bored with it immediately.

"Okay, this is not efficient at all," Lu Sheng said, his tone turning slightly disappointed.

[Agreed. It's blocking the main vision and it's confusing.] 

The Automated System agreed.

"Could you be able to modify it like a game inventory menu?" Lu Sheng asked with a hopeful voice.

[I sure I can but for that we need to gather the Metal Forging and Formation Carving knowledge too.] the Automated System replied, not sounding entirely certain.

"Sigh* Nothing works immediately, everything has some catch to complete first," Lu Sheng said, letting out a resigned sigh.

[Well, there is no catch to learn Eternal Life Core Elixir Method now, give me the command.] 

The Automated System said confidently.

"Automated it," Lu Sheng said, his excitement returning.

[Automation Initiated.]

The books were unorganized, but it was not a problem for the Automated System, as it could formulate and organize the context later as it started absorbing every piece of text and word in it. The best part was that it was not outside, in the open air where pages needed to be flipped and other physical limitations.

It read all of the books and Jade slips in moments, that's the cheat power of the Automated System.

[Done. We can start a proper cultivation path now.]

"Do it!" Lu Sheng exclaimed, barely containing his excitement, eager to see if the cheat power was finally in his grasp.

For a moment, nothing happened, but then a silence spread out in the cave-like room, and suddenly the air churned, a small whirlwind forming around Lu Sheng as he bathed in the glory of the protagonist. "HAHAHAHAHA! Finally!" Lu Sheng laughed, his voice echoing like a villain whose plan had succeeded.

His pores, now wider and stronger, started sucking in all the Natural Essence, and he could see it visibly. His skin itched, but this was not discomfort, but rather a tickling sensation.

[017/108 pores opened] 

The Automated System immediately informed him.

"More pores are opening?" Lu Sheng asked, his excitement growing.

[Yes, the pores opening on your skin have become very fragile after you turned red, and even if I am not actively trying to open them, they are opening up on their own. 018/108 pores opened.]

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Lu Sheng laughed out again, his villain-like cackle echoing in the room as prompt after prompt kept coming, informing him of his pores opening.

*CRACK*

[Congratulations Host, your Mortal Shell has been cracked, we are ready to ascend into the Spiritual Realm, the first realm Spirit Breathing Realm. Are you ready to Breakthrough?]