Chapter 137 - 137 120 The Return Gift

137: Chapter 120: The Return Gift 137: Chapter 120: The Return Gift “A spell is an effect that can be achieved by fulfilling specific conditions and executing specific ritualistic actions.” When Lu Ping’an had previously opened the “textbook,” that was the precise answer he received. “A spell is essentially a human understanding of the natural laws.” However, a certain big cat always jumps out when Lu Ping’an has a “wrong” understanding, misleading him with the forbidden “truth.” “Hah, I know it sounds absurd, but it’s the truth. The simplest example is praying for rain. Who can assert that the shamans’ dances for the gods will indeed summon rain…..but when rain does fall, who can deny that it was the result of the shamans’ prayer. Similar examples include praying to Buddha, lucky rituals, lucky numbers, etc.” “A mistaken understanding? Perhaps not. How can you be sure that ‘understanding’ truly has a right and wrong, or, that what you perceive as correct and scientifically valid, is merely a specific solution under certain defined conditions and environment, or, that a spell itself, operates under a specific ‘law (God)’, a specific truth, an equivalent formula of input behavior and attained results….” Even Lu Ping’an had to admit that the big cat was quite convincing as an “old grandpa.” But at this moment, when the big cat suddenly started talking about the principles of spells, he found it a bit perplexing. “Big cat, did you take the wrong medicine?” The big cat on the other side just laughed and subtly ignored the question. She knew that things were about to get tough for somebody. “If a spell is either a rule of understanding or a natural law under specific conditions, then it must follow two basic principles: the first is the principle of similarity – like gives birth to like, imitation will produce nearly identical results; the second is the principle of contact – all links and contacts will yield results, like the use of curse dolls and the sort. Most of the time, these two principles are inseparable…..” The big cat incessantly explaining principles made Lu Ping’an put down the fish head in his hand and fling it into the water, feeling somewhat uneasy. He stopped for a moment, thought for a while, and then realized. “The Historical Secret Realm is never simply a secret realm? It establishes a connection with the original owner? The secret realm is consuming the original owner’s power?! Is this humanity’s retribution?” “Indeed, the Secret Realm itself is essentially a spell, which ‘re-enacts a segment of history’ through certain conditions, creating ‘contact and connection’ with entities in it. In a sense, this is a requiem to console and disperse resentful spirits, but it also serves as a curse – a malicious curse towards entities akin to Divine Sons, which continuously manifests as a bleeding wound sparked by human creation……” “It reminds me of something similar. Yes, Frazer’s Golden Branch, the principles of similarity and contact…..” Before Lu Ping’an could finish contemplating, the sudden upheaval in the Secret Realm echoed his doubts. [The Host has been cursed by an otherworldly curse, this curse has been greatly weakened across dimensions…] [The Host has now fallen under the malicious curse of the angry God’s child….] [The Host has received a malicious curse from ‘*% octopus*&’, please check.] This dazed system has already provided a direct answer. In that moment, however, Lu Ping’an felt relieved. Though the name of the deity cannot be deciphered, indicating that the being was of a high standing, the fact the nature of the curse could be interpreted meant it shouldn’t be too severe. But before he could even begin to rejoice in understanding, he realized he was getting ahead of himself. “….34%%&* (Despicable humans, I will devour you and your whole world)….” An indecipherable roar reverberated throughout the Secret Realm; the entire world shook in its wake. For some beings, their thoughts reach far quicker than their voices. Even though the curse has arrived, the furious reprimand had just reached this foreign world. [*% Octopus*& (Impostor) Hostility Marker (Lower Gold Level): You have angered the deity, its family clan, and subordinates, who will fall into madness the moment they see you.] This “Impostor” eased Lu Ping’an momentarily. It indicated that the one cursing him was merely the clad avatar of the god in the Secret Realm, possessing only a portion of the god’s attributes. I should be safe from inter-realm assassins, just need to be more careful when entering the Secret Realm in future. [Evil God’s Assassin (Lower Gold): The malice of *%Octopus*& surrounds you, when you enter a Secret Realm that contains its Curse source or its Family Clan, this curse transforms into malicious pursuers whose strength is related to the maximum limit of the Secret Realm (this curse will take effect upon your next entry). When you enter a Secret Realm with water, this curse will also trigger with low efficiency.] [*%Octopus*&’s Stare (Lower Gold): Being watched and even remembered by the Deity, your body involuntarily turns towards its Family Clan, transforming forcefully for two hours each day (has been immunized by the Life Bank). But as the cost, you have acquired part of the characteristics of ‘Shark Fishman’, including the water flow sensing skin and underwater breathing specialty…] Lu Ping’an subtly smiled, the Life Bank was indeed powerful, directly immunizing the transformation curse of that pseudo-god. So, it’s really hard to say whether the fellow actually cursed himself, or rewarded him, in the end. At this moment, the transformations in the Secret Realm had just started. Both sky and earth started to change color, the most noticeable change was the flood and the rivers before his eyes. The originally pale yellow, even clear floodwater, swiftly turned green, emanating an odd smell, and in the blink of an eye, it became unbearable to the human senses. In the air, countless cracks appeared, a strange fishy smell drifted out from them, and various creatures and plants began to undergo distorted transformations. Right before Lu Ping’an’s eyes, a stray dog hiding from the flood grew scales and fins and willingly jumped into the strange water. This scene reminded Lu Ping’an of something Xia Qin had mentioned before. “This is the beginning of Exotic Realm transformation? Is it a third-level polluting event?” A second-level polluting event is an individual pollution, a call for professionals should be made promptly for its handling. The hallmark of a third-level pollution event is Exotic Realm transformation, if not handled properly, would swiftly escalate to a fourth-level Realm Transformation or worse, a thorough Otherworldly Portal Transformation, meaning a permanent change… “It’s a seventh level, anything involving the gods, even if it’s a pseudo-god or juvenile god, is directly classified as the seventh level, SS-level polluting event.” In Big Cat’s words, there’s clear malicious schadenfreude. Perhaps because this danger still exists within the Secret Realm, it should not really kill Lu Ping’an, but can make him suffer a bit. But the outside world is now completely in chaos. The exit of the Secret Realm, like other Training Secret Realms, has an automated ranking, but what is indicated on it is quite unlike other Secret Realms. It only has two lists, a honorable yellow list “Secret Realm Contribution Ranking,” which, in the eyes of true professionals, is a “Damage to some Deity Ranking.” The other one is a dangerous red list, which is the “Historical Distorted Factor Ranking,” a list of those who have altered the “history” development of this Secret Realm from the real history. The former is an honor; the latter is a curse. At the top of both lists, there’s a name that abruptly rose to the top! “Number One. Ping’an? Number One Ping’an, that’s a weird name, isn’t it?” The current audience probably doesn’t know yet, once this ranking “One.” is paried with the name “Ping’an” appearing on the Secret Realm designation bar, it usually indicates something. Afterwards, some people summarize the experience regarding “Number One Ping’an,” and passed it on to newcomers. “Lu Ping’an in his normal form is quite easy to get along with, at least he’s a human. But when he becomes Number One Ping’an: It’s better to exit the Secret Realm proactively, if you run slow, you’ll be dragged in!” “Then, why not just go with him to a Secret Realm where people won’t die, like Knight’s Secret Realm?” “No no no, it’s the exact opposite. He’ll probably take it slow in a Secret Realm where people can die, at least start playing slowly, but in a Secret Realm where people can’t die….he’d be utterly unconstrained, that would be the real Number One Ping’an, an unstoppable funeral march of peace. He won’t stop his consecutive nightmare gear until he’s toyed with all of you, until the Secret Realm collapses…”