Superhumans of the Dome City
Chapter 263 - 263 27 Learning in Fragmented Time

263: Chapter 27: Learning in Fragmented Time 263: Chapter 27: Learning in Fragmented Time Shiyu Ling grabbed the Swiss roll with one hand and took a big bite.

Her action looked more like a hunter tearing into freshly cooked meat than someone enjoying a dessert.

Miss Linai sat across from Gongsun Ce, smiling awkwardly with hands pressed together, “It seems I was mistaken.”

“Believe me, Miss Linai, she was trying to murder me just now,” Gongsun Ce said earnestly, “Our relationship is purely based on work, without any personal connection.”

Miss Linai selectively ignored the latter part of his statement.

Holding her fork, she said anxiously, “Murder isn’t something we can just overlook.

Miss Alice, what exactly is your name?”

The female Hunter coldly responded, “Shiyu Ling.”

Miss Linai’s expression looked like someone who opened a luxury sushi platter only to find a super spicy ham roll.

“Ah, no wonder they sent you…” The witch said, holding her forehead, “I hope I’m not also on a wanted list.”

“You’re overthinking it.

If they wanted to use official means, wouldn’t it be easier to use the excuse of searching for superpower users to deploy the army?” Shiyu Ling sneered, pointing to the grey-haired youth, “This one here is a high-risk Dragon Species.

According to regulations, it could warrant the United Nations deploying special forces to drop into Zero Island.”

“Don’t hit me with such surreal terminology, please.”

Gongsun Ce reassured, “Don’t worry, Miss Linai.

That’s more symbolic than practical.

His danger level isn’t really higher than Shiyu Shiqi’s.”

“What’s with your calm demeanor as if ‘I’ve dealt with this before’!

Don’t tell me you’ve actually fought her!”

“As one of the first batch of awakened superpower users, I’ve pretty much all had combat experience with the military.

A good portion of those taken in are cooperative,” the Superpower User shrugged, “Of course, when I was young, I didn’t know about the Impermanence Law Enforcers.

I guess those who the military couldn’t handle and who didn’t cooperate had to be captured by official experts.”

Miss Linai took a bite of her cake, feeling like an innocent little lamb caught between these two individuals.

Last time it was Uncle Yan and Shiyu Lianyi, this time Gongsun Ce and Shiyu Ling.

Why was it always with such high-profile clientele that she found herself?

The little witch sighed, thinking she might just be destined for hard work.

“Speaking of which, there’s been so much going on I’ve never had the chance to ask—what’s your relationship with Uncle Yan?”

Shiyu Ling acted as if she hadn’t heard.

The grey-haired youth saw this as an opportunity to ask for advice.

“Yan Qi taught me the basics of the Impermanence Skill but didn’t teach much before sending me here.

He’s a kind of thrifty master.”

Miss Linai’s eyes widened, she clapped her hand, exclaiming, “Did he make you memorize a bunch of ancient texts and then say they were not important!

Whenever there’s a problem, does he say, ‘What does it have to do with me!’ Occasionally he tells a story like he’s giving alms!

After a class, you feel more confused than if you hadn’t attended!”

“Ah, exactly, exactly!” Gongsun Ce felt he had found a kindred spirit, “You’ve also seen how that bastard teaches?”

Miss Linai pulled out a piece of candy, popping it into her mouth with a smile tinged with a slight sense of superiority.

“Hee hee hee, that’s how he taught me too.”

“…Ah?”

Stars twinkled mysteriously in Miss Linai’s eyes as the high school girl, like a small club president who had been guarding the club room alone for months, excitedly jumped up and grabbed his shoulders.

“That means, Gongsun Ce, you should call me ‘senior sister’ now!”

Gongsun Ce protested frantically, “No no no no, how weird would it be for a college student to call a high school student ‘senior sister’?!

That’s just senseless!”

“Little Ce~, in the world of learning from masters, seniority is based on who came first~”

“Can you not use that tone like an old grandma when calling me?!?!”

As Shiyu Ling burst into laughter, the train carriages filled with jovial air.

·

A few minutes later.

“I still wonder why Uncle sent an email saying to take good care of this time’s clientele; so that’s what this was about.”

Did I just hear ’email’?

What era is this if you’re still using email to communicate with acquaintances?

And more laughably, Yan Qi actually does send you emails.

“Cough cough, so now that we have some free time, Miss Linai, could you give me some guidance on my Impermanence Skill practice?”

The high school girl nonchalantly looked at him, her smile carrying a tinge of mischief.

“Why should Miss Linai teach you the Impermanence Skill?

Miss Linai is a witch of Huangquan Shrine and she’s under no obligation to teach you anything.”

Yan Qi, you cheater.

Making yourself sound so great, I was expecting some old man or woman but it turns out to be a high school girl you trained.

Can’t you brag within limits?

Gongsun Ce sighed deeply, covering his face, “Please teach me, senior sister.”

Just hearing the laughter from nearby, he didn’t have the courage to look at Shiyu Ling’s face.

“No problem, no problem!” Miss Linai immediately changed her demeanor, sitting next to him like an old friend, “What do you want senior sister to tell you about?”

Gongsun Ce anxiously said, “The origins of the Impermanence Skill.”

“Ah?

Didn’t uncle tell you that story?” Miss Linai made a chopping gesture with her hand, “The one about the Emperor slaying the dragon.”

“That story is not only short but also lacks any useful information…”

Gongsun Ce reminisced about the origins of the Impermanence Skill as told by Yan Qi, most of which were old fairy tales he had read in children’s books as a child.

·

In the ancient times, there was a mountain named Lishan and a river named Huai.

Lishan and Huai were in Central State where the soil was red and thick, and the vegetation gradually enveloped the area.

The ancestors lived in Central State, unfamiliar with suffering, living harmoniously and joyfully.

Beyond the azure skies, there was a disaster known as the Dragon, which descended silently and left without a trace, suddenly soaring like a passerby.

The Dragon brought formidable chaos to the world, displaying numerous portents.

The north turned into a mirage, the western mountains darkened, the eastern seas flooded, and the southern fields became obscure.

Thus, the world’s creatures suffered greatly, and the people were displaced and lost.

Occasionally, a great Dragon descended, darkening the skies and the earth, blotting out the sun and moon, causing people to forget the difference between young and old, and the soil to forget fertility and barrenness.

A sage said, “If this continues, the people will have no life.” He gathered hundreds of brave men, resolved to die to slay the Dragon.

They fought fiercely, yet they were no match, and said, “Heaven wants to end us.”

Then, a hero emerged barehanded, saying, “Human effort has not yet been exhausted, why fear Heaven’s Will!” Alone, he advanced, leaped into the sky, and battled the Dragon; wherever he struck, the portents vanished; his body was harder than iron, he used his hands as swords, slaying the Dragon in the wilderness.

The Dragon’s body was severed from its head, and the people were astonished, considering him a Heavenly Being.

This Heavenly Being, nameless, took the title of Emperor Central Spirit.

His hair was as red as blood, and everyone called him Red, thus he was crowned with the surname Red.

The sage led the people to worship Red, saying, “Emperor Central Spirit, who slayed the Dragon, shall be our ruler.” Emperor Central Spirit accepted graciously, using the Dragon’s blood to make sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, ending the ancient times and ushering in the era of humanity.

He declared himself Emperor of Lishan, founding the nation known as the Yong Guang Empire.

——Thus far is the founding myth that every child in the Empire has heard.

But the story continues, and Yan Qi added a part I had never heard before, and from there onwards, things became unclear for him.

The Emperor used the Dragon’s head to make sacrifices to Heaven, and the Dragon’s body to Earth, restoring light to both.

Asked by the sages, the Emperor said, “This is the ritual.” Ritual being the established order.

The sages built a great hall, seeking out the wise and valiant to learn from the Emperor.

The Emperor imparted everything, sharing the rituals of sacrificing to Heaven and Earth, thus founding the Yiji Hall.

The Emperor traveled through Central State, seeing the people’s suffering, and in anger, he slew several Dragons.

Back in Lishan, after months of deep contemplation, he summoned the sage and said, “The Dragon’s body is hard yet heartless; human bodies are weak yet hearty.

I have invented a Secret Technique, harnessing the power of the heart.

Using the heartfelt to strike the heartless, the Dragon Disaster can be eradicated.”

The sage was overjoyed and summoned those who had learned the ritual to seek further instruction from the Emperor.

The Emperor said, “Dragons belong to the Six Realms.” After a long silence, he continued, “The art of Dragon Slaying consists of seven elements of the heart: tranquility, void, spirit, sanctity, desolation, calamity, and wonder.

These elements must be separated in sequence and cannot be interchanged.

Yet, intentions are impermanent, not holding to constant principles.

Whether it protects or destroys the nation, brings peace or calamity to the people, all depends on a single thought.

You must be cautious.” The Emperor developed the Dragon Slaying Skill, known as the Impermanence Skill, and passed it on at the Yiji Hall.

Thus, mere humans possessed the power to resist disasters.

The peace throughout the world began with Emperor Central Spirit.

·

This sums it up for the most part.

Central State used to be a nice place, and the people lived well.

Then one day, the Dragon Disaster struck, and the tragedy began.

Dragons only remained in the world for a short period, but they caused immense catastrophes.

At that time, disasters struck Central State from all sides, and the common people could barely survive.

In the end, a great Dragon appeared, and a wise man said that if things continued this way, everyone would be doomed.

So, he led a group of heroes to slay the Dragon, but they failed, and everyone was desperate, thinking the heavens wanted to kill us, and now we are finished.

——Then, a red-haired hero rose to his feet, tore the great Dragon in two with bare hands.

This is the great founding monarch of our Yong Guang Empire, Emperor Central Spirit!

“From a modern perspective, I think Emperor Central Spirit was probably a Creator Realm Mage, otherwise his miracles are inexplicable.” Yan Qi added the parts about the Emperor making sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and imparting the Impermanence Skill.

“Listening to this story, who could understand it?

Suddenly, a super powerful being appears to save the world, even creating a complete fighting system.

When I heard it, I thought the Impermanence Skill must be some kind of alien technology.”

“And are we then high-tech warriors who inherited this legacy to fight alien invaders?” Linai squinted as she spoke.

Gongsun Ce nodded repeatedly, “Exactly, exactly.”

“Exactly my foot!” Linai dashed out a hand strike!

Gongsun Ce blocked it with Telekinesis!

“Idiot!

Hasn’t it been told explicitly to you, the Impermanence Skill was created by Emperor Central Spirit, just remember that and it’s enough!”

“But this story has more doubts than answers, making it impossible not to care!”

“What did Uncle Yan tell you?”

Gongsun Ce hesitated in his response, “Not to think too much.”

“That’s exactly the point of telling stories to beginners.

The story of Emperor Central Spirit lets you know that you are learning a very strange technique, and it makes you understand the key points of this technique, not to overthink it.” Linai spoke earnestly, “These are not considerations for those in the Spirit Illumination Realm.”

Shiyu Ling laughed loudly, “Keep explaining it to him, I can’t wait to see him go on a disastrous rampage!”

Gongsun Ce argued, “I have reached the pinnacle of Spirit Illumination Realm, that should count as Clarity, right?”

“Not at all, being in the Spirit Illumination Realm without stepping onto the path doesn’t count; Clarity starts once you begin the journey.” Linai raised her finger like a tutor explaining to a student, “What you truly need now is the Cultivation Method for the Clarity Realm — Uncle Yan must have taught you the basics, right?”

“He just taught me some basic concepts, never touched upon the specific operations.”

Linai muttered, “That’s so typical of him,” and flipped her right hand, conjuring a piece of paper that in a blink was filled with rows of neat Empire script.

“Here, notes on the Clarity Realm; feel free to ask me anything you don’t understand.”

Gongsun Ce gratefully accepted the paper, “Thank you for your notes, senior sister!”

“Wow, you don’t hesitate to call me senior sister now,” Linai went back to dealing with her cake, “If you’re brave enough, you might try practicing while you sleep at night…

There’s basically no risk in the Clarity Realm, unless you have a negative superpower.”

Gongsun Ce thought to himself, not only do I have a negative superpower, but it’s -15; saying it might just give you a shock.

He put away the paper and took out his pocket watch.

“In a few minutes, we’ll be arriving at the Hidden Ben Forest—”

Before he could finish, his phone vibrated, displaying a dialogue box from Qiluo, “Life activity detected above the carriage.”

“Looks like someone’s up there, probably a Ninja,” Gongsun Ce shook his head, “Miss Shiyu, could you please come with me?”

Shiyu Ling had already packed up her belongings and stood up, her face unexpectedly showing a will to fight.

“Let’s make it quick; I want to see the cherry blossoms.”

Qiluo directly scanned the life activity; it seemed like more fodder coming to probe.

He asked Qiluo to hack the system and open the carriage door; gusts of wind howled into the compartment.

With Linai wearing a troubled expression, Gongsun Ce swung himself into the air using telekinesis.

The superpower user stood firm on the deep green roof of the carriage.

He looked up to see a forest of cherry colors ahead.

Millions of cherry blossoms bloomed at the tops of the trees, tingeing the sky with a subtle pink hue.

Delicate petals slowly drifted down, blending into the similarly colored soil.

The breathtaking scene was a vivid reminder of the inevitable decline of all flourishing things.

A petal, carried by the wind, clung to the garment of a cherry blossom admirer.

The person in a clean white kimono stood alone at the forefront of the carriage.

The viewer of blossoms brushed off the petal and chanted an ancient Japanese poem.

“Cherry blossoms remind us how easily worldly matters turn to void; seeing a tree in full bloom, in a moment it becomes a mound of fragrance.”

She turned in the sea of blossoms, her hair like snow in the air, her countenance stunningly beautiful, so much so that the cherry blossoms seemed to lose their color, all because of her breathtaking beauty.

“Domo, nice to meet you.

I am a Soul Cutting Level Ninja from the Martial Arts Association…”

The woman with white hair, dressed in white, brought her hands together and bowed deeply to the young man.

“I am the leader of the Ninja Army, Sakura Dance.”