What did it mean for destiny to bestow a gift upon a hero?
What did it mean to be... recorded into history?
Bai Zhou was somewhat at a loss.
If he had not misunderstood, history was supposed to be humanity's record of the past—much like the Little Stories of Wancheng, even if many of those tales were false histories fabricated by the Black Robes.
But he—Bai Zhou—wasn't dead yet, was he?
In a daze, he had the absurd feeling of someone who, while still living in his own house, suddenly saw a sign hammered onto the wall declaring it the "Former Residence of a Renowned Historical Figure"—a tourist attraction.
How had a living, breathing person like him become an ancient figure?
Even now, gazing through the window at the girl in the trench coat hovering in midair, Bai Zhou remained thoroughly bewildered. His dazed eyes flickered, but his heart could not stop thumping wildly.
"In tales of adventure, stories of the brave spread far and wide. The hero who defeats the demon king is crowned with glory, the party reaches its most consummate, perfect form, and bards roam the realm, passing down their deeds by word of mouth."
Crow's voice was leisurely. "From cave murals to knotted cords, from the clay tablets of Mesopotamian civilization and the papyri of ancient Egypt to the oracle bones and bronze inscriptions of the ancient East—among these ancient, yellowed remnants, people can always find legends of heroes and gods.
"Yet is someone recorded into history because they are a hero, or do they become a hero shining across an era because they were recorded into history? In the mystical world, there sometimes seems to be a wondrous, mutually reinforcing connection between the two."
Crow shook her head. "Still, I don't fully understand the deeper meaning behind all this. It goes without saying that such matters are not something my level can touch upon—let alone yours.
"However, the first time I was 'recorded into history,' my teacher imparted a passage to me.
"Those words came from an ancient and renowned Eastern Extraordinary, the Grand Historian Sima Qian, who left this remark in his informal essays:
"'[Now, rumors and anecdotes, veneration and sacrificial prayers, even the records in annals and the lore passed through folklore—if traced to their source, all may be but meshes within the web of ritual.]'
"According to the interpretation of later Extraordinaries, what the Grand Historian was surmising was that legends, worship, sacrifices, as well as history and mythology—all of these might be a colossal, ubiquitous ritual rooted at the very foundation of human civilization!"
Legend had it that after completing his magnum opus, the Grand Historian spent a considerable portion of the rest of his life investigating and verifying this conjecture.
Only to yield no result.
The night was deep. Crow's voice turned grave, yet she seemed wary of speaking too loudly. "Assuming they truly are rituals, people have no way of knowing their origins.
"Sacrifices and myths often share roughly the same age as human civilization itself. Not long after their emergence, all civilizations spontaneously learned sacrifice and mythological veneration—and the more primitive the civilization, the truer this was.
"The origins of such practices may be far older than we imagine—at the very least, vastly older than the history of our current civilization.
"—Yet if one were to claim they are not rituals, Extraordinaries have discovered that legends and faith surrounding heroes truly produce a strange and tremendous effect."
Crow paused for a moment.
Noticing the serious, worried expression on the black cat's face, her tone softened again. "Still, there's no need to indulge in paranoid conspiracy theories and fret excessively. Our level is far too low to ponder such matters.
"Comparatively speaking, most Extraordinaries believe this effect isn't deliberately orchestrated by anyone. It is merely the devout resonance of human hearts, the word of mouth passed between countless people, and the unconscious echoes within the memory of a civilization and its people—all working together to produce an effect akin to a ritual.
"After all, the concept of a 'ritual' is difficult to define in the first place. Certain schools believe that nearly all human activities fall under the umbrella of rituals—trees reaching toward the sun, humans learning, and indeed every action of living beings is a ritual, differing only in the magnitude of its power.
"And so-called ritualists merely channel and trigger these ritual powers that already exist in the world—just as Extraordinaries draw upon the spirituality that already permeates existence.
"Although this school of 'all things are rituals' isn't accepted by mainstream ritualists, their theory isn't entirely without merit."
Perhaps because Miss Crow had witnessed a vaster world, her tone always carried an appropriate degree of reverent awe when discussing such subjects. "At the very least, the unconscious actions of an entire civilization possess far greater, more miraculous power than the conscious conspiracy of any single individual.
"If someone then guides that effect to bless and empower themselves, the result surpasses imagination even further—several centuries ago, Emperor Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang, defeated the otherwise insurmountable, peerless foe Tengri under precisely such circumstances!
"—Fascinatingly, Tengri, that incomparably mysterious entity in history whose true identity remains unknown, also seemed inextricably bound to the faith of the people."
At this point, Crow lowered her voice. "However, drawing the might of an entire civilization onto oneself inevitably invites unimaginable backlash. The short lifespans of the monarchs throughout the Ming Dynasty bear testament to this, and rumors even speak of darker, lesser-known karmic retributions and omens manifesting...
"Therefore, after that era, Extraordinaries retreated behind the scenes once more and strictly forbade such conduct.
"As the wheels of time rolled forward into the Federal Era, the populace became enlightened, and the extraordinary vanished from the surface of society—faith and myth alike became nothing more than empty talk.
"—Yet there remains an ancient organization."
Crow paused briefly. "They are ubiquitous and unfathomably mysterious, shouldering the mission to chronicle the history of Extraordinaries and recording the miracles and great deeds wrought by Extraordinaries behind the world's veil.
"You can think of them as court historians, though what they record ought properly to be called 'archives' rather than history. They will never be known to ordinary people, nor do average Extraordinaries have the right to read them—yet the figures and places that preserve these histories are exceptionally unique.
"They are historical scribes handed down since antiquity, recording and observing the history of Extraordinaries since who knows how many years ago. And the places where they gather are likewise grounded in special rituals and secret treasures.
"Almost no living person can become history, much less myth—yet their records are different.
"The archives entered among them will endure forever, becoming part of the 'history' woven from countless records. Under the effect of the ritual, by becoming one of their number, you share in that glory. Even though you are a living person, on a certain level you gain the recognition and memory of human civilization. It is the equivalent of being genuinely etched into the history of future generations!"
Deliberating over her phrasing, Crow offered a concluding summary: "In short, while this is not genuine history, it is a symbolic 'history.' You haven't become a hero sung of by the common folk, yet you gain some of the benefits of becoming a hero ahead of time!
"—Still, I have rarely seen any Extraordinary in the first stage accomplish such a feat, and even among Titled Extraordinaries it is exceedingly rare.
"As for someone like you being recorded into history at Tier 4..."
Crow's expression turned exceedingly peculiar. "I haven't seen a single one!
"After all, none of them could possibly defeat a demon at your level.
"All I can say is, you truly ought to thank Deputy Director Liu for sending the Thunderous Heavenly Bow, as well as that middle school principal who insisted on choosing you as his successor."
Luck, then...?
After a moment's thought, Crow shook her head again.
Under the effect of being recorded in "history," this luck would soon translate into tangible strength...
Extraordinaries in the first stage can almost never achieve it? Then when was Crow recorded into history, and for what...? Bai Zhou instinctively wanted to ask.
Yet his mind immediately jumped to another daring question: If the scribes you speak of took up their pens and recorded that I am a god, wouldn't I be able to charge right back into Base 36 and blow the Special Control Bureau, the Zijing Group, and Major Luo to kingdom come?
However, when Bai Zhou actually blurted out that question—
"Meow, meow, meow! Meow, meow, meow, meow!"
That was the only sound that echoed.
Quite cute, even.
Bai Zhou fell silent.
In response, Fang Xiaoxia's voice drifted over as she groped along the walls in the dark: "Ah, kitty, don't be scared!
"Are you afraid of the dark? I'll have it sorted out in a jiffy. Mom and Dad said a circuit breaker probably tripped, so I'll go check with them."
"..."
Standing in the dim light atop the bed, blending seamlessly into the darkness, Bai Zhou remained expressionless.
The tiny black cat looked thoroughly aloof.
"Caw! Caw!"
Outside the window, the crow perched on the trench-coated girl's shoulder called out twice, sounding as if it were mocking Bai Zhou.
Miss Crow, however, tilted her head to listen to the crow's cawing, then nodded. Her gaze settled back onto Bai Zhou.
After a brief silence, she spoke: "You certainly dare to dream. Even an organization as mystical as that cannot artificially create a god.
"And even if they dared to write it, you couldn't possibly withstand a destiny so colossal and heavy."
Miss Crow's voice remained cool, but Bai Zhou's eyes widened in astonishment.
She can understand what I say?
No, the crow on her shoulder understands what I say?
His eerie green eyes widened in dumbfounded disbelief, reflecting the dashing figure of the young woman standing suspended in the wind.
"Even as things stand, you should be content," she continued. "Because after being recorded into history, the rise in your legendary renown directly increases your mystery. That is precisely why high-tier Extraordinaries relentlessly pursue 'history,' longing with every fiber of their beings to achieve momentous feats and be recorded into 'history'!"
"Mystery?" Bai Zhou blinked twice, having only a hazy grasp of the term.
"This wasn't supposed to be something you'd encounter at your current stage." Crow shook her head. "Yet in truth, an Extraordinary's advancement is fundamentally humanity's imitation of and convergence with mystery. A powerful Extraordinary is 'mystery' personified.
"Enhancing mystery is the beginning of an individual leaving deeper marks upon the mystical world and transcending the mundane realm."
Crow said faintly, "Perhaps you might consider this: why are the Destined stronger than Extraordinaries of other pathways?"
Where are the Destined stronger than Extraordinaries of other pathways?
Bai Zhou paused.
Was it the inherent perfection and might of the pathway itself? Was it the wealth of experience left behind by previous generations of the Destined? Or was it their talent, which was visibly a cut above that of other Extraordinaries?
Was it the providence and good fortune bestowed by destiny? Or was it the secret art marks that could be branded onto the Fate Principle after mastering secret techniques, rendering the Destined invincible among those of the same tier?
Or was it the miraculous "instincts" that a Destined had a chance to awaken upon advancing along the pathway? Such as the "Eye-Strike" and "Mind's Eye" Bai Zhou had awakened—newly awakened though they were, their potential was boundless, capable of catching foes off guard to win the day.
Or was it something else...?
Bai Zhou felt it was all of the above.
Yet judging by Crow's expression, he felt there might be another answer.
"An increase in mystery makes a Destined become more... 'Destined,'" Crow said. "For instance, being more favored by the Reflected Ruin Realm, or being more easily drawn to other mysteries.
"Another example is what's happening to you right now: the mutation of your Eye-Strike instinct.
"In fact, it should be put this way—'Companion Lightning' is the third instinct you've awakened, following 'Mind's Eye' and 'Eye-Strike'!"
Crow analyzed, "If I'm not mistaken, the scribe who recorded you must have emphasized the thunderbolts you used when striking down the demon as a focal point of the description.
"In that version of 'history,' the current you is most likely described as a mysterious Destined skilled in archery and mastery over thunder.
"—This has caused you to awaken the 'instinct' of companion lightning and affinity for lightning-attributed spirituality. In fact, if my guess is right, you ought to be quite proficient in archery now, and your affinity with the Thunderous Heavenly Bow will have surged dramatically!"
Just as every hero in myth had their signature weapon, in the scribe's account, Bai Zhou's signature weapon was naturally the Thunderous Heavenly Bow, which had belonged to someone else only the day before.
Now, even if Deputy Director Liu appeared before Bai Zhou, she likely wouldn't be able to wield the Thunderous Heavenly Bow anymore.
"Mmh..." Hearing this, Bai Zhou felt delighted, yet an insatiable greed left him with a pang of regret.
So while the boost in mystery had helped him awaken a new "instinct," it couldn't help him recreate his state back then to pilot the Thunder Knight directly...
What a shame, what a pity.
When steering the Thunder Knight, the rapidly swelling power had even given Bai Zhou an illusion—he had felt practically omnipotent!
Seeing Bai Zhou's crestfallen expression, Crow was taken aback, wondering why on earth he was sighing when this was such a stupendous blessing.
After a moment's thought, Crow tried to console him: "Don't worry, this hasn't cut off your future possibilities. After all, that 'history' is merely pseudo-history; the real history and future are still yours to create.
"You must have noticed that when you don't awaken your lightning instinct, you are no different from before. The companionship of lightning doesn't reject your affinity for other spiritual attributes; the two can be layered together."
She assumed this was what Bai Zhou was worried about. "In fact, it should be viewed the other way around—haven't you noticed? After lightning successfully took root within you, your talent increased along with it.
"For any Extraordinary, once their Fate Principle awakens, its talent height almost never changes again—with the exception of a rare few monumental strokes of fortune.
"—Just like right now."
Crow looked toward the area below Bai Zhou's navel, her gaze seeming to bore through his skin to see inside. Her eyes burned so intensely that Bai Zhou felt strangely uncomfortable.
"Your previous talent was thoroughly proven during your past studies and practice.
"I'm not sure what your Fate Principle height is now, but based on my experience, its talent height should indeed have risen.
"It might be an inch, or an inch and a half, or even half an inch would be great—you should know that at your level of talent height, even a tiny increase brings earth-shattering changes.
"So, how high is it now? Has your Fate Principle undergone any new changes as a result?"
With her back to the starlight in the night sky, bathed in the moonlight, a barely perceptible flicker of anticipation and curiosity flashed in Crow's eyes.
"—I'm very curious!"
The talent height... of his Fate Principle?
Bai Zhou blinked.
Thump! Thump!
The heart that had been thumping relentlessly in his chest seemed to skip half a beat at this moment.
Being recorded into "pseudo-history" as a hero and awakening the "instinct" of "Companion Lightning" wasn't all?
His talent had increased yet again?
Thanks to that rainbow tinder, Bai Zhou's previous talent height had steadily grown to five feet five inches. Even then, its sterling quality had been proven repeatedly during Crow's hellish training and in the Sun Temple's legacy grounds of Troy!
Though Bai Zhou hadn't stepped into the mystical world for very long, truth be told, whenever he set his mind to learning something in earnest—
There had never been anything he couldn't master!
Such was the confidence his talent afforded him.
So now...
Bai Zhou centered his mind, quietly peering inward into his Fate Principle space.
For some reason, the normally calm Sea of Ignorance was churning violently right now, its surface wracked by flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder.
Rumble!
Lightning serpents danced wildly in a frenzy of thunder.
Above the ink-black ocean, the spectacle of rolling thunder detonating out of thin air was breathtakingly magnificent.
Then, like a petrel spreading its wings, Bai Zhou's gaze skimmed across the churning waves of the sea, looking far into the distance to see that pure white sun hanging high at the ocean's end.
This pure white sun was larger than before, carrying an even heavier oppressive presence. Its pure white rays were silent yet searing hot.
The surface of the sun was likewise encircled by rolling blue-and-white lightning dancing like wild serpents, as if a radiant halo of blue and white had been draped around the celestial body.
This is...
Then, Bai Zhou held his breath.
Because he clearly saw the height of his Fate Principle.
It had risen...
Crow was right; it really had risen!
And it wasn't the single inch or two she had guessed. Perhaps the merit of slaying a demon truly held an extraordinary significance for "history" and human civilization.
Five feet nine inches!
The height of Bai Zhou's Fate Principle had climbed by a full four inches, reaching a brand-new height of five feet nine inches!
Just one step away from six feet!
Chapter 155