No strange things are allowed to evolve!

The minister also saw him: "You're here. Come over here quickly. I'll have someone test your current condition. If there are no problems, we can start."

When Jiang Shu arrived, he remembered to explain the purpose of the group of people around him: "You are here to witness the ceremony. In the past, many people have witnessed the sublimation ceremony, just like the coming-of-age ceremony. This is a common tradition of many large organizations, so you don't need to be too nervous."

Jiang Shu nodded, then stared at the Holy Temple President, who was chatting happily with Xia Zhi, with suspicion and horror: "I understand the reasoning, but why are you here too, Uncle?"

"Your bureau chief invited me to attend the ceremony."

The president of the sanctuary seemed quite surprised by Jiang Shu's appearance:

"I was wondering where you guys got the catalyst. I didn't expect that the one that needs to be sublimated is you. You're quite the actor."

"Ah, this." Jiang Shu was at a loss for words and subconsciously looked at Xia Zhi.

Xia Zhi looked at the president of the Holy Church with a meaningful expression.

The three people's gazes met, forming a stable triangle.

Chapter 199 Exploiting the Bug

So, as the president of the Holy Temple's gaze darted around, Jiang Shu looked at the bureau chief, causing his eyes to meet the president's, thus creating a triangular confrontation.

The two old foxes understood each other perfectly well, but Jiang Shu was kept in the dark.

He didn't understand why the bureau chief had invited the president of the Holy Church.

If it's fine for the Holy Temple President to know that the Bureau of Different Lineages is planning to cultivate someone capable of competing with the Elder of No Contradiction for the Ancestral Spiritual Root, then why didn't the Bureau President tell the other party the background and reasons from the beginning?

In other words, if you didn't trust them then, why do you trust them now?

This shouldn't be as simple as two old men conspiring to deceive their naive and kind junior, because Jiang Shu had long since developed the habit of always using the "absolute truth scale" as a supplement when communicating face-to-face with powerful figures.

Just like male leaders always keep a recording device on when meeting female subordinates to avoid being falsely accused.

So when they met last time, the Holy Church President wasn't lying. The Director just didn't tell him who was going to use a Cataclysmic Ascension Ritual, so he shouldn't have known that person was him.

But now the church president is lying again.

He didn't realize that the person was his only one until he saw himself.

Did the bureau chief tell him?

If this is the case, it can only mean that something happened afterward that increased the bureau chief's trust in the church president.

Aside from meeting with the Holy Temple Master and receiving a Catalyst Stone, Jiang Shu couldn't imagine what else could have such an effect.

Although it's unclear what the director was trying to test, the result should have satisfied him.

However, it's also possible that the Holy Church Master guessed it himself, or that he possessed some kind of evidence.

If that's the case, then his coming to see me was probably a test, a way of asking questions with the answer in mind.

His casual remark about the Bureau of Different Principles asking him for catalyst stones at that time seems rather intriguing.

Jiang Shu glanced at the bureau chief, then at the president of the Holy Temple, trying to glean some clues from their faces.

However, the two of them remained calm and composed, and Jiang Shu couldn't discern anything at all.

They're all ancient demons... Jiang Shu thought to himself.

Just then, the minister stepped forward, breaking the seemingly calm and peaceful atmosphere that was actually fraught with unease: "Don't just stand there like an idiot. You're the main character today. We're all here to see your performance. Don't let us down. Go over there and do a test first. If there are no problems, we can begin."

"Performance?"

Jiang Shu didn't quite understand:

"I heard that you just sit there and that's it? What's the difference between this and that?"

The minister smiled slightly: "Have you heard of the Transcending Calamity?"

“I know.” Jiang Shu’s eyes narrowed. “According to the novels, when cultivators go against the heavens and try to become true immortals with the body of a mortal, the heavens will send down heavenly tribulations to test or punish them, which usually means being struck by lightning.”

“Yes, that’s right, this is the tribulation.” The minister nodded. “But sublimation has nothing to do with this.”

"...No?" Jiang Shu's eyelids twitched. "Then why did you bring this up?"

"But just like how different tribulations occur randomly depending on the strength and aptitude of the person undergoing the tribulation, you might also gain different characteristics during your sublimation. If you obtain a good characteristic, it means you performed well," the minister explained.

Jiang Shu pondered for a while.

Are you referring to gacha games?

The minister thought for a moment and said, "Your interpretation is also acceptable."

That's exactly how it is!

"Alright, alright, it's not important. Young people shouldn't take it so seriously. Saying more would just be pretentious."

With that, the minister gave a look, and Shen Mo and Qin Lang escorted Jiang Shu, who was still trying to argue, to the testing group that was already prepared nearby.

Watching Jiang Shu being taken away, the bureau chief led the chairman to a spot where they could see the entire venue and sit down.

“I didn’t expect you to come,” the bureau chief said.

The president shrugged: "I personally give things away, so of course I have to see for myself whether they have lived up to their value."

The bureau chief thought for a moment: "You came over as soon as he left, right?"

The president didn't deny it, but instead asked, "You're not angry, are you?"

"Do you think it's like I'm angry that I brought you down here?" the bureau chief retorted.

"Then I guess you're not angry anymore." The president smiled first, then added, "But I am a little angry."

"What do you have to be angry about?"

"You even kept it from me, shouldn't I be angry?" The president feigned bitterness: "I thought we were good friends."

"Don't give me that crap." The bureau chief scoffed. "You didn't tell me you were investigating him, did you?"

"Hehe." The guild leader, though exposed, didn't seem embarrassed. Instead, he said, "Secretly cultivating such a weapon, are you after the Ancestral Spiritual Root?"

"The talents of my Bureau of Different Principles should be properly cultivated; everything else is secondary," the director said without looking away.

"Then I'll take that as a yes," the president said casually. "Count me in."

"How should it be calculated?" The bureau chief tilted his head. "Yours or mine?"

"You can take care of the work, but I'll take care of the living expenses," the president replied.

The bureau chief thought for a moment and couldn't help but chuckle: "Aren't you afraid he won't acknowledge it? Things that are handed to you are the hardest to appreciate."

"He has to admit it whether he wants to or not. I've already given him the catalyst. If he doesn't admit it, let him find a way to return it to me."

The president stared wide-eyed and said:

"And you're not allowed to pay it back for me."

"Your own transactions are none of my business." The bureau chief shrugged. "You did the transactions behind my back, and now you want my help to pay off your debts? I'm not going to be a fool, of course I won't help you."

"That's fine then." The president nodded. "It's settled then. We'll discuss the specifics later."

He paused, then continued, "Moreover, you may not care, but I don't want Old Man Wuzheng to suddenly rise so much."

"Is something going on between you two?"

"Don't worry about that."

"Row."

In just a few words, the Bureau of Different Principles and the Holy Temple, through Jiang Shu, have achieved an alliance that is deeper than ever before.

Meanwhile, Jiang Shu also arrived at the testing site.

Jiang Shu immediately recognized the professionalism of these testers.

Not one of them is bald.

As soon as he sat on the dental operating table-like equipment, several testers placed a hollow, semi-circular device that looked like a hair curler on his head.

"It feels like an electric chair..." Jiang Shu muttered to himself.

"Alright, stop talking." The leader, a man with a wrinkled face who exuded authority, said emotionlessly, "The power is about to be turned on."

"no?"

Zzz—Zzz—

Jiang Shu fell asleep immediately.

"Excellent physical function...excellent mental state...stable vital signs..."

Not long after, Jiang Shu was forced to turn the machine back on.

"Hmm?" Jiang Shu blinked in confusion: "Why do I feel so comfortable all over for no reason?"

"Alright, go ahead." The person in charge waved his hand, not wanting to hear Jiang Shu's thoughts at all, and then said to the minister, "Perfect condition, ready for further refinement."

Jiang Shu was about to get out of bed when she suddenly discovered something strange.

He looked down and immediately frowned: "Holy crap, how could I..."

Everyone around was taken aback, glanced at him subconsciously, and then immediately turned their heads away awkwardly, pretending to be very busy.

Only Shen Mo leaned over and glanced down, then looked at Jiang Shu's surprised face and said meaningfully, "You're numb from being electrocuted, aren't you? By the way, why would you react like that when you're electrocuted?"

"Nonsense," Jiang Shu retorted, her face flushed. "I'm a fan of Wu Jing, I'm not afraid of getting electrocuted."

This wasn't entirely him bragging.

During the initial period of exploration when his brain problems first appeared, he had to use a leaky cup to play with things for a long time. As the required current increased, he was completely out of options except to risk his life by touching high-voltage electricity.

That's the kind of tingling sensation I'm looking for.

So you mean this tiny thing can conduct high voltage electricity?

How can it be?

But the person in charge suddenly sneered: "Wu Jing? This is not a simple electrical current, but a simulation that completely imitates the impact of sublimation on the human body. If you let Optimus Prime lie here and do this, he would fall asleep."

Jiang Shu was stunned: "I've heard that people are conscious during sublimation, but I've never heard of it being this exaggerated."

"How can that be the same?" The person in charge shook his head: "These are all natural disaster-level items. The burden you have to bear is certainly not comparable to that of a normal sublimation ritual. But you don't need to worry too much. Your body will gradually adapt."

"Uh..." Still feeling dizzy and with numbness in her limbs, Jiang Shu asked, "Approximately how long will it take to get used to it?"

"It varies from person to person."

The person in charge replied:

"However, the faster you adapt, the more you are in sync with the sublimation ceremony, and the higher the degree of completion of the sublimation will be."

From the moment you begin your ascension, the rituals built from these materials are constantly releasing energy. But if you cannot adapt to this energy, you cannot maintain a highly focused state of mind, and therefore you cannot absorb it.

Normally, from adaptation to the start of absorption, wasting less than 50% of the energy is considered ideal. If it can be kept below 30%, then the compatibility is considered very high, and the chance of obtaining high-level traits is also very high.

Jiang Shu frowned, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "What if I had maintained a high level of concentration from the beginning?"

Upon hearing this, the person in charge shook his head, but did not mock Jiang Shu's ignorance. He simply sighed and said, "I have seen many geniuses, and quite a few of them have said the same thing as you."

If you're wondering what will happen after you do it, I'll tell you that you'll not only achieve a perfect sublimation that is unprecedented and perhaps never to be repeated, but the characteristics you gain will definitely not be lower than the level of the guide.

But if you're asking how it can be done, then I'd say it's impossible.

Jiang Shu was not deterred. He simply took a deep breath and said seriously, "I can't guarantee it will work, but I want to give it a try."

The minister standing nearby didn't discourage Jiang Shu; instead, he nodded approvingly, "Yes, I believe you can do it."

Jiang Shu glanced at the minister.

The "Absolute Truth Scales" indicate that the minister is lying.

Jiang Shu didn't point it out; he simply went along with it, saying, "Since you trust me, Minister, you'll surely be willing to cooperate and give it a try, right?"

"Cooperate?" the minister asked, puzzled. "How can I cooperate?"

"First, I need to clarify whether the impact of this instrument is indeed a complete simulation of the sublimation ritual, right?"

The person in charge glanced at the minister with a questioning look, and seeing the latter's tacit approval, nodded and replied:

"Yes, all the data were adjusted according to the properties of the material. Except for the lack of energy, the impact properties are almost the same as those of the sublimation ritual."

"Can the intensity be adjusted?" Jiang Shu asked.

“Adjustment is possible.” The person in charge seemed to understand Jiang Shu’s intention: “You want to increase the intensity first, and then start sublimation after you’ve adapted?”

“Yes.” Jiang Shu nodded.

The person in charge was taken aback at first, then shook his head and said with some disappointment, "I thought you were going to say something. Do you think that no one could have thought of this before you?"