Act 435: Wrath of the Sea, Gathering Storm II

“The Key Chapter, although nominally divided into three sections, actually represents different directions, with no progressive relationship among them. Aside from the third section, which is the final chapter, the other two sections respectively represent surplus techniques and multiple conjunctions.
“If someone has 'cleared' the first chapter of the Key Chapter's puzzle, it means that the secrets of the residual technique have all been revealed.” Cui Xisi shook her head: “Commander, you should know that technological advancement is gradual. While there are occasional breakthroughs of inspiration, the development of technology always follows a traceable path. As far as I know, even in the second generation...
The research on the margin technique is still in its early stages; even the top experts can only push it to about a hundred commands, and a hundred commands are not much, even insufficient for practical application —” She looked at Fang Hong and said, “The fundamental purpose of the margin technique is to achieve preloaded commands, making a certain degree of flexible structure self-discipline possible, and liberating combat craftsmen from the constraints of single-threaded computational power.
However, to reach that step, one thousand or ten thousand instructions are far from enough; at least over one hundred thousand instructions are needed to make constructs like the Master Construct or the Supreme Being move.
“Of course,” the girl continued, “if we can really advance to over a thousand commands, at least we'll have enough.” Fang Hong didn’t hear the latter part of her words at all, as it was mostly the same as what he knew. However, the first part of Cui Xisi's statement captured his attention, prompting him to interrupt: “Wait, there are three chapters in the Key Volume?”
”
This time, it was Cui Xisi who looked confused, her gaze fixed on him: “What’s the matter, Captain, don’t you know?”
“I really don’t know much about this.” Fang Rong replied. The Blood Night Demon Month had given him a Key Chapter, and he thought there was only one chapter to begin with. However, upon reflection, it made sense; the initial questions Shana gave him also included multiple parallel parts, but in the Key Chapter, there was…
```htmlOnly the margin technique remains.
Although the margin technique is related to multi-parallelism, he also found that the latter is not entirely a subordinate knowledge of the former.
"In fact, my understanding of the chapter on keys is because someone gave me one of them," he mentioned the situation with Shana and R, "and before that, the same person gave me a set of plugins, which included some training levels."```
“Can you show it to me?” Cui Xisi asked in surprise, “Because I’ve never heard of a Key Chapter circulating in the First World.”
Fang Hong nodded and then took out the Key Chapter.
Curious, Choi Xisi took it over and connected with it using her magic gloves, projecting ether into it.
She suddenly opened her eyes wide, a strange light flashing in them. "This is indeed a key chapter, but not entirely; it looks more like an earlier version of it."
```html“Early version?” Fang Hong asked, “What does that mean?” Cui Xisi, holding the Key Chapter in her hand, replied, “The Key Chapter indeed manifests as a series of levels or puzzles, because it is essentially a frontier exploration of the three major topics by a group of big shots in the Second World. They will encounter```
A series of difficult problems are set up as a set to communicate and spread among each other.” “Those people have a small circle, and they will regularly publish their rankings. That ranking essentially reflects their achievements in this field. The ranking is not only public but also connected to the network, allowing for viewing at any time.
The change in the ranking above——” She looked at the key badge in Fang Hong's hand, “and this badge in your hand not only has an obscured ranking, making it impossible to see the true ID behind the ranking, but also the ranking has been stagnant for many years, with the highest...
There are only a little more than thirty entries.
Fang Hong realized: "So this Key Chapter is an excerpt from an earlier version of the real Key Chapter?" Cui Xisi nodded, "Although I'm not quite sure why the person who gave you the Key Chapter did this, it might be to train newcomers? The real Key Chapter not only has changes in rankings, but actually the questions and the challenges on it..."
The card has been changing along with the advancement of research frontiers. The key chapter you hold, Captain, is actually already outdated.
Fang Hong scratched his head, not willing to admit that those thirty-plus instructions were actually his own notes.
He originally thought he was quite impressive, but it turned out to be a misunderstanding. Fortunately, Cui Xisi continued, “However, in the first world, there's almost no one who can obtain the Key Chapter. Even I have only heard about it; only the top guilds will grant the Key Chapter to selected newcomers, and they have to go through their own
“After the Second World.” She actually had this opportunity, as if she had remained in the Holy Rite Guild, she would likely have received a spot to the Second World along with the Gemini. In fact, all alchemist newcomers who participated in the Continental League,
Everyone has such opportunities.
However, it doesn't seem like Cui Xisi regrets it much now. "So what are the frontiers of the three major topics?" Fang Hong began to realize the gap between himself and the true geniuses of top guilds. In the past, when he communicated with Miya and Sofia, he didn't feel this way, because those two were, after all,
They are not alchemists, and they have limited understanding of the craftsman's domain.
However, once he communicates with the top newcomers from the Grand Guild, he realizes the gap in knowledge between himself and Chisis.
Cuì Xīsī looked at him with some surprise and said, "It's just the margin technique, multi-parallelism, and the chapter of the end; they represent all three chapters of the chapter of the key."
The techniques for margins and multiple parallel methods are understood. It turns out that multiple parallelism is the second chapter of the Key Chapter, so what is the third chapter, the Final Chapter? “I’m not very sure what the Final Chapter is either,” said Cui Xisi, gently shaking her head at Fang Hong’s question. “After all, I haven't really been in contact with the Key Chapter, but I’ve heard that although there is no progression between the three chapters of the Key Chapter…”
关系，但终之章的确是三章中最重要的一部分。”
```htmlFang Hong fell silent; he suddenly realized that R had long since left the front line.
对方给自己这枚钥匙之章，说不定只是因为那时钥匙之章本身就是这个样子。
Cui Xisi couldn't help but start to doubt the truthfulness of Fang Hong's previous words upon seeing him like this, and she couldn't help but ask, "So when the captain mentioned that the first chapter of the Key Chapter has been realized, he meant...?" Back to this topic, Fang Hong instantly calmed down. He might not be very familiar with the Key Chapter, but the Star Device was almost certainly a derivation of the residual skills, or rather, that technology and what he understood about the remaining...
There exists a chasm between quantity and skill.
His hesitation in advancing his research on the multiple star devices is, in fact, just him lingering before this chasm. The only difference between him and those top craftsmen may be that he can already see the other side of the chasm, while others might still be groping in the fog, at most having taken a few more steps along the edge of this chasm than he has.
```htmlJust a step.
He gently pushed the device embedded with the dark blue crystal in front of Tsuixis and replied, "I didn't mean to say that I've achieved the first chapter of the Key of Chapters."```
“——What is this?”
Cressis's eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing Jed Ram's starlight device: “Wait, what is this?”
Fang Hong sensed the implication in the girl's tone and couldn't help but look towards her.
Cui Xisi hesitated for a moment, then nodded again, muttering to herself, "This is indeed the Star Mechanism, but... not exactly the same."
Fang Hong was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected that Cui Xisi—no, it should be said that the people from the Holy Rite Society had seen the Star Mechanism, which meant that the Empire should also be familiar with it. He frowned immediately, thinking of the new series he had seen in the ancient Jin family’s magic tower, and he even purchased some of the Centaur Annihilators and the Throat Crusher; the flexible constructs from that series were indeed from the Empire.
The results of alchemical innovations over the past thirty years.
He certainly noticed some applications related to the Stellar Device or techniques based on surplus in the assembly of that series; it is certain that the flexible constructions sold abroad by the Empire must not be the latest models from the Imperial workshops.
Are there any cutting-edge products in those new types related to the relevant fields?
He has had thoughts about it before.
But it seems that only at this moment did he find confirmation in Chui Xisi's reaction.
“Have you seen a device like this before?”
“I……” Trisys opened her mouth, “I’ve seen similar devices on the prototype machines of the Empire, but they’re not exactly the same, I’m not quite sure… this one… is far more advanced than those from the Imperial workshops.”
“……This is indeed a product based on the margin technique, but……”
Chui Xisi felt a bit confused; she had always thought those devices were the result of the Empire's thirty years of alchemical innovation. As he mentioned, the logical progression of technology development can be traced back.
However, the achievements of the empire can still be said to have further advanced on the foundation of the Chapter of Keys. Yet, this sudden appearance of the device looks completely out of place, a product that transcends the current technological level.
Moreover, she herself is a craftsman, and although she might not have noticed it before—once she saw the device itself, she immediately realized the technical connection it had with the devices she had seen on those imperial prototypes.
The prototype itself is already at the forefront of the Empire's technological revolution, and this device is...
Fang Hong asked, "What is a prototype?"
"I can only say this much," Cui Xisi said with a somewhat apologetic look in her eyes: "Commander."
Fang Hong nodded. At this moment, he had already received the answer from the girl's gaze and said, "This device has existed for at least twenty years."
“Impossible,” Teresa instinctively said, but she was a clever girl, and a glimmer of incredible realization flashed in her eyes, “...the technological innovations of the empire were born from this technological pathway?”
She couldn't help but murmur, "Is there still a technical route that the world is unaware of?"
Fang Hong glanced at her and couldn't help but admire, as expected of the genius selected by the Grand Guild, her thinking is so sharp that an ordinary person might not have reacted here.
After all, the information that Cui Xisi possesses is far less than his.
However, the speculation from the other party at this moment might just be the answer.
He shook his head, "I don't know much about the empire's technological innovations, but the technological route in front of you has indeed been around for a long time."
The earliest can even be traced back to seven centuries ago, completed by the genius Jerdem among the three.
However, Jerdem's Star Device was far from perfect; he had seen one in the underground of Nozpid, which wasn't much different from the one later in the hands of Aesh Lynn. He obtained that Star Device from the old servant of the Lynn family, and after repeated studies, he could be said to be most familiar with this type of Star Device he held — but that particular Star Device was different from the one later installed in the Dragon Hunter.
Those on the human body are not consistent.
Ash's star device is much simpler, closer to the prototype of Giardem's star device. In contrast, the one left by Adney's father further develops on that foundation and is closer to the completed forms found on Dragon Hunters. The only difference is that he is completely unable to study the completed forms on the Dragon Hunters' bodies.
And this one is quite clear.
If it weren't for his understanding of the Key Chapter, he might not have been able to get so close to the truth of this moment, because he saw the entire picture of the first chapter of the Key Chapter that he had seen before in that deep blue crystal.
```htmlWithout waiting for his prompt, Chui Xisi has already pressed the magic gloves against the Star Array device.
She lowered her goggles, closed her eyes, and skillfully made the connection, then projected her consciousness into the structure of the ether.```
Fang Hong saw this and did not oppose it; he originally had the same intention, otherwise he wouldn't have pushed this device in front of Cui Xisi.
In just a moment, the girl opened her eyes and looked at him with an incredulous gaze, "This is...?"
“Do you understand?” Fang Hong asked, “I have an idea, but I might not be able to manage it alone; I need your help.” Cui Xisi quickly snapped out of her chaotic thoughts, her gaze calming down: “This is indeed the first chapter of the Key's Volume, but not entirely; it's more like a product of a certain stage, yet this product can definitely help me.
them.” She raised her head and said in an inexplicable tone, “As I mentioned before, even a thousand instructions could be useful to us... but this device is far beyond just a thousand instructions. However, it provides
There was a brand new idea that none of us understood this direction... Even if we started researching it from now on, it would take time... Who can analyze it...?
The girl suddenly fell silent.
She looked at Fang Hong with a strange gaze, remaining silent.
“I can,” Fang Hong nodded. He had been advancing this technical route all along, quietly piecing together those lost clues in an unknown corner. The past accumulation finally yielded results at this moment. Of course, those results didn't come from thin air; from Jierdun to Adney’s father, the knowledge buried in the lines was transmitted silently over hundreds of days and nights.
Finally got the answer.
“What do you need me to do?” the girl asked directly. “Help me assemble some things,” Fang Hong replied, “I will teach you about the principles during the process. I need you to grasp as much as you can, and as quickly as possible. I have a feeling that we will face a tough battle ahead.”

The things prepared now may be useful soon.
The girl looked at the deep blue crystal and playfully brushed her hair, causing the lenses of her wind glasses to flick up. "Can I do it too?"

Fang Huan couldn't help but smile, "You are the second alchemist in this team; apart from you, there are no other candidates. So, welcome to join us, Miss Treshis."
Treshis raised her head to look at him, then gently nodded.
……
The Seven Seas Voyager sailed with its sails partially raised, akin to a silent ghost penetrating the storm. The wind ship navigated along the dark ridges of mountains, occasionally dipping too low and passing close to a sharp cliff. Even the experienced first mate Bakins couldn't help but turn around; in his long maritime career, he had rarely encountered such a situation. Ordinary wind ships seldom dared to navigate such waterways under these weather conditions.
In the middle.
The poetess clutched the ship’s railing, her face turning pale, her teeth chattering incessantly. "We're about to collide! We’re about to collide! Miss Fairy!" she kept muttering to herself, "This time it's really over..."
Elisa humorously patted the little girl's head.
“Don't worry so much,” she reassured, “Miss Tarta is a professional.”
Indeed—
but this ship from the Rose Workshop is, after all, not an ordinary sailing vessel,
The fairy lady could hardly spare any attention for anything else, focusing entirely on controlling every aspect of the Seven Seas Voyager, balancing the sails, and tilting the ship to insert it into a valley in the middle.
Then she issued an order, asking Luo Hao and the Papalaar people to help pull up the sails. At that moment, everyone sensed the coordinates that seemed to exist in the air, and they couldn't help but look at the female warrior standing on the deck.
```htmlGoddess Audis.
“We have arrived.” Fang Huan pushed the door open and stepped out, followed by the craftsman girl.
Audis turned her head and nodded to him.
“Miss Tata, lower the height,” Fang Huan pulled up his cloak and walked into the rain, approaching the ship's side to look down.```
Although only the hazy lines of rain can be seen in the darkness, the bosun has already tossed down a luminous crystal, illuminating the contours of the valley as it falls into the dense forest. Miss Fairy can sense the general situation in the valley through ether perception, but the light helps the others to see the condition beneath the Sea Traveler better, especially since there is also the officer on board, “The height above ground is four
```htmlOne hundred and forty feet."
Hildegarde had already sensed the earth's surface below through the Blessing of the Earth.
The windship descended slowly until it reached a height suitable to drop a rope ladder—then Tata opened the hatch, dropped an anchor made of anchor stones, securing the Sea Traveler in the layer of wind elements, and then rolled up the sails.```
After the deck of the ship swayed slightly, it was firmly secured, allowing Luo Hao and the Papalar people to finally release the ropes in their hands. Parker wiped his forehead, unsure if it was rainwater or sweat, exhausted and panting there.
“Thank you for your hard work.” Fang Hong looked at the two of them.
Luo Hao shook his head; it wasn't a big deal for him. “What’s the situation below?”
“We’ve already spotted the entrance to the ruins,” Fang Hong was about to answer when Dalil jumped in first, “It’s right below us.” The catgirl gracefully jumped down from the webbing and dusted off her hands as she looked towards the female warrior at the bow of the ship. Only then did Odais speak up: “William's treasure vault is hidden deep underground in the ruins of this island. Even I don’t know its exact location, but I can sense that place, so I must lead you there myself.”
There.
The Papalalar people couldn't help but feel a bit flattered. He nudged a nearby box with his arm and couldn't help but boast, "Did you hear that? A goddess is guiding us. Perhaps this is all thanks to the Nightingale King's influence."
“You can say maybe it went.” The box thought for a moment and said.
"I think so too."
The Papalars nodded.
But Daliel asked:
“Even the great goddess has things she doesn't know?”
“The deities are merely more powerful beings,” Audis replied, “If they were truly omnipotent, the Dark Saints should not exist. Moreover, when the Verdant Calamity descends, do not the gods also need to rely on the abilities of mortals?”
"They?" Daryl keenly picked up on that word.
"I never said I was one of them," Odis replied calmly, appearing unfazed by Daryl's offense.
However, the plover blocked Miss Cat Person. It's unclear why; perhaps it's due to a sense of guardianship towards Aimeia—Marlan and Mirella, the three goddesses. Daryl has always had some reservations about this unknown goddess, approaching her with a sense of caution.
Fang Hong could probably guess part of the answer, but at this moment, the answer wasn't really important. He glanced at the quiet knight lady next to him and thought that Miss Mei was much cuter. As he interrupted the two, he gently waved his magical glove over the information crystal, summoning a peculiar construct at the edge of the ship — a construct that others were somewhat familiar with, as it had appeared long before in Istarni.
Many people had already seen it on the ship during the evening hours.
"What is this...?"
Luo Hao was somewhat familiar with the artisan’s constructs, and upon witnessing this scene, he couldn't help but ask.
Moreover, he already knew that Fang Hong was preparing to bring a new item for the next battle in the ship's workshop, and he was originally curious whether there was enough time to get anything done. The projection that Fang Hong displayed was indeed a sea demon construct that he had seen before, but it slightly differed from its original ammonite or nautilus form, or perhaps it was more bulky, as a heavy outer shell seemed to have been equipped with a new set of devices.
。
“This is still a construct of the siren,” Fang Huang said, “of course, it is somewhat different from the original version.”
He turned back and said:
“Cris, you take control of it. There’s still some time; teach others how to use it.”
"Me?"
“Teach us?”
Chui Xisi and Luo Hao asked in unison.
Luo Hao stopped speaking. He closely examined the sea monster construct, and no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't see how this flexible construct of a battle artisan had anything to do with him.
On the side, Cui Xisi was also somewhat confused; in fact, she had been a bit lost from the moment she stepped out.
She thought she understood enough, but unexpectedly, she found herself entering a whole new realm—wasn't it agreed to focus on the application of surplus techniques? What came after that?
She still hasn't reacted to it.
“Haven't you witnessed their application methods?” Fang Chong nodded and said, “What other doubts do you have?”
The girl looked at him.
She hesitated for quite a while before asking, "…What was that last thing?"
Fang Hong was taken aback for a moment, then realized, "Do you remember what I told you guys at the Silver Tower? That was about its actual application. I thought you all understood it."
He paused for a moment before saying:
“That is the Elf Creation Technique.”　　……