Chapter 720: Self-Upgrade (Part 1)

Just like how he previously controlled Zhuge Kongming to design instances.

The formation of a perfect instance was by no means achieved overnight.

It had to go through countless versions of testing, nerfs, and patching before finally evolving into a clear, strictly-ruled new world that increasingly matched the planner's intentions!

And the current Professionals System was the ultimate patch figured out by the will of heaven after countless version updates—the most stable one that was most convenient for controlling the upper limit of human power!

Having figured all this out, Zhou Huai only felt a sudden sense of enlightenment, and the fog of the world that originally shrouded his heart was completely brushed away.

He looked straight at Chun.

"I understand."

Zhou Huai said, "You've said so much, essentially just wanting to tell me that Mr. Duan is a monster of the old era who has broken free from this layer of shackles. And if I want to defeat him, I must stand on the exact same dimension as him!"

"So? What do you plan to do? Do you have a way to directly remove the characteristics belonging to current Professionals from me?"

Only by removing the restrictions of Professionals and no longer being bound by the System panel would he have the capital to go toe-to-toe with that old monster!

However, facing Zhou Huai's eager inquiry, Chun gently shook her head.

"Not removal."

She corrected Zhou Huai's wording, "It's an upgrade."

"Upgrade?"

Zhou Huai was stunned, not understanding.

Weren't they going to smash the shackles? Why upgrade? How was this any different from the existing killing monsters to level up?

Chun took a step forward, her green eyes staring into Zhou Huai's eyes as if trying to see right through his Soul.

"Young man, your brain works fast, but you lack the most basic cognition of yourself."

Chun's voice became ethereal.

"Could it be that you haven't realized it until now?"

She raised her hand, her fingertips lightly pointing at Zhou Huai's chest.

"You, right from the very beginning—"

"—do not belong to the category of normal Professionals!"

"Do not belong to the category of normal Professionals?"

These few words spat out from Chun's mouth left Zhou Huai frozen in place.

He couldn't help but be stunned.

He frowned.

Not belonging to normal Professionals?

This perspective was something Zhou Huai had never thought of before.

Before meeting Mr. Duan and the ancient tree demon before him, in his mind, he was just an ordinary, unlucky fellow who had awakened a Trash E-rank Clone Master profession.

It was solely because he was a Transmigrator and possessed that Golden Finger named God-level Clone System that he could cheat his way all the way and possess such formidable foundations.

Without the existence of the God-level Clone System, his ridiculously powerful SS-rank and SSS-rank Clones would be out of the question, and he himself would just be a cripple who couldn't even beat ordinary exotic beasts.

Yet now, this woman who had lived through eight eras and knew the Origin of the world was telling him with a firm tone—that his profession itself had a problem?

Zhou Huai felt his brain unable to turn around, somewhat confused by this woman's conversation.

The amount of information contained in these few short words was simply no less shocking than when Mr. Duan introduced the concept of Transcendents to him back then!

He held his breath, and his brain began to spin frantically.

Think about it carefully, the other party's words did make some sense.

If he were really just an ordinary Professional, just an insignificant ant among the masses.

Then why would that Heaven-Defying System capable of ignoring world rules and arbitrarily granting top-tier hidden professions to Clones appear precisely on him?

Was it really because of the so-called Transmigrator welfare?

Or… when all is said and done, there was likely a heaven-shaking secret on him that even he himself wasn't aware of?!

Zhou Huai's heartbeat couldn't help but speed up a bit.

Having figured out the stakes involved, he forcefully suppressed the churning waves in his heart and raised his head.

Looked earnestly at Chun in front of him.

"Fine, I admit what you said makes sense."

Zhou Huai looked at her and asked in a deep voice, "Then what do you plan to do? How do you plan to make this abnormal vessel of mine complete the so-called upgrade you speak of?"

Chun did not answer immediately.

She smiled, raised her finger, and pointed to the emerald-green lake beside them.

"Very simple."

She parted her red lips slightly and stated, "Lie down into the water."

Enter the water?

Zhou Huai glanced at the lake surface glowing with green light and swirling with mist, hesitating for a moment.

The life energy contained in this lake water was indeed jaw-droppingly massive, but who knew what unknown dangers were hidden beneath?

Furthermore, this was his true physical body!

Once ambushed underwater, no matter how boundless the Divine Abilities of Great Sage Li Er were, he might not be able to protect him immediately!

Seeing the vigilance at the bottom of Zhou Huai's eyes, Chun chuckled.

"What? Things have reached this point, and you still don't trust me?"

Chun twisted her slender waist slightly, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness and helplessness, "You little fellow, you're being overly suspicious."

"Rest assured."

She put away her smile and said seriously, "If I really wanted you dead, ever since you stepped into the Simon City Ruins, you wouldn't even know how many times you'd have died."

"Why would I go to such great lengths to trick you into this pool of water?"

Zhou Huai thought about it again.

That was indeed the logic.

Facing a Mr. Duan whom even the will of heaven could do nothing about, his current trump cards were simply not enough! He had to find a way to grow stronger quickly.

Since even the System hinted that he should come see her, and since he had already gone all-in by coming here with his true body.

Since he was already here!

He might as well gamble on it!

"Hoo—"

Zhou Huai made mental preparations for himself in his heart and let out a breath.

He didn't say anything more, walked around the battle-ready Great Sage Li Er beside him, and walked toward that crystal-clear, emerald-green lake.

The moment the tip of his shoe touched the water's surface.

The bone-chilling sensation of an underground river that he had expected did not come.

Upon touching the lake water, the feeling was extremely gentle.

Warm currents wrapped around his tense muscles and weary body.

This feeling was too comfortable.

Zhou Huai's heart relaxed along with it.

The nerves that had been highly tense due to constantly guarding against assassinations and sudden mutations were soothed.

Every step he walked forward, he felt his body become increasingly relaxed, greedily absorbing the rich life essence around him.

Unwittingly, he had walked all the way into the depths of the lake.

Until the emerald-green lake water submerged his chest, he was completely unaware, still immersed in that hard-earned comfort.

"Alright, stop there."

Chun on the shore spoke up to remind him, interrupting Zhou Huai's intoxication.

"You'd better stay relaxed."

She stood on the shore, her green eyes gazing at Zhou Huai in the water, her tone very soft, "Don't resist it."

"I'm already very relaxed," Zhou Huai said instinctively.

He was telling the truth.

He even closed his eyes directly, his expression leisurely.

The water currents lifted his body, the sensation of weightlessness and warmth intertwining.

The feeling right now was the most relaxed and defenceless he had been since his Transmigration to this lifetime.

"Next, what should I do?"