Chapter 48: Talent Stone for Elevating Talent Rank

Lin Yi thought for a moment and asked, "Um... Village Chief, I'd like to know what will eventually happen to our world after it is captured by the Apocalypse Continent?"

Gu Tianci replied earnestly, "After a world is captured, the two worlds will gradually merge until one is swallowed by the other. Based on what I know about your world, it lacks extraordinary power and possesses only so-called technology, while its world will is weak. Therefore, the most likely outcome is that the world you live in will be swallowed by the Apocalypse Continent."

"However, you can rest assured that this timeline usually spans a hundred or a thousand years. You don't need to worry about the destruction of the world anytime soon."

"Very well, I have answered your question. Now, let me ask you one: where did you find the ancestral spirit artifact, the Ghost Stone?"

Lin Yi did not hide it and answered directly, "Beneath the willow tree by the pond in the village..."

Beneath the willow tree?

Gu Tianci thought for a moment, frowned slightly, but said nothing more.

Lin Yi continued, "Village Chief, I also want to know: if the Ghost Stone spirit artifact devours too many ghost-spirited objects, will this artifact awaken?"

Gu Tianci smiled and said, "Fourth Gu must have told you that, didn't he? What he said is partly true, but also partly false. The Ghost Stone was crafted by a master artifact refiner in our Gutan Village using a Spirit-Luring Doll, and a Spirit-Luring Doll is a remarkably special ghost spirit that naturally survives by devouring other ghost spirits."

"You can safely use the powers of the Ghost Stone for now, but remember: if you ever encounter a Spirit-Luring Doll, you must never use the Ghost Stone to absorb its core essence. Otherwise, the Ghost Stone will truly awaken, and you will lose your life."

So that was how it was!

Lin Yi understood and let out a slight sigh of relief.

That scoundrel Fourth Gu truly didn't have a single honest word in his mouth.

Since that was the case, he would just need to be careful when using the Ghost Stone to absorb ghost spirit cores in the future.

At that moment, however, Gu Tianci asked a question that deeply shocked Lin Yi.

"Child, my second question is: does the activation code you used to log into the Apocalypse World have a serial number?"

A jolt went through Lin Yi's heart. This village chief before him actually knew whether their activation codes had serial numbers or not.

Ever since he realized that his activation code was special, Lin Yi had subtly questioned Liu Bao about it during their previous conversations.

The ordinary activation code Liu Bao had obtained had no serial number listed in his attribute panel.

Lin Yi's activation code, however, bore the number 007. Even if Lin Yi were foolish, he would know that activation codes with serial numbers were special.

"Village Chief, how do you know about this?"

Gu Tianci smiled and said, "As I said, ever since Gutan Village was founded, we have interacted with many Descenders. Secrets that you yourselves are unaware of are clear to us. So, child, does your activation code have a serial number?"

Lin Yi hesitated for a moment and did not answer immediately.

Yet Gu Tianci could tell from Lin Yi's expression that his activation code indeed had a serial number.

"Village Chief, my activation code does have a serial number, and my third question is: what does a numbered activation code signify?"

Gu Tianci replied, "It signifies a unique, innate talent; it means you are standing on the shoulders of giants, and with a mere stretch of your hand, you might just touch the sky."

Lin Yi was left speechless. "What you just said is essentially meaningless."

Gu Tianci laughed heartily. "Then let me explain in detail. The so-called activation codes are actually bestowed by the will of your world. When a world faces invasion, its world will awakens. World wills vary in strength; powerful world wills will bestow innate abilities upon the children of their world."

"Activation codes with serial numbers belong to those favored children, granting them unique innate abilities that others cannot possess."

Lin Yi couldn't help asking, "Village Chief, does that mean the stronger the world will, the more Descenders there will be with talents?"

"Not entirely. The world will also knows how to nurture elites; it will use its limited power to cultivate children with high talents. For example, as I mentioned to you earlier about the first village chief of Gutan Village, records show that he was someone with a serial number, a possessor of a golden talent blessed by the world will."

Golden? That seemed slightly inferior to his red all-purpose talent.

Lin Yi asked another question: "Village Chief, is a golden talent very powerful?"

Having confirmed that Lin Yi possessed a serial number, Gu Tianci didn't dwell on it too much and replied, "Very powerful. According to his own recollections among those Descenders, golden talents were the absolute pinnacle, possessed by only a tiny handful of people."

Lin Yi nodded and asked no more. It seemed his red all-purpose talent existed in a league of its own.

After all, a red talent came only above a golden one.

However, what Lin Yi was unsure of was this: since even he, with the serial number 007, possessed a red talent, didn't that mean those with preceding serial numbers also possessed red talents?

Of course, what Lin Yi did not know was that although the top ten serial numbers belonged to the individuals with the highest potential, the specific talents obtained by each person were not necessarily identical.

In other words, not everyone possessed a red talent!

At that moment, Gu Tianci asked warmly, "Child, I heard from Little Hu that it took you only a few hours to master and perfect the Blazing Sun Saber Technique. Is your talent related to martial arts?"

"Um... more or less. It's related to saber techniques, but it's quite versatile."

Lin Yi didn't dare pin down his talent definitively, for if he rolled a better one later, he might switch at any time.

"If that's the case, the Martial Artist profession would suit you quite well."

"I suppose so. But our team leader told me that among the four major professions, the best one is the Sequencer, so I'm quite interested in it."

"A Sequencer... powerful though that profession may be, advancement inheritances are exceedingly rare."

Lin Yi spoke up, "I heard that the cave hiding the inheritance within Ancient Corpse Valley has one. Village Chief, you didn't come here just for my sake, did you? You came for that inheritance cave as well, right?"

Gu Tianci nodded and said, "It seems Little Hu told you quite a lot. What you said is correct; I made a special trip out of the village this time precisely for the inheritance inside the cave."

"There are ghost spirits left behind by the Ghost Controllers of yesteryear inside that cave, and they use a Ghost Domain to conceal it. The Ghost Domain is peculiar and forms a space of its own; even I cannot breach it to retrieve the inheritance within. However, now that we have your ancestral spirit artifact, the Ghost Stone, there is a very high hope of retrieving it."

Lin Yi asked, "Village Chief, why does having the Ghost Stone give us hope? Does the Ghost Stone spirit artifact possess some special property?"

Gu Tianci answered, "Because a Ghost Controller must forge a pact with a ghost spirit in the presence of a pact item. The Ghost Stone artifact you carry is the pact item of those former Ghost Controllers. With the Ghost Stone, I can negotiate terms with those ghost spirits, trading a condition to release them from their pact early in exchange for the inheritance items inside the cave."

Lin Yi nodded, finally understanding why Fourth Gu had lured him into the cave.

"Village Chief, if I help out, can you give me that Sequencer inheritance inside the cave?"

Hearing Lin Yi negotiate terms, Gu Tianci did not think him greedy. Instead, he frowned and said, "Child, judging by your talent, you are actually better suited for the path of a martial artist."

"Village Chief, rest assured, I will definitely find the most profession that suits me best before changing classes. As for the Sequencer, I am simply very curious to see what kind of profession it is."

Gu Tianci thought for a moment and said, "Originally, I intended to give the Sequencer inheritance in the cave to Little Hai. But a few days ago, that child took several Descenders out to search for ancient ruins and probably won't be back for quite some time. Very well, if you are willing to help us, the Sequencer inheritance in the cave is yours."

Lin Yi quickly expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Village Chief!"

A smile appeared on Gu Tianci's face. Then, seemingly remembering something, he asked, "By the way, child, would you be willing to join Gutan Village?"

Lin Yi was puzzled. "Join? Village Chief, aren't I already a member of the Gutan Village militia?"

Gu Tianci shook his head and said solemnly, "No, I mean to ask: would you like to become the next village chief of Gutan Village and protect this village?"

If Fourth Gu were here, he would likely have asked: Master, if he is the next village chief, then what am I?

Lin Yi, however, fell into deep, serious thought. From his conversation with the village chief just now, this elder held no malicious intent toward him.

Neither was this statement a joke; Gu Tianci was clearly sincere.

To be honest, becoming the village chief of Gutan Village was not entirely out of the question, but could a mere Descender manage Gutan Village well?

Perhaps becoming the village chief of Gutan Village would grant him access to mobilize the village's entire resources, but it would also act as a shackle, meaning he would have to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the village as his duty.

If he truly agreed, the elderly village chief before him would likely bind him with some form of restrictive contract.

Lin Yi thought for a moment and said, "Thank you for your kind offer, Village Chief, but I still need to venture out and explore the Apocalypse Continent in the future. I'm afraid I cannot stay long-term in the village."

A look of regret crossed Gu Tianci's face. Then, seemingly casually, he remarked, "What a pity. I originally intended to hand over the Talent Stone left in the village—the one capable of upgrading talent grades—to the next village chief..."

Upon hearing these words, Lin Yi's face was painted with extreme astonishment.

Damn it!

A Talent Stone capable of upgrading talent grades!

He needed this exact item right now!