The poster's nickna was "Moon Key," and just like the post title, the content inside was written in a confusing, cryptic way.
"I have seen through the crystal ball the strong of today, the hysterical of tomorrow. The punishnt of the mind will make people understand that the price of rushing for quick success is an unbearable cost..."
...What nonsense is this?
Guan Tong didn't see any effective content and could only vaguely guess: this "Moon Key" was likely an Ascendant who possessed so kind of prophetic ability or item, and through that ability or item, they saw so future where those who used this Hidden Rule would suffer bad consequences?
Below the post, so people comnted teasingly, while others expressed belief.
"Good, soone has finally co to occupy the niche of a mystic."
"I was curious before, with so many people in the world, so many studying the occult, soone must have obtained a prophecy-type ability, right?"
"Good person, poster, can you help predict which rule I'll live until?"
"The poster's prophecy makes sense. I've studied the rules quite a bit; if it's a rule about people plundering from each other, the plunderers will all pay a price."
"Getting such a big increase in Mind Power upper limit is sothing you'd beg for; what price could there possibly be?"
"Look at those leaving ssages for the Administrator urging for updates, they don't seem to think there's any price."
After reading a few pages, Guan Tong felt a bit uneasy inside.
If there really was so kind of hidden cost, then he would definitely be hit by it. Because he had genuinely taken away more than thirty first places.
But he also doubted, if the hidden cost was so great, then what was the point of this Hidden Rule?
"...Forget it, regardless of whether there's a hidden cost or not, there's no need to worry excessively before it manifests."
Guan Tong didn't want to scare himself. After learning about so social situations, he turned off the computer and rested on his own.
Although the eighth rule only lasted half a month, in that short half-month, he had traveled to many places and experienced the most combat within the rule, leaving him physically and ntally exhausted.
What he wanted most now was to rest properly for a few days.
Compared to others, he was probably one of the few who paid extra attention to his own ntal state, often using thods like blocking out external information and self-questioning to conduct ntal self-care.
Because since the Doomsday Rules descended, a large number of people—including many seen as strong by ordinary people—didn't die from external forces but chose to end themselves.
Many of these people were due to excessive pressure, developing psychological issues they couldn't resolve, leading to extre actions in the end.
Guan Tong himself had lived alone for a long ti, which made him prone to depression. Add the pressure of the rules, including eliminating those people at the base this ti—even if it was doing good by removing evil, it still affected his psyche sowhat.
So, for the next period of ti, Guan Tong didn't pay attention to the outside world, focusing on resting, taking walks, playing with Coal Ball, and continuing his Mind Power Flow cultivation.
At first, Guan Tong didn't feel anything wrong. On the contrary, he clearly felt his body changing for the better every day: stronger, more energetic, better spirits.
This was undoubtedly the strengthening effect after the substantial increase in Mind Power.
But by the eighth day, when he casually opened the terminal panel to check, he discovered a clue.
The problem was with Mind Power.
[Mind Power: 309 (309) (2570)]
Guan Tong rembered very clearly that on the day the eighth rule ended, his Mind Power upper limit was 309.
According to his previous average speed of naturally increasing his upper limit by one point every 7 to 8 days, his upper limit should now be 310.
"Why is it still 309? I haven't slacked off in my cultivation this week..."
Guan Tong found it a bit strange, but he didn't pay too much attention, thinking he might have relaxed a little these past few days.
But another day passed, and on the ninth day, he found his upper limit still hadn't increased.
This imdiately made him unable to sit still, and a terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.
Could the cessation of natural Mind Power upper limit growth be the cost of using the eighth Hidden Rule?
If true, that would be too terrifying...
Although natural growth was slow, averaging only about 4 points per month, its growth rate would increase. And accumulating day by day, considering it by the year, the growth was still considerable.
But if the price was the stagnation of natural growth in exchange for a one-ti surge, was it worth it or not... No, the surge was only relative. For Ascendants who seized the most first places, it was a surge, but what about those who only seized a few extra, or even just one?
After realizing this, Guan Tong imdiately turned on the computer and logged into the Ascendant Ho website.
Sure enough, many organizations and individuals had already discovered this, and the Casual Chat section was flooded with posts discussing the matter.
"Why hasn't my Mind Power upper limit been increasing? I've been following the official advice, repeating the process of exhausting and recovering every drop every day!"
"I heard that Ascendants who seized others' first places have all stopped natural Mind Power upper limit growth. Is this true or false?"
"True? If so, that's great! Serves them right for stealing others' first places! The Mind Power others lost should be counted against them!"
"Hahahahahaha! No other reason, just feel like laughing."
"They're not at a loss either. Natural growth is so slow, how long would it take to catch up to this one-ti surge? I heard the highest increase can be hundreds of points; even if natural growth stops, it's acceptable."
"I think so too, those who seized a lot aren't at a loss... The most unlucky are those who only seized one or two first places, right?"
"What are you all talking about? Natural growth stopping isn't a loss? Don't forget the natural growth rate increases! Even if you gained a few hundred points this ti, if you never grow again later, you'll eventually be overtaken!"
"It feels like the Fire Thief is pulling the rug out from under everyone..."
"The official just updated the White Paper, ntioning this situation, preliminarily naming it 'Mind Lock.' They said they're currently looking for ways to lift the restriction."
Seeing these posts, Guan Tong found that, just as he had judged, everyone who used the eighth Hidden Rule had experienced the situation where their Mind Power upper limit could no longer increase naturally.
The authorities had even specifically given this situation the na "Mind Lock."
So people on the website felt that if you seized enough first places and the Mind Power upper limit increased enough this ti, then even if you couldn't grow naturally afterward, it wasn't a loss.
But Guan Tong would never think that way. Because this was like the relationship between savings and cash flow. Without cash flow, only outgoings, no matter how much savings you have, you'll eventually run out... Moreover, Mind Power upper limit isn't even comparable to savings; this thing doesn't generate interest.
"Now, just after the eighth rule, if the Mind Power upper limit is locked from here on out... major problems will definitely arise later."
For the first ti, Guan Tong's mood was this heavy. At this point, he certainly wouldn't regret it, because that was aningless. The key was how to solve the problem, how to unlock this "Mind Lock."
"Currently, besides the official authorities of various countries, major groups and forces are definitely researching this issue... These smart people won't be satisfied with their increased upper limits stagnating. But if this is the Fire Thief's setting, breaking through probably won't be easy."
The Fire Thief's setting...
Guan Tong suddenly rembered back during the sixth rule.
Not long after that [Fatal Blood Plague] rule was announced, he had an idea then: relying on his [Wordless Book], could he try to contend with the Fire Thief's rules?
So, back then, he had the idea of writing "serum" on a page, but because his Mind Power upper limit was insufficient, he couldn't write on the fifth page and ultimately gave up.
But that determination to resist was imprinted in his heart.
"Now my Mind Power upper limit is enough to write on the fifth page of the [Wordless Book]... I must try to resist the rules!"
Guan Tong had no other choice. He couldn't accept that his Mind Power upper limit maxed out at 309 points; he had to find a way to break through the Mind Lock restriction.
Also, having not been online these past few days, he saw his private ssages had piled up again.
Many were from groups and organizations that had previously said they wanted to continue cooperating with him, now sending private ssages to question him, asking if he had deliberately concealed information about the "Mind Lock."
Guan Tong naturally found it ridiculous; he didn't know himself, so how could he conceal it?
But he could understand these people. They paid for intelligence; it was useful, but it had hidden negative effects. Feeling angry was only natural.
As for these private ssages, Guan Tong didn't plan to reply. Whether these people would beco suspicious of him and stop buying intelligence in the future, he didn't particularly care either.
To be honest, what he was thinking about now was only how to quickly remove the Mind Lock restriction. Although not fatal in the short term, even having little impact, it gave him an indescribably uncomfortable feeling.
It was like looking up and seeing his upper limit locked there, unable to advance any further. For Guan Tong, who was determined to pass all forty-nine rules and reach the end, this was unacceptable.
After making his decision, he imdiately turned off the computer and took out the [Wordless Book].
A few days ago, he didn't know what to write, so he hadn't written anything on the fifth page. Now, looking at the blank page, he felt a wave of retrospective fear.
"Fortunately, I didn't write hastily back then, otherwise the consequences would have been unthinkable..."
Because what's written can't be erased or modified. If the Mind Power upper limit requirent for writing on the sixth page later exceeded 309 points, then unless he found another thod, Guan Tong would be completely stuck here.
Like a dead save file in a ga, no matter how much the player struggles, if the character can't win, they just can't win. In the end, you can only load an old save or delete the character and start over.
However, real life doesn't have "loading an old save"... Well, can't say that absolutely. Perhaps soone in the world really has an ability similar to "rewinding," but Guan Tong certainly doesn't have that skill.
He looked at the blank page, thought for a mont, then started writing, planning to first write the character for "open" on this fifth page.
This "open" ant to open, to unlock. He planned to use the [Wordless Book]'s characteristic of fulfilling fuzzy requirents to try if it could take effect and remove his Mind Lock.
If not, then he would add more characters and try again.
With the first horizontal stroke down, Guan Tong instantly felt dizzy and his vision blurred. Opening the panel to check, his 309 points of Mind Power were completely exhausted, and an additional 200-plus points of reserve Mind Power were consud.
"The consumption for writing on the fifth page is this huge..."
Guan Tong wanted to continue using reserve Mind Power to write, but hesitated for a mont.
During the eighth rule period, because he alone eliminated the enemies at that base in the Yongzhou Mountain Range, he had expended a large amount of reserve Mind Power. Especially when dealing with Jiang Ming, he spent 500 points at once to summon the Greataxe Warrior.
Originally, he had over three thousand points of reserve Mind Power; now only a little over two thousand remained. Judging by the consumption speed on the fifth page, to finish writing this "open" character, he would probably have to throw in all of his remaining two thousand-plus.
In five more days, the ninth Doomsday Rule would be announced. Exhausting his reserves at this ti was undoubtedly an unwise choice.
"...No, can't continue writing."
Guan Tong decisively put down the pen.
Even though he urgently wanted to remove the Mind Lock, he couldn't throw all his resources into it.
To be safe, it was better to wait for his Mind Power to recover and then use that to write, which was more cost-effective. Using 10 points of reserve Mind Power to exchange for the effect of 1 point of regular Mind Power to write was just too wasteful.
Guan Tong calculated: "There are still five days until the ninth rule is announced... Five days of naturally recovered Mind Power should be enough to finish writing a single 'open' character. I don't know if it will have any effect then. If not, I'll have to find another way..."
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