Seeing that Arlecchino was done with her questioning, Lu Li, knowing he now had a new mission to keep him busy for the next few days, prepared to take his leave. He had been busy all day and needed rest.
But just then, Arlecchino suddenly spoke, stopping him. "Wait. Now that I have the chance, let ask you: who taught you the thod of elental manipulation you were practicing in the training ground this afternoon?"
Lu Li was startled. He realized that since he had spent the entire afternoon training, it was not surprising that Arlecchino had seen him.
"It was Clorinde who taught ," he said. "She gained her Electro Vision during a duel as a Champion Duelist. Her developnt of elental power has reached a very high level. That's why I chose to ask her for guidance. I spent the afternoon practicing according to her thods and made good progress."
Arlecchino said flatly, "I thought you would co to . Never mind. So, how far has your progress with elental manipulation co?"
Lu Li felt a bit awkward, having sought help from an outsider instead of the person closest to him. But he was relieved that she didn't seem to want to pursue it. "According to her explanation, she divides the levels of elental proficiency as follows—"
"The most basic is elental release, the advanced version is elental infusion, and the master level is large-scale elental burst attacks. Above that, in her judgnt, there are two more advanced paths."
"One is large-scale elental shaping, forming objects or animals to attack the enemy. The other is to rge elental power with one's own martial arts to a state of perfect unity, returning to the essence to achieve the ultimate annihilation."
"When I first unlocked my power, I already had the ability to perform large-scale elental bursts. I was just not as good at fine control as other experts of the sa level. However, after an afternoon of practice with her notes, my proficiency has improved a lot."
Arlecchino's eyes flickered. "Show . To what extent can you control your elental power now?"
"Here?!" Lu Li asked nervously.
"Of course. But don't misunderstand. I only want to see your fine control," Arlecchino said calmly.
Lu Li paused, rembering the scene from earlier—the rose made of her own fla. He certainly couldn't achieve such an exaggerated level of elental shaping. Such lifelike mimicry was not sothing an ordinary elental user could accomplish. But he had an idea of how to demonstrate his current level.
He looked around the room and his eyes fell on the decorative swords hanging on the wall. After receiving a nod of approval from Arlecchino, he walked over and took one down.
The next mont, as he began to chant, Arlecchino imdiately felt the disturbance in the elents in the air and raised an eyebrow. As a descendant of the Crimson Moon, with the power of fire flowing in her veins, and possessing both a Pyro Vision and a Pyro Delusion, sensing the movent of Pyro elents was second nature to her. She understood exactly what was happening with Lu Li's power. It wasn't his own talent, nor was he channeling elents through a Vision or Delusion. He was communicating with and exciting them through language?
Arlecchino's gaze sharpened as she watched Lu Li complete the Pyro infusion on the sword in his hand. "Well done. Worthy of praise. Elental infusion is not an overly advanced skill, but being able to do this proves you have passed the beginner's threshold. Combined with your previous report that your elental burst can destroy a factory, your current strength has officially reached the 'Elite' rank."
Lu Li was stunned.
Arlecchino continued coolly, "Your friend Clorinde's classification of elental strength is a bit general, but the basic idea is correct. As for the actual ranking system, it was established by 'The Jester' at the founding of the Fatui and disseminated throughout the ranks. There's no harm in telling you now."
"An 'elental user' is a general term for those born with elental abilities, Vision holders, Delusion holders, or those who wield weapons that can channel elental power. According to the Fatui's military ranking, they are divided into five levels: [Fledgling], [Elite], [Commander], [Harbinger], and [Archon-level]."
"Your control of Pyro allows you to perform elental infusion and bursts powerful enough to collapse a factory. The rank of 'Elite' is well-deserved," Arlecchino said flatly. "So, Lu Li, let ask you: do you pursue power for its own sake? Or do you see it as a ans to an end, like Lyney, who uses it rely as an embellishnt for his magic tricks, to pave the way for his strategies?"
Lu Li paused, then said softly, "I... I am probably the type to pursue power. But I will not lose my fundantal humanity or abandon the things I hold dear because of it."
Arlecchino fell silent. Lu Li's heart remained heavy. He didn't know why she had asked, but he had added the latter part of his answer to prevent her from making him an offer he couldn't refuse. It seed she was lost in thought. Was she thinking about her own past?
After a mont, he felt her gaze return to him, and he quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Lord 'Father,' by that ranking, does that an all the Harbingers are at the 'Harbinger' level of strength?"
"Not just that. The top three Harbingers have surpassed the 'Harbinger' level and reached the 'Archon-level'," Arlecchino said coolly. "And even within the sa rank, the difference in strength can be vast."
Lu Li's eyes flickered. "Mm... then, how is one judged to have advanced in rank?"
Arlecchino looked at him for a long while. "It's a bit complicated to break down, but I have a rough theory. When your elental power can affect the weather, you have reached the 'Commander' threshold. When your full-power burst can cover or destroy a small valley, you have reached the 'Harbinger' threshold. And when you can fully release your elental power to form a separate space, a 'Domain' that seals everything, you have reached the 'Archon-level' threshold."
"What, are you so interested in becoming powerful?" Arlecchino asked with amusent.
"Ahem, just as a soldier with ambition wants to climb the ranks for more glory," Lu Li said, "since I've started down this path, I want to know where it leads."
"Very reasonable," Arlecchino said, taking a sip of her tea. "You are very different from Lyney and the others. They do not walk the path of pursuing power. Among the children, you are the only one who has shown your ambition and desire so openly before ."
Lu Li was taken aback.
Arlecchino then pulled open a drawer, took out a folded set of clothes, and placed it on the desk. "But that is a good thing. It proves I was not mistaken in my judgnt of you, and you have not disappointed ."
Lu Li's breath caught in his throat as he saw the uniform pressed down by her black hand, its fingertips adorned with red nail polish.
It was... a Debt Collector's uniform! Along with the matching weapon and a Pyro Delusion! Could it be...?
"Here. This is the other reason I kept you behind. Since you have proven your worth to , I will not be stingy in rewarding your will to pursue power."
Lu Li t Arlecchino's crimson, X-shaped pupils and fell silent for a mont. "So, you want to beco a Debt Collector and wield the power of a Delusion?"
"It's just another identity. You will still report directly to . Is there a problem with that?" Arlecchino asked coolly. "Besides, since you pursue power, a Delusion is a necessity for you."
Lu Li scratched his head. How could a Delusion, which severely drains a person's lifespan, be a necessity? But he was in no position to refuse. He sighed inwardly and prepared to take the uniform.
Seeing his complex and slightly disgusted expression, Arlecchino paused, then said flatly, "You're thinking... you can already control elental power, so why am I giving you a Delusion, correct?"
Lu Li froze. He then saw Arlecchino take a pendant from her suit pocket. The crimson gem and the insignia on it clearly marked it as a Pyro Delusion.
"As you can see, I not only hold a Vision and was born with the ability to control fire, but I also requested this Delusion and carry it with , occasionally activating its power. Why do you think I do that?"
Lu Li was completely bewildered. He looked at her, then shook his head blankly.
"Because there is more than one way to channel elental power. By channeling the sa elent in different ways, one can unleash even greater strength," Arlecchino said coolly. "Were you thinking just now that I, your 'Father,' would harm you, my 'child'?"
Hearing the slight anger in her tone, Lu Li's face changed. He quickly knelt on one knee and apologized profusely. "My deepest apologies! I did not know! Lord 'Father,' how could I ever resent you?!"
"Your expression just now said otherwise," Arlecchino said, rising emotionlessly from her chair. She walked around the desk and stood before the kneeling Lu Li. "It is precisely because you seek power that I am teaching you my thod. Yet you seem ungrateful, even resentful?"
Lu Li's head was bowed, his back drenched in sweat. A single drop fell from his brow and hit the floor as he stared at the sharp-toed high-heeled boot just inches away. A woman's heart is as deep as the ocean, especially a high-ranking Harbinger's. He could only tremble, the years of training having beaten any thought of resistance out of him.
"A Delusion does indeed cause damage to the body, but that is for ordinary people. It overdrafts their bodies and consus their lifespan as fuel. But for those who can already control elental power, its harm is not so severe. As long as you control the duration of its use, aside from fatigue afterward, there is no risk of shortening your life."
"For those who wish to go even further, holding and activating a Delusion can bring more possibilities and a higher ceiling of strength. Now, do you still think I am trying to harm you?" Arlecchino asked, looking down at the kneeling Lu Li.
Lu Li shook his head vehently. "I wouldn't dare!"
"Is that so? You understand your mistake now that you know the truth? Even so, your defiance and your mistrust have greatly disappointed ."
The next mont, Lu Li felt a soft sole press down on the back of his head. He was slamd face-first onto the floor. A foot clad in a black stocking pressed his cheek against the ground, contorting his face into a comical shape. Arlecchino looked down at the trembling Lu Li with indifference. "Do you understand your mistake now?"
Lu Li swallowed hard, his eyes catching a glimpse of the high-heeled shoe that had been kicked aside. "I... I was wrong, Father. It won't happen again," he stamred.
"Is that so? Good. But I am still displeased." Arlecchino kept her foot on his cheek. "Kneel, and lick until I am satisfied. That is your punishnt."
"...Yes..."
(The remaining chapters will be provided in the next response due to length constraints.)
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