Chapter 145: So, We Are Inviting a Group of Failed Writers

"Have you thought of something?" Bai Kou had not known Xiao Kai-tian for long, but she had always seen him as calm and indifferent, rarely displaying the gravity he showed now.

"Yes, but I cannot be certain. Some things cannot rely on imagination alone." Xiao Kai-tian decided not to tell Bai Kou for the time being. After all, from the perspective of this dimension, it was impossible to comprehend higher-dimensional matters. Even if Bai Kou remained suspicious, if he stood his ground, the matter would pass.

"What you mentioned—that must be information only known within the martial arts world, right? If I join the martial arts world, would I be able to obtain such information?" Xiao Kai-tian intuitively felt this had a great deal to do with the ascension he was preparing for.

Bai Kou nodded, then shook her head: "Only core figures can master such information. The state knows too; it belongs to the highest level of classified intelligence. After all, if such things were presented to the public, the world would descend into chaos."

Xiao Kai-tian understood that the boundary between science, metaphysics, and philosophy was difficult to define. The existence of higher-dimensional worlds could be interpreted through a scientific lens, or one could intuitively perceive the existence of gods.

"However, joining the martial arts world does provide significant convenience in certain areas," Bai Kou said, her expression turning serious. "For example, you could gain access to martial arts resources, auctions, and so on."

"But you have conflicts with the Xiao and Bian families. They are established clans, and all of them have connections to the martial arts world. Once you join, it is inevitable that you will be drawn into martial arts challenge duels, where fatalities are permitted."

The implication was clear: Xiao Kai-tian’s joining the martial arts world had both pros and cons, and it would depend on how he handled the situation.

"What exactly is your cultivation level? Why can I not sense the presence of your internal energy?" Bai Kou nearly asked if he was from a higher dimension, but after a moment of thought, she opted for a more tactful approach.

"According to the standards of the martial arts world, I am likely at the peak of the Earth Realm. However, in actual combat, I can kill a grandmaster at the early stage of the Heaven Realm, and if it were someone at the peak of the mid-stage, I could at least defend myself," Xiao Kai-tian answered truthfully.

"Hmph, you are quite formidable." Bai Kou turned her head away. By that logic, if she hadn't recently been practicing the refined Phoenix Heaven Technique, she would not be his match. This person was terrifying. "I don't know if the martial arts world accepting you will be a blessing or a curse."

"I have heard that a vital resource for cultivation in the martial arts world is some kind of crystal. Do you know what that is?" This was a question Xiao Kai-tian was very concerned about.

Bai Kou nodded: "The martial arts world calls them Spirit Crystals. But these things are extremely rare and highly unstable. They only appear when there are anomalies in the heavens and earth. We cannot absorb them directly, so martial artists usually take them back and use them in the cultivation of medicinal herbs. Once the herbs have absorbed the energy, we ingest them to advance our cultivation."

Xiao Kai-tian understood. These so-called Spirit Crystals were undoubtedly debris from the fourth dimension. The "anomalies in the heavens and earth" were caused by spatial instability. These things were the key to ascension.

Since the core items were in the martial arts world, joining it was a logical step: "If I become a member of the martial arts world, I can openly participate in the search for these Spirit Crystals, right?"

"Of course, but the ones who demand these crystals are the major sects. You must be prepared to oppose them," Bai Kou warned him. "This isn't the 'key to ascension' you mentioned, is it?"

"Quite possibly. But without seeing one, I can only judge it as such for now. In that case, I will join the Martial Arts Association. There shouldn't be any issues, right?" Xiao Kai-tian made a final confirmation, hoping to avoid a mountain of trouble after joining.

A faint arc appeared at the corner of Bai Kou’s mouth: "That depends on whether you are strong enough. That is how the martial arts world works. No matter how pleasant it sounds or how many rules there are, it is a world where the strong reign supreme."

Xiao Kai-tian pondered this carefully. He found it somewhat strange: he would join the martial arts world, become a martial practitioner, and then cooperate with the military to eventually build mechs capable of suppressing martial artists. It sounded a bit like rebellion.

But for the sake of ascension, he could not afford to care about such things. Bai Kou had said it well: the martial arts world was all about who had the biggest fist.

Having resolved these issues, he took out his phone and sent a message to Zhuang Dongze, scheduling their duel for tomorrow at the Qing-Tang Tian-Xia building.

There was still plenty of undeveloped land in the Future Century project; he could just find a spot there to fight. Running around at an altitude of several hundred meters was far too dangerous.

"A child of a wealthy family should not sit under a crumbling wall"—Xiao Kai-tian had learned this ancient maxim from the Han-Tang era, and he felt it was very sensible.

Compared to the decisive and cheerful Xiao Kai-tian, Guo Lei was once again plunged into confusion. Clutching the document with the words "Higher Dimension" written in bold, sweeping strokes, she fell into deep thought.

What did President Xiao mean by this? What was a "higher dimension"? Did it refer to improving employee quality, integrating the business operations of Qing-Tang Tian-Xia, or escalating the battle against the entertainment industry?

She was a liberal arts graduate, and concepts like dimensions and physics had long since been returned to her teachers.

"Oh, look at our Vice President Guo, so worried," the office door was pushed open rudely. There was only one person in the company who dared to do such a thing: Tang Tian, the Director of Public Relations.

She wore a fiery red sweater and looked full of vitality. She sat down unceremoniously and looked at the troubled Guo Lei: "What’s wrong?"

Their relationship remained "stiff," and occasional verbal sparring was the norm within Qing-Tang Tian-Xia. Tang Tian enjoyed this feeling and would come to Guo Lei’s office every few days to assert her presence.

After all, from a closeness perspective, Guo Lei also served as Xiao Kai-tian’s personal secretary, a fact that made Tang Tian green with envy.

"Take a look at this and give me an idea." Guo Lei was tired; for once, she didn't argue and handed over the document. "I don't quite understand President Xiao’s intent."

"What is it?" Tang Tian was overjoyed. She loved seeing Guo Lei at a disadvantage. She took the document with a smile, but upon reading it, she too was stunned: "Higher dimension? What does this mean?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you." Guo Lei glanced at Tang Tian, sat back in her office chair, and began to carefully review her own work for any shortcomings.

"Useless." Tang Tian sneered. She took out her phone and started searching: "It's just this; can't you just look it up?"

A few minutes later, Tang Tian threw her phone aside, her expression shifting: "This is a term from science fiction theory. President Xiao means..."

Guo Lei leaned her head against the chair and gave a bitter smile: "How would I know? Maybe I should just go and ask him directly."

"That would only make you look incompetent," Tang Tian scoffed. "In my opinion, we should just follow this line of thought and host a seminar. Perhaps President Xiao will be satisfied with that."

"What would be the theme? A sci-fi discussion? Are we going to invite a bunch of failed authors over?"

Tang Tian shook her head: "Not necessarily. The scientific community has similar discussions, though they aren't mainstream views. We can start there."

"In conjunction with the sci-fi film 'Above the Sky Realm,' I think we could launch a promotional campaign. After all, the company’s core positioning is technology-based, right?"