118: Chapter 118 Sprouting

Tuesday, 6:00 AM. Chen Zhen opened his eyes right on time.

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly within his Dantian. After a night of Cultivation, his Cultivation had increased once more.

He didn't look at his system panel much anymore—the numbers had lost their meaning to him.

After the Fusion of the seventeen star core fragments, his growth in power could no longer be measured by conventional logic.

He stood up and walked to the window.

It was raining outside. Fine threads of rain tapped against the glass, blurring the city's outline. He pushed the window open, and the cool air rushed in, carrying the scent of soil and vegetation.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and walked over to the Mutant Seedling.

Overnight, the seedling had grown taller, and the golden patterns on its leaves had increased from nine to twelve.

Using [Internal Vision], he could see that the flow of spiritual energy within it had formed a complete circulatory System—just like those potted adult soul-calming grass, but more complex and precise.

He reached out and gently touched the leaf. That consciousness came through again, but it was clearer than yesterday—not longing, not waiting, but a kind of... calling.

What was it calling for?

He didn't know. But he knew it was soon.

He stood up, walked to the workbench, and took out the stack of blank talisman paper.

He needed to draw a new batch of talismans today—Tracking Talismans specifically prepared for this Mutant Seedling. He wanted to know what it was calling for and who it wanted to contact.

He drew ten Tracking Talismans and stuck them around the seedling. The talisman paper lit up with a faint white light and began to record.

[Tracking Talisman Activated]

[Target: Mutated An Shen Grass]

[Analyzing energy fluctuations...]

He waited a few minutes, and the system panel popped up a notification.

[Weak energy signal detected]

[Source: Unknown]

[Direction: Directly above]

[Frequency: Resonating with star core fragments]

Directly above?

He looked up at the ceiling. Above that was the ground, above that was the sky, and above that was—the Heavenly Road.

It was connecting with something on the other side of the Heavenly Road.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the seedling. The seedling's leaves trembled gently, as if responding to him.

"Are you waiting too?" he whispered.

The leaves trembled.

He nodded and turned to walk back to the center of the formation.

At 7:20, Chen Zhen stepped into the classroom.

Zhang Meng was in the back row catching up on homework. Seeing him enter, he shouted as usual: "Help! Lend me your math homework to copy!"

Chen Zhen threw his homework notebook over. Zhang Meng caught it and buried his head in copying furiously.

Chen Zhen walked to his seat and sat down. Su Xiaoya, in the seat in front, turned around, her eyes bright.

"Chen Zhen, my mom said yesterday's talisman was really effective. She wants to ask if you could give her a few more for a friend of hers."

Chen Zhen looked at her.

"What friend?"

Su Xiaoya lowered her voice: "An old friend of hers who has suffered from insomnia for many years. Medicine hasn't worked, so she wants to try this."

Chen Zhen took five Calming Talismans from his pocket and handed them to her.

Su Xiaoya took them and was stunned for a moment.

"So many?"

Chen Zhen looked at her.

"If they work well, tell me the results."

Su Xiaoya took a deep breath and put the talismans away.

"Thank you."

She turned back around.

In the last row, Zhou Rui looked up at him, then looked back down at his book. Chen Hao turned his head from the front row and glanced at him.

"Chen Zhen, my sister said she wants to see you this weekend. Is that convenient for you?"

Chen Zhen thought for a moment.

"Saturday afternoon."

Chen Hao nodded.

"Okay. I'll send you the address."

At noon, after school, Chen Zhen went to the cafeteria.

He got his food and found a seat. He had only taken a few bites when three people walked over with their trays—Zhou Rui, Zhang Meng, and Chen Hao.

Zhang Meng sat down with a thump and started eating heartily.

Chen Hao sat opposite Chen Zhen and looked at him.

"Chen Zhen, I have another matter."

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"What is it?"

Chen Hao was silent for two seconds.

"My sister said that after using your talisman, not only did her sleep improve, but she also started having some strange dreams."

Chen Zhen put down his chopsticks.

"What kind of dreams?"

Chen Hao thought for a moment.

"She said she dreamed of an old man wearing old clothes, standing in a cave. The old man kept saying something like 'it's almost time, it's almost time'."

Chen Zhen didn't speak.

Chen Hao looked at him.

"Do you know that old man?"

Chen Zhen was silent for three seconds.

"I don't know him."

Chen Hao stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Alright then. I'll tell her not to overthink it."

He lowered his head to eat.

Zhou Rui watched Chen Zhen from the side, his eyes thoughtful.

At 3:00 PM, at the Secret Base.

Chen Zhen pushed the door open, and Zhou Rui was already inside. He was standing in front of the Mutant Seedling, staring blankly at those golden patterns.

Hearing the movement, he turned his head.

"Master, is this seedling... glowing?"

Chen Zhen walked over. On the seedling's leaves, those golden patterns were indeed glowing faintly—very weakly, but clearly visible in the dim base.

[Mutated An Shen Grass status updated]

[Energy fluctuation intensified]

[Signal frequency increased]

It was connecting to the other side of the Heavenly Road.

Chen Zhen crouched down and reached out to gently touch the leaf. That consciousness came through again—this time it wasn't a calling, it was... joy.

It had made contact.

"Master, what's wrong with it?" Zhou Rui asked in a low voice from the side.

Chen Zhen stood up.

"It is sprouting."

Zhou Rui was stunned for a moment.

"Hasn't it already sprouted?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer. He looked at the seedling for a long time.

Then he turned and walked back to the center of the formation, sat cross-legged, and activated [Eye of the Heavenly Road].

His consciousness pierced through the barrier and reached the other side.

His Original Body stood in the mist, holding something in his hand—a small seedling, exactly the same as the one in his base.

Golden patterns, slightly glowing leaves.

His Original Body looked at him and smiled.

"The one you're raising is talking to the one I have."

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"You're raising one too?"

The Original Body nodded.

"I've been raising it for ten thousand years."

He held up the small seedling.

"This is the seed I brought down from the Heavenly Pillar back then. It took ten thousand years of planting to finally sprout."

Chen Zhen was silent for a few seconds.

"The one on my side, is it a clone of the one on your side?"

The Original Body nodded.

"Smart."

He put away the small seedling and looked at Chen Zhen.

"When it grows up, the Heavenly Road will open naturally. You don't need to collect the fragments, you don't need to do anything. It will open on its own."

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"Then what you said before—"

"It was all a lie to you." The Original Body smiled, "If I didn't joke around, how would you put in the effort?"

Chen Zhen was silent for a long time.

"So you waited for ten thousand years, just waiting for this seedling to grow up?"

The Original Body nodded.

"It's almost grown up. The one on your side is almost grown up too."

He looked at Chen Zhen, his eyes gentle.

"The day it blooms, the Heavenly Road will open. When that time comes, you come over, and I'll treat you to tea."

Chen Zhen didn't speak. He withdrew his consciousness and opened his eyes.

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly.

The seedling was glowing.

It was growing.

At 7:00 PM, Zhou Rui and Shen Nian left.

Yun Xi left as well.

Chen Zhen sat alone in the center of the formation.

The seedling was glowing. Those golden patterns were getting brighter and brighter, as if breathing.

He walked over, crouched down, and looked at it.

"Are you waiting for it to bloom too?"

The leaves trembled.

He nodded.

"Then let's wait together."

He stood up, walked back to the center of the formation, and sat cross-legged.

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly.

The seedling was glowing.

Outside the window, it was still raining.

He closed his eyes.