119: Chapter 119 The Key to the Heavenly Road?

Wednesday, 6:00 AM. Chen Zhen opened his eyes.

Seventeen points of light slowly rotated within his Dantian. Overnight, the Mutant Seedling had grown taller by a segment.

The golden patterns on its leaves had increased from twelve lines to fifteen, and its glow was brighter than last night.

The entire Secret Base was bathed in a warm glow, as if sunrise had arrived early before dawn.

He walked over, crouched down, and gently touched the leaves.

That consciousness came through again—clearer than yesterday. It was no longer a vague emotion, but a definite perception.

It was telling him: "It's almost time, but you still have to wait."

It wasn't impatience; it was a kind of certainty.

"Okay," he said in a low voice. "I'll wait for you."

The leaves trembled slightly, as if in response.

He stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open.

The rain had stopped; outside was fresh air and the rising sun.

The city's morning rush hour had just begun. There was the sound of traffic on the distant streets, and the aroma of breakfast stalls wafted up from downstairs.

A very ordinary morning.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and walked to the workbench.

Half of the stack of blank talisman paper had been used up again. He took out a new stack and began to draw.

It wasn't an Attack Talisman, nor a defensive talisman, but a new type of talisman—one he had realized from the Heavenly Road notes, called a "Calming Talisman."

When posted in a room, it could calm a person's mind and prevent distracting thoughts.

Stroke by stroke, Qi was infused.

A pale golden light lit up on the talisman paper.

[Calming Talisman · Experimental Version] Effect: Within a three-meter radius, mind-calming +50%, duration 12 hours.

Quality: Excellent.

He drew ten of them and put them into his Storage Space.

He posted one in his mother's room, one in his father's study, one for Zhou Rui, one for Shen Nian, and one for Chen Hao's sister.

He kept the rest for later use.

As he finished the last stroke, the door was pushed open.

Zhou Rui poked his head in. "Master, you're so early today?"

"Come in."

Zhou Rui walked in, caught sight of the glowing seedling, and paused for a moment. "It's brighter again."

"Mm."

Zhou Rui stared at it for a while, then walked over to his own pot of soul-calming grass.

That pot of grass had grown to half a person's height, its leaves thick and fleshy, with three flowers about to wither hanging from the top.

He carefully plucked the flowers and placed them into a jade box. "Master, can these flowers still be used?"

"Yes. The effect is slightly worse, but they can still be used."

Zhou Rui nodded, put the jade box away, and then took out a stack of talismans from his pocket and handed them over. "I drew these last night."

Chen Zhen took them and looked at them one by one.

Thirty Spirit Gathering Talisman Advanced Versions, each reaching Mortal Grade · Top Quality.

The last five had smooth lines and stable Qi, and had already touched the threshold of Excellent quality. He returned the talismans. "You can learn a new talisman today."

Zhou Rui's eyes lit up. "What kind of talisman?"

"A Calming Talisman." Chen Zhen walked to the blackboard. "Watch closely."

He picked up a piece of chalk and began to draw.

Stroke by stroke, he explained as he drew: the composition of the talisman runes, the flow of Qi, the function of the nodes, and the meaning of each stroke. It was more complex than the Teaching Talisman and more intricate than the Spirit Gathering Talisman.

Zhou Rui stared at the blackboard, not blinking once.

After finishing, Chen Zhen turned to look at him. "How much did you understand?"

Zhou Rui was silent for a few seconds. "Twenty percent."

"That's normal. I had to draw this talisman fifty times before I succeeded."

Zhou Rui took a deep breath and picked up the pen.

The first attempt failed, the second attempt failed, and the third attempt still failed.

By the twentieth attempt, a faint white light finally lit up on the talisman paper.

He stared at that talisman for three seconds, then smiled. "Master, I understand now."

"Continue."

At 7:00, Chen Zhen stepped into the classroom.

Zhang Meng was in the back row catching up on homework; seeing him enter, he called for help as usual.

Chen Zhen tossed his notebook over and walked to his seat to sit down.

His front desk neighbor, Su Xiaoya, turned around, her eyes bright. "Chen Zhen, my mom's friend used your talisman, and she slept like a baby last night. She said she wants to treat you to a meal."

"No need."

Su Xiaoya waited for two seconds. "She said if you're not free, she wants to ask if she can buy them."

Chen Zhen took ten Calming Talismans out of his pocket and handed them to her. Su Xiaoya took them and paused, surprised. "So many?"

"They're a gift for her. No money needed."

Su Xiaoya stared at him for a few seconds, then smiled. "Do you know that you're at a huge loss doing this?"

Chen Zhen didn't speak. Su Xiaoya put the talismans away and turned back around.

In the last row, Zhou Rui looked up at him once, then lowered his head to read. Chen Hao turned around from the front row. "Chen Zhen, Saturday at 3:00 PM. I'll send you the address."

"Okay."

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

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

Zhang Meng sat down heavily and started eating in large mouthfuls.

Chen Hao sat opposite Chen Zhen. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Chen Zhen, my sister says that dream has appeared again."

Chen Zhen put down his chopsticks. "Still that old man?"

Chen Hao nodded. "This time, what he said was different. He said, 'Tell him the seed has already sprouted, don't be anxious.'"

Chen Zhen didn't speak. Chen Hao looked at him. "Do you know who that old man is?"

Chen Zhen was silent for a few seconds. "I don't know."

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, a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

3:00 PM, Secret Base.

Chen Zhen pushed open the door. Shen Nian was squatting in front of the Mutant Seedling, holding a magnifying glass and carefully observing those golden patterns.

Hearing the movement, he turned his head. "Chen Zhen, the patterns on this seedling have increased again. Fifteen lines last night, eighteen now."

"I know."

Shen Nian recorded in his notebook. "The growth rate is still accelerating. According to this trend, it should mature in about thirty more days."

Thirty days. Chen Zhen nodded and walked to the center of the formation to sit down. Shen Nian followed and sat opposite him. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Chen Zhen, I have a question."

"Ask."

Shen Nian was silent for two seconds. "Is this seedling related to the Heavenly Road?"

Chen Zhen looked at him. "Why do you ask?"

Shen Nian pointed to the seedling. "Its glowing frequency is exactly the same as that shard my dad had back then. My dad said the shard was the key to the Heavenly Road. So, could this seedling be one too?"

Chen Zhen didn't speak.

Shen Nian waited for two seconds, then gave a bitter smile. "Forget it, pretend I didn't ask." He stood up, walked back to the seedling, and continued recording.

Chen Zhen watched his back.

Shen Nian was much more composed than when he first arrived; he no longer asked about everything and just worked silently.

He withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes.

Seventeen points of light slowly rotated.

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

Chen Zhen sat alone in the center of the formation, the seedling glowing.

He stood up, walked over, and crouched down. The golden patterns on the leaves were already at eighteen lines, and the glow was a few shades brighter than in the morning.

He reached out and touched it gently.

That consciousness came through again—it wasn't urging him.

It was telling him: "Everything is proceeding according to plan."

"Your plan, or his plan?"

The leaves trembled.

He didn't know what that meant, but he nodded, stood up, and walked back to the center of the formation.

Seventeen points of light slowly rotated. The seedling was glowing.

He took out the four shards and placed them in front of him.

They lay quietly in his palm, echoing the points of light in his Dantian.

He stared at them for a long time, then put them away.

He lay down and closed his eyes.

The seedling was glowing.

Outside, the night was deep, and the city lights were like scattered stars.