121: Chapter 121 Awakening

At 6:00 AM on Sunday, Chen Zhen opened his eyes.

Seventeen points of light were slowly rotating in his Dantian; the night had been peaceful, but that sense of intent had not ceased all night.

It was repeating the same sentence over and over: "Someone has woken up."

Who has woken up?

It did not answer, merely repeating it.

He stood up and walked over to the seedling.

Overnight, the golden patterns had increased from twenty to twenty-two, and the radiance was brighter than it had been last night.

The entire base was illuminated as if it were daylight, and the light from the seven Talisman Arrays had been suppressed.

He reached out to touch the leaf, and that sense of intent suddenly became clear—it was not one person speaking, but the voices of many people blending together, like countless people whispering simultaneously.

He withdrew his hand and stood there.

The seedling was glowing, and those voices echoed in his mind.

He could not hear clearly what they were saying, but he knew that they had woken up.

The door was pushed open, and Zhou Rui poked his head in. Upon seeing the seedling, he froze: "Master, what happened to it?"

"It is speaking."

Zhou Rui walked over, crouched down, and stared at the golden patterns. He heard nothing, but he did not ask, merely nodding: "Oh."

Chen Zhen looked at him: "Aren't you going to ask what it's saying?"

Zhou Rui thought for a moment: "Even if I asked, I wouldn't understand." He stood up, walked over to his pot of soul-calming grass, and began to water it.

Chen Zhen watched his back.

This kid is shaping up well.

At 9:00 AM, Yun Xi pushed the door open and entered. Upon seeing the seedling, her expression changed: "When did it start being like this?"

"Last night."

Yun Xi stared at the seedling for a long time, then took a deep breath: "Have you felt it?"

"I have felt it."

Yun Xi was silent for a few seconds: "They have woken up."

Chen Zhen looked at her: "Do you know what they are?"

Yun Xi shook her head: "I don't know. But my Master once said that over on the Heavenly Road, it is not just that person, but also many other things. They have been sleeping, waiting for the Heavenly Road to open."

Chen Zhen did not speak. Yun Xi waited for two seconds, then smiled bitterly: "Did you know about this long ago?"

Chen Zhen did not answer; he walked over to the seedling, crouched down, and reached out to touch its leaf.

Those voices surged again, clearer than before. He could hear a few words clearly— "Soon... soon..."

He stood up: "It is urging me."

Yun Xi paused: "Urging you to do what?"

"To open the Heavenly Road."

Yun Xi's expression changed. Zhou Rui stopped the pen in his hand, and Shen Nian looked up from the pile of spiritual plants. Everyone was looking at him.

Chen Zhen did not speak; he walked to the center of the array and sat down.

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly; the seedling was glowing, and those voices echoed in his mind.

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

They were blindingly bright, resonating together with the points of light in his Dantian, the seedling, and the things on the other side of the Heavenly Road.

The entire base was trembling, and the light from the seven Talisman Arrays was flickering frantically.

"Master!" Zhou Rui stood up.

Chen Zhen raised his hand, signaling him to be quiet.

He looked at the four fragments for a long time. Then, he made a decision.

He put the fragments away.

The trembling stopped.

The light dimmed.

The voices disappeared.

The seedling was still glowing, but it had quieted down.

Yun Xi looked at him, her gaze complex: "You..."

"It is not yet time." Chen Zhen stood up and walked to the seedling, "It said, soon. But not now."

The seedling's leaf trembled, as if in response.

At 2:00 PM, Chen Zhen sat alone in the center of the array.

Zhou Rui and Shen Nian had been sent back to rest by him, and Yun Xi had also left.

Only he and the seedling remained in the base.

He stared at it for a long time, then spoke: "What are you waiting for?"

The leaf trembled, and that sense of intent came again.

This time it was not a voice, but a vision—a barren wasteland, a gray sky, with no sun and no stars.

On the wasteland stood many people—no, not people, but shadows.

Thousands upon thousands of shadows formed a long Dragon, walking in the same direction.

In that direction was a beam of light, golden and very bright, like the sun.

The vision disappeared. The seedling's leaf drooped, as if it were tired.

Chen Zhen stood up and walked to the window; the sunlight outside was lovely, a typical Sunday afternoon.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and walked back to the center of the array.

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly.

He took out the four fragments and placed them in his palm.

They lay quietly, no longer glowing.

He put them away.

At 7:00 PM, Zhou Rui arrived.

He was holding a jade box in his hand. He opened it to reveal five calming flowers, each the size of a fist, with thick petals and a rich fragrance.

"Master, these were harvested today."

Chen Zhen nodded: "Keep them for yourself."

Zhou Rui shook his head: "I can't use this many. You take them."

Chen Zhen looked at him and took the jade box: "Alright."

Zhou Rui smiled, walked over to the seedling, crouched down, and watched it for a while: "Master, it doesn't seem to have grown today."

"It is tired."

Zhou Rui nodded and stood up: "Then I'll head back. I have class tomorrow."

Chen Zhen nodded.

Zhou Rui pushed the door open and left.

Chen Zhen sat alone in the center of the array; the seedling was glowing, but it was quiet.

He lay down and closed his eyes.

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly.