131: What's different in Chapter 131?

Monday passed, and Tuesday arrived.

When Chen Zhen opened his eyes, the sky was just beginning to brighten.

There was the sound of birds chirping outside the window.

He lay still, first using Internal Vision on his Dantian.

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly, arranged in a perfect circle.

The golden seed in the center floated quietly.

It emitted no light, showed no movement, exactly the same as yesterday.

He watched for a long time.

The seed showed no change whatsoever.

He sat up and walked to the window.

On the street outside, the breakfast stalls had already started business.

Steam rose from the steamers, and deep-fried dough sticks tumbled in the pots.

Someone rode a bicycle past, the bell ringing with a tinkling sound.

A very ordinary morning.

He turned and walked to the workbench.

Master Lin's notebook was still open, turned to the page for Liu Ying.

"Gone mad."

He stared at these two words for a while.

Then he closed the notebook and put it into his Storage Space.

At seven-twenty, Chen Zhen stepped into the classroom.

Zhang Meng was in the back row catching up on homework.

Seeing him enter, he shouted without raising his head, "Help! Lend me your English homework to copy!"

Chen Zhen threw the workbook over.

Zhang Meng caught it and buried his head in frantic copying.

Chen Zhen walked to his seat and sat down.

His front-desk neighbor Su Xiaoya turned around.

She was holding an insulated bag in her hand.

"Siu mai made by my mom, sticky rice and shiitake mushroom filling."

Chen Zhen took the insulated bag and opened it.

Inside, six siu mai were neatly arranged.

The skin was thin, the filling generous, and it was still steaming hot.

He picked one up and took a bite.

The softness of the sticky rice mixed with the savory aroma of the shiitake mushrooms melted in his mouth.

Su Xiaoya watched him eat, smiling.

"It's good, right? My mom said if you like it—"

"No need for every day."

Chen Zhen interrupted her.

Su Xiaoya laughed.

"Alright, then I'll tell her to make it every other day."

She turned back around.

In the last row, Zhou Rui looked up and glanced at him.

Then he lowered his head to read again.

Chen Hao turned around from the front row and lowered his voice.

"Xiaoxue said another shadow left last night."

"Mm."

"She said that before the shadow left, it stood in front of her window for a long time."

"It seemed like it was saying goodbye to her."

Chen Zhen didn't speak.

Chen Hao waited two seconds.

"She also said there is only one shadow left now."

"That shadow doesn't talk to her, nor does it leave; it just stays in the corner of her room."

"She's a little scared."

Chen Zhen thought for a moment.

"I'll go take a look tonight."

Chen Hao nodded and turned back.

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

He got his food and found a seat to sit down.

Just after a few bites, his phone vibrated.

Yun Xi's message: "There's a problem with a child on Master Lin's side."

Chen Zhen put down his chopsticks.

"What kind of problem?"

Yun Xi replied instantly: "Nine years old, a boy, can see things. He suddenly cried loudly last night, saying a black shadow wanted to grab him. His mom used a Protective Talisman, but it didn't work. The black shadow is still there."

Chen Zhen stared at the screen for a few seconds.

The Protective Talisman didn't work.

Then it wasn't something ordinary.

"Send me the address."

Yun Xi sent a location, in the south of the city, not far from the school.

"I'll go after school."

"Okay."

He put his phone away and continued eating.

During the last study hall of the afternoon, Chen Zhen packed his bag early.

As soon as the bell rang, he stood up and walked out.

Zhang Meng shouted from behind, "Where are you going? Not waiting for me?"

He didn't look back and waved his hand.

In the south of the city, an ordinary residential complex.

The sixth floor, 601.

Chen Zhen knocked on the door.

The door opened, and The Young Woman stood at the entrance.

Her eyes were red and swollen, her hair messy, and she looked very haggard.

She was stunned when she saw Chen Zhen.

"Are you..."

"Master Lin sent me here."

The woman's tears fell immediately.

"Come in quickly, come in quickly."

She stepped aside to let him in.

Chen Zhen walked inside.

The living room was very messy, toys were scattered all over the floor, and half-eaten food was set on the coffee table.

An eight or nine-year-old boy was curled up in the corner of the sofa, hugging a pillow, shivering all over.

He saw Chen Zhen and his eyes suddenly widened.

"You... you are so bright..."

Chen Zhen walked over, crouched down, and looked at him at eye level.

"What is your name?"

"Xiao Yu."

"Xiao Yu, where is that black shadow?"

Xiao Yu pointed to the bedroom door.

"Inside. It won't come out, and it won't leave. It's been watching me the whole time."

Chen Zhen stood up and walked to the bedroom door.

He pushed the door open.

The curtains were drawn in the room, and it was very dark.

In the corner, a black shadow was curled up.

It was very small, only the size of a soccer ball, and its aura was completely different from those of The Out-of-Controls from before.

Not violent, not chaotic.

Just... afraid.

Chen Zhen walked over and crouched down.

The shadow was shivering.

He reached out, and a pale golden light lit up in his palm.

The shadow suddenly curled into a ball.

He slowed down his speed, letting the light approach bit by bit.

The shadow stopped moving.

The moment the light touched it, it suddenly dissipated, turning into countless tiny specks of light.

The light specks circled in the air a few times, then drifted outside the window, dissipating into the sunset.

Xiao Yu ran over from the living room and stood at the doorway.

"Did it leave?"

"It left."

"Where did it go?"

Chen Zhen thought for a moment.

"Home."

Xiao Yu stared at him for a few seconds, then smiled.

"It just said thank you to me."

"You heard it?"

Xiao Yu nodded.

"It said, thank you for opening the door."

Coming out of the residential complex, the sky was already dark.

Chen Zhen stood downstairs, looking up at the sixth-floor window.

Xiao Yu was lying on the windowsill, waving at him.

He waved back and turned to leave.

At seven in the evening, Chen Zhen pushed open the door.

That flower had completely withered, and the stem was dry too.

Shen Nian cut it off and put it into a box.

A label was stuck on the box: "Flower of the Heavenly Road, withered."

Beside it sat the powder ground from the fallen petals, filling three large jars.

Zhou Rui was drawing talismans at the workbench, Shen Nian was organizing spiritual plant records, and Yun Xi was leaning against the wall.

Everything was as usual.

Chen Zhen walked to the center of the formation and sat down.

Yun Xi opened her eyes and walked over.

"How was it over at Xiao Yu's?"

"Resolved."

"What was it?"

Chen Zhen thought for a moment.

"A small one. It didn't hurt anyone, it was just scared."

Yun Xi was silent for a few seconds.

"Scared of what?"

"Not being able to go home."

Yun Xi didn't speak.

She leaned against the wall, looking at the ceiling.

After a long time, she spoke: "Chen Zhen, do you think those things are any different from us?"

Chen Zhen looked at her.

Yun Xi continued: "They also have homes, they also get scared, and they also know how to say thank you."

"What is the difference between them and us?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer.

Yun Xi waited two seconds and laughed.

"Never mind, pretend I didn't ask."

She closed her eyes and continued leaning against the wall.

Zhou Rui put down his pen and walked over.

"Master, what I drew today."

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

One hundred and twenty Protective Talismans.

Each one reached the level of a fine product.

The last thirty, with smooth lines and stable spiritual power, had already reached the level of a masterpiece.

He nodded.

"You're progressing very quickly."

Zhou Rui smiled.

"I practice every day."

He walked to his own workbench, sat down, and continued drawing.

Chen Zhen sat alone in the center of the formation.

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly.

The golden seed floated quietly.

He looked down at his chest.

The seed was sleeping.

Those things were waiting.

Waiting for it to wake up.

Waiting for it to sprout.

Waiting for the Heavenly Road to open again.

He closed his eyes.

No rush.

There is still time.