133: Chapter 133 [Electromagnetic Symbol - Advanced Version]

Wednesday passed.

Thursday arrived.

When Chen Zhen opened his eyes, it was already bright outside.

Sunlight squeezed through the gap in the curtains, painting a golden line on the floor.

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

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly, and the golden seed in the center was also turning, very slowly, like a distant planet.

That pattern was still glowing, just like yesterday; it hadn't gotten brighter or dimmer.

He sat up and walked to the window.

The sunlight was lovely; white steam rose from the steamer at the breakfast stall downstairs, and people were lining up to buy soy milk.

A girl in a school uniform ran past hurriedly, her backpack bouncing on her back.

He turned and walked to the workbench, taking the book "Gleanings of the Heavenly Road" out of his Storage Space.

He flipped to yesterday's page: "When the seed is sleeping, it must be nurtured with Spiritual Nourishment, once a day, without interruption. When it glows, you may stop."

It was already glowing.

But Grandpa Zhou said, when it glows, you may stop.

It was glowing, but only with one pattern.

Was it enough? He didn't know.

He closed the book and put it away. He would continue to nurture it.

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 without raising his head: "Help! Lend me your math homework to copy!"

Chen Zhen threw his workbook over. Zhang Meng caught it and buried his head in frantic copying.

Chen Zhen walked to his seat and sat down.

Su Xiaoya, sitting in front, turned around, holding an insulated bag in her hand.

"My mom made shumai. She tried a new filling today—shrimp. You should try some."

Chen Zhen took the insulated bag and opened it.

Inside were six shumai, their skins so thin that the filling was visible, the pink of the shrimp faintly showing through the dough.

He picked one up and took a bite; the shrimp was bouncy, and the fresh, sweet flavor mixed with the aroma of lard spread in his mouth.

"It's good, right?" Su Xiaoya's eyes were bright.

"Mm."

"My mom said if you like it, she'll make crab roe ones next time."

"No need for so much trouble."

Su Xiaoya smiled.

"It's no trouble; she's really loved researching these things lately. She says your talismans are more effective than medicine. She's had insomnia for many years, but now she sleeps like a young person every day." She 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, Xiao Xue says she wants to treat you to a meal."

"No need."

"She said she wants to thank you in person. After those shadows left, she hasn't had any more nightmares. She sleeps very well every day now, and her spirit is good too. My mom says you are her lifesaver."

Chen Zhen looked at him. "No need."

Chen Hao waited for two seconds and sighed. "Alright, I'll pass the message on for you."

At lunch break, Chen Zhen went to the cafeteria.

He got his food and found a seat.

He had just taken a few bites when his phone vibrated.

Zhou Rui's message: "Master, I'm taking time off this afternoon."

Chen Zhen replied: "What's wrong?"

Zhou Rui replied instantly: "The soul-calming grass is blooming. I want to go back and watch over it. It's the first time it's blooming, and I'm afraid I won't take care of it well."

Chen Zhen looked at this message.

He had been nurturing that pot of soul-calming grass for over two months.

Starting from a single seed, it had sprouted, grown leaves, and budded. Now it was about to bloom.

He replied with one word: "Okay."

The first class in the afternoon was physics.

Old Li was teaching electromagnetic induction; the blackboard was covered in coils and magnetic field lines.

Chen Zhen listened for a while, and a thought suddenly popped into his mind—were the principles of electromagnetic induction and Spiritual power conduction the same?

A changing magnetic field produces an electric field; changing Spiritual power produces a Spiritual power field.

He took out a sheet of paper and started drawing.

The number of coil turns corresponded to the layers of the talisman, the magnitude of the current corresponded to the intensity of the Spiritual power, and the direction of the magnetic field corresponded to the direction of the talisman.

After drawing a dozen versions, by the seventh version, a steady glow lit up on the talisman paper.

[Electromagnetic Talisman: Advanced Version] Effect: Spiritual power field range +150%, duration +80%. Quality: Supreme.

He nodded in satisfaction and put the talisman away.

The bell rang. Chen Hao turned around from the front row and glanced at the paper in his hand. "Are you drawing that again?"

"Mm."

Chen Hao was silent for two seconds. "Can you pay attention in class?"

Chen Zhen looked at him. "I was listening."

Chen Hao opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out. He turned back around.

After school, Chen Zhen didn't go to the Secret Base. He left the school gate and walked in the direction of Chen Hao's home. When he arrived, Chen Hao was waiting downstairs.

"Why are you here?" Chen Hao was stunned for a moment.

Chen Zhen didn't answer. "I'm going up to see Xiao Xue."

The two went upstairs. The door was open, and Chen Hao's mother was busy in the kitchen. Seeing Chen Zhen, she was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "You're here? Come in and sit, dinner will be ready soon."

"Auntie, I'm just here to see Xiao Xue."

Chen Hao's mother wiped her hands and led him to the door of Xiao Xue's room.

The door was open, and Xiao Xue was sitting at her desk doing homework.

Hearing the commotion, she turned her head, and seeing Chen Zhen, her eyes lit up.

"Brother!"

She jumped off her chair and ran over. Her complexion was much better than last time, her lips were rosy, and her dark circles were gone. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, neat and tidy.

"You're better," Chen Zhen said.

Xiao Xue nodded vigorously.

"I'm better! Those shadows are all gone! I sleep very well every day now, and I don't doze off in class anymore. The teacher even praised me!"

She grabbed Chen Zhen's hand and pulled him into the room.

"Look, this is my test paper from last time: 98 in Chinese, 95 in math. I used to always fail, but now I can get high scores!"

Chen Zhen looked at the paper. "Not bad."

Xiao Xue smiled. "My mom said this is all thanks to you."

Chen Zhen shook his head. "You earned these scores yourself."

Xiao Xue was stunned for a moment, then smiled even more happily.

When they came out of Chen Hao's home, it was already dark.

Chen Hao walked him downstairs, silent the whole way.

When they reached the intersection, he suddenly spoke.

"Chen Zhen, thank you."

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"I'm not saying this for Xiao Xue; I'm saying it for myself."

Chen Hao took a deep breath. "I used to think you were mysterious and abnormal. Now I think I'm the one who's abnormal."

He paused. "You've done so many things and helped so many people. I haven't done anything."

Chen Zhen looked at him. "You did."

Chen Hao was stunned. "What?"

"You believed in her," Chen Zhen said. "When everyone else thought she was sick, you believed in her. That was enough."

Chen Hao stood there, his eyes turning red.

He didn't speak, just nodded.

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

Zhou Rui was squatting in front of the flowerpot, staring at the soul-calming grass.

The bud had already split open, revealing the pale purple petals inside.

Shen Nian was standing nearby, holding a notebook.

"It's about to bloom."

Zhou Rui's voice was very soft, as if he were afraid of disturbing something.

Chen Zhen walked over and squatted down.

The bud was opening bit by bit, very slowly, like slow motion in a movie. One petal, two petals, three petals. The pale purple flower glowed faintly under the light.

Zhou Rui's eyes turned red. "Master, it bloomed."

Chen Zhen nodded. "Mm."

Zhou Rui carefully plucked the flower and placed it into a jade box.

His hands were shaking, but his movements were steady.

Closing the lid, he let out a long breath and smiled.

"Master, can I draw a talisman? Using this flower."

Chen Zhen looked at him. "What kind of talisman?"

Zhou Rui thought for a moment. "A Calming Talisman. Using a flower I grew myself to draw a talisman to give to someone."

"To whom?"

Zhou Rui smiled. "A friend."

At ten in the evening, Chen Zhen sat alone in the center of the formation.

He looked down at his chest. The seed was still turning, and that pattern was still glowing.

He reached out, pressed his hand to his chest, and slowly injected Spiritual power.

The seed turned a bit faster, and the pattern became a bit clearer. He withdrew his hand.

He stood up and walked to the window.

The city lights were like stars. Xiao Yu should already be asleep, and Xiao Xue should be dreaming.

Liu Ying should also be asleep, and those things wouldn't disturb her for now.

Two hundred and thirty-seven people; he still needed more talismans.

He turned and walked back to the center of the formation.

Seventeen points of light rotated slowly, and the seed rotated slowly.

He closed his eyes.

There was still class tomorrow.