138: Chapter 138 The seedlings are growing faster and faster

Tuesday morning, Chen Zhen sat in the classroom, his textbook open to page thirty-two.

The teacher was lecturing on classical Chinese translation at the podium, their voice steady, like an unbroken line. He wasn't listening; his attention was on the system panel.

The "Tasks" page had updated again.

In addition to the previous ones, a new golden task appeared: [Explore the West Mountain rune stone ruins], marked with "Recommended," followed by a countdown: 72 hours. Three days.

The System was urging him on.

Chen Zhen stared at the countdown for a few seconds, then closed the panel.

The bell rang, and he walked out of the classroom and stood in the hallway.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Yun Xi: "Where is West Mountain?"

Yun Xi replied instantly: "Which West Mountain?"

"The rune stone. There is one at North Mountain, one at Dongshan, and there should be one at West Mountain too."

Yun Xi was silent for a few seconds, then replied: "Wait a moment, I'll ask someone."

Chen Zhen put his phone in his pocket.

People were coming and going in the hallway; some were chatting, some were playing, and some were reciting lessons.

He leaned against the railing, looking at the sky in the distance.

The clouds were thick and gray, looking like it was about to rain.

His phone vibrated.

Yun Xi's message: "Old Lin said West Mountain is in Sichuan, but the specific location is unclear. He said that place is very remote, with no roads, and very few people go there."

Another message followed: "He asked why you are going to West Mountain."

Chen Zhen replied: "To find something."

Yun Xi replied: "When?"

Chen Zhen thought for a moment. "This weekend."

"I'll go with you."

When school ended at noon, Chen Zhen went to the cafeteria.

He got his food and found a seat. After eating a few bites, Zhou Rui walked over with his tray and sat down opposite him.

"Master, are you going to West Mountain this weekend?"

Chen Zhen looked at him. "Did Yun Xi tell you?"

Zhou Rui nodded. "I want to go too."

Chen Zhen put down his chopsticks. "Do you know why I'm going to West Mountain?"

"To find a rune stone," Zhou Rui said. "You found the one at North Mountain, and you found the one at Dongshan. There should be one at West Mountain too."

He paused. "I want to go see it. Not for fun, but to learn. You can't learn anything from just looking at photos of those runes. I want to see the real thing."

Chen Zhen looked at him. Zhou Rui's eyes were bright; it wasn't an impulse, but earnestness.

"It will be very far."

"I know."

"It might be dangerous."

"I know."

Chen Zhen picked up his chopsticks and continued eating. "See you at the Secret Base on Saturday morning."

Zhou Rui smiled. "Okay."

Two in the afternoon, at the Secret Base.

Chen Zhen pushed open the door, and Zhou Rui was already drawing talismans. Shen Nian was organizing spiritual plant records, and Yun Xi was leaning against the wall.

He walked to the center of the array and sat down, taking the rubbing paper of the North Mountain rune out of his Storage Space.

He spread it out in front of him, placing it side-by-side with the rubbing of the Dongshan Rune.

One clockwise, one counter-clockwise.

He looked at these two runes, and a thought suddenly popped into his mind—what if he overlapped them?

He picked up the rubbing paper of the Dongshan Rune and placed it over the North Mountain rune.

The moment the two sheets of paper overlapped, the runes on them lit up simultaneously.

It was very faint, but they definitely lit up.

Chen Zhen was stunned for a moment.

He picked up the paper and held it up to the light.

The lines of the two runes intertwined where they overlapped, forming a new pattern. The core circle plus the three dots were still there, but the surrounding dot matrix had become double-layered—one layer clockwise, one counter-clockwise, like two gears meshing together.

[System prompt: Composite rune detected]

[Effect: Spiritual power field intensity +200%, range +150%]

[Usage: Can be used to set up large-scale Talisman Array]

The panel popped up with the notification.

Yun Xi walked over and looked down at the two sheets of paper.

"What is this?"

"The Dongshan and North Mountain runes overlapped."

Yun Xi stared at it for a few seconds. "Can it be used directly?"

Chen Zhen shook his head. "I don't know. We have to test it."

He walked to the blackboard, picked up a piece of chalk, and began to draw.

First, he drew the Dongshan Rune, clockwise, seventy-two dot matrix. Then he superimposed the North Mountain rune over it, counter-clockwise, seventy-two dot matrix.

The two layers of runes intertwined, the lines becoming denser and more complex.

Halfway through, the chalk broke.

He grabbed another piece and continued drawing.

When he finished the last stroke, the entire blackboard lit up.

It wasn't the glaring light of talisman paper, but a soft, moonlight-like halo. The halo lasted for a few seconds, then slowly dimmed.

Zhou Rui put down his pen, walked over, and stared at the blackboard for a long time.

"Master, can this Talisman Array be used?"

Chen Zhen looked at the blackboard. "We need to find a place to test it."

Yun Xi, leaning against the wall, suddenly spoke up. "Changbai Mountain. Han Lie said there is a large space under Heaven Lake. That place is remote enough, big enough, and no one will disturb us."

Chen Zhen thought for a moment. "Go to West Mountain this weekend first. Then go to Changbai Mountain after we return."

Yun Xi nodded. "I'll notify Han Lie."

At nine in the evening, Chen Zhen sat alone in the center of the array.

He took out that North Mountain jade plaque and held it in his palm. The jade plaque was glowing faintly, very dimly, but steadily. Just like before, there was no reaction when he injected spiritual power into it.

He stared at it for a long time.

What was it waiting for? Waiting for another resonance? Waiting until it reached the right place? Or waiting for him to find other jade plaques?

He put it away.

He walked over to the Mutant Seedling.

The golden patterns on the leaves had increased again, from thirty lines to thirty-three.

The bumps on the back of the leaves had also grown a size larger, turning from lumps into flower buds the size of rice grains.

They were very small, but their shape could now be seen.

Shen Nian walked over and crouched down.

"It's growing faster and faster."