151: Chapter 151 [Dongshan Jade Tablet - Resonating]

On the third day after returning from Nancheng, Chen Zhen received a letter.

The envelope was made of kraft paper, with no sender, only the recipient's address.

The handwriting was very old-fashioned, written with neat, precise strokes, as if it had been written with a calligraphy brush.

He opened the envelope to find a piece of rice paper folded into a square.

Unfolding it, four words were written on it: "The jade plaque returns to its place." The signature was from Master Liu.

Chen Zhen folded the letter back up and put it into the drawer.

Then, he went to the Secret Base.

The light inside the Secret Base had changed again.

That flower had completely bloomed; its petals were unfurled, and golden light surged from the center of the flower, overflowing like a spring.

The entire Secret Base was illuminated, and the light from the Talisman Array on the walls was suppressed.

Zhou Rui was squatting in front of the flowerpot, holding a pen in his hand, drawing the flower on paper.

He drew very slowly, stroke by stroke, and the outline of the petals had already emerged.

Shen Nian stood beside him, holding a notebook.

"It lit up again yesterday, brighter than before. It lasted for about a minute."

Chen Zhen walked over and squatted down; the seed in the flower's center was rotating slowly. With every rotation, a beam of light shot toward the sky. The crack on the ceiling appeared again, very thin, like a scar. The Heavenly Road had opened again.

"Master, when will it wither?" Zhou Rui asked.

Chen Zhen looked at the flower.

The edges of the petals were already slightly withered and yellow, very faintly so; one wouldn't notice it without looking closely.

"Soon. In a few days."

Zhou Rui nodded and lowered his head to continue drawing.

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

He used Internal Vision to look at his Dantian.

The seed was spinning, and those markings were glowing.

Beside the markings, that tiny point of light was also glowing, brighter than before.

He reached out and pressed his hand against his chest, probing the inside of the seed with his spiritual power.

The point of light was flickering, as if it were speaking.

He couldn't understand it, but he knew it was urging him.

Chen Zhen withdrew his hand.

The east mountain jade tablet was inside the seed, but it wouldn't come out. He was waiting for it to come out. It was also waiting for him.

Yun Xi walked over from the doorway and sat down opposite him. "Han Lie asked when we are going to Changbai Mountain."

Chen Zhen thought for a moment. "Wait for the flower to wither."

Yun Xi nodded and closed her eyes.

That night, Chen Zhen sat alone in the center of the array.

The sprout was glowing, the flower was blooming, and the Heavenly Road was cracking open above his head.

He looked at the flower for a long time.

Then he stood up, walked to the flower, reached out, and his fingertips touched the petals.

It was warm, like the spring sunshine.

The seed in the center of the flower suddenly lit up.

The point of light in his chest also lit up in response.

They were resonating.

Chen Zhen withdrew his hand and looked down at his chest.

The point of light was still glowing; it hadn't dimmed.

It was speaking to him.

The next day, Chen Zhen went to see Li Xiuying.

The old lady was sitting on the sofa picking through chives, and the color of the talisman on the coffee table was light green—sleep.

Seeing Chen Zhen, she put down the chives and smiled. "You're here? Sit."

Chen Zhen sat down opposite her.

Li Xiuying stood up, went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water, and placed it in front of him.

"That talisman of yours works. I can sleep every night now, and I have energy during the day too."

She took a talisman out of her pocket; it was already old, and the corners were curled.

"Should this be replaced?"

Chen Zhen took a few new talismans from his pocket and handed them to her.

Li Xiuying took them and looked them over repeatedly.

"You made these?"

"Yes."

She nodded and put the talismans into her pocket.

"Stay for dinner. I'm making dumplings."

Chen Zhen shook his head. "No, I have things to do."

Li Xiuying looked at him. "You always have things to do."

Chen Zhen didn't speak.

Li Xiuying waited for two seconds, then sighed.

"Then come next time. I'll make them."

Chen Zhen stood up and walked to the door.

Li Xiuying saw him to the door, leaning against the doorframe, watching his retreating figure.

"Chen Zhen."

He turned back.

The old lady smiled.

"The light on you is brighter than before."

In the afternoon, Chen Zhen went to Chen Hao's house.

Xiaoxue was doing her homework; seeing him arrive, she jumped off her chair and ran over.

"Big Brother! I got second place in the class on this month's exam!"

Chen Zhen looked at her.

"You've improved."

Xiaoxue nodded vigorously.

"The teacher praised me. Mom was so happy she cried."

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

"Look, this is my test paper from this time: 99 in Chinese, 100 in Math."

Chen Zhen looked at the paper; the handwriting was neat, with almost no corrections.

"Not bad."

Xiaoxue smiled.

She put the paper away, sat back down on the chair, and continued doing her homework. After writing a few strokes, she suddenly stopped.

"Big Brother, those shadows haven't been coming lately."

"Mhm."

"Did they go home?"

Chen Zhen thought for a moment.

"Soon."

Xiaoxue nodded and continued doing her homework.

Chen Zhen stood at the door, watching her back.

Xiaoxue lowered her head, the tip of her pen scratching on the paper.

Sunlight shone in through the window, landing on her, warm and cozy.

That night, at the Secret Base.

Chen Zhen sat cross-legged in the center of the array, with three jade plaques placed in front of him: North Mountain, West Mountain, and South Mountain.

He reached out to touch them, injecting spiritual power, and the three jade plaques lit up simultaneously, resonating with the Composite Rune Array.

[ Composite Rune Array · Strength + 15% · Current 355% ] [ jade plaque Resonating · Progress 3/4 ]

[ east mountain node detected as missing ] [ Suggestion: Activate east mountain node ]

Chen Zhen withdrew his hand.

He looked down at his chest.

The seed was spinning, and the point of light was glowing.

He reached out and pressed his hand against his chest, probing the inside of the seed with his spiritual power.

The point of light was flickering.

He tried to touch it with his consciousness—this time, it didn't dim.

It lit up. It stayed lit.

The system panel popped up a notification.

[ east mountain jade tablet · Resonating ] [ Progress: 1/100 ]

Chen Zhen was stunned for a moment. He continued to inject spiritual power. The point of light grew brighter and brighter.

[ east mountain jade tablet · Resonating ] [ Progress: 5/100 ] [ 10/100 ] [ 15/100 ]

His spiritual power was being consumed very quickly.

He withdrew his hand and caught his breath. The point of light dimmed a little, but it didn't go out completely.

[ east mountain jade tablet · Resonating ] [ Progress: 15/100 ] [ To be continued ]

Chen Zhen stared at the number. Fifteen. One hundred. It would take five times. He took a deep breath and injected spiritual power again.

[ 25/100 ] [ 35/100 ] [ 45/100 ]

His spiritual power was almost bottoming out.

He withdrew his hand, gasping for breath.

[ 45/100 ]

Fifty-five more to go.

He needed time.

He stood up and walked to the window.

The city lights were twinkling like stars.

He looked down at his chest; the point of light was glowing.

It was responding to him.

Soon.

He turned and walked back to the center of the array, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes.

To recover his spiritual power.

Continue tomorrow.