49: Chapter 49 [Inner Vision]

In the Secret Base, the Mint was growing well.

Chen Zhen squatted in front of the flowerpot, extending his palm to hover above the plant.

With a slight movement of his intent, a wisp of pure Spiritual Qi flowed slowly from his palm, like a gentle drizzle, sprinkling onto the Mint leaves.

The leaves became brighter at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the lustrous sheen within the deep green became even more apparent.

The entire plant radiated a vigorous "Life Qi", and in [Anomaly Perception], it resembled a gentle green halo.

[Spiritual Qi continuous nourishing in progress]

[Mint quality improved: Mortal Grade · Excellent → Mortal Grade · Supreme]

[Effect: Refreshing effect +500%, Duration +150%, slightly nourishes the mind]

[Cultivation progress: 12/100 (Long-term nourishing can promote it to 'Spirit Plant')]

It really worked.

Chen Zhen noted this progress.

Nourishing it a little every day, bit by bit.

When this pot of Mint truly promotes to a "Spirit Plant", perhaps there will be a qualitative change.

He walked to the small table and opened the historical observation notebook he had brought from the Bookstore.

1900, 1913, 1928, 1943...

There was a record every 15 years or so. And Engineer Gu's records were for 1953 and 1983, with the cycle becoming 30 years.

Why was there this change?

He summoned the clue association network and used today's [Clue Deduction] opportunity.

He focused his intent on "reason for cycle change".

A few seconds later, the system panel appeared:

[Deduction based on existing clues]

[Hypothesis 1: There were omissions in early records; the actual cycle has always been 30 years, and there were other unrecorded events between 1913-1943.]

[Hypothesis 2: The activity of the Earth Vein node mutated in the mid-20th century, causing the cycle to lengthen.]

[Hypothesis 3: Multiple nodes are alternately active, and observers in different periods focused on different nodes.]

[New clue support: Engineer Gu's notebook mentioned 'positional offset' (the observation points in 1953 and 1983 were 5 kilometers apart), which may support Hypothesis 3.]

[Probability assessment: Hypothesis 3 > Hypothesis 2 > Hypothesis 1]

Multiple nodes.

This speculation made Chen Zhen's heart jolt.

If there was not just one Earth Vein node, but several nodes distributed across the Eastern Mountain Area, and they were alternately active at different times and under different conditions, then the whole phenomenon would be much more complex.

The observed "cycle" might just be a superficial phenomenon, with more complex laws behind it.

He needed more data.

Closing the notebook, he looked at the pile of jade scraps in the corner.

His previous attempt to set up a Spirit Gathering Array failed because of insufficient Spiritual Qi and imprecise control.

Now that he had reached the Qi Refinement Stage, perhaps he could try again?

He picked out three pieces of jade with relatively uniform texture.

They were all cheap goods, but barely usable.

Following the simple Spirit Gathering Array diagram taught by the old man, he arranged the three pieces of jade into an equilateral triangle and sat in the center of the array himself.

Then, he slowly injected Spiritual Qi into the three pieces of jade.

At first, there was no reaction.

The jade only became slightly warm, without producing the expected "field".

Chen Zhen was not anxious; he adjusted the intensity and frequency of his Spiritual Qi output.

He remembered the training of balancing pebbles in the morning.

It was not brute force, but precise control.

The Spiritual Qi was like three thin threads, probing into the interior of the jade, searching for a certain "resonance point".

Five minutes later, a faint vibration came from inside the first piece of jade.

Immediately after, the second and third followed.

Between the three pieces of jade, an energy connection began to form, invisible to the naked eye but clearly perceptible.

A "field", so faint it was almost non-existent, formed within the triangular area.

Sitting in the eye of the array, Chen Zhen could feel the thin "Spiritual Qi" in the surrounding air being slowly attracted and gathered within the range of the Formation.

Although the amount was very small.

Probably only about 5% denser than the outside.

But it was indeed effective.

[Successfully set up simple Spirit Gathering Array (incomplete)]

[Formation effect: Cultivation efficiency +3%, Duration: 2 hours (Jade quality too low)]

[Obtained skill branch: Formation Basics (1/100)]

[Cultivation +0.15 (First success reward)]

It worked.

Although it was just a defective product, although the effect was weak, although the duration was short.

But this was a Breakthrough from zero to one.

Chen Zhen sat in the array and ran the Simplified Microcosmic Orbit.

The circulation speed of Spiritual Qi was indeed a little faster, and the effect of nourishing the meridians was also a little better.

Accumulating little by little, this was the true essence of Cultivation.

He cultivated in the array for half an hour until the Spiritual Qi in the jade was exhausted and the Formation dissipated.

Fine cracks appeared on the surface of the three pieces of jade.

The quality was too poor to withstand the circulation of Spiritual Qi.

It seemed that to set up a stable Formation, better Materials were needed.

But at least it proved that the direction was correct.

...

Before leaving the Secret Base in the evening, Chen Zhen nourished the Mint once more.

The lustrous sheen of the plant was even more obvious, and the edges of the leaves even had a very faint golden rim.

He plucked a leaf and held it in his mouth.

The cooling sensation was intense and long-lasting, his mind cleared instantly, and even his spirit felt somewhat invigorated.

This effect was no worse than some energy drinks.

If cultivated in batches, even if he only sold this kind of "Supreme Mint leaf", he could make a small profit.

Of course, now was not the time.

The quantity was too small, and there were no sales channels.

He would just keep planting and talk about it later.

...

When he returned home, his mother had not yet returned.

Chen Zhen checked the refrigerator and decided to cook for himself.

Tonight he would make broccoli with garlic and scrambled eggs with tomatoes; both were quick dishes.

When processing the ingredients, he realized the benefits of precise control once again.

Mincing garlic, his knife skills were unbelievably steady, and the minced garlic was fine and uniform.

Beating eggs, with a gentle flick of his wrist, the egg liquid traced a perfect arc in the air and landed in the bowl, not a drop spilled.

Starting the pan and heating the oil, the change in oil temperature was clearly perceived.

The timing for putting the minced garlic into the pan was just right, instantly exploding with fragrance but not burning.

Putting the broccoli into the pan, he stir-fried it a few times before pouring in the prepared sauce; the heat control was precise to the second.

The two dishes were finished, with excellent color, aroma, and taste.

Chen Zhen tasted a piece of broccoli.

It was crisp and tender, rich in garlic flavor, and the saltiness was just right.

His sense of taste seemed to have become sharper as well, able to distinguish the most subtle differences in the ratio of seasonings.

This was the comprehensive optimization brought by Cultivation.

His mother returned at 6:30 and smiled when she saw the dishes on the table: "My son is becoming more and more capable."

"Mom, have a taste."

His mother picked up a chopstick full and nodded: "Good, the heat is just right, and the taste is also authentic."

The mother and son sat down to eat.

Simple home-cooked dishes, but they ate very comfortably.

"Mom, how was the community book club?" Chen Zhen asked.

"It was quite good. More than a dozen people came, and they all love to read," his mother said. "An old professor even gave me a few books and told me to bring them for you to read."

"What kind of books?"

"They are about ancient architecture and folklore. I see you reading those kinds of things, so you should be interested."

Chen Zhen felt a warmth in his heart: "Thank you, Mom."

"What are you thanking me for? You are Mom's son." His mother gave him a piece of egg, "Eat more, you are still growing."

...

At night, Chen Zhen returned to his room.

He first stood in a stance for five minutes and ran the Simplified Microcosmic Orbit for ten cycles.

In the [Initial Glimpse of Spirit Control] state, the Spiritual Qi circulation was smoother, and the nourishing effect was better.

Then, he summoned the system panel to summarize:

[Day 23 (Day 2 of Qi Refinement Stage) Summary]

[Cultivation gain: +10.45 (Morning run +0.55, Learning +0.92, Cultivate +0.28, Formation +0.15, Exploration +8, Other +0.55)]

[Current Cultivation: 85.83/500 (Qi Refining Stage 1)]

[Spiritual Qi value: 8.6/10 (Restores to 11.5/11.5 tomorrow)]

[Health Dimension: Lv.3 (321/300) Can be upgraded]

[Learning Dimension: Lv.4 (452.7/800)]

[Social Dimension: Lv.1 (118/200)]

[Skill Dimension: Cooking 78/100, Organizing 72/100, Hand-drawing Lv.2 (150/300), Structural Drafting Basics (60/100), Formation Basics (1/100)]

[exploration dimension: Lv.2 (65/400)]

[Spell proficiency: Cleaning Spell (7/100), Water Condensation Spell (5/100), Eye-Brightening Spell (6/100)]

[Special status: Qi Refinement Cultivator; Initial Glimpse of Spirit Control; Runners Heart; Investigating Things to Extend Knowledge (1 day remaining); Seeing the Big from the Small; Integrated Power Initial Success; Physical Optimization; Anomaly Perception; Literary Perception]

[Storage Space: 1 cubic meter (Empty)]

[Main Quest: Qi Refining Stage 1 (85.83/500)]

The Health Dimension was full and could be upgraded.

Chen Zhen clicked to upgrade.

[Health Dimension upgraded to Lv.4 (21/500)]

[Unlocked ability: [Internal Vision] passive, can clearly perceive the state of meridians and internal organs in the body, assisting in Cultivation and health management]

[Upgrade reward: Cultivation +10]

Internal Vision!

Chen Zhen immediately closed his eyes to try.

Sure enough, after his consciousness sank into his body, the scene he "saw" was completely different.

Previously, he could only vaguely feel the flow of Spiritual Qi in the Dantian and main meridians, but now he could "see" clearly the direction, width, and degree of patency of every meridian.

At the Dantian, that mass of Spiritual Qi was like a warm jade bead, slowly rotating, emitting a soft white light.

The meridians were like glowing rivers, with Spiritual Qi flowing through them.

Most meridians were patent, but some small branches were slightly stagnant.

Those were the places that were not usually exercised.

The internal organs also presented different "luster": the heart was bright red and powerful, the lungs were clear and relaxed, the liver was warm, the kidneys were calm, the spleen and stomach...

Hmm, the spleen and stomach were slightly dim, perhaps due to irregular diet recently?

He noted this discovery.

Cultivation was not just about Qi Refining, but also about nourishing the body.

If any part of the body had a problem, it would affect the whole.

With the Internal Vision ability, future Cultivation and conditioning would be more targeted.

His Cultivation also rose to 95.83/500 because of this.

He was one step closer to Qi Refining Stage 1.

He lay on the bed and closed his eyes.

In the Internal Vision state, he could clearly "see" the Spiritual Qi slowly circulating in his body, nourishing every inch of his meridians, repairing the tiny wear and tear of the day.

The shouzhong token on his chest emitted a warm light, echoing the Spiritual Qi in his Dantian from afar.