63: Chapter 63 Spiritual Energy Resonance

Day 35.

When Chen Zhen opened his eyes, the rotation speed of the Spiritual Pearl in his Dantian had clearly accelerated.

It wasn't the kind of speed that meant a loss of control; it was "alive."

With every rotation, his Spiritual Power expanded outward, like a heart pumping blood, sending warm energy to every corner of his body.

His meridians were washed clear by this heat flow, and those tiny branches that once required deliberate guidance could now complete the circulation on their own.

He lay still, his consciousness sinking into Internal Vision. The jade-colored luster flowing on the surface of the Spiritual Pearl was brighter than yesterday, like a polished night-luminescent pearl.

His total Spiritual Power had clearly increased, and the flow speed was at least 20% faster.

He got out of bed and scanned the room with his gaze.

Cleaning Spell.

1 point of Spiritual Power consumed, and an invisible ripple swept across.

The leaves of the green dill on the windowsill unfolded, the pale golden fine lines on the edges already connected into a single piece, and the entire plant was shrouded in an ethereal halo.

[Green Dill Spiritual Plant Progress: 89/100]

Only 11 points left.

Chen Zhen moved his mind, separating a wisp of Spiritual Power to inject into the green dill.

This time, he didn't simply guide it; he tried using the [Spiritual Nourishment] technique to let the Spiritual Power form a small circulation within the green dill.

The leaves of the green dill trembled violently, and that layer of pale golden halo became blindingly bright, lasting for three seconds before slowly fading away.

[Spiritual Power Guidance Successful]

[Green Dill Spiritual Plant Progress: 94/100]

He was stunned for a moment.

It went up by 5 points in one go?

He glanced at the system panel and discovered that the proficiency of [Spiritual Nourishment] had improved.

From Intro to Minor Achievement, the effect had doubled.

He nodded with satisfaction.

At this rate, this pot of green dill would officially ascend to a Spiritual Plant tomorrow.

During his morning run, Chen Zhen began to challenge a new height.

Twenty-five Spirit Control objects flew out from his Storage Space, lining up into a Dongshan Rune Array at his side. Core circle, three-point triangle, radial curves, nested geometry, seventy-two dot matrix.

All structures were completed in one go, taking less than two seconds in total.

As he ran, he let the rune array begin to "breathe."

It wasn't simple rotation or revolution, but an overall expansion and contraction, like a beating heart. When expanding, the rune array expanded to a diameter of three meters.

When contracting, it compressed to a diameter of one meter.

The rhythm of expansion and contraction was perfectly synchronized with his heartbeat.

For the first kilometer, the expansion and contraction were as stable as breathing.

For the second kilometer, he began to try to keep the relative positions of all structures unchanged while the rune array expanded and contracted.

The core circle could not be deformed, the radial curves could not be distorted, and the seventy-two dot matrix could not be disordered.

The difficulty was off the charts.

But he did it.

For the third kilometer, the rune array was steady amidst the breathing, and the twenty-five stones formed a living totem in the morning light.

When he ran to the Riverside, the system panel popped up:

[Morning run quality 'Extraordinary']

[Health Dimension experience + 205]

[Cultivation + 2.35]

[Spirit Control Perfection effect improved: Spiritual Power control precision + 7% (Currently 284%)]

[Rune Array proficiency + 35]

[Health Dimension Lv.5 (694/600) can be upgraded]

The Health Dimension was finally full.

Chen Zhen clicked to upgrade.

[Health Dimension upgraded to Lv.6 (94/800)]

[Unlocked ability: [Spiritual Resonance] allows one's own Spiritual Power to resonate with external energy, significantly increasing Cultivation efficiency, perception range, and Spell power]

[Upgrade reward: Cultivation + 30]

Spiritual Resonance!

He immediately tested it.

Closing his eyes and focusing, he synchronized the rotation rhythm of his Dantian Spiritual Pearl with the "Qi" of the surrounding environment.

The flow of the river, the blowing of the morning breeze, the pulse of the distant city...

Three seconds later, he felt it.

The whole world suddenly "came alive."

The "Qi" of the river water was no longer a vague mass, but countless subtle flows intertwined together, each with its own rhythm.

The "Qi" of the morning breeze was like invisible silk threads brushing past him; some were cold, some warm, some moist, some dry.

The "Qi" of the distant city was like a vast beehive, the breath of billions of people converging into a torrent, slowly surging.

He could clearly perceive the fluctuations of this "Qi," and even use his own Spiritual Power to touch them and influence them.

[Spiritual Resonance state activated]

[Cultivation efficiency + 50%, perception range extended to 100 meters, Spell power + 30%]

[Duration: 10 minutes, Cooldown: 1 hour]

Chen Zhen opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

This ability was too strong.

Within ten minutes, Cultivation efficiency increased by half, perception range expanded three times, and Spell power increased by 30%.

Although the cooldown was one hour, using it once at a critical moment could equal half a day's work.

The old man wasn't there again today.

Chen Zhen waited at the Riverside for ten minutes, and after confirming he wouldn't come, he turned to leave.

He felt a bit strange.

The old man had been "busy" for two consecutive days, which had never happened before.

But he didn't overthink it.

The elderly had their own lives and couldn't accompany him to train every day.

On the way home, Chen Zhen ran while testing the remaining time of [Spiritual Resonance].

Seven minutes left.

He accelerated, pouring Spiritual Power into his legs, and his speed instantly doubled.

The sound of the wind whistled in his ears, and the scenery on the roadside flew back rapidly, but his control over his body remained incredibly precise.

Every step landed perfectly, without a hint of unnecessary vibration.

Five minutes left.

He tried using the resonance state to perceive his surroundings.

Within 100 meters, every tree, every street lamp, every passing car was clearly imaged in his consciousness.

He could even "see" the hot steam rolling in the oil pan when the breakfast stall owner was frying dough sticks by the roadside.

Two minutes left.

He tried casting [Eye-Brightening Spell] using the resonance state.

2.2 points of Spiritual Power consumed, and a cool sensation spread through his eyes. The world became clear to the extreme.

He could see the small text on a billboard fifty meters away, the wing patterns of insects on the back of leaves, and could even "see" the dust particles suspended in the air.

Thirty seconds left.

He stopped his practice and halted his steps.

[Spiritual Resonance state ended]

[Cooldown: 59 minutes]

He stood on the spot, savoring the feeling just now.

He could still clearly remember the small text on the billboard fifty meters away.

It was a promotional phone number for a real estate company.

Those seven minutes were equal to half an hour of normal training.

He arrived home at seven o'clock sharp.

His mother was busy in the kitchen and poked her head out when she heard the movement: "You're back? Your dad is coming back this afternoon, let's make a good meal at noon."

"Okay." Chen Zhen changed his shoes, "Mom, I'll cook."

"Alright, I'll help."

The mother and son were busy in the kitchen.

When Chen Zhen was cutting vegetables, he subconsciously used the lingering effect of [Spiritual Resonance].

Although the state had ended, that transparent feeling was still there.

The blade moved precisely along the texture of the ingredients, and every slice of meat, every green onion, every clove of garlic was cut evenly and beautifully.

His mother watched from the side and couldn't help but say: "Xiao Zhen, your knife skills are really like a restaurant chef."

Chen Zhen smiled and didn't explain.

The morning schedule was to study the "Eighties Past" in Engineer Zhou's notes.

He opened the notebook, found the section for 1985, and read carefully.

"July 1985, went to Dongshan with Old Chen and Old Gu. Old Chen insisted on not letting us enter that cave, saying 'Some places, once you go in, you can't come out.' Old Gu didn't listen and snuck in. After coming out, Old Chen and Old Gu had a big fight, and after that, Old Chen quit."

"August 1985, Old Chen moved to the Riverside to live. I went to see him, and he said: 'Old Zhou, some things are better not known than known.'"

"September 1985, Old Gu came to find me, saying he discovered runes in the cave. I looked at the photos, and they were the same as what Old Chen took back then. Old Gu said: 'Old Chen was right, but we can't stop.'"

"October 1985, the institute received a notice to stop all 'abnormal phenomenon' research. Materials were sealed, personnel were diverted. Old Gu took early retirement, and I was transferred to the Geological Survey Department, never touching those things again."

"1986..."

Chen Zhen read page by page.

So that was it.

In the eighties, policies tightened, and their small circle was forced to disband.

Some chose to quit, some chose to persist, some chose silence.

The old man was the first to quit.

What did he see?

What did he know?

Why did he say "Some places, once you go in, you can't come out"?

At noon, Chen Zhen took charge of the cooking and made a table full of dishes.

Sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed bass, garlic broccoli, tomato scrambled eggs, winter melon pork rib soup.

Five dishes and one soup, with color, fragrance, and taste.

His mother watched from the side, her eyes full of smiles.

After one o'clock, his father came back.

He had lost a little weight, but his spirit was very good, and there was light in his eyes. He smelled the fragrance as soon as he entered the door and was stunned for a moment: "Yo, what day is it today?"

"Celebrating your return." His mother took his bag, "Go wash your hands and eat."

His father washed his hands and sat down, looking at the full table of dishes, not knowing which one to pick up with his chopsticks first.

"Try this." Chen Zhen picked up a piece of pork ribs for him.

His father took a bite, chewed, and nodded: "Delicious."

He picked up a piece of bass again and nodded again: "This is also delicious."

His mother laughed from the side: "All made by your son."

His father glanced at Chen Zhen, didn't speak, but the satisfaction in his eyes could not be hidden.

After the meal, his father took out a paper bag from his luggage and handed it to Chen Zhen.

"What is this?"

"Provincial capital specialty, Osmanthus cake." His father said, "Don't you love sweet things?"

Chen Zhen took the paper bag and was stunned for a moment.

He did love sweet things.

But that was a childhood thing.

Later, as he grew up, he rarely bought them.

He didn't expect his father to still remember.

"Thank you, Dad."

"What's there to thank." His father waved his hand, "Try it."

Chen Zhen opened the paper bag, took out a piece of Osmanthus cake, and took a bite.

Soft, glutinous, sweet, and full of Osmanthus fragrance.

"Delicious."

His father nodded, with a smile on the corner of his mouth.

In the afternoon, Chen Zhen went to the Secret Base.

Nourishing the Mint.

The Spiritual Plant Mint was growing well, and three leaves were harvested today, bringing the inventory to sixteen.

Nourishing the green dill.

This pot of quasi-Spiritual Plant was being raised in the Secret Base, and the progress was even faster than the one at home.

[Green Dill (Secret Base) Spiritual Plant Progress: 88/100]

Injecting Spiritual Power into the black lump.

Spiritual Power affinity: 23/100.

Then he took out twenty-five Spirit Control objects and began training.

Today's goal: Let the rune array breathe while the three stones in the core circle start to rotate slowly, forming a mini "three-dot array."

Multi-tasking, the difficulty hit a new high.

The first time, it scattered after just one rotation.

The second, third, fourth time...

The thirtieth time, he finally succeeded and stabilized it for fifteen seconds.

Chen Zhen stopped his practice and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

[Extreme Spirit Control Training]

[Spirit Control Perfection effect improved: Spiritual Power control precision + 5% (Currently 289%)]

[Rune Array proficiency + 20]

[Unlocked achievement: 'Three-Point Concentric' (Core structure control ability significantly improved)]

He rested for five minutes, drank a sip of Spiritual Plant Mint tea, and his Mental Energy slowly recovered.

Then, he took out the black lump and prepared for today's second Spiritual Power injection.

But this time, he decided to try a new trick.

The cooldown of [Spiritual Resonance] still had ten minutes left.

He waited.

Ten minutes later, he activated [Spiritual Resonance].

The rotation rhythm of the Dantian Spiritual Pearl synchronized with the surrounding environment, and the whole world instantly "came alive."

In the resonance state, he clearly "saw" the energy structure inside the black lump.

It was an extremely complex, multi-layered crystal network, each layer rotating slowly, like a miniature galaxy.

He took a deep breath and injected a wisp of Spiritual Power.

After the Spiritual Power entered the black lump, it didn't get absorbed as usual, but flowed along the crystal network.

One layer, two layers, three layers... deep into the very core.

At the core, he "saw" something.

A fingernail-sized, dark blue light spot, like a sleeping star.

The moment the Spiritual Power touched the light spot, it trembled slightly.

Then, the system panel popped up:

[Spiritual Power injection successful]

[Spiritual Power affinity: 23/100 → 35/100]

[Unlocked partial information: Meteorite fragment (unknown origin), core energy source not activated, requires continuous Spiritual Power injection to activate]

It went up by 12 points in one go?

Chen Zhen was stunned for a moment, then realized.

In the resonance state, the efficiency of Spiritual Power injection had improved.

He calculated.

At this rate, five or six more resonance injections would be enough to fully activate this meteorite.

He put away the black lump, full of anticipation.

When he returned home in the evening, his father was watching the news in the living room. His mother was knitting a sweater nearby.

He hadn't seen her knit for a long time.

Chen Zhen sat on the sofa and watched the news for a while.

The news was broadcasting the weather forecast: "... In the coming week, our city will have mainly sunny weather, and the temperature will gradually rise..."

Very normal news.

But Chen Zhen looked at the screen, and his heart was thinking about other things.

The cave in Dongshan, he didn't know how it was now.

The rune stone, he didn't know if it was still there.

2013, two more years.

He took a deep breath and stood up: "Mom, Dad, I'm going back to my room to study."

"Okay, sleep early." Mom said.

At ten o'clock in the evening, Chen Zhen began today's Cultivation.

First, standing meditation for five minutes, running the Simplified Microcosmic Orbit for ten cycles.

After the cooldown of [Spiritual Resonance] ended, he activated the resonance state again and used these ten minutes to complete half an hour of normal Cultivation.

Then, he called up the system panel to start today's summary.