70: Chapter 70 99.9%

Thursday, 5:00 PM, Riverside.

Chen Zhen stood under the old willow tree, hands behind his back, looking at the river.

The sunset dyed the river surface gold; a few fishing boats drifted by slowly, their oars cutting through the water, leaving ripples in their wake.

In the distance, children were flying kites; the kites wobbled in the sky, their strings glistening in the sunset.

He waited for ten minutes.

At 5:10 PM, Zhou Rui appeared on the river embankment.

He was wearing his school uniform, carrying his backpack, and walking quickly.

As he approached, his gaze swept over Chen Zhen, then over the surroundings, and finally landed on the large rock under the willow tree.

"You've come," Chen Zhen said.

Zhou Rui nodded, put down his backpack, and stood beside him.

After a few seconds of silence, Zhou Rui spoke: "Where is this?"

"Riverside."

"I know it's the Riverside." Zhou Rui turned his head to look at him. "What I'm asking is, why did you choose this place?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer, but instead pulled five pebbles from his pocket and laid them on his palm.

"Watch."

With a thought, the five pebbles slowly floated up, suspended in the air, lined up in a straight line.

Zhou Rui's eyes widened instantly.

His pupils contracted, his breathing stalled, and he stood frozen, staring fixedly at the five suspended pebbles.

The pebbles began to rotate.

The first clockwise, the second counter-clockwise, the third bobbing up and down, the fourth moving side to side, and the fifth rotating while also orbiting. Five pebbles, five kinds of movement, all without interfering with each other.

Zhou Rui's hand was shaking.

"This is..." his voice was dry, "what is this?"

Chen Zhen withdrew his power, and the five pebbles fell back into his palm.

"The thing you want to know."

Zhou Rui took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. But his aura betrayed him.

Excitement, shock, and a trace of... fear.

"What are you?" he asked.

"A student." Chen Zhen put the pebbles back into his pocket. "Grade 12, Class 7, Chen Zhen."

Zhou Rui stared at him for a few seconds.

Then he smiled.

That smile was different from before.

It wasn't a polite, probing smile, but a genuine, heartfelt smile.

"I've spent my whole life searching," he said, "and I've finally found it."

The sun set.

The two sat on the rock at the Riverside, watching the sky grow dark.

Chen Zhen explained the most basic things to him.

Cultivate, Spiritual Qi, and the Qi Refinement Stage.

He didn't mention the System, the star core fragment, or the three doors.

He only spoke of what the old man had taught him.

Zhou Rui listened very carefully, not interrupting a single word from beginning to end.

After finishing, Chen Zhen looked at him: "Do you believe it?"

Zhou Rui didn't answer immediately.

He stood up, walked to the Riverside, and bent down to scoop up a handful of river water.

The water leaked through his fingers, glistening in the afterglow of the sunset.

"I've been able to feel certain things since I was a child."

He stood with his back to Chen Zhen, his voice very calm.

"Things others can't feel. For example, the signs before weather changes, the aura when people's emotions fluctuate, or the 'special' Qi in certain places. My parents took me to see countless doctors, and they all said I was fine, just that I had a vivid imagination."

He turned around and looked at Chen Zhen.

"But I know that's not true. What I see is real. It's just that no one believes me."

He walked back and sat down again.

"When those pebbles floated up earlier, for the first time, I felt that I wasn't crazy, but that this world simply has another side that I couldn't see."

He looked at Chen Zhen, his eyes clear.

"I believe."

Chen Zhen didn't teach him immediately.

He first let Zhou Rui try a few things.

Perceiving the "Qi" of the river water, distinguishing the "texture" of different stones, and feeling the "flow" while breathing.

Zhou Rui closed his eyes and did as he was told.

Three seconds later, he spoke: "The Qi of the river water... is cool, but within the cool, there is a bit of warmth. The Qi of the stones... is hard, but not entirely hard; some hardness carries a bit of softness. When I breathe, I can feel something entering through my nose, traveling to my Dantian, and stopping there."

Chen Zhen was stunned for a moment.

When he practiced these, it took him several days.

Zhou Rui only took three seconds.

[ System prompt: Target individual's recessive Spiritual Root Aptitude confirmed ]

[ Type: Perception-type · Top Grade ]

[ Status: Naturally semi-Awakening ]

[ Suggestion: Guide immediately, otherwise may self-Awaken leading to loss of control ]

Chen Zhen took a deep breath.

"Sit properly."

Zhou Rui sat cross-legged.

Chen Zhen pressed a hand on his back, and his Spiritual Qi slowly probed inside.

In the [Internal Vision] state, he could clearly "see" the situation inside Zhou Rui's body.

Meridians—naturally unobstructed.

Dantian—naturally broad.

Spiritual Root—naturally semi-Awakened.

This person was a Cultivation Genius rarely seen in a century.

But he lacked the Opportunity to Awaken.

If he hadn't met a cultivator, he would have carried these talents for his whole life, yet never known how to use them.

"Can you feel it?" Chen Zhen asked.

Zhou Rui kept his eyes closed, his breathing steady.

"There is a warm thing flowing in from your hand, moving through my body. The route it takes... is strange; it doesn't move straight, but in circles."

"Remember this route."

"This is called the Microcosmic Orbit. In the future, when you practice on your own, follow this route."

He withdrew his hand.

Zhou Rui opened his eyes, and his gaze was brighter than before.

"Can I Cultivate?"

"Yes."

"What will I achieve if I practice?"

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"What you achieve depends on your own effort."

He stood up and brushed the dust off his pants.

"That's all for today. After you go back, sit in meditation for ten minutes every morning and evening, feel your breathing, and feel that 'flow'. Same time next week, right here."

Zhou Rui stood up, opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But Chen Zhen had already turned and left.

After walking a few steps, he stopped without turning his head.

"By the way, don't tell anyone about today."

"I know."

9:00 PM, Secret Base.

Chen Zhen sat cross-legged in the center of the Spirit Gathering Array. The twenty-five Hetian jade pebbles emitted a warm, gentle light, and three pots of spiritual plants surrounded him, the crispness of the Mint and the gentleness of the Green Radish weaving into a rich field of Spiritual Qi.

He activated [Spiritual Resonance].

The rotation rhythm of the Dantian spiritual bead synchronized with the Formation, the spiritual plants, and the surrounding environment, and the whole world "came alive."

Spiritual Qi surged into his body like a tide, washing over his meridians and nourishing his internal organs.

But he wasn't here to Cultivate today.

He took out that star core fragment.

The 91% dark blue radiance was especially striking within the halo of the Spirit Gathering Array.

Inside the fragment, those seven layers of crystal structure were already fully lit.

The dark blue point of light at the very core was pulsating with a steady rhythm.

Synchronized with his heartbeat, synchronized with his breathing, and synchronized with the flow of Spiritual Qi around him.

It had awakened.

It was only 9% away.

Chen Zhen stared at it for a long time.

Then he made a decision.

Since he had to face it sooner or later, he might as well do it now.

While he still had control, while he was still prepared.

He took a deep breath, Spiritual Qi fully unleashed.

[Spiritual Resonance] maximum power.

[Spirit Control Perfection] full output.

[Internal Vision] full monitoring.

Spiritual Qi surged into the fragment like a flood.

One layer, two layers, three layers—the first seven layers were penetrated instantly.

At the core, that dark blue point of light expanded violently, like a star about to detonate.

92%—93%—94%—

The fragment began to heat up.

95%—96%—97%—

The light was blinding, and the entire Secret Base was illuminated as if it were broad daylight.

98%—99%—

Chen Zhen's forehead broke out in cold sweat. He could feel that the power at the core was about to lose control.

99.5%—99.8%—99.9%—

Just as it was about to reach 100%, he abruptly cut off the Spiritual Qi.

The fragment vibrated violently a few times, and the light slowly receded.

Finally, it stabilized at—99.9%.

[ System prompt: star core fragment activation level: 99.9% ]

[ Warning: only 0.1% remaining until complete activation ]

[ Current status: Critical state, any external Spiritual Qi injection will trigger complete activation ]

Chen Zhen gasped for air, cold sweat soaking his back.

So close.

Just a little bit more.

He looked at the fragment in his palm; it lay there quietly, the dark blue light flickering, as if it were breathing.

99.9%.

He stopped right here.

It wasn't that he didn't want to know what would happen at 100%.

It was that he wasn't ready.

At least for now, he wasn't ready.

He put the fragment into his Storage Space, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes to rest.

The Dantian spiritual bead rotated slowly, replenishing the Spiritual Qi he had just consumed.

In his mind, various thoughts surged.

If he hadn't stopped just now, what would have happened?

The Star Road opening? "They" descending?

Would that "person exactly like himself" really appear?

0.1%, he could stay here forever.

As long as he didn't inject that last bit of Spiritual Qi.

He opened his eyes and stood up.

He walked to the window, watching the night scene outside.

The city lights were scattered like stars, there was the sound of car horns in the distance, and the chirping of insects nearby.

It was very quiet.

But he knew that some things were already stirring in the shadows.

Friday.

During morning study, Chen Zhen was memorizing vocabulary when a note was passed from the front row.

Chen Hao's handwriting: "Are you still going to the Library after school?"

Chen Zhen replied: "No, I have something to do."

The note was passed back.

Zhang Meng from the back row poked his head over: "What is it? Playing ball?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer.

Zhang Meng still wanted to ask, but Su Xiaoya from the desk in front turned around and glared at him.

Zhang Meng shut up.

In the last row, Zhou Rui was looking down at his book, as if nothing had happened.

But Chen Zhen could feel that his aura had changed.

It was more "alive" than yesterday.

That wasn't Spiritual Qi; he didn't know how to Cultivate yet.

It was another thing: hope.

The third period in the afternoon, Physics class.

Old Li walked into the classroom, holding a stack of exam papers in his hand.

"The results for last week's mock test are out."

The classroom fell silent instantly.

Old Li put the papers on the podium and adjusted his glasses.

"The questions this time were relatively difficult; the grade-wide average was 62, while our class average was 68, which is 6 points higher than the grade average."

There was a buzz of whispering below.

Old Li tapped the table.

"But there are individual students who performed very well."

He pulled out a paper.

"Chen Zhen, 98 points."

The classroom was quiet for a second, then exploded.

"98?"

"Out of 100?"

"Damn..."

Chen Hao was stunned. He turned his head to look at Chen Zhen, his expression complex.

Zhang Meng slammed the table in the back row: "Awesome!"

Su Xiaoya turned around, her eyes bright: "How did you do it?"

Chen Zhen didn't speak.

Old Li raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

"The questions this time were indeed difficult; there were only three people in the whole grade who scored over 90. Chen Zhen got 98, which is the top of the grade."

The classroom was in an uproar again.

In the last row, Zhou Rui looked up, watching Chen Zhen's back.

There was no jealousy in his eyes, only a kind of... realization.

After school, Chen Zhen packed his bag, ready to leave.

Chen Hao stopped him.

"That 98 of yours," he stared at Chen Zhen, "how did you get it?"

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"By doing the problems."

Chen Hao was silent for a few seconds.

Then he said: "I'm not jealous; I just want to know, did you use some special method?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer.

Chen Hao waited a few seconds, seeing he wouldn't speak, he sighed.

"Forget it, pretend I didn't ask."

He turned and left.

Chen Zhen stood in place, watching his back.

Chen Hao's aura was complex.

Confusion, unwillingness, and a trace of dejection after being dealt a blow.

But no malice.

He turned and walked out of the classroom.

At the school gate, Zhou Rui was standing under that plane tree, waiting for him.

The two walked side by side for a while.

"That 98 of yours," Zhou Rui said, "is it because of 'that'?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer.

Zhou Rui didn't press further.

After walking a few dozen meters, he suddenly said: "After I went back yesterday, I tried the meditation you mentioned. Ten minutes."

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"Did you feel it?"

Zhou Rui nodded.

"Yes. A little bit of warmth, right there in the lower abdomen."

Chen Zhen didn't speak.

But inside, he was a little surprised.

Only one day, and he could already feel the Qi sensation.

This person's talent was indeed quite good.

At night, Secret Base.

Chen Zhen sat cross-legged in the center of the Spirit Gathering Array and took out that star core fragment.

The 99.9% dark blue radiance flickered.

He stared at it for a long time.

Then he set it aside and began to Cultivate.

The Spirit Gathering Array operated, the three pots of spiritual plants circled him, and Spiritual Qi surged into his body like a tide.

The Dantian spiritual bead rotated slowly, and the total amount of Spiritual Qi grew steadily.

Qi Refining Stage 3, 83 / 1200.

An increase of 33 points from yesterday.

The speed wasn't slow.

But he knew it wasn't enough.

He needed to be faster.