83: Chapter 83, Second Piece

Sunday, 10:00 PM, Secret Base.

Chen Zhen sat cross-legged in the center of the Eight-Talisman Chain Array, surrounded by six spiritual plants, with eight talismans on the walls emitting a steady, pale purple glow.

But he was not Cultivating; instead, he was staring at the dark blue stone in his hand.

The second star core fragment.

It was a circle smaller than the first, but its light was purer, flickering in his palm like breathing, like a heartbeat.

He activated [Star Path Perception].

His consciousness instantly expanded outward, crossing the city, crossing the mountains and fields, crossing every obstacle.

Seventeen points of light were distributed within his range of perception.

The one 800 kilometers to the northeast was still there, the one 1,200 kilometers due north was also there, and the blindingly bright point of light 3,000 kilometers to the southwest still made one's heart palpitate.

But now, he had one more in his hand.

He opened his eyes, looking at the fragment in his palm.

To Fusion, or not to Fusion?

After Fusion of the first one, it brought [Star Core] passive, [Star Path Perception], and [Starlight Slash]. His spiritual power carried Stellar Energy, dealing double damage to yin and evil objects, and Cultivation efficiency increased by 50%.

What would the second Fusion bring?

Shen Mo's grandfather said, "The day all are fused is the day the Heavenly Road opens."

Eighteen pieces.

He had two in his hand.

There were still sixteen outside.

He took a deep breath, pouring spiritual power into his right hand.

The fragment instantly lit up with a blinding dark blue light, resonating strongly with the spiritual pearl in his Dantian.

[Do you wish to Fusion the second star core fragment?]

[Warning: Fusion of multiple fragments will significantly increase Stellar Energy, but may trigger unknown changes.]

Chen Zhen looked at the prompt and was silent for three seconds.

Then he chose —

Fusion.

The fragment turned into countless tiny points of light, surging into his body along his arm.

Those points of light traveled along his meridians, merging with the existing Stellar Energy in his Dantian, and then —

Exploded.

It wasn't pain, but an indescribable sensation of expansion. The spiritual pearl in his Dantian instantly doubled in size, with a layer of silvery-white halo appearing within the dark blue luster on its surface.

The total amount of spiritual power surged, his meridians were forcibly widened, and even those eight Talisman Array vibrated along with it.

[Fusion Successful]

[Spiritual Power Limit: 200 → 300]

[Obtained new ability: [Star Core: Second Layer] (Passive) Stellar Energy intensity doubled, Cultivation efficiency +100%, damage to yin and evil objects +400%]

[Obtained new ability: [Star Radiance Blink] Consumes 10 spiritual power, instantly move to any location within line of sight (distance ≤ 50 meters)]

[Obtained new ability: [Fragment Perception] Can accurately perceive the location and status of other star core fragment holders]

Chen Zhen opened his eyes and looked at his hands.

In his palm, dark blue light flowed beneath the skin, as if a nebula was surging in his blood vessels.

Power.

Power twice as strong as before.

He stood up, walked to the other end of the base, and looked at the wall fifty meters away.

With a thought.

[Star Radiance Blink]

The next instant, he was already standing by the wall.

No process, no trajectory, he simply appeared there.

He looked back at the position where he had just been sitting — fifty meters, crossed in an instant.

Using this move in battle, who could react?

He tried it again.

This time to the window thirty meters away.

Another instant.

He used it three times in a row, consuming 30 points of spiritual power, with 270 remaining.

He nodded with satisfaction.

This move was enough for both self-preservation and surprise attacks.

He walked back to the center of the array and sat down cross-legged.

Activated [Fragment Perception].

His consciousness expanded outward again.

This time, it was countless times clearer.

The point of light 800 kilometers to the northeast — that was a middle-aged man, with a very strong aura, at least Qi Refining Level 7. He was moving, at a fast speed, as if he were on a journey.

The one 1,200 kilometers due north — that was an old man, with a weak but very pure aura. He was motionless, as if in seclusion somewhere.

The one 3,000 kilometers to the southwest — that was a... what was it? The aura was ridiculously strong, but chaotic, violent, not like a human.

There were more.

500 kilometers to the southeast, The Young Woman, Qi Refining Level 5.

2,000 kilometers to the northwest, two points of light together, one strong and one weak.

Due east, on the sea, a faint point of light was moving slowly.

Seventeen points of light, all clearly visible.

Including himself — he was also a point of light now, flickering in the perception network.

[Fragment Holders: 17 / 18]

[Note: Location of the last fragment unknown]

Seventeen pieces, one still missing.

He withdrew his perception and opened his eyes.

Eighteen fragments, seventeen holders.

Distributed everywhere, some strong, some weak, some good, some evil.

And he was now one of them.

At 1:00 AM, Chen Zhen left the Secret Base.

Walking on the way home, he kept thinking about the point of light in the southwest.

What was that?

Such a strong aura, yet so chaotic and violent, not like a human.

Was it someone who failed to Fusion a fragment? Or... something else?

He didn't know.

But he knew he would find out one day.

Monday, 6:00 AM, Chen Zhen opened his eyes on time.

The spiritual pearl in his Dantian rotated slowly; he hadn't Cultivate all night, but the Stellar Energy circulated automatically in his body, and his Cultivation still increased by 5 points. Qi Refining Level 4, 416/1800.

He sat up and looked at the talismans on the wall.

Three of the eight talismans were still glowing, while the other five had exhausted their spiritual power and needed replacement.

He took out five newly drawn talismans and replaced the old ones.

He put away the old talisman paper to recycle it later.

Then he stood up and cast the Cleaning Spell.

Consuming 1 point of spiritual power, a wave mixed with Stellar Energy swept across. The room became instantly clean, the air crisp, and the leaves of the two spiritual plants stretched out.

He walked to the window and looked at the city outside.

Monday, school starts.

A new week.

At 7:00, Chen Zhen stepped into the classroom.

Zhang Meng was making up homework in the back row, and when he saw him come in, he shouted as usual: "Help! Lend me your Chinese homework to copy!"

Chen Zhen threw his homework notebook over.

Zhang Meng caught it and buried his head in frantic copying.

Chen Zhen walked to his seat and sat down.

The girl in front, Su Xiaoya, turned her head, her eyes bright.

"Chen Zhen, my mom asked me to thank you again. She said she's been sleeping really well these past few days after using that Calming Talisman."

Chen Zhen nodded, took a new Calming Talisman from his pocket, and handed it to her.

"Give this to your mom."

Su Xiaoya took it and was stunned for a moment.

"This talisman... why does it feel brighter than the last one?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer.

Su Xiaoya looked at him, didn't ask further, and carefully put the talisman away.

Chen Zhen scanned the classroom.

Chen Hao was bowing his head doing problems, in good spirits. Li Yang was lying on the desk, but not sleeping, holding a pen and drawing something on his draft paper.

Wang Xue was talking to the girl next to her, smiling naturally.

In the last row, Zhou Rui was reading.

The seat next to him was empty.

Shen Mo didn't come today either.

Chen Zhen withdrew his gaze and opened his book.

The first class was physics.

Old Li was lecturing on electromagnetic induction, and the blackboard was filled with coils.

Chen Zhen listened for a while and then started to zone out.

His mind was full of those points of light in Fragment Perception.

The middle-aged man at Qi Refining Level 7 to the northeast — who was he? Why was he always moving?

The old man in seclusion to the north — how many fragments had he fused?

The Young Woman to the southeast — was she also Cultivate?

And that chaotic, violent thing...

"Chen Zhen."

Old Li's voice pulled him back to reality.

Chen Zhen looked up.

Old Li was standing on the podium, looking at him.

"Come up and do this problem."

A complex electromagnetic induction problem was written on the blackboard, which was very difficult.

Chen Zhen stood up and walked to the podium.

He glanced at the problem.

Calculation of induced current in a coil within a composite magnetic field, involving Faraday's Law, Lenz's Law, electromagnetic induction equations, and complex geometric relationships.

A glance, and the model was automatically built in his mind.

[Knowledge Fusion] activated.

[Model Thinking] activated.

[Star Core: Second Layer] buff — his thinking speed was at least 50% faster than before.

He picked up the chalk and started writing.

Magnetic field analysis — geometric modeling — differential equations — solving.

Six lines of formulas, one sketch, three steps of derivation.

The whole process took less than a minute.

When he put down the chalk, there was silence below.

Old Li stared at the blackboard for five seconds.

Then he smiled.

"The answer is correct, and the approach is more concise than the standard answer." He looked at Chen Zhen, "How did you grow that brain of yours?"

There was a burst of laughter below.

Chen Zhen returned to his seat.

Chen Hao turned around from the front row and looked at him, his expression complex.

In the last row, Zhou Rui was also looking at him.

In that gaze, there was admiration, curiosity, and a bit of... Battle Intent.

At noon after school, Chen Zhen went to the cafeteria.

He got his food and found a seat to sit down.

Just after a few bites, someone walked over with a tray.

Shen Mo.

He sat down opposite Chen Zhen and started eating.

Zhang Meng was watching from the side, looking vigilant: "You didn't come again this morning?"

Shen Mo nodded.

"I had something to do."

Zhang Meng rolled his eyes and continued eating.

Halfway through the meal, Shen Mo suddenly lowered his voice: "Did you feel it last night?"

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"What?"

Shen Mo didn't answer directly, but took a small object out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

It was a dark blue stone fragment.

It was exactly the same as the one he gave Chen Zhen, but smaller, only the size of a fingernail.

Chen Zhen's pupils contracted slightly.

"Where did you get that?"

"My grandfather left one behind." Shen Mo said, "It's very small, and it's always been with me."

He looked at Chen Zhen.

"It suddenly lit up last night. Very bright."

Chen Zhen was silent for a few seconds.

When he Fusion the second fragment, this small one had been triggered into a reaction.

"How do you feel now?"

Shen Mo thought for a moment.

"I don't feel much. It's just... my mind is clearer than before, and my eyes see things in more detail."

He paused.

"Also, I can feel some things. For example, on you, there is an aura the same as this."

Chen Zhen looked at him.

An ordinary person, without a Spiritual Root, yet able to perceive the aura of the fragments?

This person was not simple either.

He thought for a moment, took a Heart-Clearing Talisman from his pocket, and handed it to him.

"Wear this. If there is anything unusual, tell me immediately."

Shen Mo took the talisman, folded it, and put it in his pocket.

Then he stood up and walked away with his tray.

Zhang Meng was watching from the side, looking confused.

"What on earth are you guys talking about?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer.

But he knew in his heart.

The second fragment had triggered a chain reaction.

And Shen Mo had been dragged into it as well.