99: Chapter 99 New Seedlings

Monday, 7:00 PM, Secret Base.

Chen Zhen sat cross-legged in the center of the four-part Celestial Star Array, with the four fragments placed in front of him.

Four points of light rotated slowly within his Dantian; with every rotation, rich Stellar Energy surged throughout his entire body.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Zhou Rui pushed the door open, holding that small flowerpot.

The soul-calming grass in the flowerpot had grown to three inches tall, its leaves unfurled, and its edges tinged with a faint gold.

Through [Internal Vision], there was already a weak flow of Spiritual Qi within this little seedling—although still very young, it was indeed alive.

Chen Zhen took a glance and nodded.

"You've raised it well."

Zhou Rui smiled for once, placing the flowerpot next to those other large spiritual plants.

"Master, when will it bloom?"

"Two months."

Zhou Rui was stunned for a moment.

"That long?"

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"Did you think spiritual plants were cabbages?"

Zhou Rui scratched his head and said nothing.

Chen Zhen took a Mint leaf from his Storage Space and handed it to him.

"Hold this in your mouth. I'll teach you something new tonight."

Zhou Rui took the leaf and held it in his mouth. Instantly, a cool sensation surged throughout his entire body, and his mind became at least three times clearer.

Chen Zhen stood up and walked to the blackboard.

The complete Celestial Star Array was drawn on the blackboard—three hundred and sixty points, dense and packed.

"Today, I will teach you how to draw a talisman," he said. "Not a Calming Talisman, but a Spirit Gathering Talisman."

He took a blank piece of talisman paper from the workbench and laid it on the table.

"Watch closely."

He lifted the brush, dipped it in ink, and touched it to the paper.

Spiritual Qi was infused into the tip of the brush, and Stellar Energy was mixed into the ink.

One stroke, two strokes, three strokes—

Thirty seconds later, a complete Spirit Gathering Talisman was finished. A pale purple light lit up on the talisman paper, lasting for three seconds before fading away.

[Spirit Gathering Talisman (Simplified Version)]

[Effect: Spiritual Qi concentration +15%, duration 12 hours]

[Quality: Fine]

Chen Zhen handed the talisman to Zhou Rui.

"Draw it like this."

Zhou Rui took the talisman and looked at it carefully for a long time.

Then he picked up the brush, took a deep breath, and began to draw.

The first stroke was crooked.

The second stroke broke.

For the third stroke, the Spiritual Qi didn't keep up, and the talisman paper had no reaction.

He put down the brush and looked at Chen Zhen.

Chen Zhen didn't speak, he just pointed at the talisman paper.

Zhou Rui nodded and picked up the brush again.

The second time, it still broke.

The third time, the Spiritual Qi output was unstable.

The fourth time, fifth time, sixth time—

On the twenty-third time, a crooked Spirit Gathering Talisman was finally completed. A faint white light lit up on the talisman paper, lasting for one second before going out.

[Spirit Gathering Talisman (Practice Version)]

[Effect: Spiritual Qi concentration +3%, duration 2 hours]

[Quality: Defective]

Zhou Rui stared at that talisman, silent for a few seconds.

Then he looked up at Chen Zhen.

"Master, am I very stupid?"

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"How long did you practice before you could draw a Calming Talisman?"

Zhou Rui thought about it.

"One week."

Chen Zhen nodded.

"This talisman is three times harder than the Calming Talisman. How long do you think it will take?"

Zhou Rui was stunned for a moment, then he understood.

He took a deep breath and put away that defective piece.

"I'll go back and keep practicing."

Chen Zhen nodded.

Zhou Rui turned to leave, then suddenly remembered something. He took a small notebook out of his pocket and handed it to Chen Zhen.

"Master, this is what I've drawn."

Chen Zhen took it and opened it.

Inside were page after page of Calming Talismans—from the crooked ones on the first day to the smooth and complete ones from yesterday. Every page had the date and his notes written underneath.

The last page was drawn today, and it was already approaching Mortal Grade: High Quality.

Chen Zhen closed the notebook and returned it to him.

"Continue."

Zhou Rui nodded and pushed the door open to leave.

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

After a night of Cultivation, his Cultivation had increased by 48 points. Qi Refining Level 5 193/2500.

He stood up and walked over to those few pots of spiritual plants.

The six pots of spiritual plants were growing gratifyingly.

The four soul-calming grass plants had bloomed five more flowers, the Mint leaves were dense and shiny, and the second batch of that wild soul-calming grass had already grown to half a foot tall.

He picked the flowers, harvested the leaves, and ground them into powder.

Stock of anshen flower powder: 170 grams.

Mint leaves: 450 leaves.

Enough.

He pushed open the door and walked out.

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

Zhang Meng was making up homework in the back row. Seeing him come in, he shouted as usual: "Help! Lend me your English homework to copy!"

Chen Zhen tossed his workbook over.

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

Chen Zhen walked to his seat and sat down.

Su Xiaoya, who sat in front of him, turned her head, her eyes bright.

"Chen Zhen, the unified exam results came out yesterday."

Chen Zhen looked at her.

"What are they?"

Su Xiaoya lowered her voice: "First in the grade. Total score 748."

Chen Zhen said nothing.

Su Xiaoya waited for two seconds. Seeing that he didn't speak, she couldn't help but ask: "Aren't you surprised?"

Chen Zhen looked at her.

"Why should I be surprised?"

Su Xiaoya was stunned for a moment, then turned back around.

In the last row, Zhou Rui looked up at him, then lowered his head to read.

Shen Mo was smiling to the side.

Chen Hao turned his head from the front row and glanced at Chen Zhen, his expression complex.

But he didn't speak.

The first class was Old Zhao's math class.

As soon as Old Zhao walked in, he looked toward Chen Zhen's seat.

"Chen Zhen, full marks on the math section of yesterday's unified exam."

There was an uproar below.

Old Zhao raised his hand to signal for quiet.

"Chinese 138, English 145, Science Comprehensive 295. Total score 748, third in the city."

He paused.

"Our school hasn't had anyone in the city's top ten for ten years."

There was another uproar below.

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

Chen Hao turned his head from the front row and looked at Chen Zhen.

That gaze was no longer complex; it was... resignation.

In the last row, Zhou Rui was smiling with his head down.

Shen Mo was also smiling.

Chen Zhen said nothing; he just opened his textbook.

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

He got his food and found a seat.

He had only eaten a few bites when four people walked over carrying their trays.

Zhou Rui, Shen Mo, Zhang Meng, and Chen Hao.

Chen Hao sat down opposite him and looked at him.

"Chen Zhen, how did you do it?"

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"What?"

"Your grades," Chen Hao said. "In the second year of high school, you were still in the thirties. Since the start of the third year, you've taken first in the grade and third in the city. In less than two months."

Chen Zhen said nothing.

Chen Hao waited for two seconds. Seeing he wouldn't answer, he sighed.

"Never mind, pretend I didn't ask."

He lowered his head to eat.

Zhou Rui glanced at Chen Zhen, then at Chen Hao, and said nothing.

Shen Mo smiled and also started eating.

Zhang Meng looked confused, completely unable to figure out the situation.

The third period in the afternoon was physics class.

As soon as Old Li entered, he looked at Chen Zhen.

"Chen Zhen, full marks in physics on yesterday's unified exam."

There was another uproar below.

Old Li raised his hand to signal for quiet.

"There were only three people in the whole grade who got full marks in physics. You are one of them."

He looked at Chen Zhen.

"For that final difficult question, only two people in the whole grade solved it. You are one of them."

Chen Zhen said nothing.

Old Li waited for two seconds and nodded.

"Alright, let's start class."

Chen Hao turned his head from the front row and glanced at Chen Zhen.

In that gaze, there was no longer any complexity, only a kind of calmness.

He had resigned himself to it.

After school, Chen Zhen packed his bag to leave.

Shen Mo walked over from behind and stood next to him.

"Chen Zhen, are you free tonight?"

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"What is it?"

Shen Mo took that small fragment out of his pocket.

"It lit up again. This time it's very bright."

Chen Zhen looked at that fragment.

The dark blue light was flashing, the frequency twice as fast as usual.

It was resonating.

Resonating with what?

Chen Zhen activated [Fragment Perception].

Seventeen points of light.

Five red ones—two were moving in the northeast direction.

Seven yellow ones—three were moving.

Three green ones—all were stationary.

Shen Mo's small piece—it was right in front of him.

And there was one newly appeared point of light.

It was right here in this city.

Less than five kilometers away.

Chen Zhen retracted his perception.

Another piece.

"Tonight at eight, see you at the base."

Shen Mo nodded.

8:00 PM, Secret Base.

Chen Zhen sat cross-legged in the center of the array, with Shen Mo and Zhou Rui sitting opposite him.

That small fragment was placed on the table, glowing blindingly.

"It is pointing the way," Chen Zhen said. "Lead the way."

Shen Mo picked up the fragment and closed his eyes.

A few seconds later, he opened his eyes.

"East side. The old town area."

Chen Zhen stood up.

"Let's go."

8:30 PM, in front of an abandoned residential building in the old town area.

The three of them stood downstairs, looking up at that dilapidated six-story building.

Most of the windows were broken, the walls were mottled, and the area in front of the building was overgrown with weeds.

Fragment Perception showed that the light point was in this building, on the fourth floor.

Chen Zhen walked in front, with Zhou Rui and Shen Mo following behind.

The stairwell was very dark and dirty, full of trash and dust everywhere. The walls were covered in messy graffiti.

They went up to the fourth floor, Room 401.

The door was ajar.

Chen Zhen pushed the door open and walked in.

The room was a mess—tables and chairs overturned, books scattered all over the floor, and there were even scorched marks on the walls.

A young man was sitting in the corner, with his back to them.

He heard the movement and turned his head.

He was in his early twenties, thin, with injuries on his face. His eyes were a pale gold, a bit like Shen Mo's grandfather's.

He looked at Chen Zhen and smiled.

"You've come."

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"Who are you?"

The young man took a dark blue fragment from his bosom and placed it on the ground.

The fifth piece.

"My name is Shen Nian," he said. "Shen Zhiyuan's grandson. Shen Mo's... cousin."