437: Chapter 437 Upgraded Mind Resonance, Sun Heart Network

"Hey, you brat!"

Upon seeing this, Grandfather Li Zhenhua immediately glared with bristling whiskers:

"If you want to take back your move, just say so. Don't pull these crooked tricks."

Fang Cheng rubbed his nose and muttered with an innocent look:

"It's not like that, Grandfather. I just felt like someone was talking about me behind my back, making me sneeze uncontrollably."

Hearing this, Grandfather Li Zhenhua's eyes lit up. He stopped playing chess altogether and immediately said with great interest:

"I get it. It must be one of your girlfriends thinking about you."

Fang Cheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry:

"I'm single, where would I get a girlfriend?"

"Still pretending in front of Grandfather? Do you think my eyes are failing with age?"

Grandfather Li Zhenhua wore an expression of "I've already seen through everything" and began counting on his fingers:

"The young lady surnamed Zhou who lives next door to you on Jiuchang Street, every time she speaks to you softly, her face turns red almost to the roots of her ears."

"And that bespectacled university teacher, so gentle and refined, the way she looks at you is practically stringing out, wishing she could stick to you."

"A-Cheng, when your grandfather was young, I was also chased by many girls. Don't take me for a senile old fool who can't even see this..."

The old man got more and more enthusiastic, starting to analyze which girl was more virtuous and which was more suitable to be a granddaughter-in-Law, acting just like an experienced matchmaker.

Fang Cheng wore a helpless expression, could only pick up his teacup and drink silently, listening to Grandfather's "matchmaker lecture".

"Dinner is ready——"

Just at this moment, a gentle shout came from the house from his mother, Li Biyun, finally rescuing Fang Cheng.

The two walked into the house, and the newly renovated dining room was spacious and bright.

The brand-new mahogany dining table was matched with a set of carved Taishiyi chairs.

The walls were covered with warm yellow wallpaper, and a unique pendant lamp cast a soft light.

In the corner, there was also a half-person-high air purifier Running silently.

At this time on the dining table, four dishes and one soup were already set out, exuding an appetizing aroma.

Sweet and sour spare ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, cucumber in garlic sauce, and a plate of steamed sea bass drizzled with hot oil and sprinkled with chopped scallions, with a large steaming bowl of tomato and egg soup in the middle.

"Chengcheng, sit down quickly and eat more spare ribs. It looks like you've lost weight again recently. Is it because you aren't adjusting well while on business trips outside?"

Li Biyun said with heartache as she scooped rice for her son.

"Don't listen to your mother's nonsense. I see him as strong as a little calf."

Grandfather Li Zhenhua retorted:

"A man grows tall, and frequent exercise makes him look lean; this is called being a hanger."

With that, he picked up a small white porcelain wine cup.

"Come, A-Cheng, let us two have a drink."

"Hehe."

Fang Cheng smiled, clinked glasses with Grandfather, and drank it in one gulp.

Then he picked up his chopsticks, picked up a piece of spare rib into his mouth, and praised vaguely:

"Mom, your Culinary Arts are getting more and more exquisite. This taste is absolute perfection!"

"You just have a sweet mouth."

Li Biyun gave him a reproachful look:

"However, when it comes to Culinary Arts, Mom can't compare to you."

"That's right!"

Grandfather Li Zhenhua took over the conversation and said proudly:

"During the housewarming banquet last time, the Four Joy Meatballs made by A-Cheng—I packed some and sent them to the neighbors to eat, and they all said it was made even more authentically than the Master chef at Wanghulou in the town."

"In the future, even if A-Cheng doesn't go to work, opening a restaurant by Yulong Lake to cater exclusively to tourists would definitely not do badly."

At the height of his enthusiasm, he prepared to reach for the wine bottle again.

Li Biyun hurriedly pressed down on his hand:

"Dad, when we went for a follow-up checkup the day before yesterday, the doctor said that although your body is recovering well, it's best to quit drinking to avoid increasing the burden on your liver."

Grandfather Li Zhenhua sheepishly withdrew his hand and explained:

"A-Cheng is here today, and the house is lively. I was just accompanying him to drink a tiny bit..."

Ever since his gastrectomy surgery, he, who had always been fond of drinking, hadn't touched a single drop of alcohol for a full three months.

He had originally planned to take advantage of his grandson's visit to find an excuse to drink a couple more cups, but in the end, his daughter saw right through it.

Fang Cheng didn't follow his words to help pitch in, and immediately shook his head like a rattle-drum:

"Grandfather, my alcohol tolerance is not good. After drinking this small cup, I'm almost drunk."

Hearing this, Grandfather Li Zhenhua had no choice but to sigh helplessly:

"Alas, young people nowadays have worse and worse alcohol tolerance..."

As he spoke, he obediently put down the wine cup.

Seeing this, Li Biyun and Fang Cheng exchanged a smile.

The family gathered around the table in a harmonious and joyous atmosphere.

Fang Cheng was not polite either. He used his chopsticks to pile a bowl with dishes and buried his head, shovelling down the rice in big mouthfuls.

Like a tempest sweeping away fallen clouds, seeing this filled Li Biyun's and Grandfather Li Zhenhua's faces with smiles.

After lunch, Li Biyun was just getting ready to move and clean up.

But Fang Cheng stood up a step ahead, pushed his mother to sit comfortably on the sofa, and voluntarily took on all the housework.

Accompanied by the gurgling sound of water in the kitchen, from clearing dishes and chopsticks, scrubbing pots and washing dishes, to wiping the table and Cleaning the stove, his movements were skillful and well-organized.

After finishing the kitchen work, Fang Cheng did not stop, as if taking pleasure in it.

Then he cleaned the living room as well; the coffee table and TV cabinet were wiped bright, and the floor tiles were mopped by him to be as smooth and bright as a mirror.

Li Biyun looked at her son's busy, unceasing back, feeling both gratified and somewhat helpless.

Muttering in her heart whether he had suffered some kind of stimulation for a big man to like doing a woman's chores so much.

Fang Cheng's movements were neat and crisp, and after being busy inside and out for about half an hour, he got everything done.

At this time, Grandfather had already yawned and gone back to his room to take a nap.

His mother sat by the water well in the courtyard, picking and washing mugwort.

Qingming Festival was approaching, so she had to prepare the ingredients for making green rice cakes and moci.

After wringing out the mop and putting it away, Fang Cheng walked on tiptoe up to the second floor and returned to his bedroom.

Although he didn't live in this room often, it was kept spotless by his mother.

A single bed covered with blue sheets leaned against the wall, and neat tofu blocks of folded quilts were piled at the head of the bed.

Next to it was a solid wood desk, on which, apart from a few books brought earlier and a desk lamp, there was nothing else.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the window, casting a bright patch on the floor.

Outside the window were the antique streets of Wanghu Town, where one could faintly hear the peddlers' prolonged cries and the laughter of children chasing and playing.

Fang Cheng walked to the window, watched quietly for a moment, and then reached out to pull the curtains shut with a swish.

The light was blocked out, and the room instantly plunged into dimness.

The bustle of the outside world also seemed to be separated by an invisible barrier, and the whole world quieted down.

Fang Cheng sat cross-legged on the bed with his back straight.

The previous domestic gentleness quietly faded away, replaced by a deep introversion and sharp edge.

The next second, as if responding to his silent command, a light blue light screen quietly emerged.

[ Cleaning Experience + 2 ]

[ Cleaning Lv1 (246/250) ]

Looking at the prompt message of experience growth, Fang Cheng nodded with satisfaction.

Through unremitting practice, another skill was about to Breakthrough, rising to Great Master level.

Gazing at the glowing panel in the gloom, Fang Cheng's thoughts drifted back to yesterday.

After bidding farewell to Master Ma Jianguo in the evening, he drove away from Tianxin Village with a trunk full of tonics.

Fang Cheng didn't go directly to Wanghu Town, but first returned to his new house in Haitian Garden.

The house hadn't been lived in for many days.

Opening the door, a stuffy and stagnant smell hit his nostrils, and the furniture had a thin layer of dust on it.

Fang Cheng opened the windows for ventilation, then took out those precious medicinal herbs given by Master, categorizing and placing them properly according to their respective storage conditions.

After finishing all this, the night was already deep.

He then rolled up his sleeves and started Cleaning, busy until nearly midnight before finishing, feeling a wave of hunger.

After all, when eating at the Ma Family, to maintain his image, he hadn't fully opened his stomach to eat.

Fang Cheng opened the freezer at home, and it was empty inside.

Having been in seclusion for several days, coupled with the non-stop preparation for the hunting operation against the Noah Organization beforehand, there was simply no time to replenish food supplies.

Seeing this, he had to run to the convenience store downstairs and sweep clean the instant noodles on the shelves.

Then, luxuriously using the velvet antler blood slices given by Master, along with a few eggs, he boiled a large pot of noodles.

If placed in ancient times, this would definitely be called a high-end, atmospheric, and classy "palace imperial banquet".

A large pot of noodles went into his belly, and it only slightly relieved the hollow feeling in his stomach.

That craving originating from the Origin of life was still roaring in his limbs and bones.

Barely lining his stomach, Fang Cheng then walked to the bedroom, opened the safe hidden in the wardrobe, and took out those two blocks of "ancient remains".

He had to rely on these things to replenish the True Qi lost in his body.

Having been in seclusion in the water dungeon for several days, practicing Visualization of the True Sun Fire and shaping the Inner Scene World, he had almost squeezed dry all his life energy.

Not to mention that the previously accumulated True Qi was exhausted, even the most stubborn flesh and blood of the "crimson eye" were completely dissolved into golden blood and Qi to supply the needs of the Physical Body and spirit.

And after coming out of seclusion, the Dantian capacity had expanded several times, but the water level line of the True Qi ocean hadn't even reached half.

To prevent any unexpected needs, Fang Cheng didn't hesitate at all and decided to refill his True Qi as soon as possible.

He held the two blocks of ancient remains in both hands, and that "sun" in the Inner Scene World shone brilliantly.

The violent and chaotic radiation energy in the remains seemed to have found an outlet, continuously pouring into his body.

But under the illumination of the True Sun Fire, this energy was like a beast meeting its nemesis, instantly tamed and purified, finally transforming into the purest life energy and converging into the Dantian.

Strangely enough, the Qi Sea in the Dantian still presented an azure blue color, like a tranquil ocean.

Once guided by the True Sun Fire and gushing out of the Dantian, it would turn into True Qi blooming with golden light.

Fang Cheng didn't understand the principle behind it, guessing it was probably related to the epic talent "Water Breathing".

This process continued until the sky outside the window turned pale.

The two blocks of "ancient remains" in his hands revealed a grayish-white bone texture, and the dim blue light emitting from the surface had weakened by more than half.

And the True Qi ocean inside the Dantian had only just barely refilled.

Fang Cheng estimated that if these two treasures were used once more, they would probably be completely ruined.

There was no helping it. With his Physique breaking through the 60-point physiological limit, not only did his appetite increase greatly, but his energy demand also became terrifyingly huge, simply like a bottomless pit.

Feeling the refilled power inside his body, Fang Cheng didn't go to the beach for Running training again, but just casually did a few sets of Push-ups and Pull-ups at home.

Seeing that the traffic on the road outside was endless and it was getting late.

So he bought twenty meat buns to make do, and drove to Wanghu Town to reunite with his family so they wouldn't worry.

Because his uncle went to Tiannan Province on business, his mother had been living in Wanghu Town these days, taking care of Grandfather's daily life.

Fang Cheng also planned to live here for a few days, calm his mind, and thoroughly digest the results of this period of continuous combat and secluded Cultivation.

At this moment, looking at the progress bars of various skill columns on the panel.

Aside from the Cleaning skill, [ Tai Chi ] was also not far from leveling up.

Fang Cheng's gaze swept across them one by one, finally landing on that newly promoted Grandmaster-level exclusive skill.

[ Visualization Lv3 (35/1000) ]

[ Skill Special Effects: True Sun Fire, Inner Scene World, Mind Resonance, rapid eye movement ]

"True Sun Fire" and "Inner Scene World" needed no extra words.

As upgrades to "Fire of the Heart" and "Memory Palace", Fang Cheng had already gained a deep comprehension of their power during his seclusion.

As for the other two special effects, they were both inherited from the [ Meditation ] and [ Speed Reading ] skills.

His gaze first landed on "rapid eye movement".

[ Rapid Eye Movement: Enhances reading and memory efficiency by five times ]

Fang Cheng recited it silently and nodded slightly.

Upgraded from four times previously to five times, a better-than-nothing boost.

Compared to the earth-shaking qualitative changes of "True Sun Fire" and "Inner Scene World".

This could only be considered a steadily improving auxiliary ability, merely icing on the cake.

Fang Cheng did not linger too long here, instead focusing his attention on the much-changed "Mind Resonance".

The long string of densely packed explanatory text below indicated that this was one of the highlights of this skill promotion.

[ Your will has merged with the True Sun Fire, as if transforming into a star in the spiritual world ]

[ The original Mind Resonance effect has been enhanced. Your manifested image is no longer just a lighthouse, but the sun upon which the entire spiritual network relies for existence. You will possess the following four abilities ]

Fang Cheng's gaze moved down, carefully reviewing word by word.

[ Sun Heart Network: As the core of the network, you have absolute control, and the conditions for establishing spiritual connections have been greatly broadened ]

[ Wherever the light of the sun shines is your Domain. In addition to resonance generated by trust and worship, any individual holding strong directed emotions of fear, hatred, malice, etc., toward you will also cause you to sense it, and provide an opportunity to trace back its spiritual source through this, locking onto the target to counterattack ]

Seeing this, Fang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly.

Although this could not be called a qualitative leap, it was definitely a very useful enhancement.

The previous "lighthouse" was more like a passive signal receiver, only capable of receiving goodwill beliefs.

But now, it had evolved into a light network capable of active defense.

This meant that his Mind Resonance was no longer limited to good thoughts.

Fear, hatred, malice... these intense emotions would all become coordinates in the darkness, pointing out the enemy's location.

Fang Cheng couldn't help recalling that sudden, malicious blood light when fighting the "crimson eye" in the spiritual space.

If he had possessed this ability back then, he might have been able to instantly lock onto the source, urge the True Sun Fire, and deal a fierce counterattack to that hiding-in-the-shadows guy.

Fang Cheng reined in his thoughts and continued to read down.

[ Information Perception: You can connect with nodes in the network at any time, reading the surface thoughts and sensory information of any spiritually connected target ]

[ Energy Circulation: Maintaining the Sun Heart Network requires continuous consumption of your spiritual energy, but in return, the Power Of Will generated by all connected individuals will be absorbed and purified by the heart network, ultimately transforming into fuel for the "True Sun Fire", forming a perfect energy circulation and accelerating the joint growth between you and the Inner Scene World ]

Fang Cheng pondered slightly and roughly understood.

These two abilities looked quite similar to before.

It was just that the speed of spiritual connection and the efficiency of Power Of Will refinement had improved to a certain extent, which could be considered an optimization on the original basis.

Mediocre...

Fang Cheng evaluated silently, shifting his gaze to the final ability description.

[ Consciousness Descent: You can forcibly pull the consciousness of multiple connected targets into your "Inner Scene World" simultaneously ]

[ In this world, your will is the Law; you can create illusions at will for interrogation, deterrence, or spiritual healing, and you can also materialize powerful enemies based on their memories and fears, constructing a never-ending trial ]

Seeing this, a strong trace of interest finally flashed in the depths of Fang Cheng's eyes.

Forcibly pulling multiple targets into his own spiritual world?

This feeling... how was it a bit like teaming up to run a dungeon, while he was the GM and final BOSS who controlled everything?

As for what the specific effect actually was, it still had to be tested to find out...

Fang Cheng's thoughts turned slightly, and his gaze immediately fell ahead.

Deep within his pupils, golden flames seemed to be burning, brilliantly bright.

His line of sight unexpectedly penetrated the wall, looking toward another dimension.

In an instant, his consciousness had crossed the boundaries of matter and spirit, piercing through layers of darkness, and arriving at a land of light.

Transforming into the sun, he stood high above the heavens, overlooking the familiar island beneath his feet, as well as the rolling mountains and winding rivers on the island.

Afterwards, Fang Cheng cast his gaze toward the towering golden palace in the center of the island.

With a thought.

The next second, he was already seated majestically within the palace upon that throne forged from gold.