Chapter 350

One Hundred and Fifty-Eight Pages: Pursuing Hope’s Meeting (Part One)

[9:54]

[Magic Research Institute]

Realizing that Dragon Palace Princess Yǐjī had moved out, the paparazzi from the low-rent apartment area finally disappeared. Therefore, we didn’t need to enter through the back door of the barn but could directly take the elevator from the second floor of the apartment to the Magic Research Institute.

Opening the elevator door, I used Xiǎo Kǎi’s IC card.

As clothing, I detached from him, taking his backpack along with his phone, keys, and wallet. Oh, and there was also the pendant meant for Lǐn Huā and Zǐ Jiàng.

“Sister Língmèng… Sister Yīng.”

The elevator doors opened, and Bā Hé Mèi came forward. She returned with Professor Shí, probably having explained things to her parents.

“You’re late! Everyone’s waiting for you in the meeting room. Hurry up!”

“Meeting room? Isn’t it in the underground research institute?”

“Professor Shí has taken over the construction of the underground research institute, and no one else is allowed inside right now.”

Has that infrastructure fanatic gone into her cave-dwelling mode again?

“Miao…”

A meow echoed from above, and a pure white cat elegantly crouched beside Bā Hé Mèi’s feet.

“Little Xue, why did you turn back into a cat?”

“I absorbed my master’s knowledge and can speak normally now, no longer needing to maintain human form all the time.”

It was quite amazing to see a cat talk, although everyone had seen Yòu Zi talk before, so they weren’t as surprised.

“I haven’t had the chance to thank her, but she’s already gone… Although I feel regret, I will fulfill the duties she entrusted to me, spread her magic knowledge, and participate in today’s meeting.”

I stuffed all this information into Little Xue’s head to preserve her magical knowledge.

“Little Xue.”

Yòu Zi called out, jumping off Sister Lěi’s shoulder to hug the larger white cat—she seemed like she might pin Yòu Zi down any moment.

“Big Sister Yòu Zi, please don’t do that…”

Of course, Wise Little Xue didn’t do that. She let the restless weasel-like creature rub against her.

“Even if our master isn’t here, we are still sisters beyond species! Little Xue, let’s get along well in the future!”

“Um, but I think I’m older than you…”

Yòu Zi was just a baby weasel, while Little Xue was a two-year-old cat who grew up in the city.

“It’s because I turned into a human first! Age doesn’t matter on the animal side!”

Judging by their mental maturity, Yòu Zi did seem more like a younger sister.

“Now isn’t the time to talk about such trivial matters.”

Sister Lěi picked up Yòu Zi by the nape, saying, “Whether you’re a sister or a brother, we need to go to the meeting room.”

Bā Hé Mèi hurriedly said, “This way!”

The meeting room at the Magic Research Institute was in the first room on the left passage. Perhaps due to insufficient space in the archives, there were many file cabinets besides the long meeting table, making the room quite cramped.

The witches’ urgent desire to expand the research institute was evident.

Bā Hé Mèi pushed open the meeting room door.

“You’re here? Then sit down quickly.”

Zǐ Jiàng spoke, sitting in the secondary seat to the right of the main seat at the meeting table. She didn’t greet Sister Lěi, but the fool didn’t care. Without Xiǎo Kǎi around, these two who disliked each other didn’t even need to pretend to get along anymore.

Still, Zǐ Jiàng left three seats to her right. Li Qiuluo scratched his head and sat at the farthest seat when he saw them, shouldn’t the driver be waiting outside at such times?

Lǐn Huā sat down and glanced at the empty main seat.

“Zǐ Jiàng, hasn’t Boss arrived yet?”

“She’s in the next room discussing some matters with your grandmother.”

Though the price was high, the goal of rejuvenating Grandma was achieved.

However, this wasn’t perfect because the mother’s spell was disrupted by the high concentration of divine power during the transformation, leading to unpleasant side effects after the transformation.

Specifically, Grandma’s mental state was linked to her magical energy, causing her to become lethargic when her magical energy was low and even fall unconscious when it was depleted. Maintaining her magical energy became a physiological need, akin to eating and drinking.

These were the symptoms observed, but further side effects would require time to observe.

Noticing the movement, Zǐ Jiàng glanced at the meeting room door.

“They’re here.”

Lubifang, wearing a white coat, pushed the door open and stepped aside to let someone in.

Following behind her was a silver-haired… girl.

There was no need to hide, she was Huángfǔ Yuèhuá, our grandmother.

Though her age had returned to seventeen, her soul, tempered by time, exuded a calm aura. Her silver chain glasses were still on her face, but the lenses had changed to plain glass, though her white hair hadn’t reverted to black, likely due to the excessive divine power she had absorbed during the transformation.

Her slim figure seemed frail, her wrists delicate like early autumn sugarcane, as if they might break with a slight force. Her flat figure resembled Lǐn Huā, while her features were more similar to Aunt Zhēn… oh, they were mother and daughter, perhaps the statement should be reversed.

As the Boss of the Magic Research Institute and the organizer of this meeting, Lubifang naturally sat in the main seat.

“All are present, so we can start the meeting…”

Grandma, seated in the secondary seat on the left, interrupted her, saying, “Lubifang, no need to be so formal. This isn’t your company, and there are children here.”

Speaking softly, yet her brows carried an unshakable sorrow.

Daughter and grandson, who had never properly interacted, sacrificed themselves to save her. Grandma’s heart was heavy beyond words.

Lubifang looked at us and sighed along with Grandma.

“Little Ying.”

She then called my name.

“Besides Xiao Kai’s matter, there are two other issues to discuss today. Of course, these issues are related, and many questions require your knowledge to answer. Can you switch places with Zǐ Jiàng?”

“Oh, sure, no problem.”

It wasn’t an unreasonable request. I stood up and switched seats with Zǐ Jiàng, only to meet Grandma’s gaze.

What I saw in her eyes was guilt.

What Grandma saw in mine was likely the same.

“Additionally, there’s an absent ally today, Ling Qing.”

“Yes.”

Standing against the wall, Ling Qing operated the tablet in her hand and connected it to the projector in the meeting room. On the projection screen behind Lubifang appeared the message indicating the video call was active.

“You mentioned an ally…?”

The image showed an unfamiliar Asian woman, but her fearful expression felt familiar.

“…Oh, is it Grandpa?”

Though confined in the temple and unable to help, she was currently the reigning Goddess of Beautiful Girls, the “top expert” available to address issues of divine techniques and heavenly punishment.

No one understood heavenly punishment better than her.

Because those who knew more had vanished.

“Um, Yùhuá agreed to let her attend this meeting. Now isn’t the time to dwell on past grievances.”

Ling Qing placed the tablet on the meeting table.

Lubifang asked, “Cāng’ěr, can you hear me?”

Grandpa nodded on the projection.

“Yes… Is Yùhuá watching too?”

The tablet’s camera focused on Lubifang. “Of course, everyone is looking at you. At least now, you should act more composed.”

Today wasn’t about maturity, but Grandpa, accustomed to being a little girl, even with a mature woman’s appearance, still had childlike behavior.

“K-Know it!”

But hearing Lubifang, Grandpa maintained his increasingly gloomy expression.

“Alright, let’s start the meeting.”

Lubifang flipped through the prepared agenda.

“As I mentioned earlier, before discussing Xiao Kai’s matter, there are two easier tasks that could serve as clues to find Xiao Kai… Little Ying, the first clue I believe is yourself.”

Was she thinking the same thing?

“We’ve already explained this to Lǐn Huā and others. Here’s the explanation again… Before I complete my mission, even with half a soul, I can maintain existence as a spirit.”

“What is your mission?”

“To assist Xiao Kai in becoming a true deity.”

“If your master has disappeared, why are you still sitting here?”

The exact same question as this morning from Lǐn Huā.

“I don’t know how long I’ll exist. I am now an ownerless divine artifact.”

I felt it was natural for me to disappear at any moment.

After Xiao Kai disappeared and I lay in the forest, lost in thought for days, the desire to live within me gradually faded away…

“What is your basis for determining he is gone?”

“He vanished in front of me, and I can no longer sense his presence.”

“Is that enough?”

“How did you sense his presence before?”

As if prepared, Lubifang’s questions continued to bombard me.

“This is a function of being a divine artifact.”

“No, I don’t want a vague explanation. Can’t you explain the principle of this ability using your knowledge of divine techniques?”

“It’s the restraint.” I thought for a moment and answered, “There is a restraint between Xiao Kai and me. I can always observe his every move through the restraint laid by the Heavenly Path.”

Lubifang seized the opportunity to ask, “So could the restraint have broken?”

“The restraint is equivalent to the essence of my existence. It will never break… except in one case, which is Xiao Kai’s death.”

Despite such harsh words, Lubifang merely nodded understandingly, “So that’s why you are so certain that Xiao Kai has completely disappeared.”

“I certainly hope he hasn’t been erased, but…”

My nose tingled, almost bringing tears to my eyes, but Grandpa in the projection interrupted my sadness.

“Can’t listen to this anymore! Little Ying, your thinking is too rigid!”

“Huh?”

Lubifang turned the tablet, and the woman on the screen put her hands on her hips to lecture.

“There are two serious mistakes in your statement. First, the restraint given by the Heavenly Path can definitely be destroyed by the Heavenly Punishment. If the Heavenly Path truly sent Xiao Kai somewhere to restart his divine trials, it would sever all connections, including your restraint!”

“…If he’s restarting his trials, shouldn’t he bring me along?”

Grandpa didn’t answer my question, continuing, “Second mistake! Even if the restraint remains intact, there are many ways to block communication. This is something I can do, and the Heavenly Path could do it too. It’s easier than cutting the restraint directly… Your restraint must be isolated by the Heavenly Path.”

I thought of the letter Liaodàren gave Xiao Kai.