Chapter 95

Chapter 15: The Secret of the Foundation Stone

　　”You brat, cursing me like this!”

　　Grandfather finally realized what was going on and got so angry that the branches of the mulberry tree swayed as if they were about to hit her.

　　”No no, look what you’re saying, how could I do such a thing,” Yuan Xiaoling quickly dodged to the side, “we always talk like this.”

　　All busty blondes talk like this; they’re used to it.

　　The branches of the mulberry tree rose high, quivering like blowing beards, but eventually calmed down.

　　”Now you know I’m your real grandpa, why didn’t you realize that when you were being stubborn yesterday?”

　　Thinking back to what Yuan Xiaoling said yesterday made Grandfather furious. He told her to go out more often for activities, but she went into girls’ rooms instead. He told her to use her phone less and play fewer games, but she said he was annoying.

　　Before the younger ones entered the forest, their phones would always be confiscated!

　　Yuan Xiaoling, hearing this, stiffened her little face: “There was no stubbornness, grandpa, everything I said was reasonable and evidence-based truth.”

　　”You think you have reasons?!”

　　”I awakened my spiritual energy months ago and every day I ‘exercise’ with my girlfriend in the room, now I’m at fourth-tier,” Yuan Xiaoling declared confidently, “If I hadn’t played on my phone and stayed indoors, but instead practiced in the woods like others, would I be at fourth-tier right now?”

　　Grandfather was stunned.

　　This… it seems… really hard to argue against.

　　After a moment of silence, he asked: “How did you advance so fast? And… directly to fourth-tier?”

　　No bottlenecks at all?

　　”I don’t know,” Yuan Xiaoling innocently blinked her eyes, “just doing stuff everyday, and before I knew it, I was here.”

　　”…”

　　Yuan Xiaoling’s little heart pounded. Bai Ling had told her that during this period, people’s understanding of the awakening of spiritual energy was still shallow, many seemingly unreasonable things would be considered rare oddities.

　　Just like decades ago, when people first came from the countryside to the city and saw UFOs flying in the sky, they thought it was normal in the city, just because they lacked knowledge.

　　When there are more samples of Spiritual Energy Manipulators and statistical models, people will have a better understanding of spiritual power levels. At that time, whether Yuan Xiaoling reaching fourth-tier so quickly or Bai Ling achieving fifth-tier at her age would cause worldwide commotion.

　　But now, even Grandfather, who is already sixth-tier, only marvels at how amazing spiritual energy is.

　　”Spiritual energy is truly wondrous,” Grandfather sighed, “Now tell me, what do you want from me?”

　　Looks like I’ve slipped through!

　　Yuan Xiaoling rubbed her hands together and softly said, “Nothing major, just wanted to consult you old master about the transition from fifth to sixth-tier, and the foundation stone.”

　　The mulberry tree swayed twice again.

　　”You’ve just reached fourth-tier, far from fifth-tier, why ask about advancing to sixth-tier?”

　　”But I’m fourth-tier now, what if one day I suddenly reach fifth-tier?” Yuan Xiaoling replied, “It’s better to be prepared.”

　　The mulberry tree’s branch blew its ‘beard’, and Grandfather humphed.

　　”Don’t think I don’t know, you’re asking for that girl surnamed Bai, aren’t you?”

　　Ah, busted! Yuan Xiaoling’s face turned red, “Well, although…”

　　”Young as you are, you’re already favoring outsiders,” Grandfather seized the opportunity to lecture her mercilessly, “Always helping others get the good stuff. What if later you can’t keep up with her and she runs away, what then?”

　　”That’s impossible.”

　　Hearing that, Ningning wasn’t convinced: “She definitely won’t run away, okay, absolutely no possibility.”

　　In her previous life, Ningning managed to stick with Bai Ling forever despite having nothing but white milk snowflakes. This time, with everything she needs, why wouldn’t she succeed?

　　But Grandfather didn’t know this, and misinterpreted her confidence as coming from daily “activities” in Bai Ling’s room.

　　Well, it seems… not too big of a problem.

　　”It’s good that you understand.”

　　After saying that, Grandfather fell silent for a while. Ningning waited anxiously until her stomach growled, and then he continued:

　　”To make a long story short, even I don’t fully understand. A few years ago, before I broke through, Chunhai City experienced an incident.”

　　He spoke slowly, and Yuan Xiaoling thought she shouldn’t just stand there listening, so she returned to the dining table and sat down.

　　Uncle Yuan saw her come back and was about to ask, “Xiaoling, what did your grandfather say to you…”

　　Then he noticed Yuan Xiaoling shushing him.

　　She served herself some rice, added some dishes on top, and walked to the entrance of the hall next to a potted plant, allowing Grandfather to continue speaking through it.

　　”Before summer that year, there was a heavy spring rain that lasted from late February until early April…”

　　”Spring rain? In February? Isn’t February winter?”

　　”I’m talking about the lunar calendar!”

　　Grandfather couldn’t help himself anymore, and the leaves of the potted plant slapped Xiaoling’s little head.

　　”Lunar calendar! Lunar calendar! Lunar calendar!”

　　The slap didn’t hurt, she barely felt it, while eating her meal.

　　”Oh, lunar calendar, understood.”

　　After slapping off a few leaves, Grandfather calmed down and continued,

　　”The rain lasted from February… lunar calendar February to lunar calendar April. Although there was no flooding, the prolonged rainy season brought abundant vitality. Vegetation overgrew in various parts of Chunhai City, and in some areas, oxygen-rich zones even appeared. During my investigation, I found that excessive concentration of spiritual energy caused abnormal phenomena.”

　　Did you win the battle for air with the plants? —— Xiaoling originally wanted to ask, but her mouth was full of rice.

　　Not far from the dining table, Yuan Sheng looked puzzled seeing her sitting by the potted plant with a bowl.

　　”Yuan Tong, Cousin Xiaoling… what is your sister doing?”

　　Yuan Tong glanced at her and his eyelid twitched.

　　”I don’t know, but my sister must have her reasons.”

　　At this moment, Uncle Yuan cleared his throat, telling them not to interfere and educating the younger generation: “Don’t just look at appearances. Otherwise, how could Cousin Xiaoling be so much stronger than you? Often, we need to see through the surface to find the essence.”

　　Of course, even Uncle Yuan didn’t know that the essence was Xiaoling finding a way to shut her own mouth to avoid irritating the elder.

　　”To put it simply, when a place produces an excess concentration of spiritual energy, it indicates that the spiritual energy concentration there is very high. Corresponding to elemental spirits, it is the wood attribute of the elemental foundation stone. While researching the reason behind this phenomenon, I felt a resonance.”

　　”Resonance?”

　　She almost burst to speak.

　　”Yes, resonance, resonance with the corresponding attribute foundation stone. It was then that I finally understood that the foundation stone doesn’t merely refer to classification, but actually exists as something tangible.”

　　”Each foundation stone, even each attribute, has a different form. I think the name ‘foundation stone’ might originate from the earliest discovered earth attribute of the elemental foundation stone, perhaps something like a stone slab.”

　　”And the wood attribute foundation stone is a glowing tree.”

　　”At that time, I wasn’t the only one who found it; some outsiders also arrived following the anomaly. To seize this foundation stone, we fought fiercely. Due to the suddenness of the situation, I had no backup and gradually became outnumbered.”

　　Grandfather suddenly sighed deeply and continued, “Fortunately, I decided to take a risky move, completely surrendering to the resonance feeling, abandoning myself… then I merged with the foundation stone and successfully broke through to the sixth-tier. But due to insufficient preparation, I was forced to become elementified.”

　　”Elementalized?” Yuan Xiaoling was slightly shocked, “Then you…”

　　”Yes, I now exist in an elemental form, relying on the foundation stone of Chunhai City. On ordinary days, my consciousness roams among the plants throughout the city. Besides keeping an eye on you unaccomplished descendants, there’s nothing else to do.”

　　”I’m not unaccomplished,” Yuan Xiaoling instinctively pouted her cheeks, “I’m already fourth-tier.”

　　And she brought back a fifth-tier wife, destined to bring honor to the family.

　　”Hmph!”

　　Grandfather coldly snorted, “Anyway, the conclusion is this: to ascend from fifth to sixth-tier, first find a place where a fragment of the foundation stone matching your attribute is hidden, then devise a way to excessively concentrate corresponding spiritual energy, and finally achieve resonance.”

　　Corresponding attributes… Tianhai City’s recent appearance of ghosts most likely represents the mental-type manifestation.

　　”So, how to concentrate spiritual energy and complete resonance?” Yuan Xiaoling humbly asked.

　　”Each attribute is different. The wood attribute in Chunhai City was completed by a spring rain. How should I know what your wife needs?” Grandfather said, “Aren’t you a genius? Figure it out yourself.”

　　Not an angry response, he genuinely didn’t know. For the current spiritual energy realm, what he had just said was already cutting-edge theory.

　　After hearing her grandfather’s story, Ningning finished her lunch.

　　”Alright, grandpa, thank you.”

　　Seeing her about to leave, the branches of the potted plant swayed a few times.

　　”Don’t forget tomorrow’s flower appreciation gathering! Don’t stay up late tonight!”

　　”Got it, got it.”

　　Walking back to the dining table, putting down her bowl, Yuan Xiaoling saw several confused faces.

　　”Cousin Xiaoling,” Yuan Tong tentatively asked, “What you did earlier, does it have some deep meaning?”

　　Yuan Xiaoling thought for a moment and left two cold, proud words:

　　”Seeking the Dao!”

　　After saying that, the blonde-haired maiden turned and left, leaving the youths staring at each other blankly.

　　”I told you, my sister must have her reasons,” Yuan Tong said.

　　Actually, he didn’t understand either… but it didn’t matter, otherwise, how could someone else be fourth-tier?

　　…

　　In a wing of the Yuan Family Compound, a white-haired maiden leaned against the pillow at the head of the bed. After a while, she quietly pressed her shoulder.

　　Last night was too intense, her shoulders were a bit sore. The pillow wasn’t soft enough, nowhere near as good as Dabeitù.

　　”Huff~”

　　Her fingers had limitations, Bai Ling thought, if only she were sixth-tier.

　　Sixth-tier would allow full-body exercises.

　　According to future theories, sixth-tier mental-types unlock “materialization,” which is the first step of spiritual power invading reality. If she reached sixth-tier, she could… emmmmmmm.

　　Bai Ling wasn’t without fantasies about how she’d use such terrifying powers if she broke through to sixth-tier.

　　Once, she imagined suddenly materializing a sharp scalpel at the vital points of enemies, or even inside their brains, killing in the mortal world and escaping from bloodshed. Families, noble houses, Zhang families, chambers of commerce, killing anyone within ten steps, leaving no trace over thousands of miles, kill kill kill kill kill kill kill!

　　As for now, all she could think about was a certain weapon prop, with two dragon heads, connected to her brain’s sensory nerves via spiritual power…

　　Cough cough, simply put, it was a special weapon, not body enhancement.

　　”Tsk.”

　　Bai Ling rubbed her head, feeling a bit off recently. Why was her mind… filled with…

　　”Bai Ling, I’m back~”

　　With a sweet, soft voice, the busty blonde happily pushed the door open and entered lightly.

　　”I’ll tell you, I accomplished something great, brute force…”

　　Then she sat by the bed and recounted everything she had learned from Grandfather.

　　”Enrichment and Resonance?”

　　”Exactly, and Tianhai City has been confirmed as the place with the fragment of the mental foundation stone,” Yuan Xiaoling pondered deeply, “but how to enrich…”

　　”I understand.”

　　”Eh?”

　　Bai Ling smiled faintly: “That’s why they kept fighting continuously in Tianhai City for a whole decade. Waves of Spiritual Energy Manipulators battled endlessly, replenishing from outside when too many died, yet yielding no substantial spoils.”

　　The emotions generated by Spiritual Energy Manipulators on the battlefield – joy from victory, despair from defeat, anger, sadness, sorrow from combat – these emotions imbued with spiritual power accumulated, finally succeeding in enrichment.

　　”They’re so inefficient,” Yuan Xiaoling pouted, “Why not set up an experimental field, gather newly awakened kids, and implement certain plans, like Uchiha Madara cultivating Uchiha Obito, or stimulating Magneto in the movies, that way it’s easier, faster, and cheaper.”

　　Ningning wasn’t cruel-hearted, she was just citing examples from the works she’d seen.

　　”Chuckle chuckle.”

　　Bai Ling laughed twice, looking up and letting the blonde see her crimson eyes: “What do you think?”

　　”…I seem to understand.”

　　True, if they overstimulated and created a fifth-tier powerhouse, they might end up wiping out their own entire family first.

　　To regain momentum, Ningning analyzed: “Regarding resonance, I believe we should proceed cautiously. Grandpa’s breakthrough wasn’t entirely successful; he was forced into his current state, possibly missing a crucial step.”

　　Bai Ling softly nodded and lowered her head in deep thought.

　　In the previous life, it took them several years for ghosts to finally appear, signifying successful enrichment. After that, everyone started battling over the foundation stone fragment. But in this life, things are different. The avenger who blew up Tianhai Tower placed the strongest emotions upfront and guided people’s emotional output, so… it would happen much faster.

　　Within a few months to half a year.

　　”We need to return earlier,” Bai Ling said, “We can’t wait till after summer vacation.”

　　”Eh? So soon?”

　　Yuan Xiaoling blinked and noticed Bai Ling was already packing her luggage, quickly pulling her aside and saying, “Wait, today won’t work, tomorrow won’t work either… We have a date tomorrow!”

　　”Date?”

　　Mentioning this word, Bai Ling recalled many things, remembering the couples’ hotels in Tianhai Square, the couples’ hotel beside the Queen Avenue Bar, the couples’ hotel near the suburban hill cemetery, the couples’ hotel by the central Tianhai Grand Hotel, the couples’ hotel near the school gate…

　　”Right, flower appreciation gathering, a specialty of Chunhai City,” Yuan Xiaoling grumbled, “You can’t find it anywhere else!”