175 Enchanted Forest
Cheng Tianbi patted Cong Xia's arm and stared into his eyes. "Are you very tired? Let me take you back to rest."
Cong Xia shook his head and whispered, "Tianbi, I've discovered something crucial."
"What is it?"
Cong Xia took a deep breath. "Inform my second uncle and Zhuang Yao, let's go to the conference room."
Zhuang Yao widened his eyes. "What? Yao Qianjiang has a puppet jade in his head?"
Cong Xia explained with difficulty, "It's not a real puppet jade. No matter where there might be a puppet jade on him, I can feel it. It's not a real puppet jade, but it exists in his consciousness."
Zhuang Yao frowned. "When you browsed through Yao Qianjiang's memories, are you sure that it's not just a small fragment of his memory related to the puppet jade? His memories about the puppet jade are quite extensive."
"No, it's entirely different. His memories about the puppet jade are indeed abundant, but most of them are... For example, the scenes of him obtaining the puppet jade for the first time or the injuries he sustained while seizing a certain piece. Each memory about the puppet jade has context, presented through visuals or text as carriers. But that puppet jade is different. It just appears in Yao Qianjiang's brain, as if it's a part of him."
Cong Zhenzhong asked, "When you helped Zhuang Yao break through the Second Stage, did you find anything in his brain?"
"I didn't notice at that time. The information in Zhuang Yao's brain was too vast and complicated, and he was also conversing with me, which distracted my attention."
Zhuang Yao contemplated, "From these two experiences, we can infer that the time of advancement is the most vulnerable moment for a mutant. Injecting energy into their bodies allows us to search for information in their brains. However, if what Zhuang Yao said about manipulating the immense energy from the energy core is true, then the time of advancement could also be the most powerful moment for a mutant. They could use that energy to deliver a fatal blow. It seems that the process of advancement has many aspects worth studying."
Cong Xia said, "Now, except for Wu Yu, all the natural power mutants have successfully advanced. If we want to confirm whether every natural power mutant has a virtual puppet jade in their minds, we can only try it with Wu Yu."
Cong Zhenzhong said with concern, "During Yao Qianjiang's rest, I will conduct some research on him. However, we have already studied the natural power mutants extensively during their early appearance, and we didn't find anything particularly abnormal. But if they all hide a puppet jade in the depths of their minds, then the source of their energy surpassing all other mutant species is highly suspicious."
Cong Xia looked solemn. "Even if there is no puppet jade, their energy source is still astonishing. If other mutants have evolved from ordinary humans into superhumans, then the development of natural power mutants has turned them into gods.
They can manipulate the natural forces, control winds, summon rain, and manipulate fire and earth. While evolution, reversion, or mutation can be barely explained from a biological perspective, the direction of controlling natural forces is beyond our understanding. Moreover, there are so few natural power mutants that it's difficult to categorize them under any specific evolutionary direction. It's as if they were created independently."
"Yes, they do seem like they were created independently, not fitting into any of the three major categories: evolution, reversion, or mutation."
"Independently created..." Cheng Tianbi muttered, his expression thoughtful.
Cong Zhenzhong sighed, "I always feel this is a scheme of the Cambrian consciousness, but we have no idea what it intends to do."
Cong Xia looked worriedly at Cheng Tianbi. Whether it was because of the suggestive name "puppet jade" or because the puppet jade existed in Yao Qianjiang's mind, many speculations related to "manipulation" and "puppet" easily emerged among the group. However, no one was willing to speak about them until there was conclusive evidence, as such speculations were chilling. Nevertheless, everyone generally agreed with Cong Zhenzhong's view that the existence of natural power mutants might indeed be part of a scheme by the Cambrian consciousness. They just didn't know the impact of this scheme on humans or on the natural power mutants themselves.
Zhuang Yao said, "It seems inviting Wu Yu to Beijing is a must. All the natural power mutants in Beijing have broken through the Second Stage. I don't believe he will stay put."
Tang Tingzhi added, "I'll send someone to gather information about Chongqing. It's not us who should be anxious."
Zhuang Yao said, "I'm very interested in the so-called source energy of the energy core mentioned by Zhuang Yu. It seems he had quite a remarkable experience during the more than twenty hours when he broke through the Second Stage."
Cheng Tianbi said, "If you want to know, then focus on your cultivation. You are the slowest among everyone."
"I'm only 12 years old. I can't compete with adults in terms of physical strength, and I need at least 7 hours of sleep every day to grow taller. Under such circumstances, I have the least disposable time. It's only normal that I'm slower," Zhuang Yao explained.
Liu Fengyu rubbed his soft hair and said, "You're still so confident. Let me calculate. Xia Xia broke through the Second Stage within a month, Xiao Deng will take at most two months. What about you? How long do you plan to take?"
Zhuang Yao pushed away his hand. "I told you, I will adjust my schedule and try to catch up with Deng Xiao."
Deng Xiao snorted, "I will be faster than you."
Zhuang Yao gave him a glance, "You're always eating and sleeping or playing with cats. I won't fall behind you."
Deng Xiao said defiantly, "I also practice for several hours every day. Besides, I play with cats to save some time for you. If I don't accompany Abu, then you have to accompany it. Someone has to do the physical work.
Liu Fengyu laughed heartily as he patted Deng Xiao's back, "That's the way to live."
Cheng Tianbi tapped the table with his fingers. "In that case, I'll set a strict rule today. Everyone must break through the Second Stage within two months. After breaking through the Second Stage, we still have many abilities to develop, and the more time we have, the better. So, try to put aside other matters and focus on cultivation."
"Agreed!" the three of them said in unison.
After dinner, Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia went back to their room to rest.
Cong Xia's eyelids were heavy with exhaustion. Thinking about today's shocking and perilous events, he was relieved that he snapped out of it in time. If he had kept delving into that piece of puppet jade, he could have really harmed Yao Qianjiang.
Once inside the room, he flung himself onto the bed, not wanting to move at all.
Cheng Tianbi covered him, lightly holding his arm and whispered, "Not going to take a bath?"
Cong Xia shook his head, "Too lazy to move."
Cheng Tianbi suddenly said, "Let me give you a kiss."
"Huh?" Cong Xia raised his head, looking puzzled at Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips, then lay on the bed, silently watching him.
Cong Xia chuckled, "What's up with you?"
"Nothing."
"You seem a bit off." Cong Xia reached out and pinched Cheng Tianbi's face. "Are you worried about the puppet jade in Yao Qianjiang's mind?"
Cheng Tianbi quickly said, "What does it have to do with me if there's puppet jade in his mind?" He seemed to feel that his expression wasn't clear enough, so he added, "Why should I be worried?"
Cong Xia was taken aback. "Well, if there's puppet jade in his mind, there might be some in yours too. I find it quite worrying."
"If there's puppet jade in my mind, you should indeed be worried, not about Yao Qianjiang," Cheng Tianbi tightened his arm, his strong hand resting dominantly on Cong Xia's waist.
Cong Xia narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Why do I smell a hint of jealousy?"
Cheng Tianbi tapped his head, "Who told you not to take a bath."
"I just took a bath in the morning, okay? I'm not dirty at all."
"Take another bath," Cheng Tianbi said, flipping over and pressing down on Cong Xia. He licked Cong Xia's lips and said, "Take a bath with me."
Cong Xia hugged his neck and chuckled, "Alright..."
After a night of passion, Cong Xia had a good night's sleep and didn't wake up until after nine.
Cheng Tianbi returned from his morning exercise and brought breakfast to Cong Xia's bedside. Cong Xia was in a great mood, humming a tune while washing up and eating. As he ate, he asked, "Are you going to the training ground today?"
"Yes, I'll stay there unless there are other tasks," Cheng Tianbi replied.
"Alright, I'll stay in the room to cultivate. It's quiet here."
"Okay, if you need anything, just call me through the internal line."
"What could happen in the room? You can go without worries."
Cheng Tianbi thought for a moment and asked, "What time do you want me to come back?"
"Huh?"
"Every day, what time do you want me to finish training and come back?"
Cong Xia was taken aback. "Isn't that dependent on your training schedule?"
"I can adjust the time. We've been running around outside during this time, and we haven't had much time to... be together. If you want me to come back early, I'll come back early." Cheng Tianbi's voice grew softer, and his expression seemed a bit awkward.
Cong Xia smiled and stuffed a piece of sweet and sour pork into his mouth, "How about 10 o'clock? We'll have our meals together on time—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can come back at exactly 10 p.m. every night. You can't overdo it either."
Cheng Tianbi nodded, "Alright, 10 o'clock."
After Cheng Tianbi left, Cong Xia planned to tidy up the room and start cultivation. At this moment, the internal line phone in his room rang. It was the assistant of Cheng Zhenzhong calling.
"Hello, Xiao Xia."
"Cong Xia, are you awake?"
"Yes, I'm up."
"Yao Qianjiang is awake. He said he's feeling uncomfortable and wants to see you."
"Oh, alright, I'll come over in a while."
Cong Xia changed into another set of clothes and headed towards the experimental area.
Yao Qianjiang was placed in a laboratory with several conductive wires attached to his body. Officially, Cheng Zhenzhong stated that he was unstable after breaking through the Second Stage and needed to be observed. But in reality, they were secretly studying his brain, though it seemed to have no significant progress.
Cong Xia entered the laboratory. "Prefecture Lord."
Yao Qianjiang opened his eyes and smiled at him. "Cong Xia, you're here."
"Prefecture Lord, how are you feeling? Is there anywhere uncomfortable? Do you need my help?"
"To be honest, I feel uncomfortable everywhere. A bit nauseous, dizzy, and I want to throw up. But I guess you can't do anything about it. Just sit with me for a while."
Cong Xia pondered for a moment and sat down, "These are all normal symptoms. Rest for a few days, and you'll be fine. When Colonel Shen broke through the Second Stage, his condition was worse than yours."
"Oh, so what I experienced yesterday wasn't the most dangerous?"
Cong Xia hesitated, "Well, it was... relatively dangerous." His eyes flickered. He couldn't help but peek into Yao Qianjiang's memories, realizing that he had suffered quite a bit, and it could have been much worse. Cong Xia felt a bit guilty but didn't plan to tell Yao Qianjiang about it.
Yao Qianjiang had no idea what happened. He was still immersed in the joy of breaking through the Second Stage, so as long as he survived, he had nothing to complain about. He reached out and gently placed his fingers on Cong Xia's hand, smiling. "Cong Xia..."
Cong Xia was momentarily stunned, feeling a cool touch on the back of his hand. He lowered his head and saw that Yao Qianjiang's originally warm fingertips had turned into transparent crystals, leaving a cool and moist sensation on Cong Xia's skin, which was quite pleasant.
Cong Xia happily smiled, "Congratulations, Prefecture Lord."
Yao Qianjiang looked at his hand, his eyes filled with undisguised joy. "It's amazing. Will my whole body turn into water someday?"
"We estimate that when a natural-powered evolutionist reaches the Third Stage, their whole body will be elementalized."
Yao Qianjiang glanced at him and casually asked, "What stage has Cheng Tianbi reached?"
Cong Xia hesitated for a moment. He didn't really want to talk about it.
Yao Qianjiang smiled, "Do you not trust me? After all, we are in the same camp now, and we are going to Qinghai together. There's nothing to hide, right?"
Cong Xia thought about it and realized that there wasn't much need for secrecy. Cheng Tianbi had already elementalized in front of Qiao Shan, a woman who was an expert in digging up gossip about mutants. Sooner or later, the news would spread. He replied, "Close to half, I guess."
"Has he already elementalized half of his Second Stage?"
"No, the elementalization process gets slower as you progress. Fingertips, toes, and such peripheral parts elementalize faster, but the main trunk takes much longer. That's why we deduced that he might have to wait until he breaks through again."
Yao Qianjiang squinted his eyes, "I must be progressing the slowest now. It seems I have to catch up." Though he said it casually, Cong Xia could sense the underlying dissatisfaction in his tone.
Li Dao'ai was right—Yao Qianjiang was a competitive and ambitious person.
Cong Xia could only comfort him, "Prefecture Lord will definitely catch up."
Yao Qianjiang glanced at Cong Xia and smiled, "Speaking of which, this is our first time being alone, right? The time you helped me heal doesn't count—I looked so terrible back then, I'd rather you forget about it."
"Prefecture Lord, you were quite composed back then, and I truly admire that," Cong Xia sincerely said. If those insects had grown on him, he would have preferred cutting off his own legs.
Yao Qianjiang raised an eyebrow, "Do you really think so?"
"Absolutely," Cong Xia smiled, "It was a situation that would make anyone frown."
"Do you know that before I got injured, I had already heard about you? After getting injured, I looked forward to seeing you every day because you were my only hope. I didn't want to die, nor did I want to molt. My Yao Qianjiang's life is too strong to be defeated by a group of insignificant creatures. So at that time, I thought you would definitely save me."
Cong Xia blushed slightly and smiled shyly.
Yao Qianjiang looked deeply into his eyes, a captivating gaze, "After seeing you, you were completely different from what I had imagined. I even doubted whether you were capable. But thankfully, you didn't disappoint me."
Cong Xia felt that the atmosphere was somewhat strange. Yao Qianjiang suddenly became so sentimental. Could he be trying to win him over again? How come he hasn't given up yet?
Yao Qianjiang chuckled, "I know what you're thinking, that I'm trying to win you over again?"
Cong Xia felt a bit embarrassed and didn't know how to respond.
Cong Xia nervously laughed a couple of times.
Yao Qianjiang played with his fingers, and the slender tips of his fingers would sometimes turn transparent and then return to normal. "It's a pity, Cong Xia. Did I forget to tell you that you happen to be my type?"
Cong Xia was taken aback, staring at Yao Qianjiang wide-eyed.
Yao Qianjiang winked at him with a playful expression. "Are you so surprised?"
Cong Xia couldn't sit still anymore. No one had ever confessed to him before, and if this counted as a confession, he didn't know if Yao Qianjiang was just teasing him.
"The information system in the Academy should be quite advanced, right? Hasn't anyone told you that I like men?"
Cong Xia blushed, "Sexual orientation... has nothing to do with abilities, so, no, I haven't been informed." In truth, he had seen some ambiguous moments between men in Yao Qianjiang's memories, but he hadn't paid much attention to it at the time. Now, thinking back, it seemed there were some scenes.
Yao Qianjiang sat up, smiling as he looked at Cong Xia. "Now you know?"
Cong Xia instinctively leaned back slightly, feeling a bit awkward. "Prefecture Lord, do you know that..."
"I know, I can tell. The relationship between you and Cheng Tianbi is not ordinary," Yao Qianjiang said with a light laugh. "So what? I'm a selfish person. Before the apocalypse, I relied on defeating opponents in court to survive. Even after the apocalypse, I may not be a lawyer anymore, but I've kept that 'good habit.' Cong Xia, I quite like you. You look... very appetizing, making me want to keep you in my pocket."
Cong Xia stood up from the chair and said awkwardly, "Prefecture Lord, if you're feeling better now, I'll leave."
Yao Qianjiang laughed heartily, "Do you really fear me this much? I won't do anything to you."
Cong Xia replied, "Prefecture Lord, I'm not afraid. I just think we should spend our time on more useful things, like training and recovering puppet jades. Some things aren't worth wasting time on, don't you think?"
Yao Qianjiang smiled faintly, "Such a thorough rejection? It's the first time I've encountered this. It hurts my pride a bit."
Cong Xia took a step back slowly, "Prefecture Lord, get some rest. I'll leave now."
Yao Qianjiang nodded, "Go ahead. Remember to visit me tomorrow."
Cong Xia quickly left the room.
Cong Xia was genuinely surprised by Yao Qianjiang's words. He didn't believe that Yao Qianjiang could actually like him. Yao Qianjiang's predatory attitude made him cautious, and besides, he wasn't foolish. Not to brag, but he was indeed the only one with a special ability, and he wouldn't let himself be used by others.
In this world, he only trusted his second uncle and the companions who had been through thick and thin with him from the beginning.
As he walked out of the laboratory, he ran into Cong Zhenzhong.
"Uncle."
"Xiao xia, what did Yao Qianjiang say to you?"
"You have surveillance cameras, right?"
"Yes."
Cong Xia felt that it was hard to distinguish expressions from the surveillance footage, especially when Yao Qianjiang didn't do anything inappropriate. He calmly said, "Nothing important. He just asked about Tianbi's level of elementalization."
"I see. Yesterday, while he was sleeping, I scanned his brain, but I didn't find anything abnormal."
"That's expected. He doesn't seem to have anything unusual. We'll have to wait until you help Wu Yu break through to the second stage."
"Xiao xia." Cong Zhenzhong's expression suddenly became serious. "Are you getting along well with Tianbi?"
Cong Xia was taken aback by the sudden question. He didn't know why his uncle would ask this. He replied hesitantly, "We get along fine."
"If, and I say if, the puppet jade in Yao Qianjiang's deep consciousness is indeed real and exists in the minds of all natural power evolutionists, then... when burying the puppet jade..."
Cong Xia's heart trembled. "Uncle, what do you mean?" He already understood, but he didn't want to think about it further.
Cong Zhenzhong sighed, "Xiao xia, we've been following a misunderstanding all along. We assumed that the puppet jade is the executor of the Cambrian consciousness' goal of eliminating humanity. However, the puppet jade might not be the only executor, or to put it another way, the puppet jade might not necessarily exist in the form of jade."
Cong Xia furrowed his brows, "Uncle, I really don't understand what you mean. But are you implying that the natural power evolutionists might be used by the Cambrian consciousness?"
"Until we have definitive answers, I can't say too much. But you're my nephew, and I have personal concerns..." Cong Xia pressed his lips together, "I hope you can... observe Tianbi more closely. If there's anything different about him, you must inform me as soon as possible. After all, you're the person closest to him. Only by unraveling all the mysteries of the Cambrian consciousness as soon as possible can we possibly prevent more harm to people, including you."
Cong Xia bit his lip. "I... understand," he said.
Cong Zhenzhong patted his shoulder and walked away.
Cong Xia stayed in place, even though the air around him was warm, he felt a chill in his body.
What was his second uncle implying? Cambrian consciousness... Puppet jade... Natural power evolutionists. What was the relationship between these three? If Tianbi's deep consciousness also harbored a puppet jade, he didn't know how he would react.
After returning to his room, he forced himself to detach from the emotions of what had just happened and focused on cultivation. He knew that thinking too far ahead right now wouldn't be of any use. He needed to focus on solving the most important matters one by one. Only by steadily advancing towards their goals could he feel at ease and hopeful. As long as he worked hard and they became strong enough, they could bring everything under control.
He had to believe in this.
175 Enchanted Forest
Cheng Tianbi patted Cong Xia's arm and stared into his eyes. "Are you very tired? Let me take you back to rest."
Cong Xia shook his head and whispered, "Tianbi, I've discovered something crucial."
"What is it?"
Cong Xia took a deep breath. "Inform my second uncle and Zhuang Yao, let's go to the conference room."
Zhuang Yao widened his eyes. "What? Yao Qianjiang has a puppet jade in his head?"
Cong Xia explained with difficulty, "It's not a real puppet jade. No matter where there might be a puppet jade on him, I can feel it. It's not a real puppet jade, but it exists in his consciousness."
Zhuang Yao frowned. "When you browsed through Yao Qianjiang's memories, are you sure that it's not just a small fragment of his memory related to the puppet jade? His memories about the puppet jade are quite extensive."
"No, it's entirely different. His memories about the puppet jade are indeed abundant, but most of them are... For example, the scenes of him obtaining the puppet jade for the first time or the injuries he sustained while seizing a certain piece. Each memory about the puppet jade has context, presented through visuals or text as carriers. But that puppet jade is different. It just appears in Yao Qianjiang's brain, as if it's a part of him."
Cong Zhenzhong asked, "When you helped Zhuang Yao break through the Second Stage, did you find anything in his brain?"
"I didn't notice at that time. The information in Zhuang Yao's brain was too vast and complicated, and he was also conversing with me, which distracted my attention."
Zhuang Yao contemplated, "From these two experiences, we can infer that the time of advancement is the most vulnerable moment for a mutant. Injecting energy into their bodies allows us to search for information in their brains. However, if what Zhuang Yao said about manipulating the immense energy from the energy core is true, then the time of advancement could also be the most powerful moment for a mutant. They could use that energy to deliver a fatal blow. It seems that the process of advancement has many aspects worth studying."
Cong Xia said, "Now, except for Wu Yu, all the natural power mutants have successfully advanced. If we want to confirm whether every natural power mutant has a virtual puppet jade in their minds, we can only try it with Wu Yu."
Cong Zhenzhong said with concern, "During Yao Qianjiang's rest, I will conduct some research on him. However, we have already studied the natural power mutants extensively during their early appearance, and we didn't find anything particularly abnormal. But if they all hide a puppet jade in the depths of their minds, then the source of their energy surpassing all other mutant species is highly suspicious."
Cong Xia looked solemn. "Even if there is no puppet jade, their energy source is still astonishing. If other mutants have evolved from ordinary humans into superhumans, then the development of natural power mutants has turned them into gods.
They can manipulate the natural forces, control winds, summon rain, and manipulate fire and earth. While evolution, reversion, or mutation can be barely explained from a biological perspective, the direction of controlling natural forces is beyond our understanding. Moreover, there are so few natural power mutants that it's difficult to categorize them under any specific evolutionary direction. It's as if they were created independently."
"Yes, they do seem like they were created independently, not fitting into any of the three major categories: evolution, reversion, or mutation."
"Independently created..." Cheng Tianbi muttered, his expression thoughtful.
Cong Zhenzhong sighed, "I always feel this is a scheme of the Cambrian consciousness, but we have no idea what it intends to do."
Cong Xia looked worriedly at Cheng Tianbi. Whether it was because of the suggestive name "puppet jade" or because the puppet jade existed in Yao Qianjiang's mind, many speculations related to "manipulation" and "puppet" easily emerged among the group. However, no one was willing to speak about them until there was conclusive evidence, as such speculations were chilling. Nevertheless, everyone generally agreed with Cong Zhenzhong's view that the existence of natural power mutants might indeed be part of a scheme by the Cambrian consciousness. They just didn't know the impact of this scheme on humans or on the natural power mutants themselves.
Zhuang Yao said, "It seems inviting Wu Yu to Beijing is a must. All the natural power mutants in Beijing have broken through the Second Stage. I don't believe he will stay put."
Tang Tingzhi added, "I'll send someone to gather information about Chongqing. It's not us who should be anxious."
Zhuang Yao said, "I'm very interested in the so-called source energy of the energy core mentioned by Zhuang Yu. It seems he had quite a remarkable experience during the more than twenty hours when he broke through the Second Stage."
Cheng Tianbi said, "If you want to know, then focus on your cultivation. You are the slowest among everyone."
"I'm only 12 years old. I can't compete with adults in terms of physical strength, and I need at least 7 hours of sleep every day to grow taller. Under such circumstances, I have the least disposable time. It's only normal that I'm slower," Zhuang Yao explained.
Liu Fengyu rubbed his soft hair and said, "You're still so confident. Let me calculate. Xia Xia broke through the Second Stage within a month, Xiao Deng will take at most two months. What about you? How long do you plan to take?"
Zhuang Yao pushed away his hand. "I told you, I will adjust my schedule and try to catch up with Deng Xiao."
Deng Xiao snorted, "I will be faster than you."
Zhuang Yao gave him a glance, "You're always eating and sleeping or playing with cats. I won't fall behind you."
Deng Xiao said defiantly, "I also practice for several hours every day. Besides, I play with cats to save some time for you. If I don't accompany Abu, then you have to accompany it. Someone has to do the physical work.
Liu Fengyu laughed heartily as he patted Deng Xiao's back, "That's the way to live."
Cheng Tianbi tapped the table with his fingers. "In that case, I'll set a strict rule today. Everyone must break through the Second Stage within two months. After breaking through the Second Stage, we still have many abilities to develop, and the more time we have, the better. So, try to put aside other matters and focus on cultivation."
"Agreed!" the three of them said in unison.
After dinner, Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia went back to their room to rest.
Cong Xia's eyelids were heavy with exhaustion. Thinking about today's shocking and perilous events, he was relieved that he snapped out of it in time. If he had kept delving into that piece of puppet jade, he could have really harmed Yao Qianjiang.
Once inside the room, he flung himself onto the bed, not wanting to move at all.
Cheng Tianbi covered him, lightly holding his arm and whispered, "Not going to take a bath?"
Cong Xia shook his head, "Too lazy to move."
Cheng Tianbi suddenly said, "Let me give you a kiss."
"Huh?" Cong Xia raised his head, looking puzzled at Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips, then lay on the bed, silently watching him.
Cong Xia chuckled, "What's up with you?"
"Nothing."
"You seem a bit off." Cong Xia reached out and pinched Cheng Tianbi's face. "Are you worried about the puppet jade in Yao Qianjiang's mind?"
Cheng Tianbi quickly said, "What does it have to do with me if there's puppet jade in his mind?" He seemed to feel that his expression wasn't clear enough, so he added, "Why should I be worried?"
Cong Xia was taken aback. "Well, if there's puppet jade in his mind, there might be some in yours too. I find it quite worrying."
"If there's puppet jade in my mind, you should indeed be worried, not about Yao Qianjiang," Cheng Tianbi tightened his arm, his strong hand resting dominantly on Cong Xia's waist.
Cong Xia narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Why do I smell a hint of jealousy?"
Cheng Tianbi tapped his head, "Who told you not to take a bath."
"I just took a bath in the morning, okay? I'm not dirty at all."
"Take another bath," Cheng Tianbi said, flipping over and pressing down on Cong Xia. He licked Cong Xia's lips and said, "Take a bath with me."
Cong Xia hugged his neck and chuckled, "Alright..."
After a night of passion, Cong Xia had a good night's sleep and didn't wake up until after nine.
Cheng Tianbi returned from his morning exercise and brought breakfast to Cong Xia's bedside. Cong Xia was in a great mood, humming a tune while washing up and eating. As he ate, he asked, "Are you going to the training ground today?"
"Yes, I'll stay there unless there are other tasks," Cheng Tianbi replied.
"Alright, I'll stay in the room to cultivate. It's quiet here."
"Okay, if you need anything, just call me through the internal line."
"What could happen in the room? You can go without worries."
Cheng Tianbi thought for a moment and asked, "What time do you want me to come back?"
"Huh?"
"Every day, what time do you want me to finish training and come back?"
Cong Xia was taken aback. "Isn't that dependent on your training schedule?"
"I can adjust the time. We've been running around outside during this time, and we haven't had much time to... be together. If you want me to come back early, I'll come back early." Cheng Tianbi's voice grew softer, and his expression seemed a bit awkward.
Cong Xia smiled and stuffed a piece of sweet and sour pork into his mouth, "How about 10 o'clock? We'll have our meals together on time—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can come back at exactly 10 p.m. every night. You can't overdo it either."
Cheng Tianbi nodded, "Alright, 10 o'clock."
After Cheng Tianbi left, Cong Xia planned to tidy up the room and start cultivation. At this moment, the internal line phone in his room rang. It was the assistant of Cheng Zhenzhong calling.
"Hello, Xiao Xia."
"Cong Xia, are you awake?"
"Yes, I'm up."
"Yao Qianjiang is awake. He said he's feeling uncomfortable and wants to see you."
"Oh, alright, I'll come over in a while."
Cong Xia changed into another set of clothes and headed towards the experimental area.
Yao Qianjiang was placed in a laboratory with several conductive wires attached to his body. Officially, Cheng Zhenzhong stated that he was unstable after breaking through the Second Stage and needed to be observed. But in reality, they were secretly studying his brain, though it seemed to have no significant progress.
Cong Xia entered the laboratory. "Prefecture Lord."
Yao Qianjiang opened his eyes and smiled at him. "Cong Xia, you're here."
"Prefecture Lord, how are you feeling? Is there anywhere uncomfortable? Do you need my help?"
"To be honest, I feel uncomfortable everywhere. A bit nauseous, dizzy, and I want to throw up. But I guess you can't do anything about it. Just sit with me for a while."
Cong Xia pondered for a moment and sat down, "These are all normal symptoms. Rest for a few days, and you'll be fine. When Colonel Shen broke through the Second Stage, his condition was worse than yours."
"Oh, so what I experienced yesterday wasn't the most dangerous?"
Cong Xia hesitated, "Well, it was... relatively dangerous." His eyes flickered. He couldn't help but peek into Yao Qianjiang's memories, realizing that he had suffered quite a bit, and it could have been much worse. Cong Xia felt a bit guilty but didn't plan to tell Yao Qianjiang about it.
Yao Qianjiang had no idea what happened. He was still immersed in the joy of breaking through the Second Stage, so as long as he survived, he had nothing to complain about. He reached out and gently placed his fingers on Cong Xia's hand, smiling. "Cong Xia..."
Cong Xia was momentarily stunned, feeling a cool touch on the back of his hand. He lowered his head and saw that Yao Qianjiang's originally warm fingertips had turned into transparent crystals, leaving a cool and moist sensation on Cong Xia's skin, which was quite pleasant.
Cong Xia happily smiled, "Congratulations, Prefecture Lord."
Yao Qianjiang looked at his hand, his eyes filled with undisguised joy. "It's amazing. Will my whole body turn into water someday?"
"We estimate that when a natural-powered evolutionist reaches the Third Stage, their whole body will be elementalized."
Yao Qianjiang glanced at him and casually asked, "What stage has Cheng Tianbi reached?"
Cong Xia hesitated for a moment. He didn't really want to talk about it.
Yao Qianjiang smiled, "Do you not trust me? After all, we are in the same camp now, and we are going to Qinghai together. There's nothing to hide, right?"
Cong Xia thought about it and realized that there wasn't much need for secrecy. Cheng Tianbi had already elementalized in front of Qiao Shan, a woman who was an expert in digging up gossip about mutants. Sooner or later, the news would spread. He replied, "Close to half, I guess."
"Has he already elementalized half of his Second Stage?"
"No, the elementalization process gets slower as you progress. Fingertips, toes, and such peripheral parts elementalize faster, but the main trunk takes much longer. That's why we deduced that he might have to wait until he breaks through again."
Yao Qianjiang squinted his eyes, "I must be progressing the slowest now. It seems I have to catch up." Though he said it casually, Cong Xia could sense the underlying dissatisfaction in his tone.
Li Dao'ai was right—Yao Qianjiang was a competitive and ambitious person.
Cong Xia could only comfort him, "Prefecture Lord will definitely catch up."
Yao Qianjiang glanced at Cong Xia and smiled, "Speaking of which, this is our first time being alone, right? The time you helped me heal doesn't count—I looked so terrible back then, I'd rather you forget about it."
"Prefecture Lord, you were quite composed back then, and I truly admire that," Cong Xia sincerely said. If those insects had grown on him, he would have preferred cutting off his own legs.
Yao Qianjiang raised an eyebrow, "Do you really think so?"
"Absolutely," Cong Xia smiled, "It was a situation that would make anyone frown."
"Do you know that before I got injured, I had already heard about you? After getting injured, I looked forward to seeing you every day because you were my only hope. I didn't want to die, nor did I want to molt. My Yao Qianjiang's life is too strong to be defeated by a group of insignificant creatures. So at that time, I thought you would definitely save me."
Cong Xia blushed slightly and smiled shyly.
Yao Qianjiang looked deeply into his eyes, a captivating gaze, "After seeing you, you were completely different from what I had imagined. I even doubted whether you were capable. But thankfully, you didn't disappoint me."
Cong Xia felt that the atmosphere was somewhat strange. Yao Qianjiang suddenly became so sentimental. Could he be trying to win him over again? How come he hasn't given up yet?
Yao Qianjiang chuckled, "I know what you're thinking, that I'm trying to win you over again?"
Cong Xia felt a bit embarrassed and didn't know how to respond.
Cong Xia nervously laughed a couple of times.
Yao Qianjiang played with his fingers, and the slender tips of his fingers would sometimes turn transparent and then return to normal. "It's a pity, Cong Xia. Did I forget to tell you that you happen to be my type?"
Cong Xia was taken aback, staring at Yao Qianjiang wide-eyed.
Yao Qianjiang winked at him with a playful expression. "Are you so surprised?"
Cong Xia couldn't sit still anymore. No one had ever confessed to him before, and if this counted as a confession, he didn't know if Yao Qianjiang was just teasing him.
"The information system in the Academy should be quite advanced, right? Hasn't anyone told you that I like men?"
Cong Xia blushed, "Sexual orientation... has nothing to do with abilities, so, no, I haven't been informed." In truth, he had seen some ambiguous moments between men in Yao Qianjiang's memories, but he hadn't paid much attention to it at the time. Now, thinking back, it seemed there were some scenes.
Yao Qianjiang sat up, smiling as he looked at Cong Xia. "Now you know?"
Cong Xia instinctively leaned back slightly, feeling a bit awkward. "Prefecture Lord, do you know that..."
"I know, I can tell. The relationship between you and Cheng Tianbi is not ordinary," Yao Qianjiang said with a light laugh. "So what? I'm a selfish person. Before the apocalypse, I relied on defeating opponents in court to survive. Even after the apocalypse, I may not be a lawyer anymore, but I've kept that 'good habit.' Cong Xia, I quite like you. You look... very appetizing, making me want to keep you in my pocket."
Cong Xia stood up from the chair and said awkwardly, "Prefecture Lord, if you're feeling better now, I'll leave."
Yao Qianjiang laughed heartily, "Do you really fear me this much? I won't do anything to you."
Cong Xia replied, "Prefecture Lord, I'm not afraid. I just think we should spend our time on more useful things, like training and recovering puppet jades. Some things aren't worth wasting time on, don't you think?"
Yao Qianjiang smiled faintly, "Such a thorough rejection? It's the first time I've encountered this. It hurts my pride a bit."
Cong Xia took a step back slowly, "Prefecture Lord, get some rest. I'll leave now."
Yao Qianjiang nodded, "Go ahead. Remember to visit me tomorrow."
Cong Xia quickly left the room.
Cong Xia was genuinely surprised by Yao Qianjiang's words. He didn't believe that Yao Qianjiang could actually like him. Yao Qianjiang's predatory attitude made him cautious, and besides, he wasn't foolish. Not to brag, but he was indeed the only one with a special ability, and he wouldn't let himself be used by others.
In this world, he only trusted his second uncle and the companions who had been through thick and thin with him from the beginning.
As he walked out of the laboratory, he ran into Cong Zhenzhong.
"Uncle."
"Xiao xia, what did Yao Qianjiang say to you?"
"You have surveillance cameras, right?"
"Yes."
Cong Xia felt that it was hard to distinguish expressions from the surveillance footage, especially when Yao Qianjiang didn't do anything inappropriate. He calmly said, "Nothing important. He just asked about Tianbi's level of elementalization."
"I see. Yesterday, while he was sleeping, I scanned his brain, but I didn't find anything abnormal."
"That's expected. He doesn't seem to have anything unusual. We'll have to wait until you help Wu Yu break through to the second stage."
"Xiao xia." Cong Zhenzhong's expression suddenly became serious. "Are you getting along well with Tianbi?"
Cong Xia was taken aback by the sudden question. He didn't know why his uncle would ask this. He replied hesitantly, "We get along fine."
"If, and I say if, the puppet jade in Yao Qianjiang's deep consciousness is indeed real and exists in the minds of all natural power evolutionists, then... when burying the puppet jade..."
Cong Xia's heart trembled. "Uncle, what do you mean?" He already understood, but he didn't want to think about it further.
Cong Zhenzhong sighed, "Xiao xia, we've been following a misunderstanding all along. We assumed that the puppet jade is the executor of the Cambrian consciousness' goal of eliminating humanity. However, the puppet jade might not be the only executor, or to put it another way, the puppet jade might not necessarily exist in the form of jade."
Cong Xia furrowed his brows, "Uncle, I really don't understand what you mean. But are you implying that the natural power evolutionists might be used by the Cambrian consciousness?"
"Until we have definitive answers, I can't say too much. But you're my nephew, and I have personal concerns..." Cong Xia pressed his lips together, "I hope you can... observe Tianbi more closely. If there's anything different about him, you must inform me as soon as possible. After all, you're the person closest to him. Only by unraveling all the mysteries of the Cambrian consciousness as soon as possible can we possibly prevent more harm to people, including you."
Cong Xia bit his lip. "I... understand," he said.
Cong Zhenzhong patted his shoulder and walked away.
Cong Xia stayed in place, even though the air around him was warm, he felt a chill in his body.
What was his second uncle implying? Cambrian consciousness... Puppet jade... Natural power evolutionists. What was the relationship between these three? If Tianbi's deep consciousness also harbored a puppet jade, he didn't know how he would react.
After returning to his room, he forced himself to detach from the emotions of what had just happened and focused on cultivation. He knew that thinking too far ahead right now wouldn't be of any use. He needed to focus on solving the most important matters one by one. Only by steadily advancing towards their goals could he feel at ease and hopeful. As long as he worked hard and they became strong enough, they could bring everything under control.
He had to believe in this.
