Chapter 421 - Worms

The white porcelain-like vein had already disappeared into my body through the small cut in my belly button, the wound sealing itself so quickly that only a thin line of blood remained. For a few breaths, nothing happened. Then I felt it move. Not physically, not like some worm crawling beneath my skin, but through my spiritual senses.

Actually, it did feel kind of like a worm.

The vein sank deeper into my body, then unraveled into countless thin strands of white energy. They spread through my veins, following the pathways my Qi normally traveled before gradually dissolving into them.

My entire body warmed, and Qi began swelling inside me.

I frowned and immediately sat down, circulating my Qi as the increase continued. There was no pain, no violent rejection, not even the uncomfortable bloating sensation that usually came from absorbing too much energy at once. My reserves rose steadily until, several minutes later, the process finally stopped.

I opened my eyes and released a thread of Qi from my fingertip. It shot out much harder than intended, and the nearby stone table cracked.

"...Right."

I tried again.

This time, I wanted only enough Qi to lift a sheet of paper. Instead, the paper shot upward, fluttered across the room, and slapped against the ceiling.

I stared at it for a moment.

So there was a side effect. Nothing serious, though.

My total quantity of Qi had increased without my control improving alongside it. It was like suddenly gaining twice the strength in an arm while retaining the muscle memory of the weaker one. Movements that had once required a certain amount of effort now produced considerably more force.

I pulled my research journal closer and began writing.

‘Pure Heart Vein: Unicorn

Primary effect: Permanent increase in raw Qi reserves.

Observed side effects: Minor loss of fine Qi control immediately following absorption. Techniques require recalibration to account for increased output.’

I paused, tapping the brush against the edge of the inkstone. Then I added another line.

‘Expected duration of side-effects: Temporary. Should disappear once the body and spiritual sense become accustomed to the increased quantity of Qi.’

I stared at the words before circulating my Qi again, and a cup rattled on the other side of the table. I sighed and added one final note.

‘Recommendation: Do not attempt delicate array work immediately after absorption.’

Five-star Foundation Establishment felt no different from before. Though the way this breakthrough was achieved had chipped away at my foundation, it wasn't nearly as bad as taking a pill would have been. As long as I continued at a steady pace from now on, everything would eventually return to normal.

However, this Pure Heart Vein was truly something made for those favored by the heavens. There were too few drawbacks. For those who used quick-burst techniques to overpower their opponents, the temporary loss of control might not even be a bad thing. Though Foundation Establishment was not the best stage to use it as a way to rapidly break through.

Someone who hadn't planned out their Foundation Techniques properly could suffer a very dangerous backlash or worse, hastily create an incompatible technique just to rush their breakthrough.

I rubbed my chin, smiling.

This Foundation Technique had turned out exactly how I wanted it to. Which was expected after all the research I had put into it, but there was always a sense of anxiety about these things.

My fifth Foundation Technique was named: Supernatural Sense Enhancement.

A simple name, but it lived up to it and became an important part of the future Core Technique I was planning. I worked on sensory techniques for so long, and it paid off big.

Supernatural Sense Enhancement was more of a passive skill. It enhanced not just my Qi-sensory sixth sense, but every sensory technique I used received a boost too, and that was a bit of a surprise.

I was probably one of the few guys who researched each Foundation Technique for years before forming it.

But before I could put all my new findings into the notebook in my hand, I sensed a violent and murderous Qi approaching the door of the lab room I was in.

Since when did she know where my secret lab was? She knew I had one, but not where. How did she even sense me here?

Song Song slammed the door open.

“Hey! Why do I have no position in the hierarchy of Wisdom Hall?” Song Song asked.

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I sighed, closing my notebook after adding some finishing touches, and turned to face my dear friend, who was clearly too bored and looking for her daily dose of drama. She needed a rival or mortal enemy to get rid of all this excess energy.

“Wisdom Hall positions will not necessarily be based on raw power,” I cleared my throat, thinking of how to explain this. “We have three ranks, which are Learned Scholar, Great Scholar, and Elder.”

“Then why am I not even a Learned Scholar?” She narrowed her eyes at me like a viper.

“For someone to get the rank of Learned Scholar, they need a basis of general knowledge,” I told her. “Technically, you qualify for Great Scholar, since to get that you need to develop or invent a new technique. But ranks can’t be skipped like that.”

Song Song had developed the killing intent technique I invented, pushing it further and polishing it to a level I had no chance of achieving. But the rest of her “inventions” had never been written down, if there were any, and Foundation Techniques didn’t count.

“I should be an Elder with all the stuff I put up with,” she grumbled.

“Not really. To have the Elder title, someone needs to develop multiple techniques and be a core member of Wisdom Hall who helps with world-changing research. Only I somewhat qualify for that,” I told her. “Also, there will be no nepotism in Wisdom Hall. Even my sons won’t become official members-”

“I couldn’t care less about your sons, we are talking about me here,” she declared.

“I thought you liked Liu Ma?”

“Which twin is that?” She frowned, looking confused.

“The talented one. Which did you think?” I sighed, knowing she had already forgotten her little talk with Liu Ma during the talent testing ceremony.

“Yeah, well, whatever. He is your brat, not mine. Now, about my position?” Song Song waved her hand as if waving away a fly.

“It really touches my heart to see my second-best friend care about my children so little,” I sarcastically commented while shrugging.

“You-” She was about to say something, then her frown deepened before turning into an angry smile. “Second-best friend?”

“Yeah, Speedy is my best friend,” I smiled.

She sighed. “I didn’t want to do this, but it seems like we must eat turtle stew, and this whole Wisdom Hall seems to have skewed your priorities. No, it has skewed your head!”

Song Song and I continued bantering like an old couple with too much time on their hands. I was busy, and Song Song was many things, but being considerate of other people's time was not one of them.

Well, it wasn’t like I absolutely hated these little banters of ours. We were best friends, and a little bantering was just the water this plant called friendship needed.

******

Ni Shi had a vigorous daily routine. Now that so many people had joined, it was hard to keep up with all the gossip happening in the Misty Mountains. But that was also part of the joy.

Who would ever complain about having too much of what they loved?

He flew through the air like a snake slithering through the sky. The wind pressure from that movement made the clouds shift, revealing the bridges connecting the mountain peaks.

Liu Feng was going to get prissy about that. But Ni Shi had no choice.

Recently, he had sensed that Jiang Yeming’s cultivation had stagnated, almost completely stalled. Which was weird for someone her age and with her talent. She should have surpassed Liu Feng by now, but she was still a step behind.

Before, he believed it was because the young woman was trying to build a solid foundation.

But Ni Shi's senses stung whenever he thought about it. Was she using some kind of demonic technique and had suffered a backlash? Or perhaps there was some secret technique she had stolen from an ancient sect that required her to consolidate her cultivation before releasing its ultimate power?

His tongue tingled at the thought of what story might be behind it. However, there was one small bump he had to overcome, and that was just how perceptive Jiang Yeming was. Her sensory range and precision were both monstrous for a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

They were stronger than Liu Feng's by at least a big step or two, and that guy was no slouch either.

But how could Ni Shi, as a proud and glorious Nascent Soul beast, give up because of something so minor? His fate was in his hands!

His breath vanished. His movements made no sound. Even his presence seemed to melt into the world itself. Years of observation, patience, and bitter experience had finally brought Ni Shi to this realm.

From that day onward, wherever three people gathered to speak of a fourth, Ni Shi would know.

So, with a heart full of excitement, he approached the place where Jiang Yeming was. He moved unseen, unheard, and unnoticed, like a shadow among shadows. If shadows had an unhealthy interest in other people’s business.

The place was a small clearing in the forest next to Liu Feng's house, and Jiang Yeming was sitting cross-legged atop a boulder. Before her was Liu Feng's son… whatever their names were. It was one of the twins.

Jiang Yeming had her hands on his back, and her forehead was covered in sweat, her breathing rapid.

Even Ni Shi was shocked by what he saw. It seemed like a new technique, but he understood its essence at a glance. Jiang Yeming was burning her Qi as fuel to temper the kid's body, building a better foundation. The kid would also have an easier time sensing Qi when it came time to enter the Qi Gathering realm.

This method was like cutting off your own arm to heal a small cut. Even Jiang Yeming's vast reserves of Qi, when compared to a normal person, were being burned at an incredible rate to accomplish this…

Ni Shi almost felt bad just watching it.

So this was why her cultivation had stalled?

Burning her Qi like this was far from easy. The pain alone would have most people screaming and crying. Because she was permanently burning Qi she had absorbed, and that had already fused with her.

Why did she even care about Liu Feng's spawn? Neither kid was that special. Sure, one had the potential to reach Nascent Soul. So what? How many people had he met with the potential to do that? He even knew many who had lived up to that potential.

So… Why did she do this?

Ni Shi's thousands of years of experience not minding his own business quickly inspired a likely scenario.

Jiang Yeming was Liu Feng's secret daughter!

Wait, how old was Liu Feng again? Meh, it didn't matter! All the clues pointed to this!

A sister helping her brother. Liu Feng hid this secret extremely well. No one would ever think Jiang Yeming was his daughter from the way they communicated. Only a genius like him could see past the curtain of lies.

There were many paths beneath the heavens. Ni Shi had somehow walked the Path of the Busybody further than anyone alive.

Of course, he would keep this a secret. Liu Feng was his friend.

…He would only talk about it with some like-minded mortals.