Chapter 160: Chapter 158: Jiang Cheng Shows Off from Afar
Lotus Cloud University’s Talisman Departnt new student Jiang Cheng?
New student scoring full marks in all five assessnts?
The Plant Autonomy Talisman, a talisman capable of massively increasing the yield of the Blood Orange Trees?
Shen Mi looked at the investigation report submitted by his confidant, and his heart nearly stopped.
If it weren’t for the pictures in the report as evidence, Shen Mi would want to imdiately dismiss the person responsible for the investigation.
After all, he was a Core Formation Stage Cultivator, a third-grade Alchemist, who had been stumbling through alchemy for over two hundred years.
As for Spirit Plants, he wouldn’t say he was very familiar with them, but he understood them like the back of his hand.
The Blood Orange Fruit was a very common Spiritual Material, with a very mature industry. How could its production massively increase just by a talisman?
It was only when Shen Mi saw the pictures of the fruit trees taken by soone from the Pursuit of Life Sect that he was completely at a loss for words.
The unkempt little trees in the photographs made him feel bewildered.
He even began to doubt himself, wondering if he had really understood the Blood Orange Tree, a type of Spirit Plant, before.
Otherwise, how could he explain the species in the pictures that looked extrely peculiar and not the least bit like a normal Blood Orange Tree?
The Pursuit of Life Sect provided pictures from various angles.
Only when Shen Mi saw the Blood Orange Fruit he was all too familiar with, did he truly dare to confirm that this unkempt-looking tree indeed appeared to be a Blood Orange Tree.
So, how exactly did it grow to look like that?
“Abbot, do you need to have soone from the Pursuit of Life Sect conduct a more detailed investigation?”
“No. You may go. I have my plans for this matter.”
After sending his subordinate away, Shen Mi went to a secluded place and took out a communication talisman.
His daughter was a junior at Lotus University. Asking her to inquire about Jiang Cheng under the guise of a senior was far more reliable than using soone from the Pursuit of Life Sect.
“Hello? Hanhan?”
In the study room of Lotus University’s library, Shen nghan answered the communication talisman.
“Hello, Dad.”
“Is it inconvenient to talk?”
“I’m in the library. Just keep your voice down, go ahead. I’m listening.”
In the girls’ dormitory at Lotus University, Yue Linger held the Plant Autonomy Talisman, her brows furrowed into knots.
Jiang Cheng had asked her to think about how to modify the Autonomy Talisman to achieve the function of “trees eating grass.”
At first, Yue Linger thought she had heard wrong.
After repeatedly confirming with Jiang Cheng, she realized she indeed hadn’t misheard.
It really was “trees eating grass.”
Even for Yue Linger, who had personally participated in the developnt of many of Jiang Cheng’s talismans, she still couldn’t accept Jiang Cheng’s latest idea for a while.
Was asking trees to eat grass a bit too imaginative?
Were trees and grass relatives? Would there be ethical issues?
Why could Jiang Cheng always co up with so many ideas that were incongruous with this world?
What on earth was in his mind?
Faced with Jiang Cheng’s request for ideas, Yue Linger’s rational mind: No, no, no, this won’t work. The idea is too preposterous. I’m just an ordinary person. I can’t think of a solution!
Yue Linger’s body: Okay, I’ll help you think of a solution.
Yue Linger slumped over her dorm desk, almost in tears.
Great, today is yet another day where I couldn’t say no to Jiang Cheng.
Yue Linger hugged her head, lying on the desk, and she couldn’t think of a solution no matter what.
In desperation, she saw Cheng Bingxin next to her doing nothing, ssaging soone, chatting over communication talisman.
“Bingxin, I want to ask you sothing.”
“Ask away. I’m busy right now,” Cheng Bingxin didn’t even look up.
“You know, trees and grass, do you know if they have any relationship?”
“What? You’re shipping this pair too?”
“Not a CP. I’m asking about the trees and… wait, CP? I think I have found a way!”
Yue Linger, like Cheng Bingxin, quickly took out her communication talisman and found the top contact, typing swiftly with her jade-like fingers.
Yue Linger: Jiang Cheng, I have an idea! Trees and grass represent plants, commonly associated with vitality. Vitality, in the theory of talisman design, is generally categorized under healing. In healing talismans, there is a “Bridge-crossing” Talisman, which can transfer “the sa origin of power” at close range between two objects. This talisman is usually used to provide ergency aid to cultivators exhausted of Spiritual Power.
Jiang Cheng: I understand your idea. You’re planning to design a reverse Bridge-crossing Talisman, changing the original “from more to less” transfer pattern to “from less to more.” This way, the Blood Orange Tree would gain strength from the weeds while simultaneously helping to clear the wasteland of the Spirit Plant Garden, achieving a win-win situation.
Yue Linger, staring at the ssage from Jiang Cheng on the communication talisman, felt astonished by his genius once again.
It was not surprising that Jiang Cheng could understand her idea.
What surprised Yue Linger was that he had, in such a short span of ti, found a “moral high ground” and achieved a “win-win” situation.
It was sothing she hadn’t anticipated at all.
She felt finding a moral high ground had beco an innate instinct for Jiang Cheng.
“What did you want to ask just now? What trees, what grass?” Cheng Bingxin, catching on, said to Yue Linger.
Yue Linger instinctively covered the communication talisman to keep Cheng Bingxin from seeing her chat with Jiang Cheng.
“It’s nothing. By the way, what were you doing just now? You didn’t lift your head, and you were ignoring .”
“Oh, it’s just a junior who wants to join the Talisman Drawing Society, quite interesting. His family seems to be pretty wealthy, and he keeps trying to show off to impress , cracked up. Hahaha.” Cheng Bingxin laughed heartily.
Yue Linger, who previously had no intention of dating, always kept a respectful distance from male cultivators ntioned by Cheng Bingxin. If anyone showed interest in her, she rejected them quite bluntly.
Now that she had Jiang Cheng, she cherished her reputation all the more, and couldn’t possibly chat and brag with juniors like Cheng Bingxin did.
“If you don’t like him, then don’t lead him on,” Yue Linger advised Cheng Bingxin.
Cheng Bingxin was no less attractive than she was. If she deliberately played with the junior, it would be all too easy.
“Wow, he was clearly just trying to bribe so that I’d let him sneak into the Talisman Drawing Society through the back door. What’s all this about like or dislike? Yue Linger, I’ve noticed that ever since you t Jiang Cheng, you’ve got ‘like’ on the tip of your tongue at the drop of a hat. What are you trying to say, huh?”
“I didn’t! I’m not talking to you anymore, I’m going to collect my clothes!”
“Humph humph.” Cheng Bingxin let out a victorious cheer.
She now had Yue Linger’s Achilles heel firmly in her grasp; just ntion Jiang Cheng, and within three sentences, little miss Yue would crumble on the spot.
A female cultivator with a man on her mind is just this vulnerable.
Gazing at the graceful figure of Yue Linger collecting clothes on the balcony, Cheng Bingxin fell into a wistful haze.
Why in the world is Yue Linger so afraid to confess her feelings to Jiang Cheng?
What exactly is she afraid of?
Doesn’t she realize she’s the beauty queen of Lotus University?
Could she be afraid that Jiang Cheng would reject her?
Impossible, what would Jiang Cheng have to reject her for?
Putting herself in Jiang Cheng’s shoes, Cheng Bingxin thought about how if Yue Linger confessed to her, she would without a doubt accept imdiately. Then, she would take the beauty queen of the university straight to a hotel off campus, set the record straight, and have Yue Linger utterly convinced, calling her ‘Daddy’.
Wouldn’t that be thrilling?
So there’s no way Jiang Cheng could possibly reject Yue Linger!
Then why is Yue Linger being such a wuss, afraid of what exactly?
As a major university of the Immortal Sect, the Lotus University Library certainly had clout.
The overall shape of the library was like a book resting on a desk.
It seed small from afar, but when you approached, you could only crane your neck to take in its height.
The Lotus University Library offered nurous functions, including the most basic library services like storing and lending books, as well as providing study spaces, conducting experints, and hosting events.
“Man, our university’s library is so luxurious!” Ding Guangming walked around inside the library like he had never seen anything like it before.
Song Junsheng chuckled, “Guangming, ask your buddy Hongcai how much he’s donated here, and you’ll understand why it’s so fancy.”
Ding Guangming: “Hongcai, how much did you spend?”
“Bullshit. As of now, I, Zhu Hongcai, am not the sa person I used to be,” Zhu Hongcai declared confidently.
He took out his communication talisman and showed the chat history between him and Cheng Bingxin to Song Junsheng and Ding Guangming.
“I haven’t even beco a certified Talisman Master yet and have already won the favor of a senior. Humph. Wait until I get my Talisman Master Certificate and join the Talisman Drawing Society. Then, I’ll show you what cruelty ans!”
Instantly envious, Ding Guangming marvelled, “Wow, Hongcai, you’ve already chatted with the senior this much?”
Song Junsheng shook his head helplessly. If only Zhu Hongcai would focus even a bit of his attention on the right path, he wouldn’t be mistaking a talisman brush for a calligraphy brush.
The three borrowed a few books related to talismans from the library’s collection and went to a study room inside the library to study.
Cheng Bingxin had told Zhu Hongcai about the free study rooms in the library, and as soon as Zhu Hongcai found out, he was keen to brag to his roommates.
Sorry, but the Zhu family has to show off whenever they get the chance.
Inside the study room, everyone was quietly studying, and only the sound of pages turning could be heard from ti to ti.
Even soone like Zhu Hongcai, who never studies, was influenced by this atmosphere, further solidifying his goal of attaining his Talisman Master Certificate.
Zhu Hongcai and his friends found a row of seats, but as soon as he sat down, Zhu Hongcai froze.
Ding Guangming touched Zhu Hongcai’s arm, puzzled, “Hongcai, why are you all stiff?”
Zhu Hongcai solemnly said, “Don’t talk, look to the left.”
Ding Guangming looked to the left and saw a beautiful and elegant girl sitting not far from his buddy Hongcai. Even her profile was as striking as that of their Talisman Drawing Society’s senior. She was currently engrossed in a book about alchemy.
“Guangming, do you think I can double cultivate pill and talisman arts? I’ve had a fiery temper since I was a child, and I feel like I have a talent for alchemy.”
Ding Guangming:
Song Junsheng:
Zhu Hongcai’s shifts in focus were so fast that even Ding Guangming couldn’t stand it anymore. Just yesterday, no, this very morning, Zhu Hongcai had sworn to devote himself to talismanship, aiming to pass the first stage Talisman Master exam within a month.
“Hongcai, first try opening the ‘Talisman Master’s Introduction’ you’ve just borrowed and take a look!”
Zhu Hongcai slowly shook his head, “That’s too small, Guangming. Your mindset is too narrow. For a genius like , just the pressure of talismanship isn’t enough to unleash my true potential. I think it’s crucial for to learn alchemy at the sa ti.”
Ding Guangming wanted to say more, but Song Junsheng pulled him back, whispering, “Don’t let Zhu Hongcai’s pretense fool you. He’s always been true to his spirit. Rember his dream?”
“Finding a wife?”
“Right. All this talk of talisman drawing and alchemy is just fluff; your Hongcai buddy only ever fancied beautiful girls. Don’t try to convince him. He’s actually doing pretty well for himself—ignorance is bliss.”
Ding Guangming thought it over and realized that at least Zhu Hongcai still had a dream, unlike him; he just followed the crowd without any aspirations of his own.
Currently at half-stage Talisman Master strength, Ding Guangming felt he should follow Junsheng and Cheng’s example and quickly beco a certified first-stage Talisman Master.
I an, with Cheng’s strong skills in talisman drawing, he must’ve already got his second-stage Talisman Master Certificate, right?
Just as Ding Guangming was about to begin his studies, the beautiful alchemist girl that Zhu Hongcai had been watching suddenly exclaid in a hushed tone, “Jiang Cheng!? Why is it him!?”
Zhu Hongcai:
Ignoring the curious gazes of the other students, Shen nghan quickly gathered her things and left the study room in a hurry.
Zhu Hongcai was in disbelief, “Why is it always Jiang Cheng! What does he have that I don’t!?”
It seed unfathomable to him how Jiang Cheng, not even present in the library, could unsettle a beautiful Pill Master.
Such a diabolical charm exercised from a distance!
Jiang Cheng! I, Zhu Hongcai, admit you are strong, but if, and I say if, I pass the first stage of the Talisman Master Certificate exam and join the Talisman Drawing Society, and if I win Cheng’s heart, I’d like to ask, what will you do then?
Zhu Hongcai, fueled by a burning ambition, flipped to the first page of ‘Talisman Master’s Introduction’ and started reading intently.
Witnessing this scene, Ding Guangming glanced at Song Junsheng.
Song Junsheng nodded.
Ding Guangming also nodded.
All was said without words.
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