Chapter 353: Come Home with Me
At the start of the New Year, Wang Qi felt utterly miserable.
The infection situation of the Dao Heart Pure Yang Spell was still intensifying, and now nearly ten percent of the Divine Capital People had become part of this network. Wang Qi estimated that if the number of infected people reached thirty percent, the Heart Demon Curse might undergo a mutation. Time was growing more urgent by the moment. Although the propagation speed had somewhat eased under the imperial martial law, Wang Qi estimated the city would not last until spring.
The project to install "Divine Spirits" into the Heart Demon Curse Network was nearing success. However, it was still a line away from success, hence it was not implementable.
In the electronics industry, "a line away" might still be tolerable, but in the pharmaceutical industry, "a line away" was somewhat fatal.
Over these three days, Wang Qi had fully experienced what was meant by "more effort for less return". He could only check each piece of code he wrote for the "Divine Spirit" or make some minor improvements, and then run trials in the simulation network. The efficiency was extremely low.
Furthermore, leveraging the entire strength of Divine Capital to complete research on refining the Heart Demon Curse had also hit a bottleneck.
Cultivation Techniques also required human thought. Chen Feng's single brainstorm had kept the entire Divine Capital busy for half a month. The various ingenious ideas displayed by the Divine Capital Cultivators on the topic of "refining Divine Power" also inspired Chen Feng. However, the level of Divine Capital Cultivators was limited. Having them carry out research for nearly half a month was due to their decades, even centuries, of accumulated experience.
The "experiential science" based on experience could not possess the accelerating development power like "modern science".
Now, named as the "Refining God Demonizing Heart Secret", a degraded version of the Heavenly Calculation Atlas with inserted Divine Skills had been planted as a seed in many corners of Divine Capital. It too needed time to mature.
Wang Qi's work focus also gradually shifted from "Divine Spirit" to refining the spell.
Once again, he used the Five Epidemics Total Curse Network to inspect several people practicing the "Refining God Demonizing Heart Secret".
Du Bin, who was forced by Wang Qi to practice the new spell, had been meditating for over eight two-hour periods every day for the past three days, investing all his time outside eating and sleeping into practicing this Cultivation Technique. He had not felt the real function of this spell; he only feared that Wang Qi would kill him if he did not practice well.
The original version of the Heavenly Calculation Atlas was a half-baked Cultivation Technique, or rather a series of sentences barely qualifying as a Cultivation Technique. Its first impression was like taking a complete Cultivation Technique, deleting more than thirty percent of it, then scrambling the sentences and reassembling them into meaningful parts so that it still functioned as a Cultivation Technique. Practitioners needed to supplement the missing parts themselves. Moreover, this structure of "deficiency" was exceedingly clever. No matter how much content was added, its overall structure remained "incomplete".
According to Du Bin's practice method, his Circulation routine was undergoing natural changes. Since he continued to practice relentlessly, the likelihood of mishaps during practice increased. Therefore, after a few deviations, the Cultivation Technique began to transform toward being "easier" and "more stable".
Meanwhile, the three Nascent Soul Cultivators inside the house were truly feeling the refining effects of that Cultivation Technique on the foreign force within their bodies. This made their practice more agonizing and also motivated them to actively explore the various wonderful uses of the Cultivation Technique.
This led to the change Wang Qi wanted to see the most—the efficiency of refining the Heart Demon Curse Power was improving.
Under the…. cough, guidance of Zhen Chan, Du Chun abandoned his original Cultivation Method to switch to this Heart Secret. In these days, he was constantly fighting with Demon Beasts, tapping into his potential. Under the pressure of death, his Cultivation advanced rapidly. Since he was the most passionately invested, the progress of the Cultivation Technique's evolution was actually greater than that of the Nascent Soul Cultivators.
The evolution displayed by these individuals would be summarized here with Wang Qi and his two colleagues, serving as the basis for further development.
But…
"It's too slow." Wang Qi still felt dissatisfied, "This degraded Cultivation Technique, its 'incompleteness' is weaker than the Heavenly Calculation Atlas, its 'perfection' higher, hence the relative speed of evolution is much slower. Moreover, after the Ancient Method processed it, the evolutionary features of the Heavenly Calculation Atlas were further weakened. If possible, I want them all to practice the original version of the Heavenly Calculation Atlas."
Chen Feng shook his head, "Impossible. They might not be able to understand."
The ancient sages might not have been able to understand the Evolution Theory. This was unrelated to intelligence but rather a pattern of cognition, a way of thinking.
Wang Qi sighed again, "If only you were a bit more of a genius... even the three of us are struggling to develop this Cultivation Method to maturity in a short time.
Now, Wang Qi and his colleagues were crazily driven to the extent of using themselves as test subjects for the Cultivation Method.
"I'm not boasting, but there are basically no cultivators in Tianling Ridge better than me," Chen Feng sat in the courtyard, still maintaining a five-hearts-to-heaven posture with closed eyes, practicing Circulation, completely undisturbed by Wang Qi.
"Knock knock knock." The sudden sound of knocking at the door arose. Chen Youjia had a key; anyone visiting either belonged to the Wanfa Sect Outer Disciples or was a Tianling Ridge disciple here as a researcher. But, this really wasn't the time for leisurely visits.
With Chen Youjia away and Chen Feng in a state of cultivation, Wang Qi walked toward the door as he spoke, "Keep boasting. Even I know someone definitely stronger than you—your wife is absolutely tougher than you."
Chen Feng's calm expression momentarily twisted. Wang Qi laughed loudly as he opened the door.
Firstly, an impressive full figure caught his eyes. Then, Wang Qi saw a familiar simple smile. The visitor unreservedly slapped Wang Qi on the shoulder, "Hey! Junior Brother! You're indeed here!"
Wang Qi felt like his foot was about to be slapped into the ground. He barely moved his aching spine, and turned to Chen Feng, saying, "Boss… your fiancée is here to see you."
Hearing Wang Qi's words, Chen Feng's face changed dramatically, disregarding the possible risks of deviation or going awry from practice, he hurriedly ended his meditation and leaped up from the ground. Ai Qinglan followed Wang Qi's gaze, her eyes sparkling as she saw Chen Feng.
Wang Qi suddenly felt as if he had been punched in the chest. Then an explosion sounded like a whip cracking in the air, stirring up a wild wind. With a snap, Chen Feng, like an herbivore targeted by a predator, was tackled to the ground by Ai Qinglan. In the nick of time, Chen Feng managed to brace his hand against Ai Qinglan's cheek, forcibly pushing her away. Ai Qinglan seemed to want to hold on to Chen Feng, her hands still flailing, wholeheartedly trying to get closer to him.
"Creak creak creak creak creak," came the unbearable sounds from Chen Feng's arm, uncertain if it was a bone breaking, tendons snapping, or muscles tearing. Soon, Chen Feng started to falter. White flames began to flicker, and he had no choice but to use the Life Flame to rapidly repair his arm.
With the enhancement of the Life Flame, Chen Feng's strength increased somewhat. But with just a little more force from Ai Qinglan, Chen Feng's arm seemed to be disregarded. Before Wang Qi's stunned gaze, Chen Feng's arm gradually got wrapped in the White Flame, with the power of the Life Flame fully exerted.
The wrestling match between the two stirred up a storm in the small courtyard!
It was then that Wang Qi snapped back to reality and shouted, "Hey, you two! Isn't this a bit too exaggerated?"
"Is this how 'Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire' is supposed to be used?"
Minutes later, the wrestling finally ended. Reluctantly, Chen Feng was embraced in Ai Qinglan's arms, his limbs controlled in a joint lock position, his head forcibly pressed against her chest. Only then did Ai Qinglan stick out her tongue embarrassingly and greeted Wang Qi: "Yah! Junior Brother, long time no see!"
Wang Qi's expression stiffened, "Senior Sister, your ... posture is quite unique ..."
"Hehe, Xiao Feng and I have always been this close since we were little!"
No ... this has nothing to do with being close ... where do I even start? Is it the forced face-washing with joint locks, or that completely overturned image... Damn, I mustn't laugh, I mustn't laugh now, or Chen Feng will definitely get pissed...
"Ha ha ha ha ha ... ha ha ha ha ha..." Boss, you and your wife really have a great relationship!"
Eventually, Wang Qi's unrestrained laughter permeated the courtyard.
Ai Qinglan playfully slapped Chen Feng on the back, "You're naughty! We're not married yet!"
Wang Qi noticed that Chen Feng visibly twitched.
Another half an hour passed, and Ai Qinglan finally had enough fun, liberating Chen Feng. However, she still tightly held onto one of his hands.
Chen Feng glared annoyedly at Wang Qi, who was still thumping the ground, and said to Ai Qinglan, "Sister Lan ... you're here ..."
Ai Qinglan nodded, "Yes, yes. Xiao Feng, you didn't even come home for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day this year. Your uncle and aunt miss you so much. So as an exceptional future daughter-in-law, I came to take you home! Let's go, come with me."
Ai Qinglan was always impulsive. She dragged Chen Feng toward the doorway, not forgetting to bid farewell to Wang Qi, "We're off, Junior Brother!"
"Oh ..." Wang Qi was stunned by their whirlwind-like demeanor, waving his hand absentmindedly. He wanted to stop Chen Feng, but then thought better of it. Letting Chen Feng go back with Ai Qinglan might be a good thing.
Unexpectedly, Chen Feng suddenly broke free from Ai Qinglan's grip, sounding petulant as he loudly said, "No, I'm not going back!"
"Eh? Why not?" Ai Qinglan asked puzzled. "Aren't you happy to go home?"
"Those two times, four and three years ago, each time you went home, you started planning a wedding and invited all those aunts and uncles. It was too much pressure for me!"
Ai Qinglan pointed at her temple, confused, "But you clearly accepted my proposal when we were kids. When I said I wanted to marry you, you never rejected me."
Chen Feng was utterly embarrassed, "I clearly did ... That's not the point! Sister Lan, I'm just not ready to get married yet..."
"So you're still mad at me." Ai Qinglan changed her expression to a soothing smile, caressing Chen Feng's head, "Alright, my bad, okay? Look, I'm apologizing. Sorry!"
Her tone was more like an elder coaxing a child.
Chen Feng suddenly deflated. He pressed his head and said, "Sister Lan, that's not what I mean."
Ai Qinglan looked troubled. She had reflected on why she and Chen Feng were at odds. Although immensely talented, she still lacked experience in dealing with such matters — to put it bluntly, she was an emotional idiot, never really listening to others.
Finally, Ai Qinglan relented, "Alright, alright, I won't force you to get married or take you back. But... can I stay?"
Chen Feng, who had just been relieved, suddenly tensed up again. He blurted out without thinking, "No!"
Ai Qinglan was planning to stay in the Divine Capital, a place that could devour the Heavenly Sword at any time! (To be continued. If you enjoy this story, please visit qidian.com to vote for it. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)