Chapter 126
Su Ci looked at Lang Ze, whose face was full of eager anticipation, and was momentarily at a loss for words.
Taking a deep breath, he explained, “What I’m going to teach you is how to use music to create illusions, drawing listeners into the world you’ve crafted through your melodies.”
“Oh,” Lang Ze responded thoughtfully.
Just as Su Ci thought he had finally understood and was ready to move on to the next part of the lesson, the boy asked again, “So, can I ride the big yellow ox in the illusion?”
Su Ci: …
Why was he so fixated on riding an ox?
Seeing the boy’s fervent expression, Su Ci had no choice but to respond, albeit reluctantly. “If you can master the fundamentals of sound illusion techniques to a certain level, then it’s not impossible.”
That said, creating something one has never seen is challenging. Even if it’s conjured, it’s easy for others to see through the illusion.
The illusion Su Ci created earlier was derived from his own memories, making it incredibly realistic—as if one had truly stepped into another world. It was probably this realism that made Lang Ze so captivated by the idea of riding the big yellow ox.
Looking at the boy’s unreliable demeanor, Su Ci decided to employ a little motivation.
“If you can master the basics of sound illusion within a month,” he said, “I’ll let you ride the ox in an illusion.”
This, Su Ci thought, would be his last-ditch effort to pass on the art of musical cultivation.
“Wow!”
Lang Ze couldn’t contain his excitement and let out a loud exclamation. Realizing his mistake, he quickly covered his mouth and cautiously glanced at Ran Lie. Seeing the red-haired boy still sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, he sighed in relief and whispered, “Really?”
“Yes.” Su Ci nodded.
Lang Ze’s face flushed with joy. He clenched his fists, looking as though he wanted to start learning immediately. However, a thought quickly struck him, and he asked, “Can I bring Xing Xing too? And You You?”
“You can,” Su Ci replied, nodding.
“Yay! Su Su, you’re the best!” Lang Ze cheered, his excitement bubbling over. “Let’s start right now!”
Su Ci continued, “Music can do more than create illusions; it has many profound uses.”
A calming melody can soothe the soul, an energetic tune can encourage growth in all living things, and a solemn tune can be weaponized to take lives. Each type of sound serves a different purpose, depending on the practitioner’s skill and understanding.
Sound illusion techniques, in particular, are among the most versatile methods in the repertoire of musical cultivation, capable of adapting to the user’s intentions to achieve various effects.
Lang Ze was utterly captivated. Gradually, he forgot about the big yellow ox, completely absorbed by the mystical art Su Ci was describing.
In the end, just like Rong Heng and the others, he received a set of cultivation mantras for musical cultivation. However, his mantras were unique in that they required the accompaniment of a musical instrument to be effective.
By 9 p.m., Su Ci sent the little wolf cub on his way.
With the base’s intelligent system assisting with teaching, Su Ci found it much easier to manage. Even though he was teaching multiple children different legacies simultaneously, it didn’t feel overwhelming.
During these lessons, A-Yan, seeing that Su Ci was fine, returned to his practice of divine inscriptions and formations. After mastering the second heavenly script, his learning speed in formations accelerated once again. Beyond the water purification array, he had now successfully developed the spiritual gathering array and purification array as well.
The nourishing effects of the magical flower nectar also benefited him, making A-Yan feel stronger by the day. Additionally, the fleeting images that surfaced in his mind became more frequent and vivid.
In every one of those images, a certain figure was present.
That figure seemed to hold an irreplaceable role in his life, as every memory A-Yan could recall revolved around him.
But it wasn’t enough. A-Yan wanted to remember everything about Su Su.
With that thought, the boy gripped his pen tightly and began practicing the third heavenly script.
*
After sending the little wolf cub away, Su Ci sat in silence for a moment, staring at A-Yan’s diligent back. Then, he stood up and walked to the window, gazing out into the night.
Thanks to the protective barrier in the eastern direction, the concentration of resentment within Base 24 had significantly decreased, leaving the sky clearer than before.
But it wasn’t enough.
Staring at the night sky, Su Ci’s brows furrowed.
The rules protecting the human base had weakened considerably, leaving only the final line of defense. Once that rule entirely dissipated, the blood mist would undoubtedly return in full force.
Su Ci found this peculiar.
As he imparted cultural legacies to the young ones and improved the land through planting, the influence of his actions was mostly confined to Base 24. Still, he could distinctly feel the rules’ strength gradually increasing.
Previously, the rules were on the brink of collapse, barely perceptible. Now, they were sturdier, no longer on the verge of dissolving with a mere gust of wind.
So why was the force protecting the base continuing to weaken? Who established that protection in the first place? Could it be related?
Su Ci’s frown deepened. However, the information at his disposal was too limited for him to draw any conclusions.
Shaking his head, he decided to leave the matter for another time.
*
By morning, A-Yan awoke as usual.
When he stepped out of his room to begin another busy day, he noticed that the red-haired boy meditating in the living room was gone. In his place was the Crimson Flame Tiger, lying on the ground and dozing.
Sensing something, the tiger opened its bright eyes and looked towards A-Yan’s direction.
There was a human clarity in its gaze, clearly indicating that despite reverting to his tiger form due to the return of his flame power, Ran Lie remained himself, his rationality intact.
“Good morning.”
“Meow—”
Hearing the tiger’s soft cry, A-Yan tilted his head and frowned. “You still can’t speak?”
The Crimson Flame Tiger froze at the comment.
It hesitated for a moment before tentatively trying to speak, “I…”
When it heard its own human voice, the tiger blinked in astonishment. Opening its mouth again, it said, “I can talk now?”
A-Yan smiled faintly. “Congratulations. It seems you’ve gained partial control over your bloodline power.”
Ran Lie was delighted and opened his mouth to thank him, only for a soft “Meow—” to escape.
Embarrassed, Ran Lie froze and frowned in frustration.
“It’s alright,” A-Yan comforted him. “You just need more practice.”
His voice was calm and soothing, like a gentle breeze brushing across one’s cheek, bringing an inexplicable sense of warmth and trust.
Encouraged, Ran Lie nodded. This time, he took a deep breath before speaking. “Thank you, Brother A-Yan.”
“You’re welcome.”
A-Yan resumed his morning tasks, and Ran Lie followed closely, listening to the sounds of his movements. Unable to resist, he joined in to help.
Once they finished tidying up, A-Yan brought the Crimson Flame Tiger outside to the green field.
By the time they arrived, the other children were already there, scattered across the area, their faces lit with joy.
The netting on the outer walls of the building had grown denser with vines overnight. The blossoms that once filled the netting had transformed into small fruits of various sizes.
Meanwhile, the metal framework near the spiritual seedlings was now fully entwined with vines. Buds on these new growths were swelling, ready to bloom.
Apart from the Star Chain Fruits, the four Emerald Beans and Snow Jade had also entered their flowering stage. The Emerald Beans bore delicate gradient lavender flowers, no bigger than a thumb, while the Snow Jades had flowers as pure and translucent as their name suggested.
Little Li Hua and Xue Wei squatted under the metal frame, gazing up at the blossoms with faces full of pure delight.
Meanwhile, Lang Ze and the other boys were far more interested in the fruits.
What surprised A-Yan most, however, was the growth of the two spiritual seedlings. Both had grown taller, and their leaves were significantly larger.
“Grow! Grow! Keep growing!” The little Princess chanted tirelessly, its voice louder and clearer than before.
As for the Lazybone, its snores had become even more pronounced.
“Brother A-Yan!”
When the cubs noticed A-Yan and Ran Lie’s arrival, they eagerly gathered around.
“Fruits! So many fruits!”
“Brother A-Yan, look! Can we eat them yet?”
Surrounded by the cubs, A-Yan walked over to the hanging net, inspected the fruits, and replied, “We’ll have to wait a little longer—probably by tomorrow.”
“Yay!”
Lang Ze cheered loudly, then froze as he realized something. He quickly covered his mouth.
Su Su was still sleeping; he couldn’t afford to wake him up!
*
A-Yan then led the cubs to the open ground, where they got busy planting.
The Golden Taros could be propagated from their tubers. A-Yan cut one-third of the taro into twenty pieces and planted them in two neat rows.
With this, once the taros matured, they wouldn’t have to worry about running out of them. They could even make yams their staple food, eating them at every meal if they wanted to!
Knowing that Su Su had loosened and prepared more soil last night, A-Yan had soaked the seeds he had exchanged from Zhuang Shisong earlier.
There were seven types of seeds left, three of each, making a total of twenty-one new plants. These seeds, which could enrich the soil’s nutrients, were planted under A-Yan’s instructions and watered accordingly.
When Cen Liang and his team arrived early that morning, they were greeted by the sight of cubs diligently watering and fertilizing the seedlings.
Having witnessed the cubs’ obedience yesterday, Zhuang Shisong and Wei Ming were still amazed to see Su Ci actually getting them to work.
Letting the cubs work… Was this even allowed?
But since the base’s AI System hadn’t stepped in to stop them, it must be permitted, right? And the cubs seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves.
That day, Zhuang Shisong and Wei Ming also got their first glimpse of the Crimson Flame Tiger. Claiming they weren’t scared would be a lie, but for the sake of the plants in the green space, they forced themselves not to show it.
Ran Lie noticed their gazes, gave them a brief glance, and then ignored them.
After practicing the Buddhist cultivation method, Ran Lie was no longer as irritable as before. Whenever he felt anger rising, silently reciting the mantra a few times helped him regain his calm.
Moreover…
His eyes drifted toward Xue Wei, who was standing by the wall. A hint of hesitation appeared in his gaze before he finally lifted his feet and walked over.
Xue Wei was watering the Star Chain Fruit tree when she heard approaching footsteps. One of her drooped bunny ears perked up, and her eyes turned toward the sound.
Seeing the small Crimson Flame Tiger approaching, her eyes brightened, and the perked-up ear fell back down.
“Lie Lie,” Xue Wei greeted sweetly with a smile.
Although she knew that the Crimson Flame Tiger was just like them—a cub, and even older than them—who in his human form looked like a cool, red-haired teenager, she couldn’t help but feel delighted when seeing his fully beastly appearance.
The big kitty… is just so cute!
Hearing her call him that, Ran Lie paused, looking slightly resigned. Ever since he’d been unable to speak in his beast form, everyone had taken to calling him that…
“Mm,” he replied, his expression serious. “Thank you for the tea.”
After drinking the tea yesterday and meditating on the Buddhist cultivation method, along with Su Su’s guidance, he had gained significant insights.
“Oh, you’re welcome…”
Xue Wei was momentarily stunned when the Crimson Flame Tiger suddenly spoke, but she quickly adjusted. She couldn’t help but think…
The contrast between the tiger’s adorably naive appearance and his intentionally cool, aloof tone was unexpectedly charming, making Ran Lie seem even cuter!
“Chirp, chirp!” The little sparrow flew down from the branch and landed on Xue Wei’s shoulder.
Flapping its wings, it hopped a couple of times before its beady black eyes curiously examined the Crimson Flame Tiger. Then, in a bold move, it flew onto the little tiger’s head.
Ran Lie felt the light weight of the small bird settle on his head. It was so light he could barely feel it.
After landing, the plump little sparrow nuzzled its beak against his soft fur and then curled up, nestling into the fluff and rubbing its face deeper into his fur.
“Chirp Chirp seems to like you,” Xue Wei remarked with a laugh, noticing that although the Crimson Flame Tiger frowned, he didn’t chase the little sparrow away.
Ran Lie’s frown deepened. That may be true, but what’s with the envious look in her eyes?
Xue Wei indeed envied Chirp Chirp. She wished she could pet the tiger’s fluffy head too… but she was too timid. Whenever Ran Lie glanced her way, she didn’t dare reach out.
“That tea… do you have any left?” Ran Lie hesitated before asking.
“Yes, I do,” Xue Wei nodded eagerly. “Do you want some? I can go back to my room and get it for you.”
Ran Lie really wanted more of that tea. He felt that drinking it would further enhance his practice of the Buddhist cultivation method. However…
“Do you need anything?” Ran Lie asked.
He didn’t want to owe her a favor. If Xue Wei needed something, he would find a way to get it and trade with her instead.
However, Xue Wei shook her head.
She already possessed more than most of the other cubs. At present, besides wanting to see Madam again, the only thing she wished for…
Her gaze drifted toward the Crimson Flame Tiger’s ears. She murmured softly, “If I say it, I’m afraid you’ll get mad…”
Hearing this, Ran Lie replied in a low voice, “I won’t. Tell me.”
He had grown adept at controlling his temper and wouldn’t get angry so easily anymore.
Xue Wei looked at him a few times but ultimately didn’t have the courage to say it. She shook her head. “Forget it. Wait here for a moment, and I’ll get the tea leaves from my room.”
She set down the watering can and turned to head back into the nursery building.
The little sparrow nestled on Ran Lie’s head reluctantly fluttered its wings and left his fluffy head as she walked away.
Watching her leave, Ran Lie didn’t stay where he was but instead followed her.
He decided he needed to find out what she wanted. He couldn’t just accept her things without knowing.
As the Crimson Flame Tiger walked away, Zhuang Shisong and his team let out a quiet sigh of relief, their previously tense nerves relaxing.
“By the way, where is Caretaker Su?”
Since their arrival, they hadn’t seen Su Ci anywhere. At first, they thought he had simply stepped out briefly, but the cubs quickly gestured for them to be quiet.
“Su Su is sleeping. Don’t talk loudly, or you’ll wake him up,” Lu Jiao said with a serious expression, and the other cubs nodded in agreement.
Cen Liang/Zhuang Shisong/Wei Ming: …
Caretaker Su is sleeping, and he left the cubs to handle the green space? Why does this sound so irresponsible?
Before they could voice their disapproval, the cubs had already finished their work.
Setting down their tools, the cubs left for the nursery building together, reminding the visitors not to make too much noise as they went.
Had they asked a question at that moment, they might have learned that the cubs were headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for their caretaker.
Unfortunately, knowing that Su Su had left the cubs to tend the green space, Cen Liang and his team felt their hearts tighten. They quickly took out various instruments to check on the plants.
What they found astonished them—the plants were thriving. The watering and fertilization were all within optimal ranges.
Even the freshly planted seedlings showed no signs of stress or mishandling.
This left them questioning everything they knew.
Could it be… that planting is really that simple? Even cubs as young as these could do it? Unfortunately, no one was there to answer their doubts.
When Su Su finally woke and sat down to have breakfast, he saw the Crimson Flame Tiger crouching in a corner, with a small jar in front of him.
Though Ran Lie didn’t say a word, Su Ci could sense that something was off with the boy’s emotions.
It seemed… quite similar to the time Ran Lie had approached him, suggesting a trade of tail petting in exchange for cultivation techniques. His emotions felt as though they were sparking and simmering, barely contained.
Su Ci yawned, unconcerned, and lazily strolled into the bathroom to freshen up. By the time he emerged, a bowl of water with tea leaves steeping in it had appeared beside the Crimson Flame Tiger.
The turbulent emotional waves emanating from him had also calmed significantly.
The boy had indeed made noticeable progress. At least now he could rein in his emotions and avoid an outright loss of control like before.
Su Ci picked up the cup of honey water prepared by A-Yan, sipping it as he casually asked, “Where did the tea leaves come from?”
The question seemed to have poked a nerve. Though the tiger had calmed considerably, it bristled slightly again. Without answering, Ran Lie lowered his head and continued lapping at the tea water.
Even without words, Su Ci could easily deduce from his reaction that the tea leaves were tied to whatever had sparked the boy’s emotional rollercoaster.
Turning to A-Yan for clarification, Su Ci received a straightforward response: “They’re Xue Wei’s.”
Upon hearing this name, the Crimson Flame Tiger’s body visibly stiffened. Holding its breath, it resumed drinking, as if trying to suppress its reaction.
Su Ci extended his spiritual senses, sweeping the nursery grounds for any clues.
The cubs were playing in the green space, with Xue Wei among them. She sat beside Little Li Hua, watching the latter draw, a cheerful grin lighting up her face.
Unharmed and rosy-cheeked, her lively, innocent smile bore no resemblance to the desolate, numb girl he had seen upon her arrival at the nursery.
Retracting his spiritual senses, Su Ci shifted his gaze back to the Crimson Flame Tiger, now sprawled on the floor, eyes shut tight.
Judging by appearances, Xue Wei was perfectly fine. If anything, it seemed like he was the one who had been wronged.
This… was truly amusing.
Su Ci wore an expression of mild amusement but refrained from questioning Ran Lie further. He preferred letting the cubs handle their interpersonal conflicts on their own.
After finishing his breakfast, Su Ci once again set out with A-Yan and Ran Lie, stepping into the teleportation array.
Their first destination was the riverside. The water level in the river had risen rather than fallen, fed by an increasing outflow of groundwater, which also brought in more fish and aquatic plants.
Apart from moss, patches of aquatic grass had begun to take root.
Among the three Selaginella species Su Ci had chosen to germinate this time was an aquatic plant known as Fragrant Water Lotus, which bore a striking resemblance to the lotuses in Su Ci’s memories.
However, Fragrant Water Lotus was highly adaptable, thriving even in flowing waters rather than the still ponds typically required by lotuses. Its lotus roots also promised high yields.
Stimulated by spiritual water, the seeds of Fragrant Water Lotus had already sprouted and were ready for transplantation into the river.
Su Ci selected a secluded corner far from the underground river fissures. Using the purified silt left behind by the mud creatures, he created a fertile layer at the riverbed.
Then, carefully guiding the sprouted lotus seeds, he buried them within the mud.
Finally, he cast a protective spiritual barrier to shield the seeds from being eaten prematurely by the fish in the river before they could mature.
While Su Ci was planting the Fragrant Water Lotus, A-Yan watered the Selaginella and moss along the riverbank.
After several days of water diversion and rain infusion, the soil along the riverbank had become exceptionally moist. Combined with the rich spiritual energy in the area, it had become a prime environment for plant growth.
The Selaginella and the small patch of moss were thriving, and from a distance, the riverbank was already dotted with patches of green.
Su Ci instructed A-Yan to find a suitable spot to plant the soaked bamboo seeds.
Ordinarily, bamboo is rarely grown from seeds because it takes decades, sometimes even over a hundred years, for bamboo to flower and produce seeds. Even after planting, it can take several more decades for the plants to grow sturdy.
However, this posed no problem for Su Ci. With the intense stimulation of spiritual energy, the growth of these ordinary bamboo plants would be significantly accelerated.
Moreover, bamboo is a highly reproductive plant. Once a single stalk grows to maturity, it quickly spreads into a grove—a perfect trait for Su Ci’s plans.
Additionally, bamboo shoots are a delectable treat. Once the bamboo grove flourishes, they would have an abundant source of bamboo shoots for consumption.
As Su Ci admired the burgeoning vitality along the riverbank, he nodded in satisfaction. He was about to take the Crimson Flame Tiger to the Demon Flower Valley to continue burning spiders when he abruptly stopped in his tracks.
His gaze shifted across the river, where a figure riding a hoverboard approached from the direction of the base, eventually landing on the opposite bank.
At the same time, Su Ci’s communicator began to ring.
Answering the call, he heard Yan Ping’s somewhat strained voice:
“Caretaker Su…”
