Chapter 192
Ran Lie struck the wooden fish rhythmically.
This was his first time using the object. Su Ci had never taught him about the practices of Buddhist cultivators, so at first, he only tapped it with the thought that perhaps it might provide some guidance.
Knock, knock, knock—knock, knock, knock.
The crisp sound of the wooden fish was somewhat irritating at first, but gradually, Ran Lie felt his mind calming.
As he gazed at the burning remains of the slime monster, a sense of clarity arose within him. He crossed his legs and sat down, continuing to strike the wooden fish while softly reciting the Buddhist cultivation mantra he practiced.
Bit by bit, his focus deepened, and he closed his eyes, immersing himself completely in the rhythm of the wooden fish and the cadence of his chant.
The faint trace of compassion he had felt for the monster’s remains seeped into his recitation, evolving into a new layer of understanding in his cultivation of the Buddhist path.
Unaware of the changes occurring around him, Ran Lie became entirely absorbed in his own world.
What he didn’t realize was that the Buddhist mantra he was chanting was itself a scripture.
As his voice resonated, the crimson flames consuming the monster’s remains began to shimmer faintly with a golden hue. While the black and red filth in the remains was burned away, traces of a pale, golden purity were preserved.
These were the fragments of benevolent souls trapped within the monster for countless years. As the flames freed them, these remnants, retaining the manners they had in life, bowed or cupped their hands in gratitude toward Ran Lie.
One by one, their forms faded into thin air, dispersing as golden light that merged into the heavens and earth, carried by the sound of the wooden fish and Ran Lie’s chanting.
Even in the unseen dimensions, spirits laden with resentment began to emerge from the blood mist, drawn toward the boy.
The long-standing hatred and confusion that had dominated their expressions started to give way to clarity.
These partially awakened spirits, in the end, voluntarily approached the burning remains of the slime monster and threw themselves into the crimson flames.
They struggled in the purifying fire, but in their pain, they ultimately found release.
Ran Lie was oblivious to all of this.
He simply followed his instincts, quietly striking the wooden fish and reciting the mantra with unwavering focus, forgetting everything else around him.
*
At the nursery, A-Yan suddenly lifted his head and gazed in the direction of Base 26. Sensing the changes in the surrounding world, a faint smile curved his lips.
It seemed giving that little wooden fish to Ran Lie had indeed been the right choice. He hadn’t expected the boy to use it so soon, though.
The wooden fish was crafted from ordinary riverside wood. Though it appeared unremarkable, it had the effect of calming the mind and focusing one’s spirit.
It had no offensive properties, but as a tool, it was perfectly suited for Ran Lie’s cultivation path.
As for releasing the souls of the dead…
That required a cultivator with a heart full of compassion for the departed. While it didn’t necessarily need to be someone following the Buddhist path, if the individual possessed a profound sense of universal compassion, the wooden fish could amplify its effects.
Still, compassion was the essential prerequisite.
Ran Lie… had truly grown up.
A-Yan sighed with a mix of pride and nostalgia but soon returned his attention to what he was doing. He retrieved homemade ice creams from the fridge and handed six of them to 4586.
Among them was one particularly small portion, about the size of a thumb, placed in a transparent cup. The creamy white ice cream was garnished with bright red fruit, making it look adorable.
The electronic eyes of 4586 turned star-shaped in delight.
With Wen Yan and Yan Ya preparing meals, A-Yan overseeing the cubs, and the cubs themselves behaving much better lately, life for 4586 and 4583 had become significantly easier than before.
Aside from doing housework, the robots’ main job was to accompany the cubs as they ate, drank, and played. Although they mostly just watched from the sidelines, neither of the nanny robots had any complaints.
Seeing the cubs happy every day brought them a sense of fulfillment that nothing else could match.
“Zhou Zhou, this looks so nice!” one of the nanny robots exclaimed cheerfully.
A-Yan smiled gently. “Take it and share it with the cubs. Each cup is marked.”
“Got it, got it!”
With that, 4586 floated off, carrying the cups of ice cream.
A-Yan, meanwhile, took the remaining portion and returned to his quarters, where he used a teleportation array to arrive at the riverside.
With the weather patterns around Base 24 gradually stabilizing, the seasons had become distinct, and each one now displayed its characteristic traits.
It was currently the height of summer, with abundant sunshine and sweltering heat. Although the nursery was cooled with air conditioning, Su Ci still preferred natural shade.
The riverside, now covered in lush greenery, had become the most comfortable place to escape the summer heat.
At the moment, Su Ci was reclining on a chair in the woods. A small pond had been dug nearby, fed by water from underground. The breeze carried the cool, moist air, dispelling the oppressive heat.
Ding-a-ling—
As A-Yan arrived, a wind chime hanging from a bamboo stalk jingled with a crisp, pleasant sound, both welcoming and alerting his presence.
The wind chime was one of Su Ci’s crafted tools. Whenever a living being entered the bamboo grove, it would ring even without wind.
In the chime’s melodic notes, A-Yan approached Su Ci and softly called out to him.
Su Ci opened his eyes slightly, looking at the object in A-Yan’s hands and feeling the coolness it radiated. “What’s this?” he asked.
“Ice cream,” A-Yan replied, handing the largest cup to Su Ci before calling out to a panda cub playing in the grove.
The black-and-white fluffball abandoned its father immediately upon hearing the call and waddled over, chirping as it went.
A-Yan handed it a small cup of ice cream.
The panda cub held the cup with both hands and extended its tongue for a careful lick. Upon tasting the sweet, cold treat, it squinted its eyes and broke into a delighted smile.
Su Ci found the sight adorable and scooped up the fluffy cub, rubbing its round, furry head.
By now, Lai Qiqi was used to the caretaker’s affection. Happily holding its ice cream, it continued eating, letting out soft chirps of contentment when it was gently petted.
Lai Ze, the cub’s father, slowly emerged from the bamboo grove. Watching his daughter enjoy her treat, he couldn’t help but swallow instinctively, though his expression was filled more with pride and love.
Grabbing a bamboo shoot, he sat down in the shade and began munching on it.
After a while, Su Ci finally released the panda cub and began eating his own ice cream.
The homemade fruit-flavored ice cream was sweet with a subtle hint of milk, and its refreshing coolness was perfect for the summer heat.
If Lang Ze were here…
“They just left, and you’re already making ice cream… That little wolf cub would cry if he knew,” Su Ci remarked.
A-Yan shrugged. “I’ll make more when they come back.”
Su Ci nodded, lifting his hand slightly. A faint glow appeared in his palm. Though he was simply sitting there doing nothing, his strength was steadily and slowly recovering.
“Is it because of the spirit herbs?” A-Yan asked.
“Yes, they’re working hard.”
Su Ci lowered his hand, looking toward Base 26. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips as he said, “Those three children are putting in a lot of effort too.”
Clearly, although the cubs were sent for training, Su Ci wasn’t entirely uninvolved.
“Buddhist meditation to help the dead pass on… it’s an interesting approach.”
The resentful spirits that emerged endlessly in the blood mist, constantly generating negative energy, were a persistent headache for Su Ci.
While the spirit herbs could purify and absorb resentment, it was only a temporary solution. To completely resolve the blood mist problem, the key was to help these spirits find peace.
“I acted on a whim, but I didn’t expect Ran Lie to bring about such a pleasant surprise,” A-Yan remarked.
Su Ci nodded. “But relying entirely on him to cleanse the spirits isn’t realistic.”
“Of course not.”
They would need more helpers. While they were the stewards of this land, restoring it to its former glory and maintaining it would require the collective effort of all the living beings residing here.
And that… could only happen one step at a time.
They were patient. Both Su Ci and A-Yan were calm and unhurried about the prospect of eventual restoration.
Su Ci leaned back in his reclining chair, leisurely eating his ice cream. Despite how slowly he ate, the ice cream never melted, remaining at the perfect temperature and consistency for consumption.
He gazed across at the plain, now entirely covered in star-chain fruits. After the garlic plants had completely eradicated the blood mist at Base 24, the “orchard” had become widely known within the base.
However, with giant insects and animals occupying the area, it was no longer as easy for the people of Base 24 to reach the riverside. Thanks to the efforts of Yan Ping and others, who had deliberately concealed its existence, the greenery by the river remained undisturbed for now.
As Su Ci contemplated his next plans, the bamboo grove wind chimes jingled again.
At the teleportation array by the riverside, Rong Heng’s figure slowly appeared. He scanned his surroundings before making his way toward the bamboo grove.
“Su Su, Brother A-Yan,” Rong Heng greeted as he arrived. Spotting them eating ice cream, he didn’t seem envious. After calling out to them, he fell quiet.
Su Ci looked at the young lion cub, raising an eyebrow. “Here for something?”
Rong Heng nodded firmly, his gaze resolute as he asked, “Su Su, when will I be able to go to other bases for training like Ran Lie and Lang Ze?”
Su Ci didn’t answer directly. Instead, he asked, “Do you know why you weren’t allowed to go this time?”
Rong Heng lowered his head. “Because the blood mist still affects me, right?”
“Exactly,” Su Ci replied.
“Then how can I overcome this effect?” Rong Heng asked eagerly.
Although he knew that using garlic spray could shield him from the blood mist, he also understood that this solution relied on external tools, not his own abilities.
Because of this, he could understand why Su Su hadn’t let him go.
But this weakness was something Rong Heng wanted to overcome through his own efforts. Next time, if such an opportunity arose, he wanted to go with them!
If he stayed like this, forget about catching up to Ran Lie—he might not even be able to hold his own against Lang Ze.
Su Ci observed him for a moment before saying, “If you want to overcome this weakness, there’s a way, but it won’t be easy.”
“I’m not afraid!” Rong Heng said eagerly.
Sensing the boy’s determination, Su Ci nodded. With a flip of his hand, Rong Heng’s small sword appeared in his palm.
He grasped the sword, and with a faint shift of intent, an invisible sword aura emanated from the blade.
Rong Heng stared in awe at the faintly visible energy surrounding the sword. He could feel that it had changed—not only had its power increased, but…
Just looking at the sword aura filled his heart with clarity, as if a gentle breeze had swept through his mind, dispelling all gloom and frustration.
“Su Su, what is this?” he couldn’t help but ask.
Su Ci smiled lightly and said, “Sword Qi.”
