Chapter 51
Su Ci placed the three spiritual water cans on the coffee table, then picked up the one containing the little spirit seed and stepped outside to the courtyard.
A-Yan noticed this and quickly followed him out.
The two of them crouched down near the protective barrier.
The most prominent sight was undoubtedly the Star-chain fruit vines that had been planted the day before. One particularly sturdy vine had already sprouted a tiny leaf from a budding tip near the soil.
The delicate leaf, smaller than a pinky nail, was still far superior to the little green tip of the lazy spirit seed.
Seeing this, Su Ci felt quite satisfied.
His decision to plant these fruit vines wasn’t solely out of gratitude to the Star-chain fruit. He could sense that these plants were essential for his current needs. The vines could secrete or accumulate certain substances that would help restore the soil’s fertility.
The spirit seeds required these nutrients to grow, and in turn, the spiritual energy they released could promote the growth and evolution of ordinary plants. The two complemented each other perfectly. Planting them together was highly beneficial for the restoration of the earth.
While Su Ci’s attention was on the Star-chain fruit, A-Yan’s gaze fell on the little lazy seed.
The moment he approached, he heard its familiar snoring. Initially intending to scold it, he came closer and made an unexpected discovery—
The little lazy one had sprouted too!
Nearly lying flat on the ground, A-Yan examined it carefully. Finally, he confirmed that the lazy spirit seed had indeed produced a tiny green tip!
Although surprised, A-Yan was delighted, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Both seeds have sprouted! The caretaker will definitely be happy about this, right? He glanced at Su Ci, noticing that the young man was indeed radiating a sense of satisfaction.
How wonderful! Little spirit seed… no, little spirit sprout, you need to grow big and strong quickly!
“Hungry… hungry…”
Hearing the spirit sprout start calling for food, A-Yan quickly took out the diluted nutrient solution. Avoiding the delicate green tip, he carefully watered the soil around it.
Meanwhile, Su Ci dug a small hole in the bare earth nearby. With a flick of his hand, the soil container holding the spirit seed, along with its soil, lifted into the air and floated into the hole.
Previously, Su Ci had been concerned that the protective barrier might not be sufficient to ward off the red mist, so he had planted the two spirit seeds in different conditions. Now, it seemed the barrier was reliable enough, and the growth of both seeds under different environments was roughly the same.
Since that was the case, there was no need to keep them separate.
“Yah!”
The pampered little spirit sprout, sensing the change in its environment, let out a crisp exclamation before resuming its usual chants.
However, it seemed to have sensed the presence of its companion, as its chant unexpectedly changed to—
“Together! Grow! Grow! Grow!”
“Together! Grow! Grow! Grow!”
It sounded as though it was calling for its companion to join in its efforts to grow. And sure enough, the other spirit sprout, planted about two hand spans away, suddenly stopped its cries for food.
This sprout, too, seemed to sense the presence of its sibling.
Perhaps their bond went beyond mere companionship. Since both sprouted from the pollen of the same handkerchief, they likely shared a familial connection.
Just as A-Yan thought that the lazy seed was finally shedding its indolence under the encouragement of the spirited chants, and was about to put real effort into growing—
“Whew whew… woo hoo hoo…”
The familiar sound of snoring gradually returned. However, against the backdrop of the enthusiastic chants, the snores sounded much quieter this time.
A-Yan: “…”
It truly lived up to its name as the little lazy one—sleeping soundly even amidst all that noise!
Now that Su Ci had ordinary plant seeds to work with, his attention toward the two spirit sprouts diminished somewhat. After all, they consumed far more resources, and their efficiency couldn’t compare to that of regular plants.
Standing up, he said to A-Yan, “Let’s go back. Today we start learning formations.”
A-Yan nodded.
He stood, waved at the two little spirit sprouts and the fruit vines, and then followed Su Ci back to the dormitory in a flash.
*
A-Yan sat down at his designated study desk while Su Ci pulled over a chair. Taking out fresh paper and pens from his spatial button, Su Ci began their lesson.
Instead of diving straight into the topic, Su Ci first asked A-Yan to write out the first heavenly script character he had learned.
A-Yan gripped the pen and carefully began to draw each stroke. When the final stroke fell into place, a complete heavenly script character materialized on the paper, radiating a faint platinum glow infused with spiritual energy.
This was A-Yan’s personal heavenly script, and the power flowing within it was his unique rule-based energy.
Though this energy was still very weak, Su Ci’s discerning eyes could see its exceptional purity. Even among rule-based spirits, such quality was rare.
Perhaps this was why A-Yan could hold his own against the chaotic energy of the book spirit prototype.
“Very good,” Su Ci praised.
A-Yan had already begun forming his personal understanding of the heavenly script. Although this understanding was still shallow due to the short time he had been learning, it laid an incredibly solid foundation.
As long as he continued to work hard without slacking off, even if his future growth veered off course, it wouldn’t stray too far.
“Heavenly script holds profound mysteries, especially for someone like you,” Su Ci explained. “You are a rule-based spirit. With consistent effort, the insights you can gain from heavenly script will far surpass those available to other types of beings.”
Legends said that heavenly script was born from the heavens and earth. However, Su Ci believed the heavenly script might predate the heavens and earth, originating instead in the chaos before creation.
In essence, heavenly script could be considered the earliest manifestation of rules.
As a spirit embodying rule-based power, A-Yan’s affinity with heavenly script was naturally high, giving him a significant edge in comprehension compared to other beings.
Of course, this didn’t include Su Ci.
While Su Ci wasn’t a rule-based spirit, as the Earth Spirit, he encompassed and gave rise to all things. Most of the rules that governed the world originated from him.
In the world, there were very few rules capable of binding him.
Given Su Ci’s incredibly long lifespan, his accumulated experience was vast. Even the dullest person would possess far greater knowledge after hundreds or thousands of years compared to a newly born genius.
And Su Ci was far from dull. In terms of intelligence and talent, few could compare to him.
For A-Yan to catch up to him, while not entirely impossible, would take at least several millennia—if not tens of millennia. And whether A-Yan could even live that long was uncertain.
At this thought, Su Ci frowned slightly.
No, A-Yan would live that long. With his talent, a lifespan of tens of thousands of years, if not hundreds of millions, was certainly within reach.
Resolving himself, Su Ci began to introduce A-Yan to formations, using the heavenly script A-Yan had written as a starting point.
“Formations were first created by humanity’s earliest formation master, who gained her insights from heavenly script. She is considered the progenitor of formations, but the art was truly popularized and expanded by her three disciples,” Su Ci said.
As he casually recounted this fragment of the planet’s history, his tone was calm, almost wistful. The earth had become so desolate, and those past glories had long since turned to dust, buried beneath the river of time, unknown to future generations.
“Building on their master’s teachings, the disciples developed different types of formations based on their talents. These fell into three categories: offensive, defensive, and functional formations.
“The first two types were primarily used in combat.”
Su Ci sketched an offensive formation on the paper. When it was complete, he lightly tapped the diagram with his pen. A small whirlwind immediately formed above the paper.
A-Yan’s eyes widened in amazement.
Curious, he wanted to reach out and touch the whirlwind. However, without Su Ci’s permission, he managed to restrain this potentially dangerous impulse.
Su Ci, noticing A-Yan’s fascination, tapped the formation again. The whirlwind shot off the paper, snatching an empty can from the coffee table and hurling it to the ground before dissipating.
“Go pick it up,” Su Ci instructed.
A-Yan quickly ran over and retrieved the can. Examining it, he noticed the metal shell was covered in scratches, with several parts sliced clean through.
Realizing how dangerous the whirlwind had been, A-Yan felt relieved he hadn’t tried to touch it. He carefully placed the battered can in front of Su Ci.
Su Ci continued, “This is an offensive formation called the Whirlwind Array. The actual formation is far more complex and much stronger, capable of releasing up to eight whirlwinds at once. However, the energy required to sustain it increases accordingly.”
A-Yan nodded attentively.
“Defensive formations are equally fascinating. With a sufficiently powerful defensive array, even the most advanced human cultivators couldn’t break through. It’s an excellent choice for turtling,” Su Ci said with a faint smile.
He sketched another formation on a fresh sheet of paper. When he tapped it, the formation’s markings disappeared.
A-Yan watched as Su Ci held a pen over the seemingly blank paper. The tip of the pen vanished the moment it passed into the space above the formation.
Seeing A-Yan’s astonished expression, Su Ci’s lips curved slightly. With another tap, the formation’s markings reappeared.
“This is a defensive formation known as the Concealment Array. It’s often mistaken for a functional formation, but its structure places it firmly within the defensive category.”
“Attack and defense can be interchangeable in practical applications. Don’t let these definitions limit your thinking,” Su Ci advised.
A-Yan nodded, though he didn’t fully understand.
Su Ci turned to a new page. “These two types of formations aren’t our focus today. What I’m going to teach you is functional formations.”
He drew a small purification array on the paper. “This formation can purify water, removing any negative energies while retaining beneficial spiritual energy.”
Using the purification array as an example, Su Ci began explaining the structure of functional formations and the purpose of each component.
Although the purification array was something Su Ci had casually designed, it was relatively complex for a beginner like A-Yan.
However, with the foundation provided by his first heavenly script, Su Ci had no doubt that A-Yan would master it. On this point, he was very confident.
A-Yan listened intently, his focus unwavering. As he concentrated, the patchy fur on his two furry ears seemed to slowly become more refined and uniform in color.
By the time Su Ci finished explaining the foundational principles of formation theory, the morning had quietly passed, and it was already after 9 a.m.
Meanwhile, the nursery’s cubs were gearing up for their outdoor activity time.
Number Eight had been impatiently waiting by the door for ages. The moment the nanny robot opened the metal door, he shot out like a gust of wind.
“Number Eight, no running around! We’re heading to the activity room now!” 4586 called out, chasing after him with all its might.
“I know, I know!”
Number Eight waved dismissively, gleefully running through the hallway, savoring his brief moment of freedom.
Rather than taking the elevator, he opted for the stairs, bounding down to the second floor. Just as he was about to burst into the activity room with excitement, a figure at the doorway stopped him in his tracks, forcing him to brake abruptly.
Fortunately, the little wolf cub had excellent control over his body. At the last second, he managed to stop himself, avoiding a collision.
“Number Two!”
Sensing the other’s aura, the wolf cub instinctively took a few steps back, creating a safe distance.
Today, he had more important things to do and wasn’t in the mood for a fight.
Strangely, the usually hot-tempered Number Two—who always seemed seconds away from exploding—looked unusually calm today.
Number Two merely cast him a cold glance with his bloodshot eyes, then flicked his tiger tail impatiently and walked straight into the activity room.
It was only then that 4586 managed to catch up.
“Number Eight!” it exclaimed, panting for breath.
Number Eight nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin with a contemplative expression. “Hey, 4586, don’t you think Number Two is acting a little strange today?”
“What’s strange?” the nanny robot asked, following up on Number Eight’s observation.
Number Eight leaned closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a great secret. “He has dark circles under his eyes!”
Although Number Two might have intended to coldly glare at him just now, from Number Eight’s perspective, all he saw was Number Two’s haggard face framed by two big, round dark circles.
So weird!
??
Upon hearing this, 4586’s electronic eyes morphed into two question marks.
“And then?” it asked uncertainly.
“If he has dark circles, it means he didn’t sleep well last night. But he didn’t try to pick a fight with me, nor did he lose his temper!” Number Eight declared confidently. “So something’s definitely up!”
The nanny robot’s programming seemed unequipped to handle such a complex analysis and momentarily fell silent, unsure how to respond.
Finally, 4586 said, “I’ll report this to the caretaker.”
Then it turned to Number Eight and added, “Now, little Number Eight, we need to go into the activity room.”
“Oh, right!”
Remembering his more pressing agenda, Number Eight immediately forgot all about Number Two’s odd behavior and dashed into the activity room.
Unfortunately, he was late again today.
Inside the activity room, the flute had already been claimed by the little white deer.
Number Eight couldn’t help but pout. Being assigned a later number is such a drag—everything good is always taken by the time it’s my turn. His eyes scanned the room, noting that Number Three wasn’t there yet.
What’s taking that little guy so long? Now Number Seven had already grabbed the flute!
Unhappy, the wolf cub flicked his tail impatiently. Seeing that Number Three was nowhere to be found, he headed straight for the silver-haired boy.
When Number Seven arrived at the activity room earlier, it was empty except for Number Six.
To avoid a repeat of yesterday’s chaos, he had hurried over the moment 4586 opened his door. Thankfully, he’d successfully secured his favorite toy.
Number Six had arrived before him but didn’t care for the flute. Instead, he quickly busied himself with the toy race cars.
The toy race cars were simplified versions of hover cars, offering thrilling and exciting gameplay. They were the most popular item in the activity room but were restricted to a corner of the space due to their speed. If a car reached the edge of the play area, its power would automatically shut off, and the area was equipped with safety features to prevent injuries. Overall, it was quite safe.
“Gah-gah-gah! Gah-gah-gah!”
The room soon echoed with Number Six’s sharp, cackling laughter, both noisy and chaotic.
Number Seven frowned. He was just about to move away from Number Six with the flute in hand when he noticed Number Two entering the room. The red-haired boy said nothing, his expression unusually somber.
Though the two were loosely allied, Number Seven typically avoided provoking Number Two.
As he debated whether to approach and ask about the situation, the boisterous wolf cub burst into the room, his expression hostile as he glared in Number Seven’s direction.
Number Seven couldn’t help but recall what the caretaker had told him yesterday: Try complimenting Number Eight…
But seeing Number Eight charging toward him so aggressively made his scalp tingle, filling him with a deep sense of vigilance.
No way. I can’t do it!
The silver-haired boy pursed his lips tightly, his cheeks puffing up slightly in defiance.
This dumb wolf nearly killed me. I’ll get my revenge someday—no matter what!
However, after yesterday’s near-death experience, Number Seven was understandably nervous. He decided against confronting Number Eight head-on and instead cautiously backed away, moving toward Number Two.
Before Number Seven could take more than two steps, the athletic wolf cub leapt effortlessly and landed right in front of him, blocking his path.
The commotion drew the attention of Number Two, who was sitting lazily in the corner with one knee bent, a shadow of gloom clouding his expression.
The red-haired boy glanced over at the scene, watching Number Eight intercept Number Seven, but made no move to intervene. His tiger tail, however, flicked rhythmically against the floor, producing a steady thwap-thwap sound.
Hearing the sound of Number Two’s tail strikes, Number Seven barely managed to maintain his composure.
He didn’t back down or show any signs of weakness. Instead, he stood his ground, staring straight at Number Eight with his chin raised defiantly. “What do you want? I got the toy first today!”
Yesterday, he had indeed broken the rules, and he had paid a painful price for it.
But today, he was the one who had claimed the toy first! With a righteous air, he threw Number Eight’s own words from yesterday back at him. “I got it first, so it’s mine today!”
Number Eight straightened up from his half-crouched stance, and his sturdy little frame instantly loomed over the smaller, thinner white deer. His height and build gave him a natural air of intimidation.
No matter how much Number Seven tried to project strength, his defiance came across more as bluster than true confidence.
The wolf cub’s gaze lingered on Number Seven, particularly on the faint bruises still visible on his neck.
Being scrutinized like this made Number Seven’s hackles rise, sending an involuntary shiver down his spine.
He darted a glance at his so-called “allies.” Number Six remained engrossed in his toy race car, laughing maniacally at the action. Meanwhile, Number Two continued to watch idly from the corner, showing no intention of stepping in to help.
Despite their supposed alliance, the white deer felt utterly alone.
But he understood. This was the reality of their world.
Right now, it was one-on-one between him and Number Eight. If he couldn’t even muster the courage to face off against Number Eight, Number Two and Number Six would never truly see him as an ally.
This was how the world worked. No one would protect him unconditionally. If he didn’t want to be bullied, he would have to show strength.
Even if it meant ending up battered and bruised, as long as he was fierce and ruthless enough to make his enemy pay just as dearly, the next time, they would think twice before coming at him.
Just as Number Seven was steeling himself to make the first move and leap at Number Eight, the wolf cub abruptly shifted his gaze and muttered, “You’re pretty lively, huh.”
“What?” Number Seven didn’t quite catch it and asked reflexively.
However, the wolf cub didn’t bother explaining. Shaking his impressive, fluffy tail, he replied with disdain, “You think I’m as unruly as you? You got it, so it’s yours. It’s not like I don’t have one myself.”
Number Seven was thoroughly baffled. But since Number Eight didn’t seem like he wanted to start a fight, Number Seven’s guarded stance relaxed slightly.
These carnivores fight like maniacs. If I can avoid it, that’s definitely for the best.
“Then why are you blocking me?” the silver-haired boy asked coldly, his face still tense.
“Heh heh.”
Faced with Number Seven’s cold demeanor, the wolf cub chuckled smugly. Pointing at the flute in Number Seven’s hand, he asked, “You play with this thing every day, but do you even know what it’s called?”
Number Seven froze for a moment before narrowing his eyes and replying firmly, “It’s just a toy. Why should I care what it’s called?”
“Hahaha! So you don’t know, do you?”
The wolf cub laughed triumphantly. “And you call me dumb? Looks like you’re not much smarter—you don’t even know what your flute is called!”
Being ridiculed by the “dumb wolf” left Number Seven momentarily speechless. His pale cheeks slowly flushed red.
The silver-haired boy tightened his grip on the flute, clutching it protectively. But then a thought occurred to him, and his blue-black eyes widened slightly.
He glared at Number Eight suspiciously and muttered, “It’s called a flute.”
This time, it was the wolf cub’s turn to be stunned.
Scratching his head, Number Eight frowned. He had been so ready to gloat—how could Number Seven actually know the answer?
“Ugh, so you do know…”
Not far away, Number Two, who had been silently following their conversation, couldn’t help rolling his eyes: “…”
Even Number Seven found himself at a loss. Does this dumb wolf really not realize why I know that?
Apparently, he didn’t. Number Eight puffed up his chest and continued, “So you know it’s called a flute, but you don’t know how to play it! That makes you the dumbest one here!”
Number Seven’s grip on the flute tightened again.
It was true—he didn’t know how to play. In fact, today was the first time he even learned the thing was called a flute…
“So do you know how to play it?”
Fixing his gaze on the smug wolf cub, Number Seven didn’t want to believe it, but Number Eight’s self-satisfied expression left little room for doubt.
The wolf cub’s thoughts were so easy to read. If he didn’t know how, he wouldn’t be acting so cocky.
Sure enough, as soon as Number Seven asked, Number Eight raised his chin arrogantly and declared, “Of course I do!”
Suddenly, a thought occurred to the little white deer. Something didn’t seem right. He sneered and retorted, “You think if you say that, I’ll hand over the flute? Dream on. I’m not falling for your tricks!”
“Tch!”
Number Eight scoffed disdainfully. “You think you’re the only one with a flute?”
With that, he reached behind his back.
To Number Seven’s surprise, the wolf cub pulled out a short bamboo flute from the back of his collar. The action wasn’t as smooth as he had imagined—the flute got snagged on his shirt midway, ruining the dramatic effect.
But judging by the shock on Number Seven’s face, Number Eight didn’t mind in the slightest.
Number Eight waved the bamboo flute in his hand, grinning smugly. “Look at this! Isn’t it way prettier than the one you’re holding?”
The flute Su Ci had given him was crafted based on a pastoral design he remembered from his past. Its rustic simplicity carried a touch of childlike charm, and being made of real bamboo, it had an earthy warmth that far outshone the futuristic, high-tech look of Number Seven’s flute.
As a white deer, Number Seven was particularly sensitive to plants. From the flute in Number Eight’s hand, he could feel a refreshing, subtle botanical aura.
He only needed a single glance to become entranced.
“Where did you get that flute?” he blurted out without thinking.
“That’s none of your business. All you need to know is that it’s mine!” Number Eight wagged his fluffy tail, his face full of pride.
“And not only do I have a better flute than you, but I also know how to play it better!”
With that, the wolf cub brought the flute to his lips. Drawing on what he had practiced the day before, he began to play in earnest.
