Chapter 223: Acquisition

Hearing this, Zhang Wenda looked at the Hippocampus before him in surprise. "Are you sure? Is what you're saying true?"

'I've been running around for so long, and I've finally gotten some valuable information.'

The Hippocampus said no more. It simply pulled a piece of paper from thin air, quickly wrote something down, and handed it to Zhang Wenda.

Zhang Wenda took it and saw that it was a recipe, with various ingredients written on it.

One dose of adrenaline

Fifteen drops of Hydroxytryptamine.

Three blossoms of Serotonin...

All sorts of things, some of which Zhang Wenda had heard of and some he hadn't, were listed.

"Go find those islanders from the right hemisphere. Have them lead you to these ingredients. When mixed, they can be brewed into that potion. This is all I can do to help you."

Looking at the paper, Zhang Wenda was quite surprised. He had been wondering how he was going to get his hands on these potions, not expecting the creature to just give him the recipe for free.

"Thanks, then."

"There's no need for that between us. I've said we're partners. I'll help you however I can, as soon as I can. You can go now. I need to get back to work."

After saying this, the Hippocampus's six hands once again blurred into afterimages and resumed writing and recording.

Zhang Wenda glanced at the creature a couple more times, then turned and left with the slip of paper.

'After interacting with it for so long, I think I get it now,' Zhang Wenda realized. 'Judging by its name and the labyrinth of consciousness outside, it must be the mechanism responsible for memory within my Spiritual World.'

'As for why a part of my own brain would materialize into a monster, and one that looks like this, I still can't figure that out.'

'But in this bizarre world, there were plenty of things he couldn't figure out. He didn't mind adding one more to the list.'

When Zhang Wenda crossed back over the suspension bridge to the so-called right hemisphere, he found the Little Black Cats and showed them the recipe.

The Little Black Cats all nodded in agreement. They enthusiastically invited Zhang Wenda to sit, eat some fruit, and drink some tea while they helped him gather the ingredients and brew the potion.

Surrounded by the crowd of fluffy creatures, Zhang Wenda couldn't help but feel moved. It was rare for anyone to be so selflessly kind to him. He sighed in admiration, "This really is my own Spiritual World. This place holds practically no ill will toward me."

However, upon hearing this, a Little Black Cat beside him shook its head vigorously. "That's not true! You have to be careful! There are bad things here too! Like that black doggy from before!"

"If you run into it, don't let it get near you! It'll cling to you, and you won't be able to get rid of it."

Zhang Wenda nodded, only half-understanding. Aside from a few unusual aspects, this place didn't seem particularly dangerous. It was hard to imagine why they were so wary of this black dog, treating it as if it were a formidable enemy.

But it was always wise to heed a local's warning. He accepted their advice without question, resolving to stay as far away as possible if he ever encountered that black dog.

Although the Little Black Cats had a hard time catching the Dopamine, they were very skilled at gathering the other ingredients. Soon, everything on the recipe had been collected.

It was the same large cauldron and the same strange ingredients, but this time, the direction they stirred with the mushroom stick was different.

Soon, a large cauldron of viscous liquid was ready, its color strange and steaming hot.

The color didn't look quite like the one Ouyang Shuangdian had given him, which made Zhang Wenda's heart pound with apprehension. But seeing the expectant looks in the Little Black Cats' eyes, he didn't have the heart to refuse. Relying on the fact that he couldn't be poisoned in his spiritual state, he downed it all in one go.

The taste was very difficult to describe. How to put it... it was like his mouth was filled with the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns while a hand grenade exploded inside it.

In an instant, Zhang Wenda felt the entire world shrink to an infinitesimal point, then immediately expand to an immense size. With the sound of shattering glass, the world completely collapsed before his eyes.

The world went dark. Zhang Wenda doubled over and threw up, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the ground.

Zhang Wenda wiped his mouth and looked around. He had finally returned from that bizarre Spiritual World.

No, it wasn't just a return. The Hippocampus's recipe had worked. Zhang Wenda stared at his teacher's eyes and left leg, which were now forged from tangible golden light.

'Gold... Are they made of solid gold?'

'The potion the Little Black Cats brewed is effective. The ingredients can be gathered at any time, which means we can enter this state whenever we want from now on.'

'Rob him!'

Just as Zhang Wenda was trying his best to suppress the thought, he suddenly saw the other man stand up and walk over to him.

"So, have you found your true self?" In this state, the man's voice was layered and resonant.

"Not yet, but I have some leads," Zhang Wenda said, briefly recounting what had happened.

He scanned his surroundings again, but he received no new revelations, nor did he find any trace of the three colors.

"That so-called Hippocampus wasn't lying to me, was it? Is this the path you took back then?" Zhang Wenda asked, feeling a little uneasy.

The Soviet slowly shook his head.

"No, that is *your* path. The only true path of advancement is the one you find within yourself. Others might deceive you, but your own heart cannot."

"Since your Hippocampus said that parts of your true self have already arrived in the real world, then you must go and find them. Figure out a way to locate them."

"With every part you recover, your power will grow, and you will gain abilities you never had before. When you have walked this entire path, you will possess your very own school of thought. And when that moment comes, you will have the strength to stand before Qianxi."

If Zhang Wenda had been hesitant before, hearing this instantly galvanized him. "Understood."

With that, Zhang Wenda turned and left the training ground, intending to go search for his so-called true self.

"Wait. I have something for you," the scalped Soviet said suddenly.

"What? What is it?"

While Zhang Wenda was looking completely bewildered, the man slowly extended his right hand and gently placed it before him. A key forged of golden energy materialized, hovering in front of Zhang Wenda's brow.

"This is the key to your inner self. When you want to return to that path, this key will open the gate for you."

As Zhang Wenda gently touched the key, the wall to his left instantly exploded. The shattered stones froze in mid-air, revealing the pink island within the wall.

Zhang Wenda reached out and touched the key, a surge of joy rising in his heart. 'I never expected such a bonus.'

'With this, I can have the Little Black Cats help me tweak that liquid anytime.'

As Zhang Wenda continued to test it out, the man's calm voice reached his ears.

"Since you've made it this far, my task is complete. I must leave now. The rest of the path is up to you."