Chapter 402: Zhao Henian’s Whereabouts

He looked at Zhai Jia, then at Zhai Yu.

“This means it’s not your fault, but a problem with the world itself. Either the world is somehow blocking people’s perception of those who return from Huangliang, or the flow of time between Huangliang and reality isn’t linear… In other words, it’s not a fixed ratio of fifteen or twenty to one, but a variable rate influenced by certain factors.”

The room fell silent once more.

Zhai Yu sat on the chair, one hand still holding his communicator. The screen had already gone dark. He was thinking about something—something huge.

“It seems some things really can’t be explained by science,” Zhai Yu said slowly. “I’ve lived for so many years, but only today do I realize I don’t know anything at all.”

He was overcome with emotion.

He put the communicator back in his pocket and rested his hands on his knees again.

Zhai Jia, however, suddenly spoke up excitedly. “So it’s like a game mechanic. A rule. For instance, when you’re in a game killing monsters to level up, your character gets stronger, but you, sitting in front of the computer, are still the same you. Everything you see, hear, and feel is communicated to you by the game through your monitor, headset, and controller.”

“Also, it’s hard for us to confirm if someone is a Cultivator in the real world. Even if we watch them up close, the memory might be erased from our subconscious. Just like a moment ago, we thought only two or three seconds had passed, but it was actually four or five minutes. Our Perception was altered by something, or blocked by something. Don’t you guys think I’m right?”

“Those are two different things.” Zhai Yu shook his head. “Whether you’re in a game or in reality, you are consistent. But Ah Ze’s situation is different. After all, with Qi Refiners in the picture, it’s normal for things to be a bit more mysterious.”

Wan Ze nodded. “I can’t prove it right now. But maybe in the future… once we can get a firm foothold in Huangliang, we’ll be able to learn the truth.”

The atmosphere lightened considerably.

Zhai Yu suddenly asked, “By the way, Ah Ze, that Xiao Yunkai… is he?”

Wan Ze shook his head. “I can’t confirm it yet. But the pendant he has is related to a Sect. I’ll find a chance to go back in over the next couple of days and investigate in more detail. By the way, Brother Yu, Brother Jia, I need you to do me a favor.”

“Name it,” Zhai Yu said crisply, without a hint of hesitation.

“I need to compare Xiao Yunkai’s handwriting,” Wan Ze said, lowering his voice. “Try to get him to write something without realizing what you’re up to. If he’s on guard, it’ll be hard to be sure. If he writes a normal passage, I can compare it with the handwriting from Huangliang. If the script matches, then he’s the person we’re looking for.”

Hearing this, Zhai Jia grinned. “Leave it to me. Whether it’s getting him drunk, chatting him up, or having him copy something down, I have plenty of ways to get him to write.”

Wan Ze nodded.

Zhai Jia pressed on curiously, “Ah Ze, can you tell us what you’ve been through over there? Ah—”

Before he could finish, Zhai Yu rapped him on the head. “Have you looked at the time?” Zhai Yu said flatly.

He stood up from his chair, stretched his neck, and pulled the blackout curtain aside just a crack to look outside.

The sky outside was still dark, but a faint, grayish-white line was now visible on the distant horizon.

Dawn was breaking.

“Let’s rest for now. We can talk more tomorrow.”

Zhai Jia scratched his head. “Alright.”

Zhai Yu turned and looked at Wan Ze. “There are three rooms next door. One for each of us. They have their own bathrooms, just like a hotel.”

He paused, looked at Wan Ze, and patted his shoulder. “Get some good rest.”

Zhai Jia also patted his shoulder. “Goodnight, Ah Ze.”

The door closed.

Wan Ze was alone in the room.

He sat on the chair, bathed in the white light of the ceiling lamp. The clock on the wall was still ticking, and next to him were the two burlap sacks.

Wan Ze stretched his body.

His cervical spine let out a faint CRACKLE. He gradually increased the range of motion until he felt a distinct stretch in the muscles on both sides of his neck, then shrugged his shoulders.

It was probably due to his breakthrough.

A peculiar sensation filled his body, as if he had been completely renewed.

It was like an old machine that had been taken apart, with every component cleaned, fully oiled, and reassembled, now running more smoothly than ever before.

His Martial Dao Cultivation had officially entered the Refining Viscera·Strengthening the Foundation Late Stage.

The Refining Viscera Realm, as the name implies, is the stage for tempering the Five Viscera and Six Bowels.

The human body’s internal organs can’t be actively trained like muscles. You can’t train your heart the way you train your biceps, nor can you train your liver the way you train your abs.

The Cultivation method for the Refining Viscera Stage involves using a Breathing Technique and the circulation of qi and blood to apply external pressure, forcing the internal organs to strengthen themselves under duress.

Strengthening the Foundation is a watershed moment in the Refining Viscera Stage.

Before Strengthening the Foundation, you are merely stimulating the internal organs, making them stronger.

After Strengthening the Foundation, however, you are consolidating the organs, allowing them to maintain that stronger state without regressing. It also “locks in” the muscles you’ve built, preventing them from easily deteriorating.

Wan Ze clenched his fist. The Power in his palm felt much greater than usual.

He smiled silently, deeply satisfied.

Even his Huangliang Cultivation had ascended to the Wandering Spirit Realm.

Wandering God, the second official Realm of a Qi Refiner.

Spirit Awakening is to “awaken one’s Spirituality,” while Wandering God is to “let one’s spirit wander outside the body.”

Upon reaching this Realm, Spirituality is no longer a passive existence, but a tool that can be actively deployed.

After a moment, Wan Ze walked to the window.

The crack in the curtain that Zhai Yu had made was still there. He leaned in and glanced outside.

The sky outside was still dark, but dawn was approaching.