Chapter 197 - 196: Preparations for Going Out

[Jian Yu]

[Soul Beast: Jellyfish.]

[Skill: Healing, Yulan Cyan Mist. Remaining Soul Power: 15. Soul Domain: 100]

Jian Yu quickly scanned the information and found that only the pink fog’s energy was full.

The other four were either at 10 or 15, basically depleted. Furthermore, only the soul domain values for the pink and black sections were at 110; the storage for the other three was still at 100.

She stared at the pop-up display. "I’m sure I had used it all up just now."

Jian Yu chose her words carefully, articulating as clearly as possible, "I switched all the energy I wasn’t using into an attack form. The first one to run out was the Fu Yin Powder."

Using external items to replenish energy was forbidden during the challenge.

She only got to replenish her energy with a Beast Crystal after the match was over, and replenishment from a Beast Crystal is very slow.

Pei Yin guessed, "Could it be that it was immediately replenished after you used it up?"

"Replenished?" Jian Yu’s eyes widened and darted around. "Maybe emotional replenishment is faster?"

’Then maybe the pink doesn’t just represent desire, but also the affection and admiration from the audience?’

’Was this what Shi Zhao meant by ’show off in front of the crowd’?’

’Replenishing by gaining people’s affection?’

Pei Yin took out an Attack Attribute Beast Crystal. "You know how, right? I recall the first lesson in your Awakening class was how to absorb Beast Crystals."

"I do." Jian Yu nodded, then her expression froze for a moment. "This is yours?"

’A Level 2S Beast Crystal, and he just gave it to her.’

’Pei Yuan must have some kind of misunderstanding about Pei Yin.’

"Of course it’s mine." Pei Yin crossed his arms.

He leaned back, shooting her a sideways glance. "What’s with that look? It’s not like I only ever stay in the research institute. I used to go out often."

You can’t be harsh to someone who’s just given you a gift. Jian Yu put on a standard smile, baring her pearly whites. "Impressive."

She held it in her hand, absorbing it while feeling the process.

The Beast Crystal quickly turned into a waste stone, dark and glittering like Obsidian.

Jian Yu really liked this kind of translucent black object. She stroked it a few times with her fingers before cherishingly storing it in her Space Ring.

"..." Pei Yin’s lips curled up, and an unnatural flush spread across his face.

"This isn’t the first time I’ve given you something. It’s just a useless stone, no need to be reluctant to throw it away."

Jian Yu looked up and blinked innocently.

She knew he had misunderstood, but Jian Yu felt it was necessary to take this opportunity to demonstrate her attitude of "treating everyone equally."

"Anything you give me has sentimental value."

Jian Yu stared intently at Pei Yin’s face, which grew redder and redder until even the red mole on the bridge of his nose seemed to brighten.

’Nice. Another day, another stroke of genius.’

[Skill: Attack, Tea Purple Fog Belt. Remaining Soul Power: 80. Soul Domain: 100]

Jian Yu frowned. "It’s almost full, but the soul domain didn’t level up."

Pei Yin took out a row of Beast Crystals, arranged from the lowest Level to the highest. There was even one with the Healing Attribute.

"It is a bit low. You use it up fast, and it replenishes slowly."

He tapped his chin. "Try them all."

A few minutes later, Jian Yu cherishedly collected a pile of dark, sparkling Bright Crystal Stones.

"An F Rank Beast Crystal replenishes 10. The ranks above that also only add 10." Pei Yin pulled up an analysis curve. "Have you noticed anything different?"

Jian Yu stared at the meridians on her wrist that others couldn’t see. "Two of them are thicker."

She explained simply, "The times they changed... one was after I absorbed the Soul Ghost Body, and the other was today, probably during the arena fight."

Pei Yin nodded. "So, the evolutionary paths are likely showing off and acting cool, and absorbing Soul Ghost Bodies. We’ll have to figure out the others."

He stood up. "I’ll see if the school has any more Soul Ghost Bodies. I’ll go catch one for you."

He left so quickly that Jian Yu couldn’t stop him.

Shen Gu hurried over and sat down next to her. "Chief Pei is finally gone."

Jian Yu pursed her lips and said earnestly, "He’s not scary."

"I know." Shen Gu patted his chest. "I just can’t help it. You don’t know, but there are a lot of videos on the forums of Chief Pei being vicious."

Jian Yu’s brows knitted together. "Who released those videos?"

’Even if the process was brutal, it was still an Alliance research project.’

Shen Gu had actually looked into it. "They were leaked by the Pei Family."

The reason was unknown.

In any case, not long after the videos came out, Pei Yin had a falling out with the Pei Family.

"Of course, a lot of people say the Chief has had a bad relationship with his family since he was a child. It might have been better if he had Awakened earlier, but it just had to happen when he was seven. At that age, you can remember things."

Shen Gu didn’t want to think about it too much.

"Yu, you’re leaving the school with Chairman Sheng tomorrow, right? Is there anything you need me to prepare?"

Jian Yu: "No need. The next off-campus activity might be canceled."

Shen Gu shook his head. "It won’t be canceled. No matter how big the Soul Ghost Body incident gets, it can’t affect the second-year students’ first training expedition."

Shen Gu’s tone was mature. "The people of Weis Lan need growth, not a safe harbor."

"!" Jian Yu was suddenly fired up.

"Huh?" Shen Gu stood up with her. "Where are you going?"

Jian Yu didn’t look back. "To the incubation area."

Shen Gu followed, and the two walked side by side.

Jian Yu asked casually, "Why is Pei Yin staying at the school?"

"This year it’s Chief Pei’s turn to hold down the fort at Weis Lan. Every year, one of the Chiefs has to stay behind."

Shen Gu took out a box of vials. "Also, the Chief seems to be promoting a new drug with the Alliance. The clinical trials just ended yesterday, and a lot of people at our school got the medicine today. It can resist the Spiritual Attacks of low-Level Soul Ghosts or those in a Weakness Period."

He handed the medicine to Jian Yu. "Chairman Sheng said he would give this to you tomorrow, but I was afraid he’d forget. You can have this one. I’ll have Senior Lin Yu help me get another one later."

Jian Yu knew what it was; she was the one who had given the medicine to Pei Yin in the first place.

Looking at the white box in her hand, Jian Yu broke the seal, and her gaze fell on the marking on the pills.

...

Xu Jianjuan put down the medicine box, her eyes staring blankly at the marking on the pills.

It was the "speech" radical—

The key component of the character for her surname, Xu.

Getting the money and the patent was within Xu Jianjuan’s expectations.

But for Pei Yin to keep her mark, and on top of that, complete the experiments and distribution in just a few short days—that was completely beyond her expectations.

Her communicator rang.

Xu Jianjuan listened as the person on the other end asked cautiously:

"Xiao Juan, you told us not to just take any medicine people give us, but today some big leader came and told everyone in the whole village district to go get some kind of free medicine. Tell us, should we take it or not?"

Xu Jianjuan had a bit of a stress reaction. "Let me see it."

"Don’t worry, don’t worry, we listened to you. None of us took it." The video call focused, and the same packaging box came into view.

Xu Jianjuan paused. "Auntie, did you just say it’s free?"

The materials she had used for her research weren’t cheap. Even with substitutes, it would still be a considerable expense.

"That’s right! It’s free, no charge. They said Soul Ghosts are going after ordinary people now, and we should take this to protect ourselves if we feel something is wrong. It’s really scary. You have to be careful at school. That whole brain-eating thing is terrifying."

"Oh, right, I noticed the name on this medicine box is exactly the same as yours! I always said ’Jianjuan’ must be an uncommon name. See, that noble has the same name too."

"Xiao Juan, do you have a cold? Your voice sounds a little hoarse."

Xu Jianjuan’s eyes were red-rimmed. "You can take it. Our academy handed out this medicine, too."

She offered a few words of reassurance and, worried her aunt would notice something was wrong, quickly hung up.

Xu Jianjuan looked up and saw Si Xu and Duan Fei also fly out of the academy one after another.

These two nobles, whom she once couldn’t stand the most, were now heading to the most densely populated planet of commoners to carry out inspections.

The last rays of the setting sun shone on a desk in the library.

Xu Jianjuan looked at the shifting light and shadows around her, her mood a similar mix of light and dark.

Her fingers lifted from the book on noble history in front of her, her expression a complex silence.

’Who would have thought that the high and mighty nobles were once subjected to three hundred years of humiliating research at the hands of commoners.’