Chapter 118 Emotional Elements
"Isn't it great to have three choices? Each one is suitable for you." Chu Hengkong smiled.
"It's not about suitability..." Ji Huaisu muttered, "It's about sensibility...sensibility..."
Chu Hengkong recalled his free time conversations with his partner about the similarities and differences between the three paths. The path of unity was the simplest, relying entirely on oneself. With exceptional skills, one could develop into a deft hand, and with a strong physique, one could develop into a strong bone. By training each part of the body, one would eventually achieve an indestructible body, unrivaled in the world.
The Floating Light Path relies heavily on resources. The initial foundation is extraordinary items, and every subsequent step revolves around upgrading that "foundation stone." One hones the stone into a "staff," then refines it into a more advanced "weapon," and then develops even more bizarre gadgets, like an inventor from another world.
And the Supreme Path...
Few could articulate this path clearly. Those who play with elements seem to disregard principles, prioritizing talent and "comprehension." It seems that if you realize, understand, and experience something, you're qualified to ascend, while for those who don't, no matter how hard they try, it's all in vain. But Ji Huaisu was a recognized genius; this kind of problem shouldn't have happened to her.
"When you want to protect something, there will be light. When you want to destroy something, there will be shadow. Positive emotions that rise up and sublimate into pure fire, while negative emotions that sink down and condense into turbid tears..." Ji Huaisu sighed deeply, "So if I want to break through, I have to use up all my emotions. Either I will explode like a giant torch, or I will be depressed and gloomy and collapse into a heap in the corner."
Chu Hengkong imagined the torchbearer Ji Huaisu of Huilong City and the giant baby Ji Huaisu of the police force, and was amused by himself: "It's better to go to Wudingchen."
"Wu Dingchen is the worst. It's like floating duckweed with no fixed destination and no roots. Only those who are lost in the future will become dust blown by the wind." Ji Huaisu rolled up the quilt and hugged it in his arms like a pillow. "But if I keep swaying like this, I will really become dust..."
She looked a bit dejected, completely unlike her usual self. Chu Hengkong noticed a wet spot by the bed, suggesting she'd been secretly trying to make ice again. Early exposure to the power of turbid tears would have enveloped her in negative emotions, leading to a gloomy, self-pitying mood.
He didn't quite understand why Ji Huaisu was so anxious. The knights' clues were within reach, and advancement was no longer a vague hope. Logically, she should have been so excited she couldn't sleep all night. But the reality was quite the opposite. She grumbled and threw a tantrum, like an insecure senior trying every possible way to avoid an interview.
Thinking of this, Chu Hengkong suddenly understood: "...How long have you been staying at Particle 2?"
Ji Huaisu said nothing. He placed his tentacles around the girl's waist, making a silent threat.
"You're so annoying." She swatted the tentacle away with a claw. "Dad said I was already Seismic Point 2 when he found me... They sealed me for over a decade for fear I'd go berserk, and only released me when I grew up."
No wonder.
He recalled Ji Qiufeng's words about geniuses who stagnated too long, young people who lost their edge. A period of repression can be a driving force for progress, and a moment of hopeless confusion can ignite an unyielding spirit. But when stagnation from one year turns to ten, and from ten to twenty, the situation changes.
It was like a fairy tale he'd read before, about a decades-long traffic jam. At first, both the cars and the people complained, but over time, people adapted to life in their cars. Then, one day, the jam miraculously eased and the cars began to move again, only to become uneasy. Even the cars were reluctant to move forward.
When staying still becomes the norm, moving forward becomes a fear of the unknown.
The tentacles suddenly descended and wrapped around the ticklish flesh on both sides of his waist. Ji Huaisu jumped up with a start, his face flushed and shaking with laughter: "What are you doing! You are a hooligan!"
"The way you are now is still the best for you." Chu Hengkong retracted his tentacles. "Why are you so hesitant? If it doesn't work out, just go with Wu Dingchen and be a free girl."
He said as he tickled the blonde, making her laugh. Ji Huaisu gritted his teeth, "I've changed my mind! I want to be the Pure Fire... The first thing I'll do after I ascend is burn this filthy tentacle of yours dry!"
She bravely leaped up and pushed Chu Hengkong down onto the bed, attempting to return the favor. Wander was awakened by the noise inside the house. Bleary-eyed, he looked up to ask whose house was being demolished. He turned around and saw the blonde girl straddling someone, her clothes disheveled, and the man's tentacles still wrapped around their waist.
Vanderlis simply closed his eyes and buried his head in his sleeping bag, thinking that his eyesight was in bad condition. He woke up early in the morning to watch the animal world and saw a golden retriever catching a squid.
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Half an hour later, west of Jinye City.
A public water truck stopped at Xitai Station. Old men and women who got up early to buy groceries got off the bus slowly, and last of all came the trio munching on sandwiches and mini candy balls.
Chu Hengkong swallowed his breakfast and a golden pill-like Fuli Heart and Pill, preparing for today's action.
Walking along the main road from the station, one reaches an upscale residential complex nestled against a mountainside. Further north lies Jinye City's only hill, where Mayor Jin Ye's residence sits. After getting off the bus, Ji Huaisu held out a small, aqua-blue flag emblazoned with a chubby, savage dragon. She closed her eyes and calculated for a moment.
"Set up your formation closer to the foot of the mountain. We don't have enough range here."
The small flag was a multi-purpose relic crafted by Youyou himself, serving as a temporary defensive position and a barrier to keep out unauthorized personnel. During yesterday's chaotic brawl, Chu Hengkong was able to spend most of his time rescuing people, but if the real fight came, they might not have the energy to care for civilians. Being prepared early was also fulfilling one's responsibilities as an ascender.
"These are roughly the four directions. Just charge and activate your light shields there." Vander pointed at the map. "But I think you're a little overly nervous. Does visiting the mayor have to be like going to war?"
Chu Hengkong handed it a newspaper: "As for, there is something wrong with Jin Ye."
It was a handmade newspaper clipping, with a brief inference written in pencil around the printed report. Gold Leaf City's level of information technology was barely up to par, but with the local magic network, intelligence could be gathered even from within the hotel.
Jin Ye in the newspaper was a frivolous young man. After reading the reports in chronological order, Vander discovered that Jin Ye's reputation had been up and down over the past few decades.
When Jinye City was first established, he was a beloved mayor, single-handedly overseeing the city's transportation, drainage, and magical networks, among other basic municipal planning tasks, many of which remain in use today. However, within a few years, citizens began to complain about his extreme and overbearing nature, his tendency to force through poorly crafted bills, and his inability to tolerate any criticism.
Perhaps the citizens' protests had an effect, and Jin Ye retired from politics for several years, returning to his traditional craft. When shipping routes were open, he enjoyed launching new products in the city, inviting knowledgeable visitors to review his creations. From the most objective perspective, his new inventions were too far-fetched, and therefore, naturally, they received little recognition.
Jin Ye argued with his visitors, and his press conferences always ended in disarray. This period of his life as a great inventor ended nineteen years ago. Jin Ye invested heavily in an underground factory, promising to create masterpieces that would astound even the most mediocre. However, just three months after opening, the factory suffered devastating losses due to a dust explosion, resulting in numerous casualties and the factory's closure due to a lack of manpower.
Chu Hengkong placed the report on the accident in the center of the clippings. The headline featured a young man weeping bitterly, and half of his interview content was describing the "overwhelming blood" to the reporter. The young man looked vaguely familiar.
"This man looks like that Teardrop," said Finder. "Do you suspect his power has something to do with this accident?"
"What do the top students think?"
"There seems to be no reports of the Iceman before. If it was revealed twenty years later, the progress of the pollution is a bit too slow." Vander muttered, "Not sure, let's wait and see."
Shortly after the factory accident, Huilong City was besieged by outsiders, cutting off the island's access to the outside world. Jin Ye's inventions fell into complete silence. He became an eccentric old man, building a rather extravagant mansion in the mountains. For twenty years, he rarely appeared, only occasionally sending workers to deliver specialized equipment. Yet, he stubbornly clung to his position as mayor, controlling this small island with his skills, status, and subordinates.
"This guy is so pathetic!" Vander sighed, "He's been tossing around his whole life without knowing what he wants."
The speaker may not have intended it, but the listener may have taken it to heart. Ji Huaisu snatched the newspaper and asked, "What's that?"
"If he wanted power, he would have been a dictator for decades; if he wanted to clear his reputation, he would have retired as soon as his work was done, and people still remember him well; if he wanted to do academic research, he should have concentrated on his own research, but he had to hold a press conference with great fanfare, and his eagerness for quick success and instant benefits led to accidents. He hitched a stick here and a hammer there, and in the end, he didn't please anyone and ended up living a notorious old man. Why bother?" Vander pointed.
"It's human nature." Chu Hengkong said.
Vander squinted his eyes and said, "You're speaking for the old man."
"I'm just speaking the truth. People's thoughts are always changing, and what they want changes unconsciously. Very few can see themselves clearly." Chu Hengkong grabbed the spear, "Jin Ye obviously has other plans for the last twenty years, so this visit may not go smoothly."
They raised four small flags at the foot of the mountain to disperse the surrounding people, and then went deeper along the only mountain road. The mayor's mansion was hidden in the shade, the golden dome hidden among the trees. Although there was a courtyard, it was unattended and overgrown with weeds.
Chu Hengkong entered the deserted courtyard, walked to the door of the mansion, and knocked several times. The knocks penetrated the door with force, and the sound pattern reflected the layout of the mansion. This mansion was full of luxury goods, followed by books, but there was no living thing to be found.
Empty.
"There's an elemental scent." Ji Huaisu suddenly said, "A very high concentration of earth element."
Chu Hengkong acted decisively and broke into the house.
He saw an ugly statue.
(End of this chapter)
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