Chapter 56
It was like the chaos and turmoil that erupted the moment a formidable fortress appeared.
Yan Shuo suddenly came to his senses, raised his hand to cover his face, and the broken white mist quickly condensed, instantly obscuring him completely.
Only the wisps of white smoke lingering in the air, subtly revealing the other party's inner turmoil.
No one wants their inner thoughts to be spied on.
Moreover, the mental sea is connected to the brain's consciousness. If it is damaged, it is very likely to cause irreparable harm to the person involved, and in severe cases, it may even lead to brain death.
Xie Xubai observed cautiously and saw that Yan Shuo seemed much calmer. He apologized and said, "I'm sorry, it was not my intention to intrude into your mental world."
He quickly explained why he was there, while secretly glancing at the small flower under his palm.
For safety reasons, he should have apologized and left immediately before Yan Shuo made a move.
But Xie Xubai really couldn't bear to part with this flower.
He didn't know why the little tentacle and Yan Shuo's mental world were connected, nor did he know what their relationship was.
Symbiosis? Parasitism? Doppelganger?
That's not important.
Xie Xubai only knew that Xiao Yi was Xiao Yi, a bit mischievous but not bad-hearted. When he felt insecure, he would curl up into a ball and think about protecting him at all times. He was a good boy who liked to cling to his fingertips with his fingertips and act cute.
Although Xie Xubai was a complete novice, he had just healed more than sixty little creatures, so he had some experience.
The current spiritual world is ravaged, and looking into the distance, all one sees are monsters, like a battlefield filled with the smoke of gunpowder.
This situation is definitely not normal.
Especially when Yan Shuo was angry just now, the dark aura almost erupted, the earth cracked, the storm roared, and the entire spiritual world was teetering on the brink of destruction.
How could Xie Xubai dare to let go?
Yan Shuo doesn't seem to be the type to cherish flowers and plants. I'm afraid that the little flowers will be destroyed by the storm the moment he leaves.
What will happen to Xiao Yi then?
Xie Xubai carefully considered his words, raised his eyes to meet Yan Shuo's gaze, and cautiously asked, "The extent of the erosion here is very serious... Have you been sleeping poorly lately and often suffering from insomnia?"
"..."
Yan Shuo remained motionless, seemingly lost in thought.
But the gazes directed at him did not cause Xie Xubai to panic or feel fear.
Xie Xubai couldn't help but feel a little fortunate, fortunate that this was Yan Shuo's spiritual world.
Every minute change in emotion will be magnified and made perfectly visible.
He could observe the changes in Yan Shuo's situation more clearly, and thus adapt accordingly and counter each move.
The wind was blowing gently, with no sign of an impending attack. Even if Yan Shuo said nothing, Xie Xubai felt somewhat confident.
He softened his voice and pointed out incisively: "This is because your sea of consciousness has never experienced peace."
"If you are someone who craves conflict and enjoys killing, then this little flower will not grow in your mind."
"It's not about fighting the storm head-on, but about being crushed under a rock and dying, meaning a part of your self is suffering and about to be lost. Perhaps you have a very strong will and don't care about it, but it will definitely affect your body."
Based on his experience treating Lü Xiangcai, Xie Xubai reasonably speculated: "Insomnia is just the mildest symptom. If it continues to be left untreated, you will start to have headaches, confusion, frequent comas, and even amnesia, forgetting many things related to yourself."
Yan Shuo did not show any obvious reaction when the previous remarks were mentioned.
Only the final two words, "amnesia," made the thunderbolts soaring high in the sky freeze, losing their menacing appearance.
How could Xie Xubai miss this detail?
He was surprised that Yan Shuo would also feel uneasy, and immediately thought of that time they practiced dancing at the beach.
—Does a man's memory fail him if he doesn't know why he's angry?
Xie Xubai had a flash of inspiration and pressed his advantage: "If you build a good mental world, it might enhance your memory."
"It helps improve learning and work efficiency, and also—reminds me of some old things that I had unintentionally forgotten."
The young man spoke softly.
But the moment the last half of the sentence was uttered, it was like a siren's seductive song, deeply moving.
In an instant, the howling wind, the deafening thunder, and the monster's meaningless roars all stopped.
The air was deathly still, like a silent struggle.
Xie Xubai waited quietly.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Yan Shuo's hoarse, deep voice rang out: "What do you intend to do?"
"The typical healing process is to help you control the pollution, that is, to use strong measures to imprison the source of the chaos. But that is too slow to take effect, and I alone cannot save an entire world."
Xie Xubai paused slightly at this point.
According to the general public's understanding, "healing" should mean completely treating the wound, that is, clearing the pollution in the mind and restoring the original state.
For some reason, Lü Xiangcai found him a medical book. He flipped through it page by page, and all the various treatments mentioned were aimed at controlling the source of the trouble, as if it was a blessing if the disease did not continue to worsen.
Xie Xubai was unaware of the reasons behind this and dared not rashly use Lü Xiangcai and the others as guinea pigs.
But before them stood a man named Yan Shuo who seemed to know everything about the world.
Xie Xubai suggested, half asking and half trying, "You seem to be resistant to anyone leaving something in your mind, so perhaps we can take a step back and let this flower grow strong, drop its seeds, and grow a sea of flowers."
"With more beautiful things, there will naturally be less trouble and sorrow, wouldn't you say?"
This time, Yan Shuo did not remain silent for long.
He walked to Xie Xubai's side as if he had tacitly agreed.
Under the latter's unexpected gaze, Yan Shuo half-squatted down and quietly stared at the small flower under the young man's palm.
Even now, he believes that this flower should not, and could not, exist in his spiritual world.
But it did appear, silently taking root and sprouting, becoming a striking color in the dark world, impossible to ignore.
Yan Shuo tried to touch the petals.
As a result, Xie Xubai held his breath for a second, appearing even more nervous than Xie Xubai, the person involved.
This feeling of being cherished left Yan Shuo with mixed feelings.
After a few seconds of confusion, the little tentacle, feeling dizzy, crawled out of Xie Xubai's shadow: [So dizzy...]
It didn't have the same strong willpower as the original body, and the impact it received when it first looked into the complete sea of consciousness was no less than that of Xie Xubai.
Although Yan Shuo identified the little tentacles as his own body, it was hard for him to identify with them because of their silly appearance.
The little tentacle seemed to notice the small flower under Xie Xubai's palm, and dazedly stretched out its pointed tip: "What's this?"
It didn't see clearly, but instinctively felt it was precious and wanted to grab it and keep it as its own collection.
Yan Shuo frowned, about to sternly stop him.
As a result, Xie Xubai, who was just extremely nervous about Xiaohua, actually allowed the little tentacle to touch him boldly. He then pinched the tip of the tentacle and gently taught it to restrain its strength.
"This is a little flower blooming in your heart. Look, isn't it as cute as our Xiao Yi?"
Yan Shuo: "..."
cute?
Yan Shuo stared coldly at the unremarkable little flower, its petals broken and covered in black mud; he couldn't see anything cute about it.
The little tentacles looked a bit wilted, but as soon as they touched the flower, a surge of joy and happiness washed over them, making them feel refreshed and relaxed.
It was in high spirits, observed carefully for a while, and then actively expressed its agreement.
Yes! It's cute and pretty, but it's so small.
"Because everything needs to be carefully protected. If you neglect it, ignore it, and let it be exposed to the biting cold wind, how can a small, helpless flower grow tall?"
Xie Xubai said softly, "On the contrary, if it is given enough nutrients and carefully cared for, it will eventually grow into a beautiful and charming plant."
"So Xiao Yi, you have to take good care of it, just like you did just now. Don't be too rough on the flower, okay?"
Okay!
To be honest, this was the first time Yan Shuo had ever watched Xie Xubai teach the little tentacles in their entirety.
With just a few words of coaxing, His fragments restrained their desire to plunder and possess.
He found it strange and couldn't help but glance over again.
Xie Xubai released the sharp tips of the little tentacles, letting the child learn to control his strength on his own.
Then Yan Shuo's hand was grasped by a young man's warm palm, which led him to gently touch the petals.
In an instant, a stroke of good fortune struck Yan Shuo, who found it both absurd and laughable.
So Xie Xubai was so nervous just now because he mistook him for a vile and unrestrained piece of a body.
Those words weren't just instructing the body, they were also pointing it out.
What kind of behavior is this?
But the instant his fingertips touched the petals, Yan Shuo suddenly lost all emotion.
Only a soft touch came from the fingertips, so fragile, so light, as if it would break at the slightest pressure.
"It's alright." Seeing that Yan Shuo seemed startled and his fingers instinctively pulled back, Xie Xubai pulled him back.
Xie Xubai gently comforted it, saying, "Although it is weak, it is not as vulnerable as you think. You should know that even heavy rocks could not crush it."
Following Xie Xubai's gaze, Yan Shuo saw the large rock that was half a person tall.
He snapped out of his daze, looked at the hand Xie Xubai was holding, and suddenly asked with an ambiguous tone, "Do you often do this? You always have a self-justifying explanation for everyone."
Xie Xubai blinked: "What do you mean?"
Yan Shuo silently twitched the corner of his mouth, then pretended to be confused again.
Don't think he didn't see it; when the young man spoke to test him, his eyes were constantly glancing at the unusual activity in his mental world.
Before saying one sentence, I can think of ten sentences in my mind.
I don't know what she went through in the past to develop such a charming and shrewd personality.
Yan Shuo was about to pull his hand away when he touched the black mud on Xie Xubai's fingertips and paused slightly.
...He wasn't going to say thank you, because he knew that Xie Xubai was staying here despite his fear, most likely for Xiao Yi's sake.
But he was not ungrateful.
Suddenly, Yan Shuo grabbed Xie Xubai's hand, startling him.
If a man's hand reminded Xie Xubai of the cold iron of a snow-covered land, then holding the young man Yan Shuo felt like holding a pool of warm spring water.
Both of them felt a little uncomfortable when they suddenly encountered characteristics that were completely different from their own, but they both hid it very well.
Yan Shuo said, "Use your mental power."
Xie Xubai intuitively felt that Yan Shuo had no reason to harm him, so he did as he was told.
His spiritual power was a golden light, quietly radiating a warm heat.
It's not so intense as to hurt your eyes; it's like a small sun in the dead of winter, drawing all living things closer.
Even if the light source in the dark world is not dazzling, it is still extremely conspicuous.
The nearby thousand-faced monsters were all drawn over, staring intently at the ball of light in his hand.
His mouth was open and he forgot to close it, with black dirt still clinging to his teeth, and thick, sticky saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth onto the ground.
Xie Xubai glanced at Yan Shuo, then at the hungry monster in front of him, thought for a moment, and fed it a small strand of food.
The monster leaned back instantly, whether shocked by his generosity or wary of a trap, it was hard to tell.
It caught sight of its kin stirring around it out of the corner of its eye, and without a second thought, it pounced fiercely and swallowed the ball of light whole.
The monster shuddered.
Delicious! Tasty!
It licked its lips with lingering satisfaction, and its attitude instantly became attentive.
Not to mention the monsters were surprised, Yan Shuo couldn't help but fall silent for a moment before asking strangely, "...What are you doing?"
“They seem to have a sense of self, not like mere filth.”
It's probably because they kept many little monsters at home, and these little guys suffered from misunderstanding and discrimination in their previous lives.
Xie Xubai now extends his affection to everything related to his beloved house; whenever he sees a living creature, he first tries to communicate with it.
He said softly, "Do you like it? If I give you a little more, could you help me protect this flower?"
The monster that Xie Xubai pointed at suddenly jumped up, spread its thick limbs, and revealed sharp fangs, intimidating the monsters around it.
Threatened by its hissing, the other menacing monsters couldn't help but retreat, instantly clearing a large area around Xie Xubai.
Xie Xubai was overjoyed to see this and not only gave the agreed wisp of spiritual energy, but also sent an extra wisp.
The monster couldn't wait to devour its food.
But after it finished eating, it did not leave immediately. Looking at the remaining radiance in Xie Xubai's palm, it took a step forward with its claws, constantly approaching, making a snatching motion, revealing its greedy nature.
"You're pushing your luck," Yan Shuo said coldly.
As he finished speaking, Xie Xubai felt a sharp and fierce spiritual force coming from the spot where the man's hand was pressed against the back of his hand.
His spiritual power, guided and shaped by that spiritual power, suddenly condensed into a sharp blade, slashing straight at the monster.
The monster let out a miserable cry of pain, a huge gash split open on its face, and fled in panic, clutching its bleeding wound.
Yan Shuo calmly withdrew his gaze and looked at Xie Xubai: "Do you remember the feeling from just now? Try it again."
"..." Xie Xubai withdrew his gaze from the pool of black blood on the ground, and with a flick of his finger, gathered his spiritual power.
He is quick to understand and has the experience of continuous practice.
Having only been guided by Yan Shuo once, he was able to condense his spiritual power into a rough form, possessing at least five-tenths of the power he had just displayed.
Yan Shuo nodded approvingly: "Not bad."
"The filth here is endless, making it a suitable target for you to hone your spiritual power. If you keep your body... Xiao Yi with you, they won't dare to attack you. You can come in and practice anytime."
Xie Xubai asked, "Will it hurt you?"
Yan Shuo spontaneously interpreted it as: Will it hurt Xiao Yi?
He lifted his eyelids slightly and said with a nonchalant sneer, "If I could be hurt so easily, I might as well go back to the drawing board and start over."
As she spoke, she glanced at the small tentacle that was still fluttering the petals and completely unaffected, and said indifferently, "It's the same."
Xie Xubai knew that Yan Shuo was not joking. When he attacked that monster just now, the monster's eyelids didn't even twitch, and it didn't care at all whether it would accidentally hurt other parts of the body.
He naturally appreciated the gesture.
Since mental energy can heal others, it can naturally also be used as a weapon of attack. Xie Xubai knew this, but he had nowhere to train.
He was about to head to the monster's lair, and with only healing abilities, he clearly couldn't protect himself.
Yan Shuo noticed his predicament and offered to let him practice using his own spiritual world, which deeply moved Xie Xubai.
Just when everyone thought it was over, Yan Shuo let go of his finger and snapped it off without even blinking.
Xie Xubai's heart skipped a beat, and he was terrified.
There was no bleeding from the cut surface of the wound.
The broken half of the finger twisted like a slippery tentacle, stretching and deforming in the blink of an eye, and a pair of thin-rimmed gold-rimmed glasses suddenly appeared in Yan Shuo's palm.
"Come closer." Yan Shuo held up his glasses with both hands, facing Xie Xubai's face directly.
His tone was nonchalant, completely unaware of how terrifying his actions had been to humans.
Xie Xubai tried hard to pinch his fingers together, resisting the urge to pull them back.
It was at this moment that he smelled the moisture emanating from his glasses.
It's delicate and cool, with a slightly bitter taste amidst the saltiness, just like the little tentacles.
It smells of the sea.
It reminded Xie Xubai of the coastline under the vast moonlight that night, where the tide roared and crashed against the shore, splashing up snow-white, silvery foam.
Xie Xubai didn't tell anyone that he had never seen the sea before.
Upon arrival, they found the Pure Sea, a place of breathtaking beauty and ethereal charm.
Xie Xubai closed his eyes and slowly leaned his head closer.
Just then, Yan Shuo extended his finger forward, and the frame of his glasses rested on Yan Shuo's earlobe.
An inexplicable tacit understanding.
The soft, flowing hair fell onto my fingertips, causing a slight itch.
Looking at the young man's thick, long eyelashes, Yan Shuo, as if possessed, picked up a strand of black hair and tucked it behind the young man's ear.
Xie Xubai raised his head.
Not to mention the gruesome manufacturing process of these glasses, they feel perfectly comfortable to wear, and you can't even feel their slight weight.
The glasses are non-prescription and do not affect vision.
Xie Xubai felt that his nearly depleted mental energy had been restored, though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.
He tried on his new glasses, looking at them with a sense of novelty. Yan Shuo, however, turned to face him and suddenly stopped, seemingly lost in silent contemplation.
After a long pause, the man finally said, "Not bad."
"What's good?"
Yan Shuo snapped out of his reverie, stared at Xie Xubai's face, and couldn't help but adjust the position of his glasses, saying softly, "They suit you very well."
His movements were natural, so Xie Xubai couldn't be awkward.
The moment she looked up, her clear gaze flashed across her glasses, the gold-rimmed frames highlighting her fair skin, giving her an inexplicably cool and elegant air.
Just like when she touched the mole between the eyebrows of the young man last time, that inexplicable flutter reappeared, making his breathing unsteady.
Yan Shuo suppressed this inexplicable feeling of losing control, frowned, and explained in a low voice: "Nothing in this world is permanent. Xiao Yi can't be by your side all the time. These glasses can also help you confuse other people's perceptions."
"Others might mistake you for someone else because you wear glasses, which you can use to disguise your identity. When your mental strength is higher in the future, I will teach you how to use the power of mimicry to become invisible and change your appearance."
As he spoke, the broken section of Yan Shuo's finger trembled.
New flesh and bone formed in the blink of an eye, and his fingers were restored to their original state.
"I still have work to finish," Yan Shuo said. "Do as you please."
The man said he was leaving, and without any hesitation, he disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Xie Xubai originally wanted to thank him, but seeing this, he could only swallow his words.
The little tentacles hadn't had enough fun yet, but upon hearing Yan Shuo's words, they immediately moved closer, whining incessantly: "Bai Bai, don't listen to his provocations, I'll always stay by your side from now on!"
Xie Xubai smiled and rubbed it: "Okay! From now on, whenever Xiao Yi needs me, no matter how far away or how late, I will definitely appear."
The little tentacles excitedly stretched out their pointed tips: [Pinky promise!]
"Okay, okay, pinky promise, it'll last a hundred years."
After solemnly making their promises, Xie Xubai got up and pushed the surrounding boulders around Xiaohua to act as a windbreak, blocking the howling cold wind.
After doing all this, Xie Xubai didn't rush to leave.
Looking around, there were hideous and terrifying monsters everywhere, densely packed and almost identical.
Xie Xubai raised his eyes, gathered his spiritual power in his hand, and the golden ball of light emitted a soft and warm halo.
The monsters were drawn to him and kept moving closer.
Xie Xubai raised his other hand, and a golden blade of light hung in mid-air, exuding a chilling aura.
Half of the monsters retreated instantly, while the other half remained in place.
Several others, extremely conspicuous, continued to approach brazenly, undeterred by the sharpness of the golden light.
Because the little tentacles kept "snarling," it stopped after taking only a few steps.
"It seems I wasn't wrong," Xie Xubai muttered to himself. "You all have your own personalities; you're not simply filthy."
He looked up as if he had a premonition, gazing at the end of the monster horde.
A monster with a wounded face was staring straight at him, blood constantly seeping from its wounds. Even without eyes, one could feel its resentment and unwillingness.
Xie Xubai raised the hand holding the ball of light, attempting to entice it.
The monster did not approach on the first attempt to lure it.
The second time, it seemed to realize that Xie Xubai was calling it, and it bared its fangs menacingly.
...
On the seventh time, the surrounding monsters couldn't hold back any longer.
Just as they were about to approach, the wounded monster leaped up, its massive body slamming to the ground with a thud.
At the same time, it swung its powerful claws, knocking the monsters that were crowded in the front row off their feet!
After doing all this, the injured monster finally stopped, staring at Xie Xubai with a gloomy and cold gaze.
"You have developed lust for me, so I will not apologize for my self-defense just now."
Xie Xubai calmly extended the ball of light: "However, I need someone to help me guard the flowers. If you are willing, I can give you another chance."
Without a second thought, the monster braced itself and prepared to charge.
Xie Xubai looked at the little tentacle beside him: "Xiao Yi, I will let it come over. If it tries to eat me or does anything else wrong, you will help me subdue it."
"Then," Xie Xubai met the monster's fangs, his transparent glasses reflecting a chilling light, and said firmly, "I will kill you, do you understand?"
The monster clawed at the ground as if venting its anger, scraping out deep, broken craters and letting out a resentful shriek.
Xie Xubai held up his light blade to confront it, his eyes sharp and unyielding.
Finally, at a certain moment, the monster, tormented by hunger, let out a long, mournful cry and approached Xie Xubai.
It obeyed the rules, did not pounce or bite, and suppressed its greed.
Even when he arrived in front of Xie Xubai, the young man did not send his spiritual power to it, but instead extended his hand forward.
Xie Xubai said, "Eat like this. If you hurt me, you won't have a second chance."
monster:"……"
It was furious.
But that spiritual energy looked too delicious, and when you got closer, it was even more fragrant and sweet.
The monster gritted its teeth, not daring to extend its claws, and could only bring its face close, carefully picking up a wisp of spiritual energy.
These monsters, who have always acted recklessly, have never restrained themselves in such a stifling way.
It repeatedly thought it would lose its temper and pounce on the young man, biting him wildly.
Under Xie Xubai's gaze, he miraculously endured it until he had consumed all the spiritual energy Xie Xubai had fed him.
Then Xie Xubai extended his other hand.
The monster remembered that it was that hand that had formed the blade of light that caused it pain, and it immediately bared its teeth.
To everyone's surprise, Xie Xubai simply placed his hand on its head, rubbed it a little, and praised it generously, saying, "You did it, great job."
The monster froze.
After a long while, it finally stretched out its paws and casually licked its fur.
No one noticed the little flower in the center of the boulder happily shaking its petals, as if it had suddenly come to life.
Tiny, plump particles scatter from its body and fall onto the barren, desolate earth.
Before they knew it, it was the third day, the day Xie Xubai was to report to the hospital.
Author's Note:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com