Chapter 150 - 149: Twin Dragon Jade
Yang Shen asked Long Jiu many questions. Although this life-sized figurine had no emotions, she did possess memories, allowing Yang Shen to learn a great deal of intelligence about the Rebel Species.
Of course, since she had been used as a "tool," she had likely been unconsciously exposed to many secrets, but the figurine herself was incapable of complex thought.
For example, when Yang Shen asked her who the leader of the Rebel Species in Jianghuai was, Long Jiu answered, "The Altar Master."
When asked who the Altar Master was, Long Jiu simply replied that the Altar Master was the Altar Master.
It was like talking to a brick wall.
After getting some of the information he wanted, Yang Shen left the small inn.
He left Long Jiu with new orders: she could move freely within the room, but she was not to open the door, leave, or answer any questions from outside.
He would take care of her needs, such as bringing her food.
Yang Shen would come daily to infuse her with Spiritual Power, with an Array and the Sun Worms serving as surveillance.
The Sun Worms were lazy by nature. One simply perched on Long Jiu’s head and stopped moving, truly becoming a mere ornament.
The inn was two intersections away from Yang Shen’s house, but the straight-line distance was less than a kilometer, still within his sensory range. If anything unusual happened, he could rush over immediately.
After arranging everything, Yang Shen returned home. Speaking of which, ever since he started going to sleep near Zhuzi every day, he hadn’t spent a night at home in a long time.
Yang Shen came home early today, and the house was bustling with the four little ones.
Yang Mo and Yang Man rushed over, clinging to him. "Brother! We both got perfect scores in math! We’re number one in our grade!"
Yang Shen hugged each of them in turn.
In truth, the girls were already in sixth grade and stood around 1.4 to 1.5 meters tall. They had grown a bit more since they started Body Forging recently, but their personalities were still those of typical little girls.
"Not bad. Looks like a perfect score isn’t your limit, but the test’s, right?"
Yang Mo and Yang Man grinned. "Of course! We’ve already finished all our middle school coursework!"
Lei Lv watched them with envy. According to the family’s plan, he was also supposed to start middle school in September, and at a school in the Jianghuai City District.
He felt like he didn’t know anything... and was feeling incredibly insecure.
’He was afraid he would bring shame to the family when he went to school.’
Yang Shen had many plans for the four youngsters; they were the future of the Yang Family.
Yang Mo and Yang Man would definitely learn the "Array" and "Spirit Plant" legacies. The former was their talent, while the latter was a hobby for the two little girls.
Aside from Yang Shen, they were the ones who cared most about the family’s Spirit Field.
As for Lei Lv, his talent for both Cultivation and Martial Arts was very high. His Qi and Blood Value had already reached the late stage of Skin Refining...
To give a rough comparison, what level was that? It was like Huo Jun regressing to his youth and starring in his own story: *Reborn in Nanliang*.
’Hopefully, the students at the city’s top middle schools wouldn’t be the ones feeling incredibly insecure.’
As for Xiaolei Yi... he just needed to eat fewer carbs and more meat. He was only starting elementary school in September.
Tao Ying brought out the food from the kitchen. "Stop pestering your brother. Go wash your hands and eat. Shen, you’ve worked hard too."
Yang Shen smiled. "I probably won’t be running around so much anymore. I’ll focus on studying for my exams."
Tao Ying said gently, "You’re the head of the family now. You can make your own decisions."
After dinner, Yang Shen spent over an hour guiding the four youngsters in their Cultivation. He arranged for them to find him for Body Forging the next morning, then went to the Celestial Platform alone.
It was already June, and the weather was growing warmer. The air carried the scent of earth and vegetation.
Having been through so much these past few days, Yang Shen stood with his hands on his hips, gazing at the bustling Jianghuai City District in the distance. ’I wonder if you can smell this in the city proper?’ he thought.
But the college entrance exams were only eight days away... He would soon find out for himself.
Turning around, he saw the Celestial Platform Spirit Field was lush and green. The Qi Gathering Vines, High-Source Yellow Essence, and Nascent Source Grass had all been propagated multiple times. Dozens of flower pots were now full to bursting, and he had even added a few more.
However, for the sake of "scaling up," he hadn’t rushed to sell the mature ones, instead using them for cuttings and division...
If he were to liquidate this batch, the estimated total profit could reach a terrifying 400,000 or so.
Lately, Lin Yuebai had been asking every few days why Boss Yang hadn’t come by to give him business. It seemed he was having a hard time without his main benefactor. However, Lin Yuebai would probably have a hard time offloading 400,000 worth of goods.
This was another matter to be dealt with after the college entrance exams.
Yang Shen cast a wide-area Ganlin Curse, followed by a Withering and Flourishing Curse of the same scale, and with that, the maintenance of these precious medicinal herbs was complete.
He would proceed with his Cultivation as usual tonight, but there was a small matter to attend to first.
Sitting in his lounge chair, befitting the head of the family, Yang Shen took out a piece of Jade and toyed with it in his hand.
The shape of this Jade was identical to the half Yang Shen wore on his chest. It had the three-dimensional form of a Hook Jade. If the two pieces were joined, they would form a complete, slightly thick circle.
The only difference was that the one in his hand had a warmer hue, the color of mutton-fat jade, while the one on his chest was the color of cyan jade.
Like yin and yang.
Yang Shen didn’t know its mysterious origins, but he had basically figured out its fundamental mechanics from Long Jiu’s answers and his own experience using it.
The Yin Jade corresponded to "attributes," having replicated Black Rope’s "Curse Engraving," while the Yang Jade corresponded to "life," having replicated his own "physique."
The Exotic Strange Guest’s Secret Technique was powerful, but his physical constitution was far inferior to a Martial Artist’s. Black Rope had truly been enhanced this time.
Judging by his performance last night, his combat prowess was already equivalent to an Innate Martial Artist, and his methods were even more bizarre.
Unfortunately, he still died in the end, ganged up on by Yang Shen and Long Jiu.
After obtaining the other half, Yang Shen didn’t feel any boost, but that was reasonable. The replicated power had originated from him in the first place.
’If it could still work on me, would I be able to fly by stepping on my own feet?’
The Rebel Species called it the "Twin Dragon Jade."
Besides the yin and yang halves being able to replicate attributes, when the two Jades were recombined, they would erase their replicated effects and rapidly absorb the Life Force of whoever touched them.
The Rebel Species had previously hidden it in the fish store because, after trying various methods, they had found the most cost-effective way was to use the Life Force of a large number of live fish to nourish the Jade.
When it had absorbed enough Life Force, swallowing it would allow one to absorb its stored reserves. This was how Black Rope had revived on the spot the first time.
At that time, Yang Shen had inflicted three fatal wounds, including one to the brain... yet he still came back to life. It was clear just how immense the Life Force within it was.
According to Long Jiu... this item was originally prepared for a big shot in the Rebel Species. That person urgently needed it for treatment.
That was why, after it was lost, the entire Jianghuai Sub-temple came under immense pressure.
’I wonder if that person is dead yet, since it’s been missing for so long...’
Theoretically, the "Yin Jade" Yang Shen held also contained half of the previously stored Life Force. Swallowing it would seemingly allow for a full-health revival... This would serve as an important trump card for him.
A "three-in-one" Curiosity: replicating abilities, devouring Life Force, and releasing healing...
In terms of its effects, it could be called a priceless treasure. As expected of something certified by the system and indicated in a quest. The system was even generous enough to display it in the "Family Treasures" section after he obtained it, ranked just behind the Ancestral Lineage Spiritual Record and the Heart-Inquiry Stone Mirror.
Yang Shen had never heard of anything like it. Even in the world of the Cultivation Side, it should be considered incredible.
Yang Shen rubbed the "Twin Dragon Jade" in his hands.
’This thing came to land from the deep sea...’
’...Does this world... really have Dragons?’
’The land has long since been fully explored by humans, but the far more treacherous oceans still hold many secrets...’
Yang Shen wasn’t sure... but one thing that bothered him was... the timeline of when the Rebel Species obtained it was very close to the "Sea Beast incident" that led to his uncle’s death.
A massive, counter-intuitive migration of powerful Deep Sea Sea Beasts... which led to his uncle’s ship being destroyed in coastal waters...
Yang Shen took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing these wild thoughts.
The night sky was clear. Yang Shen lay back in his lounge chair, gazing at the starry sky above.
’If... if I ever find out that the Rebel Species’ evil deeds were behind Uncle’s death...’
’...I will ensure the Rebel Species is utterly annihilated... even if it takes five years, ten years, or a chase to the ends of the earth...’
Yang Shen put the Jade back in his pocket, having no intention of combining them for the time being.
Once combined, not only would he lose the two replicated abilities, but the Jade would also become untouchable...
As for how to use it, Yang Shen hadn’t decided yet. He was very satisfied with his "Curse Engraving" ability and didn’t want to erase it.
After all, there were probably no other Tattooed Guests to be found on Cyan Blue; they were all under the strict supervision of the Yanhua Official authorities.
After storing the two Jades separately, he closed his eyes and opened the system.
"Side Quest: One Spirit Stone Stumps the Nascent Soul Cultivator (Completed)"
"Completion Method: Option 2"
The quest had been completed last night after he killed Black Rope, but too many things had happened afterward, so Yang Shen was only now getting around to claiming the reward.
This was the side quest he had let drag on the longest. He had expected to complete it via "Option 3," but in the end, it concluded with him obtaining a treasure.
As for the "one Random Magic" reward, he no longer cared about its quality. The Twin Dragon Jade was already incredible enough.
"Claim Reward."
"Claiming... Reward: one Random Magic."
"Reward distributed: *Five Elements Escape*"