The Return of Cambrian Period Chapter 179

179 Enchanted Forest

Wu Yu sent them back to Beijing with three lynx eagles.

In total, they had been away for six days. When they returned to the Academy, they found Abu waiting for them in the courtyard. As soon as he saw them, Abu leaped up with excitement, waving his paws to catch the lynx eagles.

The three lynx eagles were quite frightened and quickly scattered, refusing to land and warning Abu with their calls. Only Xiao Zhou called out to Abu, “Little cat, sit down, sit down!”

Abu understood what he said, but he didn’t feel like listening. However, Zhuang Yao had warned it not to harm humans, so even though Xiao Zhou looked like a bird, it didn’t pounce on him. At the same time, Zhuang Yao also called out to it, “Abu, put your paws on the ground, don’t lift them up!”

Abu looked at its paws, then placed all four paws on the ground and held its neck up, watching them intently.

The three lynx eagles finally landed, and everyone jumped down one by one. Abu nuzzled Zhuang Yao’s chest with its nose and placed its paws on Zhuang Yao’s back, showing affection.

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The backyard was a place where Abu often took walks. It was spacious, with trees and grass. As soon as it arrived in the backyard, it skillfully rolled on the ground, and Deng Xiao jumped onto it to play with it.

The others sat under the shade of the trees. The kitchen promptly delivered the meals. Xiao Zhou flew for a long time while carrying Yao Qianjiang and couldn’t bear the hunger, so he went to eat first. Yao Qianjiang saw that they obviously had something to discuss and didn’t want to be present, so he went to eat on his own.

Cong Xia waited until the two of them were far away before telling Cong Zhenzhong everything that had happened in the past few days.

When Cong Zhenzhong heard that Cong Xia had also discovered the Puppet Jade in Wu Yu’s mind, he fell silent for a long time.

The possibilities behind this matter weighed heavily on everyone.

Tang Tingzhi spoke solemnly, “We have conducted extensive research on each Natural Force Evolver, and we can say that we have not missed any necessary checks, including brain domain scanning and mental retrieval. However, we have not found any abnormalities. It seems that the inexplicable power of the Natural Force Evolvers is definitely related to the Puppet Jade in their minds, but we don’t know whether it’s good or bad for them.”

Cong Zhenzhong sighed deeply, “If this is all part of Cambrian Consciousness’s scheme, it will be an even heavier blow to humanity.”

Cong Xia said, “Before we can see through Cambrian Consciousness’s plan, let’s not jump to conclusions too early. Otherwise, we will be at a loss. We should still do what we need to do. At least if we can collect all the Puppet Jades, it will greatly help in suppressing the Cambrian energy.”

Cheng Tianbi spoke in a deep voice, “Yes, thinking too much now is useless. I have a feeling that many things we can’t understand will be answered in Qinghai. That’s the source of the Cambrian energy eruption, the center of earthquakes, and the place where the Puppet Jades were once buried. If we can’t find answers there, we won’t find them anywhere in the world. So, on this trip to Qinghai, not only do we need to come back alive, but we also need to resolve all the objectives of this journey. Otherwise, we will truly lose and be defeated by an enemy we have never truly faced – the Cambrian Consciousness.”

Cong Zhenzhong patted Cheng Tianbi’s shoulder, “Xiao Cheng, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. The Puppet Jade may not necessarily be a bad thing. You need to know that no matter what happens, we are by your side and willing to help you at any cost. So if you feel anything unusual, be sure to tell us immediately.”

Cheng Tianbi nodded, his eyes resolute, “Don’t worry, I don’t believe that I can’t control myself.”

At this moment, Yao Qianjiang and Xiao Zhou finished their meal and came over to bid farewell.

Cong Zhenzhong looked at Yao Qianjiang, “Prefecture Lord, tell us about your collaboration with Wu Yu.”

Yao Qianjiang opened his mouth, but ultimately felt that he wasn’t suitable for boasting about his abilities, even though what happened yesterday was indeed worth bragging about. So he said to Zhuang Yao, “Xiao Zhuang Yao, why don’t you tell them instead?”

Zhuang Yao used precise data on the damaged area of the street, the number of collapsed buildings, the rate of temperature drop, etc., to accurately describe the destructive power of Yao Qianjiang and Wu Yu’s collaboration. Cong Zhenzhong and Tang Tingzhi listened, their brows furrowing constantly.

“So powerful?” Cong Zhenzhong exclaimed, “It’s really unexpected. I originally thought that the Natural Force Evolvers were the highest combat power of humanity, but now it seems that the true power lies in the collaboration of two Natural Force Evolvers with the same attribute.”

Zhuang Yao nodded, “Exactly, when two Natural Force Evolvers with the same attribute collaborate, they can generate more than thirty times the increase in combat power. This data is truly astonishing. When we go to Qinghai, it would be best if Wu Yu can come with us. This way, our chances of success will increase significantly.”

Yao Qianjiang couldn’t help but reveal a pleased smile.

“Has Moscow responded?” Cheng Tianbi asked, his tone calm, but everyone knew he was getting a little impatient. After witnessing such overwhelming destructive power, he couldn’t remain indifferent. Just like how Yao Qianjiang couldn’t stand being left behind while others advanced.

Cong Xia not only felt a bit jealous of that goddess, but also thought that if he were a Wood Natural Force Evolver, he would be a perfect match with Cheng Tianbi. However, this childish idea wouldn’t affect his judgment. Like Cheng Tianbi, he hoped to meet Jacqueline as soon as possible, as she might know more about the cooperation between Evolvers of the same attribute.

Cong Zhenzhong said, “We received a response from the Moscow government yesterday. They are willing to send a Brain Domain Evolver to Beijing for ‘exchange,’ but Jacqueline is currently ‘unavailable.’ Our intelligence personnel deployed near Qinghai haven’t found any trace of her. There are two possibilities: either she entered Qinghai before we deployed, or she didn’t enter at all, but for some reason, Moscow government cannot or does not want her to come to China. They explicitly expressed a wish for Cheng Tianbi to go to Moscow and meet Jacqueline.”

Cheng Tianbi shook his head, “I won’t go to Moscow. Instead, she will come to China sooner or later.”

“Well, then we won’t rush. If she still doesn’t come to China before we go to Qinghai, we’ll make other plans. But I think in half a year, Moscow won’t remain patient. When their Brain Domain Evolver comes, we’ll learn more about the situation,” Cong Zhenzhong replied.

Cong Xia asked, “What about that ‘Iron Man’ in the United States… has Zhuang Yu received any news?”

“Not yet, but this city is isolated, and many news cannot be concealed. Besides, the meeting between the Prefecture Lord and Wu Yu was not kept a secret at all. It won’t be long before he invites that ‘Iron Man’,” Cong Zhenzhong said.

Cong Xia chuckled, “Combining thunder and metal, it sounds impressive just thinking about it.”

Cong Zhenzhong agreed, “Indeed, luckily, although we don’t get along with Zhou Fenglan, we still need to cooperate for the bigger picture. Otherwise, if we really fight, the outcome will be uncertain.”

Tang Tingzhi said, “The last two – the Evolvers of the derived elements of fire and earth. We have dispatched intelligence personnel to search nationwide, although we have been looking for them, the effort was not significant. Now it seems we must find them, and hopefully, they are in China. Of course, they are more likely to be in Qinghai.”

Zhuang Yao added, “We have guessed that as well. I believe at least one of them should be in Qinghai.”

Liu Fengyu raised a concern, “But if that person is really in Qinghai, wouldn’t they have exploded during advancement? The concentration of Cambrian energy in Qinghai is more than ten times that of Beijing, and there are several Puppet Jades there.”

Cong Zhenzhong shook his head, “It’s hard to say. If each Natural Force Evolver is carefully crafted by Cambrian Consciousness, they shouldn’t die easily before playing a major role, right? Also, not all mutated individuals who come into contact with Puppet Jades fail during advancement. Recently, several high-level mutated individuals in Beijing have advanced successfully. The success and failure ratio is about half and half. Many people rely on energy injections to enhance their physical abilities and suppress the destructive energy in their bodies. Surprisingly, this can also have a certain effect. But ultimately, whether they can successfully advance mostly depends on luck. So, the city has been quite chaotic recently.”

“Uncle, are you saying that those Natural Force Evolvers don’t necessarily need my help and may not die?”

“Most likely, but who would dare take such a risk? At least from what I’ve observed, they would have died without your help. Major Shen and the Prefecture Lord were already on the verge of death back then. Besides, Natural Power Evolvers are vastly different from other mutants. Their energy levels are in a league of their own, making the risks during advancement dozens of times higher than for others. So, regular mutants may actually find it easier to advance without your assistance. We cannot definitively prove this, and there might be other Natural Power Evolvers who could advance without relying on you.”

Cong Xia nodded and sighed, “A fifty-fifty chance is already considered lucky. At least half of them survive during advancement.”

Among these people, both Yao Qianjiang and Xiao Zhou felt a bit uncomfortable. For every member on the side of Cong Xia, they had the protection of Cong Xia throughout their advancement. However, with thousands of people in Jiujing County, it was impossible to expect Cong Xia to help every one of them break through to the Second Stage. Except for the most critical person, Yao Qianjiang, others could only leave it to fate.

Cong Zhenzhong said, “Stop dwelling on this. We are working hard to gather information about the situation in Qinghai. If we eventually find nothing, we will still have to proceed despite the risks. We will find answers there. By the way, the development of the new energy source is at a critical stage. After the experts from Moscow visit, we should be able to overcome the final hurdles. I won’t have time to meet you these days, so make the most of your time to practice.”

“Okay, Uncle, take care of yourself.”

Glancing at his watch, Cong Zhenzhong said, “Then I’ll leave now. Once the new energy source is developed, Zhuang Yao, you can start developing new weapons. Before the experts from Moscow arrive, focus on your cultivation and avoid coming to the laboratory.”

Zhuang Yao nodded, a hint of excitement in his eyes.

After Cong Zhenzhong left, Zhuang Yao smiled and said, “Great! A weapon that utilizes unlimited energy. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. This weapon must replace gunpowder with a new energy source developed from the Cambrian Energy, allowing Cong Xia to transform it into an unlimited energy source. With this, Deng Xiao’s machine gun can produce an infinite supply of bullets. If all goes well, this weapon could possibly be mass-produced, greatly enhancing humanity’s combat power.”

Yao Qianjiang raised an eyebrow, “That’s impressive. Don’t forget to save a few for me when you create it.”

Zhuang Yao shrugged, “The Prefecture Lord can afford the price, and I won’t keep any for myself.”

“I have over 200 pounds of frozen squid tentacles at home.” Yao Qianjiang glanced in Abu’s direction.

Quickly, Zhuang Yao responded, “Alright, I will let you try it.”

Yao Qianjiang finally smiled and stood up. “Then, Xiao Zhou and I will leave. You can come to me anytime if you need anything.” He glanced at Cong Xia while saying the last sentence.

Out of courtesy, Cong Xia stood up and shook Yao Qianjiang’s hand. “Safe travels, Prefecture Lord.”

Yao Qianjiang smiled at Cong Xia. “Goodbye.”

Cheng Tianbi gave him a cold glance, using his eyes to signal him to leave quickly.

Yao Qianjiang calmly mounted Xiao Zhou’s back, and the beautiful and massive white falcon took flight. Abu’s purple, watery eyes stared at Xiao Zhou for quite some time, but unable to resist its nature, it extended its paw and swiped at Xiao Zhou.

Startled, Xiao Zhou jumped seven to eight meters away, just avoiding Abu’s paw.

Zhuang Yao scolded, “Abu, haven’t I told you not to swipe at things? You can swipe at butterflies, but not at butterfly people. You can swipe at birds, but not bird people.”

Abu let out a “meow” and lowered its paw, shyly rubbing it on the ground and wagging its tail behind its back, looking quite dejected.

Deng Xiao was lying on Abu’s head, rubbing its head. “It’s okay, that bird wasn’t fun. We’ll go to the forest another day to take play with monkeys.”

Zhuang Yao angrily said, “You too, don’t spoil it!”

Deng Xiao grinned and didn’t take it seriously.

Zhuang Yao glared at him, “We were just talking about the unlimited energy weapon. If the new energy source, developed using Cambrian Energy, can be put into production within two months, then I am confident that I can create the energy weapon within an additional month. By then, I will discuss with Cong Xia how to modify the weapons. I believe that the weapon issue will be resolved before we go to Qinghai.”

Cong Xia said, “I participated in a meeting about the development of the new energy source, and I have a rough idea in mind. I think if Cambrian Energy serves as the basis for the energy output, then perhaps the unlimited energy can be achieved by installing the storage jade talisman I made. However, this ‘unlimited’ is not truly infinite; it is only unlimited until the energy inside the jade talisman is used up. Of course, using the puppet jade has a better effect, almost achieving a true endless supply of ammunition, but the number of puppet jades is too limited, and they cannot be overused.”

“Exactly, we only have one puppet jade, and it is also unsafe to attach it to a weapon. We tried every means to obtain the puppet jade, and if we were to lose it during combat, it would be a net loss. So, we still need to rely on your storage jade talisman. When I successfully replace traditional gunpowder with the new energy source, you will definitely find a way to modify it.”

Cong Xia nodded, “I will do my best.”

Zhuang Yao said, “By then, you will have your own weapon as well.”

Cong Xia’s eyes brightened, “Yes, as long as my energy is inexhaustible, I can also use the unlimited energy weapon.”

“Before going to Qinghai, I will definitely equip everyone with the best weapons, including Yao Qianjiang and others who will accompany you. After you return from the Northeast this time, everyone needs to provide feedback on weapon usage, and I will make continuous improvements.”

Deng Xiao complained with his eyes closed, “Why are there so many things to do?”

Liu Fengyu shrugged, “That’s life.”

“Alright, let’s go back. Cheng Xia, Deng Xiao, our progress in cultivation is quite good, and we should break through to the second stage by the end of this month. How about you?” 

Cong Xia rubbed his hands, “I might achieve it in the next three to five days.” He lifted his head, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

As the time for his breakthrough approached, Cong Xia became increasingly anxious. He had been unable to focus on anything else these days, consumed by thoughts of cultivation. After all, the fruits of victory were just within reach, and the overwhelming anxiety was hard to put into words.

Seeing Cong Xia lying awake in bed, practicing cultivation in the middle of the night, Cheng Tianbi couldn’t bear it any longer. He turned on the bedside lamp and gently tapped Cong Xia’s face.

Cong Xia abruptly opened his eyes, “Tianbi, what’s wrong?”

“It’s past 3 am, and you’re still not sleeping?”

“I’m not very sleepy.”

“Nonsense, your eyes are bloodshot. Go to sleep.”

Cong Xia smiled, “I am a little anxious, just a few days left. Please don’t mind me.”

“You will need to stay awake for more than ten to twenty hours continuously when you break through to the second stage. It will be the time when you need your strength the most. I can’t let you make mistakes during that time, so you must rest well these days.” Cheng Tianbi added, “You know your stamina is not good, right? You won’t be able to replenish your strength with energy then; you’ll have to rely on your own endurance.” He had experienced the torment of advancing to the next stage and guided many people through the process. He knew how much physical energy it required, and even he struggled to endure it, let alone Cong Xia.

Cong Xia had a sudden realization, “You’re right. I almost forgot about that.”

Cheng Tianbi smoothed his hair, “It’s already at this stage; don’t rush in these one or two days, just stay steady.”

Cong Xia held onto his neck and smiled, “I understand. Let’s go to sleep.”

Cheng Tianbi leaned down and gently kissed his lips, then held him in his arms, softly patting his back, “Rest now.”

Cong Xia wrapped his arms around Cheng Tianbi’s waist, “Tianbi, will you be there to guide me when the time comes?”

“Do I even need to say it?”

“I’ve watched so many others advance outside the lab. Thinking that it will be my turn inside with others watching me, I feel so uncomfortable. Although I can’t see them, I know there will be people outside, and I’m really afraid I won’t be able to focus.”

“Then we won’t go to that lab.”

“Ah? Where is it? Change to a completely enclosed place?”

“No, right here, in our room.”

Cong Xia was surprised, “In the room? Is that okay?”

“It’s fine. When I advanced, I was also in a temporary place. It doesn’t matter where it is. The environment that makes you feel comfortable is essential. Don’t worry; I’ll be with you.”

Cong Xia chuckled, “Alright, let’s do it here.” He savored the warm scent belonging to Cheng Tianbi, feeling his body fill with strength.

Four days later, Cong Xia reached the critical point of advancement. The importance of this event was beyond doubt. His advancement represented an increase in his energy and more precise control. It could be said without exaggeration that Cong Xia’s advancement would significantly boost the collective combat power.

On this day, even Cong Zhenzhong, who was busy receiving Moscow experts, made time to rush over before Cong Xia began. He grasped Cong Xia’s hand and said solemnly, “Xiao Xia, your my only relative, so you must be cautious.”

Cong Xia smiled, “Uncle, don’t worry; I think I’ll be fine.”

He tightened his grip on Cong Zhenzhong’s hand. “Let’s go. I’ll accompany you to the laboratory.”

Cong Xia chuckled, “Uncle, I came here to have breakfast. I don’t plan to go to the laboratory. I want to advance in my own room.”

“What? In the room?” Cong Zhenzhong glanced at Cheng Tianbi, “You and… Tianbi’s room?” Although he already knew about the relationship between his nephew and Cheng Tianbi, they tried to avoid discussing it to avoid awkwardness.

Cong Xia felt a bit embarrassed, “Yes, I feel more relaxed in that environment. But it’s not important where it happens.”

“In that case, we won’t be able to observe your situation.”

Cheng Tianbi said, “I’ll take care of the observation. If there’s really a problem, others won’t be able to help either.”

Cong Zhenzhong sighed, “Alright then.”

Liu Fengyu hooked his arm around Cong Xia’s shoulder, “We’ll be waiting outside your room. Go ahead fearlessly; we are all okay, and you won’t have any problems either.”

Cong Xia gave a thumbs-up and smiled, “You can all rest assured. By tomorrow evening, I, Cong Xia will be back, hahaha.”

Liu Fengyu playfully pushed him into the elevator.

The group returned to their accommodation, and Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia walked into the room side by side.

The four of them looked at Cong Xia with hopeful eyes.

Cheng Tianbi closed the door and gently touched Cong Xia’s back, “Are you ready?”

Cong Xia nodded.

“Let’s begin.”

Taking a deep breath, Cong Xia transformed a glass into eight different shapes, depleting the energy inside him. Then, he lay down on his familiar bed, closing his eyes.

Cheng Tianbi lay beside him, and as Cong Xia caught his scent, it felt as though he had taken a calming pill. The nervousness vanished instantly, leaving only confidence and anticipation.

Cong Xia focused all his energy, absorbing the freely floating Cambrian energy in the world. Gradually, he filled the energy nucleus bit by bit with power…

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