novelTele Chapter 40 Successfully Received
Chapter 40 Successfully Received
"Then... what do you want now?" Wu Xie forced himself to calm down.
"Old Yang" looked at the actual corpse of Old Yang, a trace of Xie Ziyang's own emotion appearing in his eyes: "I don't know either, the plan went wrong. Someone touched the core, and that giant snake outside consumed too much energy..."
He suddenly clutched his head, a look of pain on his face, his body beginning to flicker slightly, like a holographic image with an unstable signal. "The core... the core is rebelling... drawing all available energy... including this part that's sustaining me... I... I can't hold on much longer..."
Just then, the entire bronze tree, along with the cave where they were, began to shake violently again, even more violently than when Zhu Jiuyin appeared. Lao Yang's figure shattered and dissipated into specks of eerie green light.
Outside the cave came Zhu Jiuyin's even more furious roar, but it seemed to be mixed with a trace of fear.
High up on the tree trunk, the stalemate between Qin Yuan and the core consciousness was broken by a sudden surge of energy.
Just as the stripping process reached its most critical moment, a faint thought bypassed the core's chaotic defenses and made contact with Qin Yuan's will.
It's Lao Yang!
No, to be precise, it should be the consciousness entity dominated by Xie Ziyang's obsession. It seems to have found a gap by utilizing some kind of shared origin with the core.
"It's you? It's you!... Help... help me..." Her thoughts were filled with pain and pleading, and a hint of determination. "I... I don't want to disappear... but I don't want to... become like it... an eternal prisoner."
"...Wu Xie...is Jie Ziyang's friend...and also my...only wish..."
"...Let me...do something..."
Intermittent thoughts conveyed complex information. This unique consciousness, on the verge of being reclaimed and annihilated by the core, made a choice under the influence of Jie Ziyang's remaining emotions.
Qin Yuan instantly understood what he meant.
The next second, Qin Yuan felt a faint but unusually stable energy flow that created a temporary channel between him and the core, essentially opening a backdoor for the system.
This energy did not come from the raging core, but from the consciousness of "Lao Yang" himself, who was burning his last bit of existence!
[The resolution of the core outer energy structure has been greatly improved! The stripping process has accelerated! 70%...80%...90%...]
The cocoon of corpses flickered violently, and the seven-colored crystals inside vibrated incessantly, but the resistance was getting weaker and weaker.
[Stripping successful! The energy core has been disconnected from the main energy network!]
As the system notification sounded, the fist-sized crystal finally broke free from the cocoon and slowly floated in front of Qin Yuan. The cocoon, now devoid of its core, quickly turned gray and cracked, finally shattering into countless powders with a crack, and the ancient corpse inside turned to ashes.
The crystal slowly fell into Qin Yuan's palm, its surface warm to the touch, and it seemed as if nebulae were flowing within it. An energy far exceeding that of the meteorite fragment slowly emanated from it.
Almost simultaneously, Qin Yuan sensed that the mixed consciousness entity named "Lao Yang" flickered twice like a candle in the wind, conveying a faint wave of relief before completely dissipating into the complex energy field of the bronze tree without leaving a trace.
Inside the cave below, Wu Xie seemed to sense something, his heart clenched, and he stared blankly at the tree trunk, yet he had no idea what had happened.
Qin Yuan gripped the core crystal and glanced down. Zhu Jiuyin seemed weakened by the significant energy drained earlier, slowly shrinking back into the darkness; it would likely dissipate soon. The remaining Chi Gu and ancient puppets also lost their activity and fell from the trees.
He sensed through the mental connection that the two aliens he had sent to protect Wuxie were still there, and although Wuxie's aura was chaotic, it was still relatively stable.
"Mission complete." Qin Yuan put away the core crystal and prepared to leave. As for how Wu Xie would accept all of this and how he would leave, with that kid's cleverness and luck, it shouldn't be a problem.
Just as he turned to leave, the system notification sounded again:
[Successfully recovered the "Ultimate" backup energy module. Side quest complete. Rewards are being calculated...]
[The host has successfully resisted high-level mental erosion and completed a precise energy stripping operation during the mission. Mental strength threshold has increased, and energy manipulation precision has improved.]
[New ability unlocked: Energy Perception (Intermediate), allowing for clearer perception of energy flow and abnormal nodes in the environment.]
[WARNING: The Bronze Tree's energy field is becoming unbalanced. This area will gradually collapse within 24 hours. Please evacuate as soon as possible.]
Qin Yuan didn't linger. He quickly descended along the bronze tree trunk and soon disappeared into the dark passageway, leaving behind only the bronze tree that was about to come to an end, and Wu Xie, who was still in the cave at the tree's waist, facing the corpse of his best friend and the distorted truth, looking bewildered and helpless.
The trip to Qinling seemed like a distant nightmare. Qin Yuan did not appear to meet up with Wu Xie. He left the remaining aliens on the outskirts of the Bronze Tree area to ensure that Wu Xie could find a safe path to escape when the tree cave collapsed. Then, he followed another hidden cave and left the mountain range that was gradually losing its heart.
A few days later, in Hangzhou, at Wushan Residence.
Wu Xie returned exhausted and filled with indescribable complex emotions. His experience in the Qinling Mountains was nothing short of magical! His best friend was already dead, and the one who accompanied him on his adventure was a phantom composed of obsession and eerie energy.
Having witnessed firsthand the towering bronze tree and the legendary Zhujiuyin, and then, amidst the roar of a collapsing mountain, being guided by two suddenly appearing, seemingly hostile yet friendly, black monsters, he escaped through an extremely hidden mine tunnel. All of this left him exhausted and his worldview crumbling.
When he pushed open the door of Wushan Residence and saw Qin Yuan sitting in the courtyard, leisurely sipping tea while flipping through a book titled "A Complete Guide to Appreciation of Ming and Qing Porcelain," he felt as if he had been transported to another world.
"You're back?" Qin Yuan looked up, his tone indifferent as if Wu Xie had just gone out for a stroll. "You look like you've been chased by ten forbidden women. There are a lot of bugs in the Qinling Mountains, didn't you get enough rest?"
Wu Xie opened his mouth, a bellyful of words stuck in his throat, but in the end, it only turned into a long sigh and a sentence: "Yeah, I'm back. That place... I suggest applying for World Heritage status." He looked at Qin Yuan's calm profile and felt a little more at ease. He didn't intend to elaborate; some things are better left unknown.
After exchanging a few casual words and fulfilling his promise to welcome Wu Xie back, Qin Yuan got up to leave, saying he needed to go back to Beijing to see his son. Wu Xie didn't linger either; he needed time to process and sort things out.
In a back room of an antique shop in Panjiayuan, Beijing.
The copper broth in the pot was bubbling, and the aroma of mutton filled the air. Fatty Wang was talking animatedly about how he had outsmarted a few idiots who wanted to take advantage of the situation.
While enjoying the hot pot, Qin Yuan nodded in approval: "Hmm, impressive, that's pretty shameless!" But the most eye-catching person was Qin Jiu, who was sitting on a specially made high chair next to Qin Yuan.
The little guy had soft, smooth, snow-white hair, and his bright green eyes were fixed on the bubbling copper pot. His little nose twitched. He seemed to have grown a little bit since he came back from the Qinling Mountains.
"Dad...Dad, the meat...is hot." Qin Jiu pointed his little finger into the pot. Although his speech was still a little unclear, he was definitely speaking, and his logic was clear.
Qin Yuan paused in his hand, carefully blew on a piece of mutton to cool it down, and then held it to Qin Jiu's lips: "Eat slowly."
"Mmm!" Qin Jiu nodded vigorously, then ate it in one gulp, his cheeks puffed out, and he squinted his eyes in satisfaction, his hair swaying as he did so.
"Hey! My nephew!" The fat boy beamed, even more proud than his own father. "It hasn't been long! He can already speak in complete sentences! A normal kid like him would still be playing in the mud!"
Qin Yuan smiled and stroked Qin Jiu's soft hair. It seemed that the Prayer Pearl was still continuously supporting Qin Jiu's evolution.
After a hearty meal, the fat man let out a loud burp, wiped his greasy mouth, glanced at Qin Yuan with his small eyes, and put on an expression as if he were discussing serious business.
"Hey Blackie, I have something to tell you. While you were gone, I, Fatty, got a big job, the kind that will make the three of us live comfortably for the rest of our lives." He lowered his voice, even though there was no one else in the room.
Qin Yuan raised an eyebrow: "Robbing Qin Shi Huang's tomb? No way, the risk and reward are not proportional."
"That's even more exciting!" The fat man's eyes lit up. "Remember that underwater tomb in the Xisha Islands, the one with the golden model, the palace projected onto the walls by light and shadow? The Heavenly Palace on the Clouds!"
Qin Yuan's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained unchanged: "I remember, so what?"
"There's a buyer, offering this amount," the fat man gestured, "Looking for truly capable people to form a team and 'investigate' the area!" He paused, then added, "The deposit's already been transferred to my account; I counted the zeros for ten minutes!"
He leaned closer, his small eyes gleaming with shrewdness: "I've been thinking about it. That gold model you picked up in the underwater tomb last time, and those golden nanmu pillars, I've already found buyers. Once this batch of goods is sold, we'll have more than enough money for our trip to Changbai Mountain!"
Qin Yuan put down his chopsticks. The Heavenly Palace on the Clouds, the final location designated by the system's main quest, the "Ultimate" location.
"Where did the buyer come from?" Qin Yuan asked.
"On the surface, it's an overseas foundation researching ancient mysticism, funded by Wujia, and all the paperwork is in order." The fat man curled his lip. "But I know that these days there are plenty of people who put on a show. Whatever, we're just doing the job for the money, and by the way... hehe, once we get there, whatever good stuff we find, we'll have to rely on our own abilities. Anyway, it's written in the contract that we assume all risks and reap what we sow."
Qin Yuan pondered for a moment. Having a clear goal and financial support would indeed save a lot of trouble in the early preparations. As for danger... where isn't it dangerous?
The matter seemed to be settled, but Qin Jiu, who had been quietly eating meat and listening intently, suddenly put down his spoon, turned around, and hugged Qin Yuan's arm.
"Daddy, go! Jiu Jiu, go too!"
Qin Yuan and the fat man were both stunned for a moment.
"No way." Qin Yuan frowned and refused outright. The Heavenly Palace on the Clouds was more than ten times more dangerous than the Qinling Mountains and the Underwater Tomb. Bringing such a little kid along would be child's play.
"I want to go!" Qin Jiu hugged even tighter, his little mouth pouting, on the verge of tears. "Jiu Jiu, you're amazing! You can help Daddy! You won't cause trouble!" He expressed himself eagerly, and even a faint energy fluctuation emanated from his body. It was the gentle aura emanating from the Prayer Bead, which seemed to possess certain soothing and self-protective properties.
Looking at the little guy's pitiful yet stubborn expression, the fat man felt a pang of sympathy and tried to smooth things over, saying, "How about... we take him with us? I'm not comfortable leaving him at home, and hiring someone to take care of him is even less reliable. Our nephew may look small, but he's no ordinary child. Didn't he carry us to victory in Xisha back then?"
Looking at Qin Jiu's eyes, which resembled those of a certain pedigree cat, and considering his uniqueness, Qin Yuan finally sighed and rubbed Qin Jiu's head: "Three rules: you must obey me the whole time and not run around; if there is any danger, you must immediately hide behind me; and you are not allowed to push yourself when you are tired."
Qin Jiu nodded vigorously immediately: "Yes! I'll listen!"
After that, Qin Yuan spent his time lounging around in the antique shop with the fat man until three months later, in a sleeper car on a train bound for Jilin.
Qin Yuan and the fat man stuffed their large and small bags of luggage under the bunk. Qin Jiu was wrapped up like a real rice dumpling, with only his pair of bright green eyes showing as he curiously looked around.
The fat man complained about the boxed lunch he bought from the food cart: "These meat slices are so thin they could be used as magnifying glasses. You can see the old man's dentures across the street just by looking at them!"
The carriage door was opened, and a cool, aloof figure wearing a dark hoodie and carrying a long, narrow cloth bag walked in.
His gaze swept across the carriage, lingering for a moment on Qin Yuan's face. He nodded slightly as a greeting, then went straight to an upper bunk, lay down, and closed his eyes to rest, as if everything around him was irrelevant.
"Hey buddy, still as cool as ever." The fat man grinned and lowered his voice to Qin Yuan, "I told you, he'd come."
Qin Jiu's eyes lit up when he saw Zhang Qiling, as if he still remembered this bald uncle. He had just opened his mouth when Qin Yuan quickly covered it with his hand and gestured with his eyes: Don't make a sound.
The little guy blinked, nodded as if he understood, and obediently leaned back against Qin Yuan.
Not long after, the carriage door was pulled open again, accompanied by Wu Xie's somewhat exasperated voice: "Panzi, slow down! My suitcase wheels seem to be stuck!"
When Wu Xie saw the people in the carriage, he was first taken aback, and then a helpless smile of "I knew it" appeared on his face.
"Fatty, Qin Yuan, and Little Brother! What are you all doing here? Are you going to Changbai Mountain for a tea party?" Wu Xie pushed the box in and took a breath.
Pan Zi glanced at Zhang Qiling and Qin Yuan, and greeted them, "Master Zhang, Master Qin, and Fatty, it's been a long time." Then he looked at Qin Jiu sitting next to him with a rather puzzled expression.
"Qin Jiu." Qin Yuan introduced him briefly to Pan Zi, patting Qin Jiu on the back. "Call him Uncle Xiemen, Uncle Pan Zi."
Qin Jiu obediently greeted, "Hello, Uncle Xiemen, hello, Uncle Panzi."
Putting aside how vulnerable Wu Xie was to being called "evil," what the group didn't expect was that Pan Zi, a grown man, was actually quite flustered with the child. He stammered a couple of "hey hey" sounds, scratched his head, and looked at Qin Yuan with eyes that said, "You're quite the wild father."
The fat man chuckled, and after watching the commotion for a while, he turned to Wuxie and asked, "Tianzhen, what brings you guys on this train? Don't tell me you're also going to Changbai Mountain to take snow scene photos?"
Wu Xie and Pan Zi exchanged a glance and said helplessly, "Third Uncle... has disappeared again. The clues he left behind point to Changbai Mountain."
A moment of silence fell over the carriage; everyone understood that this journey was destined to be anything but peaceful.