Chapter 348: Chapter 245: Fainted
"Junior Sister, what do you think is the meaning of human existence?"
Zhang Ze asked, sitting by the bedside and looking at the messy room.
At this moment, his mind was clear, his thoughts unimpeded, and over several lifetimes, he had never felt as peaceful as now.
Even the Taoist techniques and secret arts that he couldn’t comprehend before had become crystal clear.
Zhang Ze suspected that the yin-yang interchange in dual cultivation was actually incidental, and that this moment of sage’s time was the essence.
"I think the meaning of human existence is ’to love wisdom.’ Of course, I copied this saying. It was by someone named Pythagoras, a name you might not know, Junior Sister, but Bi mentioned it, or maybe he didn’t. In any case, this is the origin, the essence, the absolute metaphysical element of this world."
"Bi said he himself is a lover of wisdom and also mentioned that a life of slavery is one of a hunter of fame and fortune, whereas the lover of wisdom is born to seek the freedom of truth."
"Junior Sister, Junior Sister..."
However, there was no response, only the faint sound of snoring nearby.
Zhang Ze turned around, straightened up the toys around him, and then his fingers traced along Chen Qin’s smooth spine upward, finally stopping at her earlobe.
His fingers threaded through her hair, gently pinching Chen Qin’s earlobe.
He loved the scent of Chen Qin’s hair and the cute little earlobe hidden among the strands.
The feel of the petite earlobe, the perfect shape that he never grew tired of admiring, all made him happy.
Every time he gently pinched it, Junior Sister would make a pleasant sound.
This time was no exception.
"Junior Sister, Junior Sister."
Zhang Ze leaned over, whispering warmly in Chen Qin’s ear.
However, what he got in return was the girl’s rejection.
"You’re so annoying, let me sleep a bit more..."
"Then? Once more?" Zhang Ze’s hand slid back down her spine.
The touch at his fingertips told Zhang Ze that Junior Sister next to him had shivered.
"Spare me, let me sleep a while, I beg you, tomorrow I’ll do anything you want..."
"So, Pythagoras..."
"Tomorrow, tomorrow, we’ll talk about it tomorrow."
Chen Qin, eyes closed, placed a hand on Zhang Ze’s arm, gently shaking it.
"Just one more thing..."
Zhang Ze reached out his hand to interlock fingers with Junior Sister.
"Tomorrow, uh..."
Junior Sister’s voice turned into an indistinct whimper, her fingers tightened, then loosened, repeatedly...
After a while...
Zhang Ze got up, tucked the blanket around Chen Qin, watched her sleeping face for a moment, then dressed and left the room.
Achievement unlocked: Ultimate Rare - Exhausted the Bull.
....
It was the season transitioning from spring to summer, the sunlight outside was a bit glaring...
Feeling this vitality, Zhang Ze decided to take advantage of the lingering sage’s time to handle the remaining small matters.
Although many days had passed, Zhang Ze hadn’t forgotten Lily kicking down the door.
"Lily!" Zhang Ze stood in the yard with hands on hips, shouting with full vigor.
However, there was no response, as if Lily had really run off riding a dog and left home.
Zhang Ze looked at the big building opposite the yard, which was the laboratory Chen Qin had built for Lily.
He knew Lily must be hiding there.
Not because Zhang Ze had prophetic powers, but because there was a hint next to the house.
Beside the house, in the empty space, stood a person-high jade stone stele, with Lily’s half-body carved in relief on it, the rest of it smooth as a mirror.
Now on the mirror-like part, four large characters glimmered with golden light.
Someone.
Alive.
This jade stone was Lily’s insurance for herself.
After all, the confidentiality and sealing measures of that house were top-level, for the safety of everyone and Lily, inside and out.
Lily was afraid that she might die inside without anyone knowing.
To prevent her body from being discovered after it had rotted, she put up a post at the door that would display her status in real time if she was inside.
It’s somewhat like an occupied sign in a restroom.
Zhang Ze walked over and knocked on the door, but there was no response.
After making a few rounds around the house, Zhang Ze stood in front of the door, thought for a moment, and came up with an idea.
Since he couldn’t get Lily to come out, he called for Maomao instead.
Previously, when testing whether Maomao was a Sea Patrol Dog, Zhang Ze scared Maomao badly. Then he made a long-term sausage supply agreement with Maomao.
Now to find Maomao, he only needed to shout the word sausage, and a good dog would appear in no time.
Unlike Li and Rongrong, who had a good sense of self-management, Maomao spent the whole day with Lily. Where Lily was, Maomao would certainly be.
"Maomao! There’s sausage here!"
After a moment of silence, amidst Lily’s shouting, Maomao crashed through the door, unstoppable.
Maomao wagged its tail in circles around Zhang Ze, occasionally jumping up to paw at Zhang Ze’s clothes.
Lily, having failed to hold onto Maomao, fell to the ground, now scuttling awkwardly, trying to use an escape technique to run away, but her cultivation was clearly insufficient.
Instead of blowing herself away, the cold wind she summoned just caused her to sneeze.
Realizing who she was, she fished a Thousand Mechanism Magical Artifact from her pocket, planning to teleport a hundred miles away.
But, Foundation Establishment was still just that, too slow. Lily was instantly subdued by Zhang Ze, the Golden Core Small Ascender.
"Boss, I didn’t see anything, if you’re not assured, you can put this explosive collar on me, I’ll follow you for life, if you’re still not assured, I..."
No one knew what unhealthy books Lily had been reading lately, as her words became increasingly outrageous.
Zhang Ze lightly coughed, signaling Lily to stop talking, but he kept the somewhat indecent-looking collar.
"What happened between me and Junior Sister isn’t a secret, I’m looking for you for serious business, the matter regarding Jade Book Tower."
Yet Lily, upon hearing this, nearly fainted in fear, trembling as she said.
"Boss, boss... I know nothing about that, I don’t know, I haven’t thought of anything."
Seeing Lily looking like she’s blinded by lard, Zhang Ze sighed and snapped his fingers. A Golden Core appeared in front of him out of thin air.
With another stretch of his hand, a small hammer made from Fangyin Wood appeared in his hand.
The kind used for striking a wooden fish.
He used the small hammer to lightly tap the Golden Core, causing a silent ripple to spread outward from it.
Following the ripple came a sound like morning bells or evening drums, a Buddha sound.
Lily suddenly gained clarity of thought and divine sense, becoming normal again and started to speak wisely.
"Boss, have you become a monk?"
After Lily spoke, Zhang Ze tapped her on the head with the small hammer.
Of course, Zhang Ze hadn’t become a monk.
He learned this trick from a young monk. When the monk saw how quickly Zhang Ze mastered it, he tested Zhang Ze and said he belonged to the class of people with great opportunities like an Innate Buddha Son.
However, the young monk didn’t try to persuade Zhang Ze to become a monk. He just said that if Zhang Ze were to die, and he hadn’t, could he borrow some bones when collecting the corpse to make a few relics?
Saying such cheeky things fits well with the young monk’s character.
"No way I’m becoming a monk, help me relay some things to Jade Book Tower." Zhang Ze tapped Lily’s head again with the small hammer.
After thinking for a while, he shared with Lily the things he’d been pondering during those fragmented Sage Times over the past few days.
The first thing is to clarify the process of forming and disbanding a team.
The second thing is, since the Illusion Realm can be inherited, couldn’t it also provide some inheritable rewards from the realm?
The third is about the entering and exiting process.
Zhang Ze and Jade Book Tower’s goal is not to endanger anyone’s life inside, so those entering the trials won’t face any life-threatening situations. They can think of a way to increase its immersive feel.
And upon exiting, it would be best to set up a filtering barrier, allowing the trial taker to regard the happenings inside as just a story, preventing damage to their Tao Heart.
This could be discussed with Tang and the young monk.
Both are experts when it comes to cleansing the mind, Tang’s side is easy to handle, as for the young monk...
After all, this is a Buddhist Sect secret. If it’s hard to manage, Zhang Ze thinks donating his remains wouldn’t be so bad.
Anyway, when a man dies, like a bird flying high.
However, after Zhang Ze finished speaking, what surprised him was that someone had already thought about these things.
"Just this matter, the first two, I’ll bring them up with Jade Book Tower, no big deal. As for the last one, boss, don’t worry, it’s already underway."
Lily said while rubbing the contented Maomao.
The ones working on it are Tang and their master.
After all, Four Continents would still carry on without Zhang Ze.
During the time when Zhang Ze’s gun flew like a dragon and he exchanged with Junior Sister, the internal testing at Jade Book Tower was moving forward steadily.
In these past few days, disciples from Sword Sect and Dragon Tiger Mountain, and some idle Thousand Mechanism Pavilion cultivators on holiday have joined the testing work.
The issue Zhang Ze raised, Tang and the others have already discovered.
Since the Illusion Realm is too realistic, it has affected many disciples, not just Brother Feng.
Of course, this kind of influence, from a certain perspective, is also an opportunity; overcoming it strengthens one’s Tao Heart.
Therefore, what Tang and the others need to do is not to completely shield this influence but make it controllable.
Now they are collaborating with the young monk and Jade Book Tower to come up with a solution.
According to Lily, a plan is already in place.
After Zhang Ze listened, he patted Lily’s shoulder and turned to leave, planning to find Brother Feng.
Watching Zhang Ze’s departing back, Lily felt as if she had forgotten something but couldn’t quite recall it.
"What did I forget? Oh well, if I can’t remember it mustn’t be important. Maomao, let’s go."
Lily rode on Maomao’s back, pointing towards the direction of Jade Book Tower.
...
At this time, Bai Tao was holding a box while searching for someone within the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, but seeing Bai Tao’s appearance, many misunderstood the situation.
The box in her arms looked strikingly similar to an urn, and coupled with her slightly haggard appearance.
She looked like someone seeking an explanation for a grievance.
No help for it, though Bai Tao had stayed at the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion for a time, not everyone knew her.
After all, these tech enthusiasts get so engrossed they lock themselves up for ten days or half a month.
"Miss, though we’re just as mournful, when buying Thousand Mechanism Thunder, we signed a contract, after purchase, the consequences are one’s own responsibility, this kind of action isn’t justified."
An old man, having just completed a new mechanism and feeling refreshed, stopped Bai Tao and said.
"We can’t pay compensation, as it’s the rule, but if you’re really upset, I can invite a few Taoists to perform a ritual for your friend."
"Oi! Youngster! Who said someone died!"
Before Bai Tao could speak, the ’urn’ in her arms spoke first, startling the old man.
"What’s this?"
"Just call them elder, alive, very much alive." Bai Tao awkwardly explained.
"Elder, apologies, apologies..."
Once the old man walked away, the urn still grumbled.
"Kids these days really have no manners, can’t even recognize a Holy Bone Box."
Looking at the box in her arms, Bai Tao’s expression was complex, thinking inside, no matter the design or name, it looks like an urn...
No wonder Bai Wanjun wouldn’t hold it to save her life.
Just as she was having a headache, Bai Tao managed to spot a yellow whirlwind swoosh past.
"Lily!"
Bai Tao called out to Lily.
After Lily braked her dog’s feet, she turned to look at Bai Tao.
Seeing Bai Tao holding the small box, Lily finally remembered what she had forgotten.
She had forgotten all about the business talks with Zhendong Trading Company.
"Business talks?" Lily asked as she rode over.
"I’m looking for Zhang Ze." Bai Tao shook her head.
"Ah, well... I honestly don’t know where boss is now... What’s the matter? Can’t you tell me?" Lily asked.
"It’s regarding some matters involving the Demon Race, sorry, it can’t be disclosed at the moment." Bai Tao replied.