Chapter 352: The

A hazy rain curtain covered the world.

It brought new vitality to a world just tormented by scorching heat.

Even the waterfall beside it, whose flow had dwindled greatly, now returned to normal.

In the pool beneath the waterfall, the spirit fish regained their vitality at this moment.

Thunder rumbled continuously, and rapid raindrops pounded against the windows.

Inside the room.

"It's the same now," Xiang Yuanjun said coolly. "The timing of Dao Brother's emergence is uncertain; I'll relay it to him along with Sword Sovereign."

"Private matter. You shouldn't listen," Ning Ruo replied as always, offhandedly.

"…"

For a moment, the room fell silent.

The projection from the Ascension Platform began flickering dimly and brightly, as if the communication link was unstable—or perhaps Ning Ruo was testing its stability and adjusting parameters.

After a long while, the image finally stabilized.

It had become more solid than before; if not for slight blurring and flickering at the edges, it looked indistinguishable from a True Person.

"As expected, the communication link was just established, and the distance is too great, so many aspects still need adjustment," Ning Ruo explained.

"Do you need assistance from my side?" Xiang Yuanjun asked.

Though the earlier conversation had been slightly unpleasant, compared to the matter at hand, this minor discomfort meant nothing.

"If possible, it would be best—it would speed up progress…"

At this point, Ning Ruo suddenly froze, her entire figure locking in place as if stuck.

Did she go offline?

Bie Xuening glanced at her.

After a long while, Ning Ruo's image resumed normally.

"The repulsion from the Tai Xuan Realm is far more severe than I anticipated, compounded by the difference in time flow…" Ning Ruo looked at Xiang Yuanjun. "I'll send you the data later; try to improve it, and also send a copy to Hong Zun."

These siblings both possess extraordinary talent in this area; not putting it to good use would be a waste.

"Alright, I'll send it to my elder brother."

Bie Xuening listened to their exchange without speaking.

After all, in this regard, she was hardly skilled.

"Then let's leave it at that. When Xu Dage emerges from seclusion, just let me know."

"Understood," Bie Xuening finally had a chance to speak.

Ning Ruo nodded slightly, then her image vanished directly from the chair.

"…"

The room fell silent again, leaving only the sound of raindrops striking the windows.

Eventually, Xiang Yuanjun broke the silence: "How did you originally establish cooperation with her to build that Ascension Platform?"

She was genuinely curious.

Given Sword Sovereign's fiery temper, how had they maintained contact behind the scenes?

And yet, this internet troll Sword Sovereign had never sent her that little yellow duck emoji spitting out sword qi in the group?!

Bie Xuening paused, then replied coolly: "Do I seem like someone who doesn't know her limits?"

Xiang Yuanjun: "…"

It sounded a little reasonable, but she still felt something was off.

Just as she was about to probe further—

Hum~

The Ascension Platform hovering above the central table suddenly emitted a faint vibration.

"The data has arrived."

Hearing this, Xiang Yuanjun could only temporarily suppress her curiosity.

After saying this, Bie Xuening rose and walked toward the door.

"I won't disturb you."

Hm?

When she looked up toward the doorway, she found Bie Xuening had already vanished.

"…"

Never mind. I'll ask later when I have time.

She turned her gaze back to the Ascension Platform before her, receiving Ning Ruo's transmitted information.

Stability of the communication link, parameter tuning, reinforcement plan for carrying capacity…

The transmitted data was vast, but to Xiang Yuanjun, it was nothing.

Lingyin Generation-7 Array Virus (Third Batch Experimental Data), Psychokinetic Armor Generation-2 (Second Batch Experimental Data), Nanoscale Spirit Insect-Assisted Body-Refining Elixir Generation-5 (Third Batch Experimental Data)…

Huh??

Xiang Yuanjun froze.

Some strange things seem to have slipped in.

As the data reception completed, Ning Ruo's voice message played.

"Since you're both idle in that world anyway, spare some free time to help me improve these."

"The first-generation Psychokinetic Armor is with Xu Dage—if he emerges from seclusion, you can borrow it from him for reference."

"Thank you."

Well, now I'm being treated like free labor!

Then again, Brother Dao's side actually has a first-generation version of this 'Mind-Only Force Armor'—could it be from his last trip to Ling Yin Fang?

Never mind, never mind.

This time I managed to make contact thanks to her; I might as well lend a hand.

…………

Xuan Realm, Ling Yin Fang.

Inside the inner sect's Xuan Zhu Tree Secret Realm, Ning Ruo's private laboratory.

She still stood within that spacious white space, but the artifacts floating before her had changed dramatically in appearance.

Countless threads shimmering with faint light stretched in all directions, their ends vanishing into the void.

It looked like a vast spiderweb.

The scrolling information in her eyes vanished; Ning Ruo reached up and rubbed her temples.

After all this effort, it's finally been successfully built.

With a casual wave of her hand, the intricate artifact and all those dense, shimmering threads disappeared.

Then she turned and walked out.

Hummmmm~

The sealed door opened, revealing a circular platform inscribed with a teleportation array.

There's no need to monitor the next debugging tests continuously.

Thinking this, Ning Ruo took out her phone, stepped onto the teleportation platform, and opened the Boss Group.

Of course, I should notify all fellow Daoists. Elder Lingzu: "The communication channel has been established. I've conducted an initial test—it can now enable real-time dialogue via projection, but the capacity to carry True Immortal power still needs testing and stabilization @All Members"

Elder Lingzu: "I'll notify again once the test results are in."

After sending these two messages, she immediately put away her phone.

As the teleportation array glowed, she was instantly transported to several levels above.

After walking through long corridors crisscrossed with complex pipes and wiring, she finally returned to her usual resting place.

It was also where she had met Xu Xing after his arrival at Ling Yin Fang.

Because an automatic cleaning array had been installed, not a speck of dust had accumulated despite her absence for some time.

Ning Ruo took a few steps to the back of the silver-gray table and sat down in the chair.

Huh~

She exhaled deeply, leaning back in the chair and closing her eyes.

She had been calculating nonstop for this stretch of time—even she felt tired; Xiang Yuanjun would probably need more time yet.

!. read

……

……

While Ning Ruo closed her eyes to rest, the Boss Group was anything but quiet.

None of them knew she had put away her phone after sending those two messages.

Ba Zun: "Hmm… this message should've gone in the new communication group, right?"

The Body Cultivator's typing speed is always unmatched.

Dan Zu: "She's just used to it."

Qi Zun: "Normal, normal—after all, she rarely chatters in the group."

Qi Zun: "Unlike Master Jianzun's fake aloofness, Elder Lingzu is genuinely aloof."

Qi Zun: "/side-eye smile"

Min: "…"

Master Mei Zu: "Why learn from Hong Zun, always gossiping behind others' backs?"

Master Mei Zu: "/pointing with finger"

This was something Xiang Yuanjun had exposed—it had left Hong Zun silent in the group for weeks.

Qi Zun: "Aren't you doing the same now? /confused"

Master Mei Zu: "I'm different—he'd still say it even if I were there!"

Master Mei Zu: "Would you dare?"

Master Mei Zu: "/shrug"

Qi Zun: "..."

Ba Zun: "Alright, alright—let's switch groups quickly. We should also inform Huo about this."

Min: "..."

Are all the Daoists from the Central Continent really like this?

Yes, "style" was a term he'd learned on the Ling Network recently.

Master Mei Zu: "Wait!"

Master Mei Zu: "When we communicate next, pass on a message to Master Jianzun @Elder Lingzu"

Master Mei Zu: "/little yellow duck clutching heart"

Master Mei Zu: "Just this."

Naturally, there was no reply.

Soon, everyone switched to the newly created "Communication Group."

Everyone had posted there before; aside from everyone's slightly more "formal" wording, it was much like the Boss Group.

One reason they didn't let Huo join the top-tier group is this.

For example, many "unofficial histories" about Yuan are currently circulating across the Central Continent; whether they're true is unknown, but they're certainly wild enough.

And of these, sixty percent originate from Huo, this street rascal!

The Old Ancestors must maintain their image too!

Master Mei Zu: "Notice: The communication channel with Comrade Elder Lingzu has been successfully established and is now in the final adjustment and testing phase. @All Members"

Master Mei Zu: "Once the adjustment and testing are complete, she will issue another notice."

Serious, earnest—even not a single punctuation mark was omitted!

Ba Zun: "Understood."

Dan Zu: "Good."

Qi Zun: "Understood."

Min: "…"

Min retracted a message and said they sent it by mistake.

Min: "Good."

Huo: "Understood!"

Huo: "By the way, why is Master Mei Zu relaying this?"

Ba Zun: "Don't know. Maybe they dislike speaking in the group."

Huo: "Indeed, lately Elder Lingzu hasn't said much at all."

Huo: "What a pity—everyone's finally in one group, yet Dao Brother and the others aren't here."

At first he didn't use punctuation, but seeing everyone else was formal, he started adding it.

Huo: "Then again, Dao Brother is a very busy person, and Master Jianzun's temperament is cold—so even if they joined the group, they'd probably be just like Elder Lingzu."

Hong Zun and Xiang Yuanjun, these two siblings, had little interaction with him, so no comment.

Even Master Jianzun, he only learned about them through interactions with Dao Brother.

The group fell silent for a while.

emm…

Forget Dao Brother—even if not as extreme as Elder Lingzu, they don't spend much time chatting in the group.

But Master Jianzun…

Usually, it's her and Master Mei Zu whose messages are the most frequent!

Sometimes holding back laughter is quite painful.

Dan Zu: "Makes sense."

Qi Zun: "Huo's words are reasonable."

Their messages were sent almost simultaneously.

Min: "…"

What a tragedy. (End of chapter)