Chapter 8: The Mystery of the Extraordinary

This was clearly not right.

Li Youyi wanted to stop, but the sole of his right foot felt like it had turned into a volcano, uncontrollably erupting with a scorching, magma-like flow of Qi.

At the same time, a silver trace vein grew from the sole of his right foot, like a vine sprouting from a seed, guiding the Qi flow to spread upward along with it.

Along his lower leg, to his thigh, through his internal organs, past his neck...

"Whoosh!"

The moment Li Youyi opened his eyes, the silver trace vein and the Qi flow converged there, causing his pupils to emit a faint silver light.

His entire world became clear; the colors were richer, and the details were more minute.

The rust and fingerprints on the tin sheets of the medical tent above his head were clearly distinguishable, allowing him to deduce the order and process of their construction.

In the air, tiny, imperceptible specks of dust moved along with the airflow created by his rapid breathing.

The wisps of ghostly mist outside the tent door were like fine, pale-colored gauze, omnipresent, pervasive, moving with the wind.

"What... is this?"

Li Youyi was filled with shock and doubt, his heart beating like a drum. The world he saw now was completely different from before! His eyes had previously felt as if they were covered by a blurry lens, leaving him to live in a daze for nineteen years.

Now, he felt as if he had jumped out of a cage and a mud pit.

The silver light in his pupils faded.

But his eyes felt as if they had been reshaped, his vision far superior to before.

Looking at Professor Xu on the hospital bed next to him, Li Youyi could even perceive his inner emotions from the subtle changes in the muscles, wrinkles, pores, and fine hairs on his face.

After spending a long time recovering his calm, he began to think seriously.

"Could this be what Master called the 'mystery of the extraordinary'?"

"Master said my physical body had long since reached a critical point, and it was only because I was born in the wrong era that I couldn't go any further. Now, having fallen into the microscopic world, the environment has changed, so I broke through the critical point instantly?"

Many guesses and thoughts arose in Li Youyi’s mind. However, he felt that although the situation occurring in his body was unknown, it was definitely not a bad thing, so he began to explore it actively.

He performed the Jade Void Breathing Technique again.

Following the scorching Qi flow erupting from the sole of his right foot, he consciously guided this Qi flow toward his left arm, which had been severely injured by the bear-like creature.

"Whoosh!"

A second silver trace vein grew, guiding the scorching Qi flow along a different route, extending to his left arm and all the way to his palm.

As the scorching Qi flow passed through the wound, the originally burning pain immediately eased significantly. Then, it became itchy and sore, like the feeling of flesh growing back as a wound heals.

The injury was developing in a good direction.

"The silver trace veins should be channels opened up one step ahead of the Qi flow, as thin as hair, with winding routes, guiding the Qi flow to certain parts of the body. Wherever the Qi flow passes, it nourishes and transforms the flesh, tendons, bones, internal organs... and even the eyes; the whole body is undergoing a transformation."

"Perhaps it won't be long before the injury on my left arm can fully heal under the nourishment of this scorching Qi flow. And, it should also undergo an incredible, extraordinary change, just like my eyes."

Li Youyi felt as if he had opened a mysterious door that could connect heaven and earth, ecstatic, and then completely immersed himself in the exploration of the extraordinary realm.

"Haha, Youyi, Youyi..."

Zhao Meng walked quickly, rushing into the medical tent in high spirits, his body covered in dust and grime.

Having finished his work, he had just learned the news of Li Youyi’s awakening and immediately rushed over.

Li Youyi temporarily stopped exploring the extraordinary realm and propped his body up, sitting with his back against the bed frame. He didn't look weak or powerless at all like before; his spirit and energy were much fuller.

After looking him over for a long while, Zhao Meng was even more delighted: "Haha, it’s a miracle, truly a miracle. Your state is too good; your complexion is rosy, your eyes are bright. It seems there’s no problem at all! I have to admire Dr. Qi’s medical skills."

"Dr. Qi’s medical skills are indeed remarkable, but Dr. Cai’s fish soup has even better medicinal effects." A light voice sounded from the hospital bed in the deepest part of the medical tent.

It was the short man who liked to tell myths; his neck and right arm were bound with wooden boards, his eyes numb, staring straight at the tent ceiling.

His name was Gao Huan, one of Professor Xu’s students.

However, he was neither happy nor joyful at this moment.

Cai Yutong feeding Li Youyi fish soup was indeed enviable and jealous-inducing. But the fact that his two classmates had come to deliver fish soup to Professor Xu earlier but had forgotten him was adding insult to injury.

Outside the medical tent, a large sound of rapid footsteps rang out.

Zhao Meng’s expression changed slightly, and he leaned into Li Youyi’s ear, whispering: "After you fell into a coma, some things happened. I hid the Dao Ancestor Taiji Fish, and the sarira is also above. But later, if they ask, you must pretend you know nothing."

Captain Gao Xin, Director Yang, Xie Tianshu, Xie Jin... in a moment, more than a dozen people crowded into the medical tent, surrounding Li Youyi’s hospital bed tightly.

"You just woke up, your body is still very weak, you need to rest well. Lie down quickly!"

Zhao Meng stood with his back to the crowd, supporting Li Youyi’s neck and back, and laid him back down on the hospital bed.

Xie Tianshu couldn't wait and asked: "Little Li, since you’re awake, we have an urgent matter here that we must question you about."

Zhao Meng turned around, displeased: "Didn't I already say that the Buddha’s sarira fell into the sea during the attack by the bear-like creature and the Nine-Infant? I don't know about what happened later, and my Junior Brother knows even less."

Zhao Meng was not good at disguising or lying, and his words were too absolute, which instead made people suspicious.

Xie Tianshu smiled: "But someone saw through the porthole at the time that the cyan glow and red light that caused our bronze ship to fall were released from your body, Little Li. The treasure capable of producing such a miraculous phenomenon can only be the Buddha’s sarira."

Zhao Meng said: "I was so close, and I didn't notice. You were all flipped into the Arctic Ocean by the Nine-Infant at the time; the situation was so critical, could anyone really see clearly?"

"The First Mate knows the truth in his heart," Xie Tianshu replied calmly.

Many people present held a skeptical attitude toward Zhao Meng’s words.

Director Yang was very concerned about the Buddha’s sarira and said: "Mr. Zhao, don't be agitated! Our situation was critical at the time, and weren't yours as well? You can't guarantee that you didn't overlook some important details, right? The Buddha’s sarira concerns whether we can return to the macroscopic Earth, so it’s better to ask clearly."

Li Youyi had already understood and naturally followed his Senior Brother’s line of thought, so he spoke weakly: "Regarding the Buddha’s sarira, I just asked Professor Xu. It’s truly incredible. Did we really fall into a microscopic world? What is the origin of the bronze ship? Where is this ship sailing to?"

No one present could answer these questions.

Because there were many things they couldn't be sure of either.

"If we find the Buddha’s sarira, can we go back? But what is the connection between the Buddha’s sarira and the bronze ship? Can they be controlled by us?" Li Youyi asked again.

Xie Tianshu said: "At the very least, the Buddha’s sarira wouldn't disappear for no reason. If it’s on you, Little Li, you should still take it out so everyone can study and analyze it. Even if we can't return to Earth, at least we can have an extra layer of protection in this strange world."

Li Youyi understood; the talk of returning to Earth was just an excuse. They had no confidence at all. Seizing the Buddha’s sarira to increase their own capital in a strange world was the real goal.

If the Buddha’s sarira hadn't returned to the Dao Ancestor Taiji Fish, Li Youyi wouldn't mind returning it to its owner.

It wasn't his, and he disdained to occupy it.

But if the Buddha’s sarira itself was one of the eyes of the Dao Ancestor Taiji Fish, wouldn't it be truly returning to its owner as it was now? How could he hand over the token of the Chan Gate Sect Leader to others?

Zhao Meng was angered: "My Junior Brother has been asleep for three days. If the Buddha’s sarira were really on him, it would have been taken by you long ago."

"It’s not on his body, but inside his body... who can say for sure?"

Xie Tianshu could say this naturally because he had long since had the thought of swallowing the Buddha’s sarira directly.

Only when a treasure enters the body is it truly possessed.

Zhao Meng said: "Are you trying to cut open a person’s stomach?"

"I’m just stating a possibility."

"Stop arguing! The Buddha’s sarira is, after all, the treasure that carries the bronze ship; it’s very likely that it’s still in the macroscopic world." As the captain, Gao Xin, although aged, had quite a bit of authority and shouted to stop Zhao Meng and Xie Tianshu, who were about to start a fight.

After everyone quieted down.

It was Li Youyi who spoke first: "Senior Brother, other people’s real goal is not the Buddha’s sarira at all. They want to use the Buddha’s sarira as an excuse to make everyone on the ship target us, thereby isolating us."

"The freezer is broken, and most of the food carried on the research ship will soon rot. Ten days from now, whoever can control the distribution of the remaining food will have a greater chance of survival."

"The captain and the leaders are all getting on in years; the only one who can threaten them is you, so naturally, they need to find a reason to deal with you."

What Gao Xin and Li Youyi said one after another made everyone present fall into deep thought.

Clearly, the realistic problem of "food" was far more important and imminent than an ethereal treasure like the Buddha’s sarira.

Everyone left the medical tent one after another. When they left, they either politely or hypocritically urged Li Youyi to rest well.

Xie Jin chased after Xie Tianshu and whispered: "Brother Shu, did you see the clues?"

"Zhao Meng’s Junior Brother is much harder to deal with than Zhao Meng. He looks simple and kind, but he ruined our big plan inadvertently. Fortunately, he was severely injured by the bear-like creature!" Xie Tianshu said.

Xie Jin’s eyes were cold: "With that kid’s reminder, Zhao Meng will definitely be alert. Should we act in advance?"

Xie Tianshu shook his head: "There are three guns on the ship! The rifle has three bullets left, which are in Zhao Meng’s hands. The shotgun is in the hands of those people in Laboratory 705, and there should be bullets left. Gao Xin also has a pistol... None of the three guns are in our hands. This matter cannot be rushed. Once we act, we must ensure there is no room for error."

Xie Jin smiled disdainfully: "Zhao Meng’s biggest weakness is that kid Li Youyi. As long as we control that kid, Zhao Meng will definitely hand over the rifle obediently. As for those old, weak, sick, and disabled people in Laboratory 705, leave them to me."

Xie Tianshu frowned slightly and said seriously: "Do not act rashly! Let’s stick to the original plan and pull the head chef Kong Fan over first; he is the key to our success without bloodshed."

(Seeing the book reviews, some readers are saying they entered the sarira... uh, no! The sarira is on the Dao Ancestor Taiji Fish, having turned into one of the fish eyes. It was because the Dao Ancestor Taiji Fish became complete that what followed happened.) ===== CHAPTER 10 =====