Chapter 199: Ice Grass Upgrade

However, aside from what was mentioned in the news briefing just now, it's almost a blank.

"The information is tightly controlled."

He drew a conclusion, his tone tinged with the excitement and desire for challenge typical of an experimenter.

"This shows that the Federation places great importance on the Extreme Cold Realm; presumably most researchers are tackling the survival‑environment problem of that realm."

He somewhat wants to go; if he can make a contribution to this project, and if the Extreme Cold Realm truly becomes a second Zhu Shen Xing, perhaps he could be granted a plot of land to build a house.

"Xi'an, I kind of want to go."

Ye Xi'an was startled: "Why?"

"If I can actually produce some valuable experimental results, perhaps in the future we could own a piece of land that truly belongs to us!"

Hearing Lin Zhi Jing's words, all the males leaned in; after all, it's a piece of land, and nothing is more tempting than a plot that belongs to oneself.

"How long will you be gone?" Ye Xi'an, though also eager for the land, was a bit worried about Lin Zhi Jing.

"It shouldn't be too long; after that you should train, and do missions when needed. Once my research is done, I'll go find you right away."

Ye Xi'an took a deep breath: "Alright, but don't stay sleepless like before; ruining your body would be a loss."

Hearing Ye Xi'an's concern, Lin Zhi Jing smiled happily; earning a house for Ye Xi'an, he'd be willing to die of exhaustion.

Lin Zhi Jing left; Ye Xi'an felt a bit wistful, not expecting him to depart again so soon after returning. She sighed, "We can't be lazy either; let's go back and see how the Ice Grass is doing, preparing to upgrade our abilities!"

Ye Xi'an stood up, her gaze firm; although the future was unknown, as long as she gave her all, even if she truly died in the end, there would be no regret.

Back home, Ye Xi'an went straight to the attic.

"Wife! Slow down!"

Yi Yang chased after her, and Ji Jiangci and Bao Jing followed up, while only Gu Feng stood at the doorway, unsure whether to enter or not, wishing he had asked Ye Xi'an earlier.

Having not received Ye Xi'an's permission, he could only wait at the doorway for her to let him in.

In the attic, Ye Xi'an examined the Ice Grass in the freezer; each stalk stood upright, its leaves like pale‑blue ice prisms, some tips even blossoming into tiny, star‑like ice crystals that glimmered faintly under the freezer light.

Amid the swirling ice mist, a few small leaves were buried beneath icy sand—those were the Ice Grass tissues they had transplanted later.

Ye Xi'an stared for a while, uncertain: "Has it grown or not?" It seemed as if its size hadn't changed.

Yi Yang half‑crouched, pinching his chubby chin; his cute, simple eyes narrowed slightly: "Hmm, I think it looks like it grew a bit."

Ji Jiangci thought the same: "Whether it grew or not, it's definitely not dead, so it can indeed be propagated this way."

Having heard them, Ye Xi'an decided: "In that case, let's use those mature Ice Grass to upgrade our abilities."

Ye Xi'an took a few steps inward, her slippers making a faint sound on the wooden floor.

She crouched beside the largest Ice Grass, her fingers gently brushing a leaf tinged with frost.

The touch was icy, yet a vibrant energy surged within, resonating deeply with the power inside her.

Ye Xi'an ordered, "These Ice Grass can't stay out of the cold for long; each of you pick your own, and absorb them immediately after harvesting."

They moved swiftly, an unspoken tacit understanding flowing among them.

The slightly darker, more radiant mature Ice Grass were carefully plucked.

Each leaf held in the hand felt like grasping a ball of light.

Soon, the Ice Grass glowed in her palm, a surge of pure, extreme cold sweeping her senses—not discomfort, but a startlingly powerful effect.

It wasn't the numbness of a freezer; it was a crystal‑clear, energy‑filled cold current, spreading through her veins like a fast‑acting elixir.

Ye Xi'an closed her eyes; as she continuously absorbed the energy, she could clearly feel the edge of her current level, the barrier seeming about to be broken, yet still just a little short.

A feeling so close yet impossible to breach.

She opened her eyes, a bit frustrated, and immediately plucked another, absorbing several in succession, but could never get it right.

"Just a bit short," she said, a hint of doubt in her voice, "only a few points off, why can't I break through to Level Six?"

Bao Jing, usually composed, at this moment expressionless, took his share and, hearing the words, nodded in agreement.

"Me too."

His surrounding aura fluctuated, becoming stronger and more condensed, yet like Ye Xi'an, he still couldn't truly step into the next tier.

The air around him seemed to emit faint crackling sounds from the suppressed power, heralding an imminent metamorphosis.

At that moment, a subtle shift drew their attention to Ji Jiangci.

Ji Jiangci sat upright, a soft, almost ethereal halo enveloping him.

The weary lines that often cast shadows on his face seemed smoothed, and his jet‑black hair gained a richer, healthier sheen.

His already refined features now appeared even clearer, as if the dust of years had been brushed away, making him… younger.

The change, though slight, was unmistakable.

He opened his eyes, his gaze becoming increasingly clear and profound.

"Level Four," he announced, his voice calm yet tinged with unmistakable delight.

A genuine smile spread across his lips: "And I can feel myself getting younger again."

Ye Xi'an grinned, teasing: "Looks like my mission is finally coming to an end."

She had been sleeping with Ji Jiangci all this time and was getting a bit tired of it.

It's time to switch husbands for a sleep.

Ji Jiangci, unwilling but suddenly pressing close to Ye Xi'an, whispered ambiguously in her ear, "Then I won't absorb the Ice Grass; I still want you to help me become younger."

Ye Xi'an's face flushed from his teasing, and she quickly pushed him away: "What time is it, still saying this?"

At that moment, a sudden, explosive burst of energy ripped through the entire attic.

The aftershock of the energy jolted Ye Xi'an, who staggered and fell into Ji Jiangci's arms; fortunately, he reacted quickly and steadied himself.

Everyone's gaze instantly fixed on Yi Yang.

A dazzling, almost blinding white light erupted from his body, forming a powerful energy wave that spread outward.

The attic's dust swirled wildly in the sudden energy wave.

The wooden beams of the attic seemed to groan under this pressure.

In the light, Yi Yang's tightly clenched fists whitened at the knuckles from the strain, and veins bulged on his arms.

"Diga? Is that you?" Ye Xi'an shouted.

Bao Jing blinked, not understanding: "Who is Diga?"