The Underworld.
After Xu Nan and the Mechanical Sphere went to school.
After the members of the Eighteenth Team started working.
Jiang Lin first went to the human world to check on the work situation of the patrolling team members.
Upon returning, he went to the school campus to take a look.
Xu Nan was, as always, a good student in the eyes of his teachers and a top student among his classmates.
During every break, he would either pester the teacher with questions, leaving the teacher in deep thought and speechless, or be surrounded by classmates asking for his study methods.
Busy and fulfilling.
The atmosphere in the classroom was harmonious.
And in another class—
The Mechanical Sphere also learned quickly and could extrapolate from what it learned—but only on topics and knowledge points that interested it.
For example, those related to Yin energy, ghost energy, and self-modification.
After class, it also ran to the classroom office, but not to ask questions.
Instead, it was called to the office by the teacher for misbehaving during class.
When it wasn't in the office, it was also very popular.
A large circle of classmates surrounded it.
They were either discussing its current 'beauty' or gossiping about underworld affairs.
They chatted about all sorts of things.
Even the fact that it ate two extra bowls of braised pork yesterday could be a topic of discussion for a long time.
Anything but topics related to studying.
Jiang Lin didn't deliberately hide his presence while watching from the side.
A small iron sphere flew over, flapping its wings.
Soon, the Mechanical Sphere, which was chatting and playing with everyone in the classroom, noticed something.
It turned and ran to the classroom window, sticking out half of its body, waving at Jiang Lin.
Overjoyed, it exclaimed, "Master, Master, are you here to see me?"
After saying that, it seemed to recall something.
It blew a kiss towards Jiang Lin.
"..."
Jiang Lin glanced at it, his expression unreadable.
He turned and left the campus.
These two were clearly in a semi-free-range state.
Yet, one became increasingly self-disciplined, while the other became increasingly unrestrained.
The contrast was too stark.
However, Jiang Lin had no intention of asking them to help him with anything for the time being.
He didn't have many expectations for them.
As long as they didn't turn out too crooked in the end, he would let them pursue their interests and hobbies.
...
Upon returning to the Eighteenth Hall.
Jiang Lin casually cast a barrier around himself.
Then, he took out a palm-sized object from his chest.
A white paper figure with a golden border.
A small head, a small torso, small limbs.
It was the Natal Paper that Jiang Lin had obtained in the Northern Hall.
Since acquiring the Natal Paper, Jiang Lin had kept it close to his person.
As time passed, month by month, year by year,
The Natal Paper had transformed from a small square into its current human-like form.
The changes were particularly noticeable during the initial period of contact.
But as time went on, the changes became smaller and smaller.
Sometimes, there would be no movement for half a year or even a year.
When was the last time it had changed?
Jiang Lin recalled, it seemed to be halfway through the pollution source incident.
During that period,
Jiang Lin was quite busy and didn't pay much attention to the Natal Paper.
When he remembered to check later, he found that the changes on the Natal Paper were minimal.
But recently, Jiang Lin felt that the paper figure had moved again.
And it was different from any changes before.
...
Inside the Eighteenth Hall, the barrier concealed Jiang Lin's figure.
Under Jiang Lin's gaze, the paper figure in his palm suddenly moved.
First, its head moved, then its hands and feet.
Finally, it propped itself up with its hands and sat up.
It looked at Jiang Lin, then at its surroundings.
It seemed to be observing everything around it.
Although it had no facial features, Jiang Lin felt as if it was 'looking'.
After looking around, the paper figure moved again, this time attempting to stand up.
But for some reason, as soon as it stood up, its legs began to tremble.
It shook like instant noodles.
Then, with a thud, it sat back down in Jiang Lin's palm.
Its appearance was dazed.
Jiang Lin found it rather novel, as he had never input any commands into this paper figure.
Since obtaining it, he had only worn it with him.
Besides that, he had done nothing else.
Seeing the paper figure trying to stand up again, Jiang Lin thought for a moment and placed it on the desk in front of him.
Perhaps if it were on a flatter surface, it would be a little better?
Thud!
The paper figure fell onto the desk again.
Its legs, once it tried to stand, were like noodles.
Weak and powerless.
But it still tried to stand up again and again, stubbornly wanting to rise.
Stand up!
This seemed to have become its most important task.
Jiang Lin watched for a while, seeing the paper figure about to fall onto the ground again.
He couldn't help but extend a finger.
The palm-sized paper figure quickly grabbed his finger and then slowly straightened its body.
This time, it finally didn't fall!
Its head turned towards Jiang Lin. Because it was just a paper figure, it looked dazed.
Jiang Lin, however, felt its current emotion—happiness.
This emotion was shallow and pure.
It flashed and disappeared.
Jiang Lin was stunned, looking at the paper figure with an unreadable expression.
Before this, the paper figure was just a paper figure.
But now, not only could it move, but it also possessed emotional fluctuations.
Why was this?
Clearly, there had been no changes for such a long time.
Could it be... related to his recent changes?
—Related to the [Spirit], and his three months of leave?
Was the change in the paper figure driven by his own changes?
At this moment, Jiang Lin seemed to understand something.
He had vaguely touched the threshold of the Northern Hall's advanced paper crafting class.
The Day-Roaming God said that the Natal Paper should be kept close to the body.
Perhaps because...
Only by keeping it close to his body would the Natal Paper feel his changes and various emotional fluctuations?
And in the Northern Hall, the head of the Drama Club said:
'Good jade is nurtured by people, and good paper is also nurtured by 'qi'.'
'If one can inject 'soul' into a paper figure, it is estimated that one can graduate.'
At the time, he didn't quite understand, but now, it seemed the head of the Drama Club was stating it plainly.
The keywords were 'nurture' and 'soul'.
How to nurture? How to inject soul?
Thinking about the methods of the Drama Club, one could find the answer.
Acting, getting into character, experiencing.
Through different role positions, one could experience different lives and different emotions.
This was used to 'nurture' and 'inject soul'.
In Jiang Lin's opinion, this was more like an activation method.
Using various emotions and experiences to activate the paper figure.
However...
Jiang Lin lowered his eyelids, looking at the paper figure on the desk, which was holding his hand and walking forward step by step.
Would the paper figure activated by the Drama Club's methods be what he desired?
Jiang Lin thought of Fang Hei Yi, who came to pick them up when they first arrived at the Northern Hall.
His two paper figures were named Fang Hei Er and Fang Hei San.
Both their appearance and personality were exactly the same as Fang Hei Yi.
According to Fang Hei Yi himself, the three also shared memories?
So at first, he thought the Natal Paper was another self.
But according to the Drama Club's methods...
Jiang Lin fell into thought, "Could it be that after activating the Natal Paper, the Drama Club has other development paths?"
"Or perhaps, the Natal Paper never had a unified form, and it is inherently diverse?"
Everything was still unknown.
If there was an opportunity in the future, he definitely had to revisit the Northern Hall's advanced paper crafting class.
...