Chapter 260: Chapter 257: The Path of Return (Two in One Chapter)
(Two-in-One Chapter)
Chapter 257: The Path of Return
In the void of the Consciousness Space.
Chen Nuo sat cross-legged. Since he couldn’t perceive the concept of time here, Chen Nuo had no accurate way to sense how long he had been there.
He could only occasionally get a sense of the outside world through the original Chen Nuo. But it was very clear that the original Chen Nuo, for most of the time, remained in a self-imposed silence, neither speaking nor conversing with anyone.
Chen Nuo had tried various methods to investigate the Consciousness Space that trapped him like a cage.
Actually, the biggest mystery was the invisible barrier here!
Chen Yanluo was certainly no ordinary person; he was an expert proficient in spiritual power. Needless to say, his understanding of the Consciousness Space was profound.
Even if his own spiritual consciousness had fallen into some very deep and unknown part of the Consciousness Space due to overusing his power, there shouldn’t be such a "barrier" limiting his departure! Such a cage shouldn’t exist!
If every Mentalist who cultivated spiritual power got trapped in a cage when exploring deeper levels of their Consciousness Space... wouldn’t that be a joke?
A person’s Consciousness Space is indeed magical, and while cultivation and exploration carry risks, those dangers usually manifest differently. When exploration delves deeper, the Consciousness Space might expand infinitely, causing one’s core consciousness to become lost within it. It’s like venturing too far and deep, temporarily losing the way back, as if trapped in a maze.
But a cage? It shouldn’t exist!
Furthermore, after analysis, Chen Nuo concluded that his spiritual consciousness power received no replenishment, becoming like rootless water—this was also highly unreasonable!
The Consciousness Space should be the very source of human spiritual consciousness. This source operates constantly, and human spiritual consciousness should be slowly regenerating, being replenished, and growing at all times—that’s how it ought to be!
Yet here, a cage-like barrier confined him. It not only prevented Chen Nuo from leaving but also severed the connection between his consciousness and the replenishment from the source of the Consciousness Space.
In short: Chen Nuo had now become "rootless water," unable to receive replenishment and recovery for his spiritual power, precisely because of this "cage."
So... where did this cage come from? How could such a cage exist in my own Consciousness Space?
During all this time, Chen Nuo naturally hadn’t been idle. Though he’d said that if he couldn’t leave, he’d just stay here for three to five years, that was merely a thought Chen Xiaoguo had in a fit of pique after learning about the "family reunion" outside.
But... how could that be possible! Whatever I do here, I’m consuming Spiritual Energy.
Even though staying still consumes very little, rootless water will eventually dry up! Once it’s all consumed, I’ll be completely done for.
The need for self-rescue and survival didn’t allow Chen Nuo to just sit around like a salted fish.
First, he couldn’t destroy the barrier from within. Any of Chen Nuo’s attempts to do so would only deplete his own energy, and the power expended would, in turn, strengthen the barrier.
If it can only be destroyed from the outside... then first, I need to find a way to contact the outside world!
That one previous, highly coincidental time, Sun Keke had actually sensed his cries—though it was only that once. Subsequent attempts by Chen Nuo seemed to have no effect.
But from this incident, Chen Nuo quickly formulated a new line of reasoning!
Why can’t others hear my cries, yet Sun Keke alone can?
Chen Nuo didn’t buy into any "lovers naturally have a telepathic connection" nonsense. If that were the case, why couldn’t Lu Xixi hear me?
Could it be that Empress Lu doesn’t truly love me—she’s just after Chen Xiaoguo’s body? That’s not reasonable!
So, he had to identify what special connection existed between himself and Sun Keke, something that made their bond more unique than his relationships with others.
What exactly is the special relationship between Sun Keke and me? Compared to Lu Xixi, what extra element is there, something others don’t share with me...
Sun Keke was an ordinary person. That was the most obvious point.
But... Li Yingwan is also an ordinary person! In this lifetime, Firefly hasn’t yet embarked on the path of an Ability User.
So, I can discard the possibility that it’s because "Sun Keke is an ordinary person."
Chen Nuo had to actively pursue self-rescue!
Because he also sensed that the external Chen Nuo, the original host, was growing increasingly weaker!
Although he didn’t know about the "Summoning Soul Technique" that Lu Xixi and Wu Daodao had discussed.
But Chen Nuo was very worried about one thing: Once the external original host weakens to the point of dissipating... will I be able to leave as a matter of course? Will this barrier trapping me here vanish with the death and dissipation of the external original host? What if... the original host dies, and this barrier continues to exist? Wouldn’t the physical body then become a soulless corpse?
If it wasn’t because "Sun Keke is an ordinary person," then what exactly was the special connection between me and Sun Keke?
Focusing on their relationship and shared experiences, Chen Nuo quickly recalled a clue.
The encounter in the Northwest!
The "Body Seizing" incident involving the Guo Family’s Old Ancestor naturally came back to Chen Nuo’s mind!
The apparatus for Body Seizing consisted of two items: a black rice grain and a white rice grain.
The method for using the black and white rice grains for Body Seizing was as follows: First, there had to be a blood relationship—a direct lineage! Then, one person would hold the black rice grain, and another the white rice grain. After the person holding the black rice grain died, their soul could Transfer to the person holding the white rice grain to perform the Body Seizing!
As for the black rice grain, after Chen Nuo obtained it, he couldn’t immediately figure out the treasure’s purpose or true nature. So, he stored it in his Consciousness Space, much like he had stored the "Seed of Misfortune," carefully wrapping it with spiritual power.
And the white rice grain... Sun Keke had once told him that the white rice grain, given to her by Boss Guo of the noodle shop, had been accidentally lost by her!
Lost it?
At the time, Chen Nuo hadn’t been entirely without suspicion.
However, it was quite plausible that a rice-grain-sized object, hidden in a clothing pocket by Sun Keke during her kidnapping, could have been lost.
Afterwards, Chen Nuo had also carefully examined Sun Keke with his spiritual power but found no abnormalities.
So, at that time, Chen Nuo stopped dwelling on the whereabouts of the white rice grain—perhaps it truly was lost.
But thinking about it now, it’s definitely worth doubting!
No matter how I think about it, how I eliminate possibilities, or what I recall, the only possible special connection between Sun Keke and me is this pair of black and white rice grains!
Beyond that, I can’t think of any other possibility!
So, let’s assume... the white rice grain wasn’t lost by Sun Keke!
Instead, it’s still on her! And Sun Keke herself is unaware...
Chen Nuo arrived at a deduction: the special connection between him and Sun Keke was due to this pair of black and white rice grains!
So... this barrier... is the black rice grain!
So, I’m not lost in my own Consciousness Space because my spiritual body is too weak!
My spiritual power became excessively weak, entering a state akin to death, and then, it might have triggered some mechanism within the black rice grain...
My spiritual power was deemed ’dead’ by the black rice grain and absorbed into it, awaiting Transfer and Body Seizing!
This cage that traps me... is actually the black rice grain!
According to the Body Seizing mechanism, after my ’death,’ my spiritual body should have been absorbed into the black rice grain and then Transferred into the body of the person possessing the white rice grain!
However, the Body Seizing mechanism between this pair of black and white rice grains has a special condition: a direct bloodline relationship.
Sun Keke, who possesses the white rice grain, and I have no blood relation, so the Transfer cannot be completed.
Since the Transfer cannot be completed, it’s as if there’s a shuttle between two places, but the shuttle from this station to the destination can’t ’take’ me. So I’m trapped at this station, unable to board the shuttle to Transfer into Sun Keke’s body for Body Seizing, and I also can’t leave this station to get out...
Chen Nuo didn’t know how much time he had spent, but after clarifying this line of reasoning, he sighed softly.
Thankfully, Sun Keke and I have no blood relation, so the soul Transfer can’t be completed, and Body Seizing can’t occur. Otherwise, if my spiritual body had been Transferred into Sun Keke’s body... that would have been a huge problem!
So, now that he had confirmed the special connection between himself and Sun Keke.
The previous communication was definitely not an accident or a coincidence!
If I could communicate once, I can do it a second time! I simply hadn’t found the correct method before!
Now that he was sure he was trapped inside the black rice grain, if this were any ordinary time, Chen Nuo’s choice would have been to spare no expense of his spiritual power. He would have invested his seemingly endless Spiritual Energy into a meticulous examination of this object, even if it meant consuming vast amounts of spiritual power, tirelessly probing every nook and cranny of the black rice grain.
If once wasn’t enough, then ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times!
But that wasn’t possible now; Chen Nuo’s spiritual power was insufficient to support such an expenditure.
So, the only way is to...
Chen Nuo’s choice was simple:
Use money to smash it!
Hmm... no, that’s not right. Use spiritual power to smash it!
「On an airplane flight from Guangzhou to Shanghai.」
Sitting in her business-class seat, Lu Xixi turned her head to glance at Sun Keke beside her.
Actually, Lu Xixi had never really harbored any animosity toward Sun Keke.
She didn’t dislike this pretty and gentle-natured ordinary girl.
In fact, deep down, Lu Xixi felt a faint, almost imperceptible sense of "guilt" towards Sun Keke.
The fragments concerning Chen Nuo’s so-called "past life" were still unclear.
But at least, in this life, Sun Keke had come first.
Sun Keke was the first one to be with Chen Nuo, his "official girlfriend."
And I, on the other hand, seem like the villainess trying to steal him away.
Well, of course, no matter how you slice it, in this script, Chen Xiaoguo is the shameless, cheating Big Scumbag!
Actually, these past few days, as everyone worked together trying to rescue Chen Nuo, the group had a common goal. They traveled together, strived together, worried together, fretted together, and agonized together.
During this process, every time they found a clue, they would all instinctively feel a surge of excitement and mutual encouragement.
Through such a process, the intense hostility among the girls had, in fact, invisibly diminished somewhat.
Under these circumstances, Sun Keke’s animosity towards Lu Xixi was no longer as intense as it had been a few days prior when their complicated relationships were first exposed.
In fact... Sun Keke had always quite liked this "Sister Lu," finding her beautiful, kind, and approachable.
She actually really wanted to be friends with this "Sister Lu."
Of course, only as friends!
Becoming "sisters" (sharing him) was absolutely out of the question!!
But now, that heart-breaking, cheating Big Scumbag who had thrown everyone’s thoughts into turmoil, his fate was unknown, his life hanging in the balance.
Under such circumstances, continuing to be hostile towards each other held little meaning.
Once the hatred and hostility subsided, the atmosphere among the women indeed became less tense.
Thinking back, it seemed that on several occasions these past few days, Sun Keke had spoken to Lu Xixi a few times, her tone unconsciously and instinctively kind.
Now, faced with Lu Xixi’s concerned and well-intentioned words, Sun Keke pursed her lips and said softly, "I’m not sleepy, and I don’t want to sleep."
Lu Xixi frowned, thought for a moment, then shook her head. "We’ve been rushing around constantly these past few days; everyone should be exhausted. But I’ve noticed that you’ve been sleeping less and less lately."
Sun Keke didn’t speak.
"Previously, on the planes, in the cars, traveling from Guangzhou to Foshan... everyone was very tired. These past few days, we’ve been traveling almost day and night. The others were so exhausted they’d seize any chance to catch up on sleep in the car.
"But I’ve noticed that you, alone, always seem unable to sleep.
"Are you very worried about Chen Nuo?"
"Of course, I’m worried," Sun Keke said with a wry smile. "Aren’t you worried? Aren’t they worried? We might say we hate that little rascal to death, but... when it truly concerns his life or death, how could we not be worried?"
"I’ve been keeping careful track," Lu Xixi said softly. "Let’s start from the day we went to Shanghai from Jinling City. In Shanghai, because Chen Nuo suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized, none of us slept for a whole day and night! When we returned to Jinling City to find Chen Nuo’s father, Li Yingwan and Niveer were so exhausted in the car they couldn’t keep their eyes open and slept for a while. Only you remained awake the entire time. From Jinling to Guangzhou, these past few days, you’ve only been sleeping two or three hours a night. During our travels, I’ve never seen you look tired or try to catch up on sleep. If this continues, you won’t be able to take it."
Lu Xixi’s tone was very serious. "You’re an ordinary person. An ordinary person’s spiritual power consumption needs to be replenished, and the primary source for that is sleep!"
Sun Keke frowned, thought for a moment, then hesitated. "I know... but..."
"But what?"
Sun Keke sighed, her expression a little odd. "But I don’t know why, I really don’t feel sleepy."
"Hmm?"
"I’m really not sleepy," Sun Keke explained earnestly. "Of course, I’m worried, and I’m anxious inside. But I’m truly not sleepy. It’s not that I’m too worried to fall asleep. Rather, I feel quite energetic, without that sense of fatigue or drowsiness."
Lu Xixi paused, slightly taken aback, and looked at Sun Keke with suspicion.
She suddenly realized a detail she had overlooked!
After days of relentless travel, coupled with their anxious state of mind, everyone else in their temporary little team was actually very tired!
Li Yingwan and Niveer both had heavy dark circles under their eyes, and their skin had lost some of its radiance due to lack of sleep and excessive fatigue, appearing a few shades duller.
The girls were like this, and even the robust Brother Lei was finding it hard to cope.
Bald Lei’s eyes were bloodshot from the continuous lack of sleep these past few days. To save time, they often didn’t stay in hotels to rest, instead sleeping en route, on planes and in cars.
If a strong man like Brother Lei was struggling, how much more so the girls?
The only one brimming with energy was Lu Xixi, a powerful Controller.
With her formidable spiritual power, she naturally wasn’t afraid of such consumption, and her need for sleep wasn’t as intense.
But... what was going on with Sun Keke?
Lu Xixi frowned, looking at Sun Keke.
She noticed the young woman didn’t have dark circles under her eyes. Although her skin condition was a tiny bit worse, that was due to physical exhaustion.
Overall, however, her spirits seemed high, and her eyes were bright. She didn’t exhibit the mental fatigue, occasional vacant stares, or lack of focus typical of someone suffering from long-term sleep deprivation.
In fact... it seemed Sun Keke’s eyes were even a bit brighter than before.
After a moment’s thought, Lu Xixi suddenly reached out and took Sun Keke’s wrist.
Sun Keke froze.
Although much of the hostility had faded, she still felt a slight resistance to such direct physical contact.
But Lu Xixi paid it no mind, firmly holding Sun Keke’s wrist and carefully infusing a wisp of her spiritual power to sense Sun Keke’s Consciousness Space...
"Huh?"
Lu Xixi released Sun Keke’s hand, looking at her with a peculiar expression.
"You... you actually..."
Lu Xixi had initially wanted to say, "You actually weren’t lying to me," but the words died on her lips as she realized they might cause a misunderstanding. So, she shook her head and rephrased, "Your spiritual state is indeed very good."
What Lu Xixi found strange was...
Within Sun Keke’s Consciousness Space, the flow of her spiritual power felt lively and vigorous, and its energetic manifestation was also very healthy.
In fact, by Lu Xixi’s judgment, the strength of Sun Keke’s spiritual power was somewhat greater than that of an average person!
About thirty to forty percent stronger than an average person!
This thirty to forty percent shouldn’t be underestimated—it was already incredibly impressive!
Could it be... this girl also has the talent of a Mentalist?
Lu Xixi grew puzzled.
Because she had never probed the extent of Sun Keke’s spiritual power before, she had no basis for comparison. So, although Lu Xixi was puzzled, she could only assume that Sun Keke was naturally endowed with some talent as a Mentalist.
Her spiritual power is stronger than an average person’s, so... perhaps she doesn’t need as much sleep.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our flight will soon be arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport... The aircraft is now on its final approach for landing...
"Please ensure your seats are upright, tray tables stowed... Passengers seated by windows are requested to open your window shades...
"The ground temperature in Jinling is..."
The flight attendant began making the cabin announcement in a gentle voice.
Lu Xixi’s train of thought was interrupted. She temporarily dismissed those notions and sat up straight.
The plane landed smoothly and, after taxiing along the runway, finally came to a complete stop.
Everyone in their group immediately took out their mobile phones and turned them on.
Just as Lu Xixi had turned on her phone and was starting to get up to retrieve her luggage, her phone rang!
Lu Xixi picked it up. Seeing it was a call from Vanel, who was stationed at the hospital, Empress Lu answered with a frown.
A few seconds into the call, the Empress’s expression changed dramatically!
She turned to the others, who were still gathering their luggage, and said in a low, urgent voice, "Quickly! Something’s happened at the hospital!"
Taking a deep breath, Lu Xixi said in a low voice, "Chen Nuo has vomited blood again and has now fallen into a coma! The hospital is performing emergency treatment. We must rush back immediately!"