The Workings of Transcendence

This was clearly wrong. Li Weiyi wanted to stop, but the sole of his right foot felt as if it had turned into a volcano, uncontrollably erupting with a scalding, lava-like current of qi. At the same time, a silver trace vein sprouted from the center of his right sole, like a vine growing from a germinating seed, guiding the current as it surged upward. Up his calf, into his thigh, coursing through his internal organs, up through his neck... Whoosh! The instant Li Weiyi opened his eyes, the silver trace vein and the current converged there, making his pupils glow with a faint silver light. His entire world sharpened. Colors grew richer, and details turned startlingly precise. Above him, the rust stains and finger smudges on the sheet metal of the medical shelter were vividly clear; he could even deduce the order and process of how the shelter had been assembled. In the air, specks of dust, normally imperceptible to the naked eye, drifted and swirled with the draft stirred by his hurried breaths. Beyond the doorway, wisps of nether mist drifted like fine, faintly colored veils of gauze—everywhere, permeating every crack, swaying with the breeze. "What... is happening?" Li Weiyi was filled with shock and wonder, his heart pounding like a drum. The world he saw now was completely different from before! It felt as though his eyes had previously been covered by a blur of frosted glass, leaving him to live through nineteen muddled, hazy years. Now, there was a profound sense of having broken free from a cage, of leaping out of a quagmire. The silver light in his pupils faded. Yet his eyes seemed to have been remade; his vision far surpassed what it had once been. Looking at Professor Xu on the neighboring cot, Li Weiyi could even sense the man's inner emotions from the minute shifts in his facial muscles, wrinkles, pores, and fine hairs. It took him a long while to calm himself, after which he began to ponder in earnest. Could this be what Master called the workings of transcendence? Master said my physical body had long been nearing a critical threshold, and that I couldn't take another step forward only because I was born at the wrong time, in the wrong era. Now that we've fallen into a microscopic world, the environment has changed—is that why I broke through the threshold in an instant? A flurry of thoughts and guesses crossed Li Weiyi's mind. Though the phenomenon unfolding within him was unknown, he felt certain it was far from bad. And so, he began to explore it deliberately. He circulated the Yuxu Breathing Method once more. As the scalding current welled up from the center of his right sole, he consciously guided it toward his left arm, which had been mangled by the bear-like creature. Whoosh! A second silver trace vein grew out, leading the scalding current along a different route. It extended down his left arm, straight to his palm. When the scalding current flowed past the injury, the fiery, stinging pain eased considerably. Then came a tingling, itchy sensation, like flesh knitting together as a wound healed. The injury was turning for the better. These silver trace veins must be conduits forged ahead of the qi currents. Fine as hairs and winding in path, they guide the currents to various parts of the body. Wherever the currents pass, they nourish and transform flesh, blood, sinews, bones, and internal organs... and the eyes as well. My whole body is undergoing a metamorphosis. Perhaps it won't be long before the injury to my left arm heals completely under the nourishment of this scalding current. What's more, it should undergo an uncanny, extraordinary transformation just like my eyes did. Li Weiyi felt as if he had swung open a mysterious gate connecting heaven and earth. Filled with ecstatic joy, he immersed himself entirely in exploring the realm of transcendence. ... "Haha! Weiyi! Weiyi!" Zhao Meng hurried in, bursting into the medical tent with elated strides, covered in dust and grime. Having just finished his duties, he had rushed straight over the moment he heard that Li Weiyi had regained consciousness. Li Weiyi paused his exploration of the transcendent realm. Propping himself up, he sat back against the bed frame. He no longer seemed weak and drained as he had before; his vitality and spirit were visibly replenished. After looking him up and down for a good while, Zhao Meng grew even more delighted. "Haha, amazing! It really is a wonder! You look incredible—ruddy face, bright eyes! It seems there's nothing wrong with you at all! I have to take my hat off to Doctor Qi's medical skills." "Doctor Qi's skills are impressive enough, but the medicinal effects of Dr. Cai's fish soup were even better," an airy voice spoke from the bed at the far end of the medical tent. It was the short student who loved telling mythological stories. Both his neck and right arm were bound in splints, his gaze dull and fixed on the ceiling. His name was Gao Huan, one of Professor Xu's students. Yet at the moment, he was neither happy nor joyous. Cai Yutong feeding fish soup to Li Weiyi had certainly provoked envy and jealousy, but what truly added insult to injury was that two of his own classmates had brought soup to Professor Xu earlier—and completely forgotten about him. A flurry of hurried footsteps echoed outside the medical tent. Zhao Meng's expression changed slightly. Leaning close to Li Weiyi's ear, he whispered, "Some things happened after you passed out. I hid the Daozu Taiji Fish, and the relic is set in it. But if they ask about it later, you must pretend you know nothing." Captain Gao Xin, Director Yang, Xie Tianshu, Xie Jin... Within moments, a dozen or so people crowded into the medical shelter, surrounding Li Weiyi's cot until not a drop of water could have trickled through. "He only just woke up and is still very weak. He needs proper rest to nurse his injuries. Lie down quickly!" With his back to the crowd, Zhao Meng supported Li Weiyi's neck and back, gently laying him flat on the cot. Unable to contain himself, Xie Tianshu asked, "Little Li, now that you're awake, there's an urgent matter we need to question you about." Zhao Meng turned around, displeased. "Haven't I already told you? Under the attack of the bear-like creature and the Jiuying, the Buddha relic fell into the sea. As for what happened afterward, I have no idea, and my junior brother knows even less." Zhao Meng was no good at dissembling or lying; his words were far too absolute, which only invited more suspicion. Xie Tianshu smiled. "Yet someone saw through the cabin window that the cyan glow and crimson radiance that pulled us down onto the Bronze Ship emanated from Little Li. The only treasure capable of producing such a miraculous phenomenon is the Buddha relic." Zhao Meng countered, "I was standing right beside him and didn't notice anything. You were all thrown into the Arctic Ocean by the Jiuying back then, in dire straits. Could anyone really have seen clearly?" "The First Mate knows the truth in his heart," Xie Tianshu replied calmly. Many present harbored doubts about Zhao Meng's words. Director Yang cared deeply about the Buddha relic. "Mr. Zhao, don't get agitated! If our situation was dire, yours was hardly any better. You can't guarantee you didn't overlook some critical detail, can you? The Buddha relic concerns whether we can return to the macroscopic Earth. It's best to get to the bottom of this." Li Weiyi understood the situation and knew to follow his senior brother's lead. In a feeble voice, he asked, "Regarding the Buddha relic, I just asked Professor Xu about it. It's simply too unbelievable—have we really fallen into a microscopic world? What is the origin of this Bronze Ship? Where is it sailing?" No one present could answer these questions. There was too much they could not determine themselves. "Will finding the Buddha relic let us go back? But what connection does the Buddha relic have to this Bronze Ship? Would they even submit to our control?" Li Weiyi asked again. Xie Tianshu said, "At the very least, the Buddha relic wouldn't vanish without reason. Little Li, if it's on you, you should bring it out so everyone can study and analyze it. Even if we can't return to Earth, having it would give us an extra layer of security in this strange world." Li Weiyi saw through him completely. Returning to Earth was nothing more than an excuse; they possessed no confidence whatsoever. Their real aim was to seize the Buddha relic so they could strengthen their own leverage in this unfamiliar world. If the Buddha relic had not returned to the Daozu Taiji Fish, Li Weiyi wouldn't have minded giving it back to its original owner. He had no desire to lay claim to what was not his. However, if the Buddha relic had originally been one of the fish eyes of the Daozu Taiji Fish, then its current state was the true return to its master. How could he possibly hand over the token of the Chan Sect Master to someone else? Zhao Meng flared with anger. "My junior brother has been unconscious for three days. If the Buddha relic were really on him, you would have taken it long ago." "It isn't on him, but inside him... who can say for sure?" For Xie Tianshu to say such a thing naturally stemmed from the fact that he had long contemplated swallowing the Buddha relic himself. Only by taking a treasure into one's body could one truly possess it. Zhao Meng said, "Are you saying you want to cut someone's belly open?" "I am merely stating a possibility." ... ... "Stop arguing! The Buddha relic is, after all, the treasure that bore the Bronze Ship. It is very likely still in the macroscopic world." As captain, Gao Xin was getting on in years, yet he carried considerable authority. He barked to a halt the brewing brawl between Zhao Meng and Xie Tianshu. Once everyone quieted down, Li Weiyi was the first to speak. "Brother, their real objective isn't the Buddha relic at all. They want to use the Buddha relic as a pretext to turn everyone on this ship against us, thereby isolating us." "The freezer is broken. Most of the food carried by the research ship will spoil soon. Ten days from now, whoever controls the rationing of the remaining food will have a much better chance of surviving." "The captain and the leaders are all elderly. The only one who poses a threat to him is you. Naturally, he needs to find an excuse to deal with you." The successive words from Gao Xin and Li Weiyi plunged everyone present into deep thought. Clearly, the practical problem of food was far more pressing and important than an intangible treasure like the Buddha relic. One after another, the crowd filed out of the medical shelter. As they left, some politely and others disingenuously urged Li Weiyi to rest well and recover. Xie Jin caught up with Xie Tianshu and asked in a low voice, "Cousin Shu, did you notice anything?" "Zhao Meng's junior brother is far harder to deal with than Zhao Meng. He seems simple and harmless, but he inadvertently ruined our plan. Fortunately, he was badly mauled by the bear-like creature!" Xie Tianshu said. Xie Jin's eyes turned cold and sharp. "With that kid pointing it out, Zhao Meng will definitely be on guard. Should we make our move early?" Xie Tianshu shook his head. "There are only three firearms on the entire ship! The rifle has three rounds left, held by Zhao Meng. The shotgun is with those people from Lab 705, and it should still have ammunition. Gao Xin also has a handgun on him... None of the three guns are in our hands. We cannot rush this. Once we act, we must guarantee complete success." Xie Jin let out a contemptuous laugh. "Zhao Meng's biggest weakness is that kid, Li Weiyi. As long as we control the kid, Zhao Meng will obediently hand over the rifle. As for the old, weak, and sick from Lab 705, leave them to me." Xie Tianshu frowned slightly and said in a grave tone, "Don't act rashly! We stick to the original plan: first bring head chef Kong Fan over to our side. He is our key to winning without shedding blood."