AITAMITB Chapter 93

Shortly after Yu Youmin was called out, Zhao Xiaokui was summoned as well.

Once outside, she learned that there had been an incident at sea.

The cultists they were pursuing had boarded a boat and set out to sea. During the pursuit, they vanished midway. Upon careful examination by the Nightwalkers, it was discovered that their disappearance location likely concealed an undiscovered relic.

For superhumans, relics were essentially synonymous with resources.

This particular relic was located within China’s territorial waters. Although its size remained unknown, it certainly wouldn’t be easily relinquished. The plan was to explore it themselves. However, opening the relic, gaining access, and safeguarding against the cultists hidden inside posed significant challenges.

Moreover, the cultists within the relic seemed aware that their hiding place had been exposed. Somehow, they manipulated the well-sealed relic to leak superhuman energy, infecting marine creatures. As a result, the waters near the relic now teemed with mutated marine creatures, drawing considerable attention to China, which had initially hoped to keep things low-key.

However, most of China’s superhumans were currently busy with another large relic. Until they confirmed how many resources were inside this relic, they couldn’t abandon their work there and come here. So, upon hearing that there was a second-tier water-based superhuman in S City, the Nightwalkers responsible for maritime operations sent an invitation to Zhao Xiaokui, hoping she could assist in the operation.

“You don’t have much practical experience, but don’t worry. After the relic appeared, third-tier superhumans were dispatched to control the situation. When you go there, just follow their orders. Oh, and there’s something for you.”

Yu Youmin handed her a top-secret document. “Read it here and take notes before leaving.”

“What is this…”

Zhao Xiaokui lowered her head, looking at the small booklet titled “The Tust Spiritual Meditation Method”.

Yu Youmin cracked his first smile of the day. “This matter is related to you. Remember the content you discovered hidden in the stone tablet book? The overseers deciphered the text structure and found over ten cultivation methods inside. This booklet you’re holding is supposedly a method for cultivating spiritual power passed down by the royal family of the Tust Kingdom. Among all the methods found, it’s the fastest for cultivation speed. Since you discovered the secret of the stone tablet book, they’re rewarding you by directly giving you this.”

“But these cultivation methods are still classified. You can’t spread them. Record the content here and practice on your own. For others, their cultivation methods will still be determined based on contribution and merit.”

Zhao Xiaokui looked at the booklet, a smile playing on her lips. She nodded. “Understood.”

In the sound, you can hear joy.

Her current biggest worry is the method for cultivating her mental power.

The methods she knows either have poor effects and are basic, or they are highly specialized and can only be used by transcendent individuals through specific channels. Other people lack that specific energy, so no matter how they practice, they can’t achieve the best results. There’s even a risk of going astray. However, the “Tust Spiritual Meditation Method” given to her by Yu Youmin is far superior to those common methods, as Zhao Xiaokui realized just from reading the beginning.

Of course, she also noticed the mental restrictions placed on it. It seems to be an additional suggestion from a fourth or fifth-order transcendent, preventing anyone who reads the content from revealing specific details.

However, this suggestion doesn’t affect her much. With a thought, Zhao Xiaokui erased the traces of the suggestion.

In front of Yu Youmin, she quickly flipped through the pages and mentally reviewed the meditation method. Then she said, “I’m done.”

Yu Youmin was surprised. “So fast?”

After receiving this meditation method, he also attempted to practice it, but he hadn’t made much progress.

When the meditation method was sent over, it was mentioned that while the effects were good, mastering it was truly difficult. Even second and third-order transcendent individuals spent more than ten days researching it, and only two or three grasped the technique.

“…Is it really that quick?” Zhao Xiaokui hesitated. “I find this meditation method quite straightforward, and the effects are impressive.”

Yu Youmin was even more astonished. He thought Zhao Xiaokui had merely memorized the content, but she had already tested its effects. “You meditated just now?”

Zhao Xiaokui nodded, admitting that she had gone through a mental cycle.

Yu Youmin couldn’t believe it. “But doesn’t it say that you need an absolutely quiet environment to practice?”

Zhao Xiaokui explained, “While practicing in absolute silence would likely enhance the effect, it’s not an absolute requirement. Essentially, this meditation method involves visualizing a specific pattern in your mind. It’s similar to what we disrupted during the evil god ritual. Both methods absorb external energy through a pattern, but the evil god used blood, while this one uses mental energy.”

“If you’re having trouble getting started, imagine your mental energy as tiny particles, then construct the pattern shown here… Once you successfully build the first pattern, the subsequent steps will come naturally.”

Yu Youmin suddenly realized, “So that’s how it is.”

…This was all due to a lack of knowledge.

In the merfolk world, which transcendent wouldn’t know about mental power cultivation methods?

Zhao Xiaokui was only unfamiliar with the concept of diagrams.

The use of transcendent world diagrams directly here would significantly weaken their effects. After all, these were two different worlds, much like two distinct computer systems. A program that runs smoothly on Windows might encounter various glitches or even become unusable on a Mac.

On Yu Youmin’s side, he had the diagrams but had no idea how to use them. Zhao Xiaokui suspected that those who managed to grasp the method probably stumbled upon it through intuition or dreams. With their strong mental energy, they naturally constructed the meditation pattern, leading to the successful entry.

However, if you asked them to explain how they did it, they’d likely be at a loss.

Zhao Xiaokui pressed her temples, feeling that some things were indeed a long road ahead.

Since she had encountered this, she decided to offer a piece of advice—don’t hold onto a treasure without knowing how to use it.

Before heading out to sea, Zhao Xiaokui made a quick visit home.

“Back already?”

Hearing the commotion, Shen Zhifei rushed out of the study and stood at the top of the stairs. There, she saw Zhao Xiaokui dressed in her Nightwalker attire, and her eyes instantly reddened.

As Zhao Xiaokui heard Shen Zhifei’s footsteps, she looked up, arms wide open. “How about a warm hug?”

Shen Zhifei bounded down the stairs, and as soon as Zhao Xiaokui closed the door behind her, she pounced, biting her lips with force.

It was less of a kiss and more like a passionate clash. 

Zhao Xiaokui kissed Shen Zhifei while gently guiding her to the sofa. She bent slightly at the waist, allowing Shen Zhifei to vent her emotions. Then, Zhao Xiaokui took her hand and whispered, “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“Shen’s hospital received many patients. I heard that even the masked special police officers in black uniforms were injured. I’ve been afraid that one of them might be you.”

Even though others might not recognize Nightwalker attire, Shen Zhifei, who saw it every day, certainly knew.

Given the significant incident in S City, even ordinary people were anxious and distressed, let alone a Star Seer whose primary ability was sensing fate.

When the evil god’s formation activated, Shen Zhifei’s perception enveloped the entire world in a blood-red hue. An ominous aura spread everywhere. As she opened her eyes, she saw threads of black weaving through the crowd, taking away indistinct things. Yet, during her work hours, she had to maintain composure, pretending she hadn’t noticed anything.

“Well, I’m back, aren’t I?”

Zhao Xiaokui reached out and gently wiped away a glistening tear from the corner of Shen Zhifei’s eye.

She held her girlfriend’s shoulder, tilted her chin slightly, and placed a tender kiss on Shen Zhifei’s eye.

“Zhifei…” She embraced Shen Zhifei, the familiar scent lingering around her nose. The corners of her lips curved irreparably upward, and she closed her eyes. The tightly strung nerves relaxed like a taut violin string finally finding release. “You know, I’ve got you.”

She was no longer the mermaid without attachments.

She wouldn’t abandon everything for a ray of sunlight, trading her life away.

Now, she had concerns, worries, hesitations, and the determination to protect herself.

Because her life was already intertwined with another person’s—a mutual bond. 

Shen Zhifei allowed herself to be held for a while but suddenly felt the weight of the person in her arms. She turned her head and realized that Zhao Xiaokui had somehow closed her eyes and fallen asleep.

To make a transcendent lose control and sink into slumber, one could imagine the level of exhaustion.

Shen Zhifei lifted Zhao Xiaokui and gently placed her on the sofa. She watched as even in her dreams, Zhao Xiaokui furrowed her brows slightly. Shen Zhifei sighed softly.

When Zhao Xiaokui woke up again, the scent of food already lingered in the air. She followed the aroma to the kitchen, where she found Shen Zhifei wearing an apron, busy with a spatula at the stove.

Zhao Xiaokui walked over, rested her head on Shen Zhifei’s shoulder, and sleepily murmured, “It smells so good.”

“I figured you’d wake up soon. I made all your favorite dishes. Wait for me outside.”

“But I don’t want to…”

Zhao Xiaokui clung to her, and Shen Zhifei ended up dragging this large, tailless bear around the kitchen.

Ginger, garlic, and dried chili peppers sizzled as they hit the hot, smoking oil in the pan. The exhaust hood hummed, and Shen Zhifei’s skin glistened with tiny droplets of sweat. Her nose carried a hint of red, and Zhao Xiaokui took a deep breath. The aroma of the meal instantly dispelled the early spring chill.

This was home.

At no moment did she feel more grounded and at ease than now.

After dinner, the two of them cuddled for a while longer. Then Shen Zhifei called Zhao Xiaokui into the study. In front of her, Shen Zhifei opened a hidden safe behind the bookshelf and took out a mahogany box.

Curious, Zhao Xiaokui asked, “What’s this?”

Without a word, Shen Zhifei unlocked the box with a key and pushed it toward Zhao Xiaokui. “Open it and see.” 

“Could it be an engagement ring? Using this kind of box for a ring, isn’t it a bit…?”

Zhao Xiaokui’s teasing words came to an abrupt halt as she lifted the lid of the box.

She stared at the golden scales inside for a long moment before finally finding her voice. “What is this?” 

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