allendalepharm Chapter 13: Memories Sealed in the Stone!
Chapter 13: Memories Sealed in the Stone!
Feng Zhenghao's voice was like a cold iron hammer, striking Zhang Chulan's heart heavily.
Thick, inky black energy churned and blocked his vision, pressing down on Zhang Chulan with immense pressure, making it hard for him to breathe and causing cold sweat to pour from his forehead.
A gigantic hand formed from condensed black energy, carrying a suffocating pressure, slowly and undeniably approached him.
It looked like they were about to crush him in the next second!
At this critical moment, Zhang Chulan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the trembling in his body, and tried his best to straighten his spine.
His gaze was fixed on Feng Zhenghao's blurry figure behind the black aura, his voice slightly hoarse, yet unusually firm:
"Sister Bao'er, Xiaobai, this is ultimately my own fault, so whatever happens next, neither of you should interfere."
Feeling the terrifying pressure of the giant black hand almost touching his nose, Zhang Chulan abruptly closed his eyes and, as if using all his strength, shouted, "I'm sorry, President Feng, I... my mind is made up!"
call--
The anticipated immense force did not materialize.
After a while, Zhang Chulan opened his eyes again with a somewhat bewildered and tentative look.
The thick black energy that enveloped the entire corridor dissipated rapidly like the receding tide, and the enormous black energy hand also vanished without a trace.
The light fell again.
It was as if the suffocating pressure and killing intent from just now had never existed.
"Hahahaha! Good lad! I knew I hadn't misjudged you!" Feng Zheng's hearty laughter broke the silence.
At this moment, his face was no longer cold; it was filled with praise and admiration.
He strode forward and patted Zhang Chulan's shoulder hard, so hard that Zhang Chulan winced.
"Zhang Chulan, did you figure out that I'm one of the Ten Elders and you can't bring yourself to kill me? Hahaha, you little devil!" Feng Zhenghao's eyes gleamed with an all-knowing light.
Seeing that his little scheme had been completely seen through, Zhang Chulan could no longer maintain his forced composure.
He could only awkwardly scratch the back of his head and force a smile: "Uh, hahaha... President Feng, weren't you testing me too? I almost peed my pants from fright, hahaha!"
"Alright!"
Feng Zhenghao waved his hand, his smile still warm.
"I am content that you have spoken the truth to me. Remember, if you ever change your mind, the doors of the World Society will always be open for you."
His tone was sincere and carried an undeniable weight.
Immediately, Feng Zhenghao turned his gaze to Lu Xiaobai, who was standing quietly to the side, and his smile became even more ardent.
Upon seeing him again, he took the initiative to greet him: "Master Lu! Oh dear, it's truly a rare opportunity to meet you! Haha, if I didn't have no idea where you lived, I would have paid you a visit long ago!"
Lu Xiaobai raised his head.
Those bright eyes remained unmoved.
He simply nodded blankly and replied in his unique, ethereal, soft voice, "Um...doing experiments, busy."
This simple, almost perfunctory answer left Feng Xingtong, the four senior officials, and others who were eavesdropping nearby completely dumbfounded.
They all had strange expressions, internally screaming: "No way, bro? He's Feng Zhenghao, one of the Ten Elders!"
They've given you so much face, talking to you so enthusiastically, and you just reply with "busy with experiments"?
That's so illogical!
However, Feng Zhenghao seemed completely unconcerned about this.
His smile deepened even further.
Through decades of hard work and experience, he has come to a conclusion: true geniuses are often seen as "outcasts" by ordinary people.
The more eccentric someone's behavior and the less social skills they possess, the more it often proves that they have talents that are difficult for ordinary people to match.
Look at Feng Baobao, Zhang Chulan, and Lu Xiaobai in front of you, aren't they all "outcasts"?
Which one of them doesn't possess extraordinary abilities?
"I'm truly sorry, Master. This time, I handled things poorly." Feng Zhenghao's tone carried just the right amount of apology. "This is just a small token of my apology. I hope you will accept it."
With his words,
A capable woman in a business suit immediately stepped forward carrying two simple yet exquisite wooden boxes.
At Feng Zhenghao's prompting, the woman carefully opened the box.
The moment the first box was opened, a faint, refreshing fragrance of herbs and plants filled the air.
A strangely shaped plant lay quietly inside the box.
Its entire body is a warm, jade-like color, and its leaves are curled up like dragon whiskers. Wisps of pale yellow "qi" that can be seen with the naked eye flow slowly on the surface of the plant, exuding a rich life force.
Even someone who doesn't know its value can tell at a glance that this is no ordinary item; it is definitely a rare and precious treasure that is hard to find in the world of supernatural beings!
The second box was opened.
The contents inside contrasted sharply with the first one—it was a fist-sized, jet-black stone with a pitted and uneven surface that looked completely unremarkable.
It lay quietly on the brocade.
There was not a trace of energy fluctuation; it was as if it were just a random rock picked up from the roadside.
Lu Xiaobai had only casually glanced at the rare herbs in the first box when his gaze was immediately drawn to the black stone.
He took a few steps closer, tilting his head slightly.
A barely perceptible glint of focused attention flashed in his deep blue eyes.
In his eyes, the rare treasure that exuded a rich life force seemed to be worth less than a scrap of this black stone.
"Master, are you interested in this stone?"
Feng Zhenghao keenly noticed the change in Lu Xiaobai's expression and his curiosity also arose.
This stone had been kept in his treasure vault for a long time, and its origin was indeed somewhat special.
"Speaking of which, I heard that this thing was secretly brought in by a few foreigners during the period of isolation a hundred years ago. Later, they were apparently hunted down by some unknown force, and they carried this thing around, hiding all the way, until it finally fell into my hands by chance," Feng Zhenghao explained.
He had also tried various methods to investigate.
But no matter how you look at it, it's just an ordinary black stone, and you can't find anything special about it.
The original intention of bringing it out this time was to ask this mysterious "multi-functional master" to take a look.
If he can't figure it out either, then it should really be thrown into the warehouse to gather dust.
Just as Feng Zhenghao was introducing the stone, Lu Xiaobai reached out his hand, his fair fingers gently touching the surface of the black stone.
Om-!
The moment their fingertips touched, a sudden change occurred!
An indescribable, strange fluctuation suddenly erupted from inside the black stone!
Then, to everyone's astonishment, the seemingly hard black stone was instantly covered with countless fine cracks!
Bang!
With a soft sound, the black stone suddenly shattered!
But instead of shattering into stones, it transformed into countless tiny points of light, like a swarm of fireflies on a summer night, instantly filling the small space in front of Lu Xiaobai, a truly beautiful sight!
This unexpected scene left everyone stunned!
So this stone was just a disguise? The real treasure is hidden inside?!
A glint flashed in Feng Zhenghao's eyes, and he was even more shocked.
He was right about him! This stubborn rock that had troubled him for so many years revealed such amazing power in Lu Xiaobai's hands!
Lu Xiaobai's expression remained unchanged; he simply raised his right hand calmly.
A faint, magical glow, carrying a strange rhythm, emerged from his palm.
The countless starlight points that seemed to be flying around and about to scatter were summoned from the depths of the sky and drawn by an invisible force, transforming into a dazzling stream of light that rushed rapidly toward Lu Xiaobai's palm!
The light converged and compressed, eventually condensing into a dazzling point of light, no bigger than a thumb, yet containing an astonishing amount of information, in Lu Xiaobai's outstretched palm.
Lu Xiaobai extended the index finger of his other hand.
Gently tap the tiny point of light, then slowly touch your brow with your index finger.
The points of light are like water droplets merging into the ocean.
It instantly disappeared into his forehead.
The moment the light disappeared into his face, a rare and clear look of surprise appeared on Lu Xiaobai's usually somewhat blank and ethereal face!
He even slightly opened his mouth, his deep blue eyes shining brightly, as if he had discovered some unparalleled treasure.
"...Something good! Thank you!"
The soft voice rang out again, but this time, there was a subtle hint of joy and genuine gratitude in the tone, even mixed with a touch of childlike timidity.
This sudden and dramatic contrast left the sandpiper standing nearby speechless!
She was screaming internally:
"Seriously, buddy?! That's quite a contrast!"
It's only been a few days, but you seem like a completely different person!
Just a few days ago it was all aloof and unapproachable, but now, with a broken stone in its hand... it's become so... lively?!
Lu Xiaobai was clearly oblivious to Feng Shayan's inner turmoil.
He saw many images within this ball of light.
This is a stone used to preserve memories, and the ultimate goal of these memories is—
A strange tree that has lived on the island for thousands of years.
Lu Xiaobai seemed to still be immersed in the information brought by the light spot, and the faint but real joy on the corner of his mouth had not completely faded away.
He casually closed the box containing the precious plant again.
Then, he raised his right hand, adorned with those intricate rings, and gently brushed it across the box.
The box vanished instantly, leaving only a barely perceptible ripple in its original location.
This scene,
Although Feng Xingtong and the others around them still found it amazing, they were no longer surprised.
Immediately afterwards, Lu Xiaobai reached out his hand again.
This time, a box that was pure silver, smooth as a mirror, without any patterns or seams, appeared out of thin air in front of him and floated silently.
The moment the box appeared, a chilling aura suddenly spread out!
The temperature in the corridor seemed to drop a few degrees!
Lu Xiaobai placed his hand near a certain spot on the silver box, and the box, as if it had a life of its own, opened silently and precisely on its own.
hiss--
An even stronger chill rushed out as the lid was opened!
Inside the box, dozens of crystal-clear test tubes were carefully arranged.
Each test tube contains liquids or pastes of different colors and textures.
Some resemble flowing lava, radiating a fiery aura;
Some resembled frozen starry rivers, shimmering with points of cold light;
Some are lush and vibrant green, full of life;
Some are as deep as the night, mysterious and unpredictable...
Each one looked so precious and so beautiful!
Just looking at it is enough to make one feel dazzled!
A greed for precious treasures, originating from the deepest part of human nature, grew uncontrollably in the hearts of all who witnessed it!
Even Feng Zhenghao, who was used to seeing great things and held a high position, had his pupils shrink suddenly and his heart beat faster than usual when he saw this box full of rare medicines that were shimmering with light and had different auras!
It's a desire and possessiveness that comes from the instinct of life!
"Master, what does this mean?" Feng Zhenghao forcefully suppressed the turmoil in his heart and said solemnly, "I, Feng Zhenghao, always keep my word when I say I'll give it to you!"
His tone was resolute. Although the value of these medicines was immeasurable, he valued the opportunity to establish a long-term relationship with Lu Xiaobai more than these "external things."
Lu Xiaobai shook his head slightly, looked at Feng Zhenghao, and spoke in a gentle tone that was slightly timid but carried an undeniable solemnity: "Adhering to the principle of equivalent exchange is the fundamental tradition of our lineage of magicians."
He pointed to the floating silver potion box. "You can choose three from inside."
"An equivalent exchange?" Feng Zhenghao was clearly taken aback.
Immediately, his eyes shone even brighter, and the already warm smile on his face became even more sincere and approachable, even carrying a hint of heartfelt admiration!
"Hahaha! I understand now, Master! I was short-sighted and didn't think things through! It seems that knowing you, Master, is truly one of the luckiest things in my life!"
Until this moment,
Feng Zhenghao finally acknowledged Lu Xiaobai's status as a "master" from the bottom of his heart.
This quality—unbound by worldly customs yet adhering to the ancient principle of equivalent exchange—is extremely rare and precious in today's chaotic world of supernatural beings!
He looked again at the floating silver box.
Inside, a dazzling array of exotic potions radiated an alluring glow.
Feng Zhenghao smiled helplessly and said frankly, "It's just... forgive my poor eyesight, Master, there are so many kinds of precious medicines that it's really hard to choose."
He shrugged, his eyes filled with trust as he looked at Lu Xiaobai:
"Please, Master, help me choose three. Which ones you deem suitable and appropriate is entirely up to you; I, Feng Zhenghao, will have no objection!"
He has returned the difficult choice and absolute trust to Lu Xiaobai himself.
"Okay, sure!"
Lu Xiaobai replied softly.