Exploring Immortality Cultivation-Chapter 801 - 130: Terminal Embarrassment Cancer

For Mao Zimiao, the recent days have actually been quite good. She just finished a five-year cultivation period at the sect, and her mana has steadily reached the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment level. Currently, she is in a 'buffer adaptation' phase of the Red Dust Heart Refining, which is the most leisurely period in her cultivation career.

—Just like the days before graduation on Earth.

The appearance of Ai Qinglan brought her a relatively easy opportunity to earn merit. Moreover, Ai Qinglan could guide her in cultivation. She could now be considered capable enough to handle things on her own, and her workplace was close to home, unlike the past when she had to travel thousands of miles to study.

However, recently, there was something that made her particularly concerned; she felt something was not quite right.

"Meow!"

That feeling! It's here again!

Mao Zimiao felt a tingling sensation down her spine, her ears perked up, and she quickly turned to look.

Indeed, a petite girl in white was walking out of Ai Qinglan's room with an expressionless face, heading towards Langde City.

"Senior Sister Ai..." Mao Zimiao tugged at Ai Qinglan, who was lounging ungracefully on the rocks, "Just now... did Senior Sister Chen look at me... so scary..."

That girl was also one of Ai Qinglan's partners in the Empirical Department. It was said she was a friend of Ai Qinglan's husband and, unlike Ai Qinglan and Junior Brother Chen who led large projects and managed many researchers, that girl often worked alone in a study next to the Empirical Department. Occasionally, she would accompany Ai Qinglan to this rocky beach. Mao Zimiao remembered that the girl was named Chen Youjia and had joined the sect three years before her. Although she looked young, she was technically Mao Zimiao's 'Senior Sister'—a fact Mao Zimiao had spent a long time coming to terms with—being a disciple of the Wanfa Sect, and rumored to be the daughter of the current sect leader.

Mao Zimiao initially wanted to befriend such a girl. But that 'Senior Sister Chen' was just too indifferent to others.

The most crucial thing is... her gaze... really terrifying...

The first time Mao Zimiao met Chen Youjia was introduced by Senior Sister Ai and her husband. The cat-eared girl still remembered that awkward scene. After the introduction, Chen Youjia stared at Mao Zimiao for about a quarter of an hour until Mao Zimiao was on the verge of freaking out, before turning away without a word. The cat-eared girl hasn't forgotten that moment.

Ai Qinglan looked up, noticing the hurriedly departing Chen Youjia: "Huh, her spirit is scattered, her mind unsettled... Oh, Jia'er!" She only then recalled the issues between Chen Youjia and Mao Zimiao, letting out a slight, bitter smile: "It's okay, it's okay, Jia'er isn't a bad person, you know."

"She doesn't like that I'm a half-demon?" Mao Zimiao wiggled her ears. She felt that on that day, Chen Youjia seemed to have intentionally glanced at her ears. Thinking of this, the pair of cat ears atop her head drooped involuntarily.

The genius daughter, prejudiced against half-demons... It seems... It seems... normal, right?

"Jia'er isn't like that!" Ai Qinglan really didn't know how to explain this matter.

She couldn't just point at Mao Zimiao and say—Amiao, look! Your love rival!

That day's events were really an oversized awkward moment.

Chen Youjia approached Mao Zimiao feverishly. But it was at that moment she realized she didn't exactly have any reason to confront Mao Zimiao... What should the first words be? "Stay away from Wang Qi?" No, no, saying that doesn't sound right... This sneaky cat is at least a friend of Ai Qinglan, and she didn't have evidence of any true misconduct between Wang Qi and her. What if they were just ordinary friends? Plus, directly driving away all of Wang Qi's female friends was really inconsiderate. "Just give her a slap" was even less feasible. Or saying "Wang Qi is my man now..." No, no, not even formally married yet, and saying that not only felt embarrassing, but also came off as a shrew—Chen Youjia must maintain at least a little grace...

As a result, the girl from the Wanfa Sect didn't know what to say at that moment. After staring wide-eyed at the cat-eared girl across from her for a quarter of an hour, crippled by awkwardness, she had no choice but to storm off.

There's an already devalued piece of chicken soup wisdom on Earth—"A good start is half the success," yet Chen Youjia managed to start with the worst possible scenario.

Then... and then... whenever she faced Mao Zimiao again, she couldn't help but recall what happened that day, leading to awkwardness spreading uncontrolled, propagating awkwardness, spreading deeper awkwardness...

But this mess clearly was something between Chen Youjia and Mao Zimiao, and Ai Qinglan didn't know how to explain, so she just had to laugh it off casually: "Jia'er, she actually... she actually just wants to chat with you, you know... wants to talk to you and share, well, inner thoughts..."

—Maybe it was to "bare one's soul" and say something... ahahahaha, what am I thinking... but a fool from the Wanfa Sect, nothing should come as a surprise...

Mao Zimiao, not a Yangshen Pavilion disciple, and unaware of people's minds, was somewhat surprised, and asked: "Then why was her... her reaction like that?"

Mao Zimiao couldn't immediately find a proper adjective either.

"She... er, you know the Wanfa Sect? After all, her father is the sect leader, she's just the quintessential Wanfa Sect cultivator, no friends, fully immersed in her own world, can stay in a room alone for a long time... ahahahahaha..." Ai Qinglan forced a laugh: "The Wanfa Sect... you know..."

In Mao Zimiao's mind instantly appeared the faces of Wang Qi, Bao Xiaoya, and Su Junyu, then she nodded: "Senior Sister is right... 'no friends'... Senior Sister Chen is quite pitiful."

Even until now, Mao Zimiao hadn't linked the keywords "Chen Youjia" and "Wang Qi" together. Although Wang Qi was also a disciple of the Wanfa Sect, Mao Zimiao knew he hadn't actually returned to the sect. Moreover, Wang Qi had a temper that was hardly bearable, not easy to get along with even for normal people, and even more so with someone like Chen Youjia who also had a problematic personality—at least, that's what Mao Zimiao subconsciously thought.

One could only say she didn't quite understand the Wanfa Sect's logic, not applying the "two negatives make a positive" principle to life.

However, the cat-eared girl silently made a resolution deep in her heart.

—Can't give up on the problem child.

——I should get along well with Senior Sister Chen.

After inspecting the growth of the microorganism community today and collecting samples, Ai Qinglan went back on her own. Mao Zimiao stayed behind to continue recording the growth conditions and writing the report.

After finishing today's work, she changed into a dry set of clothes and headed toward Langde City.

While walking by the sea, her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the seashore.

Xiao Qi... I wonder what you're doing now... I hope you're still safe...

After returning, although Mao Zimiao didn't mention Wang Qi again, she couldn't help but worry.

Gazing at the azure sea, Mao Zimiao sighed once more.

——No matter how much I think about it, he's not going to come back just like that...

Wang Qi has things of his own to do and his own path to follow. That was what Mao Zimiao believed.

Yet, looking at this azure water, Mao Zimiao still harbored a hint of doubt in her heart.

——Speaking of which, has the West Sea always been this color?

With such doubts, she walked towards Langde City.

..................

Chen Youjia hurriedly walked through Langde City. Occasionally, some disciples would greet her.

Chen Youjia didn't have any particularly outstanding achievements or a remarkable reputation, but those in fields related to her research, especially regarding statistics and the Ten Thousand Immortals Illusion Realm, were quite familiar with her. This was somewhat thanks to Wang Qi's influence.

Recently, a large number of researchers in these areas have been pouring into Langde.

"Research" as an industry also has so-called "hot directions" and "hot projects," and the newly joined Sea God Type of the Immortal Alliance is undoubtedly the current hottest topic. Especially the topics related to Sea God Type consciousness and the Ten Thousand Immortals Illusion Realm technology are the hottest of the hot—although they are quite classified.

This project happens to belong to the category of "technology," which is likely to yield results easily. Naturally, many geniuses in the Golden Core Stage, who have just arrived there and are looking to build their own credentials, have set their sights on this field.

Recently, the population of Langde City has surged, and countless projects have been established.

The collective migration to the West of the strongest disciples from the great sects has also brought about some other social effects. For instance, more cultivators who do not know the truth see the core disciples of the great sects heading west and assume the Immortal Alliance is finally going to war with the Sea Demons, so they come following, hoping for a chance to earn war merits.

It has been less than a month since Wang Qi left Langde, but the place has completely transformed. At least now, the number and quality of cultivators stationed in Langde are several times what they were before.

Chen Youjia nodded pleasantly to everyone who greeted her, but inside, she was fuming with frustration.

——Why wasn't she informed again... Ugh... I'm really useless!

For a moment, Chen Youjia's frustration with herself even surpassed her dissatisfaction with Wang Qi and that slight jealousy towards Mao Zimiao.

——Useless... completely useless...

Nobody knew that beneath Chen Youjia's icy exterior lay such self-defeating thoughts.

——Ah, forget it! I'm done worrying! Let's go eat something first... local cuisine...

In the end, Chen Youjia only made such a helpless decision—to go eat something first.

Perhaps for a foodie, having a meal can temporarily suppress the sense of defeat inside.

Thinking this, Chen Youjia followed the path into a seafood market.

To reiterate, in this world where livestock and poultry could demonize, "animal husbandry" and "farming" entail certain dangers, making meat more expensive here than on Earth. And due to the Sea Demons' control, seafood is the luxury of luxuries.

Thus, the place Chen Youjia has come to is not some produce market, but a genuine—luxury trade center. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)