Chapter 1246: Returning to the Training Camp
Xia Moyan roughly knew what was going on now.
Hundreds of years back when the Xia ancestors first met Wei Lingnan, it was the time when the previous Phoenix was attaining nirvana. That was why energy fluctuations for rebirth were released, and in very small magnitudes—the previous Phoenix eventually wasn’t successful in attaining nirvana.
Wei Lingnan went on, “The energy fluctuation vanished very quickly and I was unable to determine its precise location. All I knew was that it was in the China region, and hence, I came here, built an underground base, and began researching on energy on Earth while waiting for the next fluctuation. The wait lasted a few hundred years; in this time, I’d done a large amount of research and had attempted to replicate the energy for rebirth to revive Ah Luo. But all my attempts failed.”
He was beginning to sound distant as if he was telling a story from a third party’s perspective.
Xia Moyan asked, “What do you mean they failed?”
Wei Lingnan said, “I did many experiments, but none of it produced a physical life form. When it finally did, there were problems too—either a limb was missing or mutations were present, the form would look neither like a human nor a Skatana species, a truly weird creature.”
Xia Moyan furrowed his brows. No one could listen to such a story and not feel disturbed.
“So, you never managed to produce a human?” he asked.
“No,” Wei Lingnan said.
Xia Moyan looked at him. “So, when you made my sister drink the drug, you actually weren’t sure whether she’d give birth to a human?”
Wei Lingnan said, “Xia Ling is different from other mother figures. Hundreds of years after I arrived here, I sensed an energy fluctuation again, one that was way stronger than the first and lasted longer time too. I followed it and found your sister, and watched her meet and get married to the parasol tree your family talks about. The both of them are good and very loving; if there really was a chance to revive Ah Luo on Earth, they were the best bet, and Ah Luo would like such parents too.”
Xia Moyan said, “I don’t like how you’re talking about my sister and niece.”
Wei Lingnan smiled. “Come on, don’t be like that, we’ll be family eventually. I drifted for millions of years with Ah Luo’s finger bone and her genes were getting weaker with each experiment. So, we needed humans’ physical form to activate her genes—Xia Ling and Li Lei are her biological parents, and that makes them my parents-in-law. Technically, I should be calling you Uncle too.”
That was what he said, but there wasn’t much respect in his tone.
Xia Moyan found this a pretty strange and sticky situation. At that moment, he finally understood Xia Yingluo’s feelings a little—who would want to be related to this weird perverted creature?
“Creating humans through unnatural means is against the universal rule.”
“What Earth claims as the universal rule doesn’t apply to me.” Wei Lingnan smiled. “Did you really think my hundreds of years spent researching were all for nothing? I’d long done a thorough study on Earth’s energy—including what you people say about retribution and cause-and-effect. I’ve done a lot of environmental protection and charity work, and even secretly pushed forth human’s exploration of the universe, giving this planet more survival and conservation knowledge. The reward and punishment I deserve have canceled each other out—as long as I don’t do anything invasive, I’ll be fine.”
“What would be considered invasive?”
“For instance, waking my Ah Luo up, or getting her to reproduce.” This was a terrifying species that would definitely overpower the original residents of this Earth.
Xia Moyan frowned subconsciously. “Isn’t that exactly what you’re trying to do now?”
Wei Lingnan said, “That’s why I need your help. To be honest, Earth is too small and weak, there’s no challenge at all for the Skatana species and our desire to invade and conquer. I’m not the least bit interested in conquering this planet, but I want Ah Luo to live a good life. Unfortunately, you humans don’t think this way. As the Skatana genes in Ah Luo’s body slowly awaken, Earth’s repression on her will become stronger as well. I’m afraid she’ll get hurt this way.”
“Then let it never awaken.”
“The awakening has begun, there’s no turning back.”
Xia Moyan looked at him, trying to tell whether he meant every word he said. A while later, he said more solemnly, “Back when you chose Xiao Ling as the mother figure, were you already certain that the Xia family wouldn’t just sit back and do nothing about it?”
Wei Lingnan did not respond. He simply smiled.
The following day.
Xia Yingluo dolled herself up and happily dragged her brother to Imperial’s training camp.
It wasn’t long after she entered the camp that many of them turned to look at her. “Look, isn’t that Xia Yingluo? I heard that she’d gone missing, why did she suddenly appear again?”
“Yup, that really is Xia Yingluo! She’d been missing for so many days, the school had even sent people to the mountains to contact her parents. Strange, where did she come back from?”
“She’s dressed pretty well, doesn’t seem like she suffered.”
“Who’s the handsome lad beside her? They look pretty close.”
“Could she have found another guy already? No wonder she doesn’t want to come to school. To think the school went to so much trouble over her, it’s said that Imperial Entertainment’s office was informed and involved too.” She was a top-grade student, it was no surprise that the company was involved.
Xia Yingluo went her way as she hummed her tune, as if oblivious to all the talks about her.
Li Rui laughed. “Seems like you’re rather popular here.”
Xia Yingluo turned around and looked at him. “Just laugh at me if you want to, they just aren’t happy that I’m doing so well, hmph.”
“Do you need Second Bro to stand up for you?”
“Forget it, I’m leaving school anyway, we don’t need more trouble.” Dad had already gotten someone to settle her withdrawal from the school, and it would likely be done in just a few days. She was back today just to bid Jin Ling’er farewell.
At this time, Jin Ling’er should be in the performance cla.s.s.
Xia Yingluo wanted to surprise her and hence, did not tell her in advance that she was coming. She found her way to the practice room easily.
As she’d expected, the room was full of familiar faces.
Teacher Qian was standing on stage with a cane in her hand, and she gave Jin Ling’er, who was also onstage, a stroke of the cane. “I told you to stand straight! You’re acting as a ballerina, you need to have the right posture! Look at how unsteadily you’re standing, you aren’t even convincing!”
Jin Ling’er kept quiet and tried to stand completely upright, but she still swayed a little.
Teacher Qian scolded her again. “Did you not eat? Look at how well Jiang Bilian is doing it, you’re from the same cla.s.s, why are your standards so different?”
Jin Ling’er bit her lip and still did not make a sound.
Teacher Qian turned around and said to Jiang Bilian politely, “Act it out once more for her to see, she needs to learn more from you.”
Jiang Bilian smiled and nodded before gracefully making her way to the stage.