Chapter 52
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Ji Xun received no reply from Fu Shuxing, but regarding such a clear matter of opinion, he didn’t really care much about the answer. He slipped on his shoes.
“I’ll head back first,” Ji Xun said. “I’ll look for the doctor’s note I was given and show it to you.”
Just as Ji Xun was about to leave the bedroom, Fu Shuxing, emerging from a dazzling kaleidoscope of visions, instinctively grasped Ji Xun. The moment he held him, Fu Shuxing felt as if his descent had halted.
He looked at Ji Xun.
Ji Xun winced from the sudden grip but said nothing, frowning at him. “Is there something else?”
Fu Shuxing’s voice was hoarse and heavy. “Is your mental strength stable now?”
Ji Xun was taken aback. “What?”
Fu Shuxing’s words cut through the fog like a sudden clearing.
All the bizarre illusions faded away; only the little guide before him remained. Fu Shuxing eased his grip slightly and looked at Ji Xun, asking again, “You said your sleepwalking was due to unstable mental strength, and once it stabilizes, it wouldn’t happen anymore. So, is your mental strength stable now?”
Why ask that again?
Ji Xun quickly analyzed in his mind.
In the end, he suspected Fu Shuxing’s selfishness—maybe even inhumanity—wanted him to undergo another mental counseling session through dreams.
What a bastard.
Treating him like a mere tool?
No way!
Ji Xun immediately replied, “Of course it’s stable! Extremely stable!”
Fu Shuxing said, “Good.”
Ji Xun blinked. Good what?
Fu Shuxing released his hand.
He looked down at the little guide before him with a calm gaze, speaking each word deliberately: “Your mental strength is stable, so you won’t have sleepwalking episodes again. You won’t enter my mental realm anymore, nor can you perform mental counseling on me again, right?”
How many times does he need to ask?!
Seeing Fu Shuxing insist on emphasizing this, Ji Xun worried about falling into a trap. He recalled his recent condition: indeed, he’d been eating well and sleeping soundly. Not only no sleepwalking, he hadn’t even dreamed.
But.
It still probably wasn’t completely stable.
If his mental strength were truly stable, that “big egg” should have hatched by now, yet there was no sign of it.
Still, special circumstances call for special treatment.
After some thought, Ji Xun finally nodded, “That’s right.”
Fu Shuxing said, “You may leave.”
Just like that?
So simple?
Ji Xun didn’t quite believe it. He took a step forward, then turned back to Fu Shuxing: “So I’m leaving now?”
“Go ahead.”
Ji Xun walked out a few steps, then turned back again. “Are you going to look at the diagnosis?”
“No.”
“Alright then.” Ji Xun withdrew his gaze and left the bedroom, but he couldn’t help stopping and turning for a third time. “Brother Xing, your way of thinking is flawed. The relationship between a sentinel and a guide shouldn’t be just about mutually helping each other as tools. Just like my parents and your dad, they have very close feelings for each other!”
Fu Shuxing leaned against the doorframe, looking at Ji Xun calmly, saying nothing further.
After finishing, seeing Fu Shuxing still avoided commenting on this matter, Ji Xun didn’t press it. He hugged his backpack and ran downstairs.
Fu Shuxing heard Ji Xun running down, out of the hall and yard, pushing open the gate’s bars.
He remained leaning against the doorframe.
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After a long while, Fu Shuxing finally replied in a low voice, “But that is the foundation of everything.”
Shortly after Ji Xun left, Gao Mingyuan and Fu Shen returned to the Fu household.
At the same time, Zhao Zhanlei was also there.
Unaware that Ji Xun had already left, Zhao Zhanlei controlled his footsteps, cautiously approaching Fu Shuxing’s bedroom door. He pressed his ear against it, hoping to eavesdrop on their conversation.
Just as he pressed his ear to the door, a cold, monotone voice came from behind him:
“What are you doing?”
Startled, Zhao Zhanlei jumped, turning his head just in time to see an object flying towards him.
He caught the communicator and glanced over at Fu Shuxing, who seemed to blend into the sofa, touching his nose awkwardly.
“Brother Xing, why are you just sitting there, silent?”
“You’re the one sneaking around.”
“I just came to get the communicator.” Zhao Zhanlei walked over, then feigned casualness. “How was your chat with Xun Xun?”
“Not bad,” Fu Shuxing replied.
Zhao Zhanlei also flopped onto the sofa, casually asking, “What do you mean by ‘not bad’? What did he say?”
Fu Shuxing didn’t look at him but said, “You might as well explain what you told my father.”
Zhao Zhanlei was speechless.
He tried to play dumb: “What do you mean? I didn’t talk to Uncle Gao.”
Fu Shuxing snorted softly.
The three of them entered together; it couldn’t be a coincidence.
Surely Zhao Zhanlei had confronted someone.
Zhao Zhanlei scratched his head, knowing he couldn’t hide the truth. He took a book from his hoodie pocket, flipped to a marked page, and handed it to Fu Shuxing. “This is something I ‘accidentally’ came across today.”
Fu Shuxing took it.
It was a basic popular science book, one he had read when he was very young. The open page stated: “Only high-level guides can soothe high-level sentinels and establish effective communication with their mental forms.”
Fu Shuxing looked at Zhao Zhanlei. “What about it?”
“Flip one page further.”
Fu Shuxing didn’t need to flip; he already knew the content: a detailed explanation of what it means to “establish effective communication with mental strength.”
He closed the book and summarized, “‘A guide who can accurately understand the emotions expressed by a mental form and provide the most appropriate soothing is said to have established effective communication.’”
He returned the book to Zhao Zhanlei. “What exactly are you trying to say?”
Zhao Zhanlei admired Fu Shuxing.
With such an extraordinary memory, Fu Shuxing was truly impressive.
Zhao Zhanlei stopped beating around the bush and organized his words: “Jason and the General both really like Xun Xun, right? I thought maybe Xun Xun is a rising star who might become a high-level guide someday. Then I saw what’s written here. Matching it up, it turns out Ji Xun can coexist peacefully with mental forms, but he absolutely cannot understand the emotions they express.”
Fu Shuxing suddenly understood Zhao Zhanlei’s intention.
Without much tone, Fu Shuxing said, “I never said Ji Xun is a high-level guide.”
Zhao Zhanlei wasn’t surprised Fu Shuxing saw through his real purpose. He asked, “If he’s not a high-level guide, how could he perform mental counseling on you?”
Fu Shuxing said calmly, “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Though his expression was cold, his tone was resolute, clearly having already made plans.
Zhao Zhanlei was frustrated by Fu Shuxing’s stubbornness. But seeing his indifferent attitude, he knew the situation with Ji Xun was far from “not bad,” and he felt somewhat relieved.
After Zhao Zhanlei left, Gao Mingyuan went upstairs intending to talk further to his son about Ji Xun.
Fu Shuxing knew that Zhao Zhanlei, clueless about the whole situation, must have been babbling nonsense to his father with that book.
So, he locked the bedroom door.
Gao Mingyuan knocked.
Fu Shuxing said, “Dad, let me handle this myself.”
Gao Mingyuan paused outside the door.
He was silent, then sighed.
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Being a first-time father with no experience and always busy with military district affairs, Gao Mingyuan suddenly realized he had neglected his son all his life.
Now that his child had grown up, he felt powerless to intervene.
He didn’t even know what was right to do.
He changed his words, “I came to call you down for dinner. It’s time to eat.”
***
Ji Xun stroked the “big egg” while trying hard to memorize the knowledge from the books.
After a few calm days, Ji Xun thought Fu Shuxing had finally recognized the truth and turned back in time.
The final exams were approaching.
Originally, Ji Xun planned to keep a low profile, avoiding drawing attention.
But learning that the military academy would consider the Sanctuary’s final exam results for enrollment, Ji Xun decisively changed his plan: go all out!!
After all, without the military academy, how could he carry out his revenge plan?
As the final exams drew closer, Ji Xun studied harder than ever.
As a guide, he had to take two written cultural exams, plus practical courses on barrier construction, mental tendril release, efficient mental counseling, and simple treatment of mental forms.
After cramming theoretical knowledge, Ji Xun practiced daily on eggs to train his mental strength.
First, he put a barrier around the egg, then used mental power to attack it.
Using his own spear against his own shield.
But every time, the “spear” was stronger than the “shield.”
The big egg trembled at the sight.
Every time the egg cracked, it shivered.
Eventually, it couldn’t stand the stress and rolled over to Ji Xun’s hand, begging for comfort.
Ji Xun patted it and slipped it into his shirt hem, avoiding having to witness that terrifying scene again.
Compared to the safe subjects for the little guides, the sentinels’ assessments were much more dangerous.
Mecha fighters, gunfire everywhere.
Though mostly simulations.
Fu Shuxing kept to himself.
Zhao Zhanlei found it hard to talk to Fu Shuxing. In class, Fu Shuxing acted like a lone wolf, distancing himself from teammates; after class, he wore white noise headphones, deaf to the outside world.
His temper seemed visibly worsening.
One day, the difficulty of the exercises increased.
Zhao Zhanlei held out for a while but found it overwhelming and tried to regroup with Fu Shuxing.
But just as he approached, he saw Fu Shuxing hurl a two-meter-long bug in his direction!
Whether it was an illusion or the lighting, Zhao Zhanlei noticed Fu Shuxing’s eyes flash dark red!
The bug charged.
Zhao Zhanlei, distracted, dodged hurriedly. The huge bug slammed down ten meters away, crashing through grass and trees as it slid.
Realizing it wasn’t one of their bug species, Fu Shuxing didn’t look long. He turned his dagger and slashed!
A female bug sneaking up behind was torn open, green blood splattering instantly!
Fu Shuxing leapt swiftly to a tree trunk four or five meters high, avoiding the disgusting green spray.
His sensory powers had clearly reached a terrifying level.
The practical course ended.
Zhao Zhanlei exited the mecha cockpit and looked at Fu Shuxing across from him, who was panting, drenched in sweat and rage.
Zhao Zhanlei sensed something was wrong with Fu Shuxing.
The recent session confirmed it even more. Zhao Zhanlei approached him to ask, but before he could speak, Fu Shuxing shoved him aside.