57 Breakthrough, Confusion and Relief

With an exhale, Sheng Jun's eyes snapped open, gleaming with excitement. "Level 38!" he proclaimed, his voice ringing out within the confines of the cave. The sheer abundance of soul power saturating the environment had acted as a catalyst, propelling him from Level 35 to Level 38 in a mere fifteen days.

However, he knew that his rapid advancement wasn't solely due to the influx of soul power. The unexpected activation of his Connect One Time Use Ability had played a significant role in his progress.

Sheng Jun's gaze shifted to the delicate flower nestled beside him, a peculiar sense of favorability enveloping him. How had they even managed to form a 'connection'? It was a question that had nagged at him since he first noticed the inexplicable sense of favorability that he felt towards it, along with the activation of his ability.

He had once speculated that perhaps the shared exchange of life force during his resurrection had forged this connection. Yet, he dismissed this notion, knowing that life force alone didn't meet the criteria of 'essence' needed for activation of his skill. With a resigned sigh, he shelved the topic for later contemplation.

As he spoke, the flower beside him shook with energy, almost as if rejoicing in his achievement. Although he had grown accustomed to this phenomenon over the past fifteen days, it never failed to fill him with a sense of awe and wonder.

Despite the flower's attempts at communication, Sheng Jun often found himself perplexed, unable to fully decipher its messages amidst his intense focus on cultivation. Nonetheless, through careful observation, he had learned to interpret its silent cues: a single shake for affirmation, a double shake for negation.

Observing the flower's enthusiastic response, Sheng Jun couldn't help but ask, "Are you congratulating me?" In response, the flower shook once in affirmation, earning a small smile from him. "Thank you" he murmured softly, expressing his gratitude for the flower's support.

However, his moment of reflection was interrupted by a sudden vibration in his pocket. Retrieving the tracker, he noted its continuous pulsing, indicating that his subordinates were drawing closer with each passing moment. As Sheng Jun spoke aloud of their proximity, the flower's joyful dance faltered, its movements turning melancholic.

Recognizing the flower's intent, Sheng Jun tenderly touched its roots. "Don't worry," he whispered gently, his voice a soothing reassurance. "I promise to come and visit you whenever I have the chance"

In response, the flower's petals fluttered with renewed vigor, silently expressing its joy and understanding. With a soft smile, Sheng Jun closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax against the comforting embrace of the flower's soft roots as usual.

…

Eris released a heavy sigh, her gaze fixed upon the handsome white-haired man of about 17 years of age, whose name she had yet to learn, leaning against her roots. "Hmph" she huffed, her voice carrying a hint of disapproval. "After I generously bestowed upon you most of my stored life force, you dare to consider leaving after a mere fifteen days? And let's not forget your audacity in forcefully absorbing my essence!...But since you promised to visit, I will forgive you this time..."

Her words trailed off as she begrudgingly acknowledged his pledge to return. Though she chose not to admit it, both of the grievances she mentioned had been instigated by her own actions. In truth, her utilized life force had not only been replenished but had flourished beyond their original quantity, all thanks to the seven golden droplets bestowed upon her by the white-haired youth beside her.

Still, she couldn't suppress the pang of betrayal she felt at the thought of his impending departure. Yet, buried beneath her facade of indignation, there lingered a flicker of anticipation and a glimmer of hope that he would indeed honor his word, and they would soon be reunited. Perhaps, she mused, he might even bring more people with him next time.

Having nothing else to occupy her time, Eris focused her senses, extending her consciousness to embrace the soul power that permeated the air around her. As she began to absorb the energy, she felt it rushing through her being, infusing her with a renewed sense of vitality that left her breathless with wonder.

"The rate of soul power gathering in my body is really faster than before!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief. "This should be around 200%, right?"

Though the reason for the sudden surge in increase remained a mystery to her, Eris didn't dwell on it. After all, if it could make her stronger, she would gladly accept it.

Now that she knew she was in the game she had played in her past life, her goal was to reach a hundred thousand years old as soon as possible. If her guesses were correct, the barrier she had felt for a while now should be the realm of a hundred thousand-year-old spirit beast. With each passing moment, she felt herself growing closer to the edge of the wall, filling her with even more joy.

Additionally, with the assistance of the technique bestowed upon her by this handsome guy, Eris found her cultivation speed accelerating even further! However, despite the remarkable progress she had made, she remained uncertain of the true potency of this technique.

Having never cultivated with a real body before, she lacked any frame of reference to gauge the effectiveness of the technique. That's why Eris tirelessly attempted to pry the name of the cultivation technique from him, hoping it might resonate with something familiar from her past life in the game.

For days, she had attempted to gain any information she could from the figure besides her, hoping to uncover the name of the technique or any clue that might shed light on its nature. Yet, her efforts were met with frustration as communication proved futile.

No matter how she tried to communicate whether it was asking for his name, the current year, or any other details, her attempts at dialogue were met with silence or incomprehension. It was a stark reminder of the limitations imposed by her current form, leaving her dejected.

…

"They are here" Sheng Jun exclaimed with a smile, his gaze fixed upon the tracker pulsing vibrantly in his hand. However, as minutes stretched into an eternity, a hint of frustration crept into his expression. Despite the tracker's insistence, there was no sign of their arrival.

Then a realization dawned upon him. He was underground right now, that's why they couldn't find him. With a wry chuckle, Sheng Jun shook his head slightly blaming himself for such oversight.

Then with a determined glint in his eyes, Sheng Jun made a silent vow to himself. He swore to forcefully establish a checkpoint somewhere within the depths of the Great Star Dou Forest, so that it would allow him to relay his exact whereabouts to his subordinates with a Dalu Link.

The limitations of the tracker's approximate location indicator weighed heavily on his mind. If not for its sacrifice of every function of the Dalu Link to amplify its signal distance, he doubted they would even receive his signal in the depths of Great Star Dou Forest.

With a determined resolve, Sheng Jun's gaze narrowed slightly as he surveyed the small hole from which he had fallen. The only path back to the surface lay before him, and he wasted no time in preparing for the ascent. Before he began the climb, however, he cast a farewell glance towards the flower, promising to return one day.

In response, the flower gave a gentle shake, as if bidding him farewell. Sheng Jun nodded in acknowledgment, a faint smile gracing his lips. With one final moment of connection, he turned his attention back to the task at hand.

Summoning soul power to his feet, he propelled himself upwards, his muscles flexing with each powerful leap. As he ascended, he punched the wall, creating makeshift handholds to aid his climb. With each movement, he inched closer to the surface.

And then, with a final burst of effort, his head emerged from the ground, greeted by the warm embrace of sunlight. Though momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness, Sheng Jun soon adjusted to the light, a smile spreading across his face as the familiar sensation of The Sun's Essence condensing enveloped him.

With practiced efficiency, he swiftly fired off a sound signal, alerting his subordinates to his location. But mindful of the dangers lurking in the surrounding forest, he quickly masked his presence, concealing his soul power to avoid drawing the attention of any nearby spirit beasts as he hid himself.

Suddenly many figures appeared from the shadows at the place where he had fired the sound signal before, as he was immediately greeted by a wave of familiar figures emerging from the shadows. Recognizing their presence, he began to approach them, a glint in his eye as Sheng Jun stepped out of hiding.

But before he could utter a word, he was met with a chorus of familiar voices calling him out with astonishment and relief. "Young Master! (Master!)" they exclaimed, their words filled with emotion as they rushed towards him in disbelief.

As they gathered around him, Sheng Jun was struck by the sight of tears welling in their eyes, especially in those of the man with blond hair. 

For him, Sheng Jun was not just a master but also the only family he had left. The thought of losing him had filled him with an unbearable sense of dread. Yet, here he was, standing before them, seemingly unscathed despite the encounter with the Titan Giant Ape.

Though surprised by his miraculous recovery, Arthur's heart swelled with relief and joy. At that moment, the reason behind Sheng Jun's recovery mattered little. All that mattered was that his master was safe and sound

Sheng Jun's gaze shifted to his first subordinate and disciple, Bernard and Arthur, kneeling before him with tears of relief still glistening in their eyes. Despite his own surprise at their unexpected appearance, he couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth at the sight of their familiar faces.

"Bernard? Arthur? What are you guys doing here?" he inquired, his brow furrowing slightly in confusion. "Weren't you guys planning on condensing that thing?"

"Young Master (Master)..." Bernard and Arthur began, their voices tinged with regret as they apologized for deviating from the plan. Then they began to express their remorse for not being able to protect him, their words heavy with self-blame.

Sheng Jun sighed softly, understanding the weight of their guilt. He knew that their plan to condense that thing had been abruptly canceled due to his unforeseen accident. 

A pang of realization struck Sheng Jun as he inwardly slapped himself for his oversight. After all, he had never mentioned his resurrection ability to anyone. Despite his trust in them, he understood the importance of keeping such life-saving cards hidden in case his enemies somehow found out about it.

Sheng Jun then let out a light sigh before teasingly addressing Arthur, "Arthur, you're already in your mid-twenties. What are you crying like a baby for?" His tone was gentle, meant to lighten the mood and alleviate the tension that lingered among them. "And don't worry about it. You're a vital part of the attack team, after all. Your job isn't to protect me"

He continued, offering reassurance to both Arthur and Bernard. "Besides, even if you were there, it wouldn't have changed anything. That Titan Giant Ape was too intelligent, able to sense threats. You wouldn't have been able to charge up that trump card of yours. The same goes for you, Bernard. There were three Spirit Saints there, two of which were able to perform a three-person Martial Fusion with another person, and yet they couldn't do anything. What would be the use of another Spirit Saint?" 

With a gentle yet firm tone, Sheng Jun scolded his subordinates, reminding them of the instructions he had already given in case of the event of his unforeseen absence or demise. He emphasized the importance of following the plan he had meticulously laid out for such circumstances.

Despite his words carrying a hint of disapproval of their actions, Sheng Jun's voice remained infused with understanding and forgiveness. He knew that their actions had stemmed from a place of loyalty and concern for his well-being, and he indeed appreciated it.

As he spoke, Sheng Jun encouraged his subordinates to learn from this experience and to be better prepared for similar situations that could happen in the future.

With a smile on his face, Sheng Jun turned his attention towards Qinyu and the others from the protection team, who knelt not far away, their expressions filled with guilt and remorse. Ignoring their pleas for punishment, he spoke with a tone filled with relief and happiness.

"Seeing that you guys are alive despite the backlash of the special ability, it seems that others should be alive as well" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with happiness.

As they traveled from shadow to shadow, Sheng Jun listened intently as Qinyu and the others recounted everything that had transpired in his absence.

Absorbing the information, Sheng Jun couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief wash over him. The revelation that the Titan Giant Ape had kidnapped Xiao Wu, and Tang San who decided to go look for her and him alone caught him by surprise, as he scolded him inwardly for his recklessness.

Still, the fact that they had all managed to come out alive together with his Teacher and others who had gone to look for them brought him a mixture of surprise and joy , especially Xiao Wu, whose survival was nothing short of miraculous.

He then learned that Tang San and Xiao Wu had been instructed to return to Shrek Academy along with other students who had been forcefully taken back by his subordinates. After being caught trying to get back towards the Great Star Dou Forest in order to search for him. Luckily they had been intercepted and detained before they could make their way there, which filled him with a mixture of relief and anger. They were asking for a beating by being so reckless. 

As Sheng Jun listened to the account of his Teacher, Mistress, Zhao Wuji, and Grandmaster's who had stayed behind in order to search for him,, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for them. He understood that their hearts, especially his Teacher who had likely been filled with anguish and desperation as they searched the Great Star Dou Forest for any sign of his whereabouts.

After two weeks of fruitless searching, they had finally come to the reluctant realization that continuing their quest was futile. With heavy hearts, they had made the difficult decision to return to Shrek Academy, their hopes of finding him slowly fading away.

Sheng Jun understood their reasoning all too well so he didn't blame them for stopping. The brutal force with which the Titan Giant Ape had struck him, a Spirit Elder left little room for optimism. In their eyes, he was likely already dead, yet they still searched for him.

Sheng Jun then faked serious expression as he addressed Qinyu and the Protection Team. "Now, let's talk about your punishment" he began, his tone playful yet firm. "Although you did well in following my orders after I went missing, I can't ignore the fact that you abandoned other students in your rush to protect me"

As he observed their resolute nods, ready to accept whatever punishment he deemed fit, Sheng Jun shook his head slightly, a smile playing at his lips. "Your punishment" he declared, "is to have a feast with me until none of you can eat anymore after we return"

The stunned expressions on Qinyu and the others' faces earned a chuckle from Sheng Jun. Before they could protest, he waved his hand dismissively, sealing their fate.

In normal circumstances, Sheng Jun wouldn't have let them off so easily after disobeying orders. However, he recognized the sincerity of their actions and decided to make an exception this time, choosing to reward their loyalty instead.