Chapter 26: The Power of Will

"I... I don't know either!"

Hearing Ji Chang's words, Huang Mang was taken aback, then slumped like a deflated balloon.

"Don't be discouraged. We still have little understanding of spiritual power, but based on what I know, it holds boundless possibilities. However, it depends on you to perceive, to experience, and to implement it.

Remember, everything follows the heart, and all is possible!"

Ji Chang patted Huang Mang's shoulder reassuringly and continued, "Alright, help me move the wooden barrels onto the back of the wasp hive. I'll deal with the remaining two in a moment!"

In no time, with their combined effort, Ji Chang stood atop the wasp hive, holding onto two wooden barrels firmly, directing the wasps towards the top of the writing desk.

Watching Ji Chang and the wasps soar high, Huang Mang leaned against the wooden barrels, contemplating the words Ji Chang had just spoken, murmuring to himself: "Everything follows the heart, all is possible..."

After a few breaths, Huang Mang seemed to realize something. He gently placed his palm on the wooden barrel, closing his eyes slightly.

As seconds turned into minutes, Huang Mang felt his breathing, as if everything around him had quieted down.

Thump, thump, thump...

Even the heartbeat that reached his ears gradually calmed, gradually "disappeared."

In the next moment, Huang Mang seemed to sense something and abruptly opened his eyes.

At the instant he opened his eyes, the palm resting on the wooden barrel had transformed into the same material as the barrel itself.

Not only that, he realized his palm was now connected to the wooden barrel, melding together!

Sensing the change in spiritual power gathering on his palm, Huang Mang exerted force, lifting the water-filled barrel with ease.

"Haha, it worked!"

Seeing this scene, Huang Mang couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Just now, while contemplating Ji Chang's words and wondering if he could transform into a body made of wood just like he did with concrete and metal, he unexpectedly achieved it.

Furthermore, in the process of transforming into a wooden body, could he also merge with the material itself?

In fact, during his earlier transformations into concrete and metal, he had already connected with the material, but he hadn't paid much attention to it then.

And just now, he had truly focused and guided the spiritual power within him, resulting in this accomplishment!

Afterwards, Huang Mang moved his palm away from the wooden barrel with a thought, then leaned his body towards the barrel.

In no time, Huang Mang, now fully transformed into wood, ran towards one side of the writing desk with two water-filled barrels on his back.

Compared to transforming into metal and hauling the water-filled barrels, he felt as if the barrels on his back had almost no weight now.

He guessed it was due to his body merging with the barrels.

As Huang Mang arrived at the writing desk, placing his hands on the wooden boards, his hypothesis was confirmed.

Carrying two water-filled barrels on his back, he climbed the wooden boards like walking on flat ground.

His hands and feet continuously fused and detached from the writing desk's wooden surface, like climbing a ladder.

However, his excitement soon turned to despair.

He realized his spiritual power was almost depleted.

And he had only managed to climb halfway up the writing desk!

"Hmm? Mangzi?"

Just as Huang Mang's head started to spin and his body felt weak, he heard Ji Chang's voice.

At that moment, Ji Chang had just placed the two water-filled barrels on the writing desk, preparing to descend to the ground to carry the remaining two barrels and Huang Mang together.

He hadn't anticipated that halfway through his flight, he would encounter Huang Mang hanging onto the wooden board like a piece of wood.

Initially, he couldn't make it out clearly, but upon recognizing the two barrels, he confirmed that it was indeed Huang Mang...

"Ah, Ji Ge, I can't go on anymore, my spiritual power is depleted!"

Hearing Ji Chang's words, Huang Mang's heart brightened, quickly expressing his distress. He didn't even dare to turn his head while speaking, fearing that he might fall down.

"I mustn't let that happen. If the water in the barrels spills, I'd be heartbroken!"

"Well, this... is quite a unique posture you've got there," Ji Chang couldn't help but laugh as he looked at Huang Mang, who resembled a frog sticking to the wooden board.

Although he was chuckling, Ji Chang admired Huang Mang's ability to crawl with two water-filled barrels on his back, fusing his body with both the barrels and the writing desk's wooden surface. He recognized that Huang Mang had unlocked a new application of his spiritual power, similar to his own experience with the rooster before.

"Ji Ge, please think of a solution quickly. I feel like I'm about to slip!"

With his limbs trembling, Huang Mang couldn't help but exclaim.

"Alright, I'll first remove the two barrels from you. That should help you support yourself, right?"

Observing Huang Mang from above and below, Ji Chang instructed the wasps to come closer.

"Ah? Okay, I'll give it a try!" Hearing Ji Chang's suggestion, Huang Mang hurriedly agreed.

Subsequently, as he felt the wasps approaching, Huang Mang closed his eyes and carefully felt the integration of his back with the two barrels.

After a few breaths, Huang Mang's body gradually separated from the barrels, with Ji Chang's guidance, the barrels landed steadily on the wasp's back.

In the instant he caught the two barrels, the wasp's body wavered and tilted to the side. In desperation, Ji Chang urgently channeled the remaining specks of his spiritual power into the wasp's body.

With the final bit of his spiritual power merging into the wasp's body, Ji Chang also felt dizzy and disoriented.

However, seeing the wasp stabilize, Ji Chang heaved a sigh of relief.

"Mangzi, can you climb up by yourself?"

Glancing at Huang Mang, who was slowly adjusting his position, Ji Chang asked softly.

"Ji Ge, I can do it!"

Now relieved of the two barrels, Huang Mang instantly felt much lighter and breathed a sigh of relief.

Earlier, when he merged with the barrels, he had felt quite comfortable. However, as he climbed higher, his spiritual power was consumed at an alarming rate, catching him off guard.

After confirming that Huang Mang was alright, Ji Chang directed the wasps towards the top of the writing desk.

Once Ji Chang removed the last two barrels and laid down on the ground, he panted heavily.

At that moment, he felt like the world was spinning around him.

Yet, this sensation was strangely satisfying.

He knew that this time, his spiritual power had once again broken through its limit!

Watching Ji Chang collapse on the ground, Chen Lingxue hurriedly approached, emitting a green mist from her palm to help Ji Chang recover his depleted spiritual power.