Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Young Eagle Spreads Its Wings

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Young Eagle Spreads Its Wings

After resting at home for two days and fully recovering his energy, Xia Zheng returned to his usual state, much to the quiet delight of his parents. Now that he was maturing, they no longer tried to control him as they once did, instead granting him ample freedom and only stepping in to offer advice or help when truly necessary, as they had this time.

Upon his return to the Tianren Squad, Xia Zheng was warmly welcomed by everyone in the company. Unlike the polite formalities of his first interview, this was a genuine, heartfelt reception. Chu Yan had made public Xia Zheng’s efforts to secure benefits for the company’s employees, instantly winning him the admiration and gratitude of his colleagues. The family of the employee who had died in the line of duty was especially grateful, coming close to kneeling before Xia Zheng with their child in thanks—an act he stopped just in time. Though the other employees’ gestures were not as dramatic, they held him in deep respect; never before had someone who’d been with the company for just over three months garnered such honor.

“Captain Chu, you didn’t really have to announce it,” Xia Zheng said in Chu Yan’s office, where Claire was reviewing documents nearby.

Chu Yan poured him a cup of hot tea and replied, “I did. You’ve made a tremendous contribution to the company as soon as you arrived, and it deserves recognition. I forgot to mention—thanks to the intelligence you provided, we located the four surviving members of that squad and have purchased the mine, securing twenty years of mining rights. Once it turns a profit, your million-year salary will be a reality.”

“Thank you, Captain.” Xia Zheng saw no reason to refuse—anything else would have been insincere.

The profits from the anti-magic ore mine would be staggering. With this asset, Tianren Squad’s power could grow immensely. Chu Yan was even considering challenging for a spot among the top ten ability-user squads—those positions were almost unassailable, dominated by military-backed teams.

“By the way, Zheng, I heard the Nalan family has taken notice of you, and you’ve become friends with that genius girl of theirs?” Claire interjected, glancing up from her paperwork, drawing Chu Yan’s attention as well.

“Word travels that fast?” Xia Zheng asked in confusion.

Claire laughed. “There were hundreds, maybe thousands, who saw you two embracing and kissing. Many took photos and posted them on social media. Plus, I’m on very good terms with Lady Camilla.”

“No wonder!” Xia Zheng realized then that some things were beyond his control—like the way rumors about his relationship with Nalan Sheng were beginning to spread. He suspected he’d soon find himself the center of attention.

“Claire, Sheng and I just have a budding fondness for each other. For now, my main focus is on improving my abilities and becoming a high-level ability user as quickly as possible. Everything else is secondary.” Xia Zheng’s words surprised both Claire and Chu Yan, raising their estimation of him yet again. Rare it was, indeed, for a young man in such circumstances to remain so clear-headed—wise beyond his years.

Chu Yan offered some encouraging words and then sent Xia Zheng off to train.

After he left, Chu Yan approached Claire and said, “The Nalan family has always been proud and aloof. They’ve declared before that only the most outstanding young talents are worthy of their prodigy, Nalan Sheng. Zheng certainly meets that standard.”

Claire stood by the window and said, “But Zheng seems exceptionally calm and rational, almost distant toward the Nalan family.”

“That’s right. He’s innately proud,” Chu Yan replied, moving behind her and embracing her.

Claire relaxed in his arms. “There’s already media chatter—some accuse Zheng of clinging to the powerful, and worse. In a few days, these rumors will be everywhere. It’s good he’s keeping his composure.”

“Hmph, these noble families and conglomerates are so arrogant—they’re already trying to suppress Zheng, even though he’s just a civilian and not yet fully grown. The families and conglomerates form powerful alliances through marriage, and Zheng, as a representative of ordinary people, is naturally opposed to them.”

In the Level Three training chamber, Xia Zheng was cultivating his mental power under Shen Hua’s guidance. After his battle with Nalan Sheng, his mental energy had vastly improved—not only was it more concise and swift during materialization, but it had also gained a devouring attribute. Now, if he were to face another psychic, he was confident he could deplete their mental strength as long as their abilities weren’t vastly superior.

Through meditation, he purified the external spiritual energy he absorbed, making his own power increasingly refined.

“Master, is there a school of spiritual cultivation called Soul Refinement?” Xia Zheng eventually asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

“Oh? How do you know about Soul Refinement?” Shen Hua opened her eyes in surprise.

Xia Zheng, having come to trust Shen Hua completely, didn’t hide anything. He took out the “Soul Refinement Technique” he’d gotten from Dean and handed it to her.

After reading a few pages, Shen Hua stood abruptly and questioned him about its origin. Xia Zheng recounted the story of Dean in detail.

“I never expected there to be practitioners of Soul Refinement among the Fallen Wings,” Shen Hua mused, then handed the book back.

She retrieved a handwritten manual from her own belongings, which resembled the ones Xia Zheng had seen before. It was titled “Spirit Tempering Record.”

“Master, is this the manual for our current school of cultivation?” Xia Zheng guessed.

Shen Hua nodded. “The history of spiritual cultivation is long. The age of abilities merely brought it to its peak. In the past, those with special spiritual constitutions were rare, even after genetic modification. Only with the rise of abilities did the school of psychics truly form.”

“So, could it be that the founders of these two schools came from the same sect?” Xia Zheng speculated boldly.

Shen Hua was taken aback by his reasoning, but upon further thought, it did make sense.

She kept the “Spirit Tempering Record” with him and continued, “Whether or not the founders were from the same sect is impossible to verify now, but their methods differ greatly. Our school emphasizes natural growth and the quality of mental power. The other focuses on rapid accumulation—quantity, in other words. The debate between the two has never ceased among psychics, but currently, most follow the Spirit Tempering path, with only a few practicing Soul Refinement.”

Observing Xia Zheng’s silence, Shen Hua recalled how she had once disguised herself to secretly protect him, and how, on stage, he had used the Soul Refinement technique to save Nalan Sheng. She couldn’t dismiss the other school simply out of sectarian bias.

“In truth, there’s no absolute right way to cultivate mental power; it depends on one’s own comprehension. Psychics are an especially unique group among ability users, and much must be explored individually. Still, I advise you not to blindly pursue increases in power—purifying and refining your spiritual energy from time to time will be far more beneficial in the long run.”

Shen Hua’s guidance filled Xia Zheng with gratitude, and he rose to thank her.

Then, Shen Hua approached and, with a hint of jealousy, asked, “So, how are things with your little girlfriend?”

Xia Zheng shook his head. “We just have a bit of mutual affection. What the future holds, I can’t say. For now, I want to focus on cultivation and missions.”

“Oh? That’s rare. Boys your age usually can’t wait to stick to their girlfriends all day. You’re not…?” She gave him a once-over, her eyes lingering suggestively.

Xia Zheng blushed and snapped, “There’s nothing wrong with me!” before fleeing, leaving Shen Hua chuckling to herself.

Thanks to his role in securing the anti-magic ore mine and passing the ability-user assessment, Chu Yan had awarded him ten thousand contribution points, which could be spent internally on equipment, weapons, even vehicles.

Most of Xia Zheng’s salary was turned over to his family, leaving only a small amount in his account. If he had to buy gear with just that, he’d be strapped. Thankfully, he could use contribution points instead.

At the Tianren Squad’s logistics armory, Xia Zheng used his employee ID to enter and found the place resembled a vast library, with all kinds of gear neatly categorized and managed by intelligent robotic assistants.

He approached a terminal, inserted his ID, and his account details appeared in the corner. With his leftover points, he now had nearly fifteen thousand—enough to outfit himself with C-rank gear suitable for his current level. He planned to start there, then upgrade to B-rank equipment once he advanced.

There were no special requirements for gear—ability users could wear any grade, though higher-grade equipment was much more expensive. And if one’s strength didn’t match the equipment’s grade, it could become a burden rather than an asset.

“Thunderblade… sounds impressive. Let’s see—it’s a melee weapon imbued with a hint of lightning. Besides being extremely sharp and durable, it has a chance to inflict a paralysis effect for a few seconds upon striking an opponent. Not bad… Price—three thousand points. Quite pricey.” Xia Zheng added the weapon to his cart.

After two hours of comparison, he selected a C-rank alloy protective jacket—form-fitting, offering excellent protection and insulation, extremely tough, easy to clean, and resistant to dirt. It would reduce injury from both attacks and impacts. Over this, he chose a vest that provided bullet resistance and dampened physical blows.

The pants appeared to be ordinary jeans, but were made of special material—rainproof and keeping the wearer dry even when immersed, with built-in buoyancy to prevent drowning.

The shoes were multi-functional, breathable, and sealed, offering great elasticity and running support. They could be switched to “barefoot” mode with a button, and sealed tightly to keep out even a grain of sand when needed. The sole could adapt to various terrains for optimal performance.

The clothing set cost about five thousand points, bringing his total to around eight thousand so far.

He also chose a set of throwing weapons, superior even to those Shen Hua had given him, for over four thousand points.

Once his order was submitted, the armory quickly delivered his selections, and Xia Zheng brought several cases back to his quarters.

Changing into his new gear, he finally felt like a true ability hunter.

The Thunderblade could be collapsed when not in use, becoming a flat, flashlight-like device that slipped easily into his pocket. The throwing weapons could be worn around his waist like a belt.

Staring into the mirror, Xia Zheng felt, for the first time, that he had realized his dream of becoming an ability user. What awaited him now was a far wider world.