Chapter 87

"Ahem! That's really a pity." Lin Ying tugged at the corners of his mouth. Zheng Chen's way of speaking was just like before, a little more ambiguous would be fine, "I was planning to invite you for a drink, but now, how about my old man helps to cover for you later?"

Zheng Chen nodded.

"Thank you." Lin Ying's face was full of smiles, it seemed he hadn't had a drink for a long time, "By the way, where are you living now?"

After briefly mentioning his address, Zheng Chen returned to his residence, put the package at home, and then left again without staying too long, as he still needed to buy some materials.

After purchasing the required materials, Zheng Chen made an extra trip to the bookstore.

"These books?"

Lai flipped through the books Zheng Chen had placed down, asking with some confusion. The content of these books was very diverse, covering music, chess, calligraphy, painting, even tea art and cooking. Could it be that Zheng Chen was interested in such books?

In her impression, Zheng Chen was only interested in books about weapons.

"For Xi Ya." Zheng Chen said indifferently, "She hasn't woken up yet?"

Lai nodded gently. Now, Xi Ya, who used to sleep very little, had become somewhat sleepy. She had gone to bed early last night, but it was almost noon and she still hadn't woken up, "Is there something wrong with Xi Ya?"

Lai was a bit worried.

Zheng Chen shook his head, "I don't know."

He wasn't a doctor, and he had no idea about Xi Ya's condition, let alone diagnose it. All he could do was extract the black particles from her body when she showed particularly severe abnormalities to reduce her symptoms.

After that, Zheng Chen took out some containers, took out all the materials he had bought, and took out the book that recorded the method of processing the flying stone. After reviewing it again, he confirmed that he had prepared everything needed and started working.

Without the patterns, making a substance that could simply control the flying stone would require a lot of preparation, but now, with just a little preparation, he could start.

Each material placed at hand was partially absorbed by the patterns on Zheng Chen's body, then released and adjusted through a measuring instrument to determine the required ratio of each material. After continuously integrating the materials, Zheng Chen processed another part of the materials.

The effects of the two substances were completely different. One was to suppress the flying stone, while the other was to fully activate its effects, like the relationship between a spear and a shield. If the spear is sharp, the shield can't block it; if the shield is hard, the spear can't pierce it. The effects of the two substances were mutually canceling, and whichever one was more abundant would take effect.

Because of this, there was no conflict, only cancellation, which provided higher controllability.

When the two integrated materials were reabsorbed into the patterns and then released, they formed two small metal blocks, about the size of a finger. The integrated materials had been deeply fused through the patterns, a step that would normally require high-temperature processing.

As for the effectiveness, Zheng Chen hadn't tried the activating substance, but the suppressing substance contained a few grains of flying stone powder. The refined flying stone had an extremely strong levitation ability, and even a tiny grain of powder could lift a heavy object. Therefore, the few grains of powder inside were enough to make this small metal block fly rapidly.

However, there was no movement now; the power of the flying stone was being suppressed.

The first step was successful. The metal block containing the suppressing substance was just one form. Zheng Chen didn't want this form; he wanted a liquid form. This step wasn't difficult, but it required the preparation of another conductive liquid.

Grinding the metal block into powder through the patterns was enough. Then, the suppressing substance powder and the conductive liquid were mixed together. The suppressing substance powder in the conductive liquid could still fully suppress the flying stone's effects.

The conductive liquid was much thicker than water, somewhat like a liquid jelly. The activating conductive liquid was similar in state but had a different color. When the two conductive liquids came into contact, they immediately mixed, and the part that canceled each other out turned into a water-like substance and dispersed, while the denser conductive liquid remained concentrated.

After the experiment was thoroughly completed, Zheng Chen integrated the remaining materials into a form ready for further processing. Checking the time, it was already afternoon...

Let's do the test tonight. Zheng Chen absorbed the two conductive liquids in the container into the patterns and said to Lai, who was watching him silently, "Call Xi Ya, let's go eat."

Zheng Chen couldn't cook, and his requirements for food were very low. Whether the food was exquisite or not didn't matter; as long as it could be eaten and meet his basic needs, it was fine. As for Lai... it seemed she couldn't cook either.

"I've already made it." Hearing Zheng Chen's voice, Xi Ya walked out of the bedroom, holding a book, "Lai is really something, she insisted on waiting for you even though I told her to eat first. Well, I'll heat it up."

Saying this, she put the book aside and walked to the kitchen. Well, besides Zheng Chen and Lai, there was also Xi Ya. The two of them couldn't cook, but Xi Ya should be able to.

"..." Looking at Xi Ya, who had returned to the kitchen, Lai opened her mouth slightly, looking a bit uncomfortable. Zheng Chen glanced at her and then looked at the book about flower cultivation that Xi Ya had placed aside. She really loved flowers.

The reason Zheng Chen bought these things was as Ping Shizhi had said, to let Xi Ya engage more in activities that could cultivate her character. Zheng Chen understood that it was to help her quickly stabilize and solidify her mindset, so he prepared these things.

Soon, the kitchen was filled with the aroma of food, mixed with a light floral scent.

When Xi Ya brought the dishes to the table, Zheng Chen immediately understood why Lai had looked so uncomfortable earlier. The dishes were all vegetarian, and each dish contained flower petals.

The same type of flower petals made Zheng Chen look at the flowers extending from Xi Ya's body, which had grown outside her clothes and formed small vines with flowers, like decorations. He was very suspicious about the source of these flowers...

"I tried them specially, and they taste better with them." Xi Ya said with a smile, looking at Lai and Zheng Chen expectantly, as if waiting for their feedback.

"Um, we should still..." Lai, looking at the silent Zheng Chen, couldn't help but speak, but was interrupted by Zheng Chen raising his hand. He directly picked up the chopsticks Xi Ya had placed beside him and picked up a few strands of stir-fried potato threads.

Even if there was a problem, Zheng Chen wasn't worried. Having been eroded by black particles, he wouldn't be concerned about something that was clearly less powerful than the black particles.

The taste was truly excellent!

"Good." After eating a mouthful and waiting a moment to confirm that he had no issues, Zheng Chen said indifferently. Xi Ya's smile became even brighter. Seeing this, Lai didn't hesitate and gently picked up the chopsticks, after all, it was Xi Ya's heartfelt effort. Sitting there doing nothing... forget it.

"Let's taste it first." Zheng Chen said.

Lai paused slightly and nodded gently. Zheng Chen didn't say it clearly, but the meaning was clear: to taste it, but eat a little less for now and see if there were any abnormalities later.

These flowers seemed to carry no abnormal effects. After the meal, Zheng Chen waited until evening and felt no abnormalities. When he went to Ping Shizhi to get the medicine, he specifically asked him to check, and Ping Shizhi only replied that his body was recovering well and to continue as before.

When he returned home, Zheng Chen boiled the medicine. The patterns on his body spread to his fingers, and the materials stored in the patterns were mobilized. As Zheng Chen shaped the object, a pattern on his finger split on its own.

"If you're busy, let me watch?" Hearing this, Zheng Chen didn't stop his shaping and glanced back. It was Xi Ya.

"Don't add anything randomly." Zheng Chen's gaze returned from the flowers on Xi Ya's body, and he handed her a piece of paper, "Follow what's written here."

When Zheng Chen left the kitchen and walked to the backyard, he already had a bullet in his hand. This special bullet, shaped through the patterns, was not solid inside. It contained a grain of flying stone powder and two opposing conductive liquids. The suppressing conductive liquid was mixed with the flying stone powder to suppress its effects, while the activating conductive liquid was isolated on the other side.

The isolation layer between the two conductive liquids was not strong. Once it was hit strongly or the bullet deformed, the layer would break. The 2:1 ratio of the two conductive liquids was enough to fully activate the flying stone's effects.

As for this bullet, since it was the first attempt, Zheng Chen made the isolation layer very thin, so it could be broken without a strong impact.

He forcefully threw the bullet, which quickly flew out and hit the ground with a thud, squeezing under a large stone. In the next moment, the soil at the spot where a small hole was formed was directly lifted from the inside.

This bullet shot out from underground at an extremely fast speed, easily lifting the heavy stone and disappearing into the night sky with a whistling sound.

The flying stone, stimulated by the activating conductive liquid, exerted effects dozens of times stronger than its original power. However, Zheng Chen knew this was a destructive way of using it. The flying stone could be reused, but once stimulated by the activating substance, it would disappear like a meteor after a brief, brilliant flash!

Just like unprocessed ordinary flying stones turning into ordinary stones when exposed to air, the effects of refined flying stones were incomparable to ordinary ones.