Chapter 33: New energy?

Yinling's confusion was palpable as she struggled to grasp Jun's concept, but as he elaborated, a flicker of understanding began to light her features. Yet, understanding was one thing; accepting was another.

Locking eyes with Jun, she ventured cautiously, "So you're saying... the spiritual energy we're surrounded by," she gestured vaguely around her, "is somehow flawed?"

Hearing his own theory echoed back at him, Jun realized how radical it sounded. To most, it would seem like the ramblings of a madman, a challenge to the revered will of heaven – an act considered taboo and often met with fatal consequences.

 "I wouldn't necessarily say defective... I just find it strange how heaven rejects cultivators for simply existing, maybe there's more to this than we know"

His suspicions about the spiritual energy weren't fully formed yet. His musings were based on two observations: the heavens' rejection of cultivators and the way the energy he used to heal Yinling seemed to resonate deeply with her. With his enhanced comprehension, he felt these two aspects might be interconnected.

"Here let me show you" he said, extending his hand forward and performing the healing technique but in a different way. 

Now that his energy manipulation has increased to over 20%, he can separate his energy from his body. With this in mind, before separating it, he is going to change the intensity to mirror the healing energy used on Yinling before.

With his hand out in front of him and Yinling confused on the side, he slowly moved his energy to his hand, causing it to glow with a life-affirming green hue. Slowly, a vibrant orb of energy, the size of a basketball, emerged from his palm and floated in the air, pulsating with vitality.

"There..." Jun detached this energy from his palm and watched as it slowly floated in the air without moving.

"Amazing..." Yinling breathed out, her eyes wide and fixated on the glowing orb. Without realizing it, she leaned forward, drawn to the energy as if by an invisible force.

"Yinling?" Jun's voice was tinged with concern as he observed her inching closer.

Unresponsive, Yinling was almost in a trance, her entire being captivated by the energy before her. Her hand reached out, only to be firmly held back by Jun's larger grasp.

Snapping out of her daze, she turned to see Jun serious gaze.

"Wha- what happened?"

"You were so absorbed by the energy, you didn't hear me calling you," Jun explained, his tone soft yet concerned.

Yinling hearing this felt her heart flutter with fear, she hadn't even noticed herself falling into that trance. 

"Sorry... I guess I got too caught up in it, but I feel this time I should be ok"

Nodding, Jun was surprised at getting such a reaction from Yinling, did his healing energy have such an effect? Jun didn't think so, maybe it was just her body reacting, like a dry sponge meeting water.

Releasing her wrist, Jun watched her cautiously. Yinling's gaze returned to the orb. Although her body yearned for it, she remained in control.

She turned back to Jun, offering a reassuring smile. "It's so full of life. It's like my body instinctively wants to be near it," she admitted, her voice tinged with wonder.

"Do you want to try absorbing it?" Jun suggested. "Last time it healed you. Who knows what might happen now?"

Eagerly, Yinling nodded. She closed her eyes, invoking the Azure Soul technique. In an instant, the green energy was drawn into her, flooding her with an unparalleled sense of purity and vitality. Warmth spread through her body, a sensation so profound it lasted but a minute before fading, leaving her longing for more.

Opening her eyes, she felt a subtle but undeniable change within her.

"I feel... different," she murmured.

"You do? Do you feel stronger?"

"It's hard to describe," Yinling replied softly "But this energy... I felt so in line with this energy, nothing like the energy we absorb around us" Yingling spoke surprised the last part.

Jun's theory was gaining ground. However, they couldn't rely solely on his energy to replicate this phenomenon. Perhaps his knowledge of arrays could offer a solution. 

The previous array, although destroyed in the end by the blast, was successful. If he could create an array that absorbs energy and changes its properties when coming in, couldn't he generate this energy endlessly? 

Maybe after absorbing more of this energy, he can find out if they can get any advantages over normal cultivators. But how long will this take, although not certain, at the rate he learned the first array and read more on arrays, within a day, he is 50% sure to create this array.

"Well, for now, I can't really make this energy endlessly so I'll try to make an array that changes spiritual energy into this" Jun spoke.

Yinling was a little disappointed but understood, although Jun mentioned she could also create this energy herself, she felt her patience running out. It felt like when someone gave you a present but then told you that you can't open it until tomorrow.

"Just be careful, Jun. Remember what happened last time,"

Jun gave a nervous chuckle. "I'll be extra cautious," he assured her, already pondering the possibilities as he walked towards a more secluded part of the library. Taking out his array book, he immersed himself in its contents.

"If only I had this ability back on earth" thought Jun.