6. YinYang Chaotic Energy

Mo Yichen flopped lazily on the simple wooden bed, one arm folded behind his head while the other held up the shimmering, pink Heavenly Nectar Peach. Its faint glow pulsing gently in the dimly lit room, casting delicate hues onto his slender fingers. He eyes it with a trace of wariness.

"So... what now?" he murmured, eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the fruit. The moment he had stepped into his room and pulled the peach out of the silk pouch, the long-silent system had finally reactivated.

[Congratulations on obtaining the Heavenly Nectar Peach. You have successfully completed your first mission.]

"Yeah, yeah, took you long enough." Mo Yichen rolled his eyes. "Where the hell were you when I was about to become dinner of those monstrous wolves?" 

[This Heavenly Nectar Peach can serve as the first step to strengthening Mo Yichen's spiritual core. Would you like to condense its power?]

A familiar mechanical voice rang out, belonging to the small cat-like figure that hovered before him. It blinked its glowing golden eyes, its mouth curving into its usual cheeky grin.

Mo Yichen squinted at the floating cat. "Hold up! What about my spiritual core? My real spiritual power? Where is it? How in the world am I still walking around when my core is supposed to be attached to my soul?" He bolted upright, realization dawning in his mind.

A pause. Then, a loading screen flashed before him.

[...loading]

[...loading]

Mo Yichen taps his fingers against his knee impatiently, brows furrowing. He knew something was off.

Transmigration cases were strictly regulated by the Immortal Bureau. The golden rule? Every transmigrator retained at least some spiritual energy for self-defense. If they died in a foreign world, their soul would be lost, leading to a permanent coma in their original body.

So why the hell was he dumped here without his core? And in this useless body?

Before he could spiral further, a sudden chime rang in his ears.

[A bug has been detected. Would you like the system to fix it?]

Mo Yichen's expression darkened. "...A bug?" His fingers hesitated over the glowing option before tapping [Yes].

[The system will now undergo maintenance to correct the error. It will be unavailable for use.]

"Wait—what?"

[A full system repair will take anywhere from one week to one month. Kindly take care of Mo Yichen's body in the meantime.]

"Oi, oi, oi, WAIT!" Mo Yichen shot up, his expression filled with sheer disbelief. "You're ditching me again?! I barely survived this week when you left me hanging! How do you expect me to live without a system or any spiritual powers?!"

No response.

Mo Yichen sat there, stunned for a full five seconds, before throwing himself back onto the bed, covering his face with both hands. "...I'm doomed."

After taking a deep breath, he sat back up and glared at the Heavenly Nectar Peach in his hand. "..And what am I supposed to do with this thing? Eat it?"

[Correct.]

A pause.

[Is the host aware of Mo Yichen's spiritual energy?]

Mo Yichen pauses. His fingers absentmindedly tracing over his chest. "It's... definitely not elemental energy," he murmured. "This body hasn't even awakened its core yet, but I can feel something. There's a faint thread of power in my chest, but it's... chaotic." His frown deepened. "Too chaotic."

He leaned back, gazing at the ceiling. "On second thought, that's impossible. I've never seen anyone with chaotic energy before. The last known case was centuries ago. It's supposed to be extinct."

[You are correct.]

The system's voice returned, crisp and steady.

[Mo Yichen possesses a Yin-Yang Chaotic Spiritual Core. As for its supposed extinction—there have been many debates. However, one fact remains certain: this is an extremely rare and powerful energy. If revealed, it could cause great uproar, as well as immense danger for the host. It is highly recommended that the host refrain from using it unless absolutely necessary.]

"And what the hell do I do now? It's not like I have any alternatives. Even if I had my real core, that one's a Supreme Purity Spiritual Core—do you really think I'd just waste it on random fights? That's a once-in-a-millennium treasure!"

A long silence stretched between him and the system.

[...loading]

[...loading]

Mo Yichen sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "...here we go again—"

[The system is shutting down to fix the bug. During this process, it may uncover clues regarding your real spiritual core.]

"May uncover!?"

Only a mechanical beep, and then—silence. The floating feline vanished, leaving behind nothing but a blinking countdown in the corner of his vision.

"Wait a minute explain to me first! What do you mean by may?"

Mo Yichen groaned loudly, the Heavenly Nectar Peach rolling out of his hand onto the sheets. He stared at it for a long moment before picking it up and sitting on his crisscross legs, before letting out a deep sigh.

"Well.." He examined it under the light. "I better get something good out of this."

Mo Yichen had just opened his mouth to take a bite of the Heavenly Nectar Peach when a loud BANG echoed through the quiet night, followed by a plume of black smoke rising outside. He pauses in disbelief. "Now what!?" he muttered before hurriedly stuffing the peach into his robes and making his way toward the commotion.

As he stepped into the courtyard, he is met with what can be called as utter chaos. The old man, his white beard now covered with soot, was wheezing lungfuls of smoke, while a younger boy, Jing Yu, followed behind, his expression stricken with horror. From the broken ceiling of the alchemy room, tendrils of black smoke crackling in the air.

"Aiya! What do we do now?! That was the last batch of Tier 5 spiritual herbs!" Jing Yu lamented, his face contorted in despair. He clutched at his hair as if his entire world had crumbled.

Mo Yichen stared at the ruined remains of herbs scattered across the ground, some still smoldering. His expression contorted. "What the hell have you two been doing in the middle of the night?!" he demanded, his gaze darting between the elder and his little apprentice.

Jing Yu, still on the verge of a breakdown, replied, "Master was trying to condense a Soul-Refining Potion, but—"

"—but it somehow exploded," Mo Yichen deadpanned, eyeing the mess. "Again."

The old man, finally regaining enough breath to speak, waved a hand dismissively. "Cough, cough! It's nothing! Just a minor setback. Trial and error is the foundation of success!"

Jing Yu muttered under his breath, "Why do I only see error and error without any success?" His eyes wet as he looked at the last few unburnt herbs. "And we already used up everything we got from Fusang Forest this morning—"

The old man pretended not to hear, coughing into his sleeve to cover his embarrassment.

Mo Yichen pinched the bridge of his nose. "So you're telling me you wasted an entire collection of rare spiritual herbs and destroyed half a building… for a failed potion?"

"Cough, cough, as I said, trial and error, brats like you won't understand, go go go to your bed," the old man repeated, now rubbing his nose to avoid eye contact.

Mo Yichen snorted. "If I leave now, will you be able to condense the potion with the remaining herbs?"

"Hah! And what difference would your presence make?" the old man snapped, narrowing his eyes. "You haven't even unlocked your meridians!"

"Well.." Mo Yichen grinned shamelessly. "How about we make a bet? If I can help you refine the potion with what's left, you acknowledge me as your master and stop questioning my abilities."

The old man scoffed. "Ridiculous! I've spent decades refining medicine, and you—a brat who hasn't even opened his core—think you can do better?"

"I don't think," Mo Yichen corrected, his grin widening. "It's a fact"

Jing Yu jumped in, horrified. "Noooo! Those are the last scrap of our herbs! You haven't even opened your meridians!"

Mo Yichen tsked, waving a finger. "I don't, but he does." He pointed directly at the old man "You must be at the beginning stage of the foundation stage. You'll be the one doing everything. I'm just here to make sure you don't blow yourself up again."

The old man folded his arms. "And what, pray tell, do you know about my craft, brat?"

Mo Yichen smirked and dragged the golden cauldron from the room into the courtyard. "Sit. Start circulating your energy. First, a controlled fire"

The old man frowned but did as told, conjuring a steady flame beneath the cauldron. "What next, genius?" he sneered sarcastically.

"First, you preheat the cauldron to stabilize the fire's intensity. Then you grind the Moonleaf Ginseng into a fine powder." Mo Yichen crossed his arms. "Last time, you just threw it in whole, didn't you? And what happened?"

The old man scowled. "Hmph! That's how some alchemists do it."

"Yeah? Well, those alchemists are probably dead now. Next, add the Spiritroot but only after the ginseng powder is evenly spread at the base of the cauldron. If you toss it in too early, it'll counteract the ginseng's stabilizing effect."

The old man raised a brow, his skepticism wavering. "And how do you know this?"

Mo Yichen waggled his eyebrows. "Trade secret. Just follow my instructions."

With a grumble, the old man obeyed. And after thirty minutes the cauldron's interior glowed with an even blue hue, and for the first time that night, there was no violent reaction.

Jing Yu gasped. "It's stable! It's actually stable!"

Mo Yichen shot him a look. "Of course it is. Now, increase the heat slightly and add the Nightshade Petals.. gently, for heaven's sake. And start channeling your spiritual energy clockwise, not counterclockwise."

The old man hesitated. "But I've always—"

"Always failed?" Mo Yichen cut in rolling his eyes, "Just trust me, old man."

Grinding his teeth, the elder did as instructed. The bubbling liquid inside the cauldron turned a clear cerulean instead of the murky gray from his previous attempts.

His eyes widened in realization. "It's…working?"

Mo Yichen grinned. "Of course. Now, let it simmer until the color lightens. The key to this potion is patience. If you rush it, the ingredients will clash, and well—another ruined batch of those innocent herbs."

Minutes passed.

The previously volatile mixture now swirled gently, its light blue shade deepening. Finally, a thin mist rose from the surface, indicating the completion of the refinement process.

Jing Yu was the first to react. "I-It's done…!?"

The old man stared in disbelief. Trembling hands scooped up the final product—a flawless, top-grade Soul-Refining Potion. The clarity, the aroma—every aspect was perfect. His throat tightened with emotion. "For decades… I've been failing… and this brat…"

Mo Yichen folded his arms smugly. "What? Go on, admit it. I'm a genius."

The old man coughed awkwardly. "Hmph. Beginner's luck."

"Beginner's what?" Mo Yichen barked a laugh. "Come on, old man, admit it—I just saved your wrinkly butt."

"Nonsense!!" The old man huffed but finally muttered, "...Fine. You win this round, brat."

Mo Yichen threw his arms behind his head, beaming. "Ah, music to my ears. You should start calling me Master Mo from now on."

The old man snorted. "Don't push it."

Jing Yu, still staring at the potion in awe, turned to Mo Yichen. "How…how did you know all that?"

Mo Yichen shrugged. "Alchemy is just like cooking. You don't just throw everything into a pot and pray it turns into something edible. There's a process. A rhythm. You just have to listen to the ingredients."

There was a moment of silence before the old man coughed as he poured the potion into a jade bottle, Jing Yu still staring at the almost translucent liquid, his eyes twinkling.

Mo Yichen couldn't help but grin as he watched the two troublemakers celebrate their success. The old man was rubbing his hands together, eyes gleaming with newfound admiration, while Jing Yu was practically bouncing on his feet like an overeager puppy.

With a satisfied sigh, Mo Yichen turned on his heel and made his way toward the room where the old lady lay resting. Tomorrow was the day. After all this time, he would finally be leaving this place. The thought brought a mix of relief and something he didn't quite want to name.

Pushing open the creaky wooden door, his gaze landed on the frail figure lying on the bed. Her breathing was steady now, no longer weak and labored like before. Though she still hadn't regained enough strength to stand, her pale complexion had improved significantly. Mo Yichen folded his arms, taking in the deep wrinkles lining her face.

He had spent all this time taking care of her, watching over her like a doting nursemaid. He figured it was only right to say goodbye properly.

A quiet sigh left his lips. "I'm not sure where I'm heading, but I doubt we'll be meeting again. So, for the last time, I just wanted to say... farewell." His voice was even, but there was something heavy lurking beneath it.

Suddenly, the room felt suffocating. His chest tightened, and before he knew it, his vision blurred slightly.

Oh, hell no.

His eyes widened as he spun around and practically bolted out the door. "Tch, stupid sentimental nonsense," he muttered under his breath.

He needed air. 

With a swift leap, he landed on the roof of his room, the cold night wind slapping against his face as his raven-black hair billowed wildly. He sucked in a deep breath, letting the cool air clear the ridiculous lump in his throat.

"L-Li Wei, Li Wei…" he gritted out, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "When will you stop being a damn emotional drama queen!? How can I still be called a man?"

He let himself collapse onto the roof, sprawled out like a dead fish. It was so pathetic. If anyone saw him like this, he would never live it down.

This was the one thing Li Wei never understood about him.

Back in his world, people always teased him for getting emotional over the smallest things. As a child, he had been a total crybaby—tears at the ready over anything remotely sentimental. Eventually, he learned to hide it, forcing himself to swallow his emotions and keep his face blank in front of others.

But, damn it, the habit never truly left. He had simply adapted. Instead of crying where people could see, he found secluded places to let it all out. In his old world, that meant sneaking into empty labs or dark alleyways.

Here? Apparently, it meant climbing rooftops like a depressed cat.

He groaned dramatically, throwing an arm over his face. "Ugh, I'm too handsome to be this tragic." Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted, almost mockingly.

Mo Yichen lifted his hand, flipping it off.

"Shut up, you little judgmental bastard."