Chapter 156: Growth Buffet
February 2, the ninth day of the lunar new year, Sunday.
On the last day of the statutory Spring Festival holiday, holiday syndrome has spread widely throughout the city. The regrets and lingering feelings from holiday experiences, the fatigue and excitement that have yet to subside, along with uncertainty and anxiety about the future, all surfaced on this day.
The number of patients at Shengci Hospital skyrocketed that day, but it didn’t stop some people from taking a green channel straight to the top VIP special ward. Early in the morning, Old Jin personally welcomed guests in the consultation hall, still dressed like an elite intellectual in a white coat. Behind him, his granddaughter Su Xiaomeng led a line of beautiful female medical staff.
“Hey, Jin, what kind of show are you putting on? Are you trying to show off to me, or are you preparing to give Jiang Yan and the others a physical examination?”
Glancing at the row of obedient Wang family medical staff across from her, Wanyue rolled her eyes dramatically, while the Jiang sisters behind her looked bewildered and at a loss.
“I was also forced into the medical field; if I were running the Jinhe Club, my business would definitely be better than yours.”
Old Jin turned back proudly to look at the group of Wang family nurses, beginning to boast.
“Ha, you old lecher; if you were in charge, it would just be a brothel…”
Wanyue’s lips twitched, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Old Jin was clearly a bit unconvinced, about to argue, when suddenly Su Xiaomeng pinched his arm.
“Aunt Wanyue, it’s Grandma who is particularly concerned about the results of this physical examination…”
Su Xiaomeng shot a glare at her grandfather, moved beside Wanyue, and whispered: “You can see this as the highest directive from the Wang family; Grandpa must get both the substance and the appearance right.”
“Heh, isn’t this just the whims of some big family… Jiang Yan, Jiang Yao, just listen to Old Jin and Su Xiaomeng’s arrangements and go. If there’s anything uncomfortable, just hold it in!”
With that, Wanyue headed towards the elevator, presumably to go downstairs for a smoke.
“Yes, Sister Wanyue.”
The Jiang sisters quickly lowered their heads, each taking a thick stack of physical examination forms from Su Xiaomeng’s hands, densely packed with examination items that made one dizzy.
…
The lengthy physical examination lasted until 2 PM, with some uncomfortable tissue sampling involved.
To complete this physical examination, Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao, who had been hungry for over ten hours, were now devouring food in the examination cafeteria on the top floor, while Wanyue sat in Old Jin’s personal office up there.
“This is the most comprehensive examination for them; with these details, I hope it can unveil the secrets hidden by the Engel family.”
Looking at a plethora of examination data on the computer, and the two specially designed low-temperature storage boxes on the desk, Old Jin rarely took on a serious tone: “All the examination data, including the complete sets of blood and tissue samples, I will personally deliver to our family’s medical research center.”
“Old Jin, did your family patriarch explicitly say it? They must confirm who the true queen is?”
Wanyue furrowed her brows, half of her cigarette burned down but she hadn’t taken a puff.
“Yes, the elder’s intention is that the Wang family must prepare for the worst. However, as previously discussed, this loan from the Wang family will return all blood and tissue samples to the Hyacinth once the test results are out.”
“Previously, Jiang Yao’s blood was obtained in a regular state, and the muscle tissue samples had insufficient information and were slightly contaminated.”
At this point, Old Jin’s expression turned odd, seeming to have difficulty understanding his own family’s thoughts.
It’s as if everything has been meticulously calculated… If I don’t cooperate, I’d truly feel bad for your painstaking efforts.
Wanyue sneered coldly, extinguishing her cigarette and lightly tapping the surface of the low-temperature storage box: “Old Jin, I still trust you absolutely. Now, we need to do one thing, and it must remain between the two of us.”
As she spoke, Wanyue’s nails brushed against the surface of the low-temperature storage box, producing a delicate friction sound, while a mysterious smile slowly emerged on her flawless face.
Old Jin froze, his gaze caught by her hands, and as he looked at her familiar expression, his heartbeat quickened.
“If you don’t speak, I’ll take it as your agreement? Oh, men like you shouldn’t play deep; it doesn’t suit your temperament…”
Wanyue took a deep breath, pointed at the computer screen in front of Old Jin, then gestured toward the low-temperature storage box, changing to an expression that brooked no argument: “Change the names on these two individuals’ examination data, along with these blood and tissue samples!”
After saying that, Wanyue lit another cigarette, sinking back into her chair, regaining her sensual and lazy demeanor.
The atmosphere began to turn strange and a bit cold; the room was eerily quiet.
After a while, Old Jin took off his white coat, trembling a bit, and awkwardly extracted a cigarette from the box on the table that Wanyue had placed there. He clumsily lit it and took a puff, immediately breaking into a coughing fit.
“What’s wrong? Still hesitating? I trust the elder of the Wang family, and I trust you too, but I must be cautious. Wealth can sway people; not to mention, those two Jiang girls.”
Wanyue exhaled rings of smoke, her smile carrying deep meaning: “I can treat the Wang family like the heavens, but I can’t be blinded… consider it my little cleverness that’s not meant for the public.”
“Ah, I don’t even know what she discussed with you… forget it; I’ll just continue down this path.”
Old Jin said with a苦笑, shaking his head repeatedly, and began to operate on the computer, finally pulling out a USB drive and carefully placing it on the desk.
…
…
At night, Wanyue was in her villa on Longquan Mountain, personally cooking a Chinese feast for the Jiang sisters to show off her culinary skills.
Previously, it was only known that the chef of Hyacinth was Zheng Shaolin; who would have thought that Wanyue, who had always appeared to avoid doing any work, would actually possess decent cooking skills, leaving Jiang Yao exhilarated.
“Eat slowly; it’s a waste if you fill up now, we still have seafood medley coming.”
Wanyue, wearing loungewear and an apron, brought in a platter of dishes into the dining room. Her tone was surprisingly gentle, resembling that of a mother.
“Sister Wanyue, if this is the kind of meal I get every day, I’d just move into your house!”
Jiang Yao mumbled with her cheeks full, her eyes squinting with joy.
“Oh? You mean my cooking is better than Jiang Yan’s, right?”
Wanyue looked slyly at the raven-haired girl who was quiet for once, teasingly smiling, “But it also depends on my mood; I generally only cook at home once or twice a year.”
Jiang Yao paused, glanced at Jiang Yan with a little guilt, and quickly buried her head back into the food.
Jiang Yan, on the other hand, had turned dark with anger, her mouth twitching several times.
Looking up again at Wanyue’s back as she walked toward the kitchen, Jiang Yan’s chopsticks paused, revealing a hint of confusion.
Sister Wanyue seems a bit different today; why is she being so friendly to us? Is there something she needs us to do… some bizarre thoughts suddenly popped into Jiang Yan’s mind, accompanied by an inexplicable sense of unease.
Am I overthinking this? Sister Wanyue has been wholeheartedly helping me and Xiaoyao these past few months without seeking anything in return; how could I think like this?
Feeling like she was perhaps overthinking, Jiang Yan’s face flushed slightly, and she bashfully shook her head.
“Sis, you’re blushing! Missing someone?”
Jiang Yao, with her keen eyes, immediately pointed out Jiang Yan with her chopsticks.
“You’re talking nonsense; just eat your food…”
Jiang Yan retorted with annoyance but then returned to her normal demeanor, though the uneasy feeling she couldn’t place remained unpushed down.
…
A few hours later, after completing a routine yoga practice, the Jiang sisters were once again led into the study by Wanyue.
A large chart hung on the wall of the study, making Jiang Yan freeze for a moment.
“My innovative yoga breathing technique can enhance the basic control of internal and external hormones but cannot specifically activate advanced abilities independently.”
“The Wang family’s elder obviously has been studying the matter of knowing oneself and knowing one’s enemy for hundreds of years. The deeper one understands a particular lineage, whether for self-growth or targeting an opponent, the more strategic significance it holds. It’s safe to say this is one of the Wang family’s foundations, an invaluable treasure accumulated over generations of Wang family descendants.”
As Wanyue paced in front of the Jiang sisters, she pointed to the chart on the wall: “The four lineages marked with stars have the most complete information, including an entire set of internal and external cultivation methods from attendants to earls, as well as the usage of advanced abilities.”
“The remaining four lineages appeared in Hua country relatively late or do not have individuals above the rank of baron; hence, they only have internal and external cultivation subjects up to the baron level.”
With that, Wanyue paused, looking at the surprised faces of the Jiang sisters with a smile filled with temptation: “Well, it’s all a growth buffet; choose for yourselves!”
Jiang Yan quickly focused, carefully scanning the chart row by row, examining detailed descriptions of the lineage abilities that were far more detailed than those from the Arrow Training Center.
Siberian, Altai, Caucasian, Rhine—the four lineages had star markings and were complete in content. The remaining Iberian, British, Apennine, and Ganges only went up to baron levels.
“Incredible, I want them all!”
Jiang Yao, lacking patience, blurted out after reading through, and unsurprisingly received a light smack on the head from Wanyue.
“You two little monsters, you’re called mixed lineage, and you’re not, but the drawbacks of mixed lineage are quite apparent. It is unstable, leading to an inability to break through the baron threshold.”
“If not, theoretically, you have already met the requirements for promotion to baron, and even subconsciously can trigger several lineage abilities, but you simply can’t promote to baron openly.”
“I’ve said before, the advanced abilities of blood families are actually the controlled chemical process of internal and external hormones. Simply put, it’s about mastering and utilizing the ‘formula.’ Apart from the passive abilities that activate once the thresholds are reached, most baron abilities are simpler than those of earls.”
“On the surface, you are Siberian blood family, so mastering Siberian lineage abilities should have the lowest difficulty threshold and is a compulsory subject for you. As for the other lineages, each training method varies, placing different burdens on the body and thus increasing bodily instability.”
“So, I suggest you choose cautiously, don’t be too greedy. If you experience any discomfort during training, you must stop or even abandon it altogether.”
Jiang Yao was taken aback, running her fingers through her hair, a look of confusion on her face: “Unstable? What does that mean… is it that it can’t be controlled by oneself?”
Wanyue smiled gently, pointing at their bodies: “I can’t be sure if you really possess the complete and explicit genes of all lineages. Each blood family lineage has its own special internal and external hormones, but if multiple lineages’ special hormones appear in your bodies, there is a high chance of conflict and interference between them.”
“Imagine, a typical mixed lineage blood family could lose their chance to become a baron forever simply due to an incomplete dominant gene mutation from another lineage, indicating that such conflicts and interferences truly exist, caused by instability.”
“Your inability to control the release of capabilities is also a side confirmation of this. I personally speculate that each additional lineage ability means a significant increase in the difficulty of controlling internal and external hormones, and the conflicts and interferences among them become more apparent.”
“Do you know what the consequence of blood boiling chaos and ultimately losing control is?… It’s somewhat manageable above the rank of baron, but below baron, it can easily lead to irreversible bodily deformities and turn one into a true monster—that’s the harm of instability in extreme cases.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Yao shuddered, probably able to envision the irreversible permanent deformities and what they would look like. At the very least, she was unwilling to accept the kind of grotesque features resembling a ghoul like the Caucasian blood family.
Extreme instability might just be that huge lump of flesh… Unlike Jiang Yao, who was merely thinking of bodily deformities, Jiang Yan’s mind conjured an image of that plump mass from an underground factory in D City.
Could it be that one day, both Xiaoyao and I will also become like that…
The thought blew her mind; that level was beyond human or ghost. Jiang Yan shivered, her back bristling with goosebumps, and her expression turned markedly cautious and serious.
Alright, this is just a brief introduction to the lineage abilities, but nothing too special. You can take a photo with your phone, and later tonight, you two should think it over carefully; aside from the Siberian lineage, each of you should initially choose one lineage ability, and we’ll take it step by step.
With that, Wanyue gently tapped the small table, appearing exhausted, and gracefully exited the study.
In the bedroom, on the big bed, Jiang Yao was curled up around Jiang Yan like an octopus, their two little heads glued to a smartphone screen, completely engrossed.
Why are you getting so close? You’re almost crawling on top of me!
Jiang Yan furrowed her brow and forcefully yanked Jiang Yao’s snowy-white leg off her body. “If you want to watch, then watch properly, don’t rub against me!”
You keep shifting the phone to your left; I can’t see anything!
Jiang Yao complained as she shrunk back, her eyes still fixed on Jiang Yan’s hand holding the phone.
You have a phone too! Are you really depending on me to take pictures while you only focus on watching? Jiang Yan sighed, quickly tapped the screen, and sent some pictures to Jiang Yao. “Look at this first; we’ll discuss it together later.”
Oh… Jiang Yao grinned, reaching for her own phone from the side, looking a bit awkward. “Can’t you just choose for me? If you pick something, I’ll use that too.”
Our traits are different; a plan suitable for me might not showcase your strengths.
Jiang Yan directly extended her hand and pinched Jiang Yao’s cheek, enjoying the bouncy feel of her face.
The behavior of avoiding thinking as much as possible doesn’t seem to work anymore. Jiang Yao fell silent and obediently opened her phone, scanning through quickly.
Slowly, on the big bed, the Jiang sisters fell into a state of immersion, no longer communicating with each other.
After several minutes, Jiang Yan didn’t turn her head but nudged Jiang Yao with her arm. “Xiaoyao, I think we must be complete full lineage blood families; you see…”
These standard blood family lineage unique abilities we all have…
“Caucasian’s high speed, Altai’s explosiveness, Iberian’s high boiling blood threshold, Rhine’s high boiling blood stability, Apennine’s hormone stability immunity, Britain’s strong hematopoietic function…”
“Siberian and Ganges blood families actually lack lineage abilities; that’s a bit surprising…”
At this point, Jiang Yan suddenly halted her mouth because she realized Jiang Yao wasn’t responding at all. Turning around, she found Jiang Yao had actually fallen asleep!
“How can you still sleep with such a golden opportunity right in front of you?”
Jiang Yan felt a surge of anger, her face falling, and she reached for Jiang Yao’s nose, intending to block her breathing and force her to wake up.
Hovering her finger a millimeter from Jiang Yao’s button nose, after a few seconds, Jiang Yan sighed with a bitter smile and gave up on the little gesture, gently scratching the bridge of her nose instead.
Jiang Yao rubbed her nose, smacked her lips, then turned over, wrapping her arms around Jiang Yan’s waist, her thighs pressing down as she fell into a deep sleep.
Perhaps after a few hours of yoga breathing techniques had exhausted them too much, Xiaoyao simply couldn’t calm her mind… Seeing how deeply her sister slept, Jiang Yan couldn’t help but sigh.
Gently shifting Jiang Yao’s arms away from around her, Jiang Yan tidied up her sleep dress and carefully covered her with a blanket… Staring at her beautiful face as she slept, Jiang Yan smiled.
Sister Wanyue told me to learn more from Xiaoyao, but how could I possibly emulate her carefree and whimsical personality?
The soft and even sound of breathing floated by, and Jiang Yan didn’t know how long she had been watching Jiang Yao. Finally, after touching Jiang Yao’s face, she quietly got out of bed, putting on her fur-collared coat, dimming the lights in the bedroom, clutching her phone, and stepped onto the balcony.
“Not only unique talents of each lineage, but we might even have advanced passive abilities.”
With a flick of her finger, Jiang Yan zoomed in on the photos on her phone screen, examining them more closely.
“Caucasian blood family, earl’s advanced ability, passive, Steel Bone. Heavy metals enhance the hardness and toughness of the entire skeletal structure, manifested as a significant increase in bone density and weight for the same physique; it also requires a special diet; I and Xiaoyao seem to lack this…”
“Ganges blood family, earl’s advanced ability, passive, Regeneration. Hmm, this is very obvious for both Xiaoyao and me…”
“Altai blood family, baron’s advanced ability, passive, Night Body. At night, under weak ultraviolet light, the boiling blood threshold significantly increases and the explosiveness is further enhanced; this seems most apparent in Xiaoyao, I’m not too sure, but I should have it too…”
Any one of the three bloodline lineage’s advanced passive abilities could significantly boost battle power; this is likely what allowed both me and Xiaoyao to repeatedly win against stronger opponents.
Even without active abilities, possessing these three advanced passive abilities would basically allow one to crush the vast majority of baron-level blood families, and even provide a challenge to viscounts.
Staring at her phone screen, Jiang Yan felt her heart warm. However, passive abilities ultimately only embellish overall combat power and are not the decisive killing move at critical moments.
After mumbling about the passive abilities, Jiang Yan shifted her focus to the most crucial active abilities.
“I have more practical experience and a more balanced overall ability than Xiaoyao, so I should choose more diverse attack methods.”
“Xiaoyao is more extreme, preferring close-range assaults, just like her weapon choice, unwilling to consider the flexibility of tactics.”
Her gaze carefully scanned through the advanced active abilities of each blood family lineage, Jiang Yan fell into contemplation but began to outline a general direction.
