Chapter 186 — Strange Happenings at the Ancient Capital University

With the point-adding complete, Shi Jin collapsed straight away, flopping onto the bed like a salted fish.

"Ehh..." Beside him, Ginseng Baby wiped its sweat too.

Only Buggy, still in cocoon form, closed its eyes and released telekinesis, quietly sensing the changes the maxed-out skill had wrought upon it.

Without waiting for Shi Jin to ask, Buggy relayed to him all the proficiency changes it could currently perceive.

It felt that its control over telekinesis was now higher, that it could better capture elemental particles; beyond that, the duration of sustained telekinetic release was now nearly limitless—hard to interrupt by outside factors until its spiritual power was exhausted. But exactly how to use it, it felt, would still require experimentation.

Shi Jin sat up and said, "Higher, is it? Then control the weather with telekinesis, modify memories, control thoughts, create things from will to affect reality."

Buggy's eyes went wide.

That made sense.

"You lie down too. We'll research it after evolution—don't waste too much stamina. Also... since your endurance is now nearly limitless, try afterward to see how high your Telekinetic Domain can extend upward. When you can shroud meteoric iron beyond the atmosphere with telekinesis and drag it down, that'll be real skill..."

Using telekinesis to raise tsunamis, trigger earthquakes, control the weather, modify memories, control thoughts—these were all staples of movies. Only in reality, few pet beasts could reach such absurd heights. The former feats were manageable; the further along, the harder they became.

Controlling weather, pulling down meteors, modifying memories, controlling thoughts—all belonged to the realm of the ideal, demanding far too high a proficiency.

Besides, for controlling weather, wouldn't a weather skill do? For modifying memories, wouldn't a hypnosis skill do? Telekinesis was rated low-tier precisely because it was too basic.

Powerful as it was, and malleable as it was, it was hard to develop. By comparison, many high-tier skills could produce the same effects, accomplishing the corresponding tasks at a much easier cost.

That did not mean psychokinesis could not do it, though. Shi Jin tossed a few formidable future tasks Buggy's way.

Among them, the one Shi Jin most looked forward to was pulling down a meteor...

Of course, with Buggy's current Commander-level strength, that was probably a bit—just a tiny bit—difficult. Pulling down a meteor, no matter how high one's psychokinesis proficiency, seemed impossible without at least Totem-level.

"Chirp!!!" Buggy's telepathic voice rang out, brimming with excitement. You got it.

It was overjoyed right now.

Max-level psychokinesis felt far superior to Leader's max-level Hardening—higher ceiling, and far more impressive.

Judging by current ceilings, that was indeed the case. The true marvel of max-level Hardening was that Eleven could use it to forge all manner of divine weapons and treasures.

Max-level Hardening could already persist long-term outside Eleven's body. In other words, as long as Eleven's strength was theoretically great enough, it could forge armor and weapons of absurd durability and keep them intact for ten, a hundred, a thousand, even ten thousand years.

No wonder it was the mount of Chi You, Lord of Weapons...

If that were its only effect, it would surely be inferior to psychokinesis.

But one property of max-level Hardening—its growth potential—granted it infinite possibilities. So which skill was truly superior would depend on how the two beasts developed them going forward.

"Even max-level low-tier skills are this formidable. Then a max-level ultra-tier skill—surely that could rival a divine skill..."

Shi Jin lay back down again.

As for Buggy, though Shi Jin had told it to rest, it was far too excited to sleep.

Buggy began showing off to Ginseng Baby again. Max-level psychokinesis—pretty impressive, huh?

Wasn't this way better than max-level Sweet Aroma, max-level Hardening, max-level Nutrients, and Bloodfury?

"Eeh." Ginseng Baby curled its lip. What's so special about that? It was all thanks to me, wasn't it?

"Eeh! (Impressive, sure—but your Ice Dragon Whisker's gone. I just saw Crimson Eye carry it off to use as a pillow.)" Ginseng Baby twisted the knife.

Buggy: ??!!

...

Early the next morning.

Shi Jin rose from bed feeling thoroughly refreshed.

Little Sword Spirit was still asleep atop its pile of ice, Buggy was still sleeping in the beast-taming space, and even Ginseng Baby and Eleven were in Absolute Sleep—which left Shi Jin slightly taken aback.

He was the first one up today?

The other three, fine. But Eleven was asleep too.

Had yesterday's gravity chamber training really been that exhausting?

All of yesterday afternoon, Eleven had trained under high gravity in its restrained state.

Shi Jin thought it over. Flying against gravity using electromagnetic levitation, while also resisting the energy blasts the gravity chamber emitted with its own body and super-vision, and healing itself on top of all that—no wonder the pressure had been immense.

Sleep, then. Sleep.

"Eeh..." After Shi Jin woke, Ginseng Baby was the second to stir groggily.

"Eeh..." Ginseng Baby rubbed its eyes. Shi Jin had no classes today, but it did.

Ginseng Baby's little hands fumbled for its student card.

Shi Jin had applied for two student cards from the Battle Club—one for Eleven, one for Ginseng Baby.

Eleven's was for unlocking all the various training facilities.

Ginseng Baby's was for sitting in on all sorts of advanced courses.

The hundreds of millions of scent variations contained in max-level Sweet Aroma had opened the door to botany and scent studies for Ginseng Baby.

Some scents could strip an overlord Gemcat of its ability to resist, plunging it into blissful stupor; others could drive dragon-type creatures into frenzy and berserk states. Knowledge of such wonders left Ginseng Baby deeply awed.

Compared to Eleven and Buggy, who got headaches from exam knowledge, Ginseng Baby had tasted its sweetness—and discovered the wondrous use of knowledge in battle.

Under Eleven's coaxing, it no longer resisted reading books!

Eleven was right. This stuff might really make you stronger. This was the secret manual to power!

After careful deliberation, Ginseng Baby made a grand decision concerning its ginseng destiny.

Since it couldn't outgrind Eleven in training intensity, outevolve Buggy in evolution count, or outmatch the newly joined Little Sword Spirit in species potential, it would stop banging its head against that wall. It had found its own ginseng creed.

Knowledge changes destiny!

It would take a different path—temporarily reclassing from Battle Ginseng to University Ginseng, and even evolving into Research Ginseng, Doctor Ginseng.

"Are you sure you don't need me to take you to class...?" Shi Jin eyed the Ginseng Baby doubtfully.

"Ehh!!!" The Ginseng Baby shook its head frantically. If Eleven could go on his own, so could it. It was no longer a child.

As for human language, its grasp was already no worse than that of an elementary school Ginseng Baby; sitting in on a class would be no problem at all.

"I'm just afraid some beast will snatch you up on the way there..." The corner of Shi Jin's mouth twitched.

Σ(°△°|||)︴ The Ginseng Baby was startled.

"Just kidding. If you want to go by yourself, fine—I've already asked a Gem Cat clone to keep an eye on you from the shadows. Remember to pay the fee yourself." Shi Jin chuckled.

The Ginseng Baby breathed a sigh of relief and gave its assurance: no problem!

A short while later, the Ginseng Baby set off with its little schoolbag on its back, leaving Shi Jin alone, sunk in thought.

Good heavens, his own beasts were getting stranger and stranger.

Thank goodness Buggy and Little Red Eye weren't kicking up any fuss for the time being...