Chapter 127: Parents Are the Same the World Over

The receptionist assumed that Zhang Ning’s father had brought him out for a trip, only to run into an acquaintance along the way and, in a moment of uncharacteristic carelessness, entrusted his young son with the money to book a room.

Since the hotel was located right next to a popular tourist attraction, rooms were indeed in high demand. The receptionist fully bought Zhang Ning’s story, though she couldn't help but remark, "Your father is quite laid-back. I thought all parents in the world were equally worried about their children."

Zhang Ning smiled but said nothing, walking straight out of the hotel. However, as he began looking for a place to eat, a growing sense of unease settled over him, causing his face to turn pale. She was right—all parents are the same. Why would his Master be so unconcerned about him?

Zhang Ning finally realized where the dissonance came from. Chu Hanyu was clearly not the type of Master in the Azure Realm who would simply let his disciple fend for himself. Zhang Ning knew from the way Chu Hanyu had treated him all this time that his Master was a patient and gentle person. Even if he sometimes appeared indifferent on the surface, he had never been this lax with him back in the Azure Realm; how could he possibly be so relaxed now that they were in an unfamiliar world?

And why did he only show me his head... Could something be wrong with his body? Zhang Ning was struck by a sudden, chilling realization.

The small world Zhang Ning had visited previously was considered one with strict "rules," but the rules of other worlds were not necessarily any more lenient. While the rules varied greatly from world to world, one thing was likely constant across all realms: the stronger the individual, the greater the suppression they faced when entering a different world.

Zhang Ning didn't even dare to continue that train of thought. He began to frantically search his memory for any way to contact his Master.

The shoulder blade tap? That definitely wouldn't work. His Master had said to use it only in times of danger; it might just be a purely offensive technique without any communication function. Even if Zhang Ning forced it to act as a means of communication, phone calls could be ignored, and since the technique was provided by Chu Hanyu, if his Master didn't want him to know his condition, there would be no way to force it.

So, what could he do? Was there a way to contact his Master that he couldn't refuse? Zhang Ning racked his brain, then suddenly jumped up, exclaiming in surprise, "Yes! There is! There really is!"

Avoiding the crowd, Zhang Ning formed his hands into a triangle and centered his focus deep within his mind.

He had just remembered a way to reach Chu Hanyu. Before the ceremony, he had briefly reviewed the gifts he had received. For such large-scale events, many gifts were sent in advance to help arrange seating based on their significance, followed by a public announcement segment.

Beyond that, close friends and associates often sent particularly precious or unique gifts privately, regardless of their public value. To his surprise, Zhang Ning had received one such gift.

According to his subordinates, it had arrived some time ago. Curious, Zhang Ning had opened it. It was sent in the name of the Meng siblings, but Zhang Ning knew it must have been prepared by Meng Xinglei.

After learning the true value of the gift, Zhang Ning had privately marveled at Meng Xinglei’s talent at such a young age. It was said that he possessed a natural aptitude for the primordial spirit and had been studying under the Immortal Venerable "Golden Radiance Vast Sea." Looking at this, it was clear that he hadn't been wasting his time.

The gift consisted of Meng Xinglei’s refined primordial spirit energy, which had many uses. If used solely for communication, it actually held more advantages than other methods. Zhang Ning hadn't intended to use it this way at first—after all, he had his system—but who would have expected that when push came to shove, the streaming system would crash, leaving him with only this gift.

Fortunately, Zhang Ning hadn't stored the gift in the system’s inventory but had instead "stuck" it directly onto his own soul. He had done so because he hadn't yet cultivated a true primordial spirit, and having practiced soul arts during his previous journey through the small worlds, it had been a stroke of pure luck that he still had it with him.

"My thanks, Brother Meng!" Zhang Ning thought to himself.

After activating the primordial spirit technique, Zhang Ning felt himself become a small dot on a radar. On the entire display, there were only two points—himself and one other. He had successfully contacted Chu Hanyu. "Master? Master!" he called out in his mind.

Unsure of Chu Hanyu’s condition, Zhang Ning didn't dare to ask directly if he was injured. He waited intently for a reply, and after a long moment, he heard Chu Hanyu’s hesitant voice. "Zhang Ning?" The voice transmitted via the primordial spirit sounded exactly like Chu Hanyu’s own, yet it carried a trace of exhaustion. Zhang Ning’s heart sank, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Master, where are you exactly?"

Chu Hanyu replied vaguely, "In a mountain... This is... wait, is this Meng Xinglei’s technique? What happened?"

"In a mountain? Which one?"

Zhang Ning pondered for a moment and then bluffed, "I just wanted to talk to you... that is..."

"Stay calm, get information! You have to get information!" Zhang Ning urged himself. "Master, you're in the mountains? That's great! The kid I'm possessing is in an alleyway, and it really gave me a scare... What kind of mountain is it? What's around there? Is the scenery nice?"

Chu Hanyu was silent for a moment due to the trivial nature of the conversation before cutting him off firmly. "Enough. I told you I would come find you after a while. Take care of yourself." With that, Zhang Ning felt the connection "disconnect." Clearly, Chu Hanyu had severed the communication.

Zhang Ning didn't doubt for a second that his Master had such ability. With a title like the "Myriad Phenomenon Demon Venerable," it was only logical that he would understand primordial spirit techniques. He still sounded authoritative, but Zhang Ning was no longer the novice he could easily brush off!

Without hesitation, Zhang Ning ran toward a nearby convenience store.

The gift Meng Xinglei had sent came not only with the energy itself but also with thoughtful instructions on how to use it. If they were back on Water Blue Star, Meng Xinglei would undoubtedly be the type of man everyone would want to marry. Zhang Ning had already been using the technique to pinpoint Chu Hanyu’s approximate location.

He knew he had to find his Master immediately. His condition must be very poor; that weary voice was certainly no coincidence, and the reality might be even worse. Fortunately, his Master wasn't worlds away. Zhang Ning bought two bottles of mineral water from the store, tucked them into his backpack, and looked into the distance.

His Master was right there, in the mountain within the scenic area!