Finally sated temporarily with their energy, I released the girls and asked about their training wrap-up:
"So, completed all missions?" At my question, they glowed with pride.
"Of course! Found the Amber Woodpecker egg just last night, but on time!" TuTu declared, chin high.
"We aced all missions. Got the Rainbow Thrush bone powder?" Lin Lin asked stoically.
"What a question. Of course! Bet we could ask extra for this quality." Smiling, I pulled the container from my spatial ring.
"Perfect—that'll shine in our files." Lin Lin nodded, hesitating before her next words—very uncharacteristic.
"...Mu Bai, I know it's not my business, but I couldn't miss that TuTu and Jiao Jiao's control far exceeds fresh High-level mages. Can't blame genius—TuTu, as I learned, wasn't shining before you." Head down, fingers twisting nervously, Lin Lin spilled.
"Hey!" TuTu huffed indignantly, glancing guiltily at me like Jiao Jiao. Embarrassed their new talent got spotted. Not their fault—Lin Lin watches 24/7; hard to hide.
"And what're you getting at?" I raised a questioning brow. No way Lin Lin was blackmailing—wrong personality.
"Not prying secrets—don't think that! Every mage family has things they don't share. But... if you have something for my situation, I'd be grateful and repay fully." Lin Lin finally met my eyes.
They gleamed with plea. Her emotions swirled: humility, hope, panic, more. Good her low cultivation let the Mind Stone raise her to third boundary only—her turmoil couldn't hide from my senses. She was grasping this like a drowning woman her last straw.
"Actually, I lied—it's not late awakening talent, but anti-talent: total inability to cultivate. Didn't wanna say earlier—mages treat normals like second-class. But after so much time with you, I opened up." She kept confessing.
"Wait—so you think I can fix it?" I asked, puzzled at her logic. Too few arguments.
"...Five percent chance. My most optimistic estimate." Lin Lin sighed heavily, head dropping again.
"But hope exists! I'm... tired of being useless! Yes, I know lots and fill a key team role. But I feel like dead weight when protected from monsters, unable to do anything. Literally nothing! I want change. Be more than the info girl." Lin Lin's fists clenched so hard a protective barrier formed. Without it, blood would've flowed.
Man, clear canon/past-life differences, but logical. Canon Lin Lin knew her time hadn't come and accepted her info role. This version, unable to ever cast, caught complexes.
After our tactician's outburst, silence fell. Lin Lin eyed me with undimmed hope. TuTu and Jiao Jiao tore between friend-worry and secret-exposure fear. I just thought.
Removing Lin Lin's anti-talent? Piece of cake. Wu Tu couldn't remove his own, nor the Mu clan ritual—both based on origin. Others? No issue for me.
Pros of agreeing? Old Bao eternally grateful for saving future granddaughter—a Forbidden Curse debtor's no joke. Lin Lin's personality appeals too, beyond her loyalty outvaluing Bao's errands. Easier raising fighters than brains—especially with my help.
Cons? Minor. Wu Tu operated openly without hassle till overstepping—and I help only trusted folks discreetly. Lin Lin won't betray; old Bao can shoulder "miracle cure" blame.
A mage his caliber can do much—recall his past work, connections. "Mastodon helped granddaughter—who knows how." Few know her true issue anyway.
Speeding awakening's weaker than anti-talent removal. With resources, doable. Key: soul integrity. Fits her boosted boundaries perfectly.
"Fine, I'll help. No payment talk—know your character, and we're friends. No nondisclosure contract either—even toughest bypassed by sly High-levels; your grandpa handles worse. No point wasting time." At my nod, Lin Lin's face blazed joy, tears flowing.
"Thanks thanks thanks thanks!" She jumped, hugging me tight, sobbing on my chest.
"There there, no crying—better sleep a bit." I gently knocked her out. Help's help, but no showing exact "cure"—she's not my girl. Let her puzzle it.
Laying her head on my lap, I pressed palm to forehead. Under my girls' curious gazes, focusing, I extracted her awakening-block anti-talent from her spiritual world—triggering avalanche changes. Namely, her first element began forming in her spiritual world. I let it; if dark spectrum, I'd dispel and awaken something else.
A couple of seconds later, right before my eyes, the Star Dust of the fire element unfolded in her Inner World. True... it was very dim and barely rotating. It seemed like the little stars were living their last days, they were so sluggish. Usually, elements like that belonged to those with literally zero talent for Cultivation.
Well, I won't upset Ling Ling ahead of time. Maybe I'm even wrong, and everything will be fine with her. I'm a scholar of sorts now too, but my plane of knowledge lies in poisonous compositions, so this could easily be a temporary side effect after long suppression of her awakening.
"So, girls, she's fine. Ling Ling is just tired and will sleep another couple of hours, so let's not waste time and fly back to Hangzhou. I'll carry her in my arms," Spreading my artifact Wings, I glanced back at the girls to make sure they were following me, and flew toward the city.
From there, on White Eagles, we'll head back to Shanghai and go see Director Xiao. And I need to call my "sugar mommy" too, considering what's brewing there.
Eh, the showdown with the Black Church is getting closer and closer. I really don't want to get involved. But there's this word – duty.