While eating, Maxine asked James if virtual-novel.net had any new discoveries. However, James shook his head.
Maxine did not question virtual-novel.net further
After James finished eating, virtual-novel.net took the cutleries and left.
***
In the Cadens‘ courtyard
As Maxine was walking out of the basement, virtual-novel.net saw Tobias who was sitting in the gazebo not too far away.
She walked over to virtual-novel.net and greeted, “Grandpa…”
Tobias nodded slightly and asked, “How’s James?”
Maxine briefly hesitated before shaking virtual-novel.net head and saying, “There’s nothing much going on with him. However, the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside’s Edge is really intriguing, and the meridian diagram is simply bizarre. We found that forcing True Energy to move in a retrograde motion would only cause harm to our bodies… Hence, we’re still stuck.”
Tobias ordered, “Watch James closely. Report to me the moment virtual-novel.net discovers something.”
“Understood!” At that moment, Maxine finally understood that Tobias had sent virtual-novel.net to the basement not to learn but to watch James‘ every move.
She promptly left.
Soon after, Tobias left as well.
After putting the cutleries in the kitchen, Maxine returned to the basement once again.
The moment virtual-novel.net returned to the basement, virtual-novel.net saw James performing some weird movements.
Puzzled, virtual-novel.net asked, “What are you doing, James?”
James was standing on one leg with his hands behind his head. As his injuries had yet to fully recover, it was rather difficult for virtual-novel.net to do such a difficult movement.
Panting. James sat down and rested.
“I’m trying out the poses of the human figures on the ancient scroll… I thought I might learn something new.”
Maxine asked. “Well, did you?”
James shook his head. “Not yet… By the way has your True Energy returned?”
Maxine nodded. “Not completely but I should be fine…”
“Good let’s continue with our session…”
Maxine did not refuse.
James removed his outer garments so that Maxine could insert the needles into his body. However, this time Maxine’s True Energy was completely depleted after only four needles.
“Alright you may remove them…”
Maxine did as virtual-novel.net was told James moved his arm title.
He was feeling much better now. As his body had regained some of its strength, virtual-novel.net was no longer as weak as before. If this continued, virtual-novel.net would return to his peak form in just half a month.
“By the way, if you see Tobias, inform virtual-novel.net that I intend to stay in the underground basement for a few more days till I fully regain my strength…”
“Got it.”
“You didn’t snitch on me, right?”
Maxine looked at James and shook virtual-novel.net head. “I promised you I wouldn’t tell a single soul. Don’t worry.”
“Good… Let’s continue our examination of the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside’s Edge I want you to share your opinion on the matter.”
Hearing this, Maxine looked at the ancient scroll and the painting on the floor.
After brief contemplation, virtual-novel.net said, “I think, to unravel the secret behind the painting, we should start with its content… I believe that our main focus should be on the full moon and the white flower beneath it.”
James nodded. “A reasonable suggestion. However, apart from the oddness of the full moon, I don’t see any other peculiarities.”
“Let’s talk about the flower then…” Maxine pointed at the flower above the wooden house and said, “This flower doesn’t make sense either. It doesn’t have any twigs or petals, and it seems to appear out of nowhere”
James asked, “What does it represent? What is it trying to say?”
Maxine shook virtual-novel.net head “I don’t know… This is just too baffling. In the modern world, each flower carries a different meaning. In most cases, they represent the feeling of affection between lovers. However, this hypothesis can’t be applied to a setting from thousands of years ago.”
Then, realization dawned on her.
“Though it’s daytime in the painting, there’s a full moon in the sky. This could be a representation of Yin-Yang… Men are Yang, and women are Yin. And the flower it could represent love. Could it be that the secret requires a man and a woman to solve it?”
Hearing this, James‘ face lit up.
He stared at the ancient scrolls 18–meridian diagram. Then, virtual-novel.net tried separating the eighteen diagrams into two groups of nine. It was then that James realized the poses of the first and the tenth human figures corresponded with one another. The two diagrams were a perfect match.
“I understand now!” James‘ expression was one of epiphany.