After reading the contents of the scroll, he realized the method was quite easy to memorize, but since the description was sparse, he knew he would probably need several attempts to master the technique described on it. So, he stood up, placed the scroll on the chair, and inhaled deeply.

"Do you want to try it?" the elder asked.

"Yes, I think this method is exactly what I need," he replied with an excited heart.

"Oh? You don't need this necklace? That method is actually only a meditation technique. Only when paired with this necklace can it be used to cultivate."

Liu Xing noticed the elder holding the necklace near his heart. He didn't know if this was an unconscious gesture, but it seemed the necklace was precious to him.

"I'll try the meditation method first."

The elder nodded and gave him space.

Liu Xing closed his eyes and adjusted his stance. Then, he began to move. With an open palm, he struck the air, then pulled back smoothly and unleashed another palm strike with his other hand. From this, he began to move, unleashing palm strikes, kicks, and even punches. There was no specific rhythm; he just wanted to move with slow, relaxing motions. As he moved, he began to feel his body. The method stated that the key to meditation was focusing the mind on one thing. This differed slightly from his usual meditation, which required emptying his mind. Then, he began to apply the peculiar method described. The creator of this technique, the farmer, had said that chanting a poem would make it easier, but only a beautiful poem appreciating the trees, the sky, the earth, and nature would do. The point was to be grateful for living in a bountiful land.

He decided not to chant a poem. He didn't actually remember any poems and couldn't compose one. Luckily, it wasn't a problem. The core principle of this meditation technique was not chanting poems, but being aware and grateful for the nature around him. There were intricacies to this method, but this aspect was somewhat similar to the usual method of meditation, so he hoped it wouldn't be too different.

Liu Xing kept moving, trying to settle his heart, opening all his senses to the world around him. The smell of old books and dusty scrolls, the very faint wind circling the library, the warmth of the cozy room. Then, he began to think about everything that had happened.

The worst time of his life had been when he first transmigrated to this world. He had felt like a blind man suddenly thrust into navigating an unknown ocean. Even with the real Liu Xing's memories available for him to digest, it had still been hard. Things had gradually improved until he met Nui, and then his life had turned upside down.

As he kicked and punched, he began to think about the good things that had happened to him.

At first, he thought the good things had only happened after he acquired the gun, but that hadn't been the case.

He suddenly remembered the busy yet lonely airport. Only Joni had been there, with dark bags under his eyes, red-rimmed eyes, an oily face, and hair so messy it looked like a bird's nest. This had happened after Joni had finally succeeded in putting the bastard who had accidentally killed Mamat in jail. The culprit, the son of an army general, had stolen a truck on a reckless dare to prove his manliness. What followed had been a long and grueling ordeal as they had worked tirelessly to expose him while being relentlessly targeted by thugs sent to intimidate and harm. To expose the truth and pressure the authorities into action, Joni had devised an elaborate series of videos posing as a treasure hunt, subtly revealing the details of the incident and forcing the police to prosecute the real culprit.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Isn't it sad? You're going to Japan, and only me, a dude, came to see you off," Joni had said with a little smile. He was still tired and sad, but William knew that at the very least, his heart felt at ease.

"Yeah, people might think we're gay."

Joni had laughed and slapped his knee. It wasn't particularly funny, yet he and Joni had smiled. Then they laughed—long and hard. Then, he didn't know who had started first, but they began to cry. They had an ugly cry. Tears and snot flowed like rivers. Joni commented on how stupid his own face looked, and he too insulted how messy Joni's appearance was. Their laughter dissolved into tears, and their tears gave way to more laughter.

It was so sad. They had been a group of four. But at that time, only two remained. And even then, they would go their separate ways. He was going to Japan, and Joni was going to study law. But as he boarded the plane, William's heart had felt unexpectedly light. He was deeply grateful to his friends, thanking them from the bottom of his heart. Without them, he would have been six feet underground even before he finished high school, having fallen from a high-rise apartment by his own accord. He felt grateful that their parting, though not ideal, had left him with happy memories, his ears still ringing with their laughter.

All of that had briefly ended when the plane he boarded plummeted into an ocean, had been buried when he tried to adapt himself to a new world, and had emerged again when Nui came back and told him that, while they were in different places now, they were still alive and kicking, each navigating their new treacherous worlds.

He inhaled deeply, two tears traced paths down his cheeks—one for the sadness, one for the gratitude he felt to still be alive, to have met Nui, to know that his friends were alive, and grateful that he had the opportunity to help them, even in an entirely different world.

He exhaled slowly and felt his body move like flowing water, his mind and body moving in perfect sync. With each movement, he began to feel an opening—a hole to his consciousness—that widened as he flowed. Then the opening gradually settled, becoming a calm, steady presence within him.

Soon, Liu Xing could see his cultivation. The imagery of a ball of lightning, bound with silver chains, and sealed by seven locks. When he realized that his seventh lock, the last one he needed to open, was almost full, Liu Xing's eyes widened in disbelief. His concentration shattered, and he stumbled.

"What happened?" he blurted out.

Elder Yang Zhaoyan walked toward him with his hands behind his back, his expression serene. "Congratulations on attaining an enlightenment. It is a rare and remarkable achievement."

Liu Xing's mouth opened wide. He knew about enlightenment; there were many tales of it. It was said that when someone gained enlightenment, they could instantly gain deeper comprehension of a technique, have an epiphany, or even break through into the next realm. People said that one couldn't become an Immortal without enlightenment. To think that he had experienced enlightenment... How was that possible? After all, without his gun, he was a normal cultivator.

Soon after, his confused face shifted into a bright smile. While he felt that it was rather abrupt, he didn't hate it. He knew sooner or later he would advance to the seventh stage, but to think it would come so soon made him feel as if the world was suddenly behind him and supporting him.

Liu Xing wanted to sit and cultivate, but the elder suddenly snapped his head toward the doors. His eyes narrowed and his expression turned serious, as if sensing enemies outside.

Seeing this, Liu Xing's heart continued hammering, but now with anxiety.

"What's the matter?" Liu Xing asked.

"Let's go," the elder replied, not offering any explanation.

"Was it anenemy?" Liu Xing wondered. He didn't utter a single word. Instead, he followed the elder, who walked briskly toward the doors.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.