Chapter 52
Sidestep, tyrannical fist, and a crouching leg sweep.
Then… both hands as fists, hammer strike.
Basic Fist, Number Six!
After this step was completed, Song Shuhang was already an arrow at the end of its path. His body tottered from intense weariness and exhaustion.
Frankly, a mortal with no basic training reaching this point was quite impressive. Based on Medicine Master’s estimation, it would be very difficult to brace past the fifth move for Song Shuhang.
Yet, Song Shuhang looked as if he could still press on!
‘However, the Body Tempering Liquid in Shuhang’s body is just about fully consumed… oh, yes, it’s already been twenty hours since he drank the Body Tempering Liquid. His body originally had some remaining medicinal liquid, it should have been consumed completely when he reached the fifth move.’ Medicine Master took out a small porcelain bottle from his bosom, it was the Simplified Body Tempering Liquid Song Shuhang helped him refine. ‘If he replenishes Body Tempering Liquid midway, would he be able to endure longer? Little Friend Shuhang, let me see the limits of your will. If you can finish the entire set of fist technique without a break, then the value of the Simplified Body Tempering Liquid will go up even more than two times.’
After a short while, when Song Shuhang finished ‘Basic Fist Number Six,’ Medicine Master yelled, “Little Friend Shuhang, open your mouth!”
Song Shuhang, muddle-headed, instinctively opened his mouth.
A small pellet of black medicinal liquid shot out by Medicine Master landed in his mouth.
Suddenly, an explosive pain and heat came from his throat!
Immediately, the explosive medicinal liquid turned into a lukewarm energy, then traveled from his throat all the way to his lower abdomen. It made his stomach feel comfortably warm to the point of wanting to moan.
Body Tempering Liquid? Song Shuhang immediately understood.
The new medicinal power surged explosively within. The immense medicinal effect was on the verge of blowing him up, but at the same time, it gave him unlimited power.
Under the support of abundant medicinal power, Basic Fist Number Seven was smoothly executed.
Next were Basic Fist Number Eight, and Nine!
He executed it like hot knife going through butter.
The expanding medicinal power made Song Shuhang unable to resist issuing a light roar. He wouldn’t be content without letting it out.
He recited the fist scripture formula in a low and strong voice. His fist moved with his will, and his will moved with his body.
Every fist technique wore out Song Shuhang more, but as long as he endured past it, the medicinal power of the ‘Body Tempering Liquid’ within would replenish his stamina, erasing the feeling of fatigue.
‘Press on, I must press on till the entire ❮Basic Buddhist Fist Technique❯ is over!’
Song Shuhang had only this thought in mind.
At last… he finished all eighteen moves of ❮Basic Buddhist Fist Technique❯!
Inside his body, qi and blood overflowed.
His body glowed slightly red as if the scorching hot qi and blood was about to burst from his every pore.
Finished, qi and blood are overflowing! Song Shuhang formed fists, firmly repressing his desire to roar towards the sky. This was the male dorm rooftop, long roars and random screams would bring unnecessary trouble.
The corners of Medicine Master’s mouth rose up, expressing his great satisfaction.
For him to go through the entire ❮Basic Buddhist Fist Technique❯ from start to finish was truly unexpected.
“Very good, now take advantage of the overflowing qi and blood before it turns cold and runs off! Sit cross-legged and cultivate ❮True Self Meditation Scripture❯!” He immediately reminded Song Shuhang.
In the world of cultivation, meditation methods were like stars in the sky—too many to enumerate.
However, all meditation methods came down to highly focusing the consciousness and turning it into a wisp of mental energy.
Mental energy and the energy in the body were fundamentals of cultivation techniques.
Under normal conditions, the qi and blood in the body were not voluntarily controlled by the mind. Only after focusing mental energy could one guide and work the qi and blood in the body.
Other than that, when the qi and blood transformed into true qi or even higher levels of energy, an equivalent level of mental energy was needed to guide and control it.
Otherwise, when mental energy was not up to par, one would be easily possessed by a devil, unable to control the energy in their body properly. Precisely because of that cultivators frequently meditate in seclusion, and live like mortals to raise their mental energy.
Furthermore, based on different meditation techniques, the mental energy cultivators formed would be different. Some had mental energy like the silent darkness, and some had mental energy that’s ferocious like a tiger or a lion, while others might have mental energy that was serene like an ancient tree. This was all due to the difference in meditation techniques, and it was not an isolated case.
❮True Self Meditation Scripture❯ used meditation to contemplate ‘True Self,’ it eliminated all distracting thoughts and made mental power like an old dried up well, highly condensing, and turning it into mental energy.
Song Shuhang breathed deeply, calming the agitation in his mind, sat cross-legged, and initiated the final step.
He recited the contents of the ❮True Self Meditation Scripture❯ using the meditation technique in his mind to form his ‘True Self.’
Although the Jingang Temple was Buddhist, the True Self in True Self Meditation Scripture differed from the self of Eight Freedoms spoken of in Buddhism.
The True Self meant, as it is, the genuine self. The meditation technique formed the genuine self inside the mind.
This ‘True Self’ was not always the same. It changed with the cultivator’s age, life experience, cultivation techniques, and status.
It could be an ordinary child, a white-clothed sword cultivator, a fierce blade cultivator, an amiable senior, an ordinary man in the world of mortals, or even a blood-lusting demon because of hatred and resentment. The True Self formed by ❮True Self Meditation Scripture❯ would change along with the cultivator’s progress, achievements, or changes he undergoes.
Compared to other meditation techniques, ❮True Self Meditation Scripture❯ would not have the unparalleled ferocity of a lion or a tiger, or the serenity of an ancient tree, nor the vast silence of the starry sky; on the other hand, ❮True Self Meditation Scripture❯ would be the most suitable meditation technique for ‘oneself,’ because it was the ‘True Self.’
‘Then, what kind of person would I, Song Shuhang be?’ Shuhang thought.
Would his ‘True Self’ be the unparalleled chivalrous swordsman he had once desired to be?
Or would it turn into a cultivator with heavenly aura because of his exposure to the world of cultivation?
It probably would not be a demon, right? His life has been average, and he’s never formed any resentment or enmity with others…
If not that, would it be a real handsome version of himself?
As he thought, the recital of ❮True Self Meditation Scripture❯ was over, and Song Shuhang felt a wave of clearmindedness.
A silhouette formed in his sea of thoughts, or sea of consciousness, so to speak.
First were the crossed legs, and then were the arms, the waist… all the way up…
It was entirely like a 3D printer printing a human figure in his mind.
What sort of me would it be exactly?
Song Shuuhang was filled with anticipation.
Illuminating the genuine ‘self’ through meditation!
In his extreme anticipation, the ‘True Self’ formed deep in his consciousness.
How should it be described?
Surprisingly normal!
‘True Self’ and Song Shuhang were identical. It wore black casual pants, sat cross-legged, and wore a warm smile.
Illuminating the ‘True Self’ through meditation.
Such a normal ‘True Self’ should be a mortal, right? Is this telling me that I’m still just an extremely normal mortal?
It was no time for more thoughts; as the ‘True Self’ formed, Song Shuhang’s distractions were eliminated. All his mental energy focused, and with the support of ❮True Self Meditation Scripture❯, the first wisp of pure mental energy was born.
Once the mental energy formed, Song Shuhang followed the meditation technique’s guidance, and started to lead his overflowing qi and blood, guiding it into his ‘Heart Aperture.’
Heart Aperture was where the heart resided. However, the Heart Aperture was not the heart, but an aperture where the heart lay. Intangible, even if the human body was dissected, the ‘Heart Aperture’s’ location would not be seen. Yet, it was still there!
The overflowing qi and blood Song Shuhang had was plentiful. Under the mental energy formed by the ‘True Self,’ the overflowing qi and blood surged towards the Heart Aperture from all areas of the body.
As the process continued, the heat in the body dissipated. It felt like going under the cold air of an air conditioner after the caress of the sun in a hot summer day, penetratingly cool and extremely comfortable.
Not knowing how much time had passed, under the guidance of ‘True Self’s’ mental energy, the overflowing qi and blood all fused into the Heart Aperture. Song Shuhang only felt warmth in his heart, and that it was beating strongly.
Yep, sounds like a healthy heart —Song Shuhang nodded— it’s great not to have heart disease.