Thanks. Hey guys, its Jason. I’ll be taking over from the next chapter!
(Author: Hey, Jas. Can you please let me tell it?
Jason: Uh…
Author: Please, hmm? Please…
Jason: Hah…okay…Here, take it, quick, before Al sees.
*Hand mic*
Author: Thank youuu. *Hides away with it*
Alice: Hey!
Jason: Leave it okay…we should have an outsider tell it as it is instead of being subjective with it.
Alice: Ugh…fine! Poser.
Jason: HEY!
Alice: Traitor!
Jason: Come on!
Alice: Whatever.)
Now, that that’s over…let’s continue with the story!
The chief stretched his arms, put his hand behind his back and said confidently, 'Alright, this should be easier and quicker than expected, at least...okay, it's decided. I shall help you form your core. After that, I'll explain everything.'
The group looked on in anticipation for what's to come.
He slowly walked to a cupboard and brought out a piece of cloth, leaving the group confused as to his intentions.
He looked back feeling the stares directed at him and smiled. Then, he continued unraveling the long sheet of cloth and placed it on the wooden floor, as if preparing for a quick picnic.
He bent down to even out the creases and took off his shoes, making his way to the center, sitting down in a lotus position.
He looked up at the group and politely requested, 'Can the lady with the blue eyes please come and sit in front of me like I am?'
Alice looked at him suspiciously but decided to follow what he said and nodded. She went and sat in front of him as he asked.
'I'll be placing my hands on your back, is that okay?' he asked politely.
'Yeah, I guess', responded Alice.
He gave a slight nod and placed his palms gently on her back, closing his eyes and concentrating. Alice immediately felt a subtle warmth spreading from his touch, like a gentle current flowing into her. The sensation was soothing, almost like a warm embrace.
As he continued, Alice became aware of the energy around her. It was as if the air itself was alive, buzzing with an unseen force. She could feel this energy being drawn towards her, converging at the point where his palms met her back.
The warmth intensified, flowing through her body in waves. It started from her back, spreading to her limbs and then to the very tips of her fingers and toes. Her entire being seemed to hum in resonance with the energy. She could feel it circulating within her, mingling with her own vitality.
The Taoist's concentration deepened. Alice could sense the energy collecting more deliberately now, pooling in his palms before surging into her. The process was rhythmic, almost like a heartbeat, with each pulse sending a new wave of warmth through her.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
She felt the energy accumulating in the center of her chest, a growing reservoir of power that made her feel both light and grounded at the same time. The sensation was unlike anything she had experienced before, a blend of tranquility and strength.
Finally, he released his hands, the warmth lingering for a moment before gradually dissipating. Alice opened her eyes, feeling more alive and aware than she had moments before.
Before she could completely extricate herself from the feeling, he said, 'Remember that feeling. The way the air around you felt, the sensation of the energy flowing through everything as entering your body. That was qi. Remember it and try to replicate it.'
She nodded and concentrated hard, her eyebrow knitting together. He had already moved to face her front and noticed it, 'Don't force it. Let it flow naturally. You can do it.'
Alice took a deep breath, thinking back to what she felt in the air around her. The invisible force started to slither back in to her awareness. She grasped on to the sensation of the scattered qi in the air and imagined it gathering together and flowing towards her like before.
She attracted the qi like a magnet, as it once again surged in to her and found its way around her body. It circulated naturally, as if this was something she had done countless times and started gathering in her chest, automatically purifying itself without her awareness.
She noticed that she could feel it rapidly pooling together, forming a small ball in her chest. She slowly opened her eyes and found that the energy kept circulating and gathering to the ball without any efforts. The tiny bead slowly but surely increasing in size.
She looked at the chief excitedly only to notice that he was staring at her wide-eyes, unsure if it was shock, astonishment, wonder, surprise or excitement since it looked more like a mixture of all of them.
She raised her eyebrows forming creases on her forehead, tilting her head as she uncomfortably asked with evident caution, 'Uhm...did I do it right?'
He jolted from hearing her voice, jerking back to reality and faltered, 'Y-yeah, yes. You did great. Amazing. I-I apologize. I just can't seem to regain my composure. What you just did...in less than a shichen, it's something that may take other's a decades, perhaps even a lifetime. Yet, you...somehow managed in just over an hour!'
He held his forehead and sighed, 'This-this is something unheard of. Even the goddess, who is known as the greatest cultivation genius to have ever existed, got to this point in 2 years however you...how? You may even surpass the greatest existence in history with your talent. Is this why the goddess chose you?'
He seemed to have lost his soul, as he just continued mumbling incoherently to himself. The group looked uncertainly at each other, until Lao-San who had been quietly standing in a corner, pretending to not exist, decided that it was perhaps time to come back under the spotlight.
He cleared his throat twice to regain his chief's attention. Upon getting no response he loudly said, 'Chief?!'
'Y-yes?' he asked still lost in his own world.
'Uhm...I don't mean to bother you when you are pondering the purpose of existence and the profound truths of fate...but the other's are waiting', he reminded politely.
'Y-yes, that's exactly what I was doing I apologize...But I just realized I've been rude to our esteemed guests and haven't even done any introductions...My name is Lian Zhong and as you've heard I am Chief of this village. I'm also the only person here who practices martial arts due to a condition placed after the Great War...I was taught before the War, so I was the exception...Can I please have your kind names?'
They all only stated their names, when Seo-Jun remembered a certain fact and asked him uncertainly, 'Wait...you said you were taught before the War, which was in the time of the goddess, but from what I know that was over a thousand years ago.'
He said, 'Yes, I was in my 20's at the time and the goddess was my Martial Aunt. I believe I'm around 1500 years old but I don't remember it exactly...'
Their jaws dropped. Seo-Jun, through his extensive reading experience understood immediately and Daiki and Zhiren had seen certain dramas and movies so they had an idea. Even Jason, had a clue as his mother was quite into Asian content at a time. However Alice was completely in shock.
'How do you look like that then?!' she exclaimed.
'Oh...after you reach a certain level, you don't age anymore and your lifespan increases significantly. I believe I can live around 10,000 years if no accidents occurs.'
'Oh...' she replied completely out of it now as Chief Lian said to the others, 'Can everyone do the same as Ms. Alyssa?'
They followed the same routine of familiarizing themselves with the feeling and trying it themselves in the usual order of player numbers they follow.
By the end of it, Chief Lian was sitting with his head in his hands, now having completely lost it, 'How...how is this possible. Not one, but five geniuses who all formed their cores, in less than a day...'
Yes! They had all managed to form complete cores by nightfall!
They were of course aware, without his reaction that they had done something truly amazing. They themselves were unable to believe it.
Seo-Jun, still in shock having formed a core a few minutes ago, asked awkwardly, 'Uh...so, what's next?'
To be continued…
----------------------------------------
Seo-Jun: Aren’t we too OP?
Author: Heh, wait till you awaken.
----------------------------------------