Chapter 169: Spiritual Meditation Method
Spiritual Power influencing reality, Spiritual Power materializing.
Telekinesis, moving objects from a distance...
The moment the food box floated up, a flurry of words flashed through Tang Wen’s mind.
The moment he was distracted, his Spiritual Power connection snapped.
CLATTER.
The food box fell back to the floor.
He was ravenous. His stomach and every other organ in his body were in open revolt.
If a pig had appeared before him, he might have just eaten it raw.
Driven by instinct, Tang Wen threw caution to the wind. He scrambled over on all fours and threw open the food box.
A few thin slices of meat went down.
They were tender yet chewy, with a faint spiciness.
One bite was pure satisfaction.
A bit of his strength returned.
He was no longer in a state of extreme starvation.
After all, this was the meat of an Extraordinary Exotic Beast.
Ten minutes passed. Twenty-two pounds of Extraordinary Beast Meat were in his belly.
Tang Wen lay on the floor, spread-eagled, and let out a satisfied belch.
A wave of both exhaustion and power washed over his body.
Mentally, he felt simultaneously wired, clear-headed, and exhausted.
It was like a kind of post-battle clarity after an all-night struggle.
He didn’t rush to explore what his enhanced constitution and spirit had brought him.
Instead, he went straight back to his bedroom, forced his mind to stay alert just long enough to take off his clothes, and collapsed onto the bed. He was instantly fast asleep, snoring loudly.
"What time is it?"
After waking up, Tang Wen saw it was still nighttime outside and asked casually.
In the room, Ah Shui, the pretty widow, quickly brought him a cup of hot tea.
"Master! You’ve slept for a whole day. It’s about time for a late-night snack."
Her voice was laced with deep worry.
Tang Wen had been asleep for far too long.
He couldn’t be woken up no matter how much they called him.
After a moment’s thought, she said, "Master, the way you were sleeping was terrifying. If it weren’t for your steady breathing and strong pulse, we would have already gone to the gang for help."
Tang Wen stroked her lovely cheek and grinned wickedly. "You, of all people, should know how good my body is, shouldn’t you?"
His hands wrapped around her ample waist.
"Ah! Master, we shouldn’t. You slept for so long... Is it because we’re usually too... Ah!"
Her words were cut off by his actions.
「An hour later.」
The woman lay sprawled on the bed as if her bones had been removed.
Tang Wen frowned.
The feeling of refreshment was completely absent; he just felt even more frustrated now.
’It’s over!’
’After my Constitution was enhanced...’
’...it’s become harder to find satisfaction.’
After eating some more Extraordinary Beast Meat, Tang Wen once again entered the training room in the back courtyard.
Both his Constitution and his Essence had broken through the grand milestone of ten.
The accumulation of quantitative change had led to a qualitative one.
SHINK!
Tang Wen used fifty percent of his strength to drive the sharp triangular blade deep into his own forearm.
"As expected, this Triangular Bayonet is sturdy."
Looking at the several daggers that had just shattered, Tang Wen froze, then thought of an even bigger problem—it’s said that wounds from a Triangular Bayonet can’t heal.
’This?’
’I was too reckless!’
’I was just testing my Constitution.’
’Why did I have to take such a risk?’
Waves of pain washed over him.
He hurriedly used the hand still gripping the Triangular Bayonet to open the medicine box.
He found some gauze, tore it into a long strip, poured medicinal powder on it, and prepared to bandage the wound.
He glanced down.
On his left forearm, the wound several centimeters deep, created by the Triangular Bayonet, was already scabbing over.
The bleeding had stopped.
’It’s only been a few minutes?’
HISS!
’Isn’t this effect a bit too exaggerated?’
Tang Wen was both shocked and delighted.
The reason for his delight was obvious.
What shocked him was the thought that as his Constitution grew stronger and stronger, how would he ever achieve that feeling of complete and utter satisfaction?
’Besides, what if someone finds out?’
’What if the higher-ups of the Black Water Gang discover this?’
’Would they drag me away to be studied by a group of physicians?’
Tang Wen’s expression shifted repeatedly.
’I have to hide this well.’
’I must act carefully.’
’If anyone sees... well, that would just be their bad luck.’
Although his left arm was recovering quickly, it was still temporarily unfit for strenuous movements like punching.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and began to test his transformed Spiritual Power.
SWISH!
His gaze focused, his mind concentrated.
The blood-stained Triangular Bayonet gently floated up, then suddenly accelerated, shooting straight toward the wall.
’Too much Spiritual Power.’
Tang Wen raised a hand to rub his temples, relaxing his tense mind.
CLATTER.
The Triangular Bayonet fell from about chest height, landing on the stone tiles.
’Now not enough Spiritual Power.’
He sighed helplessly.
’Controlling my Spiritual Power output is a whole new field for me.’
’There’s no easy way.’
’Time to grind!’
Tang Wen didn’t rush to attempt Telekinesis again.
Instead, he began to study his [Spiritual Meditation Method, Beginner (500/500)].
He had only discovered this morning that the moment his Spiritual Power broke through last night...
...the proficiency of his Spiritual Meditation Method, which had been at Beginner (119/500), had skyrocketed.
It had maxed out the proficiency for the Beginner Level.
This Meditation Technique came from Bai You Ruo. It was a Dharma Gate cultivated by the Bai Family’s Direct Lineage, not some common, run-of-the-mill method.
When using Visualization to temper the spirit...
...one needed to outline tadpole-like pictographs in their mind, performing a dynamic Meditation to strengthen their Spiritual Power.
Outlining ten characters marked the Beginner level.
Outlining and maintaining eighteen characters was Small Success.
Outlining thirty-six characters and making them glow in unison in one’s mind was Great Success.
Outlining forty-nine characters and having them rotate in an orderly fashion, flashing in sequence, was Perfection.
To reach Great Success, one had to be at least in the Extraordinary Realm.
The characters required for the Meditation were very similar to the Ancient Seal Characters of his previous life.
However, Tang Wen hadn’t studied them in his past life.
They just felt similar.
Even if they really were Ancient Seal Characters, he wouldn’t be able to decipher their meaning.
One character, two characters... ten characters. He outlined them with ease, feeling no pressure at all.
He calmed his mind, focusing and carefully observing the shapes and strokes of the other characters.
Then, he closed his eyes, meditated, and did it all in one go.
Eighteen characters appeared in his mind simultaneously.
[Spiritual Meditation Method, Beginner → Beginner (1/1000)]
[Essence: 10.81→10.91]
The advancement was silky smooth.
The tingling pleasure of his Spiritual Power increasing slightly...
...made him let out a heartfelt sigh of relief and satisfaction.
But that wasn’t all.
In his mental Visualization, the eighteen characters began to slowly rise and fall with his breathing.
[Spiritual Meditation Method, Beginner (1→19→31→...→363/1000)]
The characters flickered faintly.
The state gradually stabilized.
The proficiency of the [Spiritual Meditation Method] could only be described as skyrocketing.
「Three days passed in a flash.」
Undisturbed, he ran many tests.
Because his Spiritual Power had undergone a qualitative change...
...all of Tang Wen’s Visualization Martial Arts were more powerful than before!
The power of his Flying Locust Stone and Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist had likely increased by thirty percent.
But what satisfied him most was the improvement to his Visualization Martial Arts, [Golden Bell Shield].
The Golden Bell Shield, which could originally only cover half his body...
...could now cover Tang Wen’s entire body in a layer of pitch-black defense.
Coupled with the fact that his hair was already black...
...when he fully activated it, he transformed into a "Little Black Boy."
He touched the black barrier on the surface of his skin.
He once again courted death and took out the Triangular Bayonet.
SHINK!
He started with fifty percent of his strength.
His blackened left arm, which had just been injured, didn’t even feel a sting.
Sixty percent!
A slight sting.
Seventy percent!
Not only was there a clear stinging sensation, but it also left a distinct white mark on the surface of Tang Wen’s skin.
Eighty percent!
His arm was bleeding.
But the experiment wasn’t over.
With a flicker of his thoughts, Tang Wen transformed from his full-body "Little Black Boy" state to a half-body version.
His defense instantly doubled.
Eighty percent strength!
It didn’t break his defense.
A full-strength strike!
CLANG!
The faint sound of metal striking metal rang out.
Tang Wen’s eyes lit up.
’A full-strength strike can’t break my defense... Should I try a Power Burst?’
He held the Triangular Bayonet in his hand and looked at his little black hand.
He fell into a state of hesitation.