Ch 34: Enlightenment
Feng Chen sat casually outside his cave, the warmth of the sun hitting his face as the wind rustled through the surrounding trees. On the surface, he appeared calm and relaxed, but his mind was anything but at ease.
He couldn't stop thinking about his future, his past, and the lingering questions about his power.
He sighed, tilting his head back as he squinted up at the sky. The Yin and Yang Divine Body, his Heavenly Thunder Palm, his other techniques... they were powerful, but he hadn't even scratched the surface of what they could truly accomplish.
His low cultivation realm meant he hadn't yet unlocked their full potential. Worse yet, he was still relying too much on the raw strength of these techniques without mastering them properly.
He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers.
"So much power… yet, I'm sitting here wasting time."
The System chose that moment to pipe up, mocking him with its usual lack of empathy.
-----
System Notification:-
You're finally starting to realize just how lazy you are. Maybe now you'll actually get something done instead of whining all day.
-----
Feng Chen rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but let a small smirk creep across his face. The system was annoying, but it wasn't wrong. "
Alright, alright," he muttered.
"I'll get moving."
As if in response to his resolve, a new screen materialized before his eyes, brightly lit and beckoning his attention.
-----
System Notification:-
New missions available!
-----
Feng Chen's lips curled into a grin.
"Now this is more like it!" He eagerly scanned the details of the missions.
---
Mission 1:-
Master your techniques within the next 10 days.
- Reward: A choice reward.
*****
Mission 2:-
Hunt beasts— ??? For the next 10 days.
- Rewards will depend on the number of beasts hunted.
-----
"Hmmm," Feng Chen mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Mastering my techniques, huh? Seems like it's long overdue." He stretched his arms overhead, feeling his muscles loosen.
"Time to actually get to work."
Instead of rushing off to hunt beasts or test his strength in combat, Feng Chen returned to his meditation spot in front of the cave.
He closed his eyes and focused inward, letting his mind fall into deep concentration. He began by visualizing his techniques... each one broken down into its most fundamental components.
The Heavenly Thunder Palm... A technique of pure destructive power, but only if wielded with precision. He imagined the arcs of lightning coursing through his meridians, every motion of his body working in harmony to harness the power of the heavens.
The Supreme Origin of Chaos... The embodiment of chaos itself, able to absorb all forms of energy and transform them into one supreme force. Its execution was complex, relying on perfect timing and mastery over energy absorption. The challenge lay in controlling chaos, not allowing it to overwhelm him.
The Heavenly Devouring Technique... A technique that devoured life force and Qi, consuming the essence of living things to strengthen oneself. Dangerous and potentially corrupting, this technique required careful use to avoid succumbing to one's inner demons.
Feng Chen imagined each technique, every movement, every flow of energy. In his mind, he repeated the techniques again and again, dissecting them, analyzing every nuance of the flow of Qi through his body.
He practiced them tens, hundreds, even thousands of times in his mind. He became so engrossed in the visualizations that his body started to follow along instinctively.
Slowly, Feng Chen's hands began to move, mirroring the techniques he was rehearsing in his mind. At first, his motions were rigid, clumsy even, as if his body was unsure of itself.
But as his mind and body connected more deeply, the movements became fluid, like water flowing smoothly down a mountain stream. He practiced the strikes, the energy flows, and the circular motions of gathering and releasing Qi.
Before long, Feng Chen's body took over completely, moving with a rhythm and grace that felt almost supernatural. His hands and feet glided through the air, performing intricate maneuvers with flawless precision.
The rigidity that had once characterized his movements was gone, replaced by a flowing elegance. It was as if his body had finally learned to move in perfect harmony with the energy within him.
The more he practiced, the stronger his connection to the Yin and Yang Qi became. His body began to radiate their energies, the opposing forces swirling around him like twin dragons in flight.
The golden scriptures embedded in his skin began to glow faintly, the black and white patterns tracing out across his body, following the flow of his movements. His Yin and Yang Divine Body activated once more, amplifying his strength and deepening his connection to the energies that defined the universe itself.
As the days passed, Feng Chen's training became almost obsessive. His body moved on autopilot, performing the techniques over and over again with the precision of a master artist. It was as if time had stopped for him; his mind was completely submerged in the task at hand.
Nature itself seemed to respond to him. The once-barren area around his cave began to flourish, the trees growing greener and taller, the flowers blooming brighter than ever before. The very air seemed charged with vitality, thick with Qi as if the world itself was bowing to Feng Chen's growing power.
Three days passed in this state. Feng Chen was completely unaware of the time as his body and mind worked in unison. The swirling Qi in and around his body had grown denser, and even the Nature's Qi around him had increased by leaps and bounds.
Finally, Feng Chen reached the last movement of the Heavenly Thunder Palm. He gathered the energy in his palm, feeling the immense power building within him. But this time, it was different. The energy wasn't just lightning... it was infused with the essence of Yin and Yang. As he released the strike, a burst of Black Lightning crackled through his body, dark and violent, its power amplified by the Yin Qi coursing through him.
The black lightning erupted from his palm in a shockwave that spread out in all directions, the very air trembling with the force of it. For a moment, it seemed as though everything around him would be destroyed, but Feng Chen controlled it with a flick of his wrist. He guided the lightning, controlling its path, and dissipated it into the air with a subtle motion.
When the energy finally faded, Feng Chen stood in silence. He opened his eyes and surveyed the area around him. The once barren land had been transformed... where there had been nothing but rock and dust, now there was lush greenery. Trees, plants, and flowers had sprung up everywhere, responding to the power of his Yin and Yang Qi.
A genuine smile spread across Feng Chen's face as he took in the sight.
"So this... this is what they call enlightenment," he whispered to himself. His voice was filled with wonder, awe, and... perhaps for the first time... a sense of true accomplishment.
-----
System Notification:-
Well, well, well... Look who finally decided to actually do something useful with his time. Almost impressive, really. I suppose this is the first time you've earned your progress with real effort instead of relying on shortcuts and dumb luck.
-----
Feng Chen glanced at the system window, his smile widening into a mischievous grin. He raised a hand, his fingers outstretched in a gesture of demand.
"Alright, System, since I've been so diligent, how about you reward me with a Heavenly Grade Item for my efforts?"
-----
System Notification:-
Heavenly grade item? You've got to be kidding me. How about a nice fat 'NO'?
Fuck off.
-----
Feng Chen burst into laughter, shaking his head at the system's response.
"Figures," he said with a smirk. Despite the system's snarky remarks, he couldn't deny how good it felt to have achieved something purely through his own efforts. He had tapped into the potential that had always been there, waiting for him to unlock it.