Zhang Fusheng finally returned home.
Firstly, because he really couldn't find where his dormitory was, and secondly, because he wanted to try the Great Success Grim White Bone Observation to see what was extraordinary about it.
"One hundred and thirty-two, just give me a hundred and thirty."
After settling the fare, he walked all the way back to the 'luxurious' community in the Seventh District and returned to apartment 306.
"Grim White Bone Observation..."
Zhang Fusheng attempted to search for this Contemplation Technique on his computer, but the information he found was very sparse, mostly from former students of the Hongji Martial Arts Dojo.
According to the information online, the Grim White Bone Observation was an exclusive Contemplation Technique of the Old Hall Master Hong, classified as Upper Grade, but very difficult to cultivate. Since one must envision oneself as a grim skeleton, it was easy to fall into demonization.
"White Bone Observation."
Zhang Fusheng pondered. In the Buddhism of his past life, there was also the White Bone Observation, which was one of the Five Meditation Techniques, but in this world, Buddhism did not exist.
At least in the eighteen years since he was reborn, he hadn't discovered any trace of Buddhism.
After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Fusheng turned to search for the five major levels of Contemplation Techniques, but the information was equally scarce—he suspected that martial artists had their own dedicated networks, and much information was kept isolated between martial artists and ordinary people.
Otherwise, how could the things Niu Dali casually mentioned in front of dozens of students not have any related information online?
"If I remember correctly, in high school sophomore year, Teacher Chen, who taught the Contemplation Technique, said that once the Contemplation Technique achieves Great Success, reaching the realm of 'I should see myself as such', it would possess extraordinary wonders."
"These wonders are something that many martial artists of the Twelve Refinements can only dream of... The Contemplation Technique demands too much enlightenment."
Zhang Fusheng pondered that if it weren't for that magical White Bone Scroll and the Descent into Purgatory, it might take him fifty years to barely cultivate the Grim White Bone Observation to a Minor Achievement.
To achieve Great Success?
It would probably take a hundred years!
And the more it was like this, the more he envied Chen Nuanyu's talent—having not yet officially entered university, he had already achieved Great Success in both the Contemplation Technique and Breathing Technique!
According to Teacher Chen, the number of people who achieve the Great Success Contemplation Technique must be even rarer than the top-tier martial artists of the Twelfth Refinement!
So... Has Chen Nuanyu really achieved Great Success in the Contemplation Technique?
Zhang Fusheng suddenly had some doubts. Are the differences between people really that great?
"So, what is the wonder of the Grim White Bone Observation?"
He thought about it, then sat cross-legged in front of the large mirror in the living room, gazing at his reflection. With a shift of thought, he envisioned himself gradually decaying, turning into bones.
His mind could sense the dense, mysterious factors around him that seemed to move with his thoughts, but beyond this, there were no other extraordinary phenomena.
To put it another way, his heartbeat slowed, and his body seemed to carry a scent of 'desolation' or 'death'.
"Continue!"
This time, Zhang Fusheng visualized himself as a skeleton, starting to regrow flesh and skin, with his heartbeat gradually becoming strong. Vaguely, he could even hear the sound of blood rushing in his veins,
The mysterious factors, invisible before, became clearer in his perception.
This is the Minor Achievement of the Contemplation Technique, equivalent to the Inner Realm level.
"Finally, it's the Great Success... I should see myself as such!"
He observed himself again, seeing the bones regenerate flesh and then emit light, his gaze fixing on his reflection in the mirror—beneath his skin, there seemed to be a faint glow!
Zhang Fusheng maintained the 'Bone Generating Light' state while taking out his phone and snapping a selfie.
Opening the photo album, he saw his image glowing faintly, the light emanating from beneath his skin, faintly outlining the shape of 206 bones—it's not an illusion!
His bones were truly glowing!
So what use does it have?
"I should see myself as such... I envision my bones glowing, and they truly glow. What is this? Does the mind influence reality??"
"And the ultimate 'He should see me as such', what kind of state is that?"
After studying it for a long time, he still couldn't figure out what use the Bone Generating Light had, so Zhang Fusheng washed up briefly and went to bed.
He pondered that his 'talent' definitely needed to be revealed, but to what extent?
Going from nothing to Great Success in the Contemplation Technique overnight... Isn't that a bit too much?
Zhang Fusheng didn't understand what this progress represented.
"I don't need to rush. I can take it slowly, and it just so happens that the Contemplation class is once every three days. In the class three days from now, I can show the Great Success Grim White Bone Observation, and hopefully, Hall Master Hong will be more accepting of it... right?"
"There's still about twenty days of the contract left, who should be my next transaction target?"
Zhang Fusheng pondered while visualizing himself decaying into bones, bones regenerating flesh and light, and then decaying back into bones again.
In this cycle, the aura around him alternated between decline and prosperity, light and dark, his heartbeat slowing and quickening, his hair turning white then black, and black then white.
As if experiencing life and death repeatedly.
......
Early the next morning at five, Zhang Fusheng woke up early and headed towards the Third District with his luggage.
First, to save money by taking the metro—which takes time, and second, intent on asking the receptionist about the location of his dormitory before class.
Around eight o'clock, just as he arrived at the entrance of the Hongji Martial Arts Dojo, a message popped up on his phone.
Zhu Xiaoming: Old Zhang, the date for the Jiang Banquet has been set, it's in half a month, 7.14, the location should be the Yi Restaurant next to Jiang University. Should I come pick you up then?
Zhang Fusheng replied with an acknowledgment and, after thinking for a while, sent a voice message:
"Who else is going?"
Zhu Xiaoming: Besides me and Lu Yao from our class in the Martial Arts Department, there's also Chen Nuanyu, Zhang Bo, and Wang Cheng from the elite class, plus a few non-Martial Arts students. It seems there's also someone from your Computer Science Department.
Zhang Fusheng: Hmm, I'll be there.
He glanced at the class group chat, which was quite lively in the early morning, surprisingly, no one was sleeping in... They were all talking about where to travel or which places were hiring for summer jobs.
Although Lishu Middle School is considered quite a good school in Jiangzhou City, there are still quite a few students whose family conditions are worse than Zhang Fusheng's.
The same goes for.
Many people who have practiced the Breathing Technique and Contemplation Technique for three years without any progress.
In fact, this can't be said to be foolishness but rather ordinary people... In a sense, Zhang Fusheng could also be considered above average.
"Three years, acquiring their time spent cultivating the Contemplation and Breathing Techniques, seems a bit too much of a loss..."
Zhang Fusheng understood that the younger they are, the less willing they are to accept fate, and most of them have a sense of anger in their hearts,
Uncle Wang is the kind of 'trading partner' of high quality.
"Perhaps I could make a trip to the Eighth and Ninth District, especially the hospitals and clinics there... but I need to become a Martial Artist first to have self-preservation ability."
Got the dorm room number from the receptionist,
Zhang Fusheng quietly entered the dormitory on the second floor of the Martial Arts Hall, room 204.
It's a three-person room, with three beds placed in three directions, a bed on top, and a desk below. The overall size is about thirty square meters, and the decor is quite fresh, with a nice environment.
The other two roommates were also up, one was washing up, and the other was cultivating.
"New trainee?"
The young man washing up wiped the water off his face, turned around, and sized up Zhang Fusheng:
"You were the one sitting in the first row yesterday... I'm Zhou Quan, and the one contemplating is Wang Xiangnan.
"Zhang Fusheng."
Zhang Fusheng nodded politely, quickly made his bed, and sat on a chair.
'Squeak...'
Accompanied by a piercing sound, Zhou Quan, who had finished washing up, dragged a chair over and sat across from Zhang Fusheng, looking intrigued:
"If I'm not mistaken, Brother Fusheng only started practicing the Contemplation Technique yesterday? Why so late?"
Zhang Fusheng said:
"The Contemplation Technique taught at school is too low-level. I heard that changing the Contemplation Technique is very troublesome, so I waited for my family to save enough tuition and came directly to the Martial Arts Dojo to learn."
Zhou Quan's eyes lit up slightly, pondering:
"Is Brother Fusheng's family having difficulties?"
"Living in the Seventh District." Zhang Fusheng replied briefly, feeling a bit clueless as this young man seemed somewhat overly familiar.
Zhou Quan's smile became even more cordial:
"Seventh District, huh? The literati are poor, and the wealthy practice martial arts. The expenses for martial arts are not small, whether it's paying senior brothers at the Martial Arts Dojo to guide you in the Breathing and Contemplation Techniques or starting body refining with medicinal baths and food supplements, it's all a big number."
Zhang Fusheng's expression remained unchanged, and he curiously asked:
"What do you mean, Brother Zhou?"
Zhou Quan, smiling, pointed at Wang Xiangnan, who was meditating alone:
"Xiangnan's family conditions weren't good initially, living in the Eighth District, but after working with me, they've now moved with his family to the Fifth District, bought a house, paid three semesters' tuition upfront, and even the recent food supplements cost six or seven hundred per meal... He's about to become a First-Refined Martial Artist."
"Brother Fusheng, are you interested in making some money as well?"
Zhang Fusheng raised an eyebrow slightly, glancing at Wang Xiangnan, who was dedicated to his practice. He could sense that the other person was practicing the Grim White Bone Observation, probably just entered the entry level, barely reaching the 'Outer Aspect' phase.
After the Great Success of the White Bone Observation, he could clearly sense others' mental states.
No, not just sense.
He could even potentially... influence them?
"Three semesters of tuition would cost three hundred thousand, and a house in the Fifth District wouldn't come down to less than a million. Brother Zhou's way of making money must be something extraordinary."
Zhang Fusheng laughed and said:
"But I prefer to focus on practicing martial arts, and have no time for anything else at the moment."
Zhou Quan's smile remained undiminished, not upset by the refusal, and instead, he affectionately patted Zhang Fusheng on the shoulder:
"No worries, just come find me if you ever need money."
He glanced at his expensive wristwatch:
"There are two continuous practice classes at nine, Breathing Technique and Pile Skill, want to join?"
"Sure," Zhang Fusheng nodded with a smile.
He's just about to need the Breathing Technique.