A gentle breeze stirred, ruffling their clothes. The two embraced quietly for a moment, and finally, with reluctance and anticipation, they slowly released each other.
Li Baolong dragged his slightly heavy steps back home. The house was quiet and somewhat oppressive, as if the fullness and vitality of the past had been emptied out, leaving only an emptiness in his heart. Li Baolong paced back and forth in the room, trying to dispel the loneliness that lingered in his heart, but the invisible desolation followed him like a shadow, refusing to dissipate for a long time.
Left with no other choice, Li Baolong slowly walked to the prayer mat and sat down, taking a deep breath and trying to calm his chaotic thoughts. Then, he closed his eyes and focused his mind, beginning to silently recite the forty-nine repetitions of the Taoist incantation. The obscure mantra flowed slowly through his mind, again and again, like a gentle stream, gradually soothing the turmoil within him. When he finished reciting it forty-nine times, Li Baolong felt a cool sensation rise from the depths of his heart, spreading throughout his body. His previously restless heart seemed to be covered by a thin layer of ice, instantly returning to calm.
In this state of perfect tranquility, Li Baolong attempted to activate his spiritual perception. In an instant, his consciousness seemed to transcend the constraints of his physical body, drifting in a serene world. The barrier that had once stood in the way of his cultivation, like an impenetrable fortress, vanished without a trace, like wisps of smoke. Li Baolong could clearly feel the progress in his cultivation technique; a more powerful force was slowly lurking and surging within him, ready to erupt at any moment.
This sudden change astonished him. Just a few days ago, he was stuck in a cultivation bottleneck, almost giving up in despair. How could he break through so easily now? He frowned, lost in deep thought. Recent events flashed through his mind like a movie: Xiaoyu's helpless eyes, her mother's illness, his own helping hand... Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind like lightning: Could it be that he had done good deeds and accumulated merit, thus elevating his state of mind and facilitating this breakthrough in cultivation?
The more Li Baolong thought about it, the more believable this reasoning seemed. In this mortal world, the cycle of cause and effect, good and evil, continues endlessly. Although his help to Xiaoyu and her mother stemmed from genuine kindness and compassion, perhaps in some unseen way, this act of kindness was noticed by Heaven and Earth and rewarded in his own cultivation. He secretly resolved that he must uphold his original intention and do more good deeds in the future, not only for the advancement of his cultivation technique, but also for inner peace and to protect the goodness of the world.
At this moment, Li Baolong slowly opened his eyes, his eyes shining with an unprecedented light—an expectation for the future and awe for the new realm of cultivation. Deep in his heart, Xiaoyu's image became clearer and clearer. He knew that this emotion, born of good karma, would become a unique and warm bright spot on his path of constantly pursuing the Great Dao and truth, goodness, and beauty.
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