"No, no, no! Grandma! Dear ancestor!"
Zhang Shaozhong was so frightened that he scrambled behind the sofa to hide.
"Step by step! The fairy said step by step!"
"That wasn't dangerous, can we just do it the same way? Try it slowly! Please!"
He didn't want to experience that feeling of his internal organs being torn apart again.
Ling Qingxue also stepped forward, blocking Zhang Shaozhong and Ye Meier, and said coldly:
"Witch! Stop this reckless behavior! The success just now was only due to the weak energy and his special condition. If you forcibly escalate the conflict, it's uncertain whether the contract can still protect him!"
Ye Meier pouted, but knowing that Ling Qingxue had a point, she reluctantly withdrew her hand.
"Fine, fine, I'll do what you say! Stop dawdling... So what do you suggest?"
Ling Qingxue hesitated for a moment, then said to Zhang Shao, who was still in shock:
"Try again. First guide the spiritual threads, then move your qi and blood, and finally... try to empty your mind. Don't force it, and don't deliberately despair. Just let nature take its course."
Zhang Shaozhong had a mournful face:
"Fairy, 'going with the flow' is easier said than done..."
It's like telling you "don't think about that pink elephant," but then all you can think about is the pink elephant!
But he still gritted his teeth and, under the "supervision" of the two bigwigs, repeated the previous steps.
Guide a wisp of cool air (spiritual energy) – and preserve it.
Stimulate a wisp of heat (qi and blood) – circulate it.
Then, he sat cross-legged, trying to let things take their natural course...
As a result, nothing of note happened.
The more he tried to "relax," the more nervous he became, and he kept muttering to himself:
"Why isn't there any reaction? Am I not being natural enough? Relax, Zhang Shaozhong! Relax!... Oh no, I'm getting even more nervous..."
Ten minutes later, his face turned almost purple from holding his breath, but the contract on his chest remained completely still.
"See? I told you it wouldn't work!"
Night Enchantress said impatiently,
"We need something exciting!"
Ling Qingxue also frowned, seemingly puzzled.
Zhang Shaozhong collapsed in despair:
"No, no, this is even more tiring than going to work! I just can't control those thoughts!"
Just as he was about to give up completely, and the last string in his heart snapped, his mind started racing with trivial thoughts like "What's a cheap and filling meal tonight?" and "Will the landlord come knocking for rent again?"—
The mark on my chest warmed up very slightly again!
The two strands of energy within his body that he had almost forgotten experienced that almost imperceptible collision and adhesion once again!
"here we go again!"
This time, Zhang Shaozhong himself felt it, and he suddenly sat up straight, looking surprised.
"Just... just when I was spacing out and thinking about dinner!"
A glint flashed in Ling Qingxue's eyes:
"Distracted? The mind is unfocused, the thoughts are scattered... Could it be..."
Night Enchantress stroked her chin, suddenly realizing:
"Oh! I get it! It's not about forcing things, nor is it about disappointment, it's about... completely giving up? Giving up?"
Zhang Shaozhong:
"..." What a terrible description! But it seems... that's the gist of it?
"Again!"
Ling Qingxue's tone carried a hint of urgency.
"After activating the energy this time, you can try thinking about trivial matters or completely emptying your mind!"
Zhang Shaozhong was skeptical, but he did as instructed anyway.
The process remains the same... drawing in the spiritual threads and moving the qi and blood.
Then, he began to silently repeat in his mind:
"Braised beef noodles, pickled cabbage noodles, shrimp and fish cake noodles... which one is cheaper? Oh right, the supermarket seems to be having a sale..."
Just as he was thinking, "Should I buy more eggs since they're on sale?"—
The warmth is back!
The collision and adhesion occurred again!
"It's a success!"
Night Enchantress cheered and almost jumped up.
Ling Qingxue finally showed a hint of realization:
"As expected... It's not about deliberate manipulation, but rather about having one's mind in a state of... dispersion rather than concentration."
Ordinary cultivation requires focused concentration, but this contract does the opposite? How strange!
Zhang Shaozhong himself found it incredibly amazing!
So this awesome contract's activation switch is actually "distraction" and "slacking off"?
He tried a few more times and gradually figured out a pattern.
You can't deliberately think about "coming together," nor can you be too tense or disappointed. You have to be in a state of... near indifference, with your mind wandering elsewhere. Then the contract will move on its own, gently "mediating" the two conflicting energies within you.
Although the effect of each adjustment was minimal and the energy generated was negligible, over time, Zhang Shaozhong clearly felt that the stagnation and repulsion he felt when circulating the two energies at the same time were gradually lessening!
The body seems to have gradually adapted to the coexistence of these two completely different forces.
This discovery thrilled all three of them!
Especially Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier, they seemed to see a glimmer of light in the endless darkness.
This means that they might actually be able to find a way to recover together in this desperate situation, or even... complement each other?
"Very good!"
Ye Meier excitedly patted Zhang Shaozhong on the shoulder, making him grimace.
"Let's train like this! From now on, we'll train together, morning and afternoon! While we train, we can daydream about dinner! Maybe we'll be able to regain a little bit of our strength soon!"
Zhang Shaozhong rubbed his shoulders, his expression a mixture of joy and worry.
The good news is that a possible method has been found, but the bad news is... "Practicing while constantly getting distracted"? What kind of devilish training method is this? A crash course in schizophrenia?
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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