After a simple introduction to the "Lock," Zhao Jingzhong didn't have anyone demonstrate the skill's effect but moved on to the next topic. "I suppose you're all curious about the Crystal Body in front of you."
"Some of you might have guessed it—you will be using this Crystal Body to learn Spiritual Energy Techniques."
"Although 'Clothing' and 'Lock' are extremely simple, unassuming Spiritual Energy Techniques that don't cause much damage—at least not in your hands—they remain incredibly precious skills. Once you master them, you essentially possess the power to perfectly subdue others at any moment."
"Even if you wander through subways, trains, or airports, regular security checks will be unable to detect your Qi Cyclones; you won't need any weapons to deal with ordinary people outside of official security forces."
"Taekwondo, Karate, Xing Yi Quan, Bagua Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu... all the fighting techniques that common people learn are meaningless against you. As long as you catch them, they are bound to be subdued."
"In other words, once you learn these, you have already become half a 'Superman,'" Zhao Jingzhong said. "Such important techniques obviously cannot be carelessly disseminated."
"You have been approved by the state, come from families with clear backgrounds, and possess the Talent to learn these two Spiritual Energy Techniques. However, human hearts are unpredictable; if other Awakeners who are not registered learn these two techniques through you, it would become a great social risk."
"Therefore, your method of learning will be—"
Zhao Jingzhong pointed to his head. "Understood through intuition, not to be conveyed in words."
"This cubic Crystal Body is a special learning tool developed by the Science Academy, named the 'Law Net Instrument.' Hold the Crystal Body and then try to mobilize Spiritual Energy using the Breathing Technique."
Ren Suo and the others gently picked up the Crystal Body that floated above the base. It felt cool to the touch, and the sharply angled crystal refracted the incandescent light, emitting a warm glow.
Breathing Techniques are not necessarily effective only when in motion. This is especially true for these students, who are already Cultivators with Qi Cyclones. Even when stationary, regular use of Breathing Techniques can draw Spiritual Energy, albeit with very low efficiency. According to scientific statistics, the Basic Breathing Technique is only one-thousandth as effective, the Intermediate Breathing Technique one three-hundredth as effective, and the Advanced Breathing Technique one-eightieth as effective—all less efficient than simply sleeping.
But at this moment, as they performed the Breathing, they could see the Crystal Body faintly glowing. Then, the arm that touched the crystal started to feel chaotic—like the sensation in your lower legs after squatting in a restroom for half an hour and suddenly standing up. This chaotic sensation transmitted all the way up the arm to the student's head.
Then, the students holding the crystal in their left hand noticed a change in their left eye, while those holding it in their right hand saw a change in their right eye.
Ren Suo held it with his right hand, and then his right eye completely lost normal vision, seeing only boundless and desolate darkness.
"Close both eyes and follow the guidance properly," Zhao Jingzhong instructed.
Ren Suo closed his eyes, and the world in his sight instantly plunged into darkness. In the haze, he saw a gray seed in the dark space, distinct from the darkness around it.
He tried to use 'thought' to touch the seed, but in his vision, the seed only rippled with his thoughts, with no further response.
What's going on? Ren Suo faltered slightly. However, he quickly heard Zhao Jingzhong saying, "Not all classes are in place yet... wait a moment."
Two minutes later, Zhao Jingzhong continued, "It's starting now. You should follow the guidance and wait patiently; don't fidget! Countdown begins: 10 seconds, 9, 8, 7..."
When Zhao Jingzhong counted down to 0, Ren Suo saw a flame ignite in the dark space.
In the far distance, a faint flame that seemed on the verge of extinguishing at any moment flickered to life. It was so far away that Ren Suo almost thought it was a hallucination.
Yet, the very next second, another faint light appeared, followed by a third, then a fourth, a fifth...
In just a few seconds, Ren Suo saw countless little flames light up throughout the dark space. Although the flames were dim and seemingly insignificant, they were all connected, weaving a vast red net that completely illuminated the entire dark space!
The gray seed that he had tried to touch before now ignited into a Fiery Flame as soon as he willed it with his mind!
Mystically, it became clear to Ren Suo that this was his avatar in the dark space, and he had a strange mental connection with the flames.
"Welcome, Cultivators, to the Law Net." A line of Song-style characters appeared before Ren Suo in the form of flames: "It is now time to teach 'Clothing' and 'Lock'."
"Now proceeding with region authentication. The person in charge of the Qinghai region, please light the authentication fire."
Ren Suo saw that within the endless flames, one of the fires flickered slightly. Then, centered on that flame, a red circle appeared, encompassing the nearby flames as well.
"Next up, the person in charge of the Sky Capital region..."
As the text instructed, more and more red circles appeared in the dark space, and soon it was Ren Suo's turn: "The person in charge of Lian Province, please light the authentication fire."
Ren Suo felt his vision instantly consumed by a blaze of fire, and then he saw his flame situated within a huge, pale red protective shield—so that was what the red circle looked like.
After a few more minutes, the fiery text seemed to indicate that authentication for all regions was complete, and it moved to the next step: "Good, now all persons in charge, please download 'Clothing' and 'Lock'."
Download? Hearing such an internet term, Ren Suo was taken aback for a moment.
Then the fiery text transformed into two large characters emitting a warm yellow light: Clothing, Lock. Countless fiery threads spread out from these two large characters, connecting to the borders of each red circle.
Ren Suo saw that when the fiery threads from the two large characters touched the red circle he was in, the red circle shook once, then sent out countless more fiery threads to the flames within the circle.
His own flame burned even more vigorously, as if kindling had been added. The next second, he felt a torrent of information rush into his consciousness—information that wasn't text, sound, or even images.
Instead, it was as if Ren Suo was in the midst of a memory, where with a mere intention, the Qi Cyclone would spontaneously turn, and Spiritual Energy would move according to his will, either forming armor to Shelter his body or becoming a current of air passing through his arms, transforming into an invisible Lock!
When Ren Suo returned to his senses, he saw fiery text floating before him: "Teaching of Clothing and Lock has ended. The Law Net session will end in 13 seconds."
After 13 seconds, the furthest flame quietly went out. Then, like a city-wide power outage, the widespread clusters of flames all over the dark space went out in patches. Even Ren Suo's own flame seemed to lose fuel and extinguished instantly.
The Law Net was gone; darkness returned.
Ren Suo opened his eyes and saw other students also putting down their Crystal Bodies, their faces filled with excitement and shock.
"This is how Spiritual Energy Techniques are taught," Zhao Jingzhong said calmly from the front. "It can only be understood intuitively, not conveyed in words."