Chapter 5 Eating
Looking at Shi Yi's appearance, Yu Xiaogang smiled slightly: "Don't rush to agree. Your innate soul power is not high. Even if you worship me as your master, you may not be able to change the status quo. Even so, do you still want to worship me as your master? I am just a stranger you don't know."
Shi Yi grinned and nodded, "Choices are always two-way. I have things that you value, and you also have things that I value, such as this room full of books."
Yu Xiaogang showed a look of surprise on his face when he heard it. He raised his hand and gently rubbed Shi Yi's head: "You are very smart, "Xiao Yi."
Yu Xiaogang then handed over the meditation manual, still in his hand. "From now on, you will study with me. The teachers at the academy will put you in touch. You can read all the books in this room. I won't give you any advice regarding your spirit. I hope you can find a way to break free from your innate constraints."
Shi Yi accepted the meditation manual from Yu Xiaogang and bowed slightly to him, saying, "Thank you, teacher."
Yu Xiaogang nodded and said, "Go ahead, pack your luggage, and you can start studying with me tomorrow."
"Goodbye, teacher." Shi Yi waved to Yu Xiaogang and slowly exited the room.
He smiled slightly at the meditation manual in his hand. He accepted it and became Yu Xiaogang's apprentice, connecting him not only to the protagonist's storyline but also to the Spirit Hall.
As for the controversies surrounding Yu Xiaogang and Tang San, what did they have to do with him? He understood that the strife-ridden path of a spirit master is always lonely, and Tang San understood it, too. That's why he was able to achieve godhood, though his approach wasn't entirely straightforward.
Shi Yi had never considered himself a good person, because good people often have to give up some of their own interests to earn praise. And the weaker one is, the less likely they are to be good. Only the strong have the capital to offer charity and compassion.
Be yourself, always maintain your own judgment, and choose the options that benefit you. That's what Shi Yi should consider.
On the way to the dormitory, Shi Yi pondered Yu Xiaogang's profound words. He understood that Yu Xiaogang wanted to find new possibilities within himself, the possibility of breaking free from his innate constraints.
Soon, Shi Yi found the dormitory, the place where Tang San's dream began, Dormitory 7.
The door was ajar. As Shi Yi approached, he heard the noise of children inside. He pushed open the door and slowly entered. Several eyes immediately fell on Shi Yi, and in that moment, Shi Yi felt as if he were back in the orphanage of his past life.
There were about thirty or forty beds, most of them bare. It was clear there weren't many part-time students, a stark reminder of the scarcity of Spirit Masters. Seven or eight young children gathered around a bed, chatting.
"New here?" A sturdier boy approached, sizing Shi Yi up.
Shi Yi smiled kindly and said slowly, "Hello, my name is Shi Yi. You can call me Xiao Yi. My spirit is Ant. I'll be grateful for your continued care."
A sturdier boy stepped forward and said with a feigned air of grandeur, "My name is Wang Sheng, my spirit is War Tiger, and I'm the leader of Dormitory Seven. Welcome to Dormitory Seven."
Shi Yi observed Wang Sheng's expression with a hint of surprise. Since this character existed, and Tang San hadn't enrolled, it meant he might only be enrolling within a year or two.
Shi Yi smiled and said, "Then I'll have to ask for your continued care from now on."
Hearing Shi Yi's address, the still-child Wang Sheng looked a little embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his head and said, "No problem. We're all classmates, and there are plenty of beds available. Take your pick."
Shi Yi looked around Dormitory 7, choosing a spot near a window with good ventilation. The children in Dormitory 7 resumed their earlier bustle.
"Is the new part-time student here?" A voice called out from outside the door as everyone chatted. Everyone looked over to see a young male instructor with light green hair, holding a quilt in his arms. He glanced around, "Who is Shi Yi?"
"Yes," Shi Yi slowly stood up and stepped forward.
"My name is Mo Hen. You can call me Teacher Mo. Shi Yi, this is the quilt the master gave you. You won't have to attend school classes anymore. He's already told me."
"Thank you, Teacher," Shi Yi said softly, accepting the quilt, a hint of surprise crossing his childish face.
Mo Hen nodded and left.
Mo Hen then slowly left. Shi Yi couldn't help but smile at the bedding in his hands. A single blanket might not mean much, but it was what Shi Yi needed most right now.
"I wonder if Yu Xiaogang will still be so kind to me after Tang San shows up," Shi Yi thought as he quietly made his bed.
Sitting on the bed, Shi Yi slowly flipped open the meditation manual Yu Xiaogang had given him.
"Sit in a quiet and empty space, your mind as clear as still water. Breathe naturally, focus your mind on your Dantian..."
Shi Yi read the entire meditation manual before finally understanding why a spirit master's cultivation speed is limited by their innate spirit power.
Meditation was arguably the simplest cultivation method Shi Yi had ever encountered, and that description was no exaggeration. Simply put, the principle was to use one's spirit to channel the energy of heaven and earth into one's own body. The degree of cultivation achieved depended entirely on one's innate talent.
It didn't involve any knowledge of meridians or acupoints, let alone opening meridians and acupoints to allow spirit power to flow endlessly within the body.
Of course, simplicity has its advantages. First, it's suitable for everyone. Anyone with awakened soul power, whether human or ghost, can practice it. Secondly, there's no learning curve and no difficulty; a six-year-old can easily understand it.
Shi Yi felt that writing a book about meditation methods was unnecessary. It could be considered a fool-proof practice, or even a technique. In Shi Yi's mind, techniques require comprehension, and many techniques are divided into different stages, making them difficult for the average person to master.
Nor are techniques universally applicable. Even in the novels Shi Yi had read, there were techniques suitable for men, women, and both men and women, quick-acting techniques, and reliable methods. Even
Shi Yi, who had never studied Chinese medicine, knew about the twelve regular meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians. Even without studying Chinese medicine, hadn't he had a massage?
"Let's start trying it at night when it's quieter. Now I should recall the knowledge of meridians and acupoints that I still remember in my mind. I'm sure they will all be useful."
Thinking of this, Shi Yi began to rely on his rich massage experience. He took a new piece of paper and drew a little man on the paper, and drew meridians on the little man. He knew that if he wanted to improve his cultivation speed, he must first sort out his meridians. This way, he could achieve twice the result with half the effort.
After an unknown amount of time, Shi Yi heard Wang Sheng's voice, "Xiao Yi, why did you draw so many lines on the little man?"
Shi Yi, regaining his composure, smiled faintly, his expression normal. "Nothing, just killing time."
Wang Sheng nodded and said, "It's getting late. Let's go eat together."
Shi Yi shook his head, "No, I'll have dinner with my teacher later."
"Teacher?" Wang Sheng, remembering what Mo Hen had just said, asked in surprise, "Isn't your teacher a master?"
Shi Yi smiled and nodded. Wang Sheng said nothing more, simply looking at Shi Yi with amusement. Shi Yi didn't react. He never cared about others' opinions, because one can't have it all.
Wasn't it Tang San's concern for his reputation and his pride that made him seem so disconnected? Perhaps this was also related to the society in which Tang San lived in his previous life. He had stolen the sect's secret manual and yet still wanted to die to prove his point. As a modern person, Shi Yi simply couldn't understand such disconnected behavior.
Shi Yi put away his drawings and, feeling a little hungry, slowly stood up and headed for the cafeteria.
Arriving at the cafeteria, Shi Yi went up to the second floor but didn't see Yu Xiaogang. So he sat down at a seat near the stairs and waited. Calling Yu Xiaogang "teacher" wasn't for nothing.
As Shi Yi expected, Yu Xiaogang soon appeared before him.
He smiled, "Teacher, you're here for dinner too."
After their morning conversation, Yu Xiaogang had come to understand Shi Yi's character somewhat, but the moment he saw him, he still felt a sense of being manipulated. "Was it a mistake to accept this child?" Seeing
Yu Xiaogang's expression, Shi Yi smiled and said, "Teacher, this is a time of growth. You wouldn't want me to be malnourished, would you? That would be a disgrace to our school."
Yu Xiaogang looked at Shi Yi, snorted softly, and said, "I hope you can be this bright in class."
Shi Yi patted his chest and said, "As your apprentice, I can't guarantee any achievements in cultivation, but I guarantee your knowledge will be no problem."
Yu Xiaogang nodded slightly at Shi Yi, then walked straight to the window and ordered a few dishes to be prepared. He then returned to his seat in front of Shi Yi and slowly sat down.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang remain silent, Shi Yi felt awkward and spoke up, "Teacher, I just went back to the dormitory and looked over the meditation method you gave me. I have some ideas I'd like to discuss."
"Oh?" Yu Xiaogang saw a glint in Shi Yi's calm eyes, and a hint of interest crossed his once-stiff face. He had accepted Shi Yi not only because of his martial spirit, but also because he hoped to see the unique perspectives of a young man.
After so many years of research, he hadn't changed himself. Honestly, Yu Xiaogang had some doubts about his own abilities; otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to this unknown place to study in silence.
"The meditation method you gave me strikes me as simple. Is it possible to optimize or even improve it?" Shi Yi hinted at Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang's eyes gleamed at this. He did have unfinished research on optimizing and improving his meditation method. His original idea was to allow soul power to continuously circulate within the body, forming a vortex that would draw the energy of heaven and earth into the body more rapidly, thereby accelerating his cultivation.
However, as his research deepened, he gradually discovered that the soul power flowing through his body couldn't form a cycle at all. The channel for converting soul power within him seemed to have an end, stopping at a certain point. Yu Xiaogang had tried to force the flow, but the soul power had caused internal injuries.
Moreover, he had not only selected one research subject, but he also discovered that the "end" was different for each person.
Yu Xiaogang nodded slightly and said, "Today's meditation method is indeed simple, but simplicity has its advantages. You are all children who have just awakened your martial spirits. How can you possibly understand so much knowledge?
The research you mentioned was also conducted by the teacher, but it was unsuccessful. If you are interested, take it back and study it after you finish your study tomorrow."
Shi Yi nodded. He knew that Yu Xiaogang was referring to the technique that had already taken shape. After all, without a cycle, it was impossible to cultivate a full Great Circulation. Isn't that just a prototype?
Yu Xiaogang looked at Shi Yi, who nodded in satisfaction. He hoped Shi Yi would be interested in theoretical research, rather than being like the average soul master, obsessed with cultivation. Facts had proven that even though he was the young master of the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family, diligently practicing, and over fifty years old, he still hadn't achieved Soul Master status.
Soon, the dishes arrived, and Shi Yi and Yu Xiaogang began to eat. During the meal, Shi Yi tore off a strip of shredded meat for Xiao Yi. Yu Xiaogang then realized that Shi Yi had been keeping Xiao Yi in the outer world.
Yu Xiaogang looked at Shi Yi with some surprise and asked, "Have you always been releasing your spirit?"
Shi Yi replied matter-of-factly, "Of course. Xiao Yi is my only family, and I believe that since Xiao Yi doesn't consume spirit power in the outer world, it means it has the ability to absorb the energy of heaven and earth. While it can't cultivate like me, constantly absorbing energy from heaven and earth should be a good thing."
Yu Xiaogang's expression froze at this. Yes, meditation is about using the spirit to channel the energy of heaven and earth into oneself. Constantly releasing the spirit in the outer world would surely have some benefits.
"It seems I'm still too concerned about the impact of Sanpao on me." Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but smile bitterly. When it came to accepting reality, he was no better than a child.
Thinking of this, Yu Xiaogang raised his hand to summon his martial spirit, but he hesitated when he saw the people dining around him.
Past words echoed in his mind: "Waste," "Farting pig," "Is this a dog?"
"Teacher, why aren't you eating?" Shi Yi's words brought Yu Xiaogang back to his senses. Yu Xiaogang smiled stiffly and slowly began to eat.
Shi Yi looked at Yu Xiaogang, a flicker of pity in his eyes. The young master of a wealthy family became a loser—this plot is always a prelude to pretense and then slapped in the face in novels, but Shi Yi believed that most people would end up like Yu Xiaogang.
In this world, to become a strong person, simply put, you need to eat well, drink well, live well, and have good parents.
Yu Xiaogang possessed all of these, but there was an unexpected change.
(End of Chapter)