The twelve black boxes circled overhead like mysterious galaxies, following some unseen orbit, and the entire mysterious shop was suddenly filled with an eerie atmosphere.
"Uncle, so you're saying that this time I'll either hit the jackpot or come back empty-handed, is that right?"
Ren Yuanhao thought that since it was something left to fate, and expecting it would only lead to disappointment, he might as well approach it casually, to avoid adding to his sorrow.
With this thought, a calm, detached expression suddenly appeared on his face.
"That's right, and things born on the Obsidian Day carry a hint of malevolence. Even if you obtain them, you must use them with caution."
The uncle looked at the ceiling with lingering fear. The last Obsidian Day, over a hundred years ago, had directly brought down black lightning, turning a man who entered the mysterious shop into dust. This time...
The reason he hadn't mentioned the previous Obsidian Day to Ren Yuanhao was naturally out of fear that it would dampen Ren Yuanhao's spirits.
"Evil things?" Ren Yuanhao suddenly laughed, "Uncle, actually, I think whether it's an evil thing or a treasure, these labels carry prejudice. If one's heart is set on goodness, evil things can still be of use, can't they?"
The middle-aged man nodded, "Kid, your understanding shows that you're someone who doesn't cling to worldly views. Very good! You know, in this fleeting, chaotic world, many people attribute evil and slaughter to ferocious weapons, believing they can only bring disaster to the world. However, weapons are merely inanimate objects; only the wielder can define their nature."
"Exactly. Therefore, whether evil or treasure, I, Ren Yuanhao, only wish to use it to protect those I need to protect."
"Well said!" the middle-aged man laughed heartily, "In that case, go. Follow your will."
As soon as the words fell, Ren Yuanhao's true qi surged backward, and he leaped upwards. The twelve black boxes, as if possessing sentience, stacked themselves one by one, crashing into Ren Yuanhao's body like cannonballs!
At first, with the initial three boxes, Ren Yuanhao didn't feel much. However, by the time the fourth and fifth boxes came crashing down violently, the fire-attribute true qi that had been suppressed within him began to stir once more!
He dared not call upon his abilities, instead frantically circulating the Qing Xin Jue, resisting the surging fire-attribute true qi in his Dantian.
Yet, even the Qing Xin Jue could only alleviate the pain within him. The fire-attribute true qi in his Dantian felt on the verge of losing control.
The boxes poured into his body one after another, and the fire-attribute true qi was like water boiling in a kettle, frantically hammering against the lid. Ren Yuanhao knew very well that once this thing broke through the lid, the consequences would be unimaginable!
With this thought, each word of the Qing Xin Jue struck his mind with extreme clarity.
The Qing Xin Jue was originally written by a Buddhist disciple. At first, it was merely a record of meditative experience, a passage of Sanskrit. Later, as the disciple gained enlightenment, the Sanskrit grew longer. Eventually, in a dream, he encountered a wondrous being who took him to a land covered in ice and snow, instructing him to meditate there.
As a result, the moment he sat down, he entered a state of 'extraordinary' meditation. When he finally awoke from the dream, three full days had passed!
Subsequently, knowing it was the guidance of a high being, he wrote down all his encounters and feelings in his dream into that Sanskrit passage, thus giving birth to the Qing Xin Jue.
This Sanskrit text was brought back from the West by a certain monk. It traveled through the world, and finally, after being comprehended and practiced by a high being, the Sanskrit was evolved into Chinese characters, leading to the ancient texts that Ren Yuanhao read.
The Qing Xin Jue, being a Buddhist scripture, naturally offered unique insights into self-reflection and meditation. Moreover, fire-attribute true qi was inherently dominant in temperament. The more proficient one became in the Qing Xin Jue, the better they could control the internal fire.
In this instance, Ren Yuanhao poured his entire being into the Qing Xin Jue and, much like that monk, entered a miraculous state of meditation!
The middle-aged man watched Ren Yuanhao, who had been on the verge of collapse, suddenly sit cross-legged as if he were still water, becoming tranquil. He felt a slight sense of relief, his eyes occasionally flashing with a hint of admiration.
...
It was unclear how much time had passed. All twelve black boxes had completely integrated into Ren Yuanhao's body. However, Ren Yuanhao did not awaken from his meditative state, and the middle-aged man had no intention of disturbing a man who was in deep contemplation.
Fortunately, time in the illusion was not equal to time in the outside world. By the time Ren Yuanhao finally awoke, the outside world was still dark, as if only a mere ten-odd minutes had passed.
"You're awake? How do you feel?" the middle-aged man asked with curiosity. After all, this young man before him was the first person he had ever seen who had survived the Obsidian Day.
Ren Yuanhao adjusted his breathing and circulation. He seemed to feel no discomfort. However, the black boxes that had crashed into his body earlier did not seem to offer any benefits, and his body had only deepened his understanding of the Qing Xin Jue through deep meditation.
"I feel like my luck wasn't very good; I didn't get anything."
There was no dissatisfaction in Ren Yuanhao's tone. On the contrary, he was even grateful to the twelve boxes. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to suppress the fire-attribute true qi within him so well. Henceforth, as long as he didn't encounter extremely formidable enemies, he wouldn't have to worry about the fire-attribute true qi leaking out.
This had solved his urgent problem and, in a way, saved his life. He was overjoyed, so how could he feel dejected?
"Is that so? What a shame," the middle-aged man seemed quite weary as well, as activating the mysterious shop consumed a considerable amount of true qi.
Ren Yuanhao laughed heartily, "I actually don't think it's a big deal, and I want to thank you, Uncle, for holding the illusion for me, allowing me to stay in deep meditation for longer."
"You are indeed a very open-minded young man."
"Alright, I won't disturb your rest any further this time. See you again when fate allows."
The middle-aged man nodded and watched as Ren Yuanhao circulated his true qi, being swept out of the mysterious shop by the vortex. A trace of astonishment flashed in his eyes, as if something had escaped the space of the mysterious shop along with him.
"This kid, the last time he entered and exited the mysterious shop, it took him a great deal of effort. Now he's already reached this level. The younger generation is indeed formidable."
...
When Ren Yuanhao returned to the illusory space within his mind, the entire void of 'the universe' suddenly lit up.
"How was it? What did you gain?"
Ren Yuanhao shook his head, "Nothing."
"Oh~ Don't be discouraged. Things in there are truly left to fate. Think of it this way, at least you saved your points, right?"
Ren Yuanhao's face showed no dejection; instead, he smiled crisply and brightly, "You're right, I have 3200 points now!"