139: Chapter 138 Ancient True Cultivator (Requesting First Subscription)_2 139: Chapter 138 Ancient True Cultivator (Requesting First Subscription)_2 “After all, no one can guarantee that the target of their visualization will definitely be benevolent towards them.”
“In the unknown darkness, those terrifying entities, when you peer at them, they also see you; maybe, if they’re displeased, a mere glare could kill you on the spot!”
“The last True Man in the history of Yanhuang Country met with madness because of peering at terrifying beings.”
“That True Man had great perseverance; after each bout of madness, he managed to recover on his own.”
“Even so, he went mad three times before finally making contact with a benevolent existence and succeeded in gaining an opportunity.”
“After becoming a True Man, he specifically chose the moniker Three Madness Taoist to warn future generations not to recklessly gaze into the unknown.”
“Of course, among ancient True Cultivators, there were those with good fortune as well.”
“For instance, Ancestor Chenchuan, while in a drowsy sleep, had unexpectedly communicated with an entity and obtained an incredible opportunity from it.”
“Of course, lucky individuals like Ancestor Chenchuan are a once-in-history event!”
“On the contrary, those who lost their lives due to visualization of unknown entities are too numerous to count!”
“As far as I know, among the several great sects of Taoism that have broken their lineages, there have been at least dozens or hundreds who, in their desire to reclaim past glory, recklessly attempted to visualize the unknown and died unnatural deaths!”
“If so many had died and there were any gains to show for it, that would be one thing.”
“But in reality, within these great sects, not a single person who spied on the unknown came out with any benefit!”
After pondering for a moment, Hou Donggui began to explain to Chen Hai.
Of course, his words were not necessarily one hundred percent accurate.
After all, a lot of what he said was a summary based on things he knew.
Upon hearing Hou Donggui’s words, Chen Hai felt a chill of fear.
Initially, he, young and naive, had obtained a Taoist Book from Limp Zhang and, without understanding anything, began to blindly practice it.
If he had known that visualizing the unknown was so dangerous,
Perhaps, after trying it once and confirming that he could not visualize Heavenly Master Zhang, he would have ceased his cultivation right then and there.
After all, he was the only child of the Chen Family.
His parents were still waiting for him to carry on the family line and bring glory to their name.
If he were to carelessly visualize himself into nonexistence, how could he ever repay his parents for their nurturing?
Of course, while he was feeling scared, there was also a bit of excitement in his heart.
After all, the last Three Madness True Man from Yanhuang Country existed hundreds of years ago.
According to what Hou Donggui said, wouldn’t that make him, Chen Hai, the sole True Cultivator of the ancient ways in the last few hundred years after the Three Madness True Man?
“Brother Hou, are all ancient True Cultivators True Men?”
“Speaking of True Men, do you happen to know what the criteria are to measure a True Man?”
After refilling the empty teacup in front of Hou Donggui with hot tea, Chen Hai asked again with a curious expression.
“Chen Hai, are you that curious about True Men?”
“You’re not going to tell me that you’re planning to follow the path of the ancient True Cultivators, are you?”
“I’m telling you, if you don’t want to die a foolish death, don’t even think about trying it.”
“The worlds where those unknown entities reside, I call the True Realm.
The entities at the shallower levels of the True Realm are about that strong.” Updates are released by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⟡𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⟡𝓷𝓮𝓽
“Visualizing them and establishing some connection is considered nothing more than a side path, a deviation.”
“The ancient True Cultivators I am referring to visualized entities from the deeper parts of the True Realm, the truly terrifying ones.
They need no faith, for they themselves represent the Mysterious!”
“For example, Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise—just a glance from an average person might constitute an enormous opportunity.”
“Unfortunately, without something connected to these creatures as a medium, the chances of successfully visualizing them are even lower than finding a needle in a haystack.”
With a sigh, Hou Donggui picked up the hot tea in front of him and took a sip.
After explaining to Chen Hai for quite a while, his mouth indeed felt dry.
Just as his lips were finally moistened by a few sips of tea, Chen Hai once again spoke up, “Brother Hou, among the terrifying beings deep in the True Realm, are there any leeches?”
He asked this question subconsciously, as in his view, whether it was called the True Realm or the Spirit Realm, it was merely a difference in name.
Chen Hai listened to Hou Donggui speak of the ancient true cultivators, and the more he heard, the more he felt that it was himself being described.
“How would I know if, among the terrifying creatures deep within the True Realm, there are any leeches?”
Rolling his eyes, Hou Donggui responded irritably, “I have never entered the True Realm, so how would I know what it’s like inside?”
“All I know is that only those who can freely enter and leave the True Realm can be called True Men.”
“What I’m telling you is based on my years of communication with fellow practitioners, combined with some rumors and anecdotes from ancient texts.”
“Chances are, what I’m saying might not even be accurate!”
Looking like he knew it all, Hou Donggui picked up the hot tea in front of him and took a few sips after finishing that sentence.
“So Brother Hou, you like to speculate wildly just like me!” Chen Hai thought with a strange expression, secretly snickering a few times in his heart.
By the time they arrived at White Lake Tea House, night had already fallen.
As he chatted with Hou Donggui, before he knew it, it was already midnight.
It was no longer possible to enter the school.
However, Hou Donggui had already considered this point and had booked rooms for Chen Hai at a nearby hotel.
Of course, the two each had their own room; it was not possible for them to sleep together, side by side.
The next morning, they exchanged half a day’s worth of cultivation insights.
In the path of cultivation, wealth, companions, methods, and location—if chosen well—can all make one’s cultivation twice as effective with half the effort.
From his exchange with Hou Donggui, Chen Hai truly benefited greatly.
Since the year 1988, all freshmen entering universities in Yanhuang Country must undergo at least half a month of military training.
At Capital Political and Legal University, where Chen Hai studied, the military training period was even longer, lasting a full month.
There were drills and standing at attention; after a day’s worth of training, some pampered students simply couldn’t stand it.
Fainting from standing at attention had already happened several times within Chen Hai’s group.
As a rural kid, Chen Hai was not particularly strong, but having endured hardship since childhood, mere military training still couldn’t defeat him.
In the blink of an eye, it was already the tenth day of military training.
On the training ground, with the harsh sun above, Chen Hai stood as straight as a javelin.
Their drill instructor was one Instructor Yang, an active-duty soldier.
Instructor Yang was not tall, about the same height as Chen Hai, with dark skin and a sturdy build.
He strolled among the troops he was leading, correcting anyone whose posture was not quite right.
Not far off, two people dressed like soldiers approached.
Upon seeing Instructor Yang, they stopped and waved him over.
Jogging up to them, Instructor Yang gave the two individuals a military salute.
They whispered amongst themselves, and although Chen Hai couldn’t hear what was being said, he noticed that Instructor Yang kept nodding.
“Who is Chen Hai, step forward!” Having returned in front of them, Instructor Yang scanned the group and shouted.
“Are you looking for me?” Chen Hai was startled, then quickly replied, “Present!”
He ran up to Instructor Yang and came to a stop, giving him a salute.
A superior officer is looking for you, hurry over!” After taking a few good looks at Chen Hai, Instructor Yang nodded and spoke.
“A superior officer is looking for me?”
Still bewildered, Chen Hai hadn’t even reacted when the two soldiers who had come over earlier were already standing beside him, indicating that he should follow them away.
Led by the two, in less than ten minutes, he appeared at the entrance of an office.
After bringing Chen Hai there, the two soldiers just stood at the doorway without entering the office.
Inside the office at the moment, there was only a man in his thirties, wearing the rank of a lieutenant colonel, pacing back and forth with an anxious expression.
Are you the one who did the divination for my sister, saying she’d face a great calamity within half a month, with life and death uncertain?”
Upon seeing Chen Hai, the man approached with urgency.
He stared at Chen Hai and asked in a stern voice.