Nothing dramatic happened that night. The group of four enjoyed a hearty meal together, then booked four rooms at the inn. Gu Han and Bibi Dong's rooms were next to each other, while Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo's rooms flanked theirs on either side, forming a protective formation around the two juniors.
Back in his room, Gu Han didn't go to sleep right away. As usual, he sat cross-legged to cultivate his spiritual power.
The technique known as "Art of Internal Reflection" was profoundly intriguing. When Gu Han closed his eyes and turned his awareness inward, he could clearly perceive a spark of light at the center of his brow.
This was the Light of Life, the Light of Spirit, or perhaps more accurately, the Light of the Soul.
According to the nameless cultivation method he practiced, this was the Heaven's Eye, the Innate Aperture—the origin of the soul.
The nameless technique warned that if this light moved on its own, it was a sign of death. But if it could be consciously guided and controlled, that was an entirely different matter—it was a sign of mastery.
Because this light was one's soul, the very essence of being. If it acted independently, it meant the body had perished. But if one could willfully control it, it meant the soul had reached a level where it could travel outside the body.
At that point, Gu Han would be able to achieve the Daoist ideal of remaining secluded yet knowing all under heaven.
He was beginning to suspect that the nameless technique manual was related to the Taoist cultivation methods of his past life. Many of its techniques bore a striking resemblance to Daoist arts—especially this Art of Internal Reflection technique, and the eventual step of the soul leaving the body. It was virtually identical to the Daoist concept of the Yang Spirit projection.
The nameless method in his mind was, true to its name, formless and wordless, changing and evolving based on his own progress. It gave him the feeling of cultivating a living scripture—a scripture without words.
Of course, Gu Han was still a bit far from reaching the level where his soul could truly move freely. And even then, one must never act recklessly with the soul. If it left the body and couldn't return, that would be a serious problem.
By the time morning arrived, Gu Han slowly opened his eyes. Though his gaze seemed dim at first glance, it gave off a profound feeling—as if he had seen through the nature of all things.
"…It's done."
The first stage of Art of Internal Reflection, cultivated for six long years, had finally been completed.
Eyes reflecting inner light, spirit fully refined, soul luminous yet restrained.
Now, in Gu Han's eyes, he could clearly perceive the energies drifting through the air—what this world referred to as soul power.
But to him, this soul power was simply a form of natural energy. It wasn't "qi," nor "soul power." It only bore that name because the people of this world chose to define it as such.
To Gu Han, these distinctions didn't matter. As the Dao says: "The Dao that can be named is not the eternal Dao." All things begin without names; humans merely assign them to draw distinctions.
"All of this… it's incredible."
For the first time, Gu Han had truly perceived the essence of this world. He couldn't help but marvel at it in awe.
(TL/N - Bro's Gonna Be A Daoist Lol)
Bang, bang, bang!!
"Junior Brother! Hey, lazybones! Get up already!"
Just as Gu Han was immersed in the observation of soul power, a loud knock at the door came with Bibi Dong's sweet yet slightly childish voice.
He came back to his senses and responded before opening the door.
There stood Bibi Dong with her arms crossed, wearing a spirited expression. Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo flanked her like two guardian statues.
"Senior Sister, you're up early today," Gu Han greeted her with a smile.
"Early? It's nearly ten o'clock. The sun's already baking the rooftops!"
Bibi Dong rolled her pretty eyes at him, then narrowed them suspiciously. "Don't tell me you were up to something naughty last night. I thought maybe you snuck out to practice your sword forms."
"Exactly," Yue Guan chimed in, raising his orchid fingers to cover his mouth with a sly grin. "Those dull eyes of yours scream guilty conscience. Better watch yourself, boy."
"Ah—Senior Sister, Senior Yue Guan, don't tease me," Gu Han said quickly. "What I was doing last night… was refining a spiritual cultivation method I've been developing based on publicly available techniques."
"Here, let me show you."
As he spoke, his eyes suddenly lit up—literally. A sharp gleam flashed within them, imbuing his whole presence with clarity and energy.
"Wow! That's amazing!"
Bibi Dong was genuinely surprised. Just moments ago, his eyes had looked dull and unfocused—now they were sharp and glowing with life.
"You're a clever one," Yue Guan admitted, clearly impressed. "But how did you link your spiritual power to your eyes?"
It was a rare sight—even Ghost Douluo looked intrigued, silently watching Gu Han with interest.
"Well," Gu Han began, "it's commonly known that spiritual power originates in the region between the eyes—what the soul master world calls the Sea of Spirit. The eyes are the closest physical point to it. When someone's spirit is weak, their eyes look dull. When their spirit is strong, their eyes shine."
"So I thought—what if I could lock the glow in my eyes? Wouldn't that prevent spiritual power from leaking outward?"
"So I took the commonly known spiritual cultivation techniques, combined them with theories I read in the library, and kept improving and exploring until I developed my own method. I call it the 'Art of Internal Reflection.'"
"Not bad at all," Yue Guan nodded approvingly. "To create your own spiritual cultivation method—most people who do that are Titled Douluo or above. For someone your age to accomplish this is truly impressive. If you ever get your hands on a legendary immortal herb, your future will be limitless."
It wasn't unprecedented for powerful soul masters to create their own spiritual cultivation methods, so the three didn't find it too unbelievable. But when it came to Gu Han's talent, all three—Bibi Dong included—couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Still, Bibi Dong caught on to something Yue Guan said.
"Senior Yue Guan, what's an immortal herb?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Yue Guan's eyes sparkled. He summoned his martial soul and gently sniffed it with a dreamy expression.
"Immortal herbs… are treasures so rare they might as well only exist in heaven. Things so wondrous, mere mortals rarely get to witness their scent. If I could ever find the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, perhaps I too could break through to that legendary realm…"
His eyes gleamed with longing. But his excessively flamboyant manner made both Gu Han and Ghost Douluo involuntarily twitch at the corners of their mouths. Bibi Dong rolled her eyes but nodded thoughtfully.
"So… immortal herbs are like whale jelly in that they enhance a soul master's aptitude?"
"Hmph. Whale jelly?" Yue Guan snorted. "Compared to immortal herbs, that's nothing. If you manage to find even a single immortal herb and fully absorb it, even someone with innate spirit power of just one rank could reach the level of a Titled Douluo!"
"Now that is a real opportunity of a lifetime."
"I see… In that case, I'll ask Master to help us look for one when we return. If we find it, Junior Brother won't have to worry about whether he can break through to the Titled Douluo realm."
~~~
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