10: Trying to practice, halfway into the devil

Hearing Yang Dian's question, Lin Mo immediately stood up:

"Of course there are."

He led Yang Dian out of the office and to an elevator:

"There are 10 Cultivation rooms on the third basement level of the bureau, built three years ago."

"According to the higher-ups, the Spiritual Qi environment in the Cultivation rooms is supposed to be better than outside."

"Cultivating ancient martial arts and training innate abilities in the Cultivation rooms is supposed to provide a certain positive boost."

"When the Cultivation rooms were first built, they were brightly lit, and people queued 24 hours a day."

"But about two months after they were built, they were pretty much deserted."

"Do you know why?"

Yang Dian, who followed Lin Mo into the elevator, immediately guessed the reason:

"The auxiliary effect of the Cultivation rooms wasn't as strong as imagined?"

"Exactly."

Lin Mo nodded:

"Anyway, I didn't feel any difference between inside and outside the Cultivation rooms."

As he spoke, the elevator doors opened automatically to the third basement level, revealing a passage made of solid steel to Yang Dian's eyes.

"Here, we're here. Just find a Cultivation room and go in."

"Once you're inside, the indicator light outside the Cultivation room will change from green to red, so you don't have to worry about anyone disturbing you."

At this point, Lin Mo suddenly remembered something else:

"Oh, did you bring the communication device I gave you yesterday?"

Yang Dian nodded:

"Yes, I did."

Just as he responded, Yang Dian remembered something else:

"Uh, Captain, the equipment from the higher-ups is still spread out on my desk. Could you help me tidy it up when you go back?"

Lin Mo shook his head, pointing at Yang Dian with a hint of helplessness:

"You young people are just too impetuous."

"I'll put it away for you this time, but don't forget next time!"

Yang Dian stood at attention and saluted:

"Yes, Captain."

"You brat."

Lin Mo, unable to do anything about Yang Dian, pressed the elevator button.

Out of sight, out of mind.

After watching Lin Mo go upstairs, Yang Dian turned and walked into a Cultivation room.

The Cultivation room wasn't large, but it wasn't small either, covering an area of about 60 square meters.

Yang Dian first stretched his body, then confirmed Lin Mo's statement:

"Indeed, I don't feel any difference compared to outside."

He walked around the Cultivation room twice.

After confirming that the Special Administration Bureau was somewhat conscientious and hadn't installed cameras in the Cultivation room, Yang Dian walked to a chair by the wall, sat down, opened the player, and began watching the Cultivation explanation for the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill.”

As the screen lit up, a slightly aged voice came through the player and slowly entered Yang Dian's ears.

"What is Unity of Man and Nature?"

"Man unites with the heart, the heart unites with the will, and the will unites with Heaven and Earth."

"Using Qi as a guide, harmonizing the Qi, making the body relaxed and natural, then using the mind to contemplate Heaven and Earth, strengthening one's Divine Soul..."

"In simple terms, it means eating well and being full, strengthening the body, guiding one's mind to observe oneself internally and Heaven and Earth externally, allowing one's own magnetic field to merge into the great magnetic field of Heaven and Earth..."

...The video explanation was indeed extremely detailed.

The Cultivation Technique, less than a hundred words long, took more than two hours to play completely.

The key was that Yang Dian watched it with great interest.

"So that's how it is."

"To master the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill,” the most crucial aspect is ‘visualization.’"

After pondering for a while on the chair, Yang Dian finally decided not to use his cheat for now and to self-study first.

No other reason, it was simply that the cheat was too expensive to activate.

After carefully watching the video, a feeling spontaneously arose in Yang Dian's heart.

To completely learn the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill” would require 800 energy points.

What did that mean?

Gaining one point a day, he would have to save for over two years.

Of course, over two years wasn't too outrageous.

Previously, Yang Dian's clever mind had a flash of inspiration and he bought a copy of "Journey to the West," wanting to learn the monkey's “Great Heavenly Immortal Art.”

Then he almost caused the cheat to Ascend.

It was from that moment that Yang Dian truly realized that one should not be too greedy.

Things beyond his current capability should be put aside for now.

‘800 energy points, two years...’

‘First, I'll hoard some energy like a hamster.’

‘If I work harder and study diligently on my own, I should be able to reduce the energy cost significantly.’

‘I’ll strive to get started with the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill” before the summer vacation ends.’

Thinking of energy, Yang Dian closed his eyes again and ‘summoned’ his panel.

‘The energy growth rate remained consistent before and after entering the Cultivation room; it’s 0.01 energy points every 14 minutes and 24 seconds.’

‘So, either energy growth has nothing to do with the surrounding Spiritual Qi environment.’

‘Or the Cultivation room is not as the higher-ups claimed, where the internal Spiritual Qi concentration is higher than the outside.’

After drawing a simple conclusion, Yang Dian opened his eyes again and stood up.

Although the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill” subjectively involves meditation to perceive Heaven and Earth, thereby stimulating the growth of one's Qi and blood.

But to reach that level, one would have to have the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill” ingrained in their bones.

As a beginner of the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill,” he should honestly follow the video and practice the dynamic exercises.

"Practicing dynamic exercises requires gradual progress."

"First, the Three-Step Plain Walk, then the Six-Step Plain Walk, followed by the Three-Step Single Breath Hold..."

"Finally, completing the Six-Step Double Breath Hold pretty much signifies Minor Achievement."

"A Minor Achievement in the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill” possesses the ability to nourish Qi and blood, and strengthen the spirit..."

"However, the best places for Cultivation are mountain peaks, grasslands, and other places close to natural Heaven and Earth..."

"Never mind."

"Since I'm already here."

"I'll practice one round first!"

Taking a deep breath, Yang Dian relaxed his body, let his hands hang down, palms facing his legs, closed his eyes, settled his breath, and imagined himself interacting with Heaven and Earth... ‘After interacting with Heaven and Earth, the next step is to open my eyes and gaze into the distance, observing the vastness and boundlessness of nature.’

As he thought of this, Yang Dian opened his eyes.

But when he opened his eyes, all he saw were cold steel walls.

"Damn it!"

The emotions he had painstakingly built up instantly dissipated.

He finally understood why the video emphasized practicing the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill” in places like mountain peaks and grasslands.

Unity of Man and Nature, Unity of Man and Nature.

How could one unite with Heaven and Earth while staying in a place full of steel and concrete?

Not suffering Qi Deviation would already be good enough!

He ran his hands through his hair several times.

Feeling inexplicably distressed, Yang Dian decisively stuffed the player into his pocket and walked out of the Cultivation room with the “Heaven and Man Unity Skill.”

He was determined to complete the [Three-Step Plain Walk] today!

"Would my current state be considered Qi Deviation in ancient times?"

Pondering his own state, Yang Dian saw Lin Mo puffing smoke at the end of the corridor as soon as he exited the elevator.

"Out already?"

Seeing Yang Dian walk out of the elevator, Lin Mo extinguished the cigarette in his hand:

"You've been Cultivating..."

Before he finished speaking, Lin Mo noticed Yang Dian's messy, bird's nest hair, which he had messed up himself.

He shook his head with a hint of helplessness:

"Cultivation isn't something that happens overnight."

"Which of those ancient Martial Ancestors didn't Cultivate for decades or even a hundred years before accumulating their strength and breaking through after Spiritual Qi appeared?"

"Don't rush if you haven't grasped the basics or found the key point right away."

"With your talent, achieving Major Achievement in Dragon Claw Hand in one month, you'll eventually master the Cultivation Technique."

Feeling the concern in Lin Mo's words, Yang Dian's slightly irritable mood immediately eased a few points:

"Captain, I understand."

"Actually, I just touched upon a bit of the Dao, but the Cultivation location wasn't right, which made me lose the feeling all of a sudden."

"I plan to try again by the sea."

"The vast sky and sea there should be helpful for my Cultivation."

Lin Mo nodded:

"Then go."

"But you must remember, extremes meet, and when the sun is at its highest, it begins to decline."

"Cultivation is the same; never force yourself to Cultivate."

Yang Dian nodded earnestly, "I remember."

"I won't force it."

Seeing that Yang Dian had already made up his mind to try again, Lin Mo didn't try to persuade him further.

He immediately changed the subject to something else, wanting Yang Dian to shift his attention and not keep his mind too tense:

"Since you want to go to the sea, then go for a stroll in Wetland Park."

"That place has a good ecological environment, many wild animals, and it's also prone to mutated animals and plants."

"If you encounter any, contain them if you can, and if you can't handle it alone, call for backup."

At this point, he pointed to the patrol car outside the door.

"You're old enough; take some time to get a driver's license."

"In our line of work, not having a car is really inconvenient."

As he spoke, he thought of something else:

"Oh, Shi Sheng is also free now, do you want me to have him take you there?"

Yang Dian immediately shook his head:

"No need, no need."

"I'm not a child; there's no reason for someone to help me with everything."

After refusing Lin Mo's kind offer, Yang Dian first went to the changing room to change into his security uniform, then returned to the office to retrieve his identification and firearm, and casually put a high-voltage electric net capture ball in his pocket.

"Captain, I'm heading out now."

Watching Yang Dian wave to him and then disappear around the corner of the corridor, Lin Mo sighed silently.

"18 years old, why isn't he a child anymore?"

"This damned world..."

...