Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 381 Mental Ascension, the First Visitor to the Palace

at dusk.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window, casting a reddish-orange hue over the pale blue sports floor.

The living room resembles a private boxing training room.

The boxing mat, horizontal bar, rings, and huge black sandbag all cast extremely long shadows.

Fang Cheng put down the mop and breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking around, the whole house had been cleaned and looked brand new.

The floor was so smooth it was like a mirror, almost reflecting images.

The furniture was cleaned until it shone, and it was arranged neatly.

Only the kitchen trash can was overflowing.

On top were a few cleanly gnawed chicken bones, and underneath was a thick stack of pizza box wrappers.

At the entrance, there were four bulging, large black plastic bags stacked up.

After returning from his morning exercise at the beach, Fang Cheng only went to the supermarket once at noon to replenish his supplies.

I haven't left home all day, and I have no intention of going to work at the club.

I just stayed at home, watching TV, ordering takeout, doing housework, and hardly interacted with anyone.

I completely let loose this time and became a typical couch potato.

By the end of the day, the food consumed totaled more than 20 kilograms, more than enough to replenish the energy consumed during the high-intensity training.

As for the uninvited knocker in the morning, he never appeared again.

No one bothers me, so I'm happy to have some peace of mind.

After wringing out the mop and carefully hanging it back in the tool shed, Fang Cheng stretched his limbs, his shoulder blades making a series of crisp popping sounds.

As I looked up, a notification message quietly appeared before my eyes:
Cleaning experience +5

Cleaning lv1 (229/250)

Fang Cheng smiled slightly, completely satisfied.

Then he touched his slightly bulging belly.

An hour ago, the sumptuous "afternoon tea" had not been fully digested, and I did not feel hungry for the time being.

Dinner can be skipped; we can just order takeout for a late-night snack around 10 p.m.

Fang Cheng strolled over to the sofa, sat down, picked up the remote control, and turned on the large color TV leaning against the wall.

A music program is playing on the screen, with several young men and women with exquisite makeup singing and dancing on stage.

It seems to be some of the top contestants from last year's singing competition, promoting their performance for this year's competition.

Fang Cheng watched for a while, then lost interest and put down the remote.

My gaze inadvertently drifted to the window, only to be captivated by the scenery outside.

At this moment, the sun was slowly sinking into the sea, turning the clouds on the horizon golden and red.

The magnificent sunset stretched from the horizon to the horizon, reflecting off the shimmering waves.

Just like the scene described in ancient poems, "the setting sun melts into gold, and the light and shadows dance on the water," it is now being recreated.

The sea surface shimmered with countless fragments of light, and the sound of waves came from afar, tapping against the windowpanes and stirring Fang Cheng's thoughts.

He suddenly recalled the strange feeling he had when he was swimming in the sea at dawn that day, as if being watched by the deep sea.

It seems that even now, the echo of some grand will still lingers in my mind, refusing to fade away.

With a slight thought, Fang Cheng immediately stood up, walked to the French windows, and pushed open a small ventilation window.

A salty evening breeze immediately rushed in, caressing his cheeks.

The gentle glow of the setting sun enveloped him, casting a long shadow behind him.

The ceaseless roar of the waves fills my ears, the refreshing sea breeze caresses my nose, and before my eyes stretches a magnificent, molten gold sunset.

Fang Cheng closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

I felt completely refreshed and indescribably comfortable.

As is his custom, he usually practices meditation for one to two hours before going to bed.

But at this moment, witnessing such a beautiful scene, a strong urge to practice spirituality arose spontaneously.

The true essence of meditation is not sitting alone in contemplation, but rather establishing a connection with the universe and all things, exchanging energy and information.

Spiritual power does not come from nowhere; its source is the vast and boundless universe.

Ancient practitioners emphasized "absorbing the essence of the sun in the morning and the radiance of the moon in the evening."

The most crucial time is at dusk.

This is because it is precisely the moment of yin and yang alternation and the union of heaven and earth.

Practicing at such times allows one to reach the peak of resonance with heaven and earth, resulting in far greater efficiency than usual.

With this thought in mind, Fang Cheng no longer hesitated.

He quickly composed himself and slowly sat down cross-legged on the floor bathed in the setting sun.

His hands rested naturally on his knees, and his back was straight.

The moment the eyelids closed, the static from the television, the distant noise, and all external distractions receded like the tide.

In Fang Cheng's world, only his own breathing and the sound of the waves, seemingly in sync with his heartbeat, remained.

Consciousness continued to descend, soon sinking into that familiar ocean of consciousness.

A solitary lighthouse stands tall in the darkness.

The spiritual fire atop the tower beats steadily like a heart, radiating a crimson-gold light that illuminates the surrounding area.

However, the flames today seem somewhat different.

Fang Cheng saw that on the outer flames of the blazing spiritual fire, there was a faint, almost imperceptible, pale blue light, like a water droplet.

Like a drop of cold water seeping into boiling oil, though tiny, it carries a unique quality of incongruity.

"This is it..."

Fang Cheng's gaze narrowed slightly, suddenly becoming sharp.

The unusual sensation I felt in the sea during my morning exercise today was likely caused by this thing.

Without the slightest hesitation, Fang Cheng immediately mobilized his will and began to try to refine the uninvited "blue drop of water".

Almost the instant his thought arose, the "tidal sound" in his consciousness suddenly intensified.

The sound was no longer simply the sound of waves crashing on the shore.

Instead, it was mixed with a grand and ancient murmur that could not be described in words, echoing throughout the entire dark sea.

The spiritual fire trembled violently, its light flickering.

Fang Cheng felt as if an unimaginable behemoth was lurking at the end of that boundless, dark ocean.

When it occasionally turns over in its sleep, the tiny ripples it creates are transmitted to itself and transform into towering waves powerful enough to shake the lighthouse.

But Fang Cheng remained focused and unwavering.

To become one with the lighthouse beneath one's feet.

A surge of spiritual energy flowed into it continuously, and the fire of spirituality was not extinguished, but instead burned even more intensely.

The light surged, shooting out like sharp arrows, forcefully dispelling the surrounding darkness and chill.

The crimson flames, like the purest furnace in the world, scorched that drop of dark blue again and again.

Before my eyes, a panel appeared, and a series of prompts flashed by like flowing water:
[You are absorbing some abnormal consciousness, refining your self-awareness, and your mental strength has increased by 0.001.]

[You are absorbing some abnormal consciousness, refining your self-awareness, and your mental strength has increased by 0.001.]

………………

In the real world, Fang Cheng, who was sitting cross-legged, suddenly had a red light shining from between his eyebrows.

Immediately afterwards, a ring of crimson-gold flames rose from his body, enveloping him entirely.

At this moment, he seemed not to be sitting on the floor, but rather suspended high in the center of a rising sun.

Outside the window, the setting sun sank below the horizon, its last rays swallowed by darkness.

The distant city skyline gradually blurred in the twilight, leaving only a few scattered lights.

Inside the room, a new "sun" radiates light and heat, dispelling the deepening night and illuminating the room as bright as day.

What's amazing is that, despite the intense light, the temperature was perfectly controlled.

It did not cause any damage to the floor beneath him or the surrounding furnishings. At the same time, within his consciousness, the surging waves and the grand murmurs were slowly subsiding.

At the top of the lighthouse, the blue droplet in the spiritual fire gradually evaporated under the intense heat, becoming dim and insignificant.

All the noise from the outside world seemed to have faded away, leaving only a high degree of mental focus.

Sensing every subtle change in the body and soul, eliminating hidden dangers, and repairing damage caused by high-intensity exercise.

Furthermore, this opportunity allows them to hone their high mental attributes, which are as high as 50 points, making them more pure and sharp.

....................................

One floor down.

The thick curtains were drawn, and the lights were off in the room.

In the pitch-black environment, only a ring of flickering candlelight outlined the silhouette of a young man sitting cross-legged.

The interior furnishings are minimalist to the extreme, with almost no furniture, making it spacious and cold.

The man was handsome, and the lit candles around him formed a strange pattern on the ground.

Suddenly, his brow twitched slightly, as if he sensed something, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Those were eyes that gleamed with an eerie green light in the darkness, making them appear particularly unsettling.

"Finally... has it started?"

Cheng Jiashu muttered to himself, then scratched his black hair that covered his eyebrows with a hint of distress, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly:
"I hope this time it will be successful, and we'll meet in our dreams."

After saying that, he closed his eyes again.

....................................

Within the realm of consciousness, the fire of spirituality has been restored to its purity, even becoming more condensed and brighter than before.

Fang Cheng nodded in satisfaction while in a meditative state.

With a thought, consciousness instantly enters the memory palace.

Then I opened my eyes and found myself sitting cross-legged on that familiar bed.

I got out of bed, pushed open the bedroom door, and the magnificent, dark palace was once again before my eyes.

Above the dome, stars twinkled, resembling a real universe.

Huge stone pillars disappeared into the darkness, their end unknown.

In the empty hall, a breeze blew, creating a series of mournful sounds, adding to the mystery.

It seems... to be more spacious than when I last came in.

Fang Cheng muttered to himself, surveying the surrounding scenery.

The golden sphere in the center, which serves as the core, seemed to have become even brighter.

Although these changes were very subtle, Fang Cheng, as the master of the palace, could still clearly perceive them.

A flash of light appeared before my eyes, and several new notification messages surfaced:
Meditation experience +10

Meditation lv2 (279/500)

Congratulations! Through tireless cultivation, your mental attribute has improved and reached 52 points.

"52 O'Clock?"

Fang Cheng muttered to himself, feeling both delighted and unsurprised.

With the presence of the golden orb that is the embodiment of the Golden Bamba Bottle, even without deliberately meditating, his spiritual power can passively absorb and refine external thoughts, growing slowly and steadily.

Before this training session, his mental attribute was already about to break through 51 points.

Now that he has refined that powerful alien consciousness, he has increased his level by 2 points in one fell swoop, which can be considered a natural outcome.

Of course, benefits and risks go hand in hand.

The hidden dangers have not been completely eliminated as a result.

During the meditation practice just now, Fang Cheng had a sudden realization.

He then turned his gaze to the edge of the palace.

There, the erosion of the dark void still exists.

He could clearly sense that the palace's "walls" appeared somewhat loose, dull, and even had fine cracks in those areas.

Just like a building in real life that needs maintenance and repair, a slight "wind" is leaking in through the cracks.

Besides, something even more bizarre seems to be lurking outside the palace.

They lurk in the darkness, trying to silently infiltrate through these gaps or the "starlight" on the dome.

Fang Cheng guessed that these strange objects might have come from two places.

First, it is a remnant of the Black Tantric faith found in the Golden Bumba bottle.

Secondly, it was the source of that alien consciousness that had just been refined.

That is, the huge blue phantom that I sensed when I first started meditating in the meditation hall of the True Thought Association.

It seems we'll have to spend more time maintaining this palace to prevent them from taking advantage of any vulnerabilities.

Fang Cheng made up his mind.

Boom, boom, boom.

Just as he was pondering, a sudden sound shattered the tranquility of the palace.

It sounds like someone is knocking on the door again?

Fang Cheng's mind stirred slightly, and his consciousness instantly expanded outwards.

With a 360-degree all-around perspective, one can simultaneously "see" oneself sitting cross-legged in the real world, as well as the empty room around one.

Boom, boom, boom.

The sound rang out again, carrying a non-physical quality.

The room was quiet at the moment, with no other noise except for the sound of the television playing.

The knocking sound was not from reality.

Someone... has visited my memory palace?
Fang Cheng was slightly taken aback, and a question quickly flashed through his mind.

He never mentioned building his own memory palace to anyone, let alone sending any "voice password" to invite visitors.

So, where do the visitors come from?

Boom, boom, boom.

The knocking continued, at a steady, unhurried pace.

The extremely quiet environment had an eerie feel to it, as if a horror movie was playing out.

Fang Cheng suddenly remembered the crow that had knocked on his window two months ago, bringing him a mental cultivation technique.

However, at that time, the palace was not yet completed and only had a small bedroom.

After a moment's thought, Fang Cheng quickly recalled some of the techniques recorded in that cultivation method.

He then focused his mind and tried to pinpoint the source of the sound.

He turned his gaze to the darkness ahead.

There, there was originally an empty, hollow wall.

At this moment, as he gazed upon it, the outline of a door emitting a faint white light slowly emerged.

Fang Cheng stared intently at the "door" leading to the outside world.

With a thought, it was as if an invisible hand slowly turned the doorknob.

squeak-

With a soft click, the door slowly opened.

It revealed a sliver of pure darkness, like a crack leading to an abyss.

The howling wind whistled in from outside, adding to the eeriness of the place.

A few seconds later, a figure emitting a hazy green light stepped through the portal and entered.

He smiled slightly at Fang Cheng, his voice gentle:

"Hi, long time no see, how have you been?"

Fang Cheng's pupils contracted instantly as he stared intently at the uninvited guest:
"You are... the Smiling Demon."

(End of this chapter)