All he saw inside was a book. On the cover, three large calligraphic words had been written: Pure Heart Art. Xiao Ziling opened and took a look at it – it was an immortality cultivation manual. He felt a little emotional. During the apocalypse, he had awoken an ability with the lowest improvement speed. As such, throughout the middle and end of the apocalypse, he had naturally been counted as cannon-fodder. But with this manual, he had one more layer of protection against the apocalypse.
Xiao Ziling respectfully placed the book aside, then searched through the other items. Inside the box, there were about ten or so white jade plates, sparkling and clear, along with an object that had been rolled up. Xiao Ziling opened it, glanced at the contents within, and finally understood what this was all about.
So his ancestral jade pendant was indeed a space. It had been refined an unknown number of generations ago by a cultivating immortal ancestor from his own family. This jade pendant required heart’s blood before it could open. Other types of blood were of no use. Originally, the activation method should have been passed down from generation to generation. From which generation it had vanished, he did not know. So this jade’s true function had also been forgotten, only to serve as a symbolic protection amulet.
It was also because it was like this, that Xiao Ziling’s sole life had been saved. Before it had been struck into his heart, the jade pendant had first obtained his heart’s blood, hence successfully recognizing its owner. Furthermore, that ancestor feared that the future generations of his clan would face danger. Thus, the jade carried a Soul Art, ensuring that there would be one opportunity to resurrect. As long as Xiao Ziling, at the moment of death, had maintained the wholeness of his physical body, he would have been able to revive on the spot. It was a pity that the zombies surrounding him then had torn him to pieces; without the fulfilment of the resurrection condition, the jade could only bundle his soul and escape. Logically, only rebirth should have occurred. Yet, he had inexplicably been returned to ten years ago?
Xiao Ziling shook his head, giving up on this question where there was no way of finding an answer. Besides, as long as he lived, all was well; why should he concern himself with whether it was rebirth or body snatching. Actually, his resurrection was a good thing. Xiao Ziling had a very Ah Q* mentality.
As for those shining and translucent white jade plates, they were spell techniques that the old ancestor had left, each one corresponding to a level of cultivation. Xiao Ziling just had to earnestly practice until the first level to open the jade plate that represented the lowest level. Of course, to cultivate you must first have spiritual roots. Xiao Ziling did not dare expect himself to possess any kind of heavenly spirit root. Just having a spirit root he could cultivate with would be OK.
Looking at the things in front of him, Xiao Ziling unconsciously began to salivate. At a glance, it didn’t seem to be 12 o’clock yet, so he still had ample time. His heart beating like a horse, Xiao Ziling hurriedly flipped through the Pure Heart manual. Then closed his legs to meditate, closed his eyes to cultivate.
Following the descriptions in the book, Xiao Ziling calmed his emotions. Only when there is absolute quietness, can he feel the spiritual energy that complements him. Regarding meditation, Xiao Ziling was no stranger. After the end of the world, you also had to use roughly this type of practice to improve your awakened ability if you didn’t have external support.
After quite some time, Xiao Ziling was in a kind of dream-like realm. He felt that his degree of spiritual sensitivity had increased by quite a bit as if he could feel the gases surrounding his body. Those gases were no longer transparent, becoming vibrant and multicoloured with all sorts and all kinds of colours circling him. The blue colours seemed to feel more intimate and compatible with him, while the red colours were a little sluggish. Was this not showing that he obviously had water roots? So the red colours representing fire energy were hence less responsive? After all, water and fire were not compatible.
Comparing the other colours to the previous two, it seemed that his spiritual roots were indeed not especially good, and could be counted as mixed spirit roots*, just that his water spirit roots were better than the others by a bit. Thank goodness the main subject of the Pure Heart Art was not immortality cultivation. It focused on training the spirit and willpower so it can be cultivated regardless of the spirit roots. Only, first-class spirit roots can cultivate at a faster speed, and Xiao Ziling with his low-quality spirit roots can only crawl, step-by-step, slowly, perhaps unable to cultivate past a few levels throughout this lifetime.
However, Xiao Ziling did not despair. After all, during the apocalypse, he had only awakened an ability that had been designated as a cannon-fodder ability. In the beginning, Speed Ability users were not yet that much of a cannon-fodder. Just that, from the middle to the end period, all kinds of awakened people were raising their own ability levels. As they did so, their physical speed also increased. Meanwhile, once Speed Ability users reached a certain speed, it would be extremely difficult to upgrade. Furthermore, their other capabilities such as strength did not improve much and were comparatively mediocre.
This was still nothing much; after all, Speed Ability users were still faster than other ability users by a bit. However, when it reached the late period, the surviving zombies all evolved. After the zombies reached the third rank, Speed Ability users lost the ability to kill them. Without sufficient strength, there was no way to hack open the zombies’ flesh, unless you have special weapons. However, this sort of special weapon doesn’t come at a cheap price. Those with low-levelled Speed Mutations had no way of possessing these kinds of weapons, while their natural speed also gradually lost its absolute advantage.
During this time period, Speed Mutants had become mobile cabbages*, they could only tiredly dodge and run away. These people who are unable to kill the zombies ran until they exhausted both mind and body. Afterwards, they could only allow the zombies to slaughter them. This was the true reason why Speed Mutants had been finally reduced to cannon-fodder. The Speed Mutants who survived all had special weapons in their hands, and furthermore, not a single one of them was not being covered by someone strong.
So he would be satisfied, as long as he could obtain a new ability. It would mean possessing one more life-preserving skill in his struggle to discard his cannon-fodder fate.
Xiao Ziling sobered up, opening his eyes, he saw that the sky had already brightened; sunlight diagonally shot through the east window. So it was already the morning of the second day. The midnight meditation had allowed his spirit to grow slightly stronger, and his five senses had also grown more sensitive. From inside the room, he could actually hear the chatting sounds of the elderly in the neighbourhood, who had gotten up for their morning exercise. Meanwhile, far distances could be clearly seen by his pair of eyes, causing Xiao Ziling both surprise and joy.
It seemed like this Pure Heart Manual was truly useful. Just as Xiao Ziling was feeling immensely pleased with himself, he felt his stomach haphazardly sound, “gu lu gu lu.” Yesterday, after he had become drunk, the food inside his stomach had all been cleanly vomited – no wonder he was famished. Xiao Ziling quickly went to first satisfy his appetite. He opened the fridge, then took out and ate en masse what could be eaten.
Finally content, he stopped. Xiao Ziling began to ponder how to deal with the impending apocalypse.
The apocalyptic world was not easy to live ah – that strength speaks, death decides world with extremely distorted morality; thinking of it now gave him the creeps. When he thought until here, Xiao Ziling was maddened to the point that his face soured. Moreover, this time too, it was impossible for him to suddenly encounter a big event and gain some kind of heaven-defying ability. He reckoned he was still a Speed Mutant.
The apocalypse had two kinds of awakened people. One type was the mutation of the physical body, for example, speed; strength; sight; hearing; smell; etc. This category of awakened people were labelled as ‘Mutants’. The other kind was the elemental energy users, for example, water; fire; earth; gold; wood; wind; lightning; light; darkness; space; etc – they were all of this category. Those who had it were called ‘Special Ability Users.’ Mutants were Low Awakenings, and Special Ability Users were High Awakenings. During the latter period, whether your Awakening was High or Low also represented whether your status would be high or low. Mutants could only cling to the Special Ability users, otherwise, it would be very difficult to live on. Xiao Ziling was very clear on the environment after the end of the world. With his kind of awakened ability, even possessing the Pure Heart Arts could not guarantee much. Seems like it’s a must to find a big backer and hug a big, thick, thigh if he wants to live well after the end of the world.
Ling Tian* base——Chu Zhitian*!
The only thing floating in Xiao Ziling’s* mind was this person; this person who was the king among kings out of all the Special Ability users, Chi Zhitian. Throughout the whole first decade of the apocalypse, only he counted as someone you could depend on.
Chu Zhitian’s ability, there was no need to mention it. After ten years he could practically look down on the strong, possessing no superior, while his Ling Tian base was also one of the few bases during the apocalypse that could be regarded as humane. Chu Zhitian also did not believe in dictatorship. The people who had followed him initially, all of them eventually held a position there. So what if you’re a mutant, even ordinary humans could settle there too.
Rumors said that Chu Zhitian is an extremely protective person, who definitely would not permit anyone to harm his sworn brothers. According to legend, a certain powerful person had been blind to Chu Zhitian’s warnings, injured a certain one of Chu Zhitian’s little brothers*, and had been personally executed by Chu Zhitian. This bloody event had caused every powerful person to fear crossing the line. It was said that whenever the people from Ling Tian base go to any place, no one dares to oppress them. Everyone is afraid of offending this kind of ruthless customer. Of course, this was all only unconfirmed news. After all, regarding Chu Zhituan this kind of king, Xiao Ziling had completely no way to contact him. He could only hear a little of these so-called secrets from a fellow cannon fodder Mutant to satisfy his own gossiping heart.
If he could hug this plump thigh at an early stage, he just had to smoothly live until the late period, living simply without worries. Perhaps he could even pick up a small leadership post and pretend for a bit. Xiao Ziling’s eyes gleamed, feeling more certain that this was a good idea. At this moment, he decided that before the apocalypse comes, he must first lurk at Chu Zhitian’s side, look for the right opportunity to act, and strive to be the first who strikes strong…… En, occupy the initial advantage.
*Ah Q mentality: describing a sort of self-deluding optimistic mentality that spins everything into a positive light, regardless of the truth. Ah Q is the hero in the story, The Standard Biography of Ah Q, by Lu Xun. “Ah Q is famous for ‘spiritual victories’, Lu Xun’s euphemism for self-talk and self-deception even when faced with extreme defeat or humiliation.” – Wikipedia.
*mixed spirit roots: AKA Waste spirit roots. More spirit roots = slower cultivation = bad.
*Mobile Cabbage: Meaning, a walking weakling or a type of person so common that they can be found anywhere just like Chinese Cabbages. (Not v. sure.)
*Ling Tian: 凌天 in Chinese. ‘凌’ meaning, ‘to dominate’, or ‘to soar’. ‘天’ meaning ‘sky’ or ‘heaven’. Tian (天) is also part of Chu Zhitian’s name so it could be said that he sort of named the base after himself. The base name translated literally might be ‘Dominating the Heavens’, ‘Soaring to the Heavens’, or ‘Reaching the Sky.’
*Chu Zhitian: 楚炙天 in Chinese. ‘楚’ meaning, ‘suffering’, or ‘bright.’ ‘炙’ meaning scorching. ‘天’ meaning ‘sky’ or ‘heaven.’ Translated literally, it is either ‘Suffering the Scorching Sky’ or ‘Bright Scorching Sky.’
*Xiao Ziling: 萧子陵 in Chinese. ‘萧 ‘ meaning ‘desolate’, ‘子’ meaning son (kinda), ‘陵’ meaning tomb. His name translated literally would be ‘Desolate Tomb of a Son’, with ‘Desolate’ as his surname, and ‘Tomb of a Son’ as his name. …What were his parents thinking??
T/N: Notice how Xiao Ziling’s name is very Yin and Chu Zhitian’s name is very Yang. Now you know who is shou and who is gong. ^_^
*Little brothers: not blood-related brother. Means his junior, or a younger friend.
All he saw inside was a book. On the cover, three large calligraphic words had been written: Pure Heart Art. Xiao Ziling opened and took a look at it – it was an immortality cultivation manual. He felt a little emotional. During the apocalypse, he had awoken an ability with the lowest improvement speed. As such, throughout the middle and end of the apocalypse, he had naturally been counted as cannon-fodder. But with this manual, he had one more layer of protection against the apocalypse.
Xiao Ziling respectfully placed the book aside, then searched through the other items. Inside the box, there were about ten or so white jade plates, sparkling and clear, along with an object that had been rolled up. Xiao Ziling opened it, glanced at the contents within, and finally understood what this was all about.
So his ancestral jade pendant was indeed a space. It had been refined an unknown number of generations ago by a cultivating immortal ancestor from his own family. This jade pendant required heart’s blood before it could open. Other types of blood were of no use. Originally, the activation method should have been passed down from generation to generation. From which generation it had vanished, he did not know. So this jade’s true function had also been forgotten, only to serve as a symbolic protection amulet.
It was also because it was like this, that Xiao Ziling’s sole life had been saved. Before it had been struck into his heart, the jade pendant had first obtained his heart’s blood, hence successfully recognizing its owner. Furthermore, that ancestor feared that the future generations of his clan would face danger. Thus, the jade carried a Soul Art, ensuring that there would be one opportunity to resurrect. As long as Xiao Ziling, at the moment of death, had maintained the wholeness of his physical body, he would have been able to revive on the spot. It was a pity that the zombies surrounding him then had torn him to pieces; without the fulfilment of the resurrection condition, the jade could only bundle his soul and escape. Logically, only rebirth should have occurred. Yet, he had inexplicably been returned to ten years ago?
Xiao Ziling shook his head, giving up on this question where there was no way of finding an answer. Besides, as long as he lived, all was well; why should he concern himself with whether it was rebirth or body snatching. Actually, his resurrection was a good thing. Xiao Ziling had a very Ah Q* mentality.
As for those shining and translucent white jade plates, they were spell techniques that the old ancestor had left, each one corresponding to a level of cultivation. Xiao Ziling just had to earnestly practice until the first level to open the jade plate that represented the lowest level. Of course, to cultivate you must first have spiritual roots. Xiao Ziling did not dare expect himself to possess any kind of heavenly spirit root. Just having a spirit root he could cultivate with would be OK.
Looking at the things in front of him, Xiao Ziling unconsciously began to salivate. At a glance, it didn’t seem to be 12 o’clock yet, so he still had ample time. His heart beating like a horse, Xiao Ziling hurriedly flipped through the Pure Heart manual. Then closed his legs to meditate, closed his eyes to cultivate.
Following the descriptions in the book, Xiao Ziling calmed his emotions. Only when there is absolute quietness, can he feel the spiritual energy that complements him. Regarding meditation, Xiao Ziling was no stranger. After the end of the world, you also had to use roughly this type of practice to improve your awakened ability if you didn’t have external support.
After quite some time, Xiao Ziling was in a kind of dream-like realm. He felt that his degree of spiritual sensitivity had increased by quite a bit as if he could feel the gases surrounding his body. Those gases were no longer transparent, becoming vibrant and multicoloured with all sorts and all kinds of colours circling him. The blue colours seemed to feel more intimate and compatible with him, while the red colours were a little sluggish. Was this not showing that he obviously had water roots? So the red colours representing fire energy were hence less responsive? After all, water and fire were not compatible.
Comparing the other colours to the previous two, it seemed that his spiritual roots were indeed not especially good, and could be counted as mixed spirit roots*, just that his water spirit roots were better than the others by a bit. Thank goodness the main subject of the Pure Heart Art was not immortality cultivation. It focused on training the spirit and willpower so it can be cultivated regardless of the spirit roots. Only, first-class spirit roots can cultivate at a faster speed, and Xiao Ziling with his low-quality spirit roots can only crawl, step-by-step, slowly, perhaps unable to cultivate past a few levels throughout this lifetime.
However, Xiao Ziling did not despair. After all, during the apocalypse, he had only awakened an ability that had been designated as a cannon-fodder ability. In the beginning, Speed Ability users were not yet that much of a cannon-fodder. Just that, from the middle to the end period, all kinds of awakened people were raising their own ability levels. As they did so, their physical speed also increased. Meanwhile, once Speed Ability users reached a certain speed, it would be extremely difficult to upgrade. Furthermore, their other capabilities such as strength did not improve much and were comparatively mediocre.
This was still nothing much; after all, Speed Ability users were still faster than other ability users by a bit. However, when it reached the late period, the surviving zombies all evolved. After the zombies reached the third rank, Speed Ability users lost the ability to kill them. Without sufficient strength, there was no way to hack open the zombies’ flesh, unless you have special weapons. However, this sort of special weapon doesn’t come at a cheap price. Those with low-levelled Speed Mutations had no way of possessing these kinds of weapons, while their natural speed also gradually lost its absolute advantage.
During this time period, Speed Mutants had become mobile cabbages*, they could only tiredly dodge and run away. These people who are unable to kill the zombies ran until they exhausted both mind and body. Afterwards, they could only allow the zombies to slaughter them. This was the true reason why Speed Mutants had been finally reduced to cannon-fodder. The Speed Mutants who survived all had special weapons in their hands, and furthermore, not a single one of them was not being covered by someone strong.
So he would be satisfied, as long as he could obtain a new ability. It would mean possessing one more life-preserving skill in his struggle to discard his cannon-fodder fate.
Xiao Ziling sobered up, opening his eyes, he saw that the sky had already brightened; sunlight diagonally shot through the east window. So it was already the morning of the second day. The midnight meditation had allowed his spirit to grow slightly stronger, and his five senses had also grown more sensitive. From inside the room, he could actually hear the chatting sounds of the elderly in the neighbourhood, who had gotten up for their morning exercise. Meanwhile, far distances could be clearly seen by his pair of eyes, causing Xiao Ziling both surprise and joy.
It seemed like this Pure Heart Manual was truly useful. Just as Xiao Ziling was feeling immensely pleased with himself, he felt his stomach haphazardly sound, “gu lu gu lu.” Yesterday, after he had become drunk, the food inside his stomach had all been cleanly vomited – no wonder he was famished. Xiao Ziling quickly went to first satisfy his appetite. He opened the fridge, then took out and ate en masse what could be eaten.
Finally content, he stopped. Xiao Ziling began to ponder how to deal with the impending apocalypse.
The apocalyptic world was not easy to live ah – that strength speaks, death decides world with extremely distorted morality; thinking of it now gave him the creeps. When he thought until here, Xiao Ziling was maddened to the point that his face soured. Moreover, this time too, it was impossible for him to suddenly encounter a big event and gain some kind of heaven-defying ability. He reckoned he was still a Speed Mutant.
The apocalypse had two kinds of awakened people. One type was the mutation of the physical body, for example, speed; strength; sight; hearing; smell; etc. This category of awakened people were labelled as ‘Mutants’. The other kind was the elemental energy users, for example, water; fire; earth; gold; wood; wind; lightning; light; darkness; space; etc – they were all of this category. Those who had it were called ‘Special Ability Users.’ Mutants were Low Awakenings, and Special Ability Users were High Awakenings. During the latter period, whether your Awakening was High or Low also represented whether your status would be high or low. Mutants could only cling to the Special Ability users, otherwise, it would be very difficult to live on. Xiao Ziling was very clear on the environment after the end of the world. With his kind of awakened ability, even possessing the Pure Heart Arts could not guarantee much. Seems like it’s a must to find a big backer and hug a big, thick, thigh if he wants to live well after the end of the world.
Ling Tian* base——Chu Zhitian*!
The only thing floating in Xiao Ziling’s* mind was this person; this person who was the king among kings out of all the Special Ability users, Chi Zhitian. Throughout the whole first decade of the apocalypse, only he counted as someone you could depend on.
Chu Zhitian’s ability, there was no need to mention it. After ten years he could practically look down on the strong, possessing no superior, while his Ling Tian base was also one of the few bases during the apocalypse that could be regarded as humane. Chu Zhitian also did not believe in dictatorship. The people who had followed him initially, all of them eventually held a position there. So what if you’re a mutant, even ordinary humans could settle there too.
Rumors said that Chu Zhitian is an extremely protective person, who definitely would not permit anyone to harm his sworn brothers. According to legend, a certain powerful person had been blind to Chu Zhitian’s warnings, injured a certain one of Chu Zhitian’s little brothers*, and had been personally executed by Chu Zhitian. This bloody event had caused every powerful person to fear crossing the line. It was said that whenever the people from Ling Tian base go to any place, no one dares to oppress them. Everyone is afraid of offending this kind of ruthless customer. Of course, this was all only unconfirmed news. After all, regarding Chu Zhituan this kind of king, Xiao Ziling had completely no way to contact him. He could only hear a little of these so-called secrets from a fellow cannon fodder Mutant to satisfy his own gossiping heart.
If he could hug this plump thigh at an early stage, he just had to smoothly live until the late period, living simply without worries. Perhaps he could even pick up a small leadership post and pretend for a bit. Xiao Ziling’s eyes gleamed, feeling more certain that this was a good idea. At this moment, he decided that before the apocalypse comes, he must first lurk at Chu Zhitian’s side, look for the right opportunity to act, and strive to be the first who strikes strong…… En, occupy the initial advantage.
*Ah Q mentality: describing a sort of self-deluding optimistic mentality that spins everything into a positive light, regardless of the truth. Ah Q is the hero in the story, The Standard Biography of Ah Q, by Lu Xun. “Ah Q is famous for ‘spiritual victories’, Lu Xun’s euphemism for self-talk and self-deception even when faced with extreme defeat or humiliation.” – Wikipedia.
*mixed spirit roots: AKA Waste spirit roots. More spirit roots = slower cultivation = bad.
*Mobile Cabbage: Meaning, a walking weakling or a type of person so common that they can be found anywhere just like Chinese Cabbages. (Not v. sure.)
*Ling Tian: 凌天 in Chinese. ‘凌’ meaning, ‘to dominate’, or ‘to soar’. ‘天’ meaning ‘sky’ or ‘heaven’. Tian (天) is also part of Chu Zhitian’s name so it could be said that he sort of named the base after himself. The base name translated literally might be ‘Dominating the Heavens’, ‘Soaring to the Heavens’, or ‘Reaching the Sky.’
*Chu Zhitian: 楚炙天 in Chinese. ‘楚’ meaning, ‘suffering’, or ‘bright.’ ‘炙’ meaning scorching. ‘天’ meaning ‘sky’ or ‘heaven.’ Translated literally, it is either ‘Suffering the Scorching Sky’ or ‘Bright Scorching Sky.’
*Xiao Ziling: 萧子陵 in Chinese. ‘萧 ‘ meaning ‘desolate’, ‘子’ meaning son (kinda), ‘陵’ meaning tomb. His name translated literally would be ‘Desolate Tomb of a Son’, with ‘Desolate’ as his surname, and ‘Tomb of a Son’ as his name. …What were his parents thinking??
T/N: Notice how Xiao Ziling’s name is very Yin and Chu Zhitian’s name is very Yang. Now you know who is shou and who is gong. ^_^
*Little brothers: not blood-related brother. Means his junior, or a younger friend.
