An additional sultry woman has been added to the group of five who were now sitting in a rectangle table covered with a fine white silk. The couple were sitting together with both of their sides were the two servants, and in front of them was the awkward new couple.
Jin Duan and Jin Ling were amused on how quiet are these kids to each other. Shen Ning was shy while Jin Ming couldn't think of anything to say to her. The blame must be on the parents for intervening with the relationship between the two from the very start.
These parents could only sigh in their minds as the family meal was silent all the way through their meal.
When everyone finished all the foods that were ordered. Jin Duan called the waiter to ask for the bill. Seeing that the table was still quiet as ever, he could not bear it and just randomly asked his son who was fiddling with the spoon on the plate. "Son, I wonder how did you learn that kind of blood circulation?"
"Eh?" Jin Ming who was absentminded got surprised when his attention was being called.
"Well.." He eyed Shen Ning. "Well, I believe I was able to encounter the state of nothingness again last night."
"Really?" Jin Duan's sparkled as he felt shock, envy and eagerness to find out how was his son able to do it. "Wait, last night..you mean?"
Jin Ling was surprised that his son was able to go back in that place again for a short time, while Shen Ning was dumbfounded.
Cough. Jin Ming's face were slowly becoming a red tomato. "Anyway, what I noticed was the place was not that dark unlike before."
"Wait. You're saying that this was your second time that you've experienced the state of nothingness?" Shen Ning could not believe what she was hearing right now. Experiencing this kind of place can only be encountered in the upper cultivation realms, and it is not even certain that a cultivator can experience it.
"Haha. Ming was able to experience that state for 33 days in real time while hundreds of years have passed in that place." Jin Duan proudly stated.
"That's impossible!" Shen Ning couldn't believe what this man was saying, but looking at the honest yet ignorant face of the young man beside her, she couldn't tell if it was really impossible or not.
"How long have you been there, son?" Jin Ling asked, taking the conversation back before it could get side tracked.
"Well.." Jin Ming laughed wryly as he explained. "I wasn't able to count how long exactly was I able to stay there since I focused on cultivation. I didn't want to waste another chance..so. But it felt like I've been there for decades."
"Decades..!" Shen Ning exclaimed as she pursed her lips right away.
"Hmm..I see." Jin Ling nodded contemplatively. "You mentioned that it was not that dark, how was it different from the first time that you experienced that place?"
"Hmm..well, the first time I was there was, I felt like I was integrated in that darkness. But I didn't feel any sorts of fear, panic or joy. There was nothing to feel, it was as if it was natural." Jin Ming explained as he thought to back to what he experienced back then. "I can't really see my body at that time, but just last night, it wasn't like that, I was able to see my body and able to feel."
"I guess there must be types or levels of state of nothingness if I conclude." Jin Ling nodded as she dismissed the topic for now. "Anyway, we haven't able to have a proper time to teach you with cultivation, lest teaching you some practices of it. Where did you learn the blood circulation that your father mentioned?"
"Well, I guess I made it..?" Jin Ming did not know what to say that's why he just explained what he encountered. "When I was in that state of nothingness. I contemplated on what path should I take. Then I remembered what Shen Ning told me about the dual path of a devil cultivator, that's when a thought crossed my mind. 'If a person can dual cultivate then why can't a person triple cultivate?'"
Jin Duan and the others was shock to the point that they don't know what to react on their son. 'Such a bold and daring idea.'
Jin Ming continued. "Thus, spending the years of experimenting and hypothesizing again, in that place, I was able to come up with this blood circulation that benefited the body, spirit and soul."
The trio were now thoroughly speechless, even the two servants were baffled with the feat of their young master.
Moments of silence passed by before Jin Duan finally able to react as he decided to rest off the topic to give his poor old heart a space to pump. "Hahaha. That's my son for you! The second Ao Long!!"
"Ahh-ha-ha.." Jin Ming could smile wryly towards his father who was being foolish. Jin Ming felt guilty though because he lied at what exactly happened. But even though his parents somehow believed in him, never did he knew that there was one who did not believe him, it was Shen Ning. She can't help but feel dubious because it would really be impossible for someone who just started cultivating to self-create a cultivation art.
"Dear, will you come with me for a while?" Jin Ling looked at her husband with a meaning to leave the two for now. "Aya. Maya."
"Ming, I'll talk to your father regarding on our travel for a while. I'll convince him to stay in this castle for the mean time." Jin Ling warmly smiled to her adored young son as she bid farewell to him for now. "Miss Shen Ning, if it's not a problem, can you give my son a tour to your castle?"
"A-alright." Shen Ning nodded as she gave an awkward smile.
"Thank you." Thus, the two awkward couple was left.
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At the veranda of the top floor.
Shen Ning and Jin Ming were back to the table that they first met. There was no one in this area as it is closed during daytime. Only the bar tender was here tending the glasses and boozes for tonight.
The sun was raging in the sky. The hellish heat was morphing the atmosphere when you looked in the distance, yet even though this was the climate of this place, the place was still refreshingly cold.
"Do you like this place?" Seeing that Jin Duan was enjoying this moment, Shen Ning curiously asked.
"Yes, it's very luxurious." Jin Ming smiled genuinely. "Especially, with you here.."
Shen Ning was stunned for a moment when she heard what the young man said in front of her. She couldn't help but chuckle as she remembered how this young man can unknowingly be slick, and because of that, the awkward tension between them disappeared right away.
"Ming.."
Jin Ming was somewhat taken aback with himself. He doesn't know why he keeps doing those 'the moves' without any intention from him. Maybe this was an influence from the former Jin Ming? It could be..
"Y-yes?" Jin Ming composed himself.
"Is it okay for you to show me the blood circulation that your parents were talking about?" Shen Ning was surprised when she subconsciously asked this question. As she realized this, she immediately took back her questions. "F-forget what I just asked. That was inappropriate of me."
"No, no. It's okay." Jin Ming sincerely smiled.
"Here, take a look at this." When Jin Ming showed the blood circulation, Shen Ning was baffled because she can't tell whether the flow of the circulation was extremely fast or extremely slow.
"W-was that a one whole circulation?" In a one whole circulation process that she observed, she can't help but doubt whether if it's really a one whole process.
"Hmm..you could say that. But the actual times that I did the blood circulation flow was a thousand." Jin Ming's ruby eyes sparkled as an idea of what should this kind of blood circulation be called. "Now that you noticed it, lets call it, All For One Flow."
"Hmm.." Shen Ning contemplated.
"All For One Flow." She muttered. It is not just as simple as making the blood circulation flow extremely fast to the point that it looked like it's just a one whole circulation process. There is also the factor of where the blood circulation flows.
Shen Ning could only know when she tried copying the blood circulation, its route would flow on the thin vital veins that connects to the meridians of the body which was dangerous when it gets ruptured as it can possibly lead your cultivation path into demise.
"I noticed that some of its flow would pass through the thin veins instead on the main ones, why is that?" Why would it not flow on the main veins that connects to the meridians? This made her baffled. "Are you not worried that these veins will rupture and crippled your cultivation?"
"Well...I guess not?" Jin Ming was unsure with his answer thus making him explain. "It's true that the veins would rupture. It happens one to four out of ten circulations that I make. Maybe because I'm still not used to it and my control with the vital energy is not that refined yet. But the ruptured veins would just heal whenever I complete the blood circulation."
Shen Ning was speechless. It's true that being a cultivator can gain you a fast recovery, but these are vital veins that we're talking about. How can someone have an instant regeneration capability? To think that this was a low leveled cultivator.
Seeing that the gorgeous woman in front of her was baffled, Jin Ming could not help but question. "Isn't it normal for a cultivator to have a regeneration skill?"
'Yeah, but not like yours.' Shen Ning's head was aching as she thinks much about it. She could only helplessly sigh as she eyed the amazing weird young man. "Doesn't it hurt when those veins get ruptured?"
"Of course it hurts." Jin Ming agreed right away. "It hurts like hell."
"Then why continue using this cultivation?" Shen Ning got worried. For a long long time, her built up selfishness was starting to crack, but she didn't know this. "There are lots of cultivation arts that can make you successful in this world. Your parents can give you one. I can give you one.."
Jin Ming was surprised when he saw the worries of this woman, but he didn't let it show as he covered it up with his smile as he held her hand. He looked at her adoringly. "Because, I strongly feel that this is the path for me. The pain that I feel whenever my veins rupture doesn't hinder me. It only serves as a challenge to my resolve to work harder so that one day I can live with my loved ones eternally."
Shen Ning was emotionally lost. She could feel that in the eyes of this young man, she was already part of the loved ones that he said. She pursed her lips as she doesn't whether it's okay to accept it or not. "Why?"
"What do you mean?" Jin Ming was befuddled.
Shen Ning retracted her hand that were being hold and looked away. "Clearly, you realized now that I've used you. And last night was supposedly not meant to happen.."
"But it still happened.." Jin Ming softly rebutted. "Let me ask, did you or do you regret it?"
Shen Ning wasn't able to answer for a long moment. She couldn't help but think that she doesn't regret it for she have gained something from it. She wants to find another reason that could justify her without feeling bad or any guilt.
"...I don't know." She could only looked down in shame. As a selfish and devious woman, she was feeling hypocrite with herself.
"Well, that answer is enough for me for now." Shen Ning was surprised and confused with this reply. When she looked back up at the young man, she saw the most dazzling smile that she could describe.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"I'll work hard to make you someday say that you don't regret it." Jin Ming answered with words that were heart-felt."
"Stupid.." Shen Ning muttered as her face were getting red.