Chapter 62: The True Essence of White Bone
“Spirit as jade bone, radiance like glazed glass.”
As the white bones of the elder before him continuously changed, Zhou Ming subconsciously recited the eight-character maxim.
The elder’s bones did not carry the slightest trace of decay.
Instead, they seemed sculpted from the finest mutton-fat jade, and a translucent, seven-colored white halo shimmered faintly across their surface.
When this strange phenomenon appeared on the elder’s remains, the black serpents slithering between the bone gaps also vanished completely.
A pure and eternal aura enveloped the jade-like bones before Zhou Ming, as if silently telling him that this was the realm White Bone Contemplation sought to attain.
While Zhou Ming was carefully observing the jade bones, they suddenly turned into a beam of rainbow light and entered his consciousness.
Within that rainbow light was the concrete meditation method of White Bone Contemplation, along with the key points that meditators needed to pay attention to.
“Heart Seal of White Bone Contemplation.”
When Zhou Ming withdrew his consciousness from the inheritance space, he already understood the name of the hand seal the elder had formed before meditating—it was the core seal of White Bone Contemplation.
At the same time, Zhou Ming had come to fully grasp the profound concept behind the White Bone Contemplation Meditation Method.
Distractions, delusions, and desires were to be visualized as one’s own flesh and blood, while the white bones represented self-awareness and the spiritual core.
The process of the flesh rotting away from the bones symbolized the shedding of spiritual impurities, and the black serpents represented the grinding away of those impurities to temper one’s mental fortitude.
The intent behind White Bone Contemplation was deep and far-reaching. It could rapidly enhance a Beast Tamer’s Spiritual Power, yet, as a primitive meditation method, any deviation during its cultivation could cause severe spiritual damage.
It could be said that White Bone Contemplation was a double-edged sword—master it, and Zhou Ming’s Spiritual Power would soar; misuse it, and losing control or even dying from spiritual backlash was not impossible.
However, the White Bone Contemplation Meditation Method also had a hidden advantage—its potential.
Given its profound conceptual foundation, if Zhou Ming’s ability was strong enough, it wasn’t impossible for him to refine it into a high-tier meditation method.
Although the probability was low, it remained his best and possibly only path toward touching such higher-level techniques in the future.
“Looks like I’ll need to make preparations in advance before I can safely cultivate this method.”
After quietly contemplating for a while, Zhou Ming did not rush into meditation. He clearly understood the hidden dangers within White Bone Contemplation.
Being a cautious person by nature, he knew the wisdom in “sharpening the knife does not delay the cutting of firewood.” Impatience was the greatest taboo in cultivating meditation techniques.
The scroll in his hands was an inheritance scroll, meaning he could slowly explore the profound mysteries of White Bone Contemplation.
After organizing his thoughts, Zhou Ming carefully put away the scroll.
Over a month of living in the wild had left him not only filthy but also deeply exhausted.
Upon returning to his residence, Zhou Ming didn’t even rest for a moment before opening the White Bone Contemplation scroll to study it.
It was then he suddenly realized he hadn’t yet washed up after coming back. When he drew his attention away from the scroll, a foul odor from his own body made him frown.
“My stench isn’t any better than a sewer.”
Fortunately, Zhou Ming was still wearing his combat suit, and since people in the base were familiar with hunters, no one had stopped him when he entered his residential block.
Otherwise, the security guards might have mistaken him for a vagrant.
Mocking himself lightly, Zhou Ming placed the meditation scroll into a hidden compartment in his bedroom, stripped off his dirt-stained combat uniform, and went to take a hot bath.
“Com…fortable.”
Lying in the warm water, Zhou Ming felt every muscle of his body relax in blissful relief.
The perfectly heated water loosened every fiber of his body, as though delicate hands were giving him a professional massage.
He draped a towel soaked in hot water over his face, and with both his mind and body exhausted, he soon fell asleep in the tub.
The bath had a heat-preserving function, so Zhou Ming slept until nightfall, finally woken only by the hunger gnawing at his stomach.
Before venturing into the wilderness, he had already emptied his food stores. Now, refreshed and clean, he decided to treat himself to a good meal and restock on some daily necessities.
After tidying up, Zhou Ming, dressed in a white cotton T-shirt and a black baseball cap, looked just like an ordinary young man heading out to enjoy the nightlife.
……
Time passed quickly—Zhou Ming had already been back from the Green Mist Jungle for a month.
During that time, aside from occasionally teasing Inkband and Zhu Yu, he spent nearly all his hours studying the White Bone Contemplation Meditation Method, carefully pondering its profound concepts.
The days were monotonous, yet deeply fulfilling. Every new realization he gained became his motivation to continue.
“After a month, I’ve finally grasped a fragment of its true essence.”
The bright midday sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting light on Zhou Ming’s face as he sat by his desk.
At that moment, his gaze was clear and bright, as if all the doubts that once clouded his mind had been dispelled through enlightenment in the White Bone Contemplation Meditation Method.
After all, the method’s philosophy was profound and its potential vast—far superior to the Basic Meditation Technique he had previously practiced.
The scroll not only detailed specific meditation procedures but also contained extensive experience and commentary on meditation itself. Even relying on those alone, Zhou Ming could increase his efficiency in Basic Meditation by one or two levels.
Although the White Bone Contemplation Meditation Method was difficult to learn and more dangerous than his current low-level techniques, the benefits it offered made Zhou Ming’s lips curve into a faint smile.
After carefully putting away the aged scroll that recorded the White Bone Contemplation Meditation Method, Zhou Ming decided it was time to officially begin meditating with it. However, before that, he needed to prepare the necessary resources.
Whether for calming the mind, healing spiritual injuries, or assisting meditation, Zhou Ming intended to prepare everything in advance.
The scroll had repeatedly warned that the White Bone Contemplation Meditation Method was prone to problems in its early stages, and Zhou Ming was not foolish enough to ignore such warnings or consider himself some kind of peerless genius.
At the same time, Zhou Ming planned to buy resources for his beasts, Inkband and Zhu Yu, since a Beast Tamer’s true combat strength ultimately lay in his beasts.
Having already made up his mind, Zhou Ming left his residence and headed straight toward Treasure Street in the inner city of Qinshan Base.
Zhou Ming had been to Treasure Street several times before. It mainly catered to Beast Tamers, selling various resources they might need.
Of course, there were also ordinary people aspiring to become Beast Tamers, or parents buying resources for their children.
Although resources for Apprentice Beast Tamers and above were rarely found there, most common materials could still be purchased.
Before long, Zhou Ming arrived at the bustling Treasure Street filled with people coming and going.