A Sensation

"Azure Spirit Breath Technique"...

The name was nothing special, but at least it was longer than "Qi-Eating Method."

Mm, adhering to the principle that longer was better, he settled on this name.

As for the actual content, he needed to give it careful thought.

When he had bought it from the Evolution Sandbox, there had been no specific written content—only a stream of information injected into his mind, and he had naturally learned it.

If he wanted to spread it and let ordinary people understand it, the first priority was to clearly write out the specific method for learning the Qi-Eating Method.

This was not difficult. Based on Lin Tuo's experience, the so-called Qi-Eating Method was a unique rhythmic breathing method.

By deliberately adjusting one's breathing rhythm, one could enter a state of seeing nothing, hearing nothing, and embracing the spirit in stillness.

This would blur one's perception of Aether's existence and draw it in.

After hesitating, Lin Tuo decided to write in relatively simple, straightforward language rather than semi-classical, half-plain prose. The latter might seem more impressive, but its ability to spread would be far too poor.

"Click-clack..."

After a full three hours, he finally completed the first draft of the "Azure Spirit Breath Technique."

"Next comes the question of how to spread it..."

Lin Tuo let out a breath and began considering the next step.

If he wanted to swiftly draw humanity's attention, it was actually quite simple. He only needed to switch to Observation Mode and perform a few "Miracles."

The results would be outstanding.

It would be guaranteed to spread across the entire world by tomorrow.

But the problem was that this plan carried no small amount of hidden danger.

"Once I use methods resembling Miracles, it'll inevitably draw intense attention. It wouldn't be surprising if the country sent troops over. Not only would that disturb people, it would also increase the chances of me being noticed..."

Besides, Lin Tuo had another consideration.

While it was theoretically feasible, he was uncertain what effect it would have in practice. If he made too big a fuss and something went wrong, spilled water could not be gathered again. It would be difficult to control.

Compared with that, judging by historical experience, it would be best to first establish a "pilot program."

He could first try it within one area, test the effects, identify gaps, and patch up the omissions. That would be the safest course.

As for the location of this "pilot program," Yang City was clearly the only choice.

Of course, once he began spreading it, the Azure Spirit Breath Technique would certainly rapidly spread nationwide with the internet's help. Still, as long as he kept the commotion small enough, it could retain the effects of a pilot program.

As for the specific dissemination plan after selecting the "pilot program," it could not be too sensational and draw too much attention, but it also had to cover at least one district of Yang City. Otherwise, there would be no effect.

"Perhaps I can make appropriate use of the Taihe Mountain Range Mysterious Warrior identity."

After pondering for a while, a plan gradually took shape in Lin Tuo's mind.

While Lin Tuo hid in his study compiling the cultivation method, news of that morning's Takk Black Box demolition experiment finally exploded completely over the course of the afternoon.

Hot topics that drew global attention often had to be made public.

This immediately sparked a new wave of sensation.

One had to know that before this, an enormous number of people had firmly believed that explosive demolition with conventional weapons was the final and most effective method.

Many people spoke with absolute certainty, believing that once it was bombed, the so-called Great Wall would inevitably collapse.

This was not groundless speculation, but based on people's unwavering faith in the power of conventional weapons.

Yet the results of that morning's experiment ruthlessly declared one fact:

Perhaps, at humanity's current level of civilization, it truly could not break through this barrier.

"I'm starting to panic. What kind of alien technology is this?

Could something like the droplet from The Three-Body Problem have finally appeared? Have we already been targeted by an advanced civilization in the universe? And what do they want to do?"

Similar sentiments began surfacing online.

All fear stemmed from the unknown.

And now, the utter unknowability of the entire Takk Black Box naturally filled many people with fear.

Of course, some still persisted, saying it was only because the explosives had not been powerful enough. As long as the yield was increased, success was inevitable.

Some even called for nuclear weapons to be used if necessary, dropped from high altitude to detonate the Black Box.

The great desert was all uninhabited land anyway.

In short, waves surged across the internet.

Yet the people of Yang City were unexpectedly not very concerned about this. They had something more worthy of their attention.

The Takk Black Box was, after all, too far away from them, while the "Taihe Mountain Range Mysterious Warrior" was right at their doorstep.

Under normal circumstances, most people would have merely treated such videos as a joke. But combined with the current direction of public opinion, they could not help feeling several degrees more worried.

Especially by evening, discussions of this kind had flooded every local group chat.

There were all kinds of speculations about the "mysterious person," and some even claimed they would go to the video's filming location tomorrow to search.

After a night of fermentation, when Zhou Mo left home the next morning and boarded the early bus into the city center, she was surprised to find that the bus was full of related discussions:

"Did you see that video?"

"The Taihe Mountain Range Mysterious Warrior one?"

"Yeah."

"Is it real or fake?"

"Who knows..."

Seated by the window, Zhou Mo quietly listened to the conversations around her, an indescribable thrill surging in her heart.

As the "instigator" behind the event that had flooded everyone's social feeds, and the uploader of that widely circulated video, Zhou Mo had remained in a state of excitement throughout the previous day.

She kept refreshing the backend, watching the numbers climb.

Replying to private messages, joining discussions.

Later, friends in real life and even relatives had come looking for her, sending messages and asking whether it was true.

As a result, she had not fallen asleep until two or three in the morning.

The moment dawn broke, she woke up again. She was not sleepy, though her mindset had become much calmer.

"Shan Shan, I'm already out. Have you come out yet?" Thinking about this, Zhou Mo picked up her phone and sent her best friend a message.

It was Saturday, and the two had arranged to spend the day in the city center.

They would also have a meal and celebrate.

After all, the very first video she uploaded had gone viral. It really was worth commemorating.

"I'm out, I'm out. Stop rushing me, young lady. Oh, right, you wore a jacket, didn't you? The temperature's a little low today."

Seeing the reply, Zhou Mo smiled and responded, "I did." Then she put down her phone, tugged at her collar, and turned to look out the window.

The temperature really was a little low today.

The weather forecast had clearly said it would be sunny, but since dawn, the sky over the entire city had suddenly darkened.

Great swathes of thick clouds swept in from afar, covering the pale sun.

Not only that, a layer of fog had actually spread through the city.

The temperature had also dropped considerably.

Normally, even in the mornings and evenings, fog rarely formed during this season. It was not as though it had never happened before, only that it was rather uncommon.

A hazy mist blew in from the direction of the Taihe Mountain Range, swallowing up more than half the city.

Most citizens going out had put on jackets. At a glance, it looked as if autumn had suddenly arrived.

It was most peculiar.

As she pondered, the bus traveled along the streets and arrived in the city center.

Zhou Mo got up at the agreed-upon stop. As soon as she stepped off the bus, she saw her best friend waiting nearby.

"Shan Shan!" At her call, the girl not far away who had been looking down at her phone raised her head.

Unlike Zhou Mo's fair and pretty style, Jiang Yishan had wheat-colored skin, curly hair, and wore her signature plaid shirt. She was very easy to recognize.

"You were the one rushing me, but in the end, wasn't I the one waiting for you..." Jiang Yishan said helplessly, folding her arms.

Zhou Mo smiled awkwardly, then ignored the subject and excitedly whispered:

"On my way here, everyone on the bus was talking about the mysterious person."

"Same on my bus. I really didn't expect so many people to be paying attention."

The two chatted as they walked toward the city center shopping district.

Perhaps because it was Saturday, although it was still early morning, there were already quite a few people on Yang City's central commercial street. The shops had all opened as well, except...

"Why does the fog feel thicker here?" Walking down the street, Zhou Mo could not help frowning.

Yes, for some unknown reason, the fog in this district—the center of the entire city and its most prosperous, bustling area—was thicker than elsewhere. Chilly gusts of wind blew over in waves.

Even the billboards on the buildings appeared somewhat blurred.

Bang!!

Just as the two were wondering about it, they suddenly heard a sharp crack erupt from somewhere high in the air ahead.

"What was that sound?"

"It came from over there!"

The pedestrians on the commercial street were all startled, then turned to look toward the source of the noise.

Zhou Mo and Jiang Yishan also looked over blankly. Then they heard a burst of shocked cries from beneath the building ahead:

"Ah!"

"Look!"

"On top of the building! The roof! There's someone up there!!"

A commotion swept through the commercial street. Those nearby rushed over, while those farther away who could not see what was happening also gathered curiously. The two girls exchanged looks, their eyes filled with shock.

Could someone be about to jump off the building?

Thinking this, the two hurried forward with the crowd.

This was already a shopping plaza, and before long, a huge crowd of citizens had gathered, craning their necks toward the top of one building.

Zhou Mo stopped and looked up. Then she discovered in astonishment that a figure really was standing at the edge of the rooftop of that tall building.

The figure seemed to be dressed in a martial arts uniform, with their head and face covered. Beside them stood an enormous Stone Tablet taller than a person!

"This... could it be..."

Zhou Mo was stunned at first, then her eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief.

Jiang Yishan beside her reacted similarly and blurted out, "That mysterious person?!"

The mysterious person!!

If the figure alone was not enough to reveal anything, then that bearing, along with the remarkably familiar Stone Tablet beside them, immediately made countless people in the plaza think of the "Taihe Mountain Range Mysterious Warrior" from the video!

"Is that him?"

"The person in the video?"

"Seriously?"

"No way... It's fake, right..."

The plaza fell into chaos for a moment, filled with discussion. Some people took out their phones to film.

And at that moment, everyone felt the thin mist around them churn violently. A breeze blew from nowhere, stirring the fog into a frenzy and making the atmosphere ever stranger.

The next second, the figure atop the building suddenly raised a hand, wielding the strength to move mountains, and lifted the enormous Stone Tablet made of blue-black rock.

Then, with a shout, he hurled it straight down at the center of the plaza!!

"Ah!"

"Watch out!!"

"Get out of the way!"

At the sight of this, everyone's expressions changed. Instinctively, they wanted to flee.

The huge Stone Tablet tore through the air with a mournful howl, flying straight over the crowd before slamming down with a thunderous crash, precise and accurate, into the flowerbed at the center of the plaza!

Boom!

The dull impact triggered another wave of cries. Some more timid people nearly fell over.

Zhou Mo and Jiang Yishan instinctively moved closer together, both their hearts trembling.

They turned to look toward where the Stone Tablet had fallen, only to discover in shock that countless words had been carved into the enormous Stone Tablet as though chiseled by knives and axes!

They were densely packed, yet clearly visible!

And at the very top of those words was one especially striking line:

"Azure Spirit... Breath Technique?"

She stood frozen for two seconds before suddenly turning her head and looking back toward the top of the building.

But all she saw was an empty rooftop and the slowly dispersing mist.

Where was there any trace of the "mysterious person"?

That day, in the center of Yang City, the Mysterious Warrior appeared and spread a strange cultivation method. Thousands witnessed it, and soon after, the entire city was shaken!