After this incident, Zhou Yan's relationship with Jin Mantang improved once again.
Every now and then, Jin Mantang would visit Zhou Yan and sit for a while. The two of them would share their insights on cultivation.
Their ideas weren't always right, but two heads were better than one. The clash of their different perspectives broadened their horizons and understanding, and both felt they'd gained a great deal from their conversations.
Cultivation required wealth, companions, methods, and a suitable place.
Lacking any one of these was extremely detrimental to one's cultivation.
Even those once-in-a-generation geniuses needed all the necessary resources and support before they could hope to succeed in cultivation.
Otherwise, all their efforts might come to nothing!
Zhou Yan could only be said to be struggling to survive. He couldn't yet be considered a true cultivator...
[Yakshas Meditation Method Proficiency +3] [Yakshas Meditation Method Proficiency +5] [Yakshas Meditation Method Proficiency +6]
Zhou Yan sat cross-legged with his eyes tightly shut, his body trembling faintly from time to time.
Cultivating a meditation method had never been easy. Aside from consuming too much mental energy, it came with other pressures and difficulties.
Above all, he had to remain completely focused. Even the slightest mistake while visualizing could make all his efforts go to waste.
Even with the system's help, cultivation was still an arduous process for Zhou Yan.
But it seemed he had grown used to it.
[Yakshas Meditation Method Proficiency +7] [Yakshas Meditation Method Proficiency +11]
Zhou Yan's expression suddenly changed. His tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and a look of relief appeared on his face.
Just then, the Yakshas Meditation Method had successfully advanced to the Proficient realm.
Yakshas Meditation Method (Proficient 1/400).
Of all the cultivation methods he practiced, the Yakshas Meditation Method was the last one Zhou Yan had started cultivating, yet it was the first to reach the Proficient realm.
Aside from his relentless effort, this also proved that his talent in the spiritual sense was even greater than his talent for cultivation.
I'm actually a genius—and not just any ordinary genius! Zhou Yan thought with delight.
If they could be geniuses, who would choose to be ordinary, let alone useless?
Perhaps the awakening of his past-life memories had given Zhou Yan the accumulated experience of two lifetimes, resulting in exceptional talent in the spiritual sense.
Zhou Yan slowly brought his cultivation to a stop. The light in his eyes gradually faded, and they eventually returned to normal, leaving him with a gentle, refined air.
This also showed that he still couldn't fully control his spiritual sense. A trace of its unusual aura remained beyond his ability to conceal.
Anyone accomplished in the spiritual sense would be able to recognize Zhou Yan's unusual qualities at a glance.
Still, he'd only been cultivating the meditation method for a short time. Being able to reach this level was already quite impressive.
Even Zhou Yan himself was fairly satisfied.
From now on, Corpse Controlling will be my greatest public asset, while my spiritual sense will be my hidden trump card, Zhou Yan thought to himself.
As a cultivator, anyone without a trump card or two probably couldn't even sleep soundly.
With the Yakshas Meditation Method's breakthrough, Zhou Yan's spiritual sense had become stronger and more resilient, and its range had grown.
His control over his body had improved as well, and he could circulate and direct his essence blood and Magic Power more smoothly.
That was the benefit of a powerful spiritual sense.
Zhou Yan practiced the Mystic Yin Art, the Five Animal Frolics, and the Shennong Health Cultivation Method once. His proficiency in all of them increased.
His Spring Leg had even broken through to the Greater Mastery realm, thanks to the improvement in his bodily control.
Although his qi and blood hadn't increased much, his ability to defend himself in close combat had improved.
If he caught someone off guard, kicking a few people to death would be no problem.
[Name: Zhou Yan] [Age: 16] [Cultivation: Essence Blood Realm (Profound Yin Essence Blood: 39)] [Techniques: Mystic Yin Art (First Layer) (Proficient 87/200), Yakshas Meditation Method (Proficient 1/400).] [Skills: Cart Pulling (Greater Mastery 259/1600), Spring Leg (Greater Mastery 1/1600), Five Animal Frolics (Minor Mastery 387/800), Shennong Health Cultivation Method (Proficient 18/200), Corpse Refining (Proficient 17/200), Corpse Controlling (Proficient 128/200).] [Zombie Servants: Black Zombie*2] [Items: Soul-Fixing Lamp, Soul-Suppressing Bell, Corpse-Suppressing Stone, Peach Wood Sword, Cinnabar Rope, Peach Talisman.]
At home.
Mother Zhou kept piling food onto Zhou Yan's plate.
"That's enough, that's enough. Mom, you should eat more, too."
Zhou Yan hurriedly said, adding some meat to Mother Zhou's bowl.
After recovering, he'd gotten better at controlling the Yin energy inside his body. On top of that, he now had two zombies.
As a result, he'd started coming home more often.
Sometimes, he even slept at home.
Mother Zhou was happier than ever to see him.
She didn't understand lofty principles, but as long as she could see her son often and knew he was safe and sound, she was very happy.
The two younger ones, Zhou Chuan and Zhou Jing, felt the same way.
With Ma Yan's help, they had both successfully enrolled in school.
"Study hard. When you grow up, you must take care of your mother. Understand?"
Zhou Yan put a chicken leg on each of the younger ones' plates and spoke.
"Understood."
"Understood."
Zhou Chuan and Zhou Jing replied at once.
Zhou Chuan in particular might dare to act up in front of Mother Zhou, but he wouldn't dare do so in front of Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan had raised him from a young age, and when it came to discipline, he never went easy on him. If he thought Zhou Chuan needed a beating, he'd give him one.
And back then, Zhou Yan hadn't known how to hold back.
After Zhou Yan regained his memories, he hit Zhou Chuan less often, but his authority only grew stronger.
Mother Zhou watched them, her smile growing brighter.
The family's circumstances had improved, and her children were all filial and growing up well. She had nothing more to wish for.
The only thing she regretted was not yet having seen a grandchild. But even if she were to pass away now, she could face the ancestors of the Zhou Family without shame.
"Second son, our family's circumstances have gotten a lot better. Shouldn't you start thinking about your own personal matters?" Mother Zhou asked Zhou Yan suddenly.
Zhou Yan blinked, completely caught off guard.
"Personal matters? What matters?"
Mother Zhou grew anxious. "You're practically seventeen by nominal age, eighteen by lunar age, nineteen by actual age, and nearly twenty if you round up. If you don't get married soon, how will you carry on the Zhou Family line and continue the family legacy?"
Zhou Yan stared at her in disbelief. He hadn't expected to be pressured into marriage.
He wasn't even eighteen yet—he was a proper minor, and his mother was already urging him to get married.
For a moment, he had no idea what to say.
Mother Zhou continued, "I've already found someone for you. Tailor Wang's daughter down the street seems like a good match. She looks blessed, and her family's circumstances are good, too. They only have one son and one daughter, and I've heard they're very well brought up..."
Zhou Chuan couldn't help but cut in. "Mom, you don't mean that famous fat girl from the Wang Family, do you?"
Mother Zhou immediately took offense. "What do you mean, fat girl? Tailor Wang's daughter only weighs a little over two hundred pounds. Besides, being fat means being blessed. What's wrong with that? Most families wouldn't even be good enough for the Wang Family.
"I'm going to ask Ma Yan to arrange the match. He's a police officer, so he has some standing..."
Zhou Yan was left speechless: "..."
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