Login with GoogleChapter 72: Flow of the Heart
After everything had collapsed and reconstructed, Bai Yan returned to the real world.
He furrowed his brow and suppressed the subconscious urge to take a deep breath. He was in the restaurant's restroom, still holding his phone in his hand.
Calmly he pressed the flush button and washed his hands.
"Wow"
After leaving the restroom, the surrounding noise immediately became audible, and Bai Yan had entered the busy restaurant full of people coming and going.
He sat down by the window and waited. After a while, the waiter approached and inquired what he would like to order.
"Well, let me think. I'll have a chicken rice bowl, an eel rice bowl, a bowl of seafood soup, an order of fried shrimp, and lastly, some shredded potatoes."
"The total is 78 yuan, would you like beer or not?"
"No, thank you," he said.
"This store is as affordable as ever." Bai Yan smiled as he ordered a meal for two, and continued to wait for the person who was supposed to arrive on time.
Ten minutes later, a black luxury sedan came to a stop on the street outside the window.
Alan opened the door with a heavy countenance and walked out, appearing to be lost in thought.
It was evident from his demeanor that he was still pondering over what had transpired earlier, causing Bai Yan to inadvertently break out into a grin.
He didn't expect that another girl would get off from the car.
Apart from Alan, there was also a very familiar girl in blue who came along. It was only after a slight start that Bai Yan realized it was Holly, who was not wearing her rabbit-ear hoodie with a pocket.
Did you use "disguise"? Walking on the streets like a normal human being.
"It seems like I should order an extra meal," murmured Bai Yan to himself. The eel rice he just ordered was for Alan, but he didn't know what Holly liked to eat.
"May I ask how many people are there"
"We already have someone's order."
The two of them entered the restaurant, and Alan sat naturally beside Bai Yan, while Holly sat across from them with a small bag in hand and a smile on her face.
"How did you all come over together?" Bai Yan asked curiously.
Alan came to his senses and said with a smile, "I was originally going to bring you the key, but she found out and insisted on delivering it herself."
"Your colleagues in the team are quite enthusiastic."
He added that this little rabbit was quite familiar and outgoing, and that he himself was startled by the name "Violent maniac".
Holly smiled softly as she withdrew two keys from her purse and slid them over the table.
"Hey hey, the elder has given you the house key, as for the car key, he said he'll give it to you after you finish your driving test."
Bai Yan actually knew how to drive in his past life, but in this life, he never felt he could afford a car, so he never bothered to get a driver's license.
He nodded and smiled as he accepted the room key, saying "Thank you, Senior Holly".
"Ah, then I would like to have a vegetable noodle dish and vegetarian dumplings. Today, it's my treat!" She ate like a rabbit.
Holly evidently took great pleasure in being addressed by Bai Yan as "senior". As a half-human, half-animal creature, she grew at an impressive rate, and although she looked young, she may have been even younger than she appeared. Nevertheless, she attached considerable importance to matters of hierarchy and seniority.
"Respecting orders is better than being polite. It's truly delightful when someone invites you as a guest!"
Bai Yan gazed at the key in his hand and smiled as he exclaimed, "At last, I have a new home. It hasn't been easy, you know. The place where I used to live was absurdly small."
"Yes, he lifted his foot from the bed and stretched it to the next door," Alan said, his tone exaggerated. "Then he was reported for harassment by a fifty-year-old lady."
Bai Yan bluntly said, "I could kick you awake from several kilometers away with one kick."
Holly suddenly recalled something and earnestly offered a suggestion, "By the way, Little Bai, would you like to learn about 'Flow of the Heart' in the future? I am actually quite adept at achieving a state of the Flow of the Heart."
The Flow of the Heart?
Bai Yan slightly paused and earnestly asked, "Hmm, I think I've heard of the term 'Flow of the Heart', but I haven't read the relevant material from the transcendent being in detail, so I don't know what 'Flow of the Heart' specifically refers to."
Actually, he knew about "Flow of the Heart" because there was a "Flow of the Heart" master in Core Operators.
Before Holly could speak, Alan had already started to explain: "The so-called 'Flow of the Heart' is an important branch of modern ceremonial practices."
"The tattooed pictographic characters imprinted onto the skin resemble 'Secret Runes' which are inscribed through the enduring enchantments preserved by arcane techniques."
"The 'Flow of the Heart', also known as 'Heart Fighting Flow' or 'Nine Streams of the Heart Fighting', is a personal ritual stimulated by specific martial arts postures, movements, and vocal language. It has existed for nine schools of Flow of the Heart since it was founded several decades ago up until now."
Holly nodded and continued, "It is because of the existence of 'Flow of the Heart' that we are able to fight against those natural-born monsters. Ah, have you watched the video of Babel Tower? The white-haired hunter in that video was born a 'monster' due to the power of her bloodline… We extraordinary people can only rely on 'Flow of the Heart' if we want to engage in close combat."
"The Flow of the Heart believes that meditation and exercise can connect the world with a refined heart, and inspire the power within the depths of our souls… We must believe that true strength comes not from brute force, but from within our hearts."
Bai Yan remained silent, feeling unconvinced that someone with innate godly powers like her could say such things.
Holly, at this point, raised her left hand and, with a smile, made a claw gesture.
She said, "Heavenly Martial Arts: Dragon Claw."
"Heavenly Martial Arts" is one of the nine schools of the Flow of the Heart.
The next moment, blue scales began to grow from her left wrist, exuding an oppressive aura that was almost palpable.
"'Flow of the Heart' is a structured 'personal ritual' where we simulate a certain 'symbol' through various postures and movements."
Alan continued to explain in a scientific manner:
"The ritual existed long before the birth of civilization, and it might have even been born with the universe. The history of spells dates back thousands of years. The 'Secret Rune,' which doesn't require a casting process, is a recent and convenient invention. As for 'Flow of the Heart,' it is a new and novel concept that has emerged only in the past few decades."
Bai Yan nodded gently and said, "I can fully comprehend that the rhythm of combat between humans and extraordinary beings has become increasingly fast-paced in the era of hot weapons. Thus, the emergence of the 'Secret Rune' that requires no spells became inevitable."
Alan smiled and said, "Indeed, many extraordinary beings perished under firearms centuries ago, as after all, many incantations that take a long time to activate are no match for the speed of pulling a trigger."
"People realized that times had changed, and extraordinary individuals should also change."
Bai Yan looked at Holly's blue-scaled dragon claw and continued saying, "Later on, in order to enhance the basic strength of body, the invention of 'Flow of the Heart' came about, which filled the embarrassing situation in which most extraordinary beings were like 'glass cannons'."
So it turns out that the extraordinary power of the Otherworlds has been steadily advancing in step with the passage of time.
When he reached this point, Alan suddenly fell silent as if he had plunged into some kind of contemplation.
"If, I mean if…the ancient gods that existed in the past era were to come back to life…what should we do?"
Holly blinked her eyes, not comprehending, while Bai Yan understood that Alan was contemplating the matter of Babel Tower.
"Do not think too much, Alan. After all, we are all just individuals."
Alan absentmindedly nodded and said, "I'm sorry, I have other engagements today, so I won't be able to accompany you to see the new house."
——
After dinner, Bai Yan went alone to his new home.
He got out of the taxi, amidst a bustling crowd.
"Thank you, master."
The new house is located in the heart of Tatsumi City, and its surroundings are completely different from the bustling and old apartment environment.
Outside the building is the beautiful Tatsumi City garden with a well-known commercial pedestrian street called "Papa" nearby.
The neighbors in the vicinity cannot be compared to the aristocrats of Platinum Zone, but they still qualify as either rich or noble, comprising the second-tier society of Tatsumi City's affluent and minor aristocratic population.
Most of them have affiliations with the upper class and serve them. If you think carefully, Night Watcher's position is also the same.
These upper-middle class individuals are much wealthier than ordinary people but are without private armed forces, and are very happy to have Night Watchers as neighbors.
"It's on the seventeenth floor, so high. I've never lived on a floor this high before."
Bai Yan made his way through the crowded pedestrian street and reached the building shortly after. He went inside and took the elevator to the seventeenth floor.
Soon, he arrived home.
Bai Yan didn't have much to carry, he only held a large suitcase in his hand.
He took one of the two identical keys, opened the door, held his breath, and walked in.
And then, the smell of the new home!
The entire building spans 140 square meters and encompasses three bedrooms, two living rooms, and two bathrooms. The walls are adorned in white wallpaper, and the fine furnishings have long since been meticulously curated.
Bai Yan stood in front of the French windows, with a direct view of Tatsumi City Garden that spans over forty hectares.
"Tsk tsk, the beautiful era has come."
Bai Yan, who checked in with his luggage in hand, set it down and immediately lay down on the couch.
"Power Possession - Recollection of Mysterious Magician."
He closed his eyes to start sensing, searching for any surveillance instruments inside the room, and spent a lot of time ruling out this possibility.
"Very good."
Bai Yan was very satisfied with his new home. He stretched lazily and made his way to the master bedroom, where he lounged on the white, plush bed and proceeded to place an order for delivery on his phone.
The new home is really in space, and he wants to fill it with something, such as a small refrigerator filled with cola.
At this moment, Bai Yan was experiencing a sense of basic satisfaction akin to that of a nouveau riche, even greater than when he acquired Babel Tower!
To celebrate the joy of moving, he specially ordered two pounds of garlic-infused lobsters for takeout!
"Unfortunately, if 'that thing' didn't exist, maybe I would have truly become a good employee at the Demon Hunt Agency."
He still hadn't completely let his guard down and didn't mention the phrase 'Babel Tower' in his new home.
Feeling the softness of the white bed, Bai Yan picked up his phone and instinctively checked the status of "Babel Tower."
He furrowed his brow slightly and sat up on the white soft bed.
The fifth level of the "Black Star Event" unexpectedly unlocked on its own!
Game tip, "Please complete Level 5 of the 'Black Star Event' within the designated time limit."
"Ah, I see now. I understand."
Bai Yan quickly understood the cause and effect. In fact, the so-called "fifth level" was actually related to the Augustus family, and the actions of "Psychic Dancer" and "Nightsaber" directly triggered the early opening of the level.
He remained silent for a while.
"Dancer, if your father truly is Mr. 'Mystery'… I will make 'Nightsaber' come to put an end to all of this."
