"Qi is like the tide, the mind leads, motionless yet yielding, in motion, it shatters seas and crumbles rocks. The distance of the moon, who knows how many thousand miles? The resilience of the mind, who knows its limits? Thus, using the mind to control qi, what power can be achieved, is yet unknown. Cultivating the Jade Sea Tide technique emphasizes guiding and following the waves as paramount. The heart follows the mind, qi follows the mind, heaven and man are one. When the mind arises, the waves will break!"
Ren Yuanhao didn't know why the 'Jade Sea Tide Art' appeared so clearly in his mind at this very moment. Because of this, Ren Yuanhao sat cross-legged, following the incantation, and between breaths, he felt the vast qi filling heaven and earth. He didn't care if his body would explode from the surge of true qi, only focusing on feeling the violent power of the tide crashing against the shore before him.
"The reason the sea tide is surging and magnificent, possessing the power to shatter seas and split rocks, lies in its continuous flow of qi. The greater the overlapping waves, the greater the force. True qi is the same. Ordinary people only know that conserving and gathering qi can increase its power, but they don't know that gathering qi is easy, while guiding it is difficult. Thus, masters of qi cultivation do not understand the method of tides, do not understand controlling qi with the mind, and do not understand nourishing the mind with qi. The later they cultivate, the harder it is to achieve great success."
...
Ren Yuanhao was trapped in a nightmare, while Ji Fu, as before, stayed by Ren Yuanhao's side until late at night.
The autumn wind swept through the maple trees outside the sanatorium, rustling. The dim lights seemed lonely and cold in the long night. The night watchman had long since gone to bed, and at this moment, he was probably snoring loudly.
Suddenly, her phone rang. When she answered, it was her mother.
"Fu'er, you don't need to keep watch on that brat anymore. Mother has found a better candidate for you."
As soon as she said this, Ji Fu's expression changed drastically, and her heart was greatly shaken.
Logically speaking, if the kill list didn't have any major changes, her mother, Ji Xueyan, would absolutely not say such a thing to her. Moreover, these days spent taking care of Ren Yuanhao had caused subtle changes in her own state of mind. The window-paper-like layer of romance seemed about to be pierced.
She had originally thought that after experiencing life and death together, their relationship would advance by leaps and bounds, evolving from a simple friendship and even directly ascending to a romantic relationship. But now, her mother wanted her to give up on Ren Yuanhao, the meaning of which was truly unfathomable.
"Mom, could it be that this blockhead's kill ranking has already~"
"That's right, it's dropped considerably."
Ji Xueyan's voice seemed devoid of any emotion.
"Why? From my observations during this period, I think this blockhead is very responsible and has a rare chivalrous heart. Whether it's appearance, character, or talent, he should be first-class."
These words would have been unbelievable to Ji Fu when she first obtained Ren Yuanhao's information, but now, she was completely won over by Ren Yuanhao's charisma. Especially when facing enemies, he always protected her with his own body, shielding her from harm, and was exceptionally considerate, making him an excellent choice for a boyfriend.
"Alright, I'll tell you. It's because the kill list has learned of his background. It's too humble. How can someone born in such a backward place be worthy of my daughter?"
Ji Xueyan said coldly.
"Just because of this blockhead's family background, his kill list ranking has plummeted? I don't think this ranking is very reliable!"
Ji Fu was clearly extremely annoyed and somewhat despised her mother's taste.
"Hmm? Listening to your tone, have you perhaps fallen for that brat?"
Ji Fu snorted and immediately retorted, "How is that possible? I, I am Miss Ji! My standards are very high!"
In fact, the reason she said this was because she was a little guilty. After all, Ren Yuanhao had never revealed his feelings. What if she confessed her feelings first, and Ren Yuanhao gave a pretentious excuse like 'I cultivate detachment and am not swayed by worldly emotions,' and refused? That would be extremely awkward.
"That's good. Now listen to me, quickly leave him, and we can still have a chance to continue 'hunting' the second place."
Ji Xueyan's icy tone finally carried a hint of urgency. After all, her daughter was also 24, which was the prime age for childbirth. For the sake of family lineage, she had an obligation to remind and urge her daughter.
"Second place, who is it?"
Ji Fu was not really curious about who it was, but asked symbolically, already prepared to immediately search for that person's misdeeds upon hearing the name, so that her mother would stop her foolish matchmaking.
"East of the city, the eldest son of the Mo family, Mo Yunfei."
Ji Fu knew this fellow. His family had risen the fastest in Yun Jin City in recent years. In fact, in terms of wealth, they were no longer inferior to the Ji family. However, their foundation was quite shallow. They could be said to be well-off, and Mo Yunfei was only two years older than her, having already taken over all of the Mo family's businesses. He was shrewd and decisive, and it was rumored that he was also an awakened one.
Awakened ones themselves were extremely rare in this world, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say one in ten thousand. In Ji Fu's heart, Ren Yuanhao hadn't revealed any awakened abilities, only possessing a good foundation in martial arts.
And no matter how good a martial arts foundation was, it was naturally inferior to an awakened one.
Even more terrifying was that the person currently at the top of the kill list was rumored to be not only an awakened one but also a cultivator. This dual identity allowed him to firmly occupy the top spot for years, with no one able to shake him.
This person had long been earmarked by the Dongfang clan, so competing for second place was the Ji clan's highest and wisest choice.
As soon as Ji Fu heard the name Mo Yunfei, his decisive demeanor flashed in her mind.
She had met Mo Yunfei a few times. He was burly and strong, walking with a powerful stride, yet possessing a very handsome face that had captured the admiration of countless women in Yun Jin City. He was even called the 'Twin Stars' of Yun Jin City alongside the eldest son of the Xia family.
To be honest, Mo Yunfei, at least in Ji Fu's mind, was an extremely suitable candidate, with no traces of misdeeds. If it were in the past, she might have been forced by the family to meet him.
No wonder her mother was so keen on this person. With solid reasoning, Ji Fu couldn't find any grounds to refute. Although Ren Yuanhao's appearance was not inferior to his, in terms of family background and talent, he was still far behind. It was no wonder the kill list quickly dropped him.
"Well, my daughter, does the man your mother has chosen for you suit your fancy?"
Hearing no response from the other end of the phone, Ji Xueyan thought her daughter would definitely abandon that brat Ren Yuanhao, but unexpectedly heard Ji Fu say:
"Mom, to be able to eliminate the Jiang family's top combat power with his own strength, your daughter is willing to bet on this kid's potential."