The next day, when Zuckerberg, full of excitement, went to the museum with Priscilla Chan to look for ancient Chinese texts and relics, he was delighted to find that he couldn't understand a single word of what was written there.
Priscilla Chan, standing beside him, squinted her eyes multiple times and found that she couldn't understand it either. This was not surprising. This was an ancient Taoist text from the Song Dynasty. Modern people might not even be able to understand it, so it would be a miracle if Priscilla Chan, who was of mixed heritage, could.
"My grandfather might have understood it, but unfortunately, he's dead!" Priscilla Chan lamented, then took Zuckerberg away from the museum. They went to the library instead, where there were some English translations of ancient books. Priscilla Chan felt she should be able to understand them.
However, when Priscilla Chan and Zuckerberg, following the catalog, found the small section of translated Chinese Taoist classics in the vast library—a section that was less than a single row—they discovered that all the books were gone!
But these books hadn't vanished into thin air; they were all laid out on the nearby reading tables!
Priscilla Chan witnessed the most magical scene of her life: a group of people with blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin were earnestly reading ancient Chinese Taoist classics… admittedly, the Chinese-English bilingual versions.
"Sir, are there any other books I can borrow?" Zuckerberg asked the librarian helplessly.
"No, they're all here. What on earth is going on? So many people are looking for these books today. It's truly bizarre. This section used to have fewer than one book checked out in a month, and today they're all gone!" the librarian asked back, equally perplexed.
"Probably because of the movie!" Zuckerberg scratched his head and said.
"The movie?" the librarian blinked in surprise.
"Yes, a fantasy film from the East was released yesterday. It's quite good, with very cool special effects, but the key thing is the content related to Eastern Taoism that made us curious. So we came straight to find some materials!" Zuckerberg explained simply.
"I'll have to watch it when I get a chance!" The librarian was also tempted. What happened today was too strange, and if he didn't see this remarkable movie, he would definitely feel regret.
And so, the librarian was successfully persuaded to watch the movie. However, Zuckerberg didn't get a single translated Taoist classic. Just as he was getting anxious, Priscilla Chan beside him spoke up, "You fool, why are you just standing there? Come and read with me!"
"Ah, aren't there no more books?" Zuckerberg asked, confused.
"There are no more translated ones. There are still many original Chinese versions that haven't been translated. My grandfather learned more Chinese characters than me since he was young, so I should be able to understand these original Taoist classics! I'll read the book and quietly explain it to you," Priscilla Chan said. Zuckerberg excitedly sat next to Priscilla Chan and listened as the lovely woman beside him translated the so-called Taoist classics sentence by sentence.
Of course, what was more important was his beloved, whose sweet words constantly wafted towards him, her breath caressing his face, making Zuckerberg feel quite intoxicated.
Ah, this must be the scent of love!
It wasn't that Zuckerberg lacked comprehension. Even though Priscilla Chan's Chinese proficiency was poor, her translations were full of errors and omissions, and she kept inadvertently tempting Zuckerberg to daydream. Yet, he truly found a method of cultivation in this classic called "Baopu Zi."
And it was similar to what was described in the movie: it involved meditation to enter a profound and mysterious state, then cultivating something called "Qi," and finally forming an inner core.
This made Zuckerberg incredibly excited, as if he had found a way to become an immortal, just like the cultivators in the movie.
I know, most of you reading this might think Zuckerberg is an idiot for thinking he found a way to achieve immortality after reading a classic. If that were the case, wouldn't all Chinese people be able to become gods?
But this is actually quite normal. Precisely because Chinese people are aware of how ethereal the concept of cultivation is, and the historical fact that no one has ever truly succeeded in cultivation throughout history, they know that cultivation is impossible. Even emperors couldn't achieve it, so it's even more impossible for ordinary people.
However, foreigners don't understand this. It's like many Chinese people firmly believe that medical treatment in the US is free, that Americans are all honest and trustworthy good people, that sending troops to [Ylk] and [Afh] is for fairness and justice, and that even the air in the US is sweet.
When these Americans saw Chinese cultivation classics, they believed they had found the mystical power of the East. They genuinely thought that the East indeed had such a head start, and that it could truly help them achieve immortality.
Essentially, human beings are too familiar with their surroundings and society, fully aware of the evil and filth in the world around them, and therefore firmly believe that in unknown places, there must be a beautiful paradise.
Of course, Zuckerberg couldn't truly believe that these Taoist classics could help him cultivate to become an immortal, but it wouldn't hurt to try, right!
"Sir, do you understand these Chinese classics?" As Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan continued to enthusiastically study these Taoist classics, someone next to them leaned in and asked curiously in a low voice.
"Is there a problem?" Zuckerberg asked somewhat warily. The person in front of him was blond-haired and blue-eyed.
"We're the same, it's just that I don't understand Chinese, and the translations here are a bit off, so I wanted to ask this lady to help me explain it!" the person said softly.
"Okay!" Zuckerberg wanted to ask what it was, but Priscilla Chan had already nodded in agreement. She then showed him the part of the translation that was a bit off. The blond-haired, blue-eyed person actively introduced himself, "Hello, my name is Daniel, and I'm a doctor!"
"You doctors believe in this too?" Zuckerberg rolled his eyes.
"I didn't believe it at first, but after watching the movie yesterday, I entered a meditative state that night, and I succeeded right away!" Daniel said in a low voice.
"What!" Zuckerberg couldn't help but exclaim, causing a stir in the quiet library and earning him numerous warning glares.
"Sorry!" Zuckerberg quickly apologized, then excitedly said to Daniel, "Sir, did you really enter a meditative state? Is it really possible to meditate?"
"Of course, the movie actually explains it quite clearly. Meditation is a state between dreaming and waking. Let me ask you, have you ever suddenly become lucid in a dream and realized you were dreaming?" the doctor asked.
"Yes, there have been such instances!" Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan nodded simultaneously. Indeed, while dreaming, they sometimes realized they were dreaming.
"Exactly. This is actually a beginner's meditative state, but this state is unstable. Either you wake up directly, or you continue to dream in a daze!"
"True meditation is being able to actively enter this state and control it… I succeeded last night. I deliberately went to bed, and when I started to feel hazy, I suddenly became lucid. Then I realized I had entered a meditative state. In this state, I couldn't open my eyes, nor could I control my body, but my consciousness and spirit were free. I felt all my restraints were released, and I could even sense some faint, flickering points of light around me!"
"This is Qi! This is the Qi mentioned in Taoist classics! As long as we absorb this Qi into our bodies, we can form an inner core and reach the Golden Core stage!!" Zuckerberg exclaimed excitedly.
"That's right. Unfortunately, when I tried to control these points of light to enter my body according to the movie, I woke up. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't enter the meditative state again!" Daniel sighed. "So, I came here early this morning to look for these classics, hoping to find a way to stabilize the meditative state from Eastern resources!"
"I see!" Zuckerberg clenched his fist. Daniel shouldn't be lying to him, and he had no reason to lie. Therefore, cultivation was real, and he too could enter a meditative state.
Ahem, don't you all think this part is too far-fetched? Actually, meditation is a real thing, and humans can indeed enter a meditative state. Whether in China or India, there are methods to teach people how to enter a meditative state!
I can responsibly tell you that with diligent practice, 80% of people in the world can enter a meditative state. This is absolutely certain.
Because I myself have entered a meditative state.
Even seeing points of light in a meditative state is indeed possible… In fact, you can close your eyes right now and observe carefully. You will find that what is in front of you is not pure darkness, but a world of constantly changing points of light, like snowflakes.
Therefore, once you enter a meditative state, seeing points of light is a very simple matter.
As for whether these points of light are Qi, or if they can be drawn into the body to form a Golden Core, that is unknown. Anyway, after meditation, it's all up to imagination… Well, from another perspective, aren't the kidney stones in the human body perhaps the legendary Golden Cores and relics?
Returning to the main topic, after receiving Daniel's guidance, Zuckerberg's confidence greatly increased. However, these Chinese Taoist classics were too profound, and Priscilla Chan's Chinese proficiency was only at an elementary school level. Therefore, she couldn't understand most of the later content.
So, Zuckerberg decided to watch the movie again… At least in the movie, the explanations about cultivation were relatively detailed and vivid. Zuckerberg felt that he hadn't watched it carefully enough the first time. He needed to watch it a second time, and perhaps then he could grasp the true method of cultivation!