After studying for a long time, Qin Xuan finally discovered a method to read ancient books.
That was, to place his finger on a page of the ancient book and not move it. The ancient book would impatiently read the text on that page aloud.
Using this method, Qin Xuan read through the entire introduction on the first page.
It was only then that he finally understood what the "Body Tempering Chapter" the ancient book spoke of actually was.
It turned out that humans could absorb spiritual energy and cultivate to become immortals.
The first step into the path of cultivation was to temper the body and improve its physical strength.
Although this ancient book was not a cultivation technique that directly made one an immortal, it was an extremely perfect introductory body tempering chapter.
It recorded many secret methods and medicinal formulas for tempering the body. As long as one could cultivate diligently according to it, they could temper themselves in the future and break through the limits of the human body.
After a brief moment of deliberation, Qin Xuan immediately decided to temper his body according to the methods described in the ancient book.
There were two reasons for this.
The first was, of course, driven by curiosity.
Qin Xuan had never heard of anyone being able to break through the limits of the human body, so he also wanted to see if he could become a superhuman by cultivating according to the methods in the book.
As for the second reason, it was naturally the infinite yearning of a chuunibyou youth for immortals.
After all, he was only 25 years old this year, and the ethereal imaginations in his heart had not completely faded.
To attain the Dao, become an immortal, and achieve eternal life was a perfectly normal thing.
After reading through the entire content, Qin Xuan immediately began to perform body tempering according to the postures in the ancient book.
These movements were very contorted, and some were even more difficult than yoga.
Having not exercised for many years, he exerted all his strength and finally managed to place each part of his body in its intended position.
Time ticked by, and Qin Xuan could clearly feel the various parts of his body burning intensely.
This feeling was extremely painful, yet it also gave him a peculiar sense of exhilarating pleasure.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes.
Qin Xuan's first cultivation session officially ended when his sweat completely soaked through his clothes.
Feeling an endless fatigue, he couldn't help but curse.
"Damn, this is too exhausting!"
"I've only been practicing for a few minutes, and I feel like I've run dozens of kilometers!"
"No wonder the later stages require specialized herbs for assistance!"
Lying spread-eagle in the center of the basement, Qin Xuan was both tired and hungry.
In a daze, only one thought remained in his mind: to have a hearty meal and then get a good night's sleep.
Time flew by amidst the arduous cultivation.
It had to be said that the cultivation methods in the Body Tempering Chapter were indeed very effective for Qin Xuan at the moment.
In just three days, the muscles that had disappeared due to his lack of exercise began to reappear.
The excess fat around his abdomen was completely gone, and even the clothes that had fit him perfectly before now felt tight.
"Brother, I've dealt with all your things. They sold for forty-eight million five hundred thousand Dragon Coins."
"I've transferred the money to your card. Remember to come early this afternoon, or the organizers won't let you in if you're late."
Before going out to buy clothes, Qin Xuan received a call from Chen Zhongping.
It was only when the other party reminded him that he suddenly remembered.
Today was the day of the auction hosted by the Fang family!
Fortunately, the auction didn't officially start until 3 PM, so he still had plenty of time to go to the mall and buy a few suitable outfits.
After buying several casual outfits and a high-end formal suit at Yida, Qin Xuan drove to the Jiangcheng Lijing Grand Hotel, which belonged to the Fang family.
This was one of the few five-star hotels in Jiangcheng, with a land area of over 20,000 square meters alone.
There was a large fountain at the entrance, which, coupled with the grand main entrance and the pure gold color scheme, made the entire hotel exude an air of luxury.
Since he didn't have an invitation, Qin Xuan couldn't enter the auction venue himself.
With no other option, he casually leaned against the entrance, playing with his phone, waiting for Chen and Ye to arrive.
Suddenly, a familiar female voice sounded abruptly in his ear.
It was sharp and piercing, unmistakably Liu Ying, that "old woman."
"Oh my, it's Qin Xuan!"
"Didn't you say a few days ago that you were coming to the company to settle accounts with me? Why are you sneaking around a five-star hotel now, acting as a waiter?"
Liu Ying's voice made Qin Xuan frown immediately.
Just two days ago, he had received a notice from the Labor Bureau.
His labor arbitration application had been rejected because it did not meet the arbitration standards.
It clearly met the requirements, yet it was not accepted. Qin Xuan would never believe that Liu Ying and others were not involved behind the scenes.
"Is Hu Hao pulling strings at the Labor Bureau?"
Without engaging in a war of words with Liu Ying, Qin Xuan got straight to the point.
Liu Ying chuckled and looked at Qin Xuan as if he were an idiot.
"Stop flattering yourself here."
"Director Hu would go out of his way for you?"
"You're not worthy!"
"Such a small matter doesn't even require Director Hu to speak personally; there are plenty of people who will handle it for him."
"You, a mere second-generation rich kid, want to fight him?"
"Go take a piss and see who you are!"
Just as Qin Xuan was about to speak, he saw another familiar figure approach Liu Ying.
Speak of the devil, this figure was none other than Qin Xuan's former boss, the chairman of Hu Lai Network, Hu Hao.
"Manager Liu, guess what I saw in the parking garage?"
He whispered a few words into Liu Ying's ear.
Then, the two exchanged a smile, their ambiguous affection openly displayed.
"Hmm? Who is this?"
His smile fading, Hu Hao's gaze finally shifted to Qin Xuan, who was standing nearby.
He felt that the man in front of him looked somewhat familiar, but the impression was vague, and he couldn't recall the other party's specific identity for a moment.
Seeing this, Liu Ying knew it was her turn to act.
She linked her arm through Hu Hao's and spoke softly, her娇滴滴 (jiao di di - delicate and charming) demeanor a stark contrast to her earlier sharp and sarcastic tone.
"Director Hu, you've forgotten. This is Qin Xuan, whom you fired a few days ago."
"You've only seen his photo, not the real person, which is why you can't recall him."
Upon hearing Qin Xuan's name, Hu Hao instantly understood, "Oh~ Who did I think it was?"
"So it's the young master Qin Xuan whom I fired!"
"I was wondering why I saw such a flashy purple Porsche in the parking garage; it turns out to be your ride~"
"But Young Master Qin, why are you just standing outside and not going in?"
"It's so hot out here!"
"Could it be that you don't have this?"
Saying that, he took a red invitation from his bag and waved it in front of Qin Xuan.
"But then again, the Fang family is one of the top families in Jiangcheng. With your status, you wouldn't be worthy of their invitation."
"Since that's the case, you can just bake in the sun outside. I'm going in to enjoy the air conditioning."
Without giving Qin Xuan a chance to speak, Hu Hao entered the main venue with Liu Ying.
Watching their detestable backs, Qin Xuan truly wished he could rush forward and punch each of them.
However, he had promised Chen Zhongping that he would appraise the auction items for them. If he were rejected from entering the main venue because of this matter, it would be a loss that outweighed the gain.