Lin Yao's mind wasn't quite right; he was still immersed in sadness and grief, and asked a couple of questions absentmindedly.
"The malevolent energy is about seven kilometers to the left front, in a straight line."
Xiao Cao's voice still carried surprise, "That strange place was almost directly in front of us, thirteen kilometers away."
"Oh, then let's get off the bus."
Lin Yao immediately perked up. He wanted to go and see the source of the evil energy to see if it was as he thought, that the evil energy and resentment came from the Nanjing Massacre decades ago.
"Driver, please stop the car. I'm getting off here."
"Young man, you're getting off so soon after we've just entered the city? How about I give you a ride? I'm taking this truckload of vegetables to the city center, so you can save a lot on fares there."
The truck driver looked at Lin Yao with a smile, thinking to himself that this young man said he was going to several big hospitals in the city center, so why was he getting off the truck so soon after entering the city? He had only taken ten yuan, so he should let the other person sit further away.
"No, thank you, brother. I'll get off here."
Lin Yao insisted on his decision. He couldn't wait any longer and just wanted to get off the bus as soon as possible and then take a taxi to the place where the evil energy gathered, as Xiao Cao had mentioned.
"Yaoyao, wait a minute."
Lin Yao, who had just gotten off the bus and was waving for a taxi, was stopped by Xiao Cao. "Your emotions are unstable, which is not good. I noticed that your whole body is acting strangely. Don't rush to go there. Take some time to calm down before you go."
"But I can't wait any longer." Lin Yao rejected Xiao Cao's suggestion; he just wanted to know the answer as soon as possible.
"Yaoyao, although the internal energy you cultivate using this unknown technique is very peaceful, it's not entirely immune to the risk of qi deviation."
Xiaocao had suppressed her excitement. After realizing that Lin Yao's physical condition was abnormal, she immediately put everything aside and focused all her efforts on how to persuade Lin Yao.
"I don't know if the cultivation method you practice can be considered a basic cultivation method of Taoism, but it is said on the Internet that even if a Taoist has obsessions in his heart, he should try to overcome the impulses brought about by obsessions in his daily behavior and cultivation, otherwise he may go astray."
Xiao Cao didn't mention going astray in her cultivation, as she didn't know anything about such things. But regardless, Lin Yao's current unstable state worried her, so she wanted to persuade him not to immediately go to the area where the evil energy was gathering.
"Oh, okay then, let's eat first."
Lin Yao suppressed his eagerness, knowing full well that Xiao Cao was doing this for his own good.
Lin Yao felt helpless about this cultivation method.
The cultivation method inherited by the Luo family only includes the first part, which is the most basic twelve meridian circulation method. Of course, the circulation is not just about passing the true qi through each acupoint of each meridian. During the circulation, it is also necessary to control, retain, or accumulate power to vibrate a certain acupoint, so as to cause changes in the true qi and increase the power.
Once everything became instinctive, Lin Yao became confused about cultivation. Now he could only continue to cultivate in a way that he was already very familiar with, but he didn't know how to break through the barriers and reach the "Core Formation" realm that was only briefly mentioned in the Luo family genealogy. He was even completely clueless about how to cultivate after "Core Formation".
Compared to the Yi family's "Yi Jin Jue" (Muscle/Tendon Changing Technique) from Yanji, Lin Yao found that his own cultivation method was indeed moderate and stable, not as dangerous as the "Yi Jin Jue," and not even painful. Even the "Yi Jin Jue's" frequent mention of the high probability of encountering qi deviation at certain stages did not occur during his cultivation of healing qi. There wasn't even a hint of it. Therefore, Lin Yao secretly rejoiced, even though this technique, aside from healing and harming others, didn't really have any offensive power, only extremely strong defense.
Lost in thought, Lin Yao walked to a small shop that opened early to have breakfast. He casually asked the shopkeeper to bring out their favorite dishes and continued to analyze his Nanjing itinerary.
The evil aura and resentment were discovered on short notice; this matter was not originally part of the itinerary. However, Lin Yao was eager to get to the bottom of the truth, so the plan had to be rearranged.
Lin Yao found Xiao Cao's suggestion very reasonable. After being given a wake-up call, he also felt the abnormality in his physical condition. The rapid secretion of adrenaline and other glandular secretions put his whole body in a state of excitement and depression. Even his breathing and heart rate were unstable. This situation was a major taboo for martial arts practitioners.
Although his own healing internal energy is very effective in dealing with qi deviation, it may not be able to completely prevent qi deviation. Moreover, now that he has cultivated the "Yi Jin Jue" to the peak of the Earth level, the possibility of this internal energy causing qi deviation should also be taken seriously.
"Yaoyao, stop thinking about it. Even if what you're imagining is true, decades have passed. You can find a way to get revenge later, but you can't go and get revenge today, can you? Besides, in peacetime, even if you want to do something outrageous, you have to be careful about the impact. Don't let your parents suffer as well."
Xiao Cao's voice was very gentle. She had long suppressed her surprise; at this moment, persuading Lin Yao was the most important thing.
"Oh, the little grass is so clever! Our little grass is the best!"
Lin Yao let go of his worries and felt that Xiao Cao was absolutely right, so he generously gave her his sincere praise.
"Of course! In the world, grass is the smartest thing!"
Lin Yao smiled nonchalantly, bringing his attention back to reality. In front of him was a large bowl of vermicelli soup and a basket of small steamed buns.
Picking up a small steamed bun that could fit three in one bite, Lin Yao wondered if this would fill his stomach. Luckily, there was still a bowl of soup, so he wouldn't get hungry too quickly.
"Um?"
Lin Yao was stunned. He felt that the bun was so delicious. The paper-thin outer skin contained a mouthful of warm and fragrant soup. The soup, which combined a light and refreshing aroma with the sweetness of meat, stimulated his taste buds and made Lin Yao want to groan.
eat!
Without saying a word, Lin Yao quickly devoured the entire basket of steamed buns.
"Boss, another basket of steamed buns, please."
"Hey~, young man, I think you shouldn't rush to order soup dumplings. You haven't even touched this bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup yet. Try this soup first, and then decide whether you want to add soup dumplings. Duck blood vermicelli soup and soup dumplings are the most famous signature snacks in my little shop. We're early today, and you'll see it'll be packed with customers soon."
The middle-aged, plump woman proudly introduced her family's signature dish to Lin Yao, "Judging from your voice, you're from out of town. You've just arrived in Nanjing, haven't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't be unaware that duck blood vermicelli soup is the most famous Nanjing snack. You haven't even touched your chopsticks yet, haha."
The proprietress's cheerful laughter is very endearing and instantly bridges the gap between her and her customers.
Lin Yao carefully picked up a small handful of vermicelli and stuffed it into his mouth. His eyes widened immediately; he thought this vermicelli soup was even tastier than steamed buns. He immediately sped up his eating, making the little grass on his chest giggle.
※※※※
Gazing at the vast, lush forest before him, Lin Yao remained silent. This time, however, his emotions were not as turbulent; instead, a sense of resentment welled up within him, filling his heart.
The Yuhuatai Martyrs' Cemetery is the area where Xiaocao said the evil energy is most concentrated and strongest. After arriving here, Lin Yao could feel the evil energy that could shake all the souls in the world without even needing Xiaocao's introduction.
After walking for a while with a tour guide from a senior citizen tour group, Lin Yao learned about the history of the martyrs' cemetery and understood the source of the ominous aura.
This area, covering more than 150 hectares and completely covered by green space, is where approximately 100,000 martyrs perished between 1927 and 1949. This is the root of the ominous atmosphere.
The pioneers, who were coerced, bribed, and tortured, completed their final journeys here. The fact that there is no resentment in this area shows that they had no regrets about the cause they were willing to defend with their youth and lives. For the future of the country and the people, they would rather give up their lives than submit.
The most resilient thing in the world is not steel or diamond, but human perseverance and soul.