This entry is suspicious.

Why do some entries have side effects?

Zhou Ran frowned deeply; this was completely different from the abilities of the entry he had imagined.

The enhancement attributes that the protagonists in novels obtain are either things like "Ancient Sacred Body," "Heavenly Favor," or "Hundred Lifetimes of Reincarnation," or at the very least, "Martial Arts Grandmaster," "Dragon and Elephant Power," or "Tank Engine."

Each one is more ferocious than the last, and each one has a bigger and bigger opening than the last.

How come when it comes to me, even though I finally got a top-tier effect, it comes with side effects?

In this bizarre world, Zhou Ran, who had just experienced a strange event, knew all too well what it meant to be targeted by the supernatural.

Should I equip the affixes?

Zhou Ran was caught in a dilemma, weighing the options repeatedly in his mind. After a long while, he finally made up his mind—to pretend!

The bold get rich, the timid starve. The path to immortality is long and arduous, and the struggle is all about seizing that one sliver of opportunity. If you don't even have the courage to take a gamble, how can you possibly reach the summit?

So what if it's strange? With the Book of Fate in hand, I might not be powerless to fight back. I might even turn the strange into an aid to my immortal path!

Thinking of this, Zhou Ran opened his phone and searched for information about "Linglongxin" online.

[The Exquisite Heart, a rare and precious natural treasure, is often found in places where spiritual energy gathers. Its shape resembles a heart, and its entire body is as clear and lustrous as jade. The more pores on its surface, the higher its quality, and the more transparent its texture.]

When the wind passes through the openings, it produces clear and melodious sounds. One opening is like a distant bell, three openings like a flowing spring, five openings like the gentle plucking of a zither string, and seven or more openings form their own tunes. The listener's mind is cleared, and thoughts flow like a spring.

When the nine orifices are perfected, the exquisite heart becomes almost formless and intangible, beyond the reach of sight and touch. Only a faint melody, seemingly emanating from beyond the heavens, remains.

The Exquisite Heart can be refined into elixirs to enhance the user's comprehension; it can also be crafted into magical artifacts for sound cultivation, with endless uses.

Zhou Ran's eyes flickered slightly, and then he searched for related news.

The last time a Linglong Heart appeared in the world was eight years ago, when a five-aperture Linglong Heart was auctioned off for a sky-high price of 200 million, and was eventually bought by a representative of the Sword Pavilion of the Immortal Martial Empire.

Going back further, ten years ago, a uniquely crafted heart was leaked out and purchased for three million.

"Just one aperture is worth three million?"

Zhou Ran gasped, "The Exquisite Heart is so precious? Doesn't that make me a walking immortal treasure?"

As the thought crossed his mind, a chill ran down his spine: "Once my heart undergoes its mutation, it won't just be the Strange Ones targeting me; many cultivators will likely also try to take advantage of me if they find out. So I need to find a way to hide my Exquisite Heart."

"But that's all for the future. The most urgent thing is to figure out how to pay off the loan, otherwise I'll be arrested and have the hardware uninstalled and sent to the Hehuan Sect nightclub."

"You escaped this time, but you might not be able to next time. Brother Dao is at the first level of Qi Refining, so catching me, at the fourth level of Qi Opening, is like catching a chick."

Zhou Ran pulled himself out of his thoughts and focused his attention on the Book of Fate.

"The Book of Fate, activate!"

"Let me see your potential!"

Without further hesitation, he equipped the [Exquisite Heart] with a thought.

boom!

It was as if a small universe had exploded in the spiritual world, its light piercing through dullness, penetrating the haze, tearing apart the darkness, and allowing thoughts to rise to an unprecedented level of clarity in an instant.

Zhou Ran opened her eyes, then closed them again, then opened them again, then closed them again.

The world hasn't changed, yet the world has completely changed.

How can I describe that feeling?

It's like a low-end graphics card that's been in service for years suddenly being upgraded to a top-of-the-line flagship overnight. Before, running a single thought would cause it to lag for ages, but now countless thoughts run in parallel, making it so smooth that people exclaim how silky it is, and the picture is incredibly clear.

The most important thing is mindset.

"Basic Enlightenment Method" is a cultivation textbook that every student at Xiandao High School must learn. Zhou Ran had long since memorized every word and every move, but when he actually practiced, he always felt that he was far behind, and his efficiency was far less than that of his classmates.

At this moment, countless thoughts and insights surged in his heart like a spring, instantly breaking through all confusion. In just a short while, Zhou Ran suddenly understood and gained a completely new understanding of the technique.

Looking back, the entire technique is clear and easy to understand; there are no difficult parts left.

"I see."

Zhou Ran muttered to herself, "I understand!"

He immediately jumped off the bench and began practicing the thirty-six movements and breathing techniques included in the "Basic Enlightenment Method" in the park.

These Thirty-Six Forms for Opening the Mind are a body-refining martial art summarized by experts from the Ministry of Education of the Tianhuan Federation, used to stimulate qi and blood and strengthen the physical body.

Previously, Zhou Ran was completely clueless about this martial art and hadn't mastered its essence at all.

Now that I'm equipped with the [Exquisite Heart] attribute, my comprehension has greatly increased. When I look at these thirty-six moves again, all the key points are clearly displayed in my mind.

What's even more amazing is that as he cultivates, countless insights constantly flood his mind.

Where you exert too much force, where your breath is sluggish, where your posture is wrong... every flaw automatically pops up, followed by a sudden realization that tells you how to adjust and correct it.

This feeling was completely different from before; Zhou Ran could clearly perceive her own progress, which made her somewhat obsessed.

He tirelessly began practicing the second and third times...

Sweat soaked my clothes, heat was rising, and every muscle in my body was protesting. Aches, pains, numbness, and a mix of sensations came from my limbs and bones.

Zhou Ran seemed oblivious, having entered a state of complete absorption.

The original owner borrowed 200,000 from a bank and 300,000 from a private lending company, using the 500,000 to purchase a large amount of supplements to nourish the body and aid in cultivation.

But with her natural talent, spending this little money is useless. The precious medicinal power cannot be fully digested, and a considerable portion of it is deposited deep in her body, turning into the increasingly noticeable excess fat.

Now, as the cultivation deepens, the long-dormant medicinal power is gradually loosening, transforming into a trickle that flows into the circulation of qi and blood.

Therefore, Zhou Ran not only did not find it difficult, but also became more and more energetic as he practiced, and his understanding and cultivation of the "Basic Enlightenment Method" began to increase rapidly.

There are seven major realms in the path of immortality: Enlightenment, Qi Refining, Foundation Building, Golden Elixir, Dao Embryo, Tribulation Transcending, and Ascension to Immortality.

A cultivator in the Awakening stage needs to use their Qi and blood to impact the body's acupoints. Only after opening the nine acupoints can they absorb spiritual energy into their body and break through to the Qi Refining stage.

Zhou Ran only opened four orifices: the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.

Now, with the added effect of the [Exquisite Heart] attribute, he felt he could try to break through to the fifth acupoint.

Time slipped away quietly as I immersed myself in my practice.

A pale light began to appear on the horizon, the first rays of dawn gently brushing across the city's outline.

The moment that golden light shone on Zhou Ran, the blood and qi that had been surging within him all night suddenly converged into a mighty, boiling torrent, rushing straight towards his heart with unstoppable force!

boom!

As his blood and qi surged, Zhou Ran's body trembled violently, and an unprecedented sense of clarity spread from his chest throughout his entire body.

It became.

Five stages of enlightenment!

"It's an amazing ability that allowed me to advance from the fourth to the fifth level of enlightenment overnight, and my understanding of the 'Basic Enlightenment Method' has also improved by leaps and bounds."

An overwhelming joy welled up in Zhou Ran's heart, and the smile on his lips grew wider and wider.

From now on, he is also a member of the "Hanger" clan!

Just then, my phone vibrated and I received a text message from Brother Dao.

Don't think you don't have to pay back the money. I'll give you another week. If you still can't come up with the money, you'll be working as a hostess at a nightclub!

[Also, you're out of phone credit, so I topped up your phone with fifty yuan. Transfer it to me now!]

"We have an extra seven days of buffer time... but how are we going to make money?"

Zhou Ran put down his phone and pondered for a moment, gradually forming an idea in his mind.