A journey of survival starting from Zhetian

Chapter 390 The Changed Past
During the few days he returned to his hometown during the holidays, Zhou Mingrui sat at his desk, looking up all the professional terms related to spiritual practice on the Internet, and carefully studied the "Huangting Benwo Dao Zhang Interpretation", a book that is suspected to be a Taoist scripture, several times.

In his spare time between leaving his hometown and returning to work at the company, he would go to the library to read some classics on Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, etc., to learn about contemporary scholars' interpretations of these ancient books.

One weekend after working on it intermittently for more than half a year, when Zhou Mingrui continued to pick up this old Taoist scripture to read and try to understand it deeply, a ray of inspiration flashed through his mind, and an extremely unique feeling arose in his body, as if his mental state was like a mirror, with some of the dust on it swept away, and it was extremely transparent.

“Am I getting started?”

Zhou Mingrui had an incredible look on his face. According to his understanding of this strange scripture, his extremely relaxed state was a sign of perceiving his own spiritual nature and truly entering the door of self-cultivation.

"But, does such a thing as spiritual practice really exist? Could this be my imagination because I am too tired?"

Zhou Mingrui does not really believe that there is such a thing as "spiritual practice" in this world. In his decades of life, not only has he never encountered anything "supernatural", but even when he watches videos of Taoist priests on his mobile phone, he feels that their weird things can be explained by the materialist conception of history and dialectical materialism.

Now I suddenly feel that I have stepped into the door of spiritual practice and may possess "supernatural" powers in the future. A strong sense of unreality suddenly surges into my heart.

"I just use the interpretation of this book 'Huangting Benwo Dao Chapter' as a way to kill time and relax myself. Can this also be considered as an entry into the so-called practice?"

"No, is the content in the Huangting Benwo Dao Chapter Interpretation really useful? Can it really help people achieve 'transcendence'?"

Zhou Mingrui looked at the old books on the desk, his expression changed. He sensed his mental state at this moment and was very sure that he was much better than before.

The originally complicated work content now seems very organized when I recall it. Some things that seemed difficult in the past now seem to have simpler and faster ways to deal with.

“Practice self-awareness to resist external demons”

Zhou Mingrui decided to give it a try. If this book could really make people enter the "supernormal", then it would be a great opportunity for him. If this feeling was really just his imagination, then he would go to the People's Hospital to see a psychiatric outpatient clinic tomorrow morning.

With a feeling that was either anticipation or fear in mind, he slowly walked to the bed, sat cross-legged, recalled the description at the beginning of the scripture, and slowly entered a state of meditation.

As time went by, Zhou Mingrui recited the scriptures silently in his heart over and over again. His thoughts gradually became vague, but his sense of self-existence seemed to become stronger, like a cornerstone that supports the world and the center of change of all things in the world.

After an unknown amount of time, a strange feeling of detachment emerged in his heart. With his eyes closed, he vaguely felt the existence of his consciousness and "knew" that consciousness was in the deepest part of the spirit body and was an aspect of his fundamental spiritual nature.

What is a spirit?

——The spirit body is the embodiment of self-spirituality, self-consciousness, and Tao-self will.

Why are the spirits I see so blurry?
——Because the spiritual body has four levels, and my current practice is not deep enough, I can only barely see the shape of the etheric body and perceive the existence of the mental body.

When will I be able to see my spirit in its entirety?
——Cultivate yourself and let your most fundamental spirituality become a seed, plant it in your spiritual body, and complete the initial practice.

Doubts about spiritual practice kept appearing in Zhou Mingrui's mind, but it seemed as if someone was giving him the answers. Mysterious knowledge about spiritual practice popped up in his mind in an incredible way, allowing him to "know" the answers to the questions.

As the questions and answers progressed, time passed slowly. When Zhou Mingrui sensed a strange feeling of "fullness", his state of meditation slowly came out and the mysterious knowledge about cultivation no longer emerged in his mind.

I opened my eyes and saw silver moonlight shining from the window onto the bed frame, exuding a peaceful atmosphere. I looked at the clock beside me and saw that the hour hand was pointing to "10".

"It's been about twelve hours."

An incredible look flashed across Zhou Mingrui's face. You have to know that he was sitting cross-legged on the bed. In this not-so-comfortable sitting position, even a Taoist priest with a certificate of ordination might not be able to maintain it for such a long time.

After he got out of bed and moved his body, he was surprised to find that his body was not stiff from sitting cross-legged for twelve hours. On the contrary, the stiffness in his shoulders from years of sitting in front of the computer was slightly relieved, and his whole body seemed to be much more relaxed.

Zhou Mingrui was stunned when he recalled the mysterious knowledge that kept coming out and was clearly remembered. He was not a person who could remember everything he saw. Even at his peak in high school, it was difficult for him to recite the textbook he had read once.

But now, he could not only clearly recall the contents of the mysterious knowledge about cultivation, but also understand every detail of it, and had his own understanding of the mysterious knowledge in his mind.

"So, cultivation is real, and there really are unknown 'supernormal' things in this world?"

Sensing his own condition, Zhou Mingrui involuntarily flipped through the "Explanation of the Huangting Benwo Dao Chapter". His expression suddenly became a little tense. The villain in his heart seemed to be screaming, and immortality and eternal life seemed to be waving at him.

"Don't be impatient. Wait until I have formed the seed, planted it into my spiritual body, and completely completed the initial training."

At the same time, the boss Xiong who sold him the "Qin and Han Dynasty Secret Alchemy Records" and "Huangting Benwo Dao Chapter Interpretation" also made Zhou Mingrui suspicious. You know, these scriptures that can be used for cultivation were also purchased from the "Xiong's Bookstore".

"Does Mr. Xiong know that this scripture can really help people cultivate? If he knows, then what is his intention or calculation in selling this book to me?"

Zhou Mingrui had many conspiracy theories in his mind, and he kept speculating on the thoughts and actions of the boss Xiong. However, thinking like this only made his mind more confused, and he could not get a clear conclusion. Finally, he opened 12306 on his phone and looked at the tickets.

"I've decided. I'll ask for leave from the company immediately. I'll go back to my hometown tomorrow and go to 'Xiong's Bookstore' to ask the boss, Xiong."

The next day, early in the morning, Zhou Mingrui, who took the high-speed train and then the bus, hurried back to his hometown without informing his family, and stepped into the street in his memory again. However, when he walked to the end of the street and came to the turn, he did not see the shadow of "Xiong's Bookstore". There was no building there, only an old notice wall covered with government notices.

Zhou Mingrui's face froze suddenly. He stretched out his hand to the wall and gently touched the bulletin wall, as if to verify that what he saw in front of him was not an illusion.

He muttered to himself in a disbelieving voice, "How is this possible? How could this be a wall? Where is the original bookstore?"

After this bizarre incident, he was surprisingly calm. Perhaps it was the effect of his practice, or he was mentally prepared for the abnormality shown by "Boss Bear".

Zhou Mingrui took out his mobile phone in front of the notice wall, opened WeChat, and searched for his payment records from half a year ago. It was definitely possible to find the corresponding records for a bank deposit transfer of 2,000 yuan.

"Why is there no corresponding payment record on WeChat? Is there something wrong with my WeChat information?"

Zhou Mingrui frowned and quickly checked the bank's APP to check the past transfer records, hoping that he was just a false alarm. But the result seemed to be destined, he did not find the payment record.

Then, a light bulb went off in his head. He pulled up his electronic pay slip for that month and saw that the salary on it was exactly two thousand less than he remembered. His face turned pale.

“How is it possible that the company’s information has been tampered with, or that my past has been altered?”

Zhou Mingrui walked over to a few old men who were playing chess under the shade of a tree with a hint of uneasiness, and asked them, "Excuse me, is there a store called 'Xiong's Bookstore' near here before?"

An old man who was watching the scene fanned his fan, looked at Zhou Mingrui, and said to him, "How could there be a bookstore on this street? And it has an outdated name like 'Xiong's Bookstore'."

"If the young man wants to find a bookstore, he has to cross this whole street to the newly opened square, where there is a Xinhua Bookstore that sells books offline. There will be no bookstores on this old street. After all, most of the people living here are retired elderly people. Children and young people don't live here for long."

After hearing the old man's reply, Zhou Mingrui's expression changed immediately. It seemed that something he didn't want to happen had happened.

After taking a few deep breaths, he regained his composure, pointed at the bulletin board, and asked the old man, "So was there a stationery store here before? There should have been kids hanging around this street decades ago, right?"

Another fat old man in a vest looked at Zhou Mingrui and said, "Young man, you seem to be very familiar with this place. Are you back from working outside? It doesn't seem like it's time for a holiday now, right?"

"Yes, there were indeed many children here decades ago, who went to school by bus from this street. But there were no shops here. This wall was specially built by the government to post notices. Who would dare to open a stationery store here?"

"Young man, you must have remembered it wrongly. Stationery stores are located near elementary schools, not here. If you want to find a stationery store, you have to walk along this road, turn a corner, and then you can see the school's running track."

Drops of cold sweat kept appearing on his forehead, and the excitement Zhou Mingrui had just felt when he stepped into the "extraordinary" realm suddenly turned into fear.

The stationery store where he often bought stationery when he was a child is gone, turned into a bulletin board where government notices are posted. The bookstore he went to when he returned home more than half a year ago is gone, but the two books in his hands are still in his hands.

This mysterious event of discovering changes in the world's past without you even realizing it is so terrifying, like hearing thunder in silence.

At this moment, the old man holding the fan seemed to notice that something was wrong with Zhou Mingrui, and immediately said, "Young man, are you okay? Why do you look so pale? Could it be hypoglycemia?"

"Really? How can young people nowadays be so fragile? Come sit down and take a break. I just bought some apples. Eat one to replenish your sugar intake."

Zhou Mingrui shook his head and did not take the apple handed over by the old man. He was very clear about his own situation. After practicing, his body gradually got rid of the original sub-health state. Now his face turned pale, he was just frightened.
He said, "Uncle, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired from running just now. I just need to rest for a while. I have to catch the bus now. I'm sorry to bother you all."

After saying goodbye to the old men who were playing chess here, Zhou Mingrui walked towards the station and turned on his mobile phone to buy a return ticket.

After returning to his hometown, he did not meet Boss Xiong, nor did he get any more information that could help him. Instead, he discovered a mysterious incident that could affect his past. He must have found a way to find out about this extremely terrifying incident that involved his past.

If he wanted to find out the truth about this matter, the only clues he had were the "Records of Secret Alchemy of the Qin and Han Dynasties" and "Explanation of Huangting Benwo Dao Chapter". More clues might have to wait until he successfully formed the seeds and planted them in his spirit body, and could use his "clairvoyance" ability to observe the spirit body before he could find them.

If I could meet this Boss Bear again one day in the future, I would definitely ask him the reason and correct the past that has been changed.

After rushing back home and washing up, Zhou Mingrui began his second meditation practice.

He once again felt a strange sense of transcendence and clearly recognized the existence of his own consciousness.

In the process of silently reciting scriptures, my sense of my own existence became more and more prominent, and my spirituality seemed to become purer. However, the special state that could answer my inner doubts did not appear the first time. It was as if it was a "benefit" prepared for newcomers who had just stepped into the door of spiritual practice.

As the days passed, the mysterious event that changed the past seemed to be just my imagination.

But Zhou Mingrui knew very well that it was not his mental problem, because he could feel that his physical condition was getting better and better, and all the minor physical problems he had in the past had recovered.

Moreover, one's own spirituality gradually becomes more agile and pure, as if it can enter the next stage at any time, using one's own spirituality to form seeds and plant them in the spiritual body.

(End of this chapter)