Xiao Chen had collected cultivation techniques that covered all aspects—martial arts, immortal ways, the Buddhist Path, the Demonic Path, the divine, the Ghost Path, the Instrument Path, Alchemy Dao, the Formation Path, the medical, the Talisman Path, Psychic Mysteries Technique, and so on.
All these domains of cultivation merged together to create the culmination known as the Imperial Polar Transforming Immortal Technique.
To cultivate the Imperial Polar Transforming Immortal Technique meant to dabble in myriad fields simultaneously.
The focus of the Imperial Polar Transforming Immortal Technique wasn't on the word "imperial" nor on "immortal," but on the word "transform."
Transform, meaning to evolve and deduce, to create something from nothing, to bring forth existence from nonexistence.
The Daoists say, "The Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two give birth to three, and three give birth to all things." The Imperial Polar Transforming Immortal Technique also shares this profound similarity.
In theory, having mastered the Imperial Polar Transforming Immortal Technique, one could evolve any cultivation method between heaven and earth—if one method is mastered, all methods are accessible.
Back then, Xiao Chen was at the pinnacle of the path of immortals, unable to find any rival under the heavens. Even if he created the Imperial Polar Transforming Immortal Technique, there was no battleground for him to use it— at best, it was a luxury.
But now that he was cultivating again, he finally had the chance to test the effectiveness of the Imperial Polar Transforming Immortal Technique.
...
Xiao Yufei decided to finish work early today and when she returned to the apartment, Xiao Chen had just completed his cultivation.
After trying for half a day, he found that the Imperial Polar Transforming Immortal Technique seemed to be bound to his soul. There was not the slightest difficulty in cultivating it; it progressed naturally.
In just half a day, he had already stepped past the threshold.
Xiao Yufei looked around the apartment, noticing not much had changed since she left, and couldn't help but ask Xiao Chen, "What have you been doing all this half a day?"
Xiao Chen stretched and said, "Took a nap!"
"Are you tired from coming over from your classmate's place?"
As Xiao Yufei asked, she began tidying up the table in the living room, spreading out the meal boxes she had brought with her.
"Let's have fast food just for today, and tomorrow I'll find you a cook."
Xiao Chen walked over to the table, glanced at the quite ample fast food, then looked at Xiao Yufei and asked, "Can't you cook?"
That question seemed to touch a sore spot for Xiao Yufei; she looked up at Xiao Chen with a glare and said with a slightly red face, "No!"
Xiao Chen touched his nose, "Okay, forget I asked. But let's forget about hiring a cook, I'll do it myself."
The truth was, Xiao Chen didn't want an outsider in the house unnecessarily, as it wouldn't be convenient.
"Are you sure?"
Xiao Yufei was somewhat surprised, as back in his hometown Xiao Chen was not one to live independently. She had given the neighbors a sum of money to take care of Xiao Chen.
"You're already an adult, it's indeed time you learned to be independent."
After some thought, Xiao Yufei took out a bank card and handed it to Xiao Chen.
"There's twenty thousand yuan on this card. Use it to buy some clothes and a phone, and use the rest for living expenses."
Although Xiao Chen wasn't usually keen on accepting help from women, on Earth, sometimes he really couldn't do without money, so he accepted the bank card.
...
After dinner, Xiao Chen took a shower and then watched TV for a while.
Noticing that Xiao Chen seemed bored, Xiao Yufei said, "I have a computer in my room. You can move it to your room if you want, I hardly ever use it."
"No need!"
Xiao Chen wasn't interested in the computer, but a piano in the corner caught his eye.
"Piano!"
Xiao Chen in his previous life was not only the emperor of the path of immortality but also proficient in poetry, composition, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. It's just that in the world of cultivators, these talents were not as noticeable.
Among them, the zither was particularly special to Xiao Chen.
In his pursuit of cultivation for countless years, he had one regret, because of a woman.
After that woman passed away like a fleeting fragrance and shattered jade, he composed a piece of music for her, titled "Peerless Grace."
Ever since then, the only piece he ever played on his zither was that one.
"Are you interested in the piano?" Xiao Yufei walked over and asked.
"This is actually my first time encountering a piano, but music is a very wondrous thing. Sometimes it's more direct and powerful than words, better at conveying emotions!"
Xiao Chen's fingers gently pressed a few keys, then he asked in return, "When did you learn to play the piano?"
"I learned a bit following Shiyun, just an amateur level."
Speaking of which, Xiao Yufei suddenly looked stunned, "Right, Shiyun's eighteenth birthday is in another week. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
"Xia Shiyun?"
The name and a pure face emerged in Xiao Chen's mind.
The Xiao and Xia families were old friends whose ancestors had formed a deep bond through shared hardships, even closer than blood brothers.
Ten years ago, Xiao Chen's parents and Xia Shiyun's parents came to Lanling City together to start businesses and help each other out. They had achieved not insignificant success.
Unfortunately, five years ago, Xiao Chen's parents were involved in an accident, leaving the company to a seventeen-year-old Xiao Yufei, who had no experience at the time. The company had sunk into a low period until it began to recover in the past two years.
Meanwhile, over these ten years, the Xia family had been progressing rapidly, sweeping through all obstacles and creating a business miracle in Lanling City, rising to the top echelons.
Nowadays in Lanling, almost every legitimate business has the shadow of the Xia family in it.
If it weren't for the Xia family's assistance in these years, Xiao Yufei alone couldn't have turned the tide and saved the company.
With such good relations between the two families, Xiao Chen and Xia Shiyun, who had grown up together, naturally qualified as childhood sweethearts.
However, more than two years ago, when they were moving up from junior high to high school, Xia Shiyun transferred from her hometown county school to a high school in Lanling City, but Xiao Chen refused to transfer.
The reason was that he had been rejected when he confessed his feelings!
Xiao Chen had liked Xia Shiyun since childhood, but Xia Shiyun didn't have romantic feelings for Xiao Chen; she saw him more as a friend or a brother.
So when Xiao Chen confessed, Xia Shiyun was initially shocked but still turned him down.
The confession and rejection process didn't involve much drama or further developments, nor was there a story of reversal like "the wheel of fortune turns: what goes around comes around." The ending was very bland.
The world doesn't revolve around you; people aren't obligated to reciprocate your feelings just because you like them.
To refuse was her right!
In this day and age, if you're not rejected or dumped a few times, you'd hardly dare to say you've experienced love.
Of course, although Xiao Chen didn't pester Xia Shiyun after that, he couldn't help feeling dejected inside, and for a short while, he was afraid to see her again, so he insisted on staying in his hometown for school.
Over the past two years, apart from briefly meeting during holidays, Xiao Chen and Xia Shiyun had hardly had any contact.
Xiao Yufei knew this story, so she advised, "Xiao Chen, the Xia family has shown us enormous kindness. Even though you and Shiyun can't be together, try not to let your relationship with her become too strained."
"Don't worry, I'm not so petty as to not get over this little thing."
"Can you really get over it?" Xiao Yufei, clearly skeptical, asked, "What were you just thinking about then?"
Xiao Chen offhandedly said, "Her birthday is coming up, I was thinking about what gift to give!"
"Hmm, that's true, an eighteenth birthday is very significant. You should really think about what to give her. Here, I'll transfer another fifty thousand yuan to you; buy whatever gift you want."