Taking a deep breath, Li Wei decided to give it a try. After all, what did he have to lose? He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and began to follow the steps outlined in the book. At first, his mind was cluttered with thoughts of Mei and his family's struggles, but as he continued to focus on his breathing, those thoughts began to fade, replaced by a sense of calm.
Minutes passed, though it felt like hours, and soon he felt a strange tingling sensation spread throughout his body. The white light he had been visualizing began to grow brighter, expanding from the center of his being until it enveloped him completely.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his chest, causing him to gasp. His eyes flew open, but he was no longer in his apartment. Instead, he found himself standing at a crossroad within a vast, endless void filled with swirling mist and strange, ethereal lights. His body felt light, almost weightless, as if he were floating.
Fear gripped his heart, and his mind raced. "What... where am I?" Li Wei whispered, his voice trembling as he took in his surroundings. The unfamiliarity of the place only heightened his anxiety. He spun around, searching for something—anything—that could explain what was happening. Was this a dream? A hallucination?
A sense of dread settled over him as he recalled the meditation technique and the book. Had he somehow transported himself to another realm? He tried to steady his breathing, but panic was quickly taking over.
Just as his panic began to peak, a familiar voice broke through the fog. "Welcome, Li Wei."
Li Wei's head snapped around, relief washing over him as he saw the old man from the bookstore emerge from the mist. Though he still felt a sense of unease, at least now there was someone he could ask about what was going on. "Old man! Where am I? What is this place?"
The old man's appearance had changed. He wore flowing robes of white and gold, and his eyes glowed with a strange, otherworldly light. "You have crossed into the **Realm of Spirits**," he explained, his voice echoing around them. "A place between life and death, where souls gather and cultivate."
Li Wei's confusion only deepened, anger and disbelief bubbling up inside him. "Why am I here? How do I get back?"
The old man's expression remained calm. "The Realm of Spirits is not just a place for the dead. It's a realm for spirits and those with spiritual potential. Many come here—some are drawn by obsession, others by the opportunity for power and enlightenment. This place was created around the Gate of Reincarnation, a mysterious portal that governs the cycle of life and death. But due to interference from powerful entities, a war broke out among the three supreme cultivators, dividing the realms into what we now know as the Purgatory, the Immortal Realm, and the Spirit Realm."
Li Wei's frustration grew. "I don't care about your stories, old man! I didn't ask for this. I have a family. I need to get back to them. Just take your book back and send me home! I'll even pay you!"
The old man sighed, his eyes filled with a mix of patience and disappointment. "Li Wei, the book chose you because it sensed your spirit's strength. You may think you're ordinary, but your soul carries a potential that few possess. The path you walk now is not one of your choosing, but it is one that can lead to great power or destruction."
Li Wei felt a surge of anger. "Stop ignoring me! I'm not some 'chosen one'! Just tell me how to leave this place!"
For a moment, the old man's serene demeanor cracked, revealing a glimpse of frustration. "If you refuse to understand the gravity of your situation, you will remain lost here, unable to find the Gate of Reincarnation or return to your world. You must confront your fears and desires, or be trapped in this realm forever."
Li Wei's heart raced as the implications of the old man's words sank in. "You're saying... if I don't do what you say, I'm stuck here?"
The old man nodded solemnly. "The gate is the only way back. But it will only open to those who have faced their inner demons and achieved a measure of peace. This realm is a test, Li Wei, one that will challenge everything you think you know about yourself."