Chapter 254

Chapter 254: The Long-Awaited Lottery

The next day, Wang Lang visited Zhou Luo’s villa with spiritual stones in hand.

He had intended to seize the opportunity to invite the other party to a brothel for entertainment and music.

Yet, inexplicably, he felt intimidated upon seeing Lin Xi.

It was as if he had committed some shameful act.

This led him to ensure his own women kept Zhou Luo preoccupied whenever he planned to invite him out.

Before long, the appearance of both Lin Xi and Li Ying became widely discussed around the neighborhood.

Especially after seeing the stunning beauty of the two women, many were filled with envy and resentment.

Xu Tian, who had harbored affection for Zhou Luo, never came by again.

It seemed she had departed quite early and hadn’t returned, perhaps having gone in search of Foundation Establishment materials.

In the days that followed, Zhou Luo spent his daytime researching the Second Level alchemy skill and Gu techniques.

By night, he engaged in dual cultivation with Lin Xi, occasionally ending up in Li Ying’s room instead.

…

A year later.

Late one night, immediately after concluding a dual cultivation session, Zhou Luo finally heard the long-absent system notification sound.

Ding!

[Congratulations, Host. Through relentless dedication, you’ve successfully impregnated your partner. You’ve earned one lottery opportunity.]

The pregnancy announcement struck Zhou Luo like a thunderclap, instantly lightening a heavy weight pressing upon his heart.

He swiftly opened the lottery interface, gazing at the long-unseen white lottery wheel with a faint sense of disbelief.

He wondered if conceiving children might become even harder after he achieved Foundation Establishment.

Thankfully, his lifespan had now astonishingly reached a thousand years; worrying about fertility odds felt less urgent.

Provided he remained diligent and dedicated, one child at a time, offspring were still possible.

While higher cultivation realms made conceiving more difficult, any child born would possess far greater innate talent.

The two factors were directly proportional.

Returning from his thoughts, Zhou Luo focused on the seven lottery zones.

If he desired anything most right now, it was undoubtedly mastering the Second Level alchemy skill.

Through a year and a half of study, he realized that, without the system, he truly possessed little innate talent in alchemy, consistently failing to grasp the essence of Second Level alchemy.

This was partly because Zhou Luo set incredibly high standards for himself.

After all, the gap between First Level and Second Level was akin to the chasm between Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment—not easily bridged.

Those alchemy geniuses who dazzled in Qi Refinement might labor their entire lives without ever breaking through to Second Level.

Breaking through was like a carp leaping over Dragon Gate—not achievable by everyone.

Only it remained unknown whether the system would grant his wish this time.

Zhou Luo fixed his gaze on the revolving lottery wheel and initiated the draw.

A golden sphere of light materialized and began spinning rapidly across the seven zones.

Under his gaze, its speed gradually slowed before finally coming to a stop in the skills section.

Seeing it actually land on a Technique.

Zhou Luo’s heart sank midway.

Indeed, drawing the Second Level alchemy skill wasn’t so easy; the task was long and the road was hard.

Still, a Technique was a Technique.

He currently only had three Techniques. Apart from the Five Elements Sword Technique, the other two were related to movement. Having one more Technique was fine.

[Congratulations Host! Obtained Water Spirit Heart Method!]

[Reward has been automatically distributed to the host’s backpack! Please check!]

A heart method? Staring at the name, Zhou Luo couldn’t help but feel a jolt of surprise within.

Heart methods typically referred to cultivation practices and techniques, generally signifying a cultivator’s comprehension of their own cultivation journey. Unlike ordinary Techniques which focused on external practice and the enhancement of combat skills, it emphasized a supplementary role.

Precisely because of this, a good heart method could enable a cultivator to better control their inner force, thereby allowing them to exert their strength more precisely and effectively in battle.

Simultaneously, practicing a heart method could also promote the improvement of Techniques, unlocking even greater power from the original skills.

Heart methods and Techniques mutually complemented and enhanced each other.

Judging by the name of this heart method, it likely synergized well with techniques of the water attribute.

It just so happened that within his Five Elements Sword Technique, there was a move called "Water Curtain Sky Blossom." If he could coordinate it with this heart method, perhaps he could unleash an even greater force.

Zhou Luo instinctively looked towards his backpack interface.

[Technique: Water Spirit Heart Method]

[Grade: Foundation Establishment Lower Grade]

[Description: Derived from a method created by a certain Nascent Soul cultivator. During cultivation, it enables the mobilization of one’s own water-attribute spiritual energy, calming the mind, restoring injuries, etc. When used in conjunction with water-attribute Techniques, it can also unleash an even more powerful force…]

A Foundation Establishment grade Technique?

Zhou Luo’s eyes widened, his face filled with astonishment.

He hadn’t expected to draw a Foundation Establishment grade Technique, and a heart method at that, not a Battle Technique.

For a moment, he felt a surge of exhilaration. The disappointment from failing to draw the Second Level alchemy skill vanished completely.

This draw’s value was immense.

If it had been a Foundation Establishment Battle Technique, perhaps he wouldn’t have been this excited.

Because with his current strength, he couldn’t yet activate Foundation Establishment realm Techniques. Even if he forcibly activated one, he wouldn’t be able to harness the Technique’s full power.

But heart methods were different.

They emphasized a supplementary role, focusing on insights into cultivation itself, so the demand for spiritual energy wasn’t as stringent.

Even as a Qi Refinement realm cultivator, he could still activate this Foundation Establishment realm heart method, and he wouldn’t need to worry about spiritual energy depletion.

Reading the description, Zhou Luo discovered this heart method primarily offered two main functions.

First, it assisted oneself, improving resistance to negative influences like illusions and poisons, as well as speeding up injury recovery, dispelling demonic impediments, and so on.

The other aspect was its enhancement to water-attribute Techniques.

A Foundation Establishment heart method applied to a Qi Refinement era Technique—the effect this would produce was unknown.

Zhou Luo couldn’t help but feel a stirring of anticipation.

Regardless, the Water Spirit Heart Method was extremely well-suited to his current needs, especially the mentioned aspects of dispelling demonic impediments and resolving Heart Demons. That was far better than visiting brothels for entertainment.

He wondered if this heart method would provide even greater benefits for Shiling to practice.

Zhou Luo couldn’t help but think.

After all, Zhou Shiling possessed a Water Spirit Physique. Combined with this heart method, her training speed would likely become much faster.

However, he wasn’t rushing to hand the method over just yet. This was a Foundation Establishment heart method, after all. If discovered by the Immortal Sect, explaining its origin would be problematic.

He planned to try practicing it himself first to gauge its effects.

Subsequently, Zhou Luo decisively chose to use it.

As the icon vanished, Zhou Luo felt an infinitely profound force surge through every part of his body. Simultaneously, vast information regarding this heart method flooded his mind.

A sensation of pure clarity and mental openness washed over him. He felt as if he were drifting within an immense sea, the comfortable, smooth feeling bringing him profound relaxation and ease.

This was the wondrous application of the heart method.

Once you mastered it, it would ceaselessly influence you, bringing tremendous benefits.

"I wonder how this heart method would fare against Little White’s illusions," mused Zhou Luo.

Having just obtained this Foundation Establishment heart method, he was eager to test it out.