It was mixed with an indescribable, magnificent, and ancient murmur, echoing across the entire sea of darkness. The Spiritual Fire trembled violently, its light flickering on and off. Fang Cheng felt as if at the edge of that boundless dark ocean, a colossal entity unimaginable was lurking. It occasionally turned in its sleep, and the tiny ripples it caused transformed into a monstrous wave capable of shaking the lighthouse where he stood. But Fang Cheng’s mind was focused, showing no signs of wavering. It was as if he had become one with the lighthouse beneath his feet. Surging spiritual power continuously poured into it, and not only was the Spiritual Fire not extinguished, but it also burned even more intensely. The light surged like arrows shooting in all directions, striving to dispel the surrounding darkness and coldness. The red and gold flames, like the purest furnace in the world, repeatedly scorched that drop of deep blue. Before his eyes, the panel flickered and messages flowed past like a stream: [You are absorbing an abnormal consciousness, refining self-awareness, Spirit increased by 0.001] [You are absorbing an abnormal consciousness, refining self-awareness, Spirit increased by 0.001] In the real world, Fang Cheng, sitting cross-legged, had a faint red glow emerging from the location of his pineal gland between his brows. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ NoveI~Fire.net The light spread like ripples of water, and soon his entire body emitted a gentle yet intense glow. The glow manifested in a pure red and gold hue, enveloping Fang Cheng completely. It seemed as though he was not sitting on the floor, but was seated at the center of a rising sun. Outside the window, the setting sun sank below the horizon, its last rays swallowed by the darkness. The outline of the distant city gradually blurred in the twilight, leaving only a few scattered lights. Yet in this room, a new "sun" was emitting light and heat, dispelling the deepening night, making the interior bright as day. Strangely, although the light was intense, the temperature was perfectly controlled. It did not affect the floor beneath him or the surrounding objects. Meanwhile, in the world of consciousness, the surging waves and the grand murmurs were also gradually calming down. At the top of the lighthouse, under the intense burning of the Spiritual Fire, that blue droplet was gradually evaporating, fading, and shrinking. All external tumult seemed to have vanished, leaving only Spirit highly concentrated. Sensing every subtle change in the body and soul, eliminating hidden dangers lurking in the darkness, and repairing the fatigue caused by high-intensity training. It was also an opportunity to polish the 50-point Spirit Attribute, making it purer and more acute. Time seemed to stand still at this moment. The thick curtains were tightly closed, and the room was in complete darkness without the lights on. In the darkness, only a circle of flickering candlelight outlined the silhouette of a young man sitting cross-legged. The room’s furnishings were minimal to the extreme, almost devoid of any superfluous furniture, appearing empty and cold. The young man was handsome, and around him, on the ground, the lit candles formed a strange symbol pattern. Suddenly, he furrowed his brows slightly as if sensing something, and slowly opened his eyelids. They were eyes that gleamed with a ghostly green light in the darkness, especially eerie. "Finally... has it begun?" Cheng Jiashu whispered to himself and then scratched his black hair that covered his brows with a slight sense of unease, but his lips curled into a faint smile: "Hopefully, this time will be successful... see you in dreams." Having said that, he closed his eyes once more. In the world of consciousness, the wisp of flame had completely regained its purity, even more concentrated and brighter than before. In the Meditation State, Fang Cheng looked at the restored Spiritual Fire and nodded in satisfaction. With a thought, his consciousness naturally sank deeper. Then, he opened his eyes again to find himself sitting cross-legged on that familiar bed. He got out of bed and pushed open the bedroom door, and the grand Dark Hall appeared before him once more. Above the dome, stars twinkled, as if it were a real universe. Enormous stone pillars disappeared into the distant darkness, their ends unknown. In the empty hall, an invisible wind blew, creating a wailing sound, adding a touch of mystery. It seemed... more spacious than the last time he entered. Fang Cheng mused silently, surveying the scene around him. The central golden light orb, which served as the core, was slightly brighter as well. These changes were subtle, but as the master of this palace, Fang Cheng could clearly sense them. The light flickered before his eyes, and a few new notification messages appeared: [Meditation Experience +10] [Meditation lv2 (279/500)] [Congratulations, after relentless cultivation, your Spirit Attribute has been increased and has broken through to 52 points] Fang Cheng murmured to himself, feeling pleased but not surprised. With the presence of the golden light sphere incarnate of the Golden Benba Bottle, even without intentional meditation, his spiritual power can passively absorb and refine the external Consciousness, increasing slowly and steadily. Before this cultivation session, his Spirit Attribute was already on the verge of breaking through 51 points. Now with the refinement of that strong alien consciousness, he improved by 2 points in one fell swoop, which was only natural. Of course, benefits come with risks. The hidden dangers have not been completely eliminated. During the meditation process just now, Fang Cheng had a moment of enlightenment and immediately cast his gaze to the edges of the palace. The erosion of dark void still existed there. He could clearly feel that the palace’s "walls" appeared somewhat relaxed, dim, and even tiny cracks had appeared in those areas. Like a building in reality that requires maintenance and repairs, a slight "wind" was leaking in through the cracks. In addition, there seemed to be something more bizarre lurking outside the palace. They lurked in the darkness, trying to silently infiltrate through the "stellar light points" on the dome that represented ordinary Spiritual Links. Fang Cheng speculated that these eerie entities might come from two sources. One, the residual faith imprints of the Esoteric Black Sect within the Golden Benba Bottle. Two, the source of the alien consciousness he just refined. That is, the huge blue phantom he sensed when he first started meditation in the True Thought Meditation Hall. It seems that more time will need to be spent maintaining this palace in the future to prevent them from taking advantage of the situation. Fang Cheng made a silent determination. As he was pondering, a sudden sound instantly broke the silence inside the palace. Is someone knocking on the door again? Fang Cheng’s mind stirred slightly, and his consciousness instantly extended in all directions. With a 360-degree perspective, he simultaneously "saw" himself sitting cross-legged in the real world and the empty room around him. The sound occurred again. Clear, regular, yet with a nonphysical quality. The room was very quiet, with only the sound of the TV program, and no other noise. The knocking wasn’t coming from reality. Is someone... visiting my Memory Palace? Fang Cheng was slightly taken aback, a flurry of confusion passing quickly through his mind. The construction of the Memory Palace was something he had never mentioned to anyone, let alone sent out any "voice password" inviting visitors. So, where did the visitor come from? The knocking continued, unhurried. In the extremely quiet environment, it carried an eerie sensation, as if a horror movie was playing out. Fang Cheng suddenly remembered a long time ago, when a Crow once tapped on his bedroom window, bringing him the Spiritual Cultivation Technique. Back then, the palace had yet to be formed, consisting only of a small bedroom. After a brief recollection, he swiftly remembered some of the methods recorded in that cultivation technique. He then concentrated his spirit, capturing the source of the knocking sound. Fang Cheng turned his gaze towards a patch of darkness ahead. There, what was once an empty void wall. Now, with his gaze, a silhouette of a door emitting a faint white glow slowly emerged. Fang Cheng stared intently at the "door" leading to the outside world. With a movement of his will, it was as if an invisible hand was slowly turning the doorknob. With a gentle creak, the door slowly opened, revealing a sliver of pure darkness, like a crevice leading to the Abyss. A whimpering wind blew through, adding to the eerie atmosphere. A few seconds later, a figure emitting a faint green light stepped through the door of light. He gave Fang Cheng a slight smile, his voice gentle: "Long time no see, Fang Cheng, how have you been lately." Fang Cheng’s pupils instantly focused, staring intently at the unexpected guest: "You are... the Smiling Demon."