Master, What Dao Do You Cultivate?-Chapter 34: Optic Fiber Bodhi Tree, Website Mirror Platform

The next morning, Yu Ye demonstrated the foundation techniques she had been practicing—nothing more than Bagua Palm, Penetrating Heart Kick, and Cloud Ladder Leap, all basic martial arts.
However, thanks to the combination of an A-Rank Meridian Set and technique software, she had reached a level in a short time that would take an ordinary person decades of hard training.
“Not bad, you’ve already mastered them quite well.”
Ji Qinglin himself didn’t practice these techniques, but he had seen plenty of lower-level Qi Refiners from the Commerce Guild use them, so he could judge.
As he spoke, he used Divine Perception to record Yu Ye’s movements. These techniques were simple enough that demonstrating them wasn’t worth the data consumption, but analyzing and breaking them down could still deepen his understanding of meridians.
Anyway, since the President had agreed to support Yu Ye’s cultivation, the Commerce Guild would cover the cost of higher-level techniques for her. By then, Ji Qinglin could scan and learn them too.
“Master, what technique should I practice next?”
Yu Ye was well aware that relying on basic techniques alone wouldn’t even get her past the preliminaries in the Cultivation Tournament.
“I’ll take you somewhere. There, we’ll definitely find the most suitable one for you.”
Hearing this, Yu Ye instinctively grabbed the motorcycle helmet and keys from the table—clearly eager to test out the new bike.
Master and Disciple both donned black trench coats and leather jackets, their helmets completing the look, making them resemble a pair of urban wanderers.
The Night Owl roared out of the alleyway, its immense thrust forcing Ji Qinglin, who was seated behind, to wrap his arms around Yu Ye’s slender waist.
At the moment of contact, Yu Ye’s body noticeably tensed, but she didn’t say anything. However, as the bike approached other vehicles, turns, and intersections, she would either stop or maneuver sharply—causing Ji Qinglin’s hands, which were trying to maintain balance, to shift occasionally.
When the bike suddenly accelerated at an intersection, Ji Qinglin’s hands accidentally slipped downward. Realizing the strange sensation, he immediately repositioned them at her waist—but he still heard a muffled groan from inside Yu Ye’s helmet.
Mad Ye: So this is why you wanted to be the driver? To personally test out the human body’s weak spots?
Yu Ye: I didn’t do it on purpose!
Following Ji Qinglin’s directions, Yu Ye rode the bike to the Northern New District. Compared to Xindong Street, this area had significantly more Intelligent Machines. Eventually, the Night Owl came to a stop in front of a somewhat outdated-looking supermarket.
Most of the pedestrians had exposed limbs made of machinery—it was hard to tell whether they were people who had completely abandoned their flesh or Intelligent Machines that had gained self-awareness. Coming here straight from Xindong Street felt like stepping into another world.
“Master, there are so many robots here.”
“Well, the Northern New District has the highest level of acceptance for machines. These robots might look cold and mechanical, but in reality, a lot of them are easier to deal with than humans.”
Yu Ye turned her gaze to the massive stone monument in the middle of the street, directly across from the supermarket. Carved in bold, sharp strokes were a few lines of text:
Optic Fiber Bodhi Tree, Website Mirror Platform.
I was never truly alive—so why fear the dust of the world?
“Master, what’s that?”
“They say it was written by the first robot to ever gain self-awareness. It represents the awakening of consciousness.”
“With how fast Intelligent Machines are developing, isn’t there a risk of them taking over humanity?”
“Even now, there are only so many registered machines with true self-awareness. While their consciousness can be passed down, creating new ones is still extremely difficult. Forget about ruling humanity—for now, just coexisting peacefully like this is already a great outcome. Just think of them as a different race of friends.”
Yu Ye followed her Master into the supermarket, where the center was filled with stalls selling mechanical parts, while larger shops were situated around the perimeter.
Ji Qinglin led her directly to a small shop on the right, its signboard reading:
‘Prosthetics Last Three Generations—You’re Gone, They’re Still Here.’
As soon as they reached the entrance, the surveillance camera identified their identities, and the screen on the door displayed an animated, grinning face. A rugged voice greeted them enthusiastically:
“Yo, Brother Ji, it’s been a while since you’ve visited!”
Inside, the shop was quite simple—just a reception desk and a basic counter. Behind it, a burly man with a receding hairline and a beer belly lounged on a metal recliner.
Seeing Ji Qinglin, the man grinned and got up to welcome him, though his voice had a slightly mechanical tone:
“Brother Ji, what can I get you this time? I’ve set aside quite a few Old Era antiques for you.”
“Thanks, Huai Min, no rush this time. First, I need you to run a check on my disciple—see what techniques suit her best.”
“You’ve taken in a disciple? Congrats, congrats! Give me a moment to set things up. The test will be ready in two minutes.”
As he spoke, the shelves behind him split apart like a door, and the burly man walked inside.
Yu Ye whispered, “Master, what do I call this uncle? His voice sounds weird.”
“His name is Zhang Huai Min. The weird voice is because he’s a robot—the human appearance is just a silicone shell. Sometimes, he even tries on different ‘bodies.’ Last time I was here, he was dressed like a noblewoman.”
“This place doesn’t feel any different from a normal store—except it’s a bit small.”
“Well, this storefront is actually connected to a massive warehouse in the back. It’s full of second-hand goods and relics from the Old Era. He’s been one of my long-time business partners. Also, his Spirit Root Detection System is extremely precise—it can recommend the best cultivation path based on the user’s physique.”
As they spoke, the counter and shelves slid apart, revealing a passageway. Zhang Huai Min stepped out and gestured:
“Alright, young lady, please lie down on the bed inside. The results will be ready in about ten minutes.”
While Yu Ye went for the test, Ji Qinglin called Zhang Huai Min aside.
“Huai Min, same deal as always—I need more Old Era relics.”
“No problem. But the Old Era had all sorts of stuff, and you never give me specific requests or clues. All I can do is pick things at random for you.”
Ji Qinglin understood. In the past, he had never found anything truly useful because he lacked leads. But this time was different. He took out several restored images of old mobile phone manuals and handed them to Zhang Huai Min.
“See if you can find any Old Era relics related to these designs.”
Zhang Huai Min carefully examined the images, remaining silent. Ji Qinglin knew he was scanning and searching.
About five minutes later, Zhang Huai Min finally spoke slowly:
“I only found one item that matches the design.”
So one clue really does lead to another. Ji Qinglin felt a surge of excitement.
“One is enough! Bring it out!”
After inputting a code, Zhang Huai Min activated a conveyor belt, which delivered the item to the counter.
It was a black box, slightly larger than a tea canister. At first, Ji Qinglin thought it was made of metal, but when he picked it up, he realized it was actually tempered glass. Inside, the box was packed full of black powder.
Sure enough, at the bottom of the box was a symbol similar to the one on the mobile manuals—marked with the words ‘Dao Heart Forever Steady.’
Ji Qinglin tried to open the box to see what was inside, only to realize there was no lid or opening at all—it was completely sealed.