Soul Land: Shokugeki No Douluo Dalu

Chapter 203: Meditation and Transformation

The restaurant was just as busy at night as it had been during lunch. 

Many customers who hadn't known that the restaurant "Small Shop" had reopened earlier in the day flocked in for dinner, eager to soothe their stomachs after two days of longing for their favorite meals.

Though Keke was still a bit inexperienced, he had already begun to get the hang of his duties as a server. 

In just a few days, he was confident he would fully adapt to the job. 

When that happened, Qin Yue would likely have an easier time, too. 

After all, she and her sister were still busy practicing their knife skills and preparing broth ingredients at home.

After the hectic evening came to an end, Qin Yue and Qin Yao cleaned up the restaurant and left. 

Meanwhile, Qi Han carried Pururu upstairs to the third floor, with Keke trailing behind.

"How are you getting along with the work tonight?" Qi Han glanced at the silent Keke and asked.

A hint of hesitation flickered across Keke's face. "Boss, do you think I'm cut out for this job?"

"Hm?" Qi Han was a little surprised. "Why do you think that?"

"Qin Yue is so much better than me…" Keke mumbled, unsure how to express himself.

"I see." Qi Han chuckled, understanding Keke's concern.

Keke had likely noticed how much faster and more efficient Qin Yue was than himself and was beginning to doubt his abilities. 

Having lived as a beggar and experiencing the coldness of the world, Keke's self-esteem had been battered, and a sense of inferiority was hard for him to shake off.

"You don't need to worry. Qin Yue's family used to run the Moonlight Pavilion, and she's been working here at Small Shop since the first day it opened. Of course, she's more experienced than you," Qi Han reassured him. "You're only on your first day, but you've done really well. Keep working hard, and you'll catch up in no time."

With Qi Han's encouraging words, Keke nodded vigorously, and the anxiety that had been weighing on him started to dissipate. 

Throughout the evening, Keke had feared that he might be dismissed for not being as capable as Qin Yue, but now that worry had faded. 

He was already becoming attached to this place—everything about it felt so welcoming.

Seeing that Keke had regained his confidence, Qi Han smiled faintly. "Alright, I'm off to bed. You should try meditating tonight; you might be in for a surprise. Do you know how to meditate?"

"Yes, I do!" Keke quickly replied.

Meditation itself wasn't hard—many ordinary people could do it. 

All one needed was to sit in the Five Hearts Toward Heaven position and clear the mind. 

The challenging part was channeling spirit power through the meridians, which was something only taught in spirit master academies. 

It wasn't highly secret knowledge, but it wasn't something just anyone could access either.

For Keke, who had no spirit power at all, simply adopting the meditative posture was no problem. 

Qi Han nodded in approval, turned, and closed his bedroom door. 

A muffled "thud" could be heard as Qi Han collapsed onto his bed, followed by silence.

Keke stood still for a moment, staring at the closed door. 

Then, he quietly entered his own room and softly closed the door behind him. 

His heart pounded loudly, his pulse racing as if his heart would leap out of his chest at any moment. 

It took a while for him to calm down. 

Finally, he stripped off his work clothes, leaving his upper body bare, and sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor.

Qin Yue had mentioned that after eating the special cabbage soup, the body might expel impurities through the skin. 

Although Keke wasn't sure if this would happen to him, he wanted to avoid dirtying his new bedding and clothes just in case.

The Five Hearts Toward Heaven position involved placing the palms upward, feet inward with soles facing up, and keeping the forehead aligned upward. 

Keke had tried this posture countless times before, but this time, his hopes were higher than ever.

As Keke completely emptied his mind, golden lines began to appear on his skin. 

The lines wriggled as if alive, weaving themselves into intricate patterns and shapes. 

Slowly, a golden lotus flower took form on his body. As the pattern shifted, the lotus began to bloom, and wave upon wave of golden light spread from the lotus across Keke's entire being.

A soft crackling sound echoed from within him—his bones and joints were releasing tension. 

As the golden light spread further, dark, filthy substances started oozing out of Keke's pores, coating his body in a layer of grime.

But then, Keke's body began to tremble. 

His face contorted in pain, as if he were enduring some great internal struggle...

During the meditation, Keke felt his body undergoing profound changes. 

Though his eyes remained closed, the sensation of being nourished and cleansed was undeniable. 

His once-blocked meridians were being unsealed, and his body was expelling impurities with ease. It was an exhilarating, liberating experience.

Yet, the pleasure of this newfound vitality was short-lived. 

Suddenly, everything went black. 

Keke found himself plunged into an unfamiliar space—a void of endless darkness. 

His heart raced as he scanned his surroundings, but there was no light, no visible path.

"Where… am I?" Keke murmured, his voice tinged with fear.

The unknown was terrifying, and Keke had no idea what was happening. 

But then, he noticed something stirring in front of him. 

He looked up, and what he saw made his blood run cold.

Two glowing orbs, one red and one blue, floated in the darkness.

No, they weren't stars. They blinked.

Those were eyes!

The immense size of the eyes became clear as they stared directly at Keke, dwarfing him completely. 

This was no ordinary creature—what kind of monstrous being was this? 

And why was Keke here?

Just as Keke began to panic, the darkness around him seemed to lighten, revealing the massive form of a white tiger. 

The creature's fur was patterned with dark stripes, its powerful muscles rippling beneath its coat. 

Its heterochromatic eyes, one red and one blue, gazed directly at him. 

On its forehead, the stripes formed the character for "king."

Keke was frozen in fear.

This was no ordinary tiger—this was the fearsome "Evil-Eyed White Tiger," the very symbol of the Star Luo Empire!

Why? Why was it here? And why was it coming for him?

As the tiger drew closer, Keke's terror reached its peak. 

The tiger's head, which filled his entire field of vision, loomed nearer. 

But just as it seemed poised to strike, something extraordinary happened.

In a flash of light, the enormous beast charged straight into Keke. 

Its form dissolved into pure energy, surging into his body like a torrent.

<+>

Tn: 

五心向天 / Five Hearts Toward Heaven position: The "Five Hearts Toward Heaven" is a term from Chinese medicine and Qigong practice that refers to a specific posture meant to promote energy flow (Qi) in the body. In this posture, the practitioner positions themselves so that five points of the body are metaphorically or literally "facing" heaven (the sky or upward direction).

<+>

if you want to see more chapters of this story and don't mind playing $5 per month to see my latest update, please go to my Patreon 1

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed1

Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 345: This Boy—He Must Not Be Allowed To Live!1

Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/1313592071