Cultivation Chat Group Chapter 5: I Believe In Science!
Previously on Cultivation Chat Group...
Chapter 5: My Faith is in Science!
Song Shuhang finished his midday meal and headed toward a nearby book rental shop to indulge in some window reading.
He didn't choose to window read just to save a few coins on rental fees; it was a genuine passion. Shuhang found a unique sense of joy in crouching in a quiet corner of a bookstore, lost in the pages of a book!
To ensure he didn't get on the owner's bad side, he would always rent a volume or two after spending some time there. He believed in maintaining integrity; one shouldn't push things to the limit, and everything should be done in moderation. This strategy kept the owner from growing resentful and kicking him out.
The shop was quite substantial, boasting a diverse selection that went far beyond typical novels to include all sorts of genres. Finding a bookstore like this was a rarity in the modern age.
If he were to be banned, he wouldn't find a more impressive establishment in the entire Jiangnan University area.
There is a saying that a person’s character reflects their name, and Song Shuhang truly lived up to his. He had a deep love for reading and held no prejudices against any particular subject matter.
Whether it was fictional stories, classic literature, ancient texts, or even complex theoretical works that would make most people’s heads spin, he found enjoyment in all of them.
Lately, his focus had shifted to manuals on driving techniques and essential automotive knowledge. He intended to secure his driver’s license during his freshman year while his schedule was still relatively light. Taking the exam through the university was significantly more affordable, saving him nearly seven to eight thousand yuan compared to outside schools.
......
......
Time has a way of slipping away whenever one is immersed in reading.
In what felt like a heartbeat, the clock struck 3 PM.
“That was fast... I should get ready to head back. I need to stop by the market to pick up some snacks for a late-night meal so I can stay up all night this Saturday,” Shuhang mused with a grin.
After whispering to himself, he picked a book at random and made his way to the counter to finalize the rental.
The register sat right by the exit. The shop's outdoor awning was broken today, forcing the lady boss to retreat into the shadows to escape the blistering heat.
“The sun is incredibly bright; it feels like the height of summer already,” Shuhang remarked, shielding his eyes with his hand as he glanced at the sky.
The lady boss was a quintessential Jiangnan beauty, possessing a grace that seemed as fluid as water.
Much like Shuhang, she loved nothing more than spending her day lost in a book. Her clothing suggested she enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle, hinting that running this bookstore was merely a pastime for her.
Usually, she could be found sitting in a refined, gentle posture while she read. It was a scene so picturesque it was soothing to the soul. Watching such a serene beauty led many local youths to abandon their rebellious ways in favor of becoming literary enthusiasts.
However, rumors suggested that this poetic image was only her "peaceful mode."
If there was a peaceful state, there surely had to be a combat or "berserk" mode as well. It was just that Shuhang hadn't witnessed that side of her in the past six months.
“Very well. Don't forget to return this within two days. Every extra day will cost you an additional yuan,” the lady boss said, finishing the paperwork before waving him away.
Even though they had only known each other for a semester, this "moocher" who lingered for hours had made quite an impression. Had he not been considerate enough to actually rent books to support her business, she likely would have chased him out with a broom long ago.
“Hehe,” Shuhang chuckled, taking his book and stepping toward the door.
Boom!!!
Suddenly, a deafening explosion shattered the air.
The roar startled everyone inside. Shuhang, who was just about to step outside, was so shaken that he tripped and fell flat on his face!
“Crap!”
“What on earth was that?!”
“Thunder on a clear day?”
“That nearly gave me a heart attack.” Cries of shock erupted throughout the bookstore.
Looking up at the heavens, Shuhang saw that the previously cloudless sky had transformed. On the horizon, dark clouds were rapidly massing. Within seconds, the sky was swallowed by darkness, creating the oppressive atmosphere of an impending tempest.
“Is it going to rain?” Shuhang clicked his tongue in annoyance. “People used to say the weather forecasts were so bad you should just expect the opposite. If they said it was sunny, you brought an umbrella. I thought the technology would have improved by now, but it’s still just as unreliable.”
In the past, it was simpler; you just did the opposite of the report. Now, it felt like a gamble every time you checked the forecast.
After his brief distraction, he tightened his grip on his books and prepared to sprint back to the dormitory before the downpour started.
Before his foot could even touch the pavement outside...
Boom.....
Another crack of thunder roared, leaving everyone’s ears ringing.
Shuhang pulled his leg back inside immediately.
In the distance, the region beneath the black clouds began to warp strangely. Bolts of lightning, resembling slithering serpents, lashed out from the clouds to form a chaotic web of electricity that shook the air with constant rumbles.
Shuhang had seen storms before, but never in his life had he witnessed lightning and thunder this dense—it looked like the end of the world. The strikes weren't isolated; they fell in a synchronized, relentless barrage.
The sound of the thunder was abnormal too.
Usually, thunder consists of a sharp crack followed by fading echoes. This, however, sounded like massive quantities of gunpowder being detonated in rapid succession.
Boom boom, bang bang, boom boom.
The sheer volume of the noise was so overwhelming that even the echoes were drowned out.
He couldn't help but wonder: if someone were actually hit by that, what kind of power would they be forced to endure?
What unsettled Shuhang the most was that the black cloud remained stationary. It sat fixed on the horizon, mercilessly bombarding that single area without showing any signs of moving toward him.
The thunderous roar continued unabated for about ten breaths.
It gave everyone the sensation that a terrifying gale was about to break loose.
“What bad luck!” Shuhang sighed. He thought to himself, “Maybe I should just stay and window read a bit longer?”
Typically, thunderstorms that arrive this suddenly vanish just as fast. If the storm was going to linger, why not finish another book?
With that thought, he turned back into the shop, intending to wait it out.
As if the heavens were mocking him, the moment he turned around, the thunder abruptly ceased!
Simultaneously, the dark clouds and the snake-like lightning at the horizon vanished into thin air! It looked as though a giant hand had been painting the sky and, unhappy with the result, had simply wiped the canvas clean.
The sky returned to a brilliant, endless blue, and the sun resumed its bright vigil. The recent explosions and the sky full of lightning felt like a collective hallucination or a scene from a dream.
Inside the shop, people began to whisper, “What just happened?”
“Could someone have committed such a sin that they actually got struck by lightning?”
“That’s just superstition! It was clearly just a rare natural phenomenon...”
Nearby, a young boy looked up, clutching a children’s manhua in his left hand while pointing at the sky with his right. With a heroic flourish, he shouted, “I want this sky to never again cloud my vision! I want this earth to never bury my heart! I want those dark clouds to vanish without a trace!”
Shuhang’s lip twitched. He was certain that when this kid grew up and remembered this moment, he would writhe on the floor in pure embarrassment. Such a "dark history" would surely haunt the boy forever. Even if he managed to suppress the memory, it would eventually resurface in a quiet moment, making him scream, “Just kill me, that was so cringe!” as he wished he could travel back in time to punch his younger self.
Shuhang knew this well, as he had plenty of his own embarrassing memories.
For some reason, looking at the silly brat made Shuhang think of the Nine Provinces (1) Group and the eccentric chuunibyou members within it.
“H City, 3rd Stage-Houtian Tribulation.”
The chat logs from the group flashed vividly in his mind.
He mentally calculated the location of the storm again. That area where the lightning had just struck... wasn't that exactly where H City was located?
Despite his usually calm nature, Shuhang’s heart skipped a beat.
Could it be? Was it actually real?
The weather report promised clear skies, yet a localized, violent thunderstorm had appeared out of nowhere right before his eyes.
“Hahaha, there’s no way! How could humans possibly influence the heavens? It has to be a coincidence, right?!” Shuhang tried to soothe his racing heart.
But once the seed of doubt was planted, he couldn't shake it. Were there really such specific coincidences in the world? Those lightning bolts were incredibly bizarre, looking nothing like a natural storm.
H City. Tribulation. Those words played on a loop in his head.
Shuhang shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the thought.
The worldview he had built over eighteen years commanded him to trust in science and reject superstition. Those clouds were merely a strange atmospheric event—they were definitely not a Cultivation tribulation!