Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1480 - 713_2
Previously on Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups...
They all wore plain white robes without any additional straps or metal accessories, simply using a thick hemp rope around their waists to gather the hem.
But at this moment, these young people had expressions of obvious tension on their faces, their gaze sneaking glances around them, and their breathing deliberately kept very light.
The team passed through the narrow passageway, and their vision suddenly opened up.
In the center of the spacious underground cavern, the gigantic altar built from volcanic rock stood quietly.
The several spotlights hanging around the cavern walls were all turned off.
Only the burning torches barely maintained visibility around them.
The yellowish glow shrouded most of the "Truth Stele" at the top of the altar, pieced together from countless beast bones, in shadow.
"Stop here, all of you."
Chen Jiandong walked to the steps beneath the altar, stopped, and casually inserted a torch into the stone lamp post beside him.
The crowd followed and stopped, examining the surroundings with the help of the firelight.
There were clearly no traces of modern technology here; the surrounding rock walls were unadorned, exuding a primitive and rough oppressive feeling.
As Instructor Chen mentioned in class before, only by shedding the interference of modern industry and adopting the most traditional rituals could one resonate spiritually with the heroic souls of the past sages of the True Thought Society.
After confirming all members were present, Chen Jiandong turned around, pointing his right hand to the highest point of the altar:
"Look, there stands the most important presence of our True Thought Society, the Truth Stele!"
His voice echoed in the spacious cavern.
The elite members all looked in the direction he pointed.
From officially joining the True Thought Society to practicing the art of meditation, they had heard many times about an unparalleled treasure within the organization concerning its survival.
Now seeing the real object with their own eyes, an inexplicable sense of awe arose in their hearts.
A young male student with a crew cut on the left side of the team couldn’t help but move forward half a step, asking:
"Instructor, are all the materials of this stele harvested from ancient sea creature skeletons dredged from the sea?"
"Yes."
Chen Jiandong nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over this group of young people, answering in a deep voice:
"Since the founding of the society by the first president, the first few presidents led the core members through countless deep-sea fishing and fighting, bringing back these remnants containing the source of bloodline to Yong’an Island."
"Under radiation and pressure, they constructed this stele piece by piece, ultimately establishing the foundation for our True Thought Society to stand firm for centuries."
"All the knowledge you learned in the society, the awakened bloodline abilities, all originate from this stele, which bears the painstaking efforts and divine souls of countless ancestors."
His tone paused, eyebrows raised, he continued:
"So you should be grateful to the predecessors who paved the way for you to have the honor to stand here. Half a year ago, you were just ordinary tourists in the ’Sunshine Island Tour’ travel group."
"After an initial screening and elimination training camp, only you twelve managed to persevere and successfully awaken extraordinary abilities from among two hundred people."
Hearing these words, a few young men and women in the crowd flashed with pride in their eyes, yet they also felt a lingering fear.
They recalled the extremely oppressive time spent in the training camp.
To adapt to the high pressure of the deep sea, they soaked in the cold pressure-resistant water tank until their skin peeled completely.
To tame the turbulent awakening of their internal bloodline, they recited the Heart Cleansing Spell all night, enduring hunger like ascetic monks, meditating and cultivating.
Some students couldn’t withstand the torment of bloodline illusions, losing their sanity and being taken out of the training camp by guards, never to return.
"Instructor."
A female student with a ponytail in the second row raised her hand and bravely asked:
"The society’s history class detailed the exploits of the first four presidents, what about the fifth president? Isn’t the president attending today’s inheritance ceremony?"
Chen Jiandong’s face remained emotionless, his tone steady:
"The current president is currently traveling overseas, seeking deeper breakthroughs, and cannot return to Yong’an Island for the moment, please understand this."
"After all, reaching the president’s level, both his physical body and spirit have transcended environmental constraints, often forgetful of many mundane matters."
"What you consider dangerous and terrifying, the ten-thousand-meter deep-sea trench, in the president’s eyes, is merely a leisurely garden stroll; no one can predict his whereabouts..."
At this moment, a hoarse cough came from the shadow on the right side of the altar.
Zheng Hongxin, supported by a cane, slowly walked to an area illuminated by firelight.
The high collar of his black robe was pulled up high, tightly covering his neck, revealing only a face lined with age spots.
"Don’t speak of overly ambitious matters."
Zheng Hongxin heavily tapped his cane on the ground,
"The most important thing is to keep our feet on the ground and as members of the True Thought Society, to remain focused, respecting this hard-won strength."
As he spoke, his gaze passed over the faces of the twelve newcomers one by one, sighing quietly in his heart.
They are still too young.
But now, the True Thought Society has no time to wait for their gradual growth.
The bloodline corroding the older core members is approaching a critical point, at risk of mutation and madness at any moment.
The entire society is like a rotting, broken ship.
If this batch of fresh blood cannot quickly stabilize the foundation, within three years, the entire organization will turn into a group of irrational deep-sea monsters.
"Today, the person hosting your inheritance ceremony is our respected Vice President Zheng, please welcome him."
Chen Jiandong promptly took over the conversation, starting the applause.
The twelve students immediately straightened their backs and applauded in unison.
Zheng Hongxin nodded lightly, raising his hand and waving slightly, signaling Chen Jiandong to continue the process.
Chen Jiandong then quieted the applause and got to the main topic:
"Regarding the purpose of the inheritance ceremony, after more than half a year, I believe you have begun to sense some latent dangers."
"The power awakened within your bodies originates from the Truth Stele and is invisibly drawn by the ocean’s magnetic field."
"As your strength gradually increases, while enjoying a superior level of existence, your bodies will also manifest mutation traits such as developing scales, bone softening, and frequently hearing inexplicable whispers in your minds."
"To avoid becoming mad, the only path is today."
Chen Jiandong raised his hand again, pointing at the bones on the altar:
"You must establish a spiritual connection with the Truth Stele, carving its form into your consciousness."
"From now on, wherever you go, if your mind feels on the verge of losing control, recall this stele in your mind."
"It is your anchor of consciousness, capable of stabilizing your sanity and slowing the rate of bodily mutation."
After explaining the stakes, Chen Jiandong then issued a directive:
"Disperse and face the altar, sitting cross-legged."
The twelve elite members immediately followed the instruction, spreading into a semicircle on the rough rocky ground, sitting cross-legged and closing their eyes.
"Don’t rely on your physical eyes; explore with the telekinesis generated after awakening."
Zheng Hongxin moved slowly behind the newcomers with his cane, saying:
"Imagine your thoughts as a line spreading out from the center of your brow, extending toward the top of the altar."
"Until you touch the body of the stele and feel the coolness like flowing water within the bone joints, gradually etch its outline into your mind."
Zheng Hongxin’s voice carried a special rhythmic quality, gently guiding the consciousness of the newcomers.
The cavern fell completely silent.
The faint crackling of burning tallow torches could be heard.
The calm breathing of everyone gradually merged with the frequency of water dripping from the rock walls deep within the cavern.
Zheng Hongxin retreated to stand beside Chen Jiandong, hands behind his back, quietly gazing at the top of the altar.
About five minutes later.
The Truth Stele, originally dry and gray, suddenly had a strange blue light sweep across its surface.
Zheng Hongxin frowned, thinking some newcomer’s telekinesis accelerated too quickly, prompting the residual spirituality of the stele.
But in the next second, the blue light didn’t follow its usual gentle dormancy; instead, it suddenly shone brightly.
Subsequently, it emitted an extremely blinding rapid flicker.