Chapter 59: Witch Meditation Method and Rituals
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 59: Witch Meditation Method and Rituals
After escaping Senior Sister Ying Shiqian’s clutches, I made a conscious effort to keep some distance between us.
It wasn’t that I minded interacting with the other senior sisters so closely, but I still needed time to adjust. Even though I’d accepted the fact that I’d turned into a girl, changing my fundamental self-perception was proving to be quite difficult.
Specifically, when it came to physical intimacy between girls. In my mind, that kind of contact was reserved for couples, but for girls, "getting cozy" like that was just a standard part of being besties.
Ying Shiqian had been tirelessly explaining these common-sense points to me. Although I was listening intently, I couldn't help but feel she wasn't just doing it for my education.
I mean, the "facial" treatment was certainly great, but that sort of thing was still a massive shock to my worldview.
"Oh, right, Xiao Han. I heard you say earlier that you wanted to try meditating on your own, right?"
"Yeah, that’s right," I nodded. "Why do you ask?"
"Nothing much, just a reminder. If you want to meditate—especially for your first time—it’s best to do it in a dedicated Meditation Room. Don't go thinking you can just do it in some empty bedroom or whatever. The efficiency is way too low."
"Really? Is there some kind of trick to it?"
My interest piqued the moment she mentioned meditation. This was a graduated senior sister, a true veteran. Her experience was precious to me!
"Of course. The Witch Meditation Method is currently unique among all meditation techniques. There are a lot of nuances. I’ve heard that the meditative state involves a 'ritual.' You can only enter that state if the ritual is performed accurately."
"A ritual? What kind of ritual?" I quickly latched onto the keyword. I’d heard the term before, but if someone asked me to explain exactly what it meant, I’d be at a loss for words.
"It’s probably like a prayer ritual. You want a blessing, so you perform the corresponding ritual; completing the ritual signifies the completion of the prayer. It’s something like that. At least, that’s what I’ve heard—that meditation methods have rituals too. Once you fulfill the requirements of the ritual to a certain extent, you can enter meditation quickly."
"That’s what you’ve heard, huh..."
I muttered under my breath. Although the senior sister had used a very vivid analogy, I clearly still didn't quite get it. However, rather than understanding the theory, I was more interested in knowing what the actual ritual for meditation was.
"Oh, don't overthink it. Rituals are things that are both ubiquitous and incredibly high-end, so it’s hard to summarize the phenomenon. Why worry so much? As long as it works, it works. If you find it hard to believe, why not just give in to a bit of 'mind over matter' for once?"
"I didn't say I didn't believe you," I replied immediately. "So, since you mentioned it, you must know what the meditation ritual is, right? Can you teach me?"
"Teach you... well..." Ying Shiqian showed a clear look of hesitation. She explained at length, "It’s not that I don't want to teach you, but the rituals involved in the Witch Meditation Method are still in a 'pending' state. You understand, right? When you can't understand something with your current knowledge, you can only keep trying to summarize the patterns, then apply those patterns, and finally master them to achieve your goal..."
I basically understood what she meant. At this stage, there probably wasn't a mature system that allowed everyone to reach a meditative state using the exact same method.
So, in the end, it still came down to metaphysics.
"So, the so-called 'ritual' doesn't actually exist?" I asked tentatively.
"How could it not exist! It definitely exists! It’s just hard for me to put into words. You should read more. Didn't you get a library card, Xiao Han? I recommend looking for a book called Conjectures on Witch Meditation Rituals, or check out the recent issues of the meditation section journals. They’re very helpful."
"At least... it’s better than just fumbling around on your own..." Ying Shiqian added a bit awkwardly at the end, trying to salvage her image as a knowledgeable senior sister.
"Alright... thanks for the guidance, Senior Sister. I'll go check them out." I thanked her politely. After all, she had pointed me in a direction and given me a lot of new insights into meditation.
"By the way, Senior Sister, can I ask you a question?"
"A question? Ask away!" Ying Shiqian said confidently, before realizing she might be overpromising. She quickly added, "As long as I know the answer, I'll tell you."
"It’s nothing difficult. I’m just curious—how long did it take you to enter that state when you first started meditating?"
"Oh, you want to know about that? Well, I have to brag about my record back then. I only encountered the Witch Meditation Method after the formal semester started. I just gave it a casual try, and it took me... two weeks. Less than two weeks, actually. Honestly, meditation is just like that. Don't put too much pressure on yourself~"
The moment I asked about her past achievements, Ying Shiqian got excited. It seemed that taking two weeks was something worth boasting about.
In that case, I could set a small goal for myself. There was still over a month before the formal start of school. If I could complete my meditation before classes officially began, I could leapfrog the competition and get a head start on the other freshmen!
After all, the slow bird needs to start early. Who told me to arrive at the academy so late?
"Wow~ Senior Sister, you’re amazing. You could already meditate in just two weeks?" I played along, cheering and flattering her.
"Sigh, it was nothing special. There was another person in my year who was even more terrifying. She encountered it for the first time during the day, tried it that night, and entered meditation the next morning. That kind of person is a true monster."
"Huh? Someone can be that terrifying?" My eyes widened in disbelief.
Having dabbled in meditation myself, I knew that trying to understand those complex, ethereal descriptions in a single day was absolutely impossible for me.
"Of course. And that girl finished her first meditation without even using a Meditation Room. Later, when someone asked her about it, she actually didn't even know the academy had Meditation Rooms. She was such a show-off!"
"She really was a show-off..." I echoed.
"So, you see, how can people like that even exist? Xiao Han, don't try to be like them. Keep your feet on the ground."
"Yeah, I will."
After chatting with her for a while longer, I returned to my slacking-off time.
At the same time, I casually flipped through the books on the Witch Meditation Method to give myself a basic conceptual foundation.
Once work ended today, I wanted to buy some incense and try meditating.
Maybe I should try the Meditation Room she recommended tonight?
My salary was being paid out quickly, after all. Even though I’d only been working part-time for a few days, I had a decent amount of money.