The Mysterious Chairman Keith

Chapter 25

WAS CULTIVATION THAT EASY?

“You should be careful with statements like that,” Manuel said quietly. “People might misunderstand.”

Christopher smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “People misunderstand many things.”

They fell into silence for a while, both of them looking at themselves.

Manuel glanced back at Dave, then at Christopher. “Thank you. For taking care of him.”

Christopher nodded without looking at him. “It’s nothing.”

Manuel didn’t miss the way his fingers tightened briefly around the flask.

After a while, Manuel stood. He placed the empty cup back on the table. “I should go.”

Christopher looked surprised. “Already?”

“I have work,” Manuel said. “And enemies who won’t wait for me to grieve properly.”

Christopher’s lips curved slightly. “Of course.”

Manuel looked at his father one last time before he turned to the door. 

As he walked away, he felt so different. Different from the way he walked to the hospital.

He noticed something, he was tired and exhausted when he came to the hospital, but he was now feeling better and more energized. 

It felt so strange, even his legs weren't heavy anymore and it didn't look like he was carrying so much weight anymore.

Suddenly, he paused looking back as though he felt something.

“Is everything alright?!” Laura, who was walking side by side with him, asked, trying to study his gaze. 

Manuel nodded at once and then continued walking, feeling lighter than ever.

When they got home, Manuel locked himself up in his room, so he could cultivate. 

“Manuel?! Boss?!” Laura's voice rang outside, but she got no response. 

She understood that Manuel’s silence meant something, and she quickly went away, so she wouldn't distort any balance.

When she got away, Manuel heaved and then he focused, stretching his hands outward. 

What happened next shocked him and he opened his eyes quickly, observing himself. 

Wait! What just happened?!

The cultivation went smoothly and there was no barrier anymore or his energy hitting the wall again. 

It was surprising and scary at the same time and he decided to try it one more time, so he could be sure.

Again, he tried it and this time around, he hit a limit he has been trying to hit for long, he even surpassed it. 

“This… shouldn’t be this easy.”

Manuel whispered, checking his body as though something was hidden there. 

He stood up and checked the whole room if something or someone was there helping him, but he found nothing.

He sat down again and crossed his leg, focusing more than ever. He dipped his head down thrice and then counted his fingers, muttering words. 

Normally, this was the part where his body would resist him, where energy would thicken and refuse to go further. 

But tonight, the energy flowed effortlessly.

It moved through him like warm water. Manuel never felt the way he felt before, it looked as though his skin was being smoothened.

Suddenly, he frowned.

He breathed, as he guided the current carefully.

The energy obeyed instantly, responding as if it had been waiting for his command all along.

That had never happened before.

“Easy,” he muttered to himself. “This is strange.”

He focused inward.

For years, there had been a bottleneck, an invisible wall inside him that no amount of discipline or patience had been able to crack. 

Teachers had warned him about it. Elders had shaken their heads, saying some limits were meant to exist.

You can’t force these things, they had said.

Breakthroughs come with balance, or backlash.

Manuel had believed them. Not until now that the bottleneck was gone.

Energy surged forward, stabilizing like it had found its rightful place. His breath deepened on its own. His heartbeat slowed. 

Instead of the usual pain, there was relief, like loosening a knot he hadn’t realized was choking him.

His brows knitted together.

“No backlash…” he murmured.

He waited for it.

The dizziness, the burn and the internal collapse that followed anytime he did his cultivation, but nothing came.

The flow stabilized perfectly, locking into place that sent shivers down his spine.

Manuel’s eyes snapped open at once, he stared again.

“That shouldn’t have been possible.”

Tonight, he was able to break through and nothing happened to him.

Suddenly, the candle light in his room shook and the light waved.

Manuel sat in place and didn't move, he looked around trying to sense something. 

He felt someone come inside his room but couldn't tell exactly. 

His senses sharpened and then he stood on his feet, sniffing.

His chest tightened.

“I know you’re there,” he said softly, moving in a slow manner.

Silence answered him.

The presence didn’t react or answer. It remained there as though waiting to be caught.

Manuel clenched his fists.

He searched his memories. There had been moments, odd ones, when his progress spiked without explanation. 

Times when exhaustion vanished too quickly. When answers came before questions fully formed.

He had dismissed them.

Now, he wasn’t so sure why everything happened the way it did. “Did you do this?” he asked the darkness.

No response.

The energy within him pulsed and he exhaled slowly, standing at a place.

“This isn’t right,” he said, more firmly now. “Breakthroughs demand balance.”

Still nothing. No one moved nor talked back to him.

The lamp by the corner of the room dimmed slightly.

He straightened himself and then walked over to the curtains and opened them in a swift manner, as though he was hoping someone was there to catch, but he only caught the air there. 

He then went over to the restroom and splashed water on his face, studying his reflection in the mirror.

He looked the same, but his eyes looked different. They were looking sharper than usual and it looked as though something had woken up inside him and he didn't know yet.

A knock came at the door and he stiffened, turning his gaze to the door.

“At this hour?” he muttered.

Another knock came again, and it was louder than the first one.