Cultivating

The progress bar... will be invalid?

Is it because the opponent is too strong?

Li Qi thought to himself.

However, he quickly dismissed these thoughts.

There's no need to dwell on such trivial matters. It's better to focus on how to cultivate; that's the right path.

The time is spring. Spring, meaning "all things sprout and move." It is located in the East. Its color is green. Its sound is Jiao, which signifies the stirring and radiance of Qi. Its Emperor is Tai Hao, meaning "greatly raising all things in turmoil." Its spirit is Gou Mang, the beginning of all things' growth, its essence the Azure Dragon. Mang means "budding."

Sacrifices are not simply about kneeling and begging; that's only a small part. Li Qi read in the "Book of Blessings" that first, using ash and water, one must draw a winding path from outside the door, encircling the room. This is called: "Guiding the Dragon Home."

Afterward, one must also light grass and wood. He grabbed a handful outside and lit it, then waved it around, calling it: "Scaring Away Insects."

There are other rituals as well, such as "Stir-frying Beans" and "Dancing in the Rain," all involving the etiquette of eating and drinking. Only after completing the entire process is the sacrifice considered finished.

Although there were no stir-fried beans, he substituted them with rice cakes.

There shouldn't be any issue with that.

Li Qi busied himself for nearly half an hour before finishing.

Then, he felt the peculiar changes within his body.

The dragon-shaped constellation rising in the East projected a stream of Qi into his body.

A peculiar power.

He couldn't describe what it was at all.

He just felt like he had become stronger? And then... there was a feeling of vibrant life?

It's quite normal. Spring is when heaven and earth connect, when all things begin to grow, when Yin and Yang intersect. The Azure Dragon is the East of the Four Symbols, and wood governs the East; it corresponds to spring. Wood, meaning "to touch," is when Yang Qi touches and sprouts from the earth. Water flows eastward to nurture wood; wood grows upward and covers the downward, embodying its natural substance.

Previously, using water to guide wood, achieving "Guiding the Dragon Home," water nourishes wood. The Qi did not form a measurable quantity, as the timing was right. Branches and leaves flourished, becoming a dense forest, symbolizing the abundance of wood. When wood grows, the spirit flourishes, hence "Great Forest Wood."

This is the power representing the breath of life, and it is the power obtainable through sacrifices and prayers at this moment.

Li Qi felt all the fatigue from the previous two days of toiling disappear.

He was full of energy, and even the depletion of his primal Qi caused by the Ox-Strength Technique was healed!

His barren, small inner world had finally welcomed the first wisp of external Qi.

It was like long-awaited rain after a drought, a vibrant power filling his body. Li Qi even felt like he had grown taller.

A sudden realization dawned upon him, and even the world before his eyes seemed to change.

He... had truly stepped onto the path of cultivation. He was following the path of blessings within the Shamanic Way, a branch of the Earthly Deities.

After truly guiding Qi into his body, he felt that his perception of the world had changed.

Under the guidance of the Great Forest Wood Qi, he could faintly see the different kinds of Qi in the world.

Heaven has heavenly Qi, earth has earthly Qi, humans have human Qi, demons have demonic Qi, and gods have divine Qi. The nature of Qi differs for different beings.

Various Qi also differ. For example, heavenly Qi includes the Eight Winds and Six Harmonics, which are heavenly Qi that assist heaven and earth in creating all things. It is also like music, used to harmonize Qi, transform the common people, and foster their lives.

There is the Qi of Tai Cu, symbolizing the birth of all things.

Yin Qi resides beneath the Yellow Springs, nurturing all things.

There are many, many more classifications of Qi, such as summer heat Qi, dew Qi, miscellaneous Qi, and so on.

Different Qi, when gathered, can produce different effects.

Just as humans are born from the confluence of Yin and Yang Qi.

Thunder is the exhalation of Yang Qi.

Wu Earth Qi can generate rosy clouds. Earth has no exclusive Qi; it is born by relying on fire and appears by borrowing the sun's light.

Clouds are the Qi of mountains and marshes.

The "Book of Blessings" states: "All things in heaven and earth are born from Qi. Qi interacts and transforms to create all things, so where Qi goes, one can know its origin."

This means that countless Qi combined gave birth to this world. As long as one can distinguish the nature and abilities of all Qi, one can know the origin of the world.

For example, the four seasons are the result of the circulation of the Six Qi, which form the four seasons. The seasons are the outcome of the cyclical generation of six types of Qi: Yin Qi, Yang Qi, Wind Qi, Rain Qi, Dark Qi, and Bright Qi.

As the saying goes: "Heaven has Six Qi, namely Yin, Yang, Wind, Rain, Dark, and Bright."

Li Qi recognized most of the Qi, and with the help of the "Book of Blessings," he could barely recognize a small portion. However, at this moment, he couldn't afford to bother with so much. He channeled the Great Forest Wood Qi he had just obtained and looked at all the surrounding Qi with his eyes open.

By attaching Qi to his eyes, he could observe other Qi.

Although there would be some consumption, it was not significant. Li Qi, who had just guided Qi into his body, could maintain this state for an hour or so before it ended.

In this state, Li Qi could even see the nutritive qi and protective qi on Shen Shuibi, who was still asleep.

They were newly generated Qi. It seemed she wasn't lying; her Qi was very weak and very new. The fact that he could sense it confirmed that she had indeed resumed her cultivation after abandoning her previous one.

At the same time, he used the Ox-Strength Technique.

Now, he no longer had the ten-minute time limit for the Ox-Strength Technique. Instead, it would only end when the Qi within his own small inner world was depleted.

Of course, the limit of three uses per day still remained.

He now understood why there was a limit of three times a day, because... that Earthly Deity, Qiong Niu, didn't want others to get what they wanted whenever they pleased, as that would make it seem cheap... So if someone borrowed its power three times in a row, it wouldn't grant it anymore.

How truly willful.

The Ox-Strength Technique, when catalyzed by Great Forest Wood Qi, seemed to have its endurance strengthened; this was determined by the nature of the Qi.

Furthermore, he could also sense that process...

This sorcery didn't come from nowhere. When he activated it, he could feel a subtle Qi being transmitted from the void.

That was the divine Qi of the Earthly Deity Qiong Niu.

This divine Qi brought about abilities such as thicker skin, abundant Yang energy, and ample strength, allowing Li Qi to possess a combat power equivalent to ten ordinary men.

The Wood Qi brought new characteristics to this sorcery. Because the natures of the Qi were compatible, Li Qi felt his stamina had become stronger. Previously, although his burst of power was fierce, there were times he needed to recover Qi, but now he didn't need to recover; he could unleash many punches at full power in one go.

After the Heavenly God sacrifice was completed, he obtained the first strand of Great Forest Wood Qi. Therefore, Li Qi unhesitatingly began the second round, which was the sacrifice to the Earthly Deity.

What should be sacrificed to the Earthly Deity during this season?

At this time, it was time to sacrifice to the Five Sacrifices Gods.

What are the Five Sacrifices? They are the gate, the door, the well, the stove, and the central pillar. What is sacrificed? That which people use to come and go, and to eat and drink, hence they are considered deities and are sacrificed to.

But this also had its own rules.

Why is the sacrifice to the Five Sacrifices performed only once a year? It is to follow the Five Elements.

Therefore, in spring, the door is sacrificed to. The door is where people come and go, and it is also when all things in spring begin to push through the door to emerge.

In summer, the stove is sacrificed to. The stove is the master of fire, used for self-sustenance. Summer is also the season of fire's dominance, nurturing all things.

In autumn, the gate is sacrificed to. The gate is for closing and self-preservation. Autumn is also when all things mature, preparing to defend themselves internally.

In winter, the well is sacrificed to. The well is where water, the source of life, is stored within the earth. Winter is also the season of water's dominance, when all things lie dormant.

In the sixth month, the central pillar is sacrificed to. The central pillar symbolizes the earth in the center. The sixth month is also the season of earth's dominance.

Thus, the book of "Zhu" clearly states: "In spring, the sacrifice is to the door."

Sacrificing to the door deity was actually sacrificing to the two deities, Yulei and Shentu.

These two Earthly Deities are skilled at subduing evil spirits, hence they are revered as door deities.

To sacrifice to them, Li Qi took out his willow branch.