Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice raindrops were worth a thousand pieces of gold.

A hazy drizzle fell over the fields. The earth lay bare, giving off the scent of soil. Wheat ripened early in the south; the new wheat had already been harvested, bundled into sheaves, and planted upright across the fields.

Farmers called greetings to one another along the ridges. Oilseed, turnips, and mustard greens were also ready to be sown, awaiting a harvest at the end of autumn.

The Li Clan.

Li Tongya, Li Changhu, and the others had waited for the stars and moon, counting their days on their fingers. At last, they had waited for the Summer Solstice.

The sky had only just turned gray when the two of them carried out the altar table and knelt before it together with Li Xiangping.

The Law Mirror was propped up by the Chi Dragon Pattern Mirror Stand. Upon the altar lay the first stalk of new wheat harvested on the Summer Solstice, several kinds of fruit, and three cups of clear tea steeped with Summer Rain.

The three exchanged glances, then spoke as one: "Li Clan disciples Li Changhu, Li Tongya, and Li Xiangping respectfully invite the Mystic Profound Wonderful Method. Govern fate and pacify spirits, adhere to Dao and cultivate."

"By the season shall merit be spoken, faith in efficacy shall not be betrayed. Burn with the register, and let this body give thanks to Greater Yin."

Colored radiance flowed across the Mirror Fragment, and white light flashed again and again. Three White Pills suddenly leaped from the mirror's surface and flew toward the three of them.

The three hurriedly sat cross-legged, following the methods within the "Guidance Method" to guide the Talisman Seeds and receive the formulas.

Watching the White Pills enter the three men's Niwan Palaces, Li Chijing withdrew his gaze. He sat cross-legged, settled his breath, and entered samadhi. Looking at the gleaming moonlight within his Qi Sea Acupoint, he thought, With the Law Mirror's refinement alone, all eighty-one strands of moonlight have already been forged. On the Summer Solstice, heaven and earth give rise to life, bright yang dispels darkness—this is the perfect time for a breakthrough!

A newborn calf feared no tiger. With a movement of his will, Li Chijing formed hand seals. Stormy waves surged within his Qi Sea Acupoint as the eighty-one strands of moonlight spiritual energy rapidly gathered, chasing one another through the Qi Sea Acupoint, swimming tail in mouth.

"Rise to the Niwan Palace atop the head and merge as one; descend through the twelve rings of the storied towers... thus comes the surging form. Living breath curls upward through the twelve rings of the storied towers, rising from the aperture beneath the tongue..."

Li Chijing silently recited the method from the Great Yin Breathing Nurturing Wheel Scripture for condensing the Profound Scene Wheel. The moonlight crossed the Twelve-Storied Pagoda, gathered in the Niwan Palace and condensed into liquid, then flowed down in streams, collecting into a clear pool within the Qi Sea Acupoint.

"Rise!"

He gave a soft shout. A bright silver arc surfaced from the clear pool like the moon reflected in water. The arc was crystal clear, like an exceedingly slender crescent moon, beautiful beyond measure.

"The Twelve-Storied Pagoda pierced the Qi Sea; the clear pool revealed the Profound Scene Wheel."

At the sight, Li Chijing could not help but marvel. He immediately activated the formula to solidify the Profound Scene Wheel, doing his utmost to restrain its form.

Yet time trickled by, and the Profound Scene Wheel still refused to truly settle. The crystalline crescent drifted lightly in the pool, its ripples glittering as it floated without anchor, as though it might scatter away at any moment.

By now, Li Chijing was utterly exhausted. He barely maintained the Profound Scene Wheel's form as great beads of sweat slid down his handsome face, soaking his pale green robe.

Just as he was caught between advancing and retreating, the clear pool in his Qi Sea Acupoint splashed apart, and a white talisman pill abruptly soared up.

The talisman pill was round and glowing fiercely. It fixed itself upon the Profound Scene Wheel, and the translucent crescent immediately stabilized. The magical power in the clear pool gradually steadied as well. Li Chijing let out a long breath and circulated his energy to conclude his cultivation.

The Profound Scene Wheel was complete. The moonlight spiritual energy in his body had transformed into moonlight magical power. Li Chijing had become an immortal cultivator of the Fetal Breath Realm! He slowly opened his eyes, gazed toward the Law Mirror faintly visible amid a lunar halo upon the altar, and bowed deeply.

"You bestowed the immortal method, condensed moonlight, and brought the Profound Scene Wheel to completion. The Li Clan is overwhelmed by your grace and gratitude. From this day onward, year after year and month after month, our incense offerings shall continue without end, our sacrifices never cease."

Li Chijing's voice was still somewhat youthful, yet it was unusually solemn. The boy who had always sheltered beneath his brothers' wings had become a youth before anyone knew it.

"Jing Er."

Li Mutian stood quietly beneath the moonlight, looking gently at his youngest son.

"Father, I have condensed the Profound Scene Wheel."

Li Chijing stood and smiled at his father. He gently spread open his left hand, and a milky-white stream of magical power appeared in his palm.

"The first step of cultivation is called Fetal Breath. The Fetal Breath Realm requires the condensation of Six Wheels: Profound Scene, Receiving Brightness, Circulating Path, Azure Origin, Jade Capital, and Spirit Beginning. This Profound Scene Wheel is the gateway to Dao."

"Good, good." Li Mutian was greatly comforted in his old age and nodded repeatedly.

With a wave of his hand, Li Chijing dispersed the magical power, then sat cross-legged once more to consolidate his cultivation.

"An excellent formula!"

Li Xiangping was the first to open his eyes. Smiling, he stretched lazily, rose to his feet, picked up the teapot on the table, and took a fierce gulp.

"I received the Nurturing Wheel Scripture and a formula called the Water Avoidance Method."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Li Tongya awoke from samadhi. His brows rose as he said in satisfaction:

"I received a formula called the Evil Expulsion Art."

The two chatted for a while before Li Changhu finally opened his eyes. Looking at his three younger brothers staring eagerly at him, he said helplessly:

"The formula is called the Clean Clothes Art."

Only after all three elder brothers had awakened did Li Chijing, who had endured for so long, finally speak excitedly: "I've already condensed the Profound Scene Wheel!"

"So quickly?"

Li Xiangping cried out in amazement, tilting his head in puzzlement.

"It was entirely thanks to the Law Mirror's power."

Li Chijing looked toward the Law Mirror on the altar and said sincerely:

"This Mirror Fragment gathers moonlight on its own. Using it to temper the power of moonlight truly gets twice the result with half the effort."

Only then did Li Tongya and the others understand. Li Changhu rubbed Li Chijing's head and said with a smile, "I heard that Daoists in books possess spiritual apertures, and once magical power courses through the body, their locations become known. Jing Er, can you take a look for us?"

Li Changhu felt that he had struggled immensely during the guidance, unlike his two younger brothers, who had been at ease. He secretly began to doubt his own aptitude for immortal cultivation.

His gaze sweeping across his three brothers, Li Chijing placed his left hand on the shoulder of the nearest, Li Xiangping, then closed his eyes and searched for the spiritual aperture.

"Its breath rises, its breathing never ceases, like fish leaping..."

Li Chijing silently recited the description from the breathing method as his magical power circled once through Li Xiangping's meridians.

After about One Incense Stick's time, he opened his eyes in shock and muttered, "There isn't one..."

He froze, then hurriedly placed his hands on his two brothers' shoulders and sent his magical power probing inside.

"There isn't one—how could there not be one?!"

Li Chijing's face turned somewhat pale. He sat cross-legged where he stood, closed his eyes, and entered samadhi. His magical power coursed through his entire body, and indeed, there was no so-called spiritual aperture.

"The Great Yin Breathing Nurturing Wheel Scripture clearly says that spiritual apertures are the foundation of the Great Dao. No matter what immortal formula or wondrous method one possesses, without a spiritual aperture, there can be no method at all..."

"This... this..."

Li Chijing's state of mind churned endlessly, until he could no longer even maintain samadhi. His lips trembled as he looked at Li Mutian, who was stirring the tea leaves, and softly called:

"Father!"

"You were right. This Law Mirror may also bring ruin upon our family."

"If a true cultivator learns of this object, not only will we die and be annihilated, our souls bound in another's hands, but all the villages large and small throughout Li Jing Village and even the entire Gu Li Road will turn to ash and vanish like smoke."

"I have already formed the Profound Scene Wheel, and magical power flows through my entire body. Unless I destroy my cultivation, even those Qi Refiners will be unable to use magical power to discover where my spiritual aperture lies."

Li Chijing rose abruptly, his face grave as he solemnly instructed them:

"As for the Li Clan's descendants, those granted the Mystic Pearl Talisman Seed must absolutely not flaunt themselves in public before forming the Profound Scene Wheel!"

"Precisely."

Li Mutian took a sip of tea and looked solemnly at the others.

"When Jing Er was able to cultivate, I only thought Chijing possessed extraordinary talent. Han Wenxu once said that among a thousand people, not one has a spiritual aperture. Perhaps Jing Er was that one."

He gave a self-mocking smile and continued:

"Now it seems this Law Mirror is truly an extraordinary immortal object. It can turn decay into magic. Once bestowed with this Talisman Seed, even ordinary mortals can glimpse the Immortal Dao."

The others felt both fortunate and terrified. They silently looked at their father.

"Enough. Go cultivate. I'll go take a look at the fields." After a long silence, Li Mutian spoke.

"Yes."

The others naturally lowered their heads in assent and returned to their rooms to cultivate.

Li Mutian respectfully put away the Law Mirror, cleared the altar table, then clasped his hands behind his back and headed for the fields.