Cultivation

Qi WuHuo sat by the stone table, and the old man offered him a cup of tea.

As the tea entered his mouth, he felt it split into two streams. One calmed his mind and settled his spirit, while the other entered his brow, gradually easing the scattered thoughts that had been causing him splitting headaches, bringing him relief from the pain.

The old man waited until his condition stabilized and then softly chanted:

"The Dao arises from emptiness, giving birth to Qi. From this one Qi, Yin and Yang are produced."

"Yin and Yang combine to form the Three Treasures. The Three Treasures give birth to all things, which flourish."

"Remember this firmly. This is the General Principle of my lineage..."

Qi WuHuo asked, "General Principle?"

The old man stroked his beard. "It leads all methods, unifying the myriad with the one. That is the General Principle."

"Although this is not a cultivation method, it directly points to the Great Dao."

"You must remember it firmly, lest you make a misstep that cannot be rectified in this lifetime. Therefore, I tell you this in advance."

"As for what I will teach you..."

The old man stroked his beard and pointed at Qi WuHuo.

"The Great Dao of the world gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things."

"Heaven and Earth divide Qi into Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang reside within the body. The heart is the nature, and the kidneys are the life. The heart is Li, representing Yang; the kidneys are Kan, representing Yin. Yin and Yang give rise to the three energies: Essence, Qi, and Spirit, the Three Treasures."

"Cultivators must understand this creation, and then cultivate in reverse. Return the three to two, transform the two into one, and return the one to the Dao."

"The initial practice in our Daoist sect is Life Cultivation. The three treasures—Essence, Qi, and Spirit—are stimulated to their life's limit, then merged into Yin and Yang, forming the Primordial Qi Yang God. The Primordial Qi Yang God then merges the two into one. Only then can one be said to have stepped onto the Great Dao, transitioning from existence to non-existence."

"Your mind and spirit are already well-nurtured. Next, you can nurture your Essence, and then transform it into Qi."

Qi WuHuo asked, "When you say Qi, do you mean the Qi of breathing?"

The old man smiled and shook his head. "Breathing? That's incorrect."

"The superior medicine, the three kinds: Spirit, Qi, and Essence. Vague and indistinct, obscure and profound."

"This Essence is not the essence of procreation."

"This Qi is not the Qi of breathing."

"This Spirit is not the spirit of thought."

"Those are postnatal methods."

"In our Daoist sect, Qi is postnatal, while 炁 (pronounced the same) is prenatal. Although the pronunciation is identical, their meanings within the Daoist canons are entirely different."

Cultivation is for qi (energy), while breathing exercises are for qi (vitality).

"Refining Essence into Qi is the path of martial artists, whereas refining Essence into qi is the key to Daoism."

"Qi is the Mother of Elixir. And this Elixir means completeness and integration. It gives birth to one, one to two, two to three, and ultimately returns to the void of the Great Dao."

The old man had said he would only teach one technique, but because in their lineage, a poem could represent an entire inheritance, with each character holding its own meaning, he had actually meticulously explained the fundamentals.

"The first stage of Daoist cultivation is the Complete Three Talents, also known as Planting Three Flowers."

"Whether cultivating the Dao or becoming an immortal, this is the unavoidable first step. Humans possess Essence, Qi, and Spirit, which must all be cultivated to the utmost within the physical body, achieving Complete Essence, Complete Spirit, and Complete Qi."

The old man pointed to Qi WuHuo's upper, middle, and lower Dantian. "It is called 'Complete' because as humans live in the world, experiencing various events, illnesses, late nights, and sedentary lifestyles, their Essence, Qi, and Spirit are inevitably damaged, not in a state of full power."

"This step requires slow nurturing."

"It takes a long time to achieve."

"Once your Essence, Qi, and Spirit are complete, you can then gather them into Primordial Prenatal Qi. Even if you don't manage to gather it into Primordial Prenatal Qi, you will live to the natural lifespan limit of humans."

Qi WuHuo asked, "Lifespan limit?"

"Yes. Depending on individual bodies, it's roughly between 120 and 130 years. Afterward, you can live a life without worries, free from illness and pain, passing away in your sleep. At the time of death, your hair will still be black, your teeth intact, and your skin unwrinkled. This is why it is called 'Complete'."

"You can attain Complete Longevity."

Qi WuHuo pondered, "Then, if one hasn't reached the state of Complete Essence, Complete Qi, and Complete Spirit, can one still attempt to gather them?"

The old man chuckled. "The cultivation of the Great Dao is arduous and takes a long time. Naturally, there will be those who try to cut corners. Most of them cultivate one of the three—Essence, Qi, or Spirit—to an extremely high level, and then attach the other two to it. This allows them to bypass the Complete Three Talents stage in a short period and manifest supernatural abilities."

"It is fast, but it cannot last."

"They might be able to dominate a region for a time, calling themselves True Persons. However, the further one cultivates, the more the drawbacks of these shortcuts will become apparent. They might be stuck for thirty or fifty years without progress."

"Therefore, they are called the Side Gate and the Left Path."

"Although they possess many supernatural abilities, their lifespans are not necessarily much greater than those who cultivate the Complete Three Talents stage properly, and might even be shorter. Many cultivators, unable to bear the loneliness or the temptation of showing off, choose this path and ultimately meet a regretful end."

"WuHuo, you must remember..."

The old man pointed to the trees nearby.

"Our goal is cultivation, it is the state of being. Like this tree, it must root deeper and extend upwards. Various supernatural abilities and methods are merely the fruits that grow during cultivation."

"To solely pursue supernatural abilities is like a tree using all its nourishment to grow fruit. How can such a tree grow into a towering giant?"

"You disciples who cultivate, you must remember this, guard against it, and be cautious!"

The old man stroked his beard and said, "Alright, sit here now. I will teach you a mantra for breath nourishing Qi. First, you must cultivate your postnatal Qi until it is full. Only then can it gather to become prenatal Qi, and only then will it be possible to reach the realm of gathering three flowers at the peak."

Qi WuHuo sat cross-legged as the old man instructed, with his five senses turned towards the heavens.

Then, the old man pointed a finger towards his Dantian. Qi WuHuo's flesh and blood circulated, naturally giving birth to wisps of Qi. This Qi then existed within his body, accompanied by his body's Blood Essence. The old man said, "Preserve your spirit and contemplate."

"Remember, the meanings of Essence, Qi, and Spirit are different from how ordinary people see them."

"In the context of Daoist scriptures, 'Essence' means purity and undividedness, 'Qi' means the harmonious circulation of blood, and 'Spirit' means the active and luminous functioning of the mind."

"These are Primordial Essence, Primordial Qi, and Primordial Spirit."

"'Primordial' signifies the beginning of the One, meaning all that is innate."

"The core of everything is Primordial Spirit."

"Use Spirit to control Qi, use Spirit to refine Essence. Remember the method of their circulation."

The old man did not pass on his teachings through written words.

Instead, he directly guided Qi WuHuo to experience the circulation of the Great Dao. Afterward, Qi WuHuo's body naturally understood how to preserve its spirit, how to contemplate, and how to circulate and regulate its breath.

Qi WuHuo's mind followed the old man's guidance.

The old man said, "Martial artists cultivate by swallowing food to strengthen their bodies. After their Blood Essence becomes robust, they naturally perceive the flow of Qi. When this flow reaches its extreme, their powerful bodies nourish their vast minds, stimulating their spirits. However, my lineage of cultivation is entirely different."

"The mind is emptied, and the spirit condenses. The spirit condenses, and Qi gathers. Qi gathers, and Essence is born."

"From One, all things arise. All things are gathered back into One. All of this is my [Spirit]."

In a daze, Qi WuHuo entered a state of deep meditation.

His spirit was powerful at this moment, and guiding the circulation of Qi was extremely smooth. Unknowingly, the Golden Crow had set in the west, and the Jade Rabbit had risen in the east. The world was dim, and night had fallen.

When winter snow melts, it is far colder than when it is snowing.

On winter nights, even the night watchmen have to wear thick clothes and drink strong liquor to ward off the cold. Qi WuHuo, clad in only a slightly thicker cloth robe, sat outside.

The cold wind outside was biting, yet a warm current flowed within him.

Water and fire intermingled inside and out, while the Spirit hovered above, overseeing everything that occurred. His breath was long and peaceful, gradually returning to tranquility, becoming one with the mountains, rivers, trees, and nature.

Humans are, after all, a part of heaven and earth.

Before the sun rose, the sounds of birds could already be heard in the sky.

A sparrow landed in the courtyard, pecking at grass seeds. It then hopped onto the young man's shoulder. Turning around, it used its beak to preen its feathers. The young man's dark hair hung down slightly, catching the morning dew. His eyes naturally opened, and he saw a great sun rising from the horizon, accompanied by ascending purple Qi.

The young man sat peacefully beneath a plum blossom tree, bathed in sunlight, exuding a quiet aura.

The sparrow preened its feathers on his shoulder.

All things in heaven and earth were silent.

The old man stroked his beard and asked with a smile, "Have you obtained it?"