The First Law of Cultivation

The many spirit beasts naturally bowed in greeting. The mountain gods who had come here with all sorts of thoughts also gave slight bows.

Their earlier courtesy had been to congratulate the mountain god.

Now they were thanking him for expounding the Dao.

Even if they believed that the method the youth before them had described held little value for them.

Some mountain gods exchanged thoughts through voice transmission. "I'd thought he was just a boy who'd gained a title because of some fortunate encounter and an old connection with that mountain god. Just another upstart who'd ridden in on connections, unworthy of his name. But seeing his bearing today, he really is one of our kind."

"Quite so, quite so."

"He's no good-for-nothing drunkard."

"Fellow Daoists, let's hear what our young friend has to teach. Haha, he must be quite perceptive."

"If there are any flaws, we can offer a pointer or two. With his talent, he should grasp it quickly."

A burly man suddenly grumbled:

"Hmph... But he certainly can't hold the title of chief mountain god of these sixteen mountains!"

Everyone glanced his way.

The burly man added:

"At least not for the next hundred years."

Fourth Lady asked with a smile through voice transmission, "And what about after a hundred years?"

The burly man answered with perfect confidence, "After a hundred years? We'll—we'll talk about it then!"

The mountain gods all struggled to hold back their laughter.

They knew he'd always wanted that empty title. In the past, he'd been no match for the previous mountain lord, but now that he'd seen this youth, he probably thought his chance had finally come.

Qi WuHuo sat cross-legged upon the bluestone. Thanks to the Mountain God Talisman Seal, he sensed the waves of magic power used for voice transmission, but did not listen in. His mind gradually settled. He had already considered what to teach on his way here, so after a little thought, he spoke in a calm voice: "A few days ago, the mountain god explained how to refine Primordial Essence..."

The mountain gods quieted a little, smiling and nodding as they regarded him like a talented fellow Daoist.

That certainly was a fitting subject for a lecture on the Dao.

Especially with all these spirit beasts listening.

Then they heard the youth's next sentence: "Today, we'll continue from there."

Mountain God Fourth Lady was taken aback, not quite following at first. What came after Gathering and Refining Primordial Essence? Only when the youth sat upright on the bluestone, his back straight and hands resting gently on his knees, and spoke in a mellow, even voice did she understand:

"Today, I'll explain how Primordial Essence and Primordial Qi unite."

"The orthodox Daoist school's Primordial Prenatal Qi."

The surroundings fell silent.

Luo Yizhen, Elder Tao, and Shen Hongxue, who had only come to lend their support, all changed countenance.

Elder Tao's hand paused as he stroked his beard. The ease he'd felt moments ago vanished.

Primordial Prenatal Qi?

That was a realm at their level.

Just then, Elder Tao realized the area around him had grown so quiet that it felt strange. The other mountain gods had stopped their chatter. Wind swept through the pine forest, and the youth's voice alone rang out, calm and unhurried. The mountain gods all instinctively composed themselves, straightened their backs, and listened closely.

One spirit beast scratched its head and asked, "Primordial Prenatal Qi?"

"What realm is that?"

Before Qi WuHuo could answer, the burly man from earlier shook his head.

"Mountain God Crane, these spirit beasts have only just begun cultivating. They can't even manage breathing exercises properly. What's the use of telling them about this?"

"Wouldn't it be better to teach them something practical?"

Qi WuHuo said, "That's not right."

The blue-robed youth thought of that once-brilliant young sword immortal, who had later turned to the demonic path, and said:

"Many people... simply didn't know the right direction when they first began cultivating."

"So they went astray and spent their whole lives stuck, never reaching the Great Dao."

"In the end, they died in pain and frustration."

"Anyone who truly seeks the Dao can always find an introductory cultivation method. But they must set out in the right direction from the very beginning, or they'll be left cursing their regrets a hundred years later. I came here to expound the Dao today, and I think this is what I ought to speak about..."

"The road of cultivation is long. Those who have never met a teacher are like travelers in the dark, unable to see a thing."

"If I can raise a torch and light even a few feet of the road ahead, that would be enough."

"What I ought to teach today is the first law of cultivation."

For a moment, the mountain god didn't know what to say. Unwilling to be convinced, he replied with a hint of sarcasm:

"So you're going to lecture from on high?"

The blue-robed youth answered calmly, "Yes."

The mountain god opened his mouth, then found himself at a loss.

The youth was so composed and straightforward that he could only cough and fall silent.

Far away, the old man in the town couldn't help chuckling as he leisurely brewed tea.

He wasn't impressed by the youth's composure when he'd taken the stage, nor pleased that he wasn't intimidated. He'd seen countless people of dazzling talent, and there were plenty more at this age who were stronger and more impressive. Yet until now, he'd thought of the boy as merely talented. The old man smiled and shook his head, a rare trace of delight in his voice.

"'If I can raise a torch and light even a few feet of the road ahead.'"

"To say those words is to prove that he truly hasn't let my name fall into the dust."

"Excellent."

Qi WuHuo thought for a moment, then looked toward the spirit beast and explained, "When cultivators begin, they usually start by nourishing their Qi. The initial method is called Foundation Establishment. The name comes from the idea that cultivation is like building a tall tower: you must first lay a solid foundation. The details vary from school to school, but even those with exceptional talent generally need about a hundred days. That's why in the Daoist and Buddhist schools, it's also called the Hundred Days Foundation Building method."

"Once the foundation is laid, you have the basis for cultivating and nourishing Qi."

"Among martial artists in the Human World, the stages of Qi cultivation are divided into thirteen levels. The realm is called Ascending the Tower, like building a tall tower upon its foundation. The next realm is Primordial Prenatal Qi. To use an analogy, when you've climbed to the very top of a tower and there's nowhere left to go, you must either remain where you are or ride the wind through the empty sky. That's beyond the reach of ordinary people."

"This also means the next realm transcends the ordinary."

"Hundred Days Foundation Building, the Thirteen Levels of Ascending the Tower, and Entering the Dao."

"And Entering the Dao is, in fact, Primordial Prenatal Qi. There are also three grades of methods for entering the Dao: upper, middle, and lower."

Qi WuHuo spoke slowly. Everything he said came from the Record of Becoming Immortal, where Tantai Xuan had recorded the cultivation methods taught beyond these mountains.

Combining those with the mountain god's own cultivation notes, he explained them through his own understanding:

"With the lower-grade method, you nourish your Primordial Qi to its limit, then use the spiritual nature of external objects to aid you. You might absorb the Qi of Earth Sha into your body, or take in the Essence of Fire Copper. This gives your own Qi all sorts of peculiar qualities, making your spells twice as effective with half the effort. You can be invincible in the Mortal World. But the drawback is that you rely on external objects for cultivation, and in this life you can never reach the realm of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown. You can only reign supreme among mortals."

"It also does nothing for your lifespan. Such people often die young, never attaining freedom."

"That's why it's the lower grade."

"Cultivators who reach this realm and lose patience, eager to break through by taking shortcuts along the Left Path, fall into this way."

Some of the mountain gods' expressions shifted, turning gloomy or wistful.

A monkey in the mountains had already burst into tears.

It seemed he had once absorbed the spiritual essence of a heavenly treasure and reached this realm.

Fourth Lady's expression turned solemn. "May I ask, Mountain Lord, what is the middle-grade method?"

Qi WuHuo thought for a moment. "Cultivators without a true lineage don't know the difference between Primordial Qi and acquired Qi. They combine acquired Qi with the Primordial Spirit to cultivate magical power, allowing their Primordial Spirit to leave the body and their Yin Spirit to travel about, enabling all sorts of extraordinary feats. Even after the body dies, the Primordial Spirit remains, and can endure for several hundred years. This is what's called a Corpse-Released Immortal."

"They may gain freedom for a time, but in the end, they have no hope of reaching the Great Dao."

"That's why it's the middle grade."

Fourth Lady's expression turned wistful, her face showing a mixture of bitterness and regret.

Qi WuHuo continued, "As for the upper-grade method..."

Everyone suddenly fell silent, looking at him in unison.

Qi WuHuo said, "Cultivate your Qi until it is utterly pure and brought to its utmost limit. Then gather and refine Primordial Essence and reclaim your Life Treasure. When Primordial Qi and Primordial Essence unite, they give birth to Primordial Prenatal Qi. At this level, you can remain in the world for three to five hundred years and ride the clouds and drive the mists. The Daoist school calls such a person a Daoist Master, while the Buddhist school calls them a Venerable. This is a realm with hope of becoming an immortal or a god."

Qi WuHuo then went on to explain in finer detail the methods for tempering Primordial Essence and Primordial Qi to their utmost.

The spirit beasts, and even the mountain gods, leaned closer to listen.

In the vast mountains, the youth's voice was the only one to be heard. Snow fell from the leaves with a soft rustle, lending the place an even greater tranquility. As they listened, the mountain gods unconsciously bent forward. No one knew how much time passed. When the youth finally stopped, they were still absorbed in the methods of cultivation, unable to pull themselves away.

After a long while, Elder Tao sighed. "In the past, I knew only to cultivate, but never where to direct my efforts. The harder I cultivated, the farther I strayed from the Great Dao. I was clearly nothing but bones in a grave, yet thought myself free and at ease. It's truly tragic."

"Today, I'm grateful to Little Friend Qi for clearing up my doubts."

"At last, I can glimpse the direction of the Great Dao."

"Please accept my bow."

Qi WuHuo reached out and helped Elder Tao back up. The other mountain gods also rose and bowed deeply. None of them looked down on him anymore; all were sincerely convinced. Even the burly man sighed, cupped his hands, and bowed low. "I'm a boor, ignorant of courtesy and deaf to the Great Dao."

"Mountain Lord, please don't hold it against me."

"Please."

Qi WuHuo felt a slight sense of relief.

His expression was calm.

He thought only that he had hopefully done nothing to tarnish the old gentleman's name.

Following his earlier plan, he said, "You've all come here, and I have no other gift to offer. Today, I'll refine a furnace of pills..."

The mountain gods were all exceedingly respectful and courteous.

Qi WuHuo prepared to refine pills, his mind relaxing considerably.

In his view, the lecture had been today's main event; refining pills was only what came afterward.

He didn't know that the old man who ought to have been in the courtyard had already lifted his eyes to watch, taking everything in.

He seemed even more attentive than he'd been during Qi WuHuo's lecture.

"Cultivation is all right, but pill refining is another matter."

The old man chuckled to himself as he raised his tea and took a sip.

"With this state of mind, he can join my sect."

"There's no need to worry about the pills."

"It's his first time, after all. Well... as long as the boy doesn't blow up the furnace."

The youth released the pill furnace.

The furnace instantly grew larger, hovering in midair.

Qi WuHuo rested his hand on the pill furnace before him, unsure how to begin. As he hesitated, he suddenly recalled the General Principle the old man had mentioned. He had lectured all day, and in winter the sun often remained visible in the sky alongside the pale moon that rose early. The sun and moon occupied a corner of the heavens, and Qi WuHuo suddenly felt something stir within him.

"The Golden Crow and Jade Rabbit spur each other on; the Sun and Moon Twin Orbs depart and return..."

"Depart and return?"

He urged the power of a mountain god, imitating the way the Fierce Tiger Mountain God had used a cauldron to refine moonlight and medicinal ingredients.

Being and nonbeing spurred one another on, like fish in a yin-yang symbol, revolving without end.

The radiance of sun and moon was suddenly drawn in, as though a faint glow had descended.

He tapped his finger three times.

The pill furnace burst open!

The sound shook the four directions, and Qi surged back in, like the sea swallowing and exhaling.

The old man had just finished brewing his tea and raised it to drink when he lowered his eyes and saw the scene.

He nearly spat out the tea in his mouth.

"Hm?!"

"Cough, cough, cough! Who—who taught him that?!"