The First Cultivation Method

The various spirit beasts naturally paid their respects, and those mountain gods who had come with their own agendas also bowed slightly.

The previous ceremony was to congratulate the Mountain God.

Now, it was to thank him for lecturing.

Even though they felt the methods the young man before them was explaining held little value for them.

Some mountain gods communicated with each other via telepathy, saying, "Originally, I thought he was just a young man who, by chance, had a connection with that Mountain God and was thus bestowed this title. I thought he was someone who got ahead through connections and was undeserving, but seeing him today, with such bearing, he truly is 'one of us'."

"Indeed, indeed."

"Not some useless glutton."

"Fellow Daoists, let us listen to what our little friend has to teach. Hahaha, his comprehension must be very good."

"If there are any shortcomings, you can all point them out. With his comprehension, he should grasp them quickly."

A burly man suddenly spoke indignantly:

"Hmph... However, the title of Chief of the sixteen mountains, he definitely can't hold onto it!"

Everyone looked at him.

The burly man added:

"At least, not for a hundred years."

Fourth Lady telepathically asked with a smile, "What about after a hundred years?"

The burly man said righteously, "After a hundred years? We'll... we'll talk about it in a hundred years!"

All the mountain gods suppressed their laughter.

They knew he had always coveted this empty title. In the past, he was no match for the previous mountain lord, but now, seeing this young man, he probably felt his chance had arrived.

Qi WuHuo sat cross-legged on a bluestone. Because of the Mountain God's talisman, he could sense the magical power fluctuations of their telepathic communication, but he chose not to listen. His state of mind gradually calmed. When he came here, he had already considered what he would talk about. Thus, after a moment of thought, he spoke in a calm voice, "A few days ago, the Mountain God explained the method of refining Primordial Essence..."

The mountain gods quieted down slightly, nodding with smiles, viewing him as a talented Dao Fellow.

Indeed, it was a suitable topic for lecturing.

Especially for these spirit beasts to listen.

Then they heard the young man's second sentence: "Today, we will continue with the next step."

Mountain God Fourth Lady was slightly stunned. She couldn't immediately recall what came after the step of Gathering and Refining Primordial Essence. It wasn't until the young man sat upright on the bluestone, his back straight, hands resting calmly on his knees, that he spoke in a gentle, even tone:

"Today, I will expound on the union of Primordial Essence and Primordial Qi."

"The orthodox path of the Mystic Gate, the Primordial Prenatal Qi."

Silence fell upon the surroundings.

Luo Yizhen, Elder Tao, and Shen Hongxue, who had initially come just to show support, all changed their expressions.

Elder Tao's hand stroking his beard paused, and he momentarily lost his relaxed demeanor.

Primordial Prenatal Qi?

This was a realm at their level.

At this moment, Elder Tao suddenly felt the area around his ears become extremely quiet, which felt rather unaccustomed. He noticed that the other mountain gods had stopped their chatter. The wind rustled through the pine forest, and only the young man's voice was slow and peaceful. The mountain gods subconsciously restrained their minds, straightened their backs, and listened attentively.

A spirit beast scratched its ear and asked, "Primordial Prenatal Qi?"

"What realm is that?"

Before Qi WuHuo could answer, the burly man from before shook his head and said, "Mountain God Crane Linked Mountains, these spirit beasts have only just begun their cultivation. They can't even do breathing exercises properly. What's the use of you talking to them about this?"

"Wouldn't it be better to talk about something more practical?"

Qi WuHuo said, "That sentence is incorrect."

The blue-robed youth thought of the once astonishingly brilliant young sword immortal, who later turned to the Left Path, and said, "There are many people... who, because they didn't know the correct direction from the very beginning of their cultivation."

"They went in the wrong direction, got stuck for their entire lives, and never reached the Great Dao."

"Ultimately, they died in pain and hardship."

"If one is determined to seek the Dao, they can always find the introductory cultivation techniques. But the correct direction must be chosen at the very beginning, so they won't regret it a hundred years later. I am here today to lecture on the Dharma, and I believe this is what should be discussed..."

"The path of cultivation is very long. Those who haven't met a teacher are like walking in darkness, unable to see. "

"If I can hold a torch and illuminate the path ahead, even if it's just a small area, it would be good."

"What I will speak of today should be the first Dharma of cultivation."

The burly mountain god was momentarily speechless, unwilling to be convinced, and said with a hint of prickliness and sarcasm, "You're going to be condescending, aren't you?"

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

The mountain god opened his mouth, unsure of how to respond.

He only felt that the young man was calm and composed, so he coughed and stopped talking.

From afar, an old man in the town couldn't help but chuckle, leisurely brewing tea.

He was not satisfied with the young man's composure when he appeared, nor was he relieved by his fearlessness. The old man had seen many exceptionally talented individuals. At this age, there would only be more, not fewer, who were stronger and more impressive. However, he only thought his talent was decent and felt no particular admiration at this moment. The old man smiled and shook his head, saying with a hint of joy:

"With me holding the torch, I will illuminate the path ahead."

"To be able to say this sentence is to truly [not tarnish my name]."

"Supreme Goodness."

Qi WuHuo thought for a moment, then looked at the spirit beast and explained, "When cultivators first start, they often begin with Qi Cultivation. The initial technique is called [Foundation Building]. The name implies that cultivation is like building a tall building; one must lay a solid foundation. Depending on the style and methods of each lineage, exceptionally talented individuals usually take about a hundred days. Therefore, in Daoist and Buddhist sects, it's also called the [Hundred Days Foundation Building Method]."

"After laying the foundation, one has the basis for cultivating Qi."

"In the mortal world, martial artists divide the stages of Qi Cultivation into thirteen levels, with [Ascending the Tower] as the name of the realm. It's like building a tall building on a foundation. The next realm is [Primordial Prenatal Qi]. To use an analogy, when the building reaches its highest peak, there's no further path to ascend. You either stay put or need to soar through the void, which is not something ordinary people can do."

"This also signifies that the next realm is transcendent and extraordinary."

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

"And this [Entering the Dao] is actually about Primordial Prenatal Qi. There are three grades of methods – upper, middle, and lower – for how to enter the Dao."

Qi WuHuo spoke slowly. What he was saying were all things recorded by Tantai Xuan in that Record of Becoming Immortal.

These were cultivation methods circulated in the outside world.

Combined with the Mountain God's own cultivation notes, after self-understanding, he explained:

"The lower-grade method involves nourishing Primordial Qi to its limit, aided by the spirituality of external objects. This could involve absorbing Earth Fiend Qi into the body or refining the Essence of Fire Copper into oneself, giving one's Primordial Qi various peculiar properties. When casting spells, it's twice as effective, making one invincible in the mortal world. However, it's a pity to cultivate external objects; one can never reach the realm of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown in this life and can only dominate the mortal realm."

"It also does not benefit one's lifespan, often leading to a short life and the inability to attain freedom."

"Therefore, it is a lower grade."

"When a cultivator reaches this realm and becomes impatient, seeking quick success and immediate gain, they might take the Left Path to break through, thus falling into this way."

Some Mountain Gods' expressions subtly changed, some becoming somber, others sighing with melancholy.

A monkey in the mountains, however, burst into loud sobs.

It was likely that it had once absorbed the spiritual essence of heavenly treasures and reached this realm.

Fourth Mother asked solemnly, "May I ask, Mountain Master, what about the middle-grade method?"

Qi WuHuo thought for a moment and said, "A cultivator who does not receive the true transmission does not understand the difference between Primordial Qi and Qi (prenatal). They only combine postnatal Primordial Qi with their Primordial Spirit to cultivate magical power. They can then leave their Primordial Spirit to roam, traveling around as a yin spirit. They can accomplish many incredible things. Their physical body may die, but their Primordial Spirit will endure, capable of surviving for several hundred years. This is what is called a [Corpse-Released Immortal]."

"They can attain temporary freedom, but ultimately have no connection to the Great Dao."

"Therefore, it is a middle grade."

Fourth Mother's expression became wistful, a mixture of resentment and regret appearing on her face.

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

Everyone suddenly fell silent, looking at him in unison.

Qi WuHuo continued, "Cultivating Primordial Qi to the utmost purity, and then gathering and refining Primordial Essence, retrieving one's Life Treasure. When Primordial Qi and Primordial Essence combine, [Primordial Prenatal Qi] will be born. At this level, one can reside in the world for three to five hundred years, riding clouds and driving mists. Daoist sects call them [Daoist Master], and Buddhist sects call them [Venerable]. They have the potential to ascend to the level of immortals and gods."

Qi WuHuo then went on to meticulously explain the final refinement methods for Primordial Essence and Primordial Qi.

Many spirit beasts, and even Mountain Gods, leaned forward to listen intently.

For a time, the vast mountain was filled only with the young man's voice as he explained. Snowflakes fell from the leaves, their rustling sound accentuating the growing tranquility of the place. As the many Mountain Gods listened, they unconsciously leaned forward. They didn't know how much time had passed. When the young man stopped speaking, these Mountain Gods were still immersed in the cultivation methods, unable to extricate themselves.

After a long while, Elder Tao suddenly sighed, "In the past, I only knew how to cultivate, but I didn't know where to focus my efforts. The more diligently I cultivated, the further I strayed from the Great Dao. I was merely a dried-up skeleton in a tomb, yet I thought I was free and at ease. It was truly tragic."

"Today, I am indebted to young friend Qi for clarifying this."

"I can finally glimpse the direction of the Great Dao."

"Please accept my bow."

Qi WuHuo raised his hand to help Elder Tao up. The other Mountain Gods also rose and bowed deeply with clasped hands. The condescending attitude they had before was gone, replaced by genuine admiration and submission. Even the burly man sighed and bowed to the end, saying, "I am but a brute, ignorant of etiquette and the Great Dao."

"Mountain Master, please forgive me."

"Forgive me."

Qi WuHuo felt a slight sense of relief in his heart.

His expression was serene.

He only thought to himself that this should not have tarnished the old gentleman's reputation.

Following his previous thoughts, he said, "You have all come here, and I have no other gifts to offer in return. Today, I will refine a batch of elixirs..."

The Mountain Gods were extremely respectful and courteous.

Qi WuHuo prepared to refine elixirs, his mind much more relaxed.

In his view, the key to today was expounding the Dharma; refining elixirs was merely a follow-up.

Yet, he did not know that the old man who should have been in the courtyard had already raised his eyes to look, seeing clearly.

It seemed he was paying even more attention than when Qi WuHuo was expounding the Dharma.

"Your cultivation is passable, but your alchemy may not be."

The old man chuckled, sipping his tea and murmuring to himself:

"With this kind of disposition, he can join my sect."

"We don't need to worry about elixirs."

"For the first time, hmm... just don't blow up the furnace, kid."

The youth released the elixir furnace.

The furnace instantly grew larger, hovering in the air.

Qi WuHuo's palm caressed the furnace before him. Unsure how to begin, he hesitated. Suddenly, he recalled the General Principle the old man had mentioned. The lecture on the Dao had lasted an entire day. In winter, the sun was often visible in the sky, along with the pale moon that rose early. The sun and moon occupied a corner of the horizon. Qi WuHuo suddenly felt inspired.

"Golden Crow and Jade Rabbit urge each other on, Sun and Moon Twin Orbs come and go..."

"Come and go?"

The power of the Mountain God was activated, mimicking the posture of the previous Fierce Tiger Mountain God, which had refined moonlight and herbs in a cauldron.

Action and inaction, urging each other on, like Yin and Yang fish, endlessly revolving.

The light of the sun and moon was suddenly drawn in, as if faint rays of brilliance were descending.

A snap of the fingers, three times.

The elixir furnace burst open violently!

The sound echoed in all directions, and the Primordial Qi returned as if swallowing the sea and breathing it out.

The old man, who was just brewing tea, raised his hand to take a sip. As he lowered his eyes, he saw this scene.

He almost spat out the tea in his mouth.

"Huh?!!"

"Cough, cough, cough, who, who taught him this?!"