Qi Refining

Great Xia Baoyuan, Year 6, the fifth day of the fourth month.

The weather in Yongshan County had already turned hot. As usual, Su Dun, who was sleeping soundly in the morning, was woken up, though the method was far gentler than before.

"The sun's already up, senior brother!" Wang Kang sounded somewhat anxious when he saw Su Dun roll over and try to go back to sleep.

"I know." After a brief inner struggle, Su Dun ultimately chose to compromise. He got up reluctantly, irritably wiped the sweat from his forehead, and climbed out of bed wearing only a grayish-white vest, without even putting on an outer robe. By the time he had slipped into his straw sandals, Wang Kang had already left.

By the time Su Dun ambled into the kitchen, the stove had already been lit. Wang Kang was pouring water into the pot. Neither of them was as meticulous as Wang Ping, so they boiled the morning drinking water and the water for steaming buns in the same pot.

After filling the water jars, Wang Kang went to knead dough. Su Dun splashed his face with cold water, then sat before the stove and watched the flames.

Half an Hour later, the steamed buns came out of the pot. Wang Kang skillfully packed four buns into a Meal Box woven from Bamboo Slips, then added a small dish of pickled vegetables.

Seeing this, Su Dun walked over, picked up a bun and bit into it, grabbed another in his hand, lifted the Meal Box with his other hand, and ran outside. He crossed the broad courtyard and followed a narrow path toward the Back Mountain. As the morning sun rose, he arrived before a small courtyard beside an Old Huai Tree on the Back Mountain.

The little courtyard was somewhat rundown. Its walls were low fences enclosing two rooms. On a tattered Straw Mat before the Stone Table, Wang Ping sat meditating beneath the rosy dawn, a layer of beautiful blue-violet light glowing over his body.

True Man Yucheng was also seated beside the Stone Table, leisurely sipping tea. A small stove beside him held a pot of Chicken Soup simmering away.

Su Dun twitched his nose, catching the fragrance of the Chicken Soup. He gently pushed open the gate and entered, bowing to Daoist Yucheng from the doorway. He then stepped forward and set the Meal Box on the Stone Table, glanced at the Chicken Soup simmering on the stove, and looked toward Wang Ping, who was meditating and cultivating.

Wang Ping was cultivating the Returning Origin Art Daoist Yucheng had recently passed down to him, a cultivation method for circulating internal Qi. It was divided into the Qi Cultivation Chapter, Marrow Cleansing Chapter, and Foundation Establishment Chapter.

Qi Refining was for mastering the Qi that had just formed within the body. Marrow Cleansing used cultivated Qi to regulate impurities within the body, while Foundation Establishment laid a solid foundation for cultivating true secret arts. That was right—Wang Ping had yet to cultivate any secret arts. In Daoist Yucheng's words, his foundation was not stable enough, and his body still needed at least ten years of tempering.

Beneath the glow of the morning clouds, Wang Ping successfully circulated the Qi within his body through five great Heavenly Cycles before opening his eyes. The first thing he saw was the Light Screen Panel before him:

[Returning Origin Art (Qi Cultivation Chapter): An exceptional cultivation method for refining Qi. With your Spiritual Root, first perform a set of the Evergreen Cultivation Technique to produce Qi Sensation before each session, then circulate five great Heavenly Cycles. You can reach completion in five years. If someone sends a thread of spiritual energy into you before each circulation, you can reach completion in three years. (Progress 6/100, today's progress 5/5)]

In less than a month, the total progress of Wang Ping's cultivation method had already reached six percent. This was because each time he cultivated, Daoist Yucheng not only sent him a thread of spiritual energy, but medicinal pills also assisted him every five days. At this pace, Wang Ping would be able to cultivate the Qi Cultivation Chapter to completion within a year and a half.

"Mm, not bad." When Wang Ping finished his cultivation, a smile appeared on Daoist Yucheng's face.

"Your mind is sharp, and you possess the calmness and patience needed to cultivate the Dao. In this past month of Qi Refining, you have never made a mistake, and your State of Mind has not wavered in the slightest. Not bad, not bad." He said "not bad" twice more, then assessed, "Within two years, you will complete Qi Refining."

Wang Ping hurriedly bowed. "It is all thanks to Master's help. Otherwise, my Qi Refining would have taken at least five years, perhaps as many as eight."

Daoist Yucheng smiled, carried the Sand Pot of Chicken Soup to the center of the Stone Table, and said, "Come, eat something."

Su Dun had long since left. Wang Ping sat down, picked up a Steamed Bun, and bit into it somewhat impatiently. Daoist Yucheng took out a porcelain bowl and personally ladled soup for Wang Ping.

As the Chicken Soup went down, a warm current spread through his stomach. Then Wang Ping felt the hunger that had made him feel capable of eating an ox finally ease!

There were Spiritual Power Fluctuations in the Chicken Soup. Wang Ping was currently unable to absorb too much energy for Qi Refining and could only replenish himself through his body's metabolism. Eating ordinary food would increase the turbid Qi within his body, creating too great an obstacle for the next stage of Marrow Cleansing. This Chicken Soup had been specially simmered by Daoist Yucheng, and there was a pot every day.

Wang Ping finished breakfast in a Quarter Hour. As usual, Daoist Yucheng cautioned him, "Do not practice Qi Refining again today. Do not read the Annotation of Heaven and Man for the time being either. If you have nothing else to do, read more of the books in the room. Reading can enrich the structure of your thoughts, help you understand principles, and improve your comprehension as well."

"Yes, Master!"

As usual, Wang Ping answered earnestly.

On the second day after Daoist Yucheng accepted him into the sect, he had told Wang Ping that the requirements for entering the path of cultivating the Dao and secret arts were Spiritual Root and comprehension. Once one entered the path, what one relied on in the later stages was opportunity. The word "opportunity" sounded ethereal beyond measure, but in practical terms, it meant one's connections, financial strength, and intellect.

The books Daoist Yucheng had collected covered a vast range: Daoist, Buddhist, history, and Human Way. Human Way resembled the Confucian teachings of Wang Ping's previous life and was used to enlighten the world. There were also novels, miscellaneous writings, folk tales, and more.

Just as Wang Ping was preparing to read a history book, Daoist Yucheng had already strode swiftly out of the courtyard gate. He formed a magic seal with his hand, and with a flash, returned to his residence in the Front Hall.

He would be very busy today.

At tomorrow's Apprenticeship Ceremony, Wang Ping would be the protagonist, but there would also be supporting players.

Having accepted Wang Ping as a Personal Disciple, he had to run about for Wang Ping's future cultivation—first for the inheritance of the Dao Lineage, and second for a lingering hope of his own.

When most people in the world found themselves in despair, they always hoped to see hope in the next generation!

Recruiting disciples far and wide and expanding Thousand Wood Temple was preparation for "opportunity," the most important of the three things: comprehension, Spiritual Root, and opportunity. Comprehension and Spiritual Root could determine the lower limit of a person's cultivation, while opportunity determined its upper limit.

Only with immense wealth and extensive connections would one have the qualifications to obtain opportunities. In that process, one would inevitably become entangled in worldly karmic ties—the so-called give and take, the contradictions.

But cultivators became entangled in karma from the moment they chose cultivation. It was not something they could evade simply through secluded cultivation.

After Daoist Yucheng steadied himself, he took out his Daoist robe and put it on. Then he formed a magic seal, and a flash of green light passed over the old robe, making it look as good as new.

Today, the prefect of Shang'an Prefecture would personally come to visit, bringing twelve clever Young Disciples. They were all direct descendants of the various families in Shang'an Prefecture, each around ten years old.

Li Antian, Liu Zixiu, and Mao Yulong had also learned that Daoist Yucheng intended to recruit disciples widely, and each had selected several clever youths from among their own clansmen.

Before today was over, Daoist Yucheng would select from among them several promising youths with good Spiritual Roots and accept them into the sect. Those not chosen could, if willing, become Outer Disciples and practice some basic cultivation methods. Perhaps one day, when enlightenment struck, they too could embark upon the path of cultivation.