Jade Toad Qi Cultivation Art

Jade Toad Qi Cultivation Art First Form: Golden Toad Embracing Carp.

Cultivation Incantation:

Lie prone, astride; let the mind merge with the body. Cup the hands perfectly; circulate qi through the whole body. Inhale, gather it in the abdomen; exhale, scatter it in all directions...

"Pay attention to your posture. Lie on the ground like a toad, merging your mind with your body. Cup your hands perfectly, allowing qi to flow through your whole body. When you inhale, gather your breath in your abdomen; when you exhale, scatter it in all directions..."

As Qin Yue'e explained, Li Shuidao immediately imitated the illustration in the book. He turned over and lay down, crossing his hands over his chest, curling his body as if embracing a carp, and supporting himself on his elbows.

"That's right, your posture is perfect. Just lie there like that." Qin Yue'e's eyes lit up.

Li Shuidao's Golden Toad Embracing Carp was exactly right, without the slightest flaw.

"Hold it! The core of the first form of the Jade Toad Qi Cultivation Art, Golden Toad Embracing Carp, is summed up in two words: 'contraction.' You must achieve 'a steady body, contained qi, and gathered mana'..."

"Keep going! The longer you can hold it, the better. The longer you hold Golden Toad Embracing Carp, the more effective the contraction. Pay attention to your breathing. Don't go too fast. You're going too fast—slow down. Don't be so stiff. Be gentler, slower..."

"That's right, just like that. Gently. At first, you have to be gentle, easing into it slowly. Otherwise, your meridians will hurt..."

"Contraction is a gradual process. If you go too fast, not only will it be less effective, you could also injure your meridians..."

After about ten breaths, sweat had already appeared on Li Shuidao's forehead.

"Hang on a little longer. I'll recite the second form for you: Water Toad Dragon. Golden Toad Embracing Carp is only about contraction. You still need to send your mana outward, channeling it through the meridians in your limbs. In the process, the toxins built up in your internal organs can also be expelled from your body." Qin Yue'e explained.

"Master's wife, I can barely hold on," Li Shuidao said, drenched in sweat.

"Listen carefully..."

Jade Toad Qi Cultivation Art Second Form: Water Toad Dragon.

Cultivation Incantation:

Half-bow the body; let the mind merge with the body. Disperse qi and channel it along the back; transform qi and circulate it throughout the body. Let qi patrol like a swimming dragon; gather the true intent and hold your breath...

"To perform this move, open the pores all over your body. Let your breathing make a sound; unite the inner and outer until they become one. Right! My husband once said that mastering this move requires the innate Divine Ability, Water Breath Technique. Otherwise, the toxins can't leave through the pores." Qin Yue'e suddenly remembered this, alarm creeping into her voice.

At that moment, Li Shuidao's eyes widened. He pushed up with both hands, like a toad surging out of the water. The mana he had gathered flowed toward his arms like a swimming dragon, making his joints and bones crack loudly. The sensation was indescribably refreshing and comfortable.

So comfortable...

The toxins built up in his internal organs had truly been expelled in large part.

If he repeatedly practiced the first two forms of this art, Li Shuidao truly wouldn't need to take any antidotes to purge all the poison from his internal organs.

Li Shuidao could now expel toxins on his own. Combined with the vital energy from the "Great Tonic Life-Renewing Soup," he was no longer in mortal danger.

"Shuier, you have astonishing talent," Qin Yue'e said, her face full of amazement.

Li Shuidao had only seen these first two moves twice. Qin Yue'e had begun explaining them only after he started practicing.

Yet she had barely finished explaining before he had already mastered them.

The Golden Toad Embracing Carp and Water Toad Dragon, which were expected to take two days to learn, had both been mastered in just half an hour.

With talent like this, if properly cultivated, he might one day become one of her trump cards.

Qin Yue'e's gaze turned distant: My lover and my trusted confidant...

"Master's wife, you flatter me. I haven't fully grasped them yet. I still need to practice more before I can truly understand them," Li Shuidao said modestly.

"Mm. Why don't you look at the chapters that follow?" Qin Yue'e coaxed him.

"Thank you, Master's wife." Li Shuidao turned to the next page of the Daoist Book...

Jade Toad Qi Cultivation Art Third Form: Jade Toad Gazing at Moon.

Cultivation Incantation:

Rise from a seated or reclining posture; let the hundred meridians flow at will. Sit quietly and bathe in moonlight; the jade toad gazes up at the moon. Gather your intent in the abdominal wheel; sink qi to the true dantian. Turn left and right, let strength flow freely; loosen the blood vessels throughout the body. Gently lift the hands and grasp the clouds' qi; bring life to the five viscera and six bowels. Stretch the spine and store true essence; suspend the crown of the head to connect with the heavens. Breathe deeply, drawing in heaven and earth; exhale the stale and inhale the fresh, the heart at ease...

"The incantation for Jade Toad Gazing at Moon is far more profound. It involves cultivating a state of mind, which is difficult to fathom," Li Shuidao murmured, his expression grave.

"Golden Toad Embracing Carp gathers qi, Water Toad Dragon breaks through the barriers, and Jade Toad Gazing at Moon brings sublimation. Naturally, sublimation is the hardest..." Qin Yue'e explained from beside him.

"Sublimation..." Li Shuidao savored the word.

"If you want to master Jade Toad Gazing at Moon, you need not only sufficient talent, but also repeated practice of the first two forms until they have thoroughly opened all your meridians."

Li Shuidao nodded. "If it requires sublimation, then the foundation must be extremely solid before that can happen."

"Only after six months, when you've opened all your meridians, can you practice Jade Toad Gazing at Moon. For now, focus on the first two forms," Qin Yue'e advised.

"Master's wife!"

"What is it?"

I've expelled the poison, and it wouldn't be appropriate for me to remain in Master's wife's bedroom any longer. I'll take my leave." Li Shuidao bowed deeply, returned the Daoist Book with both hands, and turned to go.

"Wait!" Qin Yue'e called out to him.

"May I ask what you need, Master's wife?"

"You must promise me one thing!" Qin Yue'e suddenly said, her expression stern.

"Please tell me, Master's wife. I will do it," Li Shuidao said earnestly.

"The cultivation art I taught you today was only to save your life. Of course, you may practice it, but you absolutely must not pass it on to the Li Family. Can you do that?" Qin Yue'e asked sternly.

Li Shuidao raised his head with solemn resolve. "Rest assured, Master's wife. Not only will I never pass the art on, I'll do my best to conceal my cultivation. If I haven't even reached the middle stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm, who would believe I possessed a superior cultivation art?"

Qin Yue'e nodded with satisfaction. "Shuier, if you obey me in all things, Master's wife certainly won't treat you unfairly."

"Of course. When an elder gives an instruction, how could a junior disobey? Even if I must brave boiling oil and blazing flames, I won't hesitate!" Though Li Shuidao spoke with conviction, he deliberately emphasized the difference in their generations, hoping Qin Yue'e would remember the proper distance between them.

Qin Yue'e opened her mouth, but didn't know how to respond. Li Shuidao seized the opportunity and hurried away.

After hastily bidding Master's wife farewell, he returned to his small courtyard and immediately shut himself inside.

Li Shuidao promptly took out his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone and transcribed Jade Toad Qi Cultivation Art from memory.

He set brush to paper and wrote in a flurry.

One Chinese character after another appeared on the white rice paper.

From beginning to end, he transcribed every character without missing a single one...

Jade Toad Qi Cultivation Art had only three forms, but each was wondrous beyond words. He needed to read and ponder them repeatedly...

The Dao De Jing had only a little over five thousand characters, yet each reading brought new insights...

Especially the final form, "Jade Toad Gazing at Moon." He wouldn't be able to begin practicing it for at least six months. By then, he would have long forgotten it.

Only by recording it in a book could he make sure he truly wouldn't forget it or misremember it.

Since this copied Daoist Book was written in Chinese, it wouldn't matter if Jiang Xue, Lu Qi'er, or even Master himself found it. No one could read it anyway...

After finishing the transcription, Li Shuidao held the book and read it over and over. Only after confirming it was accurate did he carefully put it away.