Jade Toad Gazing at the Moon

The hundreds of sect rules seemed complex, but they were ultimately about respecting teachers and cherishing the common folk. The most crucial part of the New Disciple Handbook was a map of Mount Kongshan and Mount Qing. However, most of this map was marked as restricted areas. Less than a tenth of the map had markings, indicating places new disciples could go.

In the valley, there was a mess hall and a miscellaneous affairs hall, responsible for the daily needs of all disciples. Wei Yuan was a bit hungry after a tiring day. He had a large appetite, and children his age were prone to hunger. However, Wei Yuan was curious and picked up the bottle of Qi Nourishing Pills.

As the pill bottle opened, a faint sweet fragrance wafted over. Wei Yuan poured out a milky yellow pill, the size of a fingertip, with a faint light green waistline on its surface. According to the sect handbook, taking this Qi Nourishing Pill would allow him to go without food for three days, requiring only sips of clear water. Moreover, the Qi Nourishing Pill wasn't just for suppressing hunger; it also enhanced bodily functions, feeling somewhat like a fortune-enhancing art, though its effects weren't as strong.

Wei Yuan tilted his head back and swallowed the Qi Nourishing Pill. Moments later, a warmth spread through his abdomen, dispelling his hunger and clearing his mind considerably, giving him a feeling of thoughts like lightning.

As evening approached, Zhang Sheng hurried over, and the master and disciple began their evening lesson.

For the past three years, after dinner each day, there had been an hour of evening lessons, mainly for Zhang Sheng to answer questions. However, today was different; it was Wei Yuan's first official cultivation lesson.

Master and disciple sat down in the cultivation room. Zhang Sheng lit a stick of incense, and its faint aroma quickly filled the air. Wei Yuan immediately felt his mind operating faster, as if he had just had a good night's sleep, his thoughts exceptionally lively and agile.

Zhang Sheng said, "The world praises immortals, but they don't know how long the immortal path is, and how many fall along the way. Today, I will tell you about the affairs of immortals.

"Since ancient times, there has been more than one immortal path. Over countless millennia, later generations have continuously innovated, leading to even more numerous paths. Our Taichu Palace alone has six paths to immortality and three thousand gates of wonder. The Confucian and Buddhist paths are fewer in number, but not by much. The methods of various heterodox schools are even more numerous, countless."

"On the path to immortality, the major realms can be divided into five stages: Body Forging, Dao Foundation, Dharma Idol, Imperial Scenery, and Return to One. The Dao Foundation is also known as the beginning of ascension, and Return to One is the gate to becoming a True Immortal. This is consistent across all schools and sects. Our Taichu Palace believes the body is the boat to cross the sea. To cultivate a Dao Foundation, one must first refine the mortal body into a Dao Sprout Immortal Embryo, which is Body Forging. Body Forging has several minor stages, with divisions varying among different schools, but they all revolve around flesh, blood, bone, and spirit."

"Upon the completion of Body Forging, Heaven and Earth Resonance will be triggered, causing the immortal embryo to merge with heaven and earth, forging the Dao Foundation. This is the first cornerstone laid on the path to immortality and the true beginning of cultivation, hence it is called the beginning of ascension. Each person's cultivation method and fortune are different, so their immortal embryos will also differ. Furthermore, the timing, circumstances, and earth veins at the time of forging the Dao Foundation are also different, resulting in infinitely varied Dao Foundations. It can be said that no two are alike, even among fellow disciples. Even if two disciples forge their Dao Foundations months apart, their Dao Foundations might be completely different."

"Speaking of Dao Foundations, I must elaborate further. There are likely eight hundred to a thousand major categories of officially recorded Dao Foundations. Even within the same category, there are subtle distinctions. For example, if two Dao Foundations are like an ancient bell, whether it is purple or crimson, belongs to metal or fire, makes a difference. Whether the bell has bird-and-insect patterns or mountain-and-river patterns also affects its efficacy. Just as techniques have superior and inferior grades, Dao Foundations also have strengths and weaknesses. Over centuries, our predecessors have classified common Dao Foundations into the Human, Earth, and Heaven Tiers."

"Human Tier Dao Foundations are the most common and numerous. For instance, ordinary objects like tables, chairs, pots, and bowls; the basic energies of the Five Elements; common birds and beasts among living beings, and so on. Although Human Tier Dao Foundations are not strong, their variety is vast. Some rare Dao Foundations have peculiar uses in certain situations, so they cannot be dismissed as weak. However, a significant reason why common Dao Foundations are classified as Human Tier is the slim hope of achieving the Dharma Idol realm."

"Earth Tier Dao Foundations are much rarer. They are either classified as such because the chance of achieving the Dharma Idol realm greatly increases, or they possess special functions. For example, various weapons fall under the Earth Tier in the category of artifacts. While the possibility of achieving the Dharma Idol realm with these Dao Foundations may not be high, they often possess outstanding combat power, hence they are classified as Earth Tier. Another example is Five Elements Dao Foundations: if the primordial Five Elements energies transform into their respective spirit beasts, they become Earth Tier. Yin-Yang Dao Foundations are extremely rare and possess immense power upon cultivation, so the initial Yin and Yang energies are considered Earth Tier."

"Above the Earth Tier is the Heaven Tier. Heaven Tier Dao Foundations are extremely scarce. Each one is a potential True Immortal, and any sect would attach great importance to them. For example, Vessels of State and sacrificial ritual vessels in the artifact category are related to the great fortune of the human race, and cannot be obtained without being blessed by fortune. Another example includes the Five-Element Divine Beasts, Yin-Yang anomalies, and the various gods and demons in heterodox schools, and so on."

Having spoken so much in one go, Zhang Sheng paused briefly, allowing Wei Yuan to digest the information.

Wei Yuan's current state was one of perfect recall. What ordinary children would take a month to memorize, he could now remember perfectly after a single reading. Zhang Sheng had spoken at length, and Wei Yuan had absorbed it all. Half of this was due to Wei Yuan's own intelligence, and the other half was the combined contribution of the Qi Nourishing Pill, the small courtyard, and the sect's formations.

Wei Yuan recalled Zhang Sheng's words and curiously asked, "Master, what is your Dao Foundation?"

Zhang Sheng smiled and replied, "When I joined the sect and paid homage, the Ancestor favored me and bestowed two streams of sword qi. During Body Forging, I also had my own insights, so the Dao Foundation I cultivated is three immortal swords. Under normal circumstances, one immortal sword can be considered Heaven Tier. My Dao Foundation is a bit different from the norm, so it doesn't fall into any specific rank."

Wei Yuan understood immediately. This meant that above the Heaven Tier, there was an "extraordinary" rank, and Zhang Sheng was of that rank. His master's humility was as consistent as ever.

After explaining Dao Foundations, Zhang Sheng didn't delve into the subsequent realms as they were still very distant for Wei Yuan. He then began the formal instruction.

Zhang Sheng was naturally teaching the lineage of True Monarch Xuan Yue of his Azure Hall. However, True Monarch Xuan Yue held the positions of both Azure Hall Master and Water Moon Hall Master, effectively cultivating two major lineages. The Qianqing Righteous Law Imperial Time Scripture of Azure Hall was primary, while the Moon Radiance Myriad Forms Taiyin Chapter of Water Moon Hall was secondary.

In the cultivation world, the Body Forging realm has the most numerous techniques. Many smaller sects only have one technique that can barely allow one to cultivate a Dao Foundation, and with that, they can establish a sect. Rogue cultivators wandering the jianghu often cannot even cultivate a Dao Foundation.

Taichu Palace has numerous paths, and the number of Body Forging realm techniques is even more astronomical. However, after generations of revision, refinement, and tempering by the ancestors of Taichu Palace, they have compiled six universal techniques for disciples with different foundations and fortunes. In terms of their own merits, these six universal techniques have long surpassed the ancient techniques of the various halls. Therefore, all halls now use the universal techniques to complete Body Forging and only begin to return to their respective hall's lineages when forging the Dao Foundation.

The various halls of Taichu Palace are not merely names; they have been adjusted to environments most suitable for cultivating along a particular path. For example, in the Azure Hall, the success rate of forming a Dharma Idol when cultivating the Qianqing Righteous Law Imperial Time Scripture, which Zhang Sheng primarily practices, can increase by a full twenty percent.

Similarly, regarding the Qianqing Righteous Law, Zhang Sheng's master, True Person Fen Hai, followed the path of the Five Elements, cultivating the Dharma Idol Skyfire Boils the Sea, a rare anomaly of water and fire clashing. The advantage was astonishing combat power; True Person Fen Hai often resorted to 'reasoning' with others, relying on this sea-boiling technique. The disadvantage was the difficulty in controlling its power; one could easily go too far with a single misstep. Many of the grudges True Person Fen Hai had accumulated in the past stemmed from this.

There are still differences between the six universal Body Forging techniques, and their effects vary. Zhang Sheng had pondered for a long time which one to choose for Wei Yuan's Body Forging. Initially, considering Wei Yuan's calm and steady temperament, he had chosen the Earth Origin Scripture, which had a solid foundation and required the most meticulous cultivation. However, just as he was about to impart it, Zhang Sheng inexplicably remembered the scene of Wei Yuan's birth, his heart trembled, and he decided to teach the Jade Toad Gazing at the Moon Diagram instead.

Among the six universal techniques, the Jade Toad Gazing at the Moon Diagram is most closely related to fortune, capable of drawing a portion of fortune into the foundation to complete it. However, fortune is unpredictable, and the results can be good or bad. Its cultivation is far less stable than the Earth Origin Scripture. Generally, disciples who primarily cultivate the Jade Toad Gazing at the Moon Diagram are blessed with great positive fortune, such as Li Zhi. However, Wei Yuan's fortune comes from beyond the heavens, and even Zhang Sheng cannot discern whether it is good or bad. Choosing this technique was somewhat risky.