Cultivating Daoist Magic

Several days slipped quietly by amid brushes, ink, and paper.

Shen Hui's life gradually settled into a routine:

Rising at the Hour of the Tiger, morning lessons at the Hour of the Rabbit;

After breakfast, heading to the West Courtyard to practice calligraphy with Senior Sister Jingming for one shichen;

At the Hour of the Snake, returning to his own room to sit cross-legged in meditation until noon;

At the Hour of the Monkey, rising to stretch his limbs, or idly sitting in the courtyard in a daze;

Supper at the Hour of the Rooster, then resuming meditation at the Hour of the Dog until the next morning's lessons.

Round and round, unremarkable.

The days were as bland as water, yet steady and reassuring.

One day, emerging from meditation, Shen Hui sank his mind into his sea of consciousness as usual to look at the parchment interface:

[Dharma Name]: Qingxuan

[Bone Age]: Twenty-two

[Realm]: Qi Induction (0/10000)

[Status]: Meditating

[Cultivation]: 111 (Distributable)

[Destined Path]: Unrevealed

[Corpse Liberation Wheel]: Unactivated

One hundred and eleven points.

One hundred of those came from the past ten days of meditation—ten points per day, as steady as clockwork.

Another six came from the six remaining spirit fruits; he ate one each day, and each one indeed allowed him to condense an extra point.

As for the final five points, those he had scraped together bit by bit from his spare time each day.

A few extra hours during the midday rest, a few more after the Hour of the Dog—small gains adding up, grains of sand forming a tower.

Shen Hui calculated silently: at this rate, he should reach the mid-Qi Refining stage in just over a year, and then he could begin attempting to practice spells...

He shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Those wondrous techniques were certainly tempting—like Fourth Senior Sister's "Gengjin Sword Sha," or Third Senior Brother's flame art that turned corpses to ash.

But he knew in his heart that cultivation was like building a house: if the foundation was unstable, no matter how beautiful the upper floors, it was still a dangerous structure.

"Cultivation is the root; techniques are the tools."

He muttered to himself, and with a thought, he allocated all those points to the realm column.

Almost instantly, a warm current surged from the depths of his dantian—thicker than the last time he had entered the Dao, yet gentler as well.

It flowed unhurriedly along his meridians, like warm water soaking through, or countless tiny insects wriggling softly.

Itchy, tingly, but not unpleasant.

This warm current cycled through his body three full circuits before slowly settling back into his dantian and falling still.

Shen Hui opened his eyes, and a sense of clarity permeated his entire body.

His ears could now hear the chirping of mountain sparrows farther beyond the window; his nose could distinguish the faint earthy smell in the air; even the subtle friction between his Dao robe and his skin was clearer than before.

Sharp ears and keen eyes, a light and healthy body.

But the next second, an unbearable sour stench slammed into his nostrils.

He looked down and saw that his arms and body were covered in a layer of greasy, gray-black filth that had seeped out sometime, clinging stickily to his skin.

Pinching his nose, Shen Hui wiped a bit with his finger and brought it close for a look.

Oily, with a dull sheen.

He inexplicably brought it to his nose and sniffed—

"Bleh~"

A foul stench shot straight to his crown, nearly making him lose his breakfast.

He frantically flicked the filth off his finger, scrambled out of the room, and rushed to the water trough in the courtyard in a few strides.

Scooping up the icy spring water, he poured it over his head.

The mountain spring water was bitingly cold, but it couldn't quench his urgent need to scrub himself clean.

He stripped off his Dao robe and scrubbed hard with the cold water again and again, until his skin turned red and hot, and that disgusting sticky feeling finally faded.

Putting on a clean inner robe, he scooped another ladle of water and peered at his indistinct reflection in the trough.

The water rippled slightly, reflecting a sharply defined face.

His features were the same, but his skin was so pale it was almost dazzling. Shen Hui stared at the reflection for a moment, then a grin slowly spread across his face:

"Not bad... I look even more handsome."

He nodded in satisfaction, scrubbed the dirty clothes clean, wrung them out, and hung them on the bamboo pole in the courtyard.

Standing in the middle of the yard with his hands on his hips, watching the Daoist robe sway gently in the wind, he suddenly felt a bit dazed.

From gnawing on raw sweet potatoes in a broken temple at the start of his transmigration, to now having his own room in a deep mountain temple, his own lessons, his own... family, he supposed? It had only been a few short days.

He spaced out for a while, and the sky was already nearing dusk.

He straightened his collar and strolled leisurely toward the dining hall.

As soon as he stepped through the dining hall door, Fifth Senior Brother Qing Shi was ladling out porridge, Third Senior Brother Qingyi sat at the table flipping through a book, Fourth Senior Sister Jinghui was lying on the table tapping her chopsticks out of boredom, and Second Senior Sister Jingming hadn't arrived yet.

Shen Hui sat down in his usual spot, smiling as he greeted everyone.

Then he noticed several gazes falling on his face, each carrying varying degrees of confusion and scrutiny.

Jinghui spoke first, her face full of curiosity: "Little Junior Brother, what's up with you today... you look kind of weird?"

Qingyi looked up at that, his gaze lingering on Shen Hui's face for a moment, a flicker of thought passing through his eyes.

Big Senior Brother Li Changxing set down his porridge bowl, studied Shen Hui carefully, then suddenly asked: "Little Junior Brother, you haven't already entered the Dao, have you?"

Shen Hui raised an eyebrow slightly, then immediately understood the reason.

It must be that the changes from his "marrow-washing and sinew-cleansing" were too obvious to hide from these eyes that had cultivated for years.

He didn't deny it, admitting frankly: "I managed to enter the Dao by luck."

Jinghui let out a "wow": "That fast!"

"It's not really that fast; I heard Second Senior Sister only took five days to enter the Dao back then..."

But before he could finish, the very Second Senior Sister he mentioned walked in through the door.

Her faint, indifferent eyes landed on him, and Shen Hui wisely shut his mouth.

"Junior Brother has been holed up in his room these past few days, meditating and practicing qi all day. Isn't it only natural that his cultivation has advanced?"

Second Senior Sister said flatly, without exposing that he had already entered the Dao long ago.

Shen Hui laughed heartily and didn't respond.

Qingyi closed his book at this point, a look of approval in his eyes.

Fifth Senior Brother Qing Shi's eyes lit up even more, his face full of envy and admiration as he muttered to himself: "Amazing! It took me a full eleven years back then to..."

Shen Hui couldn't help but sigh at that.

He thought to himself, Don't compare yourself to me. I'd win unfairly, and you'd just be asking for trouble—why bother?

But his grimace didn't last a second before Big Senior Brother Li Changxing's big hand slapped down on his shoulder with such force that his whole body swayed:

"Good kid! You really are a cultivation prodigy! Master truly struck gold this time!"

Shen Hui's shoulder ached from the slap, but he could only force a smile.

Everyone chattered, asking how he did it and whether he hit any bottlenecks... Shen Hui picked out what he could say and answered a few questions, feeling a bit ashamed inside.

After a moment, everyone sat down and began their meal.

Clear Wind Temple had two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, both simple fare.

Though the temple didn't forbid meat, in all the days Shen Hui had been here, the most meaty thing in his bowl was the occasional drop of oil from lard dregs.

He was used to it by now. He picked up his porridge bowl and was about to drink when he suddenly noticed something odd about today's bowl.

The porridge was still coarse rice porridge, but on the surface floated some fine gray powder.

He stirred it with his chopsticks—it was minced meat, finely chopped, mixed into the porridge.

He instinctively looked at the others' bowls.

Big Senior Brother's bowl was plain porridge, Third Senior Brother's bowl was plain porridge... everyone's bowl was plain porridge.

Just as he was wondering, Big Senior Brother had already asked the question first: "Huh? Why does Little Junior Brother's bowl have minced meat?"

Fifth Senior Brother gave a simple, honest smile: "Fourth Senior Sister added it specially. She said Little Junior Brother just joined the temple and is as skinny as a bamboo pole, so he ought to build up his strength."

The moment he finished, Jinghui's chopsticks came down with a "thud" on Qing Shi's head:

"Mind your own business!"

Qing Shi clutched his forehead, looking utterly innocent, but dared not say another word.

The next day, after morning lessons, everyone was about to disperse when Old Taoist Ji Chen suddenly raised his hand:

"Qingxuan, stay."

Shen Hui paused mid-step, guessing in his heart what was coming.

As the senior brothers and sisters filed out, only the master and disciple remained in Chengxin Studio.

The old Daoist's gaze fell on his face, studying him for a moment before nodding slightly: "The turbid qi is gone, and clear qi is rising. It seems you have indeed entered the Dao."

Shen Hui lowered his head: "Disciple was lucky."

"Lucky?"

Old Taoist Ji Chen chuckled lightly, stroking his beard. "In the path of cultivation, there is no room for luck. You've only been a disciple for half a month, yet you've already made such progress—your aptitude is indeed excellent."

He paused, then added, "Now that you've entered the Dao, you can begin practicing techniques. What do you wish to learn?"

Shen Hui heard this and thought to himself, Just as I expected.

He looked up and asked, "Master, this disciple has only just entered the mountain and has little knowledge. May I ask what techniques are available in the temple?"

Old Taoist Ji Chen leaned back in his chair, swaying his head. "Although our Clear Wind Temple is no great sect, the successive patriarchs have all been true cultivators of the Dao."

"Since its founding over two thousand seven hundred years ago, Clear Wind Temple has not only earned a modest reputation in the martial world but has also accumulated a fair store of techniques within its lineage."

The old Daoist, growing excited, launched into another lengthy recount of past glories.

By the time the sun had climbed high into the sky, he finally said unhurriedly:

"At present, the sect possesses one Flying Sword Art, one scroll of the Lesser Five Elements Art, one Aura Observation Art, one Sword Wielding Art, several Miscellaneous Talisman Scripts, and two movement techniques: Crane Form and Snake Form. Tell me, which one do you want to learn?"

Shen Hui was a bit dazed. All these names sounded impressive, but he had no idea what they actually did.

So he had no choice but to steel himself and ask again, "This disciple is dull-witted. May I ask what each of these techniques does and how they differ?"

Old Taoist Ji Chen wasn't annoyed; instead, he smiled and began explaining them one by one:

"The Flying Sword Art is Clear Wind Temple's signature skill, passed down from the founding patriarch, Cloud Deer True Man, as the True Interpretation of Clear Wind Entering Subtlety. However, this technique requires a foundation in Dao cultivation before it can be practiced, so you can't reach it yet."

He paused, then continued:

"The Lesser Five Elements Art is an orthodox Daoist technique passed down by the second-generation temple master."

"Don't let the word 'lesser' in its name fool you. If cultivated to a high level, it can give rise to some great divine powers. When used in combat, its power is extraordinary and extremely formidable. Most of your senior brothers and sisters currently practice various techniques derived from it."

"The Aura Observation Art was also passed down by the second-generation patriarch. It allows one to observe the feng shui of a location, discern the flow of fortune, and also see whether a person has a fierce blood aura or demonic qi above their head. However, this technique has high requirements for talent. At present, only your second senior sister has mastered it in the temple. Others have fumbled with it for years but still can't find the way."

"As for the Sword Wielding Art..."

The old Daoist's tone dropped slightly here. "It was realized by the fifth-generation temple master during his travels to Ten Thousand Swords Mountain, while meditating on Reflection Cliff. In essence, it's just sword techniques—chopping, slashing, thrusting, sweeping, footwork advances and retreats. There's nothing mystical about it, but when a real fight breaks out, you can't do without it."

"The Miscellaneous Talisman Scripts were collected by successive patriarchs from all over. It wasn't until your master's master's generation, the seventh-generation temple master, that they truly came into their own and shone brilliantly. If you're interested in drawing talismans, you can look into them later."

"As for the two movement techniques," the old Daoist held up two fingers, "Crane Form and Snake Form were devised by my master back in the day by observing cranes dancing and snakes slithering in the mountains. Crane Form excels at dodging and evading, while Snake Form is suited for sudden advances and ambushes. Each has its uses."

Shen Hui listened attentively, silently noting everything down.

The Flying Sword Art sounded the most impressive, but the threshold was too high.

The Lesser Five Elements Art encompassed everything, with each senior brother and sister taking what they needed.

The Aura Observation Art was mysterious, but its high talent requirement meant it probably couldn't be forced.

As for the Sword Wielding Art... unremarkable, yet practical.

The talisman techniques and movement techniques each had their own merits.

He thought for a moment, then asked, "Master, might you have any suggestions?"

Old Taoist Ji Chen stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "You've just entered the path, and your foundation isn't stable yet. You should focus on a technique that protects the Dao and sustains your person."

"If you want to learn the Gengjin Sword Sha from the Lesser Five Elements Art, you'll need to pair it with the Sword Wielding Art; otherwise, the sword sha will have no sword to rely on, and its power will be greatly diminished. If you learn one of the other four elemental techniques, you don't need to learn the Sword Wielding Art, but you'll need to learn a movement technique to keep yourself safe, so you won't be at a loss for advance or retreat when fighting others."

"As for the Aura Observation Art, you can learn it if you want, or not—it's up to you. Your second senior sister was born sensitive to qi; others can't learn it, so don't force it."

"As for the Flying Sword Art..." The old Daoist glanced at him. "That's a matter for after Foundation Establishment. Don't dwell on it for now."

Shen Hui nodded.

Cultivating techniques required a lot of time and energy, but with his "interface," he could first explore on his own. If he really couldn't figure something out, he could pour Daoist points into it once his cultivation level was higher.

Thinking this, he asked again, "Master, regarding the Lesser Five Elements Art, can one only learn one of them, or all of them?"

Old Taoist Ji Chen waved his hand. "Everyone's aptitude is different, and their resonance with the five elements' qi varies."

"Your senior brother is most attuned to Wood, so he mainly cultivates the Wood Nurturing Technique, supplemented by the Sword Wielding Art. Your second senior sister is attuned to both Water and Fire, so she follows the path of Water-Fire Harmony, giving her the most variety in combat. Your third senior brother cultivates Fire alone—igniting and burning things, the most aggressive. Your fourth senior sister has the best talent for Metal techniques; her Gengjin Sword Sha, paired with the Sword Wielding Art, is a killing move the moment she strikes. Your fifth senior brother has average aptitude and only learned the Earth Transformation Art, but in critical moments, he can hide or flee, which keeps him alive."

He paused, then summarized, "For your main cultivation, choose one and master it. For supplementary techniques, act within your means. You should understand the principle of biting off more than you can chew."

Shen Hui suddenly understood.

So it wasn't that his senior brothers and sisters didn't want to learn more—it was that their aptitudes limited them, and they couldn't force it.

As for himself...

He recalled the number under the "Daoist Cultivation" column on his "interface" and had a vague idea.

"Master," he looked up and said, "this disciple would like to first take a look at the Lesser Five Elements Art and see which one suits me."

Old Taoist Ji Chen nodded, stood up, and said, "Follow me."

Master and disciple left Chengxin Studio, crossed the courtyard, and arrived before an inconspicuous side room to the west of the Three Pure Ones Hall.

The old Daoist pushed open the door. The room was dimly lit, with a row of old wooden shelves against the wall, holding scrolls, books, boxes, and the like.

The old Daoist walked to a bookshelf near the back, reached up, and took down a yellowed silk manuscript, handing it to Shen Hui.

"This is a copy of the Lesser Five Elements Art. Take it and have a look. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me or your senior brothers and sisters."

Shen Hui accepted it with both hands. It felt slightly heavy in his hands.

The edges of the silk manuscript were already worn, clearly having been flipped through countless times.

He carefully unfolded a corner, revealing a dense array of hand seals and diagrams, with small regular script annotations beside them reading "Sharp Gold Chapter," "Wood Nurturing Chapter," "Control Water Chapter," "Control Fire Chapter," "Transform Earth Chapter," and so on.

"Thank you, Master, for passing down the method." He solemnly bowed.

Old Taoist Ji Chen waved his hand. "Go. Remember, cultivation is like climbing a mountain—one step at a time. The higher your cultivation, the higher you climb; the deeper your Dao, the deeper your footprints."

Shen Hui replied with an "Understood," cradling the silk scroll as he exited the side room, his heart secretly leaping with joy.

With this scroll in hand, he could try to sense which element he was most attuned to.

If fate favored him, he would ponder it on his own first.

If not... then he would wait until he had saved enough Dao Points and directly deepen them with blue points.

Back in his small room, Shen Hui couldn't wait to unroll the silk scroll, using the light filtering through the window paper to begin flipping through page by page.

The characters on the scroll were ancient and upright; each chapter had a preamble describing the nature of that element's spiritual energy, the method of sensing it, and the initial techniques for condensing it.

He first turned to the "Sharp Gold Chapter," focused his mind for a moment, and tried to follow the preamble's instructions, quietly sensing whether the spiritual energy within him resonated with the word "metal."

No reaction at all.

He then flipped to the "Transform Earth Chapter," sensed for a moment, but it still vanished like a stone sinking into the sea.

"Control Water Chapter"—no sensation.

"Wood Nurturing Chapter"—barely perceptible, ambiguous.

"Control Fire Chapter"...

His attention landed on this last chapter, and the mass of energy that had been quietly dormant deep in his dantian suddenly trembled slightly.

Very faint, almost imperceptible, but it truly trembled.

Joy surged in Shen Hui's heart. Holding his breath and concentrating, he sensed again.

This time, the faint tremor seemed a bit clearer.

It was as if something was pulsing deep in his dantian, subtly resonating with the descriptions of "fire" on the silk scroll.

"Control Fire..." he murmured to himself, the corners of his mouth gradually lifting.

It seemed he was fated with the fire element.