Six Rectitudes, Six Sustentions

Six Rectitudes, Six Sustentions

Zhang Yu meditated within the Forest Garden Lodge for the night. At sunrise the next day, an attendant came knocking, asking everyone to gather in the main hall, where someone from the Profound Residence would be giving instruction.

He left the lodge with the excited students and arrived at a pavilion hall east of the main hall. It was spacious and bright, its floor already swept clean, with many plain, spotless meditation cushions laid out. Wisps of green smoke curled up from the bronze incense burner.

The students were all brimming with anticipation. After courteously yielding to one another for a while, they each chose a cushion and sat down, bright-eyed and alert.

After they had waited some time, a chime rang out. Knowing that the instructor was about to arrive, all the students rose to greet him.

Amid the sound of footsteps, a refined young man entered from outside. He wore a broad-sleeved Daoist robe and bore a warm smile. Walking slowly onto the raised platform, he faced the students, raised his hands in salute, and said, "Fellow disciples, my name is Fan Lan. At the chief's request, I've come to guide you in your cultivation."

The students returned the salute with clasped hands.

Once the formalities were over, both sides sat down amid mutual invitations.

Rather than immediately speaking of the Dao teachings, Fan Lan first asked how everyone had rested the previous night and whether the food had suited their tastes. He also casually recounted an amusing story from when he had first entered the Profound Residence. Before they realized it, the students' initially restless excitement had gradually been soothed.

Though Fan Lan wore a genial smile, he had been quietly observing everyone's moods. Once the atmosphere had settled enough, he turned to the main topic. "Since you junior brothers have seen the Seal of the Great Dao, you may be considered to have entered the gate of Mystic Cultivation..."

The students immediately perked up as he continued, "Ordinarily, after planting the Self-Existence Seal, six seals should emerge: the eye, ear, mouth, nose, body, and intent. These are the Six Rectitudes, also called the Six Sustentions! All Seal Glyphs you read in the future will arise from these Six Seals. They are the root veins of all seals. Yet because each person's karmic affinity and foundation differ, most people cannot see all Six Seals when first planting the Self-Existence Seal. I wonder, junior brothers, how many did you see yesterday?"

The students looked at one another, but no one stepped forward to answer.

Fan Lan smiled and directly called on Zheng Yu. "Junior Brother Zheng Yu, you were the one who stood up to ask a question yesterday. Why don't you speak first today as well?"

Zheng Yu hurriedly stood up and said somewhat sheepishly, "Senior Brother Fan, after I planted the Self-Existence Seal yesterday, I only saw one seal—the Seal of Speech."

Fan Lan smiled. "Very good. Junior Brother Zheng, no need to be restrained. We belong to the same sect; I'm not your elder teacher. You may speak while seated."

His gaze shifted, landing on Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu's thoughts turned. Yesterday, he had seen all six Seal Glyphs. According to his teacher, only he himself could see the Great Dao Unified Text, but he wasn't sure whether the same applied to the Profound Text. He thus decided to test it.

He said, "I saw three Seal Glyphs: the Seal of Speech, the Seal of Intent, and the Body Seal."

Fan Lan's eyes lit up. "Not bad, not bad."

The moment Bai Qingqing saw this, he spoke up loudly before Fan Lan could ask him. "I also saw three Seal Glyphs: the Eye Seal, Ear Seal, and Nose Seal."

Fan Lan nodded repeatedly. "Good, good."

Seeing this, the remaining students reported what they had seen one by one. Apart from three who had perceived two Seal Glyphs, most had seen only one, while three had not seen even a single Seal Glyph.

Seeing those three pale with anxiety, Fan Lan comforted them. "Three junior brothers, there's no need to panic. You merely invested too little Divine Essence when reading the Self-Existence Seal. Carefully accumulate your Divine Essence afterward, and you will certainly be able to see them."

One student asked uneasily, "Our Divine Essence is scant and weak. Does that mean we have no hope of cultivating the Dao?"

Fan Lan smiled. "How could that be? A person's Divine Essence is fixed over the course of their life—it is what it is. While the amount of Divine Essence drawn forth the first time differs from person to person, the overall difference is not great. As long as you accumulate enough Divine Essence and read the Self-Existence Seal again, you will be able to see all six Seal Glyphs one by one. The others have merely taken a step ahead of you. It isn't as though you cannot catch up."

Only then did the three students set their minds at ease.

Those students who had seen only one Seal Glyph had also been uneasy. Hearing this, they breathed a sigh of relief and regained some confidence.

Fan Lan had not actually told the truth.

There were, in fact, differences between people—at times, differences so vast they defied imagination.

Some were born with abundant Divine Essence, even several times greater than an ordinary person's. That meant they could read more Great Dao Seal Glyphs than others. He had personally witnessed such extraordinary geniuses before.

He glanced at Zhang Yu and Bai Qingqing, secretly nodding. After planting the Self-Existence Seal, these two were able to see three Seal Glyphs. Their foundations should be the strongest among this year's new disciples.

With that thought passing through his mind, he spoke again. "Junior brothers, so that you may read the Dao seals smoothly, I will now teach you a breathing method. It can be used to accumulate Divine Essence. I hope you will remember it carefully."

At once, the students straightened their backs, their expressions turning solemn.

Fan Lan smiled, then recited a method for regulating breath in obscure and profound Celestial Xia Ancient Speech.

It wasn't that he intended to show off. Only in this way could the original meaning of the breathing method be expressed more accurately.

That was also why everyone seated here was a student of Taiyang Academy. Each had received a proper Celestial Xia education; all knew etiquette and letters and could understand the artistic conception and deeper expressions conveyed through the ancient speech.

Otherwise, even if one could read the words, one might not understand what was truly being said.

Zhang Yu listened carefully and found the breathing method relatively simple, perfectly suited for beginners who had never encountered such things before. But whether it could accumulate much Divine Essence was another matter.

Based on his experience, it also required the support and replenishment of medicinal pills—the so-called Internal Fortification and External Supplementation.

Still, though he didn't believe this breathing method would be useful to him, he had to put on the necessary appearance.

After deliberately waiting for a moment, he tried breathing in and out several times and more or less grasped its key.

Fan Lan secretly observed the students' performance, paying special attention to Zhang Yu and Bai Qingqing.

He discovered that the two went about it differently.

Zhang Yu first pondered it at length, but once he formally began, he mastered the breathing method very quickly.

Bai Qingqing, on the other hand, seemed full of confidence. From the very start, he boldly attempted it according to his own understanding. After a slight stumble, he soon found the correct rhythm.

Fan Lan thought to himself, One plans before acting, valuing thought and consideration; the other relies entirely on innate talent, valuing intent and heart. In cultivating the Dao, perhaps the latter kind will travel farther... though that isn't certain. Mm, I should make a note of this and present it to Senior Brother Xiang for review later.

After all, everyone present was outstanding among their peers. After trying for nearly half a Xia hour, even the slowest among them had gained an initial grasp of the breathing method.

Fan Lan nodded in satisfaction. "Divine Essence is the foundation of reading Dao seals. I hope all junior brothers will cultivate diligently."

The students all answered loudly in agreement. They had only just entered the gate of Dao cultivation, and their enthusiasm was at its peak. No one needed to urge them; they would naturally pour all their energy into it.

After giving his instructions, Fan Lan looked toward Zhang Yu and Bai Qingqing. "Junior Brother Bai, Junior Brother Zhang, um... and you few as well." He pointed out several more students, rose to his feet, and said, "Come with me." With that, he turned and headed toward the back of the pavilion hall.

The students also rose one after another and followed in his footsteps.

Once they left the rear hall, they found themselves in a garden. Within stood a covered garden corridor and pavilion, with artificial hills and ponds on both sides. All around grew tea flowers of every color, their tender hearts and delicate blossoms fresh and lustrous after the rain, filling the air with a faint fragrance.

Fan Lan chose a spot behind the stone table in the pavilion and sat down. Pressing his hand downward, he invited them, "No need for ceremony. Sit."

Once everyone had taken their seats, he said conversationally, "Junior brothers, all of you have seen at least two of the Six Rectitude Seals. This shows that your Divine Essence is abundant, and your progress will certainly be faster than that of others. Therefore, I will not teach you as I would ordinary people."

Hearing this, the three students who had seen two Seal Glyphs couldn't help but feel stirred. They suddenly felt they weren't so inferior after all. Though they seemed unable to compare with Zhang Yu and Bai Qingqing, they at least belonged among the foremost group.

Fan Lan sighed. "We cultivators of the Dao rely on the Seal of the Great Dao. Yet it contains countless principles. Even with only the first chapter of the Great Dao, it is impossible for a cultivator to read it all and understand it all."

At this point, he pointed to himself. "Thus, one must use limited Divine Essence to find a thread of Mystic Opportunity that accords with oneself, then use it to break free and undergo a transformation of heart and body. Only then can one be considered complete. At that time, one will be qualified to knock upon the next chapter of the Seal Scripture."

"Senior Brother Fan, where are we to seek this Mystic Opportunity?"

The one who spoke was Bai Qingqing. He stared unblinkingly at Fan Lan, looking exceedingly eager for an answer.

Fan Lan smiled. "Naturally, you begin with the Seal Glyph most suited to your own nature. And that is the one you first saw yesterday."

The students froze, unable to help feeling troubled. For those who had seen only one Seal Glyph, the choice was easy. But everyone here had seen at least two, and they had appeared simultaneously, seemingly without any order. So which one was truly most compatible with them?

Someone couldn't help asking, "Senior Brother Fan, if we saw two Seal Glyphs, which one should we choose?"

Fan Lan smiled and pointed around them. "When you entered this place, what was your first impression?"

The student thought for a moment. "It felt quite warm and comfortable."

Fan Lan pointed at another student. "And you?"

The student he pointed to was slightly bashful. "I only saw a garden full of spring."

Fan Lan laughed. "Then do you now know what each of you should choose?"

Everyone immediately understood.

Although Zhang Yu had other means of replenishing Divine Essence, he didn't take Fan Lan's words lightly. He carefully considered how he had felt upon entering just now. It seems the first Seal Glyph I should read is this one.