The Way of Consuming Essence, Innate Cleansing of the Fetus

Upon receiving the order, Li Xian immediately went to collect the staff. Everything comes at a price; the "Essence Consumption" method, which can be exchanged for twenty large staffs, is something many people seek but cannot obtain.

"A cane made of brambles is needed," Madam Wen added softly.

"Yes!" Li Xian gritted her teeth slightly.

This ordeal was truly unpleasant.

Madam Wen watched his retreating figure, a smile playing on her lips. She weighed the pros and cons in her mind.

"This boy is only sixteen years old, Blood Qi, so it's perfectly normal for him to have strange dreams at night. The reason I'm letting him suffer the pain now is not to discourage him, but to make him both love and fear me, so that I can use him like an arm."

Madam Wen thought again, "People are trapped by their appearance, and I am no exception. Although this child is someone I have the intention to cultivate because of my brother, his appearance is not bad and his talent is not bad. I don't even feel repulsed by his presence."

With a flick of her sleeve, all the delicacies on the table were discarded. Intrigued, she secretly followed to observe.

She saw Li Xian walk straight into a dark room. This was the "Punishment Room," specifically for punishing those who made mistakes.

The "Grade-C House Guard" take turns working every day.

"Commander Li."

When the Guard saw Li Xian, they thought Li Xian was here on patrol and hurriedly came to greet him.

"I'm here to receive my punishment." Li Xian frowned and then relaxed when he saw the Thorn Staff in the corner. His Heart Lake naturally calm as he pondered, "Martial Dao methods in this world are easy to obtain? Since that lady said she was willing to teach me the Essence Consumption Method, it proves that my methods Wu Cuo."

"She came to punish me with a cane, not to punish me, but to frighten me. So, she'll only be happy if I suffer enough."

Although Li Xian was inexperienced, he knew what he wanted and could also guess what his wife wanted.

"To be... to be punished?" The Guard was taken aback.

"Indeed, the lady has sent me to collect twenty large lashes, and they must be Thorn Staff. Come, then."

"This is the Madam's order. You all must not hold back out of respect for the commander. Otherwise, you will be the ones receiving the cane!"

Li Xian was already lying face down on the bench.

"Then... then... Commander Li... I apologize for offending you."

The two men took out their Thorn Staff, channeled their Inner Qi, and struck the Thorn Staff on the backs.

Unless it was a serious crime, a beating on the buttocks with a wooden stick was considered enough to get by.

Only by angering the lady would she resort to the Thorn Staff, enough to make someone faint from the pain.

After several blows, Li Xian's back was a bloody mess, with blood gushing from numerous holes. The sight was horrifying, making the Guard shudder.

Madam Wen observed secretly, then nodded slightly. "The Thorn Staff, soaked in salt water, pierces the flesh; the pain is etched deep within. Since this child has achieved such a feat, passing on the art of 'Essence Consumption' to him is not a bad idea."

"One day, they will all be of use to me."

When she was young Jianghu, she had countless suitors. She enjoyed making them suffer for her, and the more pitiful their cries, the happier she was. Although she has grown older and more experienced, she has lost that interest.

Seeing Li Xian remain silent, his eyes resolute, enduring pain while concealing a sharp edge, they suddenly turned their attention to him.

Half an hour later.

Li Xian simply applied a plaster to "Blood Solidification and Aperture Closure" to prevent excessive blood loss.

He put on a cloth robe and walked towards the Inner Court.

"Commander Li, won't you take a rest?" the Guard with a cane asked cautiously.

"No." Li Xian's face was pale, but her eyes were bright. She was playing the victim, so she couldn't delay for even a moment.

The caning was excessive.

But the pain persisted; every step aggravated the injury on his back, and the pain was indescribable. After walking for a short while, the cloth covering his back was soaked with blood and stuck to his skin.

"I hope Madam keeps her word and didn't let me suffer this beating for nothing."

Li Xian muttered something to himself, then went straight into the Inner Court. Upon seeing the lady, he cupped his hands and said, "Madam, I have returned with my cane."

"Turn around," Madam Wen said. After Li Xian turned around, revealing the terrible state of her back, her voice softened slightly. "Does it still hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt," Li Xian shook her head.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Madam Wen gently flicked her hand, and a gust of qi blew by. Li Xian's back felt as if it were being cut by a knife.

Madam Wen said, "You mustn't hide anything from me. How could I not know if you're in pain or not?"

"This time you've learned your lesson and must not repeat it."

Li Xian shook his head and said, "Li Xian dares not agree." Madam Wen frowned slightly.

Li Xian added, "Thoughts are beyond our control. I will certainly restrain my desires, but I cannot guarantee it completely, otherwise I would be deceiving you, Madam."

Madam Wen then relaxed her brows, "It's good that you're aware of this."

"The way of Essence Consumption... Speaking of which, Pang Long once asked me about it, but I didn't answer. Do you know why?"

Li Xian shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Madam Wen laughed and said, "Of course he's not qualified. Reaching the first realm of food essence is considered the beginning of a transformation. But how can a martial artist who has undergone a transformation be just a charlatan? If he were, wouldn't he be looked down upon?"

"I look down on him, so I'm too lazy to spread the word."

"To be honest, the art of Essence Consumption is really nothing special in my eyes."

Li Xian felt sorry for Pang Long. Pang Long was loyal and devoted, yet he failed to win the favor of his wife. At the same time, she thought that if it weren't for her Younger Brother's ambition, leaving the manor would have been far better than staying there.

"You must have learned quite a bit about the so-called 'Essence Consumption' from Pang Long," Madam Wen said leisurely. "Why don't you first share your insights?"

Li Xian truthfully replied, "The Essence Consumption Realm involves digesting the Heaven and Earth Essence, causing the innate Clay Embryo to begin its transformation."

"That's right, I told Pang Long these things. The fact that he told you these things shows that you two have a good relationship." Madam Wen knew that Pang Long was loyal, and the fact that Li Xian was close to Pang Long further confirmed that he was also loyal.

He then added, "Did Pang Long also say that Clay Embryo martial artist, through diligent practice, first fills his Qi Lake, then circulates Qi Circulation Through the Heavens, and finally stabilizes his blood and closes his orifices, thus achieving initial success?"

"After that... one can try to consume Essence Food and Essence Soup, allowing the Heaven and Earth Essence to enter the body, continuously entering and dissipating, repeating this process over and over again. This process is called 'Fetal Washing.'"

Li Xian nodded; he had indeed learned this from Pang Long.

"If I'm not mistaken, you are undergoing Fetal Washing. Is there any Essence Treasure to eat in Black River Village?" Madam Wen asked.

Li Xian felt there was no need to hide the matter of Crab Treasure, and that it was perfectly acceptable to talk about it, so he recounted the story of Crab Treasure.

"I see."

Madam Wen nodded, but she looked down on this paltry sum. "Take Pang Long's words with a grain of salt; they're not entirely true. He only has a superficial understanding of the 'Essence Consumption Realm,' and the fact that he exhibited Essence Consumption characteristics was purely accidental. In my opinion, he's still a Leaking Embryo individual."

Even if you reach the Essence Consumption Realm, it's still just so-so.

"Leaking Embryo? What is Leaking Embryo?" Li Xian asked.

"If the Fetal Washing is not done properly, it will naturally result in Leaking Embryo," Madam Wen said. "The only way, without any proper methods, is to seal the Heaven and Earth Essence within the body for as long as possible."

"That's indeed true; it allows the body to retain the Heaven and Earth Essence, and to more quickly develop the characteristics of Essence Consumption."

But that's not right.

"When a martial artist Clay Embryo from clay, the Heaven and Earth Essence inevitably dissipates. The real task during the Fetal Washing stage is to guide the dissipation of this Heaven and Earth Essence. By allowing it to dissipate along the meridians and acupoints, the impurities of the embryo are truly expelled; only then can it be considered a true 'cleansing'."

"Therefore, some scions of aristocratic Aristocratic Clan began Consumption Essence Soup and undergoing a process of Fetal Washing's from a young age."

"When he is able to Qi Circulation Through the Heavens and Blood Solidification and Aperture Closure in the future, then we can let nature take its course, gradually retain the Heaven and Earth Essence, and try to truly digest it. In the end, he will naturally enter the 'Essence Consumption Realm'."

Li Xian asked, "So, in fact, one doesn't need to Qi Circulation Through the Heavens or Blood Solidification and Aperture Closure to Consumption Essence Food?"

"Yes," the lady said, "The so-called first Qi Circulation Through the Heavens, then Blood Solidification and Aperture Closure, and finally retaining the Heaven and Earth Essence —that's just a misconception held by unorthodox practitioners."

"They had no other options and could only guess. Naturally, they came to this conclusion. In reality, most self-taught martial artists don't even consciously Fetal Washing."

"Those who persist for a long time may eventually become martial artists who Essence Consumption, but that's all they'll achieve. As for immortality, that's out of the question."

"You thought so before, didn't you?"

Li Xian wiped away a cold sweat, unsure whether it was the severe pain in his back that caused him to sweat profusely, or the realization that what he had heard and understood was actually a misguided path, but he felt a wave of fear.

"Indeed... I thought what Commander Pang said made a lot of sense, so..."

Madam Wen smiled, "Since you're working for me, you're no longer considered a nobody with no connections."

"I have a scroll called 'The Innate Fetal-Washing Diagram,' which you should memorize. It records the flow of the Heaven and Earth Essence and the method for removing the impurities from the fetus within the body."

"Once the impurities of the womb are washed away, the body becomes clear and transparent, and all the turbidity is gone, one is not far from the realm of nourishing essence."

Li Xian accepted the painting depicting the Fetal Washing, his joy barely concealed. This ordeal of torture had not been in vain after all. As people often say, everything is difficult at the beginning. The most difficult part is that if you make a mistake at the beginning, everything will be in vain.

Li Xian asked, "Madam, I have another question I would like to ask for an answer."

"Speak." Madam Wen nodded.

"Are there any martial artists in this world who, after being cleansed by the Heaven and Earth Essence, gradually develop extraordinary appearances and phenomena?" Li Xian asked.

"You mean the 'Transformed Aspect'?" Madam Wen nodded and said, "The Martial Dao path is vast, and there is indeed Transformed Aspect, and quite a few of them, but this matter is far removed from you, and you don't need to know about it for now."

Madam Wen sized up Li Xian, "Martial artists must avoid being overly ambitious. You should first master the 'Fetal Washing Technique.' It just so happens that I need to start cooking Essence Food tomorrow."

You can give it a try.

Commander's Compound.

Li Xian summoned two maids who did laundry to help apply the medicine. He lay on the bed, his back covered in blood, a shocking sight. The maids were afraid of hurting Li Xian, so they tried their best to be gentle, but Li Xian still frowned from time to time in pain.

"What exactly did this commander do to deserve such punishment from the madam?" the maid asked curiously.

Li Xian was engrossed in the painting of Fetal Washing.

"I see... I see..."

"The process of Fetal Washing, which is often overlooked, is precisely the most important step."

Li Xian suddenly realized the truth and felt a chill of fear. On the path of Martial Dao, one might be able to rely on oneself in the later stages, but without a guide in the early stages, it was truly impossible.

"The Innate Fetal-Washing Diagram... uses intention and Qi as the guide, and body and breath as the lead, to make the Heaven and Earth Essence conform to the texture, lines, and meridians of the physical body. From the surface to the inside, from the shallow to the deep, it gradually washes away the five turbidities and impurities, revealing the True Form of the embryo."

"First wash the skin and flesh of the limbs, then wash all the acupoints, internal organs, and orifices... until the whole body is thoroughly cleansed, free from impurities, and the mind is clear and true."

What's so difficult about entering the Essence Consumption Realm?

"Start preparing Essence Food tomorrow, and try this 'Fetal Washing' method. The quality of the Essence Food my wife makes will definitely be better than that mountain crab..."

Li Xian's eyes were bright; the Great Dao of Essence Consumption had dispersed the clouds and mist, and was right before his eyes.