Born in Harmony with the Dao

The three followed the instructions and began circulating their qi once more.

This time, they did not dare use overly forceful intent. They only guided it gently, letting the spiritual energy flow along their meridians.

Yet the spiritual energy seemed to turn into a pool of congealed mercury. Their consciousness could not stir it at all.

Using intent was too much, but without intent, they could not guide the spiritual energy.

At last, they understood why mastering the proper degree of force was so difficult.

At the same time, they understood why Chen Qingxuan thought so highly of Zhou Qing.

Without the protection or guidance of an elder, he had broken through the Twelvefold Gates and completed a Heavenly Cycle in just one night.

The more they learned about Zhou Qing, the more they marveled at his almost unsolvable comprehension.

Wang Xiaohu had the most carefree temperament. Seeing that he could not move the spiritual energy, he stopped and wanted to see whether Wei Xu and Nie Yunxi had succeeded.

Wei Xu was still slowly adjusting his intent. Bit by bit, he strengthened his will, trying to gradually approach that perfectly measured degree of force.

Nie Yunxi, however, thought that with her martial uncle beside her, this was the perfect time to try without worry.

Rather than patiently testing the proper degree of force bit by bit, she suddenly raised her consciousness by a notch, wanting to see whether the force was now too strong or still insufficient.

If it was still not enough, she would raise her consciousness by another notch. That way, she could reach the right degree of force sooner.

This time, the force was indeed still lacking. The spiritual energy remained like mercury, stagnant at the Jade Stair Passage and utterly motionless, though it had begun to sway faintly.

She raised her consciousness by another large notch.

The spiritual energy at the Jade Stair Passage seemed to be provoked, suddenly shooting forward.

The previous state occurred again.

Chen Qingxuan was about to step forward to soothe her spiritual energy when a figure suddenly flashed out from the side and reached out to press Nie Yunxi's shoulder.

Chen Qingxuan was startled and was about to stop him. But once he saw that it was Zhou Qing, he halted.

He knew Zhou Qing was not a reckless person. Moreover, he was Nie Yunxi's friend; he would never joke with her path of cultivation, much less her life.

Zhou Qing pinched several acupoints on Nie Yunxi's right shoulder with his right hand while making her lean forward against him. Then, with his left hand, he pressed several acupoints near her groin and forcefully twisted her body.

He was not familiar with the human body's acupoints. But when he sensed Nie Yunxi's condition through the magnetic field, he discovered that her overall electromagnetic signals were clashing with the spiritual energy within her body. The electromagnetic signals at several acupoints in particular were even more abnormal, revealing an incongruity with the state of her entire body.

So, following his instinctive sense, he altered Nie Yunxi's electromagnetic signals by adjusting her posture.

Nie Yunxi's condition indeed improved.

She had originally been suffering the pain of rampaging spiritual energy, her expression twisted with distress. Then, all at once, she felt the spiritual energy within her become docile.

Her consciousness and spiritual energy seemed to enter a harmonious state. She slowly guided the spiritual energy along her meridians.

Nie Yunxi had no time to think further. She did her best to remember her current degree of force and continued guiding the spiritual energy onward. But when it reached the Platform Passage, it refused to go any farther no matter what she did, instead suddenly retreating to the Jade Stair Passage.

Still wanting more, Nie Yunxi ended her qi circulation.

She opened her eyes, only to discover that she was leaning against Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing's right hand was pinching the acupoints on her right shoulder, while his left arm curled around her body to press the acupoints near her groin. Their cheeks were pressed together. From the look of it, they seemed to be embracing.

A flush immediately flew across her face.

Seeing that she had finished circulating her qi, Zhou Qing released her, rose to his feet, and asked, "Junior Sister, how do you feel?"

Nie Yunxi was mortified. Why had Senior Brother suddenly become so frivolous too? How could he ask her about that kind of feeling in public?

Ah, no. Senior Brother was asking how qi circulation felt.

Ning Yunxi, what are you thinking?

She hurriedly gathered her thoughts and carefully described her experience just now. Then she said, "I had already guided the qi to the Platform Passage, but I do not know why the spiritual energy suddenly retreated to the Jade Stair Passage."

Chen Qingxuan said, "That is normal. The spiritual energy within your body is insufficient, not enough to break through the Platform Passage, so it naturally retreats. As long as you remember what you experienced just now, circulate your qi according to that degree of force in the future. Once your spiritual energy has accumulated sufficiently, you may try to break through the Platform Passage."

Then he looked at Zhou Qing with a solemn expression and asked, "How did you do that?"

Zhou Qing shook his head. "I cannot explain it either. I only felt that such a posture could help her adjust her mind and spirit, so I naturally did it."

Chen Qingxuan fell silent. After a long while, he finally sighed and smiled. "It is said that there is a kind of genius in this world whose mind and spirit are naturally in harmony with the Dao. Whatever cultivation art they see, they understand at a glance; whatever obstacle they encounter in cultivation, they solve at a glance."

"I never believed such people existed. Now it seems that I was simply too ignorant and inexperienced."

"Cultivators can indeed use physical postures and movements to help adjust the proper degree of force. Our Azure Cloud Sect has also compiled many movements, even techniques for exhaling and vocalizing, to help disciples adjust their degree of force under various circumstances."

"However, such techniques are ultimately generalized using others as templates. When applied to oneself, circumstances will inevitably differ."

"Compared with your impromptu guidance, they fall short by more than one level."

Zhou Qing had thought Chen Qingxuan would ask him to help guide the disciples in circulating their qi, just as he had asked him to sense spiritual energy and stand guard for the disciples.

Who would have thought Chen Qingxuan showed no sign of such an intention at all, simply setting the matter aside as though nothing had happened.

The other disciples returned to sensing spiritual energy.

Nie Yunxi and the other two attempted to circulate their qi.

After Zhou Qing helped them adjust their degree of force several times, the three finally gradually grasped it and were able to try guiding the spiritual energy themselves.

Having finally succeeded, the three could not bear to waste a single moment and immediately immersed themselves in circulating their qi.

After two hours had passed, Chen Qingxuan woke them and said, "That is enough for today. Qi circulation must not exceed two hours each day."

Wei Xu, still wanting more, asked, "Why is that? This disciple still feels that he has strength to spare."

Chen Qingxuan said, "The process of circulating qi is also the process of compressing spiritual energy within the meridians. The compressed spiritual energy places immense pressure on and damages the meridians. At the same time, as the spiritual energy circulates through the body, it nourishes the meridians and the body, strengthening both."

"There is a balance between these two."

"After millions of years of exploration in the Cultivation World, the final conclusion was that cultivating for two hours each day is most suitable. Any longer will damage one's cultivation foundation. Therefore, you must not greedily pursue progress. Steadiness must come first in all things."

Only then did the three understand the reason, and they immediately agreed respectfully.

Zhou Qing also came to a sudden realization.

No wonder that after two hours of qi circulation his first time, he had felt an indescribable exhaustion and weakness. The magnetic field's drain on his energy was certainly one reason, but his body being pressured by the compressed spiritual energy and unconsciously taking protective measures was likely another.

It seemed that once he could cultivate on his own in the future, he would also need to exercise restraint rather than greedily pursue progress and damage his own cultivation foundation.