A Qi Sensation at Last

Time passed.

Ten days soon went by.

Over those ten days, Xu Changshou seized every moment to practice the breathing method, but all he gained was exhaustion at the end of each day.

Seeing how diligently Xu Changshou practiced, Zhang Zhengyuan stopped supervising him and left him to practice the breathing method on his own.

During this time, Zhang Zhengyuan hardly ever came out except to eat, spending each day meditating in the hidden room.

Xu Changshou vaguely suspected that Zhang Zhengyuan had suffered fairly serious internal injuries and needed to meditate daily to recover. Once his injuries healed, he would probably leave.

Xu Changshou had no idea when Zhang Zhengyuan would leave, so he buried himself in practicing the breathing method every day, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

A month later, Xu Changshou still had no qi sensation and could not help growing anxious.

Two months later, there was still no qi sensation, and anxiety burned in Xu Changshou like fire.

Three months soon passed, yet Xu Changshou still had not experienced the qi sensation Zhang Zhengyuan had described. He was close to despair.

One evening over dinner, Xu Changshou finally could not hold back any longer. "Daoist, does this belly-shrinking skill of yours actually work? I've practiced for three months, and nothing's happened."

Because the Six-Character Breathing Method required him to draw in his belly, Xu Changshou had privately dubbed it the belly-shrinking method. Hearing him say it aloud infuriated Zhang Zhengyuan. His face hardened as he snapped, "Nonsense! The Six-Character Breathing Method is an essential formula of the Mystic Sect. How could it be false? You can't sense Qi Sensation, and you blame my method? Outrageous! You're just stupid."

"Oh."

Xu Changshou nodded dejectedly, suddenly feeling disappointed in himself.

I'm only a cowherd. What right do I have to practice a superior immortal art? I'm simply too stupid. This superior immortal art isn't meant for me.

Ah, a cowherd is just a cowherd, and I still dream of becoming an immortal?

What a fool's fantasy.

Xu Changshou felt miserable and silently lowered his head to eat. Seeing this, Zhang Zhengyuan shook his head slightly and softened his tone. "Changshou, haste gets you nowhere."

Xu Changshou scratched his head. "What does that mean?"

Zhang Zhengyuan said, "You're too impatient."

"I'm too impatient?"

Yes, yes, that's it.

Xu Changshou nodded in wholehearted agreement.

Zhang Zhengyuan was right. He had indeed been too impatient, anxious from the moment he began practicing the breathing method, afraid he would fail to sense Qi Sensation before Zhang Zhengyuan left.

From that day onward, Xu Changshou settled his mind. He practiced for four hours a day and ate and drank as usual.

Sensing Qi Sensation would be ideal, but if he could not, he would lose nothing. At worst, he could simply keep being a cowherd.

One morning three days later.

Xu Changshou sat meditating, facing east. Golden sunlight fell over him, filling his body with warmth. That warmth transformed into a gentle, heated energy and entered his body.

At that moment, Xu Changshou entered a state of sudden enlightenment. His surroundings slowly faded from his awareness, and he felt only that he was growing warmer and warmer, almost burning hot.

At the same time, more and more warm currents entered Xu Changshou's body.

Soon, those currents gathered at the hundred convergences point on the crown of his head, condensing into a golden thread about an inch long.

The golden thread wandered merrily through his meridians. Starting at the hundred convergences point, it traveled from the crown of his head into his body, reaching his shoulders one moment, his palms the next, then the soles of his feet. After making a circuit through his body, it finally settled at the origin pass point in his abdomen, becoming a golden speck of light like a tiny star.

The golden speck emitted a faint golden glow, continuously illuminating Xu Changshou's body. Like a miniature sun, it warmed his entire body.

Boom!

Suddenly, the speck of light vanished. Xu Changshou's awareness returned to reality, and only then did he realize he was sitting cross-legged in the courtyard.

What just happened? Could it be...

A qi sensation.

Wild with joy, Xu Changshou immediately tried to visualize the golden speck of light, only to find that he could not sense it no matter how hard he tried.

What's going on? Did the qi sensation run away?

"Huh? How did I get stronger?"

To his astonishment, Xu Changshou discovered that his strength had increased enormously for no apparent reason. It now rivaled an adult's.

This was truly incredible. Xu Changshou was only twelve; although he often did hard labor, his strength had never been a match for an adult's.

"It must be a qi sensation. There's no mistake. I'll ask the Daoist."

Xu Changshou knocked on Zhang Zhengyuan's door. When it opened, he pointed to his belly and said, "Daoist, I felt a golden speck of light here just now. Is that a qi sensation?"

"Impossible!"

The word burst from Zhang Zhengyuan's mouth, his face full of astonishment...

Xu Changshou asked in confusion, "What's impossible?"

Zhang Zhengyuan hurriedly concealed his astonishment and placed his fingers on Xu Changshou's pulse. After a long while, a look of wonder appeared on his face. "How strange, how strange. This boy actually has a spiritual root."

"Good, good, very good. Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Suddenly, Zhang Zhengyuan's eyes shone as he looked at Xu Changshou, and even his tone became remarkably warm.

His stare made Xu Changshou's skin crawl. He urged, "What's a spiritual root? Daoist, tell me already. Is this a qi sensation?"

With an inscrutable air, Zhang Zhengyuan said, "Indeed. That is a qi sensation."

Xu Changshou was overjoyed. "A qi sensation! Wonderful! I've finally sensed qi!"

Zhang Zhengyuan said solemnly, "I taught you the Six-Character Breathing Method precisely because I could tell you had a spiritual root. Otherwise, did you think a mere cowherd like you would qualify to practice this supreme immortal art?"

In truth, a spiritual root could not be seen with the naked eye. Special testing artifacts were needed.

Whether someone had a spiritual root, and what kind it was, could be determined with a single test using such an artifact.

Zhang Zhengyuan had taught Xu Changshou the breathing method because the boy had saved his life, and he still needed Xu Changshou to do things for him while he recovered.

So he had simply taught Xu Changshou the Six-Character Breathing Method. Whether or not Xu Changshou had a spiritual root, giving him the breathing method counted as repaying the debt.

He had never imagined that Xu Changshou really would have a spiritual root. Among ordinary people, the odds were less than one in ten thousand.

"Thank you, Daoist. Thank you for nurturing me." Xu Changshou's face was full of gratitude, and he privately counted himself fortunate.

"Oh, right... Your disciple pays his respects, Master."

Suddenly remembering something, Xu Changshou bowed down before Zhang Zhengyuan.

Only then had he remembered Zhang Zhengyuan's promise to accept him as a disciple once he sensed Qi Sensation.

"What are you doing?"

Startled, Zhang Zhengyuan hastily stepped back.

Xu Changshou said earnestly, "You said you'd take me as your disciple once I had a qi sensation."

"Did I say that?"

"Yes!"

"All right, all right! My good disciple, get some rest early today. Tomorrow morning, I'll teach you a true immortal art." Zhang Zhengyuan could not help smiling.

"A true immortal art! Wonderful! Master, once I've learned a true immortal art, does that mean I won't have to go hungry anymore?" Xu Changshou's face brimmed with anticipation.

Thump!

Zhang Zhengyuan casually flicked Xu Changshou on the forehead and snapped, "You ambitionless brat! All you think about is eating."

"With a true immortal art, you can ascend to the heavens and descend into the earth, ride clouds and command mist, subdue demons and vanquish fiends, Sword-Flying..."

"Sword-Flying?"

Xu Changshou was filled with anticipation.

Zhang Zhengyuan swept his broad sleeve and declared with lofty disdain, "With a flying sword beneath your feet, you can roam freely through heaven and earth. What boundless freedom!"

At the thought of one day mastering Sword-Flying, Xu Changshou grew so excited that he began to drool.