The Method of Opening Apertures

Seeing Tieniu's delighted expression, Lin Bei decided to douse him with a bucket of cold water first.

"Tieniu, you want to take an unconventional path to the Dao, entering through the ultimate. Do you know what that means?"

"Please enlighten me, Master," Tieniu said respectfully.

Lin Bei did not keep him guessing and spoke directly.

"Entering the Dao through the ultimate means putting in effort beyond what others can imagine."

Lin Bei accepted the tea Zhang Teng handed him and continued.

"It means setting everything else aside and immersing yourself in it without a single distracting thought."

"Most importantly..."

At this point, Lin Bei looked up at Tieniu, who was kneeling before him.

Tieniu also raised his head, his face full of longing.

"No matter how hard you work or how deeply you immerse yourself, you may still end up drawing water with a bamboo basket-empty-handed."

"You may never understand its principles or cross its threshold."

Lin Bei took a sip of tea and asked solemnly, "Even so, do you still want to cultivate?"

Tieniu said with unwavering resolve, "I want to cultivate. Please teach me the cultivation method, Master!"

Lin Bei breathed a sigh of relief. In any case, he had more or less laid all the necessary groundwork.

If Tieniu really failed to master it, that would hardly have anything to do with him.

With that thought, Lin Bei spoke directly.

"If you want to cultivate, you must understand the ultimate way."

He immediately delivered the explanation he had cobbled together from the Tao Te Ching.

"The core of the ultimate way lies in the Dao, not in the ultimate. As the saying goes, the Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things. The Dao contains all things, and conversely, all things contain the Dao!"

Although he was teaching Tieniu, Zhang Teng was listening attentively beside them as well.

He understood that Lin Bei was imparting the Dao. If he could comprehend it, the benefits would be endless.

"Tieniu, the ultimate way means taking something to its utmost limit, breaking beyond that limit, and ultimately glimpsing the truth of the Great Dao. Do you understand?"

Tieniu nodded. "I understand! No matter how you cultivate, as long as you reach the utmost limit, all paths will ultimately lead to the same destination."

Those words about different paths leading to the same destination showed genuine insight, and Lin Bei nodded in satisfaction.

"Tieniu, you were born with little aptitude for comprehending yin-yang, but your physical talents surpass those of ordinary people. Today, I will teach you the method of opening apertures. Remember, you must push your training to the utmost to sense the power of heaven and earth!"

"Once you can sense Heaven-and-Earth Spiritual Power and draw it into your aperture points, your cultivation path will be established!"

Excited, Tieniu listened carefully to every word.

"Please bestow the method upon me, Master!"

Lin Bei immediately said,

"The human body has three hundred and sixty-five major aperture points, including heavenly protrusion, jade pivot, flowery canopy, purple palace, jade hall, chest center, central courtyard, great palace..."

"When practicing Tai Chi, do not focus on sensing its true essence or comprehending the method of breath absorption. Instead, blaze a new trail and let your aperture points resonate with Heaven-and-Earth Spiritual Power in your place!"

"Let your body's instincts sense heaven and earth for you!"

"When your body can instinctively absorb and release Heaven-and-Earth Spiritual Power, you will have crossed the threshold!"

Compared with the Breath-Absorbing Art he had taught Zhang Teng, the method Lin Bei imparted this time was vastly improved.

He had not only incorporated his previous knowledge, but also fabricated this cultivation method using his insights from body refining, breaking Tai Chi's limits a second time, and the Tai Chi Breath-Absorbing Art!

Although he lacked the talent to master it himself, its theoretical foundations were absolutely solid!

He had already paved the road. Whether Tieniu could succeed was entirely up to Tieniu himself.

"Go! Pursue your Dao."

"Yes, Master!"

Tieniu's fighting spirit blazed.

Just then,

Zhang Teng suddenly asked cautiously, "Master, this aperture method is truly exquisite. If one could open the body's aperture points and combine it with the Tai Chi Breath-Channeling Method, wouldn't cultivation speed multiply? May I study this method?"

Lin Bei froze briefly.

He had no idea!

He had only just made it up to help Tieniu cultivate!

If Tieniu mastered it, he could give Zhang Teng a definite answer. Right now, he genuinely did not know whether it would work.

Lin Bei was already well practiced at handling situations like this.

Rather than answering, he responded with a smile, "True knowledge comes from practice. The Dao encompasses all things beneath heaven. Why not give it a try?"

Understanding dawned on Zhang Teng.

"Your words are like nectar poured over my head, Master. Your disciple will take his leave."

Watching Zhang Teng leave with such enthusiasm, Lin Bei felt quite expectant himself.

Time slowly passed.

Peace returned to the Martial Arts Grounds.

Lin Bei was drinking tea when someone cautiously approached him and offered him a cup.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Bei noticed that the person offering the tea was none other than Zhang Xiaoxiao.

Lin Bei did not take it, and Zhang Xiaoxiao prompted him softly.

"Senior!"

"Do you need something?" Lin Bei asked indifferently.

He actually had little fondness for Zhang Xiaoxiao. Although she was Zhang Teng's younger sister, her regard for family bonds was clearly weak.

"Senior, you're so powerful, and you care for everyone beneath heaven. It's truly admirable," Zhang Xiaoxiao said quickly.

Trying to smother me with flattery?

Lin Bei raised an eyebrow!

This little girl seems to have a few schemes up her sleeve? Someone else might have fallen for her flattery, but Lin Bei did not buy it at all.

"Speak plainly."

Zhang Xiaoxiao froze. She had not expected Lin Bei to be so blunt, leaving her feeling rebuffed and uncomfortable.

Still, she steeled herself and continued.

"Senior, you're my brother's master. Are you really going to watch him and the lineage fall into an irreconcilable feud?"

"Why not visit the Zhang Household and persuade them to stop targeting my brother? I believe that once they see your strength, they'll certainly reconsider!"

"Besides that, could I ask you to visit the Nanyang Zhou Clan? I believe they would certainly overlook my brother's past offenses out of respect for you."

At those words, Lin Bei looked utterly speechless.

For him, the good news was that Zhang Xiaoxiao thought he was powerful and respected him greatly.

The bad news was that this little girl had completely misjudged his strength.

However!

Even if Lin Bei truly possessed such strength, he would not interfere.

Looking at Zhang Xiaoxiao's expectant gaze, Lin Bei did not answer directly.

Instead, he poured the tea Zhang Xiaoxiao had prepared straight onto the ground.

"That isn't how you brew tea. Learn how to brew it before pouring it for others."

With that, Lin Bei rose to his feet.

Zhang Xiaoxiao stood somewhat dazed. She already understood what Lin Bei meant.

He had rejected her outright!

"Senior, why? All it would take is for you to step in, and everything could be resolved. Why do this?"

Lin Bei stopped and looked at her coldly.

"I advise you not to interfere in your brother's affairs!"

"And another thing! Whether it's the Zhang Household or the Zhou Household, they planted the seeds themselves. They had better be ready to taste the fruit that grows from that tree!"

At those words,

Zhang Xiaoxiao froze on the spot.

Her expression filled with dejection.

Just then,

Zhang Teng suddenly appeared behind Zhang Xiaoxiao.

"Brother!" Zhang Xiaoxiao hurriedly called out.

However,

Zhang Teng merely looked at her coldly.

"Xiaoxiao, have I given you too much freedom? If you offend my master again, don't blame me for disregarding our bond as siblings!"

As his words fell,

Zhang Xiaoxiao felt as though she had plunged into an ice cellar!