One breath, or perhaps two breaths...
The outside world only experienced a very short time, yet at this moment, within Zhang Jing's consciousness, it felt like several months had passed.
During this long time, the only thing Zhang Jing could do was endlessly practice the Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method.
Attempt after attempt.
Realization after realization.
His understanding of the Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method, or rather his comprehension of visualization methods, deepened gradually.
Heaven and earth possessed spiritual qi, nurturing the spiritual light of all things; yet the mortal body was like rotten wood, making it difficult to sense the existence of spiritual qi, let alone absorb it to nourish oneself.
Fortunately, the Dao had no constant path, and fate had no fixed numbers.
The human race, with its frail body, nurtured the innate spirit.
The innate spirit was weak, and only by using the method of visualization to strengthen it through the myriad spirits of heaven and earth could one sense spiritual qi, and subsequently evolve boundless divine abilities.
So the immortal dao cultivation of this world is actually a path of extracting nourishment from the "myriad spirits of heaven and earth" to strengthen one's own innate spirit and even attain eternal immortality.
Zhang Jing opened his eyes abruptly, speaking thoughtfully.
He suddenly thought of the Dao De Jing from his past life: man models himself on earth, earth models itself on heaven, heaven models itself on the Dao, and the Dao emulates its own inherent spontaneity.
This literal meaning actually bore a few points of spiritual resemblance to the immortal dao of this world.
Could it be that the Dao De Jing had another explanation...
Thinking of this, Zhang Jing suddenly realized another problem: if the human race cultivated using this method, would those "myriad spirits of heaven and earth" agree? Would he get beaten up?
Yet, upon a second thought.
Since the human immortal dao could develop and be passed down from generation to generation without breaking off until today, this meant that those great beings standing at the peak of the immortal dao possessed extremely formidable strength.
At the very least, they made those so-called "myriad spirits of heaven and earth" not dare to flip the table.
Viewed in this light, cultivating immortality truly had a very bright future!
Recovering his wits.
Feeling a faint tingling between his brows, Zhang Jing could not help revealing a bitter smile.
Judging from the actual effect, the Mind's Eye Dao Seed truly deserved to be called a cultivation accelerator.
Yet this endurance problem... was indeed also rather headache-inducing.
Pondering and weighing things, Zhang Jing found that he could only wait until the visualization method reached mastery and his own innate spirit grew stronger to change the current state of affairs.
He looked at the jade talisman.
[Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method - Uninitiated (4/50)]
Cultivating visualization methods under the mind's eye state can indeed greatly accelerate progress. If I use this method to cultivate from now on, I will probably still need nine days to successfully achieve mastery.
This will far exceed the thirty days required by the Dao Academy's assessment!
No matter how I look at it, my results can definitely be considered outstanding.
Right, when the Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method reaches level one, a skill trait should appear!
Zhang Jing's eyes revealed a yearning expression, feeling that the road ahead was bright.
He had not forgotten that the experience required for the initial mastery of the [Three Books and Six Classics] skill was only 10 points, far less than the 50 points of the [Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method].
I wonder what kind of powerful Dao seed will transform out when the [Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method] reaches level ten...
Under the relaxation of his mind and spirit.
A strong sense of drowsiness immediately swept over him.
Lying on the bed, Zhang Jing could barely keep his eyes open, still muttering in his mouth: "I seem to have... forgotten something."
The night passed without dreams.
The next day.
The Lecture Hall.
On the platform.
Instructor Wang's rugged face, matched with today's suit of white robes, appeared somewhat unharmonious.
Fortunately, the visualization cultivation method he described sounded extremely exquisite, directly making those below ignore his attire without appearing abrupt.
Before long.
"If you have any questions during your cultivation, you can raise them now," Instructor Wang said.
The moment his voice fell.
Zhang Jing saw Chu Lingyun in the very front stand up, asking softly:
"May I ask the instructor, the pure origin spirit light is formless and featureless, how should one determine whether what I am visualizing is correct or not? And what should be done if it is incorrect?"
"Very good, it seems you are not far from mastering the visualization method."
After listening, Instructor Wang looked at Chu Lingyun with a gaze carrying a trace of satisfaction.
Subsequently, he was heard explaining:
"The pure origin spirit light is featureless yet emphasizes intent, which is what is called a thousand faces in one. You only need to visualize and comprehend the pure, substantial, and profound artistic conception of the pure origin spirit light, and there will be no danger."
Having said that, seeming to think of something, Instructor Wang's gaze froze, warning the crowd below:
"As one of the foundational visualization methods, the Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method is the gentlest, with an artistic conception that is neutral and pure. If you repeatedly obsess over its form and appearance, you will instead fall into the lower vehicle."
"Understood, Instructor!"
Everyone answered in succession.
"Who else has questions?"
"Instructor, may I ask..." Deng Yuan, an aristocratic clan scion likewise seated at the very front, stood up and asked.
Afterwards, Zhang Jing saw question after question continuously raised by the four people in front, including Ji Bochang, while Instructor Wang provided clear and easy-to-understand answers to every single question.
Moreover, accompanying Instructor Wang's replies.
Zhang Jing discovered that on the faces of the four people, expressions of sudden enlightenment appeared unanimously.
Obviously, their harvest was not small.
In addition, several other people likewise brought up difficult problems they encountered when cultivating their visualization methods. Yet compared to the questions raised by Ji Bochang and the other three, they were somewhat superficial.
Yet this was also relatively speaking.
After all, off the stage, apart from these people and Zhang Jing, the vast majority of the remaining people were all wearing blank expressions, as if listening to heavenly scriptures.
Zhang Jing could not help clicking his tongue in wonder.
He originally still thought about asking the instructor to resolve the doubts he encountered yesterday.
But looking at it now... he had better quietly wait until after mastering the visualization method before talking about it.
Zhang Jing suddenly remembered his mother's admonition upon his departure.
The hardest thing to fathom in the world was the human heart. He had not yet entered the Dao Academy, and if he stood out too much, what if...
Anyway, for Zhang Jing, as long as he practiced, he could increase his skill proficiency, and once the proficiency was full, the skill could directly level up.
Mastering the visualization method was only a matter of time anyway.
As long as it didn't affect the assessment, he would seek safety in everything!
Without the jade talisman, I should be just like these people with blank faces. Eh, wait, without the jade talisman, I might not even have had the qualifications to participate in the Dao Academy assessment.
Looking back at Ji Bochang and the other three.
The gap between ordinary commoners and practitioners from aristocratic clans was absurdly large.
"Yet why would the Dao Academy set up the assessment like this?" Zhang Jing felt somewhat puzzled. "That way, unless ordinary people have special fortuitous encounters, or are true supreme talents who can bulldoze everything by virtue of talent, it is very difficult to catch up to or even surpass these practitioners from aristocratic clans."
Was destiny truly this important?
No matter how he looked at it, this did not look like a normal way to select inherited disciples.
At this time.
Instructor Wang's gaze continuously lingered on Ji Bochang, the other three, and the few others who had just raised questions.
"It seems that the people who can successfully pass the Dao Academy assessment this time are just these. Especially these four, perhaps they will have a chance to obtain a Grade-B evaluation?"
Pondering for a moment, Instructor Wang spoke:
"Right, I feel it is necessary to share a piece of news with you."
"In the Second Provisional Academy, a little fellow named Shen Qingqing already brought the visualization method's cultivation to mastery last night, successfully passing the assessment with a comprehensive evaluation of-Grade-A!"
Before you continue