Over the past four months, Shi Xuan had had little interaction with his neighbors. They only exchanged a few words whenever he went out to eat. Aunt Zhang mentioned her daughter several times, but Shi Xuan's response was lukewarm, so she stopped bringing it up. With the other neighbors, he merely chatted about idle gossip: the Son of Heaven had summoned men of the Dao from across the land to compile daoist texts; Scholar Jiang had written another widely celebrated poem in Hangzhou; the Hermit of the Mountains and Wilds's newest storybook told of a romance between human and ghost, and the teahouses retold it every day to tremendous popularity; the Divine Lord Crimson Cloud Temple in Liangzhou was said to be highly effective for praying for marriage, though it was regrettably too far away; Widow Wu across the street had remarried a merchant from the Western Regions, whose high nose and deep-set eyes looked frightening; and then there were the Zhang family's long tales, the Li family's short tales, and how the Wang family's daughter-in-law loved to loaf around.
On a morning in late October, Shi Xuan drank the Primordial Yuan Marrow-Changing Soup and began practicing the Ten Dragons Subduing Demons Fist in the small courtyard. After training for so long, he entered the state quickly and grasped the sensations of his fleshly body and soul with greater clarity.
Savage Dragon Twisting Waist, Azure Dragon Subduing Waves, Fire Dragon Burning Heaven, White Dragon Freezing Seas—every fist stance tempered his body more deeply. Yet the feeling that he had failed to grasp the essence of the art grew stronger and stronger. He had not crossed this hurdle in four months, and it seemed as though a breath of frustration was trapped in his heart with nowhere to vent.
When he reached Azure Dragon Soaring Through Sky, he suddenly entered a vast and empty state. His fists moved with his heart, his heart followed his spirit, and his spirit followed his soul's thoughts. Essence, qi, spirit, and soul seemed to link closely together. The feeling of failing to grasp the essence seemed as though it could be shattered in an instant. Shi Xuan gathered all the strength in his body and let out a great roar. With a strike of Black Dragon Playing in Water, it was as if he had broken through a layer of separation. At the same time, he sensed an ancient and majestic, boundless and profound dragon aura—an aura that seemed capable of commanding even the water in the air—surging forth with that punch.
After the punch landed, Shi Xuan's bones gave off a series of soft cracks that continued for quite some time before stopping. It was the sign of strength penetrating into the marrow and connecting joint by joint—the manifestation of Body Tempering Great Accomplishment. Shi Xuan had originally only been able to control his muscles and bones, but now he felt his soul power greatly increase. His senses became sharper, and he could control the depths of his bones and the minute corners of his body with greater precision.
At that moment, many currents of heat rose from his marrow and seeped toward his internal organs. Shi Xuan was overjoyed and did not dare delay. Closing his eyes, he regulated his breath and guided the heat through his five viscera, across the Twelve Meridians, and finally into his dantian. Only then did he finish his practice, his face brimming with delight. He had actually seized this opportunity to break through in one stroke into the Qi Nourishing and Soul Strengthening Stage.
Moreover, his body had once opened the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. It was only because his soul had died that his original Internal Energy had dispersed. This meant Shi Xuan no longer needed to painstakingly open the Eight Extraordinary Meridians one by one, saving him an enormous amount of time.
Generally speaking, an Internal Art Master in the martial world needed around fifteen years to accumulate Internal Energy and open the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. That was only if one possessed good aptitude, did not indulge in other pursuits, and cultivated diligently. Those with poorer aptitude needed even longer. Thus, many Internal Art Masters could not open the Eight Extraordinary Meridians even in their entire lives. As for those blessed with extraordinary talent and fortunate encounters, they still needed seven or eight years to accomplish it.
Why had Du Bai been able to open the Eight Extraordinary Meridians in only three short years? There were three reasons. First, he cultivated the True Transmission of the Daoist Sect. Compared with profound martial arts manuals, the difference was like heaven and earth, like immortals and mortals. Second, Daoist cultivation emphasized nourishment. In battle, it relied on spells, talismans, magical artifacts, and the like, whereas martial Internal Energy, no matter what, still emphasized injuring and defeating enemies. Nourishment strengthened the soul; a stronger soul could better control Internal Energy; and when Internal Energy was well controlled, opening the meridians became far more effective. Internal cultivation also nourished the soul, but its main purpose was still to wound enemies and repel foes, with soul nourishment merely incidental. Different purposes naturally produced different effects. Third, Du Bai himself had excellent aptitude. Otherwise, Old Daoist Xu would not have taken a liking to him and accepted him as a disciple.
Now that Shi Xuan had entered the Qi Nourishing Stage, he could stop drinking medicinal soup and taking Medicinal Baths. Entering the Qi Nourishing Stage so naturally showed that his body had reached a limit at this stage; going beyond it would instead cause harm. What came next was the accumulation of Internal Energy, transforming the body's essence while naturally replenishing the body in turn, gradually strengthening the fleshly body. At the same time, he needed to increase his daily meat intake to ensure he had enough for refining essence into qi. Once both the Twelve Meridians and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians were filled with Internal Energy, he could open the other minor meridians and form an acquired grand circulation. That was the realm of the Peak of Qi Nourishing Stage.
At this point, Shi Xuan's soul strength was sufficient for him to begin visualization. However, he did not immediately return to his room to meditate. Cultivation required both urgency and restraint. Having only just broken through, he was filled with joy. Forcing himself to calm down and meditate on visualization would instead be harmful.
Ever since Shi Xuan had come to this world, he had always carried a sense of crisis. His own strength had been insufficient, and he could not protect himself. Thus, aside from eating and buying medicine, he rarely went out, bottling up his drive to improve his strength. Otherwise, if he went out, encountered some trouble, and lacked the strength to back himself up, he would inevitably feel stifled and humiliated. Perhaps this was a symptom left behind by being a transmigrator.
Now that Shi Xuan had finally broken through into the Qi Nourishing Stage, he could be considered a master in his own right in the Jianghu. Combined with spells and talismans, he had more than enough ability to protect himself. Only then did more than half the pressure in his heart ease away. This was precisely the time for Shi Xuan to relax and rest; it was not suitable for cultivation.
Shi Xuan sat on the ground with his back against the edge of the small well. In his right hand, he held a small flask of yellow wine he had found in Old Daoist Xu's room. In his left, he held a volume collected by Old Daoist Xu, left behind by a Daoist Sect senior, Jin Kui Zi Discusses Various Ghosts and Spirits. It explained what External Dao Ghosts and Spirits were and recounted all kinds of strange ghostly tales, carrying a rich flavor of supernatural stories. The autumn sky was high and the air crisp, while the Clear Wind came gently. He read a page or two, sipped a mouthful of yellow wine, and whenever he reached an engrossing passage, he swayed his head and nodded along, utterly carefree as though leisurely reading the Yellow Court Scripture.
In this world, people did not enter reincarnation after death. If no one offered them sacrifices, their souls would slowly lose their memories after seven days, gradually dissolve into heaven and earth after ten days, and completely disperse after a hundred days. Only those with immense resentment or obsession, or those who encountered a Place of Yin Energy, could stabilize their soul bodies and become yin ghosts. Yet the souls of Daoist cultivators suffered backlash from heaven and earth. Once their bodies died, their souls were extinguished, unless they cultivated to the Yin Spirit Stage and could resist this heavenly law. Thus, people placed great importance on sacrifices. Enjoying one family's offerings and sacrificial goods could preserve a soul for several years; the more people who made offerings, the longer it remained undying. But unless one could comprehend a method to transform the Incense and Fire Prayer Power from sacrifices into one's own Dao practice, it could last no more than a hundred years. These souls that received sacrifices were collectively called ghosts and spirits.
Those with immense resentment and obsession gradually became yin ghosts. Their obsession was revenge, and their actions were driven by that obsession. Few retained awareness or clarity of mind. Of course, a small number whose obsessions were not vicious still retained their consciousness, but their cultivation was unconscious. Generally speaking, the older they became, the stronger they grew. Those without consciousness would gradually gain intelligence after more than ten years. Those who encountered a Place of Yin Energy likewise slowly became yin ghosts, but unlike the former, they had no obsession with revenge and possessed awareness and intelligence. However, they had no inheritance for cultivation. To endure for long, they had to consume Blood Food, yang energy, or soul power. These two types, along with souls that had not yet vanished before a hundred days had passed, were collectively known as External Dao Ghosts and Spirits.
Because they needed to consume Blood Food, yang energy, or soul power, External Dao Ghosts and Spirits often harmed people. Yet if their cultivation was insufficient, they often could not approach those with vigorous Qi and Blood. If they came near, their yin soul bodies would be scorched by the abundant Qi and Blood, and in severe cases, they would be reduced to ashes and scattered smoke. At the same time, External Dao Ghosts and Spirits that had not cultivated to the Soul Departure Stage often stirred cultivators' emotions while they practiced, causing inner demons to arise and leading them into Qi Deviation, giving the ghosts and spirits an opportunity to devour the cultivators' soul power.
The ability of External Dao Ghosts and Spirits to stir others' emotions was an innate talent, one they could employ from a great distance. There were three main ways to deal with it. First, set up an array to isolate the inside from the outside, though Shi Xuan did not yet know how to do that. Second, focus wholeheartedly while cultivating and refrain from allowing stray thoughts to arise during meditation; then this method of stirring emotions would have little effect. Third, possess a magical artifact capable of suppressing souls, though Shi Xuan did not have one either.
Even so, the Spirit-Calming Sandalwood Incense secretly prepared by Old Daoist Xu could help focus the mind and somewhat suppress External Dao Ghosts and Spirits. Therefore, so long as Shi Xuan did not let his thoughts run wild while cultivating, there would be no danger. And as long as his consciousness was not deluded, the moment anything felt amiss, he would leave meditation immediately even at the cost of injuring his soul.
Shi Xuan spent a pleasant day. By evening, he had already gathered his mind, and his entire state had reached a peak. Bathing, changing clothes, burning incense, Worshipping Heaven and Earth—through this series of steps, both his heart and spirit reached a state of ethereal calm. Naturally, once he became practiced in the future, or once his cultivation grew profound, he would no longer need so many complicated procedures. Often, a single breath in and out would be enough to reach such ethereal tranquility.
Shi Xuan sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, closed his eyes, concentrated his spirit, embraced the origin and guarded the one, and quickly entered meditation. Once within meditation, he began to visualize the divine essence of Clear Wind and Bright Moon depicted in the Clear Wind and Bright Moon Illuminating the True Spirit Method recorded in the Treasure Record. The first few times, however, other thoughts always arose halfway through his visualization, causing him to fail. It was like an ordinary person trying to focus on one matter, only for their thoughts to scatter before they suddenly noticed and returned to where they had begun.
Shi Xuan was not discouraged. He knew this was normal, so he began practicing the method for gathering thoughts recorded in the Clear Wind and Bright Moon Illuminating the True Spirit Method. He imagined himself as the lofty sovereign of his own being, looking down upon his many thoughts. The thoughts rose and fell one after another, filling the entire Sea of Consciousness. As their sovereign, he commanded them all to gather within the Sea of Consciousness and cease their fluctuations.
Here, one was not meant to sever all thoughts. If all thoughts were severed, one would likely end up cultivating into a stone with neither thought nor emotion. What this emphasized was the absolute control of Consciousness as the True Spirit: standing high above, controlling those thoughts so that they no longer rose and fell, calmly observing them vanish and arise without allowing them to leap beyond the bounds of control. Thus, the supreme realm to be achieved here was not the One Thought Never Arising Void Realm, but the One Thought Never Stirring Void Realm. This was precisely why a single sentence of true transmission outweighed ten thousand volumes of false teachings. At the same time, this was also the great Dao method of Consciousness as the True Spirit.
Following this method, Shi Xuan subdued all his thoughts within that ethereal state, allowing them to arise and vanish in the Sea of Consciousness without escaping their proper place. Gradually, Shi Xuan felt that his thoughts had become singular and wholly focused, and he began visualizing the spirit of Clear Wind and Bright Moon.
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