Chapter 60

The Dao Heart is but perilous.

At the beginning of Foundation Establishment, all matters were truly complex. After receiving Wang Panpan back, Ruan Ci no longer returned to Moon-Catching Cliff and went straight to the Purple Void Heaven. Tianlu took her to see Master Qin Fengyu again, saying, "Most of the True Person's former disciples have scattered. Those who remain by his side now are Young Master Ning, Young Master Su, and Miss Ci. Young Master Ning has been in closed-door cultivation healing his wounds, and now that he has emerged, most matters in the Purple Void Heaven are decided by him."

Ruan Ci knew this was the eldest disciple who had not been coerced into rebelling by Xie Xie Yan Huan in the past, and also one of her two current senior martial brothers, so she naturally paid her respects with caution. Young Master Ning was very polite to her, and the two first exchanged names. Young Master Ning's full name was Lu Huangning. He then had Qin Fengyu come out to pay respects and acknowledge her as a junior martial aunt, adding, "My disciple Xiaochun is still in closed-door cultivation and cannot be seen today. I will have him come to pay respects to his junior martial aunt another day."

He had already prepared several cave dwellings for Ruan Ci to choose from. Considering Wang Panpan, Ruan Ci chose the most remote location. Lu Huangning personally took her there and spoke of many arrangements within the Grotto-Heaven, smiling, "In the Purple Essence Mountain, disciples must not wander about at will. If low-tier disciples break into the wild forests where spiritual energy is dense, they truly risk being hunted and eaten by fierce beasts. However, within the Grotto-Heaven, it is of no concern. Junior Martial Sister, feel free to play as you please when you are idle. The Master's divine intent envelops everything in the Grotto-Heaven, so nothing major can happen."

The Purple Void Heaven covered a vast area, contained many secret realms, and kept many rare birds and beasts, with surging giant waves and towering mountains. As Lu Huangning spoke, it sounded like an excellent place for leisure, but Ruan Ci heard the implication in his words—the Purple Void Heaven was Wang Zhenren's inner-landscape world, and they were actually living inside it. Ruan Ci knew how real her control over her own inner-landscape was; Wang Zhenren's control over the Purple Void Heaven was the same. She could certainly frolic at will, but she had to know that Wang Zhenren would see every act that overstepped the bounds.

Thinking this way, although Moon-Catching Cliff had some risks, it was at least more comfortable than living in someone else's inner-landscape. Ruan Ci smiled, "It seems Eldest Senior Brother has also heard that I am a mischievous spirit—that was all in the past. Now that I have reached Foundation Establishment, I deeply feel that time is short. I fear I will not be able to ascend before my lifespan ends. If I have any spare time, I won't even have enough to cultivate in my cave dwelling, so Eldest Senior Brother need not fear me causing trouble."

Before Lu Huangning could speak, Qin Fengyu had already laughed and grabbed Ruan Ci's hand, about to speak. Lu Huangning glanced at her, and Qin Fengyu puffed out her cheeks, saying, "Master, you called me here but won't let me speak, then I'm going back."

Lu Huangning shook his head and sighed, "This disciple of mine is truly extremely mischievous. You are not allowed to interrupt, nor are you allowed to return. Just follow quietly on the side."

Qin Fengyu's face was full of grievance and forbearance. Ruan Ci couldn't help but laugh, but it wasn't easy to plead for her. Lu Huangning said to Ruan Ci, "After Foundation Establishment, we disciples must all seek out famous teachers and receive their guidance day and night; this is not without reason. In the Qi Condensation stage, cultivators do nothing more than accumulate magic power. Apart from opening the inner-landscape Jade Pool, it is actually no different from mortals. Only after Foundation Establishment can one be considered to have stepped onto the Dao path. From then on, immortals and mortals are distinct, and one begins to possess many powers that mortals find hard to imagine. You have now reached Foundation Establishment, and this realization is exactly clear."

Ruan Ci nodded, "That is true. In fact, mortal experts can sometimes hold their own against Qi Condensation cultivators, but after Foundation Establishment, it is an entirely different matter."

"Exactly. It is also for this reason that after Foundation Establishment, cultivation is very different from the Qi Condensation stage."

Lu Huangning was the eldest disciple of the Purple Void Heaven. As the senior disciple, passing on the Master's teachings was his duty. His tone was gentle, and he taught very conscientiously. "In the Qi Condensation stage, the only thing a cultivator does is refine spiritual power and fill the Jade Pool to reach Foundation Establishment. At most, one uses secret techniques to temper and nourish the divine sense, but that is only to ensure one does not drop in rank due to the exhaustion of divine sense during Foundation Establishment. Generally speaking, there are no bottlenecks in the Qi Condensation stage. As long as there is enough time, anyone can fill the Jade Pool. What needs to be measured is nothing more than the vitality within the body and the accumulation of magic power, to decide the timing of Foundation Establishment and seek the highest rank."

He was naturally speaking of a prosperous sect like the Shangqing Sect. If it were in a small sect, those cultivators would first have to consider finding a place with abundant spiritual energy, and only then consider the rank of Foundation Establishment. For example, Qu Pingting liked to go to the Wind Spirit Sea because that was where the spiritual energy was most abundant. Ruan Ci said, "I know. After entering the Foundation Establishment stage, sometimes there exists a kind of invisible bottleneck within small realms."

"Correct. Sometimes, before reaching a certain realm, you only feel your magic power overflowing and that it is time to advance, but you cannot find the opportunity to do so no matter what. It is like water filling a river; no matter how you cultivate, you can only push the water level higher, even above the riverbanks, but you cannot cut into the riverbed. At this time, no matter how you cultivate, it is just a waste of time and even harmful to yourself." Lu Huangning said, "This is also why many cultivators take up miscellaneous paths—Qi cultivation, Law cultivation, Talisman cultivation, and Elixir cultivation can all assist cultivators in breaking through realms. Especially when reaching Nascent Soul or Grotto-Heaven, even a small realm is extremely difficult, with layers of obstacles. Many cultivators, without relying on miscellaneous paths, cannot even grasp a trace of progress. There are also many demon cultivators whose foundations are not well-laid. They feel nothing at low realms, but after reaching high realms, their cultivation can no longer move forward. At this time, there is no way to compensate, and they can only rely on those strange and evil paths to seek a breakthrough."

Ruan Ci couldn't help but listen intently. She had been very curious about why Lin Ji wanted to make a vow to become human, and only now did she know there was such a reason. She couldn't help but think, "If this vow comes true, I wonder how much Senior Sister Lin Ji's cultivation will increase. And at what realm was she stuck?"

"However, you are a Tool Cultivator, so these obstacles will be much simpler for you. With the quality of the Donghua Sword, you will not encounter any bottlenecks before the Grotto-Heaven realm. This difficulty is not a big deal for you. However, there is another difficulty in cultivation, and that is the Heart Difficulty." Lu Huangning said, "Cultivators spend years and months in bitter cultivation in their cave dwellings, naturally feeling bored and dull. During Foundation Establishment, it is not enough to attract inner demons, but many cultivators have delayed their progress because of this. Especially those who have traveled outside—the world is vast, and there are all kinds of wonders. There are countless magnificent and beautiful places. Roaming the world with a sword, enjoying grievances and grudges—who knows how carefree that is? If one lives like this for three hundred years, isn't it better than closing off for three thousand years in a cave dwelling? Even if one gains longevity, it is as if one has never lived."

This hit exactly on Ruan Ci's thoughts. She hadn't felt this way in the Qi Condensation stage, but after Foundation Establishment, calculating the time spent on cultivation, she had felt this way at the time. Hearing Lu Huangning mention it now, she hurriedly asked, "Senior Brother, is this the Heart Difficulty of a cultivator? Is there a secret technique to overcome it?"

Lu Huangning shook his head, "No, this is the true nature of cultivation. The Dao path is long, and it is inherently full of thousands of difficulties and dangers. The path of seeking the Dao is exactly this dull and long. If there is no reverence and yearning for the Great Dao, it is indeed better to drink and sing and live a happy life. If one feels cultivation is bitter, one is not a cultivator. This is the most difficult Heart Barrier in Dao cultivation. From the moment you step onto the path of cultivation, it is constantly tempering your Dao Heart, and it has never stopped for a moment."

"Then... then if some high-ranking cultivators suddenly feel one day that this kind of cultivation is extremely boring and finally do not want to improve their progress anymore?"

"Then the Dao Heart finally collapses. Once the Dao Heart collapses, one's cultivation will dissipate within a short period." Lu Huangning sighed and said, "This is also the reason why many cultivators fall. Cultivating the Dao is like rowing a boat against the current; if the oars stop, the boat is destroyed and the person dies. High-ranking cultivators who can still row upward on this boat all possess an extremely firm Dao Heart. As the saying goes, the Dao Heart is but perilous. Every moment we cultivators seek the Dao, we are in different dangers. We cannot relax for even a moment, and we can never give up. Even if we slack off for an instant, it will bring endless future troubles. Take me for example: three thousand years ago, I was already on the verge of forming the Nascent Soul, just one step away. After that, there were changes in the sect, and my Dao Heart lost its defense. Although it was only for a few short days, my progress regressed, and the hidden injuries and entanglements left behind took hundreds of years to slowly resolve. After forming the Nascent Soul, it took another thousand years to eradicate the root cause, but even so, there is no hope for the Grotto-Heaven in this life. I can only spend the rest of my life in the Nascent Soul realm."

Ruan Ci was dazzled and fascinated. Many questions surged to her lips. After thinking it over, the first one she asked was still related to realms, "Is it necessary to achieve the Grotto-Heaven by doing every step to the extreme from the beginning of Foundation Establishment? Nine layers of Foundation Establishment, nine turns of the Golden Core, nine changes of the Nascent Soul—only then can one hope to glimpse the Grotto-Heaven realm?"

Lu Huangning sighed, "To achieve the Upper Law Grotto-Heaven, that is indeed the case. In that long cultivation from Qi Condensation to Nascent Soul, the Dao foundation cannot have the slightest damage. If not, how could the Grotto-Heaven be so rare? For ordinary cultivators, if their natural talent is superior, they naturally have expectations for the Nascent Soul realm in their hearts, but the Grotto-Heaven realm is something that can be met but not sought. It is truly too rare. Even if one has the spirit, one must see if one has such fate."

Ruan Ci saw that although he was emotional and disappointed, he was not too unwilling. Thinking back to when Lu Huangning first entered the sect, he must have been high-spirited, with no idea how many ambitions he had in his heart. Now, having just formed the Nascent Soul, he already knew the road ahead was cut off and there was no hope for the Grotto-Heaven. The next few thousand years of time were nothing more than a long road to falling for him. This universe had no concept of reincarnation; once this life was cut off, there was no next life. She couldn't help but think, "If I were Senior Brother Lu, I fear my Dao Heart would have collapsed long ago. This path of immortal cultivation is truly as mysterious as it is cruel. In the Great Dao, I don't know how many cultivators' bones have been swallowed silently."

Lu Huangning seemed to see her thoughts and smiled, "Does Junior Martial Sister now know the difficulty of seeking the Dao? Every step we cultivators take, we leave behind countless fellow practitioners. But even so, our generation still follows one after another, never regretting. Junior Martial Sister, can you guess why?"

Ruan Ci couldn't help but show a listening expression, but Lu Huangning didn't continue. Instead, he smiled at her and said, "After you have cultivated to that point, you will understand it yourself."

He nodded slightly to Qin Fengyu. Qin Fengyu gave a light shout and couldn't wait to grab Ruan Ci and chatter, "Don't listen to Master scaring you. Actually, this bottleneck and this Dao Heart are not that scary. Like me, I don't think closed-door cultivation is that scary. Although there is no one to talk to and it's a bit boring, deducing Dao techniques is also very fun..."

She chattered all the way with Ruan Ci, talking about many of her own feelings in cultivation, and helped Ruan Ci transport the servants into the cave dwelling. Ruan Ci said she wanted to ask someone to look after the four servants' meridian opening. Qin Fengyu said, "I will arrange this for you. Just find Steward Zhuang, and it will definitely satisfy the Junior Martial Aunt. There are many stewards in the Purple Void Heaven, and it is time to send more people over, so that you don't even have a coachman when you go out, which would lose the True Person's face."

Ruan Ci smiled, "You always say that, and I'm starting to think the True Person cares a lot about face."

Qin Fengyu winked at her and said with a grin, "You often want to speak ill of the Grandmaster, but you just twist my meaning and say it through my mouth. You, this Junior Martial Aunt, are truly very cunning."

Ruan Ci didn't deny it, and with her hands behind her back, she shook her head and said, "Didn't I tell your master? I am the most mischievous. You clearly heard it, but you still weren't careful. Can you blame me for that?"

Qin Fengyu was so talkative and quick-witted that she was the best opponent for bickering. The two laughed for a while, and Tianlu came to pass on a message, "The True Person has returned from the guesthouse and asks if Miss Ci has settled down. If you have spare time, you can go see him."

When the True Person summons, how dare one be slow? Ruan Ci hurriedly said goodbye to Qin Fengyu and walked to the door of the cave dwelling with Tianlu, smiling, "Ride in my carriage today, I will be your coachman."

As she spoke, she released a black wood carriage she had newly acquired from her waist. This was a magic treasure allocated by the sect to Foundation Establishment disciples. Ruan Ci had been carried by Tianlu for ten years, and now that she could finally carry Tianlu once, she was quite proud.

Tianlu was greatly terrified, fearing punishment by Wang Zhenren. Ruan Ci said, "The True Person is not that petty."

This made it hard for Tianlu to refute, so he had to sit carefully beside Ruan Ci. Before long, he relaxed and talked with Ruan Ci. The two sat side by side, and their laughter spread far across the sea. However, Ruan Ci still had a small corner in her heart that was thinking about what Lu Huangning had just said, thinking, "Will the joy I feel when I am with friends now become an obstacle when I cultivate the Dao? If I am too happy when I am with Tianlu, will the pleasure of cultivation be reduced accordingly?"

After thinking about it, she felt that although she was very happy when playing with Tianlu, Qin Fengyu, and even Dong Shuangcheng, it was not necessarily better than the pleasure of condensing spiritual energy and filling the Jade Pool during cultivation. But from this, other problems arose, "Friends are just like-minded people walking together for a while. Because of circumstances, they will always separate, and even after separating, one won't miss them too much. But what about Dao companions? Leaving aside those Dao companions who combined for various benefits, just speaking from those who are mutually willing—if they are not happy together, why form a Dao companion? If they are too happy together, wouldn't that shake the Dao Heart?"

She had experienced Qu Pingting's feelings for Senior Brother Liang. In Ruan Ci's view, Qu Pingting was naturally happy for Senior Brother Liang in her heart, but she was more focused on her own Dao path. She jumped into the Wind Spirit Sea to capture external medicine, not entirely because she didn't want to marry Young Master Ouyang and fly away with Senior Brother Liang, but a large part was because she didn't want to delay any longer in the Qi Condensation stage. Ruan Ci didn't know what Senior Brother Liang's plans were. In her thinking, if both people missed each other very much in their hearts, then when they separated to cultivate the Dao, they would naturally feel depressed and unhappy. Over time, the Dao Heart would not be pure, which would delay cultivation instead.

"I don't know how Qu Qu Tan Yue married his hundred-plus wives..."

For her, although she already knew what it felt like to like someone from Qu Pingting and Chang Chunfeng, Ruan Ci had not yet developed such feelings for any cultivator to this day. Regarding this problem, she just thought about it and threw it aside, only focused on wanting to get some benefits from Wang Zhenren, at least more than what True Person Qiu gave.

When she arrived before Wang Zhenren, she held the Great Mantra firmly, not letting her intentions leak, and first told him everything she saw and heard in the Changyao Precious Light Heaven, then said, "Master, True Person Qiu should become increasingly close to our Purple Void Heaven from now on. The disciple also wants to visit and ask for advice from Senior Brother Chen often."

This was leaving an opening for asking for precious materials later. However, Wang Zhenren acted as if he didn't understand, calmly saying, "This is as it should be. After you return from the Hengze Heaven, how you go about extorting them depends entirely on your ability."

Ruan Ci had already learned from Tianlu that after she left, the True Person went out in his true form to visit the elders in the sect, presumably to discuss how to handle her subsequent twelve layers of Foundation Establishment. Seeing Wang Zhenren's warm expression, it seemed the progress was good—which meant he had gained many more benefits, but he was unwilling to share them with her. She couldn't help but pout, feeling unhappy for a while, before coldly saying, "Oh, Hengze Heaven?"

Wang Zhenren stretched out his hand, and Tianlu hurriedly poured him a cup of tea, saying crisply on the side, "Hengze Heaven is one of the dangerous places in the Langhuan Zhou Heaven. It is a Grotto-Heaven left by the ancient True Person Hengze. This heaven is hidden in imaginary numbers all year round, reflecting reality with the Central Continent, and follows the movement of the stars. Two years later, it will be the time when the star numbers align, and Hengze Heaven will shift to real numbers, opening the entrance. Many cultivators from prosperous and flourishing sects in the Central Continent will all attend, competing for the 'Hengze Jade Dew' produced every thousand years in Hengze Heaven. This dew can nourish spiritual fields and make up for the foundation of spiritual lands. This Hengze Jade Dew is also something urgently needed by a spiritual mountain in the Central Continent. Whichever sect can irrigate it with Hengze Jade Dew, that spiritual mountain will be managed by them."

"In the Shangqing Sect, there are also sect rules. Our Shangqing Sect has always only sent one lineage of disciples to participate in the competition. If the Hengze Jade Dew is won back, the produce of the spiritual mountain belongs to the sect, and this lineage of disciples can also receive the produce of one more country among the nine countries under the mountain."

Ruan Ci was already a person on the path of cultivation, so she naturally knew that these commercial industries were not just for fun for cultivators, but were practically related to cultivation resources. Therefore, she said, "Master urged me to reach Foundation Establishment, is it with the intention of seeking this errand for me?"

Wang Zhenren nodded, "Correct. It is also that your fate should have this opportunity, that you could actually succeed in Foundation Establishment within ten years. The produce of the nine countries is huge. If we can obtain one country, it will be of great benefit to our lineage. This time, it should have been the Seven Stars Small Abode sending someone, but since you have already reached Foundation Establishment, then who else but you?"

Tianlu couldn't help but look worried, his mouth moving as he looked at Ruan Ci, as if warning her that this trip was very dangerous and she should think it through carefully. Wang Zhenren acted as if he didn't see it and said slowly, "This trip has another stroke of good fortune for you. You have twelve layers of Foundation Establishment; without opportunity, you will never be able to fill these twelve levels of the Heavenly Ascent Ladder in your life, let alone sense the Dao Rhyme. Among the spiritual materials and precious medicines in the world, those that are suitable for you are actually very few."

The precious medicines in the Zhou Heaven are like the external medicines needed when advancing. Many of them must draw on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and sense the timing of heaven to be consumed. The pure spiritual energy absorbed by Ruan Ci through the Donghua Sword cannot stimulate the medicinal power, so these twelve levels of the Heavenly Ascent Ladder are even more difficult for her than for others. Wang Zhenren said, "Only by refining Donghua again and urging the spiritual sword to provide feedback can you hope to break through to the Golden Core in your lifetime. And inside Hengze Heaven, there is a relic of Donghua hidden. While you are searching for the Hengze Jade Dew, you must be careful to look for it. If you can find this object, then..."

As he spoke, he calmly imparted the cultivation method he had been considering to Ruan Ci. It was a Tool Cultivation method. Ruan Ci tried to operate it on the spot, and there were many questions she wanted to ask, all of which Wang Zhenren answered patiently.

After the transmission of the method was finished, Wang Zhenren asked Ruan Ci, "You have learned the method, do you know what this path means for you?"

He looked at Ruan Ci with a half-smile, his long eyebrows slightly raised, looking unspeakably romantic and arrogant. Seeing this, Ruan Ci couldn't help but think, "Wang Zhenren and Senior Sister Xie are both beautiful in different ways."

Actually, she had only spent one night with Xie Xie Yan Huan, and by now, Xie Xie Yan Huan's appearance was no longer that clear in her heart. On the contrary, Wang Zhenren, whom she saw more often, naturally left a deep impression. Ruan Ci thought about Wang Zhenren's words and said, "The disciple understands."

Wang Zhenren gave an 'en', as if waiting for her follow-up. Ruan Ci thought for a moment and said, "But the disciple doesn't care."

Her manner was ordinary, as if she didn't think she was speaking wild words. Wang Zhenren stared at her for a long time, and couldn't help but laugh softly, "Good, good, good. Truly worthy of being my disciple."

Ruan Ci thought, even if you didn't take me as a disciple, I would still be like this. It's only been one day since I became your disciple, why does it seem like I was entirely raised by you?

Wang Zhenren's true form was here. Even though she had held the Great Mantra, she still didn't dare to think too much. Seeing that the True Person was in a good mood, she took the opportunity to ask carefully, "Master, speaking of which, True Person Qiu has already exchanged names with me... but the disciple still doesn't know Master's name..."

Wang Zhenren was still a bit reserved by nature, just smiling for a moment. At this time, he restrained his expression and drank tea. Hearing Ruan Ci say this, he also smiled slightly and said, "It is no harm to tell you my name, but your learning is not refined, and your mantra holding is not thorough—"

At this point, Ruan Ci knew her thoughts had been sensed again, and her face couldn't help but turn bitter, sticking out her tongue. Wang Zhenren said, "If you can bring back the Hengze Jade Dew this time, it won't be too late to exchange names then."

He waved his whisk, his expression turned indifferent, and he sat cross-legged holding a mudra, "For other matters, Huangning will tell you. Go. Just don't lose the face of the Purple Void Heaven."

After speaking, he closed his eyes and entered meditation. Ruan Ci didn't dare to pester him any further, so she had to bow and quietly withdraw. Passing by that small chime, she really wanted to strike it once to see Wang Zhenren's reaction, but she forcibly held back. After leaving the door, she went to find Lu Huangning to inquire about news.

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Updated, sorry for the long wait, sending red envelopes to everyone this chapter.

Actually, there were still parts I didn't change earlier. Originally, it was set that Ruan Ci's first layer was not full after Foundation Establishment, but later I realized it was self-contradictory, so I changed it. As a result, after sending it out yesterday, I found that there were parts where the description hadn't been modified, OTL.

Wang Que'er is the True Person's childhood name, the real name hasn't appeared yet~

Eating dragon-head fish soup for lunch today. I love eating dragon-head fish. I don't know if you have eaten it. I think it is a very good and cheap dish.

Sigh, I am really too picky. I gave up on "Da Feng Night Watchman" after five chapters. It seems I must start watching "Earthly Fiend Seventy-Two Changes"!

. Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution between 2020-08-14 15:11:58 and 2020-08-15 12:05:51~

Thanks to the little angels who voted for hand grenades: San 3 Zi 5;

Thanks to the little angels who voted for landmines: San 3 Zi 4; Heize Jiushi 2; Ancestor bless pension, SweetLuna, Changsheng, After this rain, Time's delusion, Li Li He Ping 1;

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Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!