[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t":3,"chapter-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-23":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Living Among All Heavens, Achieving Immortality Through Merit",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2323591,4545,"Chapter 23: Primordial Energy Art","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-23",23,"\u003Cp>Snow blanketed Mount Zhongnan, the chill biting through bone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Gu Qing’s room stood a stove, its chimney extending outside; flames burned fiercely. Within the Quanzhen Sect, Gu Qing felt the taut string of his wandering days finally loosen, his body relaxing, his sleep unusually deep and sweet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thump! Thump!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knock at the door roused Gu Qing. Through the paper window, he saw a shadow outside—faintly resembling Qiu Chuji. He pulled on his robe and opened the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandmaster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing outside was indeed Qiu Chuji. Gu Qing stepped aside quickly and said, “Come in and warm yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Chuji waved a hand and said, “Come with me for a walk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing tightened his robe and followed Qiu Chuji outside. The wind and snow immediately rushed down his collar. Fortunately, Quanzhen’s internal energy worked even while walking or resting; it countered the cold, and Gu Qing felt no great discomfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve scattered the entire Quanzhen Sect, thrown everyone into panic, yet you sleep soundly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Chuji suddenly said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Walk with ease, sit with peace; drink when thirsty, eat when hungry, sing when drunk; when tired, lie upon the mossy ground. Days stretch long, heaven and earth are vast—how blissfully idle!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing replied calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a verse by Guan Hanqing. Qiu Chuji listened, savored it, then said, “There’s a touch of reclusion in it… yet you’re no idle man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pondering, Qiu Chuji sensed it wasn’t original.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing laughed and said, “Down in the mortal world, I fought for my life. Now I’m on Mount Zhongnan—can’t I enjoy some peace?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course you can.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Chuji smiled and said, “The Quanzhen Sect lies within Mongol-controlled lands—we must bow to their will. To walk with ease, sit in peace, is bound by invisible chains. After deliberation, we agree dispersing the Sect is wise. But your claim that ‘Zhongyang Palace has become the greatest obstacle to Quanzhen’s growth’—we cannot accept that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was what Gu Qing had said when urging Quanzhen members to relocate after returning to the Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just spoke without thinking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Chuji nodded, looking at Gu Qing. “You want to fight the Mongols? Then Quanzhen and Zhongyang Palace must not hinder you. We’ve decided: each of us will lead a group of disciples to establish new branches elsewhere. But we cannot abandon Zhongyang Palace entirely—we must leave some to guard our ancestral home… though, if things turn dire, we’ll flee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To fight the Mongols was another point Gu Qing had raised in Zhongyang Palace, tied to national duty—all Quanzhen disciples supported it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here is the Primordial Energy Art of Master Chongyang. Memorize it thoroughly, then you may descend the mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Chuji handed Gu Qing a scroll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing extended both hands and received the Primordial Energy Art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Primordial qi, postnatal qi—those who attain it are always drunk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Observe the shifts of real and illusory; let qi circulate the body without stagnation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing silently read the text.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the essence of Quanzhen, the very reason Wang Chongyang had once dominated the Four Greats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also the secret manual Gu Qing had sought since arriving at Quanzhen. Now, as he read its contents, he immediately spent Good Deeds to etch every word into his memory—forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing had once hoarded many Good Deeds, planning to use them at Mount Hua when Hong Qigong and Ouyang Feng clashed, hoping to learn their moves. But they never fought to the point of exhaustion, never revealed their full techniques—so Gu Qing learned nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those saved Good Deeds had been brought back to Quanzhen—and now they served their purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After memorizing the Primordial Energy Art, Gu Qing held the scroll close, sniffing it carefully, examining the parchment under moonlight and firelight—until he raised it as if to throw it into water, when Qiu Chuji stopped him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My master was upright and honorable. He left us this manual—every word true, no tricks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Chuji said, “He refused to let us practice the Nine Yin Manual because the subtleties of this Primordial Energy Art rival it. Train it well—you will succeed.” With that, Qiu Chuji took the scroll and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing nodded solemnly, silently pondering the martial principles within the Primordial Energy Art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Primordial, in essence, means uniting the Three Treasures—essence, qi, and spirit—into one force: primordial qi. Because it fuses spirit, qi, and essence, the Primordial Energy Art’s internal force carries its own will, immune to external influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using Good Deeds, Gu Qing guided his qi through each meridian, clearing his mind and calming his spirit. He felt the internal energy swirl and dart like fine hairs, linking every strand of qi in his body—pull one hair, the whole body moves. His mastery over his body reached an exquisitely refined level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This Primordial Energy Art is primordial qi. Beyond its strength and dominance, it seems capable of harmonizing with other internal arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing tried applying the Nine Yin Manual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an internal method he had already learned. The Primordial Energy Art’s force naturally transformed it—the Nine Yin’s movements flowed easily under his control. Only after finishing did it take about an incense stick’s time for the Nine Yin’s qi to gradually revert to primordial qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Primordial Energy Art is primordial qi born from the fusion of essence, qi, and spirit. The Nine Yin Manual cultivates postnatal qi. The Primordial Energy Art’s force naturally drives the Nine Yin’s method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likewise, Gu Qing could use Primordial Energy Art to drive the Jade Maiden Heart Scripture… but only if he deeply understood the Jade Maiden Heart Scripture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Zhou Botong was on Peach Blossom Island, his strength was already at the level of the Five Greats, yet he felt his martial arts were barely at the threshold of mastery, and he believed that if Wang Chongyang had still been alive, his genius would have progressed so rapidly that in another Mount Hua contest, he could have defeated the Four Greats in half a day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing recalled Zhou Botong’s words. With such profundity in the Primordial Energy Art, Zhou Botong’s claim that Quanzhen’s martial arts had no limit to refinement was indeed true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Mount Zhongnan, Gu Qing did not attempt the Toad Skill, instead carefully sensing the subtleties of the Primordial Energy Art until dawn. He bade farewell to the Quanzhen elders, packed his belongings, and descended the mountain alone as a solitary branch of the Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this day forward, Gu Qing would establish his own sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he left, he took the back path of Quanzhen, mainly to check on Yang Guo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two thatched huts: one emitted faint smoke, the other stood cold and empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing approached the door and saw Yang Guo standing in the snow, his entire body coated in a thin layer of ice, seemingly frozen stiff. He immediately channeled his internal energy into Yang Guo, shattering the ice and reviving him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My aunt has abandoned me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guo, seeing Gu Qing, spoke bitterly. He had stood outside, hoping Xiaolongnu would forgive him—but his body had frozen, and she never responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guo sensed Xiaolongnu’s finality, his heart shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then does my aunt want me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing did not comfort Yang Guo—he asked bluntly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>TOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guo exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1216,"2026-06-20T17:04:26.501Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ce8e074a7b65042a14724332dcf28774b6ea80a8a7f59ee3be833e5d9ee679f8","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-24","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-22",449,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fliving-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-cover.jpg"]