Chapter 462

In the early morning, although the eastern sunrise had not yet risen, gorgeous morning clouds had already appeared, wisps of cooking smoke floated on the rooftops, and a light gauze‑like thin mist permeated the air.

This is the countryside morning; although there is no city clamor, the fresh air seeps straight into people's hearts.

In the distance, dewdrops glittered on the young rice seedlings, sparkling under the sunlight. In the cornfield, each ear of golden corn grinned politely. Vast stretches of golden rapeseed blossomed in full bloom; as the morning breeze blew, the rapeseed swayed continuously, rolling like a golden sea.

As someone born in the countryside, I always like such scenery; at this moment my heart can unusually calm down, letting go of all obsessions. As a Daoist Sect person, I also always yearn for nature; in such a tranquil environment I can always calm my heart.

Running with Pangzi on the beautiful country lane, I suddenly wanted to sing Zheng Zhihua's 'Sailor'.

""Arrogant ignorant modern people, not knowing how to cherish, that ocean and earth ravaged by civilization…… Only by leaving the crowd can I find myself again, breathing freely in the salty‑scented air……""

When, thick smoke and carbon dioxide occupied our cities. When, haze and dust occupied the sky above our heads. What was once a beautiful heaven and earth has been corroded, now full of scars.

Actually, I know that everyone loves their hometown, loves the place where they live.

However, ordinary people under high‑pressure life are already panting, exhausted; they have grown fearful of the city and must flee. Businessmen whose eyes see only profit will stop at nothing to destroy our living environment; that nature which should be beautiful is instantly occupied by heavy industry.

I don't know whether, as time goes on, people can still recognize themselves clearly, or whether they will still remember that line from childhood textbooks, 'Human nature is originally good.' I also don't know whether, when city and countryside become integrated, there will still be such a tranquil and beautiful rural scene.

Perhaps, one day, the countryside beneath my feet will be replaced by heavy industry's smog; as people grow ever more weary, they will begin to seek the countryside's tranquility, and this unremarkable rural field will become the utopia they long for.

People…… are always like this, constantly climbing rocks, overlooking what is around them. They constantly pursue illusory, intangible dreams, never cherishing what is near. After many years, when they are tired and exhausted, they suddenly realize. It turns out that warm familial affection, the beautiful scenery that brings peace of mind, has always been beside them. But their former selves were too foolish, they casually discarded their own familial affection and destroyed that tranquil beauty. Now, without hesitation, they turn around to seek the familial affection and scenery that have by then become legend.

Thus, in the endless process of seeking and pursuing, people simply close their eyes; perhaps, after waking, many turn back and strive tirelessly, yet even at the moment of death they never fulfill their wishes, carrying a regret, dying with eyes unclosed.

If, while you are constantly climbing rocks while holding onto your dreams, you could pause for a moment and truly look behind you. After a hundred years, how could you still carry a regret and close your eyes in the loess? If you, young as you are, can understand the two words 'cherish', then the familial affection, love, and the tranquil land beneath your feet that surround you—how could they become the legendary beautiful scenery of extravagant hope?

""You should know, not everyone is as pretentious as you, not everyone is naturally fond of tranquility like you. Compared to your longing for the countryside, people would rather enjoy an elegant steak in the lush, splendid Western restaurants of the bustling city." Pangzi glanced at me, pursed his lips contemptuously, and said: "You know, in their eyes, people like you are just lacking ambition, right?""

""Lacking ambition?" After being startled, I blurted: 'But in my eyes, aren't they also a bunch of fools! Chasing after illusory things, abandoning kinship and friendship. Years later, they turn around and, in the name of not leaving regrets, seek them again. Yet these things they originally already had…'"

""Besieged city…" Upon saying this, I and Pangzi laughed in unison."

""All right, sit cross‑legged! Left hand makes the Seal Finger. I will teach you to feel the primordial qi of heaven and earth!" Pangzi slowly closed his eyes and began to sit cross‑legged."

I also imitated Pangzi's posture, sitting cross‑legged on a stone at the mountaintop, and slowly formed the Seal Finger.

The reason Pangzi and I came out so early this morning was not to stroll aimlessly but to reach the mountaintop, borrowing the morning's eastern purple qi to meditate and attain stillness. It must be said that since last night, events have once fallen into difficulty. After a night of hard thought, Pangzi and I still could not find the main cause of the mishap on the stage. Over time, our minds have also become agitated.

If a person's heart is in disorder, they will become impatient. Such a state only leads to desperate, haphazard medical seeking. Therefore, Pangzi and I now greatly need to calm our hearts; only when the heart is calm and steady can we find hope amidst confusion.

A person's heart, if it becomes chaotic, will grow impatient. Such a state of mind only leads to panic and desperate seeking of cure. So, Pangzi and I now both need to calm our hearts; only when the heart is calm and steady can we find hope amidst confusion.

Of course, I can also take this opportunity to learn about the Daoist Sect's internal cultivation method—the Heavenly Gang Thunder Method.

"「Thunder methods are the Daoist Sect's internal cultivation secret; many think thunder methods work from outside to inside, which is completely wrong. True thunder method works from inside to outside, then from outside to inside. 」 Pangzi sat cross-legged and spoke slowly."

"「Thunder is born of the yin and yang qi; the Luo Book contains the numbers of the five phases: 'East three, south two, north one, west four—this is the origin of the great number, with five at the center.' Since thunder moves through the central qi of heaven and earth, it is called the Five Thunders」"

"「The Five Thunders are the one primordial qi of heaven and earth, governing the five phases of heaven and earth and corresponding to the five viscera of the human body. The liver is the eastern soul wood, the lungs the western soul metal, the heart the southern spirit fire, the kidneys the northern essence water, and the spleen the central palace earth. Therefore the sages, without seeing, have their souls return to the liver; without hearing, their essence resides in the kidneys; without tasting, their spirit dwells in the heart; without smelling, their soul remains in the lungs; without moving the limbs, their intention stays in the spleen—hence the saying 'gathering the Five Thunders'」"

"「To cultivate the thunder method, one must use the heart to sense the heavenly and earthly qi mechanism, employ the eastern primordial qi to cleanse the five viscera, then accumulate the qi of the Five Thunders, after which they can be gathered into one and reach the Great Dao」"

"「Before this, one must open the human body's Heavenly Gang aperture to allow the eastern primordial qi to enter the body. In the heavens there are Heavenly Gang stars; within the human body there is a single Heavenly Gang aperture. Only by opening this Heavenly Gang aperture can one be said to have touched the threshold of internal thunder cultivation」"

Under Pangzi's slow explanation, I vaguely grasped the outline of the thunder method. All along, I and many others believed the thunder method was actually an external cultivation; to summon thunder, one needed to lay out formations and draw talismans. That visible procedure is correct, but our understanding is completely wrong.

To practice the orthodox Five Thunder method, one indeed needs talismans and formations. Yet to draw upon the power of heaven and earth, the demands on a person are extremely strict. As Pangzi said, only by opening the Heavenly Gang aperture can the primordial qi of heaven and earth enter the body. Upon reaching this threshold, one becomes qualified to borrow the power of heaven and earth.

A simple description is to open the qi apertures, allowing the qi of heaven and earth to enter your body, mingling with nature as one, without distinction. Only by merging with nature can you borrow the power of heaven and earth.

"「Come, try with me—hands flat, one up, one down, breathe slowly… pff! 」 Pangzi said, letting out a loud, foul-smelling fart."

"「Damn, you fat pig, are you here to meditate or just to fart! 」 I covered my nose and shouted."

Pangzi kept his eyes straight, his body still, merely closing his eyes and putting on an act as he said: "You don't know jack, this is called expelling turbid qi. Be serious, don't interrupt,"

I pursed my lips and continued to adjust my posture.

Talking about expelling turbid qi is nonsense—it's just that I ate too many sweet potatoes last night and have been farting all day.

When the first ray of morning sunlight from the rising sun shone upon us, Pangzi and I dared not lose focus; we quietly contemplated heaven and earth, sensing the first wisp of purple qi coming from the east.

As time passed, our faces showed no calm or tranquility; instead they were covered in sweat, like those spellcasters in movies who have gone berserk from deviant cultivation.

"「No, I'm not practicing anymore—I'm too agitated, I simply can't enter meditation. 」 Pangzi wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood up nonchalantly.

"「Me too... 」 I sighed, and likewise stood up listlessly.

After all, it's just that our concentration is insufficient; we truly cannot endure this natural cleansing. During the meditation, various inner demons arise—anger, fury, joy, pleasure, the seven emotions and six desires… the body also alternates between restlessness and being eroded by emotion into utter ash.

"「Ah… I knew we shouldn't have smoked so much, drunk so much alcohol, and eaten so many chili peppers last night. 」 I said wearily.

The five pungent and five spicy have always been taboo for the Daoist Sect; eating too much only stirs up liver fire. Smoke is evil fire, wine disrupts nature. Once exposed to too much of these, the blood throughout the body becomes extremely agitated, making it impossible to calm the mind and enter meditation.

Pangzi glanced at me, annoyed, and said: "How would I know you'd suddenly get a cramp in your brain this morning and inexplicably want to meditate on the mountaintop? If I'd known, I wouldn't have let you eat so many sweet potatoes last night,"

...... 「It seems no one forced you to eat the sweet potatoes and chili peppers. It's just that seeing those fragrant, spicy dried chilies makes you unable to stop craving them, and you insist on dipping sweet potatoes in them despite their unique flavor. 」 I looked at Pangzi with contempt.

"「Ah… whatever, the point is our liver fire is too agitated now, and our internal qi is blocked. We definitely can't enter meditation; with this time, we might as well go down the mountain and wander around, think of a plan. 」 Pangzi gave a strained smile, trying to cover up."

I thought it over and could only nod: "「That's fine too; since we can't calm our hearts, we'll just go with the flow and adapt as circumstances arise. I hope this time a new opportunity will appear, able to help Uncle Liu and the others. 」"

The first attempt at internal cultivation of the thunder method ended in failure.

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