Chapter 159: True Transmission Disciple

Mother Xu said, "Xiao Hong is a goddaughter I just recently recognized; she is very clever in her work."

Niu Congcong clearly knew that Xiao Hong was Xu Jia's maidservant; how had she suddenly become a goddaughter? "A goddaughter is good," Niu Dafu said. "She is someone capable of getting things done, even better than my own son. Don't look at how he has followed me in identifying medicinal herbs since he was small; I have the heart to teach him, but he just can't seem to learn it."

Hearing this, Niu Congcong retorted, "I can't learn it because I don't want to learn it. If I wanted to learn, how could I not? Recognizing herbs is not as useful as recognizing people. Recognizing a hundred types of people is more useful than recognizing a hundred types of herbs!"

Niu Dafu was furious: "You rebellious son, what level of people can you recognize? Aren't they all just a bunch of fox friends and dog companions?"

Xu Jia laughed and said, "You can't say it like that. When the founding emperor of the current dynasty rose in rebellion, he was the son of a salt peddler. The people he came into contact with were either boatmen or salt farmers, yet didn't he still carve out a world of his own?"

Niu Congcong nodded: "Exactly, exactly. I am currently cultivating with Brother Xu. When Brother Xu succeeds in his cultivation, won't I follow him to Didao and become an Immortal?"

Niu Dafu sighed: "I have traveled north and south, and while I haven't seen many Immortals, I have encountered quite a few evil spirits and ghosts. There are swindlers who claim to turn stones into gold, and lewd temples that go by the name of the Child-Giving Guanyin, but I have never seen a real Immortal."

"Virtuous nephew, it's not that I want to discourage you, but you should open your eyes and look at the world!"

Xu Jia was not annoyed upon hearing this; he simply called Xiao Hong over and had her explain the key secrets of making pills to Niu Dafu.

Xiao Hong had changed her demeanor by this time; her temperament was quite different from before. Although her voice was still soft, she had become much more confident.

After she explained them one by one, Niu Dafu understood what was going on: "It seems these herb workers think they understand pharmacology, so they follow their own understanding—if something is temporarily unavailable or lacking, they find something similar to substitute. They dry them during the day and go home at night, leaving them unattended. It would be better to find those who are illiterate and don't know the herbs, have them each process one type, and then collect them to be formulated into pills by ourselves."

Xu Jia nodded: "That logic holds, but it is still a small-workshop model after all and cannot last long. If we could hire thirty or fifty people and open a medicine factory for large-scale production, that would be good."

"That would only be possible if we could secure the supply for the entire Xinzhou. To tell you the truth, in this day and age, even in peaceful times, those who can afford pills are all wealthy families; they are convenient to eat and not bitter. Ordinary families just grab two or three doses of cheap herbs; if it cures them, fine, if it doesn't, it's up to fate. If they pull through and survive a hurdle or a calamity, they survive; if they don't, then that's how it goes."

"Moreover, the audience for these nourishing pills is even smaller. Virtuous nephew says they are cultivation medicines that can be sold to martial arts schools, Daoist temples, and Buddhist temples, but in those places, where would they lack ancestral Immortal prescriptions?"

"According to me, these pills are our secret recipes, but are there cheaper ones that are more targeted—ones that can treat colds, injuries, and headaches, and are also cheap?"

Xu Jia could not think of any good prescriptions for a moment; Xu Jia's own medical skills were only half-baked, and he only knew about those related to cultivation.

After all, in later generations, treating a cold meant cold medicine, injuries meant going to the hospital, and headaches meant painkillers.

The medical books Xu Jia had read were all in line with Daoist thought. The saying goes that medicine and the Dao are not separate. After thinking it over, there was only the "Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases," but the medical Dao of this world was passed down from the medical practitioners of the pre-Qin period, the lineage of Bian Que, and then developed further. In fact, it was no worse than the previous life; all the decoctions that should have been developed already existed.

However, in traditional medicine, a thousand people have a thousand prescriptions. Within the classic decoction formulas, there is always "addition and subtraction," which is the essence. Therefore, in learning medicine, the most superficial thing is copying prescriptions; only by understanding dialectics can one sit in a clinic. A famous master is one who has summarized a set of theories based on many years of medical practice.

To make them into pills, one needs universality and an understanding of the common problems and symptoms of the current populace.

The world is vast; one side of water and soil nurtures one side of people, and also nurtures one side of herbs.

Xu Jia calmed his heart to research, started free clinics, went up the mountains and down to the countryside, and tasted the local herbs. Perhaps in three to five years, he could research the prescriptions Niu Dafu mentioned, and he would become famous and accumulate immeasurable Merit.

But Xu Jia had a better way, which was, as Hu Jinhua said, to subdue a rabbit Immortal or a hedgehog Immortal. Moreover, making medicine is not as good as cultivating people. Although those spirit-mediums and witches are not up to much, if they cooperate with the Dharma Power of their halls and use dream-teaching to impart knowledge on herbs and healing, at the very least, they could ensure every village has a village doctor.

Xu Jia thought: "Uncle, perhaps we have walked into a misunderstanding. If medicine is expensive, then we shouldn't count on medicine to make money. There is a poem from a medical practitioner: 'I wish that in this world there be no illness, even if the dust gathers on the medicine on the shelves.' These cheap pills, no matter how cheap, have the cost of hiring people, so they can't be that low."

"Then I can't sell at a loss! Just do charity?"

"That's not what I mean," Xu Jia said. "Perhaps we can rely on one industry to subsidize another."

"What industry?"

Xu Jia thought and said: "Still wine."

"Didn't you just say we couldn't make wine?" Niu Dafu was confused.

"That was medicinal wine; now we will switch to cheap ones."

"What cheap ones?" Niu Dafu was curious. "Even the cheapest wine is brewed from rice."

Xu Jia said: "Use persimmons. Uncle, do you know that patch of Lan Shi Huo?"

Niu Dafu understood: "You mean Guizhang Lin, right? That place is extremely dangerous. Some villagers went in to pick herbs and came back with a serious illness. There are also fellow villagers who say there are monsters there, and a Ghost Beating Wall, and it is extremely smelly. Every summer, the surrounding area is full of a rotten stench, a mountain of maggots and a fog of flies. This is even less reliable."

Xu Jia laughed: "I have my own way to deal with that place. I am thinking that there is an old Lao Zhupo in the mountain, a monster that has cultivated for over a hundred years. She has already been subdued by me. I ordered her to clear the piles of rotten persimmons accumulated in the hollow for compost. I imagine that with her abilities, she can get it done in a month at most."

"A portion of these persimmons can be sold as fresh fruit, but they don't last long. A portion can be made into dried persimmons, and the rest can be mixed with rice bran and used to brew wine."

"What kind of brewing method is this?" Niu Dafu's knowledge only knew of using jars to brew rice wine.

Xu Jia, however, intended to distill white liquor. This craft actually existed long ago, originating from the alchemy of Taoism. Later, medical practitioners also used it, and even the various rose oils used by the concubines in the imperial palace came from this.

Later, the various tools for Taoist alchemy were also used by medical practitioners; they were the tools for processing various medicinal materials.

Xu Jia immediately designed a set: "For every hundred catties of persimmons, one can probably brew ten catties of raw mash. These persimmons can be picked by the villagers; even at one wen per catty, many villagers would be willing to do it."

"I heard there is a kind of wine in the Qin region that seems to be like this. It has been passed down since the Shang and Zhou dynasties, from the same period as the Phoenix Singing on Mount Qi. The wine is like a spring, clear and transparent, and has always been tribute wine and imperial wine. There is also a kind of distilled liquor there, with a nature like raging fire, but it doesn't nourish people. After eating it, one will go into a state of Madness, beat their mother, and hit their wife and children." Xu Jia nodded: "That's probably the kind of wine." Xu Jia was not surprised by the appearance of distilled liquor; the history of the Earth Method of making distilled liquor is long-standing. Moreover, as for wine, even monkeys can brew it; its history is perhaps longer than human civilization.

As for this world of gods and ghosts, wine is even more of a necessary offering for sacrificing to ancestors and deities, used to entertain the deities.

"Good, then I will try it," Niu Dafu said. "Once this makes money, I will use it to subsidize the production of pills."

"That is easy to say. For now, the pills can just be developed around Yushan. Opening one for County Commandant Chen and one for Shanju Guan—these two places are indispensable. I can even call the Daoists from Shanju Guan to assist you in brewing wine; they are more professional. They have heavy alchemy equipment for burning and refining jade stones, which is more than enough to use for making wine."

Father Xu then said: "Brother Niu, I plan to set off for Nanchang in two days to study for a period of time. Do you have any boats here?"

"I do," Niu Dafu asked curiously: "You are already at such an old age, not thinking about holding a grandson, why are you still going to study?"

"The County Magistrate and Scholar Lu said my essays have improved greatly."

"Then why not go to Mirror Lake Shuyuan?" Niu Dafu said. "That is closer."

"Mirror Lake is full of young students. This time I am going to Nanchang to visit some great scholars who are dedicated to their studies. Besides, the examinations are also there. I'll go early to adapt to the water and soil."

"I have a boat. I just brought in a batch of medicinal materials from Zhangshu and need to transport them by water to Jinxian. That is not far from Nanchang. I will arrange a boat for you alone and hire a boatman familiar with the water routes to go with you. It will take no more than two or three days to reach Nanchang."

Niu Dafu said with some anticipation: "So, are you confident about passing the exam this time?"

Father Xu shook his head: "I dare not guarantee it."

"Since the County Magistrate has let you try, I imagine the timing is right. Then I will congratulate Master Xu in advance for the carp leaping over the Dragon Gate!"

Niu Congcong said with envy: "Dad, when will you leap over the Dragon Gate too? Let me enjoy it as well!"

"You are rebelling against the heavens!" Niu Dafu turned and gave Xiaopangdun a rap on the head.

Niu Dafu also wanted to place a bet. After pondering for a while, he said: "This wine is not something ordinary people can touch. Wait until you, Master Xu, pass the exam and become a scholar, then we will open a winery in your name."

"I haven't passed the exam yet, and you're already calling me 'Laoye'?" Father Xu laughed. "It's just making wine. As long as we do it properly, who would make things difficult for you? Our two families are as close as one, so we won't divide things like that."

Seeing Father Xu being so "flexible," Xu Jia thought to himself: "Father, you don't look like a sage at all!"

They drank wine, chatted, and recalled the past. Xu Jia pulled Niu Congcong into the room: "How has your cultivation been these past few days?"

"Ever since I painted the facial makeup and invited the Kui Star last time, I've felt much smoother. These days I've been thinking about this matter; it seems I've made contact with the ink-collecting boy beside the Kui Star. He wants me to worship him, and he will give me some benefits."

Xu Jia thought: "You are cultivating the Incense Dao spirit-medium method, so this is normal. But don't be too serious or listen to him too much; after all, he is just a boy."

"Child attendants are all children from wealthy and blessed families in the human world who were born with exceptional grace; after dying young, they were ushered to heaven by Daoists to serve various God Immortals. They do not cultivate much and possess little ability, but they often make mistakes and are cast down to the mortal realm to undergo trials again. To cultivate from a child attendant to a High Immortal or High God requires countless transformations; strictly speaking, they are merely of the Ghost Immortal class."

"However, the Kui Star governs Literary Luck and selects the top candidate; this child attendant must be a prodigy, perhaps even somewhat famous."

Niu Congcong nodded: "I just want to read more books. Those little foxes all learn things faster than I do, and last time Brother Xu said I was too fat."

"Fine, fine, fine, now you're feeling aggrieved!" Xu Jia thought for a moment and said: "In that case, I will take you as my True Transmission Disciple. You are already initiated into the Incense Medium Method, and now that there are three deities on the altar, I will pass on to you the Three Sovereigns Secret Texts, the Essential Arts of the Cavern Gods, and the Wuyue Talisman Charts. Once this method is mastered, you will be able to know the true names of all demons, ghosts, devils, and spirits in the world, summon and control them, and at the same time strengthen your Primordial Spirit and clarify your wisdom. The Wuyue Talisman Charts are for self-defense; with the Wuyue Talisman Charts, these demons and devils will not be able to get near you."

"However, the Wuyue Talisman Charts can only be passed on to you after the City God grants me an official position at the Wuyue Office. The Three Sovereigns Secret Texts involve too many taboos regarding Ghost Gods and cannot be taught through speech; they can only be transmitted through dreams and granted in secret. Therefore, I will now teach you the Way of the Cavern Gods, which is the method of Preserving the Spirit, Entering Stillness, Sitting in Oblivion, and Visualization."

"This is also the foundational method of my True Transmission Great Yellow Court for internally refining the Body Gods. Because of my cultivation in a past life, I skipped these steps, but you cannot. You must seek true stillness to be able to sit in meditation for more than half an hour at a time. Visualization also requires the removal of many distracting thoughts before you can see the true form. Once you gradually achieve success, you can attempt Inner Landscape observation—observing the five viscera, six bowels, twelve meridians, and three Dandan, and sensing the Qi moving like rolling pearls; that is when you have entered the path."

Niu Congcong asked in confusion: "Brother, wasn't I a True Transmission Disciple before?"

"Didn't I tell you? Before was an external transmission. For example, Hu Jinhua, I treat him as an external disciple, but I see that his character is acceptable, and since he is your destined Immortal family and dual-cultivation partner, I will also include him in the ranks of the True Transmission. Teaching you is the same as teaching him; it is the same principle."

Immediately, Xu Jia explained in detail the principles of sitting in meditation, entering stillness, and fixed observation.

Niu Congcong was actually wise but appeared dull. Earlier, he had pointed out that Xu Jia's temperament after returning to life was like an old Daoist, and he had decisively helped Xu Jia and kowtowed to him as his master. Although he kept calling him Brother Xu afterward, this was a sign of closeness; in reality, he was Xu Jia's number one lackey, doing whatever was asked of him, even stealing old ginseng from home to nourish Xu Jia's body.

Niu Congcong listened to Xu Jia's words and began to sit cross-legged, but his legs were too fat, so Xu Jia told him to be as comfortable as he liked, as long as he achieved natural breathing and natural purity.

Thus, Xiaopangdun immediately lay down.

Seeing this, Xu Jia knew that sitting upright in meditation would not work for him, so he decisively passed on the Turtle Breath Hibernation Method he had cultivated some time ago. The little turtle's "Inner Landscape Primordial Sect" was more suitable for non-human beings and not suitable for the human body.

Xiaopangdun had just failed to enter stillness while sitting, but lying down like this to cultivate the Turtle Breath Hibernation Method made him fall asleep in a second; it was just that Xu Jia was not sure if he was truly asleep or had entered the state of Turtle Breath Hibernation.

However, this was indeed a True Transmission.

(End of chapter)