Chapter 96: Cultivating the Yellow Sprout

Niu Dafu looked at the prescription; he was a medicinal merchant, not a resident physician or a master doctor, but he could still see that there was no problem with the prescription and no need to find a healer to verify it.

At the very least, there were no conflicting ingredients or mutual restraints.

Niu Dafu keenly realized that this could be his opportunity to expand his market, a transformation from reselling medicinal materials to producing pills.

"Where did this prescription come from?"

Xu Jia said with self-satisfaction: "This is an Immortal prescription."

It was indeed an Immortal prescription, a formula used for immortal cultivation in his past life. He had scoured the Materia Medica and various immortal prescriptions, spending a great deal of manpower and resources from the various research laboratories invested in by his disciples, which were culled from the arts of ingestion found in various Daoist canons.

Although Niu Dafu was skeptical at first, the surroundings were filled with fox demons and weasel demons, and coupled with the bowl of chicken soup he had just eaten, it truly made his body feel warm and his breathing easy, as if the burden brought on by his obesity had been lightened.

Ginseng soup alone could sustain a breath of Qi, but it could not be so nourishing and natural.

Setting aside these matters of Ghost Gods, cooperation was indeed possible. Moreover, Xu Zhiyuan said he would certainly pass the imperial examination; establishing a connection with a successful candidate, and since they were childhood classmates... their relationship was close, and they could be considered fellow townsmen.

Niu Dafu said: "Once I produce the pills and test them, we can continue to discuss cooperation. Of course, I will absolutely not leak the secret recipe."

He did not quite believe that the fox spirits possessed a Longevity Method. Xu Jia's return to soul after borrowing a corpse seemed suspicious to him in many ways, but his son had already been bewitched, and he himself had seen these monsters that should not be seen, so he feared he could not escape their control... he could only obediently cooperate.

It was precisely that he had imagined Xu Jia to be too demonized.

Eliminating prejudice was the beginning of cooperation.

Hu Jinhua began to grasp the situation, and unknowingly, she employed the Fox Charm Technique. As a kind old lady, she could make people let down their guard, which was far smoother than when Niu Congcong performed it; this was, after all, a fox's innate magical technique.

Niu Dafu suddenly had a thought: "They want my money. Since they have already controlled my son, why bother being nice to me? Wouldn't it be more straightforward to just kill me? Although Xu Zhiyuan is pedantic in his studies, the more pedantic he is, the more he should despise these monsters. Yet he can accept this now and even claims he can be reborn. I shall wait and see if he truly passes the imperial examination, and it won't take long."

"I am already in the medicinal material business myself, and I had originally wanted to get into finished pharmaceutical production, but I lacked a secret recipe. Since he is so certain it can make money, there is no need for him to produce a fake recipe. After all, if I lose money, it means they lose money too; that is not the purpose of their interests..."

After casting aside his prejudice against the monsters, Niu Dafu looked carefully at his son again, seeing that his expression was clear and devoid of any fanatical feeling. Xu Jia's demeanor was calm and natural, and even Xu Zhiyuan had a certain bearing. In his travels north and south, he had only seen such bearing in government officials...

Even Xu Mu had a much better complexion; not to mention looking ten years younger, she looked at least five or six years younger. He did not know that this was the auspicious Qi generated within the Feng Shui Array, which nourished her vitality and improved her complexion, thus making her look younger.

"Unfilial son!" Niu Dafu finally looked at Niu Congcong: "Have you also started practicing?"

"Yes! Dad, watch me perform an Obstruction of Sight Method!" He saw him wave his hand, and two bowls vanished into thin air, obstructed from view.

"Disease Removal Technique!" Niu Congcong performed a healing spell on his father again, and Niu Dafu felt a wave of comfort, as if he had received a foot massage.

"Can one truly practice?" He was already wavering: "At my age, can I also practice?"

Xu Jia did not need to speak; Niu Congcong had already answered: "Of course you can. Cultivation is very simple. Like me, I entered the path in two or three days. We are father and son, sharing the same lineage..."

Xu Jia: Your Lushan Jitong Method and Shamanic Helper Soldier Formula—you want to use those quick-success methods on your father?

Niu Congcong and Hu Jinhua were humans improving their Daoist Practice, and the Immortals provided assistance; the Immortals could also actively provide Dharma Power, which could be considered "dual cultivation" or a different kind of "beast taming."

As for Niu Dafu, Xu Jia did not intend for him to form a bond with a Fox Immortal; Xu Jia intended for him to form a bond with the "Medicine God."

This was another method of cultivation. Taoism had a method called the "Twelve Medicine Essence Enshrinement Method," used by the Medicine King Sun Simiao for enshrinement, but later practitioners used these twelve medicinal materials to correspond to the Twelve Main Meridians.

By absorbing the Qi of these twelve medicines, one could understand the properties of all herbs and use them for harmony and health. Niu Dafu was in the medicinal material business and was destined to have a connection with medicine; he could start his practice as a "Picking Medicine Boy" and then follow the "Heavenly Physician" path.

Niu Dafu was already very tempted upon hearing that his son had entered the path in just a few days, and he looked at Xu Jia: "Virtuous nephew, look..."

Xu Jia said: "Easy, easy. It is not difficult to practice if you take the right path. A thousand people have a thousand methods, and a thousand people have a thousand kinds of fate. What suits Niu Congcong may not necessarily suit you, but I am willing to find a cultivation method that suits you."

Lady Niu also wanted to speak, so Xu Mu said: "You should chant Buddha with me. My method is simple; otherwise, it would be this and that! I don't know how troublesome it is!"

Lady Niu also chanted Buddha at home; it seemed that all feudal landlady-types liked to chant Buddha—it was a trend, or a stereotype, or perhaps just a way to pass the dull days.

However, Xu Mu was not exactly dead inside; perhaps it was because she had become a mother and knew that she was powerless in many matters, so she could only entrust her hopes to the Gods and Buddhas to seek blessings.

Niu Dafu was away doing business all year round, and Lady Niu was at home, naturally praying for him often.

Xu Mu looked at Xu Jia: "Jie Di, what do you think?"

"Aunt is also suited to chanting mantras, but not the Guanyin Heart Sutra Mantra; she is suited to the Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Mantra." "Aunt, what Buddha were you chanting before?"

"I only chant Amitabha."

"That is perfect; you can switch to chanting the Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Mantra." Xu Jia said: "This mantra is good at healing diseases and can also purify evil Qi. Chanting it often can lead to being received by the Eastern Pure Lapis Lazuli World and gaining great blessings."

Lady Niu believed this very much and did not doubt it: "Then how should I chant it? Is it enough to just chant the mantra?"

"I will teach you!" Xu Mu was very proud of this and brought out her experience in holding the Guanyin Heart Sutra Mantra.

Lady Niu might not have the same wisdom or Buddhist roots, but as close friends, they naturally had to practice and study together.

Xu Jia consumed the chicken heart and astragalus soup, continued to circulate his power, refined and operated it, and strengthened his heart power. It was just right to wash the body with the spirit and contemplate the God within the heart. At this moment, after consuming the chicken heart for nourishment and performing internal observation, a vermilion-walled palace appeared in his heart, with two rooms and two chambers.

The Danyuan Qi revealed a divine form, which was the natural intent of heart Qi; dressed in vermilion robes and holding a tablet, it entered the palace. However, its form was still young and clearly not yet an adult; it was in the appearance of a boy.

This indicated that Xu Jia's heart and spirit were not yet strong.

Xu Jia then consumed the chicken kidneys to nourish the kidneys, performed internal observation of the God, assisted in washing the body with the spirit, and shaped the left and right Kidney Palaces. Chunyuan Zhen and Xiangtamu, the two boys, one dressed in black and one in white, holding tablets, entered the two palaces, representing Xu Jia's Acquired Essence and innate essence.

Xu Jia practicing so unconcernedly was actually because the Luejue Shen was acting as a Protector, and with Hu Jinhua here, the Fox Immortal Hall was his own Daochang. He also needed to manifest his holiness quickly in front of others to convince his parents and even the Niu family with his strength; only then could he gather the power of both families to make plans for his Daoist practice.

As the power of the heart and kidneys strengthened—the heart governing joy and the kidneys governing fear—these two emotions were amplified. Xu Jia suddenly had many inexplicably happy thoughts in his mind, and many fears arose as well. These were the "inner demons" formed along with his practice; perhaps they shouldn't be called inner demons, but distracting thoughts that disturbed one's sitting in oblivion and purity.

This was not Xu Jia's first time practicing, so he naturally ignored them.

Fan Zhongyan once said: "Not to be pleased by external objects, nor saddened by oneself." This was precisely the state at this time.

Kidney water belongs to Kan, and the heart belongs to Li; extract the Yang from Kan to fill the void in Li. The Yin in the heart descends to the kidneys, and the Yang in the kidneys rises to the heart.

The heart and kidneys met at the spleen; with Water Fire Earth, the "Yellow Sprout" was cultivated, which was precisely the "Small Medicine."

The descent of Yin and the ascent of Yang was precisely the state of "Heaven and Earth Intercourse."

With Heaven and Earth Intercourse and Water Fire Already Balanced, the Yellow Sprout was cultivated. Without waiting for an Elder, it was harvested and refined by the left kidney god Chunyuan Zhen to strengthen the innate essence.

This innate essence then rose into the brain to nourish the spirit, but Xu Jia's spirit was already very strong and was currently melting, returning to essence and Qi.

But at this time, the innate essence entering the brain did not strengthen the spirit, but rather bolstered "wisdom," ensuring Xu Jia would not be deluded by hallucinations.

After this innate essence nourished the brain, it continued to descend and settled as "Fetal Breath." At first, the Fetal Breath was just a feeling of movement and wriggling, but later it gradually felt like a mouse crawling through a pipe.

This was precisely the Small Heavenly Circuit. Each time the circuit was circulated, it consumed some innate essence, but it could travel along the path, strengthening the muscles, bones, skin, and flesh... and nourishing the internal organs.

His inhalation and exhalation had already become extremely regular.

Xu Jia was returning the essence to the brain, strengthening the Fetal Breath, and circulating the Small Heavenly Circuit, all performed simultaneously.

But this was not considered seeking quick success, because he had already laid the corresponding foundation in his past life, this body was very young, his brain was fresh, his innate essence had never been lost, and the Fetal Breath had already been cultivated through his Turtle Breath Hibernation in the past few days; the effort of harvesting and refining was the real key.

When it comes down to it, it is still the same thing, just with different steps.

Xu Jia's face remained bright red, emitting heat, and his body temperature seemed much higher than usual.

The next moment, having harvested the Yellow Sprout three times, harvesting more would damage his fundamental nature, as both kidney yang and heart yin were already insufficient; only then did Xu Jia open his eyes, with electricity flashing in them, illuminating the empty room, and he exhaled a long breath that actually carried the sound of a howling gale.

With the Hundred Days Foundation Establishment, he had already entered the threshold; after harvesting the Yellow Sprout for one hundred days, the two spirits of the heart and kidneys would transform from a child state to an adolescent state, at which point he could circulate the Small Heavenly Circuit thirty-six times while simultaneously practicing other Inner Landscape Yellow Court cultivation.

Although he had not obtained the orthodox method of this world, this technique was definitely an orthodox method; having practiced it in his past life, he also had experience, and the intersection of heart and kidneys was a necessary foundation for all elixir methods; once he found the orthodox techniques of this world, he could study them together and make subtle adjustments.

There was just one bad thing: having just eaten, internally refined the palace landscape, and settled the heart spirit and kidney spirit, the harvesting of the Yellow Sprout left him feeling as if he had been starving for three days.

Because kidney yang and heart yin intersect at the spleen, and the spleen governs transportation and transformation, the harvesting of the Yellow Sprout consumes one's overall essence, Qi, and spirit.

Therefore, those who only practice without nourishing or replenishing themselves become thinner and more sickly the more they practice, and may even die young.

Xu Jia immediately drank another bowl of chicken soup to alleviate his hunger.

(End of this chapter)