Chapter 9: Qi-cultivating method

"Fire-hating technique, also known as the method of storing fire.

"This technique was originally passed down from strange countries in the Western Regions. Initially, fire pills, fire oil, and syrup were put into the mouth and spat out into fire for people to watch. If the cultivation is deep, there is no need for ignition objects; if the cultivation is shallow, fire is needed as a guide.

"Later, it was improved by unknown Daoists, incorporating the method of cultivating energy and spitting energy, and there were upper, middle, and lower grades. The original fire-hating technique was only the lowest grade.

"Middle-grade fire-hating technique does not need fire pills or fire oil, but cooperates with the energy-cultivating and breathing method, absorbing the essence of fire, storing it in the abdomen, and spitting it out when used. Those with deep cultivation can keep the fire energy for several days or even half a month without dissipating. Those with shallow cultivation can only keep the fire energy for a moment after inhaling it. If it is not spat out, it will either burn themselves or dissipate into nothingness.

"Upper-grade fire-hating technique does not need fire pills or fire oil, nor does it need to absorb fire energy, only accumulating five spirits in the body, guiding them into fire when used, and then spitting them out. The amount of fire energy depends on the five spirits in the body.

"This method is different from the fire method in the five-element magic. No matter how deep or shallow the cultivation is, it is ultimately ordinary fire. It can ignite fire, illuminate, burn people, scare horses, burn new ghosts, and repel small monsters, but it has no great use.

"Therefore, it is a trick."

It seems to be related to spitting energy...

Lin Jue read this page in a low voice, pinching the paper with his fingers.

As soon as his hand touched this page, a faint light that was hard to detect appeared, his eyes blurred, and his focus was pulled into the void of his brain, and a voice sounded.

Still like reciting in his own brain:

"To practice lower-grade fire-hating technique, you need to prepare fire pills and fire oil, and practice the endurance of spitting and spraying hard. This is a formula for fire pills in the folk during the Shangde years..."

Shangde years?

Lin Jue heard the point and couldn't help but ponder.

Seems like it has been several dynasties.

Is it the era where the author of this book lived?

Don't think too much for now, continue down.

"To practice middle-grade fire-hating technique, you need to practice the breathing method, understand the spitting energy method, and perceive the spiritual rhyme of fire. After feeling the spiritual rhyme, you can inhale the fire's spiritual energy into your abdomen, and after proficiency, use the spitting energy method to spray it into fire.

"To practice upper-grade fire-hating technique, you need to practice the complete energy-cultivating method, breathing and guiding, also perceiving the spiritual rhyme of fire, but fire energy is born from the body, guided and spat out. Those with deep cultivation can not only spit fierce fire from their mouths, but also sprinkle fire energy between gestures, turning it into flames.

"Practitioners must not eat very cold things."

There are still complete practice methods, including some insights and experiences, and precautions.

Lin Jue listened to it once, didn't remember it completely, just flipped his finger down, and actually found that there was another page below:

"Energy-cultivating method, ancient cultivation method.

"Heaven produces five spirits, there is spirit in the world, and those with excellent roots, even if they are mortal, can occasionally glimpse the spiritual rhyme of the five spirits of heaven and earth.

"The ancients felt the spiritual rhyme of the five spirits, felt it was wonderful, and through long exploration, mastered the method of introducing it into the body, and gradually evolved into the energy-cultivating method.

"This method is the beginning of the spiritual method of heaven and earth cultivation. It can strengthen the body below, and can cultivate and attain the Dao above. Coupled with the extremely low requirements for talent, even many Jianghu people who practice the energy-cultivating method cannot practice the spiritual method, so it is still the most widely circulated cultivation method in the Jianghu world to this day.

"Energy-cultivating methods are diverse, mostly having two steps: breathing and guiding. Unfortunately, ordinary Jianghu people mostly only get half.

"Those who get breathing often learn tricks, those who get guiding often cultivate physique, and combining the two is the cultivation method.

"..."

Lin Jue suddenly remembered—

In the past year, he could occasionally see some wonderful energy or luster, either on the top of the mountain when the sun rose in the morning, or in the forest after rain in early spring, or at the moment when the old man inhaled fire energy today, unable to control, hard to grasp.

According to what the book said, he seems to have good talent.

But it is also thanks to the detailed narration in the book.

The content of this book is completely standing at a much higher height, carrying rich experience, extremely deep insights, and super high cultivation, thoroughly and comprehensively telling this simplest energy-cultivating method.

Lin Jue continued to listen, thinking while listening.

If what the book said is not false, and has relatively high authority, the fire-hating technique has upper, middle, and lower grades. The group of tricksters showed the middle and lower grades today. Don't know if there is an upper-grade fire-hating technique. The energy-cultivating method is often split into breathing and guiding by the world. That old man also only showed the breathing method. Don't know if there is a complete energy-cultivating method.

Even so, it is quite strange.

Ordinary fire is fire after all, it has a certain lethality and deterrent power to people, and it should be no problem to deal with small monsters and ghosts.

But it is still performing in the city.

Seems to have some truth.

Thinking carefully, Lin Jue also heard from the village elder that some Jianghu masters in the world can take people's lives within ten steps and in an instant. Whether it is true or false, the power of this fire-hating technique is ordinary, and it is difficult to cause too much damage to people in a short time. The spitting distance is also limited. If it really reaches the battlefield or life-and-death struggle, it doesn't seem to be very powerful.

At least it can't compare to bows and arrows.

However, from the words of those tricksters, it is vaguely heard that the reason for this is more like their choice.

No matter what, the conversation with them yesterday also gave Lin Jue some inspiration. Besides inspiration, it also helped him look at the appearance of this world again.

"People who cultivate energy, breathe five spirits, nourish spiritual rhyme, should be moderate, take the path of balance..."

Lin Jue hadn't had time to listen to it completely, when his cousin's shout came from outside, calling him to eat, which made him detach from that state of listening to his own heart.

He couldn't learn it once, so he wasn't in a hurry at this time, so he closed the book and put it on the cabinet.

Also couldn't help but look at the cabinet.

Besides this ancient book from an unknown source, there were more than a dozen thread-bound books on it, most of which he borrowed from wealthy families in the village or the teacher's house.

Merchants here mostly admire Confucianism, and they are often willing to lend books. Lin Jue is always very polite and cherishes books, and always returns them on time, so most are willing to lend them to him.

But since meeting the monster in the Wang family ancestral hall in Heng Village that night, Lin Jue hasn't flipped through a book for several days.

And he hasn't been to the school much.

"Sigh..."

Shaking his head, Lin Jue walked out.

Early the next morning, on a small hillside outside the village.

Lin Jue was already sitting here.

According to what the book said, spiritual energy has the division of heaven, earth, yin, yang, four seasons, and five elements. Every moment is different, and even if the place is changed, it is different, changing infinitely.

The energy-cultivating method is simple and primitive, and the cultivation is shallow, so when practicing, remember not to have a bias. Many energy-cultivating people in the world practice wrongly because they don't understand this truth and don't pay attention. After a long time,

At high noon, the yang energy is too heavy, and at midnight, the yin energy is too heavy; neither is suitable for those learning the Qi-Nurturing Method, so choosing the early morning or twilight hours is best.

The four seasons rotate, each with its differences; for example, during times like the Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice, one has the shortest day and longest night, while the other has the shortest night and longest day—both are times when either yin or yang energy is at its peak and the other at its nadir. Practicing the Qi-Nurturing Method at such times is twice the effort for half the result, with harm and no benefit, so it is better to simply avoid them.

Conversely, during the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes, when day and night are equal, the yin and yang energies are most balanced, and the spiritual aura of heaven and earth is most wondrous; practicing then yields twice the result for half the effort.

It is also not good to practice in only one place; one needs to change often, among mountains, rivers, and forests, where heaven and earth are vast, to gather more spiritual aura.

Following what was said in the book, Lin Jue calmed his mind and focused his spirit.

Among the ten thousand thoughts in his mind, he pursued one, gradually reaching a state of no-thought, his body naturally merging with heaven and earth, sensing the five energies of heaven and earth and the natural spiritual aura.

In the darkness, it seemed as if he had reached the right level of mastery.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes—

Before his eyes, it was mostly still the appearance of the original village.

A small stream and a spring of water flowed from top to bottom, merging together from left and right. The village was built along the water, a large expanse of white walls and blue tiles with staggered eaves; in this early morning, one could often hear the chirping of birds and the sound of women beating clothes, echoing in the air.

Behind it were the continuous green mountains like a screen.

The reason it was "mostly" was because there was still Qi.

Between the small hills, above the streams, inside the houses, and on the peaks of the great mountains, faint light and currents rose and flowed, originating from heaven and earth and returning to heaven and earth, adding a touch of strangeness and fantasy to this scene.

"It's truly beautiful..."

Lin Jue's first thought was actually this.

Immediately, he maintained his focus and guided his breath.

"Hiss..."

"Hoo..."

Between inhaling and exhaling, he vaguely felt something, yet it seemed he did not.

Lin Jue was neither impatient nor doubtful; following the book's instructions, he remained patient and continued to breathe.

Sensing the Qi at his mouth and nose, he guided it into his body.

Surprisingly, he had a vague feeling on the very first try.

Just as the book said, he could occasionally see the spiritual aura of the five energies of heaven and earth, so he should be considered to have very good talent.

However, it was also thanks to the detailed explanations in the book.

The content of this book stood entirely at a much higher vantage point, carrying rich experience, extremely deep insights, and superb attainments, thoroughly and comprehensively explaining this simplest method of Qi-Nurturing.

Not until the sun climbed higher and the temperature rose, causing the yin and yang energies to become increasingly unbalanced, did Lin Jue open his eyes.

"Hoo..."

Finally, he exhaled a breath of turbid air.

According to the book, it was time to stop.

Lin Jue also detached himself from that state of mind, and the world before him returned to clarity and normalcy, like a beautiful landscape painting of a village.

Yet he could not help but continue to ponder—

This world is truly extraordinary.

Since there are demon-ghost spells, could there really be immortals and longevity?

Regardless, these are the more wondrous and unique aspects of this world.

"..."

Lin Jue was silent.

His mind was no longer on reading at all.

Thinking back to the world of gods, ghosts, and strange phenomena described by the village elder, Lin Jue felt for a moment that those spells, supernatural powers, and strange tales were just like the towering mountains in the distance, like a vast and beautiful landscape; they seemed to just stay there quietly, but in reality, they were calling to him...