Chapter 45

Cui Dan and his old servant had once surveyed the feng shui of this residence from outside; the place was desolate and neglected, long ago stripped of its vital feng shui energy. They had assumed the interior must be thick with yin energy, its primordial qi skewed toward gloom and turbidity. But upon entering, they discovered the place concealed an inner cosmos—save for the outer courtyard, which the demon disciples of Meishan Sect had destroyed, they could not fathom how.

In the inner chamber where Qian Chen resided, a faint, ethereal purity lingered in the air.

In the empty room, several mushrooms—some entirely crimson, others with deep purple parasol caps—sprouted atop decaying wood… These mushrooms were small and charming, brimming with vivid spiritual energy.

This was ample proof that the feng shui here had greatly improved.

“No wonder my father told me: ‘Mountains need not be high; if immortals dwell there, they gain renown. Waters need not be deep; if dragons reside, they become spirit-filled.’ This saying comes from the Supreme Daoist Canon—not some later forgery. It turns out that when a master opens his furnace to refine elixirs… he truly can alter the feng shui of an entire region. In ancient times, the True Person Ge refined elixirs on Baicao Mountain, daily washing his cauldron with spiritual springs; for decades, the elixir waters flowed through every peak… After Ge’s ascension, Baicao Mountain produced all manner of spiritual herbs for millennia, even giving rise to a major external elixir sect—the Baicao Sect.”

“I always thought this was a legend fabricated by the Baicao Sect to flatter Ge True Person.”

“Now I see: where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”

“These mushrooms are rich in medicinal properties, yet their fire is still shallow—clearly they sprouted from absorbed medicinal qi…” As Cui Dan thought this, he saw Qian Chen casually pluck another crimson mushroom, its medicinal aura cradling an elixir like a spiritual mushroom, and tossed it to the ground, where it instantly vanished into the soil.

Seeing this, Cui Dan’s hands instinctively clenched his trousers. The seasoned and composed Wu Bo had just opened his mouth to offer some polite flattery, but when he saw Qian Chen’s effortless, extravagant gesture, he forgot entirely what he meant to say, only standing there with his mouth slightly agape, a suspicious glimmer of saliva trailing from his lip.

Qian Chen had no intention of showing off…

The mushrooms arose from qi. During the forty-plus days Qian Chen used this place as his elixir chamber, every day as he nurtured his primordial elixir and refined medicinal qi, the environment naturally changed—especially when the primordial elixir formed, equivalent to a cultivator achieving Foundation Establishment at the seventh rank, which should have manifested grand external signs: the birth of the elixir, a resonance between heaven and earth.

At that moment, the impurities of the elixir leaked out, forming various phenomena—including the transformation of subterranean yin-evil qi into harmony, completely altering the feng shui of this region—the external sign: harmonizing yin-evil, creating a blessed land by heaven’s design.

Medicinal qi falling to earth sprouted hundreds of varieties of spiritual mushrooms—spirit mushroom auspiciousness, myriad herbs flourishing.

Countless spirits and demons, blessed by this qi, took form… Blessing spirits, awakening all living things.

These three external signs of Core Formation naturally resolved Qian Chen’s karmic ties with the yin-evil qi, primordial qi, and spirits of this land—the Way of Heaven-Man Resonance. Because Qian Chen’s elixir refining depleted the land’s heavenly and earthly primordial qi, spiritual mushrooms spontaneously grew; because he drained the yin-evil earth veins, he had to harmonize the remaining evil qi to form a blessed feng shui site; finally, having seized the spirits’ opportunity, he compensated them in some unseen way.

But all these external signs of Core Formation and impurities from elixir refining were refined by Qian Chen into spiritual pills via secret methods.

Thus, to avoid disrupting the Way of Heaven-Man Resonance and accumulating hidden karmic burdens, Qian Chen first shattered his elixir into jade dust to nourish the spirits, granting them another opportunity as compensation, then cast the most yang-infused Chi Yang Pill into the ground—its qi, upon entering the earth, naturally followed yin-yang principles to seek out the remaining yin-evil qi.

Thus, this essence of yang harmony, absorbing the residual yin-evil, gave rise to a Crimson Essence Mushroom sprouting from the crack Qian Chen had opened in the earth’s crust.

As the Crimson Essence Mushroom absorbed the remaining yin-evil qi and gathered heavenly and earthly primordial qi, it naturally transformed the land’s malevolent energy into a blessed site, while also nourishing the other mushrooms born from medicinal qi—quietly, without fanfare, restoring all external signs of Heaven-Man Resonance, resolving all karmic debts, and leaving behind a rare medicinal source for future generations.

Even the original owner of this land would greatly benefit—after Qian Chen left, the local Daoist academy would surely pay a fortune to buy the residence from him and convert it into a mushroom chamber.

This, too, was Qian Chen’s payment for the rent.

But such principles, involving hidden fortune and misfortune, could only be perceived by those with exceptionally keen spiritual sensitivity. Many heterodox cultivators often complained of meager fortune, yet how many among them who entered the Great Dao from ignorant mundanity were truly without destiny? Yet these blessings and fortunes often gradually dissipated as heterodox cultivators, heedless and fearless, squandered heaven’s creation, plundering resources recklessly.

Over time, troubles clung to them, karmic entanglements in the mortal world wore them down; even if their original Dao heart was firm and their nature clear, they were gradually obscured by dust.

Those who rose to prominence were either those who acted with ruthless decisiveness, slaughtering those entangled in karmic bonds with them, severing karma with great resolve and perseverance, seizing others’ destiny, and forging ahead without pause—the true protagonists…

Or those who were cautious and prudent, always leaving a thread of escape—a seasoned veteran.

Cui Dan and his old servant were momentarily stunned, but soon regained their composure: even this master’s seemingly casual gestures carried profound meaning. Wu Bo quickly calmed himself, composed his bearing, and pondered with the cunning of a noble house—he recalled how the Cui family, following clan customs, often made offerings to forge alliances, only to be mocked by local strongmen… yet in the end, the clans always calculated deeper; what seemed like losses ensured the family’s survival.

In contrast, those strongmen greedy as tigers and wolves, crude and violent in action, often vanished within a century, replaced by a new generation.

Cui Dan’s thoughts were simpler—he sensed dimly: Heaven’s Way diminishes the excess and supplements the deficient. Humanity’s Way sacrifices the deficient to serve the excess. But the Way of Heaven-Man is a cycle of mutual generation, endlessly recurring… He lacked Wu Bo’s cunning, yet turned his thoughts inward to his own cultivation, subtly grasping the subtlety: human Dao demands self-strengthening and striving; heavenly Dao gives birth yet possesses nothing, follows nature… The path of cultivation embraced both.

Cui Dan came to his senses and saw Qian Chen watching him with a faint, enigmatic smile. He quickly said: “Your humble servant has been impolite—I heard from the Daoist academy that a senior master had come to Wukang, befriended fox spirits, and lingered here. I came out of curiosity, nearly disturbing your elixir refining…”

Qian Chen shook his head and smiled: “Waiting outside your door hardly counts as disturbance. Tell me, what exactly brought you here? Merely to see me?”

Cui Dan sat upright, his manners impeccable.

Though he had a certain carefree air, his family’s strict upbringing ensured his etiquette left no flaw. He bowed respectfully: “I came boldly for three reasons: first, to seek guidance on the Dao; second, to admire the master; third, to seek friendship…”

“Seeking guidance on the Dao… you’re refreshingly honest.” Qian Chen plucked a pill as deep blue as the heavens, pinched it between his index and middle fingers, and tapped Cui Dan lightly: “Your foundation is impure—you took shortcuts during Foundation Establishment, rushed your fire control, and forced your breakthrough with external herbs. Hence your spiritual sense is muddled, your true qi unstable.”

Cui Dan finally shed his recent indifference, realizing why his mother had been so furious, even banished him to travel: if even this master said so, then his reckless foundation-building had indeed caused deep damage.

He sighed bitterly: “I was too impatient. When others stirred me, I lost my inner resolve.”

Wu Bo grew tense—he saw this as his young master’s great opportunity, afraid Cui Dan would miss it. He quickly spoke: “Is there any way to remedy this, Master?”

“The foundation is simple,” Qian Chen smiled. “Take this Blue Primordial Refining Pill, for example—it excels at tempering true qi and solidifying the foundation. If you take one, you can polish your Dao base and rise one rank. Even if you wish to perfect it later, it will be easier. But Dao bases are easy to obtain; character is hard to find… Even if you receive this pill, will it erase your inner restlessness?”

“If you believe cultivation is easy, and that a flawed foundation can be patched with external aids…”

“Forgive me, but that is even worse than a weak foundation—it brings far greater harm. A weak foundation you can overcome in ten years of effort; your character will surely mature. Then your cultivation will become cautious… What difference does it make whether you have pills or not?”

Qian Chen watched Cui Dan’s body tremble slightly, as if struck by lightning, then fall into long silence. Finally, he bowed with sincere gratitude: “Thank you, Master, for your guidance. I truly had grown arrogant. Seeing your mastery in refining elixirs and subduing enemies, I now truly have the heart to pursue the Dao.”

“Listening to your words, I realize how frivolous I’ve been. The Dao is like a beauty—gentlemen pursue her with reverence, restraint, and caution. As the Book of Songs says of King Wen: ‘Careful, cautious.’ If one behaves like a frivolous youth of the capital, judging, mocking, and jesting without restraint—that is vulgarity, not pursuit! Pills are not a blessing for me. Please, Master, take them back…”

Qian Chen smiled again: “I said there was no difference only to test you.”

“How could ten years of delay be without consequence? Not even considering the lost time, such slow character refinement may seem steady and mature, yet it robs you of your edge. Walking on thin ice, advancing with courage—this subtlety is hard to express… Since you’ve already recognized your past recklessness, remain vigilant daily. What difference does it make whether you have the pill or not?”

Qian Chen tossed the blue spiritual pill toward Cui Dan and smiled: “It’s yours.”

Cui Dan never expected Qian Chen’s generosity—he fumbled to catch the pill, and before he could thank him, Qian Chen said: “If you wish to repay me in some small way, I won’t refuse… Bring me spiritual grains, clean water. If you can provide information on a yin-earth vein… I’ll have another reward for you.”