Chapter 53: Cultivation

Wang Feiyin was also proud to have such a talented junior sister, so he immediately rattled off five crucial prescriptions for枳实, involving medical texts like The Elbow-Back Formula for Emergencies and The Thousand Gold Remedies.

Fortunately, Pan Yun had an eidetic memory; after hearing each prescription twice, she could recite them flawlessly.

To ensure they memorized them thoroughly, Wang Feiyin made them recite the prescriptions aloud all the way back to the monastery as he carried his basket on his back.

Not only Pan Yun, but even Miao Zhen, who wasn't well-versed in medical texts, had them memorized inside out.

The three children were exhausted from the day's labor; upon returning to the monastery, they sat down and couldn't move an inch—but Wang Feiyin still didn't let them rest: sweep the grounds, refill the oil lamps, cook the meals…

He went to fetch water.

Master Xuanmiao had entered seclusion again, while Tao Ji and Tao Yan Bai were still down the mountain treating the wealthy benefactor Qian.

Wang Feiyin ate with them, and once they'd bathed and changed into clean clothes, he gestured and said: "Come, tonight I'll teach you cultivation."

It was nearly youzheng, around six in the afternoon; for Pan Yun, this was the post-work, post-school cultivation time from her past life, and in this life too, it was cultivation time—so she accepted it readily.

But for Miao Zhen and Miao He, this was their bedtime.

Though obedient and eager to learn, they couldn't help drooping their heads.

Wang Feiyin smiled warmly at them—he wasn't forcing them to be diligent; times had changed. Before Pan Yun arrived, the two girls occasionally dreamed of going down the mountain, but mostly they were content with their humble mountain life, finding peace in simplicity.

But since Pan Yun came up the mountain, though she never spoke of her life below, Wang Feiyin sensed Miao Zhen and Miao He had grown more curious about the world beyond, their desire to descend growing stronger.

Don't think he didn't notice the three children sneaking off to探 the southern mountain path.

Human desires are hard to quell, especially in children of this age; as they grow older and gain more experience, their desires will only multiply and intensify.

Eradication is impossible—so let them learn more, prepare better for descending. Hardship on the mountain is better than dying after going down.

Thus, as dusk fell and all sounds faded, the three sat in a row before Wang Feiyin.

Wang Feiyin said: "Fifth junior sister, do you know how your cultivation differs from ordinary people?"

Pan Yun thought for a moment, then nodded. "Miao Zhen and Miao He cultivate internal qi, using it to draw external qi into their movements."

Wang Feiyin said: "The former is neili, the latter is martial techniques. To cultivate the Dao, you must first learn martial arts. Whether entering the Dao through literature or through martial arts, you must first study the meridians and neili; only when you achieve inner vision can you truly enter the path of cultivation."

But you—without neili—have already entered the Dao. You've not only refined your internal qi, but also drawn cosmic qi into your body for cultivation.

I assume you can already perform inner vision?"

Pan Yun nodded amid Miao Zhen and Miao He's astonishment. "Yes."

Wang Feiyin's expression remained calm; he didn't ask how she'd done it, only turned to Miao Zhen and Miao He: "Do you know why you were made to cultivate neili first before entering the Dao?"

Miao Zhen said: "To achieve inner vision?"

"Correct," Wang Feiyin said. "The human body is a universe. When you achieve inner vision and see your own body clearly, you see the universe and touch the edge of the Dao. Only after inner vision can you perceive your meridians, your internal qi, your neili, and the qi outside your body."

Only when you see all this clearly can you consciously attract external qi—only then do you truly enter the Dao."

Pan Yun: "I've seen spiritual qi enter their bodies when they practiced, but… it left again."

Miao He immediately asked: "Is spiritual qi the same as internal qi?"

Wang Feiyin nodded. "Just different names. Spiritual qi, internal qi—it's all the same energy. The broader concept is qi: formless, shapeless, primordial energy, the source of life. The body's Dao is refining qi, endowing the body with an inexhaustible source of life to achieve immortality;

the mind's Dao is tracing back to the origin. If you can comprehend how the universe formed and its governing laws, you draw infinitely close to the Dao.

The body is merely a vessel; the true essence lies in the spirit-soul. Eternal spirit-soul is the ultimate pursuit of cultivators."

Wang Feiyin: "But a high terrace must be built on a solid foundation—so cultivating martial arts and refining the body is absolutely indispensable."

Wang Feiyin wasn't just teaching Miao He and Miao Zhen—he was teaching Pan Yun too.

After finishing the cultural lesson, Wang Feiyin began guiding them in cultivation.

Miao He and Miao Zhen practiced neili, striving to achieve inner vision and begin refining qi.

Pan Yun practiced her Kunyuan Art, drawing in vast amounts of spiritual qi.

Wang Feiyin had them sit together to cultivate, hoping Miao Zhen and Miao He would be bathed in spiritual qi—even if they didn't actively absorb it, the movement of the art might cause the incoming qi to circulate with their internal qi.

Even if only one percent did, their neili would grow faster.

Her body, sensing this was a safe place, after completing two minor heavenly cycles, plunged Pan Yun completely into deep cultivation.

Wang Feiyin, seeing her enter deep meditation and begin a major heavenly cycle, raised an eyebrow.

Less than half an hour later, Miao Zhen and Miao He quietly cracked open one eye slit; though still seated, their bodies swayed slightly, hips tilting askew.

Wang Feiyin glanced again at Pan Yun, still in deep stillness, and sighed—this was talent.

He picked up the dust whisk on the table, flicked it lightly, and tapped each of their heads. Miao Zhen and Miao He opened their eyes and smiled sweetly at him.

Wang Feiyin gestured for them to rise and leave, not to disturb Pan Yun.

They immediately jumped up.

Outside the door, it was pitch black—but the sky blazed with stars, clustered like a bowl of diamonds pressed tightly together, the heavens seeming so close one could reach up and grab a handful.

Miao Zhen and Miao He had lived in the mountains since childhood, yet rarely seen such a sky.

After all, they usually slept early; even the rare nights they stayed up late rarely offered such a brilliant starfield.

Miao Zhen stared blankly. "So many stars, so bright—why is the mountain still so dark?"

Wang Feiyin: "Precisely because it's so dark that you can see so many, so bright a sky."

The three took their cushions and sat on the steps outside the door, gazing upward; Pan Yun remained seated inside the hall, continuing her cultivation.

In the world Miao Zhen and Miao He couldn't see, multicolored spiritual qi surged toward Pan Yun like rainbows—but they still felt tonight's air was unusually fresh, compelling them to breathe deeply.

!. 讀

Wang Feiyin could see it all, but he didn't care that the qi surrounded and pierced him, making him look disheveled.

The master and his three disciples were unusually quiet.

But half an hour later, Pan Yun was still cultivating.

Miao Zhen couldn't help asking: "Great Master, is Xiao Shu's focus due to the art's nature, or her talent?"

Wang Feiyin: "Both talent and effort."

He said: "I heard that since childhood, when she began cultivation, she could sit still for hours—every day, except for meals and sleep, she only cultivated, never leaving the door."

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He couldn't help but look at Pan Yun with admiring eyes.

Wang Feiyin said: "Practising inner vision is the process of cultivating a still mind. The Daoist cultivation realm is divided into Five Times and Seven Stages. Although we have never seriously divided them, it would be good for you to understand them."

Miao He was sleepy, but the moment she heard this she immediately perked up. "First Uncle-Master, what are the Five Times and Seven Stages?"

Wang Feiyin: "As the name suggests — one, two, three, four, five Times; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven Stages. The First Time is also called the Ten Thousand Realms Stage, the Second Time is called the Person-Still Stage, the Third Time is called the Mind-Still Stage, the Fourth Time is called the Mind-Gathering Stage, and the Fifth Time is called the Mind-Fixing Stage.

When you have cultivated to the Mind-Fixing Stage, you can practise inner vision. Once you pass through it, you may enter the First Stage, formally step onto the path of Dao cultivation, and refine Qi."

Seeing Miao Zhen: "First Uncle-Master, how do we judge what realm we and others are at?"

Wang Feiyin: "Have a fight and you'll know, or cultivate together and look at the time it takes to enter samadhi and the power produced by the cultivation.

But the latter isn't very accurate — you still have to have a fight."

Seeing Miao Zhen: "……"

Miao He: "First Uncle-Master, First Uncle-Master, then what realm are we at right now?"

Wang Feiyin glanced at the two of them and said: "You are both still at the First Time."

A little打击.

Seeing Miao Zhen asked: "Then what about Little Uncle-Master?"

"Her?" Wang Feiyin frowned. "If you look at her cultivation and entering samadhi, she's already at the First Stage, but if you fight her, she's only at the Third Time."

She had only just brushed the edge of the Third Time. When she first came up the mountain, Wang Feiyin had tested her, and the power within her body was only at the Second Time.

The more Wang Feiyin thought about it, the tighter his brow furrowed. Pan Yun was very strange — the Qi accumulated within her body and the cultivation ability she displayed differed greatly from her years of training.

Forget it — she's a child, having her own little secrets is perfectly normal. She's not like Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He, raised on the mountain since childhood; he knew everything about them.

Wang Feiyin sensed the spiritual energy surging behind him beginning to slow, and knew she was about to come out of samadhi, so he said to Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He: "You two go back to sleep."

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He refused to leave — good friends had to sleep and wake up together, so they wanted to wait for Pan Yun.

Wang Feiyin didn't want to break the bond of friendship between them, so he nodded in agreement, and simply continued talking: "Do you know why I never told you the levels before?"

The two shook their heads.

"Because I didn't want you to go fight people and distinguish these things."

Seeing Miao Zhen: Then telling us now… is it to make us go fight?

Today's and tomorrow's lucky numbers are those ending in 8 — screenshot as proof

PS: Begging for monthly votes, begging for monthly votes

(End of this chapter)