Chapter 5: The Path of Cultivation

The Taiji Profound Clarity Dao was comprehended by the Qingyun Zushi two thousand years ago from an ancient nameless scroll, and has been refined and studied by generations of Qingyun Sect masters; it is a supreme Daoist art that seizes the creation of heaven and earth and is incomparably profound.

Its cultivation process goes from easy to difficult; the first layer of the Yuqing Realm is enough to trap most people for a year before they can master it, and the subsequent realms are even more arduous and difficult. The second layer requires an average person four or five years of cultivation, while the third layer is a watershed; those with poor spiritual roots and immortal aptitude might be trapped here for their entire lives if they are not careful, and it is not rare for those with slight spiritual roots and immortal aptitude to spend thirty or forty years cultivating it.

The so-called first layer of the first volume focuses on learning to freely control the body's meridians and orifices, refining them to the level of guiding Qi into the body.

Countless disciples are trapped in the first layer for a long time, unable to guide Qi into their bodies even after months of cultivation.

Even among geniuses with excellent aptitude and spiritual roots, no one can achieve the guidance of Qi into the body in a single day; even the Sect Leader's top disciple Xiao Yicai, and Qi Hao, the first disciple under Daoxuan Zhenren, required one or two weeks to comprehend it, and the story's heroine Lu Xueqi also spent nine days.

The Taiji Profound Clarity Dao is already this profound.

Now, the Wuji Profound Clarity Dao that Su Zhangqing has comprehended is hundreds of times more profound than that.

Of course, this is not Su Zhangqing blindly assuming, but a fact laid out before his eyes.

Just for the first layer alone, the sign of reaching great success in the Taiji Profound Clarity Dao is the ability to open and close the body's orifices at will, guiding spiritual Qi into the body to circulate through the meridians and internal organs for thirty-six heavenly cycles.

As for the Wuji Profound Clarity Dao, when the first layer is cultivated to great success, it not only possesses the aforementioned abilities but also the power of filtration; it can filter and purify the essence of heaven and earth spiritual Qi, and the spiritual Qi that enters the body to circulate is the most refined batch in heaven and earth. It is easy to imagine how beneficial such spiritual Qi is when it enters the body.

Su Zhangqing only operated the Wuji Profound Clarity Dao technique for the first time, and immediately sensed that the heaven and earth spiritual Qi had begun to flow toward him.

Feeling it carefully, these heaven and earth spiritual Qi were incomparably pure, as if only the essence of the essence was being selected from the heaven and earth spiritual Qi to flow over, and anything with even a slight impurity was directly filtered out.

Not to mention that, the power displayed after mastering the Great Dao in the future is even more unimaginable.

Finally, after half a stick of incense had burned.

Su Zhangqing discovered that he had successfully guided Qi into his body at this moment, and it was extremely smooth; his cultivation was also slowly increasing. Although it was "slow," it was already a quite fast speed compared to others.

However, after operating the Wuji Profound Clarity Dao for a few cycles, his body was already incomparably exhausted, his meridians were fatigued, and his dantian could hardly absorb any more spiritual Qi.

He could not help but let out a soft sigh.

This Against-Heaven Comprehension is truly powerful; the Wuji Profound Clarity Dao, which was modified from the Taiji Profound Clarity Dao, is even more difficult to cultivate, and coupled with the fact that this body has poor spiritual roots and aptitude, it is impossible to cultivate for long periods.

"Master, you..."

Su Zhangqing softly called out to Shuiyue.

Hearing Su Zhangqing's call, Shuiyue Dashi slowly woke from her cultivation and said indifferently to Su Zhangqing: "Zhangqing, what is the matter? Have you encountered something you do not understand in your cultivation?"

"Master, this Disciple's aptitude is poor; after cultivating for a while, I feel my body is sleepy and fatigued, and I wish to rest for a moment. I hope Master understands."

Su Zhangqing said with a bitter smile.

Shuiyue Dashi looked Su Zhangqing up and down and discovered that his mental state was indeed poor. She silently thought that it was truly difficult for him to cultivate for long with such spiritual roots and aptitude, so she said: "Hmm, you have just entered the path of cultivation; it is normal for your body to be unable to support the hardship of cultivation."

"Wen Min, stop your cultivation for now. Find a room near my residence within the peak for Zhangqing to live in, then go to other peak branches to find some male disciples' clothing for Zhangqing."

Shuiyue Dashi instructed Wen Min.

"Yes, Master."

Wen Min woke from her cultivation, stood up, and walked toward Su Zhangqing. Senior Sister Wen Min, who was more than ten years older than Su Zhangqing, smiled kindly with her beautiful face and said to Su Zhangqing: "Little Junior Brother, come with me."

"Thank you, Senior Sister!"

Su Zhangqing's little face also revealed a smile, and he thanked her politely. Such a polite performance immediately made Wen Min feel happy. She took Su Zhangqing's small hand and led him out of the hall, guiding him toward the arranged residence.

Along the way, Wen Min told Su Zhangqing the twelve rules and twelve prohibitions of the sect, and Su Zhangqing silently memorized them in his heart.

"There, Little Junior Brother, you will live here from now on. Master's residence is that small courtyard."

Wen Min stopped in front of a small hut with Su Zhangqing, pointed to a small courtyard not far away, and introduced it to him.

"Okay, Senior Sister."

Su Zhangqing nodded and walked into the small hut to take a look. Although this hut was not large, all the daily necessities were complete, and it was very clean; it seemed someone came to clean it often.

"I will go to other peak branches first to fetch some suitable clothes for you. You rest in the hut and wait for me to return."

After Senior Sister Wen Min finished her instructions, she left.

After Su Zhangqing was left in the room, he sat in front of the bed and began to think about the path ahead. Now that he had stepped onto the path of cultivation and had Against-Heaven Comprehension as a companion, his goal was to seek the immortal path and reach the pinnacle to achieve the Great Dao.

In the story, this world's path of cultivation is incomparably profound, and there are many capable people and strange scholars. Among them, the protagonist Zhang Xiaofan is a grassroots genius who stirs up the wind and clouds in the later part of the story, becoming a peerless prodigy that the world cannot rival.

After thinking it over, Su Zhangqing decided that he should still develop silently and observe this world that was both strange and familiar, so as to avoid going down the wrong path.

The most urgent thing to do now is to cultivate the Wuji Profound Clarity Dao and find a way to modify his spiritual roots and aptitude. Not to mention how extraordinary his spiritual roots need to be, he at least needs to be able to support his cultivation progress.

The current situation is like a speeding train.

The speed is incomparably fast, but the train's quality is not good enough. Not to mention how much weight it can carry, I fear that if the speed increases even a little, it will fly off the tracks and end up in a wreck.

I still need to find a time to ask if it is possible to modify my spiritual roots and aptitude.

As Su Zhangqing thought, his body could no longer bear the fatigue, so he fell onto the bed and fell asleep. By the time Wen Min came over, he was already sound asleep. She covered him with the quilt, put down the clothes, and left.

The next day, Su Zhangqing got up early and found Master Shuiyue.

"Master, the practitioners in the hall are all Senior Sisters. I know that men and women should be kept apart; Master, could you please find me another place for a cultivation dojo?"

Su Zhangqing had considered yesterday that what he was cultivating was the Wuji Profound Clarity Dao. Although it was a technique improved from the Taiji Profound Clarity Dao, the two were worlds apart. To avoid being discovered, he specifically came to request another dojo.

"That is true. Then come with me."

After pondering for a moment, Shuiyue agreed to Su Zhangqing's proposal. She stood up and brought him to a cave abode, turned around, and explained to Su Zhangqing: "This is the Jingxin Cave Abode where I go into seclusion. The spiritual Qi inside is abundant and does not lose to other geomantic treasures. From now on, you will cultivate here."

Su Zhangqing was overjoyed. He had originally thought that being left to cultivate alone in the small wooden hut would be enough, but he did not expect Master Shuiyue to give him a geomantic treasure directly.

Su Zhangqing kept this kindness in his heart.

"Thank you, Master!"

Su Zhangqing thanked her.

After Su Zhangqing was settled, Shuiyue left first, leaving Su Zhangqing to cultivate on his own in the cave abode.

(End of chapter)