Chapter 7

The human body has a Jade Gate, like a horizontal beam of gold, sealing off heaven and earth.

Heaven and earth have spiritual energy, but ordinary people cannot sense, absorb, or utilize it; they can only passively receive it, all because of the existence of the Jade Gate.

To cultivate and become an immortal, one must first break through this Jade Gate to reach the Spirit Platform and sense heaven and earth. Therefore, the first realm of cultivation is called the Spirit Platform Realm.

This is also the first major threshold of cultivation.

To break through the Jade Gate requires qi. Since ordinary people generally do not have spiritual energy in their bodies, it is very difficult to break through the Jade Gate through self-effort alone, and most need the external assistance of seniors.

However, spiritual energy is not the only way to break through the gate. Blood and courage can also break the seal to some extent.

Many heroes in the world of martial arts suddenly surge with power in the midst of bloody battles, and this is due to such reasons.

This phenomenon is called the Jade Gate Celestial Break, meaning breaking through the Jade Gate without external help.

However, the Jade Gate Celestial Break sounds good but does not necessarily mean it is a good thing.

The Jade Gate on the Spirit Platform, when opened, has nine turns, referring to the degree of opening during the breakthrough.

The Jade Gate has nine levels, like a nine-ring target. Each level opened is like making a hole in one of the rings, allowing spiritual energy to enter the cultivator's body through these holes.

One turn of the gate means one hole in the target, and three turns mean holes in the seventh, eighth, and ninth rings.

The more the gate is opened, the more spiritual energy can pass through, and the better the cultivation effect. Once the breakthrough is complete, the Jade Gate will be permanently set, so it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone.

Therefore, the number of turns the gate is opened also represents the potential of a cultivator to some extent.

Although the Jade Gate Celestial Break does not require external assistance, it is difficult to sustain due to limited personal strength, often resulting in a small degree of opening. Some people may not even manage one turn, only opening a small gap, and ultimately failing to reach the Spirit Platform.

Thus, the Jade Gate Celestial Break is just a good-sounding term. Without external assistance, it is like a kindergarten child drawing a picture without a teacher's guidance.

At this moment, Tang Jie's heavenly spirit light was surging, a sign of the Jade Gate Celestial Break.

Moreover, the spiritual light in his body was radiating, and the spiritual energy was overflowing, clearly not due to a surge of blood, but rather the result of spiritual energy entering his body and running rampant.

In other words, Tang Jie was not actually breaking through the gate, but rather his internal spiritual energy was running wild and colliding with the Jade Gate.

Therefore, this was more like a case of qi deviation.

Without cultivation, he first experienced qi deviation, making Tang Jie the first person in the history of cultivation to do so.

Fortunately, it was not difficult for Xu Muyang to save him.

After all, with a low foundation, the trouble a child can cause is limited.

However, Xu Muyang was thoroughly puzzled as to why Tang Jie suddenly had spiritual energy in his body.

He urgently asked, "What's going on?"

Could it be that some cultivator suddenly infused a strand of spiritual energy into Tang Jie's body without teaching him the method to guide it, causing his spiritual energy to run wild?

Tang Jie answered with difficulty, "Xu... Big Brother Xu, I was practicing the Zang Xiang Classic just now..."

The Zang Xiang Classic?

Upon hearing this, Xu Muyang was completely stunned.

How could this be?

He knew the effects of the Zang Xiang Classic.

When Xu Muyang obtained this cultivation method, he found that it was a method to absorb spiritual energy without passing through the Jade Gate.

Initially, he treasured it like a precious gem. Others could only absorb spiritual energy through the Jade Gate, but those who practiced the Zang Xiang Classic could absorb it in both directions, doubling the efficiency. Therefore, it was an excellent method to enhance cultivation efficiency.

Unfortunately, after practicing for a while, he found that the amount of spiritual energy he could absorb was very small, far less effective than absorbing it through the Jade Gate. For Xu Muyang, the amount of spiritual energy Tang Jie had was something he could complete in one breath.

Moreover, when he practiced the Zang Xiang Classic, his efficiency in absorbing spiritual energy through the Jade Gate also greatly decreased, resulting in a worse overall effect.

Xu Muyang initially did not take it seriously, thinking he had not practiced enough. After all, the creator of this method was a great master, and it was carefully hidden, so it must not be useless. Perhaps with more practice, the efficiency would increase, so he continued to study it daily.

However, as time passed, Xu Muyang's progress with the Zang Xiang Classic remained stagnant, and he gradually became disheartened, viewing it as a mere trifle. Otherwise, he would not have so easily taught it to Tang Jie.

It was not until he saw Tang Jie's spiritual energy running wild and the Jade Gate being hit that his thoughts finally became clear.

A flash of insight struck him, and Xu Muyang exclaimed, "That's it! The Zang Xiang Classic is a method for breaking through the Jade Gate prepared by the Nine Li Warlord for his reincarnation! Damn, I'm so stupid, so stupid, why didn't I think of this before!"

Xu Muyang slapped his head and wailed.

It was no wonder he did not think of it. Throughout history, no one in the cultivation world had ever created such a method for breaking through the Jade Gate.

Firstly, it was difficult to create a method to absorb spiritual energy without passing through the Jade Gate. Secondly, those who could create such a method did not need it.

As for their descendants, they could directly infuse spiritual energy to open the Jade Gate, so there was no need to waste time and energy on such a meaningless task.

Centuries of fixed thinking prevented Xu Muyang from considering this, so he had been practicing it as a method to double his cultivation speed.

At this moment, he was excited to find the problem but then became disheartened when he realized he had been practicing a method that was useless to him.

While his emotions were fluctuating, Tang Jie was almost unable to bear it, lying on the ground and crying out, "Big Brother Xu... Big Brother Xu..."

Xu Muyang was brought back to his senses by the cries and realized that Tang Jie was still on the brink of life and death.

He looked at Tang Jie with a complex expression.

He extended his hand and pointed at Tang Jie, and the rampant spiritual energy immediately calmed down, no longer colliding wildly. It remained in Tang Jie's body, making him uncomfortable but much better than before.

Then Xu Muyang asked, "Do you really want to cultivate?"

"Yes!" Tang Jie answered loudly.

At this point, he finally loudly expressed his desire.

He shouted, "I want to learn, so I followed you. I learned the Zang Xiang Classic, and even though I knew it was dangerous without guidance, I still wanted to learn!"

"Why?"

"Why?" Tang Jie laughed, "A true man's ambition lies in the four directions. He should stand tall and look down on the world, not content with a life of trivial pursuits. If one wants to become an immortal, one should pursue it without needing a reason!"

In Tang Jie's eyes, people's desire to cultivate was like their desire for promotion and wealth.

Does one need a reason to want promotion and wealth?

No!

Therefore, one does not need a reason to want to cultivate, but one needs a reason not to cultivate.

Xu Muyang was stunned, "Is this your explanation?"

"Is it not enough?" Tang Jie asked with a smile, though he was still in great pain despite the reduction in spiritual energy.

He looked at Xu Muyang and finally shouted with all his strength, "Then I'll give you another reason. Because... because I don't want to be like the villagers of Xiaohexi, to be mere fish and meat for others to slaughter!"

This shout released the pent-up emotions in his heart, the hatred for those who destroyed his home and family, and the long-buried desire.

Xu Muyang nodded slightly, "So... you are indeed the last villager of Xiaohexi... Well, well, I was deceived by a 12-year-old boy."

Given Tang Jie's passionate response, if Xu Muyang still could not see through it, he would be truly foolish.

Tang Jie looked at him fearlessly, "Yes, didn't you guess? Is this why you didn't want to take me in?"

Xu Muyang was not stupid. He might have been deceived at first, but over time, he would have noticed the problem.

However, as they spent more time together, Xu Muyang grew fond of Tang Jie and was unwilling to dwell on certain issues, so he did not think much about whether Tang Jie was from Xiaohexi.

At this moment, hearing Tang Jie's words, Xu Muyang shook his head, "Although you deceived me, I do not blame you. After all, you saved me back then. And you have taken good care of me recently. Teaching you some cultivation methods is not a problem. I did not take you as a disciple to protect you. Do you know... the path of cultivation is dangerous!"

Tang Jie laughed while coughing blood, "Is there any place in this world that is not dangerous? What crime did the villagers of Xiaohexi commit to be massacred?"

"The misfortune of the villagers of Xiaohexi does not mean everyone is unfortunate. However, those who walk the path of cultivation are all fighting against heaven and competing with others, and they will never have peace!"

"Then it makes no difference whether I join or not!"

Xu Muyang was finally speechless.

After some thought, he nodded, "If you want to learn, I can help you, but you must answer one question first."

"Do you want to know how I accumulated spiritual energy?" Tang Jie asked.

"Yes," Xu Muyang nodded. "The Zang Xiang Classic has twelve postures, each with an extremely complex set of movements and corresponding cultivation mantras. The mantras you know are incomplete and even out of order. How did you use these incomplete mantras to generate spiritual energy in your body?"

Tang Jie replied, "The mantras I know are indeed incomplete, and even the ones I do know, I have many that I don't understand. For example, 'In the heart is thought, in the camp is intention,' I don't understand at all. But for what I don't understand, I can ignore it and focus on what I do understand. 'Qi flows through the hundred meridians without obstruction,' I understand this. Cultivators cultivate the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, so if qi is to flow through the meridians, there must first be qi. I remember you mentioned that sensing the qi point allows the qi to flow. This means that qi starts from the qi point..."

Tang Jie spoke each word with great difficulty, and Xu Muyang was already stunned.

Tang Jie's method was simple: he skipped everything he did not understand and tried what he did understand.

To flow through the hundred meridians, there must be an order. Since it starts from the qi point, and the qi point belongs to the Heart Meridian of the Hand Shaoyin, the corresponding path is the Heart Meridian of the Hand Shaoyin. Therefore, the next steps were the Four Full and Central Injection points, and so on, along the meridian. This allowed Tang Jie to naturally sort out some of the mantras, and even fill in the gaps through reasoning.

Additionally, the twelve postures of the Zang Xiang Classic were extremely important, with each movement closely related to the qi flow mantras.

Tang Jie noticed that the first posture maximally opened all the meridian points of the Heart Meridian of the Hand Shaoyin, corresponding to the Heart Meridian.

Therefore, the second posture must also correspond to a specific meridian.

The twelve main meridians of the human body correspond to the twelve postures of the Zang Xiang Classic, so Tang Jie easily found the order of qi flow through the meridians, connecting the scattered mantras Xu Muyang had mentioned, and managed to follow them.

Tang Jie came from a family of traditional Chinese medicine, though he had not practiced it himself. However, the knowledge he gained from his family and environment allowed him to understand the human body well enough to achieve this.

Xu Muyang was dumbfounded, never having thought anyone could cultivate using this method. He murmured, "Do you know how dangerous this is?"

Spiritual energy is not a toy, and cultivation is not something to be improvised. Each cultivation method and mantra is the result of countless trials and errors by predecessors.

Tang Jie's ability to generate spiritual energy using his improvised Zang Xiang Classic was more a matter of luck than talent, as sensing and absorbing spiritual energy is a basic function of the Zang Xiang Classic.

However, making qi flow through the meridians and strengthening spiritual energy is a complex task that cannot be achieved through improvisation. The result of such improvisation is qi deviation, and without Xu Muyang, Tang Jie would have already exploded.

"Of course, I know," Tang Jie said with a painful smile. "But I had no choice. Big Brother Xu, I want to cultivate!"

"I want to cultivate!"

This simple yet heartfelt statement made Xu Muyang's heart tremble.

The scene was so familiar. He remembered the young man who, facing his father, had said similar words with unwavering resolve...

Tang Jie's unintentional words stirred a great wave in Xu Muyang's heart. After a long while, he sighed, "Well, well. Since you are determined, let's see your fate. Your spiritual energy is currently running wild, which is a critical moment for breaking through the Jade Gate. If you succeed, the path of cultivation is within reach. I will now teach you the complete mantras of the Zang Xiang Classic. Follow the mantras to guide the spiritual energy in your body and break through the Jade Gate."

As he spoke, he pointed at Tang Jie, and his finger landed on the Fengfu point at the back of Tang Jie's neck.

The spiritual energy in Tang Jie's body, which had just stabilized, surged again, and he was about to cry out in pain when Xu Muyang sternly said, "Don't shout! Focus your mind, hold your breath, guide the spiritual energy into the Fengfu point, and with a determined and courageous heart, break through the Jade Gate and reach the Spirit Platform..."

Following Xu Muyang's words, Tang Jie gritted his teeth and did not make a sound.

Breaking through the gate requires qi as the force. Shouting will dissipate the qi, weakening the momentum and making it difficult to open the Jade Gate. Fear of pain will weaken the will, causing the meridians to be blocked and the qi to flow slowly, making the process twice as difficult. Even if the gate is opened, it is often only one or two turns.

Therefore, those breaking through the gate must be fearless and determined, unafraid of pain, and courageous.

Of course, excessive courage is also not advisable. The human body has limits, and if exceeded, the spiritual energy can reverse and damage the Spirit Platform.

If this happens, the consequences can range from minor injuries and loss of vitality, to the destruction of the Spirit Platform and the end of the cultivation path, to severe internal injuries and death.

Therefore, disciples must take precautions and have seniors guide them during the breakthrough.

At this moment, under Xu Muyang's guidance, Tang Jie felt a point of spiritual light enter from the Fengfu point at the back of his neck, leading him upward. He saw a world that defies description, as if he were standing on a cloud, with a nine-ring Jade Gate towering above, its center continuously rotating, revealing a strange black hole that drew his attention...

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