Chapter 3

At the hour of the rooster, Zhang Yan returned to his dwelling.

As soon as he entered the cave, he lifted the stone bar that sealed the door and locked it, preparing to enter seclusion.

The light before him dimmed, and Zhang Yan, in the dark room, could hardly hide his joy. He had not expected that the most important method for building primordial energy, which was crucial before opening the meridians, would be so easy to obtain. Even with his skill in cultivating qi, he felt a slight excitement.

He did not rush into cultivation but instead washed his hands, changed his clothes, and lit the qi-cultivating incense burner.

After a moment of calming his mind and sitting quietly, he took a piece of white paper and began to rewrite the entire method from memory. As the characters appeared under his pen, his body gradually relaxed, and his mind became increasingly calm.

When he finished writing the entire "Yongchuan Meridian Method," his mental and physical state had gradually adjusted to the best condition.

Building primordial energy means condensing the internal qi cultivated throughout the body into the Shenque acupoint, merging it with the innate primordial qi brought from the womb, thus planting the seed of immortality.

There is a mnemonic: "Internal qi mixed, primordial energy begins."

This is a necessary step before opening the immortal meridians, and whether one will achieve success in the future largely depends on this step.

Sitting on a cushion, he cleared all杂念 from his mind, first running through the basic heart method to regulate his breath. After sitting quietly for half an hour, his mind was already calm and empty.

With everything prepared, he began to recite the mnemonic, guiding the internal qi to move slowly according to the meridian method.

However, he soon stopped.

Zhang Yan frowned slightly. In the past, when he guided the qi through the meridians, it was always smooth and natural, with the qi following his will. But this time, it felt different. The qi was intermittent and sluggish, as if a person was stumbling forward, always tripping.

Fortunately, he had just started cultivating, so he dispersed the internal qi he had guided, calmed his mind, and began again from the beginning.

But this time, the situation was no different from the last.

Zhang Yan's expression hardened, and he opened his eyes, decisively stopping the cultivation.

Cultivation must never be forced. If one insists on being overly aggressive, it will only damage one's foundation.

Could it be that his talent is too poor, making it impossible for him to cultivate this method?

He shook his head.

If his talent was the reason he couldn't cultivate a certain high-level method, that might be possible, but for the qi to flow so poorly, the problem must lie elsewhere.

What could be the reason? Could it be a problem with the method itself?

Zhang Yan reviewed the method again, puzzled.

The method did not contain any complex techniques like reversing the qi flow, taking unusual paths, or reversing the flow. It was clear from a glance that it was the most orthodox method, with each step clearly explained, including where to guide the qi, how to coordinate the acupoints, and how to synchronize the breathing. It was as detailed as possible, almost as if a teacher were guiding him. How could such a method have any problems?

If these two reasons were not the issue, then it might be that his cultivation method was not correct.

Thinking about this, Zhang Yan's mind stirred. He took the meridian method and read it several times, focusing on the phrase "flowing water, naturally." He suddenly realized where the problem might lie.

Perhaps because the method was explained in such detail, he was too deliberate in his cultivation, forgetting the natural flow of water as described in the Daoist texts!

It is important to understand that in Daoist true methods, some emphasize the spirit and intention, while others emphasize the method. Both are essential and complementary, but there is a distinction between primary and secondary. This method clearly prioritizes the spirit and intention over the method. In his cultivation, he focused too much on the "method" and neglected the "intention," leading to a reversal of priorities and an overly contrived approach, which naturally resulted in a lower level of cultivation.

Zhang Yan put down the method and pondered, stroking his sleeve.

Although he had identified the root cause, he still had no way to continue.

As long as he was determined to cultivate this method, the attachment would always exist, which contradicted the natural spirit and intention. Thus, he could not force himself to continue.

If he were to let it go, he could certainly eliminate the attachment, but his cultivation would not improve.

This seemed like a dead-end loop.

Zhang Yan stood up, hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in the room, thinking about how to cultivate.

On the path of cultivation, one will encounter various obstacles and difficulties. A single misstep could lead one astray, resulting in a decline in cultivation, damage to the foundation, or even a mental breakdown, posing a threat to one's life.

At such times, the benefit of having a teacher becomes apparent. They can provide constant guidance and, in critical moments, offer protection and support, significantly reducing the risks of cultivation. However, Zhang Yan was only a registered disciple, with no teacher and no fellow cultivators to consult, so he could only rely on himself to gradually explore and overcome the mental obstacles.

Zhang Yan knew that at this moment, he could not be hasty; instead, he needed to maintain a calm mind. Otherwise, if his mind was clouded by delusions, he would only sink deeper into the mire.

After much thought, he found a method that might work.

That was to travel far away.

By visiting famous mountains and scenic spots, observing the natural landscape, and waiting for the right time in a state of forgetfulness and tranquility, he could naturally achieve his goal when the time was right. This could be considered the most authentic Daoist method of cultivation.

However, this method was quickly rejected by Zhang Yan. First, it would take too long, and second, there were too many variables.

This was just before opening the meridians. If he were to receive similar advanced methods in the future, would he have to travel and sightsee every time? This would be a waste of time. Moreover, he had a premonition that tonight was the best time for him to build primordial energy. If he missed it, he wouldn't know when the next opportunity would come.

He closed his eyes and thought deeply. Since he had seen the method in the travelogue, he was already considered a "worthy person." The senior who left the method would not have left such an obvious flaw.

There must be a way, and it must be hidden in the text!

He stared at the dense text on the paper, reading it over and over until his eyes ached. Suddenly, his back straightened, and a flash of insight appeared in his mind!

That's right! How could he forget that the text was originally written in eroded script!

Eroded script, though simple in appearance, is rich in meaning. Each character reflects the fundamental principles of heaven and earth, and a few strokes can describe the life and death, prosperity and decline of all things. The method, after his interpretation, became a lengthy text of thousands of words, but written in eroded script, it was only about six hundred characters.

These six hundred characters clearly explained the method. The senior who wrote the text used the simplest and most straightforward eroded script, yet he had been cultivating based on the interpreted copy. Wasn't this like looking at the moon through a mirror, seeking the distant instead of the near?

Thus...

Zhang Yan's eyes flashed, and he dipped his brush in ink, took a piece of white paper, and began to rewrite the entire "Yongchuan Meridian Method" in eroded script.

As he finished writing the entire method, the stagnant qi in his body suddenly moved.

Zhang Yan felt a surge of energy, knowing he had found the right method. He continued writing without stopping, completing the entire method in one breath. After finishing, he did not rest but took another piece of white paper and wrote it again.

Gradually, the thick internal qi in his body, which had been like stagnant water, began to stir, spreading through his limbs and meridians, flowing and moving. After circulating through the entire body, it gathered in the dantian, repeating the cycle endlessly.

The entire process was natural, relying entirely on the automatic flow of true qi. Zhang Yan did not deliberately pursue it; his mind was completely immersed in the eroded script.

At first, the qi was like a gentle stream, continuous and dense. As he wrote the method over and over, the qi grew stronger, eventually becoming like a surging river, with waves rising and falling, circulating through his body.

However, Zhang Yan felt neither joy nor sorrow, completely ignoring it. By the end, his brush had no ink left, but in his eyes, the eroded script continued to flow from his pen, and the internal qi followed the method, circulating through the meridians, clearing the blocked channels.

After 365 cycles, the internal qi in his body surged like a tidal wave, pressing against the various acupoints.

When the powerful qi reached its peak, the acupoint deep in his navel, which had been closed since birth, suddenly trembled and opened a small gap. The surging internal qi found an outlet and rushed in, disappearing completely in a moment, leaving his body empty and his mind floating in a void.

Without a teacher's guidance, a cultivator would likely panic and become anxious, leading to failure. But Zhang Yan, having experienced life and death, remained calm, his mind undisturbed by the changes in his body, allowing everything to happen naturally.

Sure enough, not long after, the internal qi that had disappeared was slowly released from the dantian, mixed with a trace of innate primordial qi, and was then reabsorbed by the dantian. After eight cycles of this, the internal qi and the innate primordial qi were completely merged, indistinguishable from each other. When the internal qi slowly returned to the dantian for the ninth time, the Shenque acupoint in his navel suddenly pulsed!

Boom!

Zhang Yan felt a light tap on the back of his head, and a clear sound echoed in his ears. His vision first turned white, then brightened, and saliva naturally formed in his mouth, flowing down his throat. A warm current sank and finally settled deep in his navel, remaining still.

Zhang Yan suddenly stopped writing, looked up, and saw that the floor was covered with the papers he had written.

A beam of white light shone through a hole in the cave wall, and he realized that a whole night had passed.

At this moment, he felt no fatigue, but rather a clear and refreshed mind, with all his senses sharp and his heart calm.

His demeanor had also changed, exuding a transcendent aura.

If he could see himself, he would notice a layer of crystal-like luster on his face, flowing continuously, with his eyes bright like stars. This indicated that from today, he had entered the "condensing primordial energy and manifesting intention" stage of building primordial energy, and was only a step away from the final stage, "primordial energy completed and entering the true realm."

Zhang Yan flicked his brush, took a few quick steps, lifted the stone bar, and opened the door, stepping out.

After taking a few steps, he stopped, surprised to look at his hands. The stone bar, weighing over 300 pounds, was usually difficult for him to move, but he had just lifted it easily.

He suddenly realized that he had often heard that after building primordial energy, cultivators would have "thousand-pound strength in both arms, eyes that can see through heavy smoke and mist, ears that can distinguish the sounds of insects and birds, almost like immortals." It seemed this legend was true?

Zhang Yan clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and reminded himself that this was only the first step on the path of cultivation. There were many more dangerous obstacles ahead, and it was too early to celebrate.

At this moment, a clear and pleasant crane call echoed, lingering in his ears.

Zhang Yan turned to look. It was just the dawn, with the sun rising, the mist dispersing, and the mountains and forests bathed in golden light. The river below wound like a white silk ribbon, and occasionally, a few white cranes with red crests flew past the foot of the mountain.

He stood at the edge of the cliff, the cool morning breeze blowing, and though he was only wearing a Daoist robe, he felt no cold, allowing his sleeves to flutter in the wind.

After three years of hard practice in the basic heart method, he had obtained a high-level method and built primordial energy in one night, a result of accumulated effort and natural progression.

He thought, if he had continued to practice in the cave every day, waiting for the heavens to bestow favor, focusing only on luck, would he have had this opportunity today?

The answer was clearly no.

The path of cultivation is like a narrow bridge for a thousand soldiers, with no room for retreat, only forward. No matter how many difficulties and dangers there are, they must be seen as a smooth path.

In the past, the I Ching said, "Always diligent, repeatedly following the path," which means that a gentleman must strive continuously, whether in favorable or adverse conditions, to align with the righteous path.

This shows that his proactive and diligent efforts are in line with the will of heaven.

In short, one must help oneself to receive the help of heaven!

Thinking about this, he had a deeper understanding.

At this moment, his expression changed, and he suddenly turned to look at the other end of the path.

Now that his senses were sharp, he could hear someone approaching from a distance.

Soon, a young woman, about seventeen or eighteen years old, came into view. She had a Daoist bun on her head, wore a narrow-sleeved long robe, and had a sword at her waist, looking quite masculine, but with a slightly pointed chin, making her seem less approachable.

She approached Zhang Yan, her gaze full of hostility, and asked, "Are you Zhang Yan?"

Zhang Yan had never seen this woman before and replied, "Yes, that's me. Who are you, miss?"

"I am Zhao Ying," the woman said coldly, waving her hand. "Quickly pack your things and follow me down the mountain. Delay will bring trouble."

Zhang Yan was puzzled and asked, "What do you mean, Miss Zhao?"

"You little..." Zhao Ying's anger flared at this, but seeing Zhang Yan's dignified appearance and outstanding demeanor, she couldn't bring herself to call him a "thief," only glaring at him and saying, "Do you still have the nerve to ask? It's you who has caused my brother so much trouble!"

She inwardly cursed, thinking that this man had a good appearance, no wonder he could deceive her brother!

Zhang Yan was taken aback, looked at the woman's face, which bore a slight resemblance to Zhao Yuan, and suddenly understood. He asked, "Is there something wrong with Senior Brother Zhao?"

Zhao Ying snorted, her face full of resentment.

Zhang Yan understood and sighed inwardly. He had already seen that Zhao Yuan was impulsive and unstable, and had warned him to be cautious in his cultivation, but it still happened.

It turned out that last night, Zhao Yuan had initially listened to Zhang Yan's advice, but once he had the Daoist text in his hands, he couldn't resist and began to cultivate. The method had a unique mechanism, and his excessive effort led to a problem, causing him to spit blood and faint.

Because a significant event was happening on Mount Cangwu, Zhao Ying, who was practicing at Tai'an Temple, was also on the mountain. Hearing the news, she was furious and went to question Min Lou, demanding to know why he had harmed her brother.

Min Lou had only mentioned Zhang Yan to a few close fellow disciples, and many people were unaware of the situation. To protect his reputation, he had to stand up for Zhang Yan.

This led to a chain reaction. Now, the disciples of the three temples on Mount Cangwu were gathered, including Hu Shengyu, a new disciple of De Xiu Temple, and Bian Qiao, the steward who had sold the "Yongchuan Water Book."

When Bian Qiao first heard about the incident, he thought it was a fraud and did not take it seriously. But when Min Lou intervened, he realized it was serious. Min Lou had been recognized by his master and would soon become a disciple of De Xiu Temple, so he would not speak lightly.

Someone had privately interpreted the eroded script?

He was shocked and angry. The servants of the three temples often interacted, and though they did not openly challenge each other, they did not overstep boundaries. In his view, Zhang Yan's help in interpreting the eroded script for Min Lou and Zhao Yuan was a threat to his livelihood!

However, since Zhang Yan was a disciple of Shan Yuan Temple, he could not directly take action. Later, he realized that Zhao Yuan's incident gave him an excuse. He feigned concern, visited Zhao Yuan, and promised to seek justice for De Xiu Temple.

When Zhao Yuan woke up and learned about the situation, he was shocked and scolded Zhao Ying, ordering her to apologize to Zhang Yan and arrange for him to leave the mountain to avoid trouble.

Zhao Ying was unwilling to apologize, still believing Zhang Yan to be a fraud, but she dared not disobey Zhao Yuan, so she decided to just drive Zhang Yan off the mountain.

After a few reluctant words with Zhang Yan, though her words were vague, he understood the situation.

This incident had already drawn attention from certain people, and it happened sooner than he had expected. Zhao Yuan's decision to inform him in the middle of the night, without avoiding danger, showed that he was worth befriending.

Zhang Yan remained calm and said, "Go back and tell Brother Zhao that I am aware of the situation. Thank him for his timely information and tell him not to worry. I have my own plans."

Zhao Ying was unwilling to help Zhang Yan, and seeing that he was not leaving, she was even more pleased. She thought to herself, "You foolish thief! You don't know the power of Bian Qiao. When that villain arrives, you'll have a hard time!"

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