Chapter 78

(Continuing to ask for recommendations, I've dropped out of the top thirty, feeling very down.)

As the head of the Qingxuan Sect, Zhang Ruoxu did not put on airs and treated Shen Lian more like an old teacher imparting knowledge.

Shen Lian took the opportunity to ask more about cultivation, and Zhang Ruoxu did not show any impatience. Of course, it was not easy for Shen Lian to see Zhang Ruoxu normally, so he naturally did not waste the chance.

Before Zhang Ruoxu could ask Shen Lian to leave, Shen Lian had already politely taken his leave, at just the right moment, displaying a calm and composed demeanor.

Zhang Ruoxu remained seated on the stone couch, where he had been for a hundred years. It was not that he did not want to move, but that he could not.

Gently tapping the 'Heaven and Earth Mirror,' the empty hall echoed slightly.

"Loneliness," Zhang Ruoxu murmured, a hint of desolation in his eyes.

Jing Qing, the young disciple, entered the hall gracefully.

Zhang Ruoxu put aside his desolate thoughts and focused on Jing Qing, saying, "I'm glad you're not hurt."

"The female demon didn't go crazy," Jing Qing smiled slightly.

"Uncle Master's re-cultivation and re-entry into the 'Illusion Breaking' realm is particularly difficult. I hope she can 'blossom in her heart' and achieve the 'Fruit of the Dao,'" Zhang Ruoxu sighed.

"Breaking through 'Illusion' a second time is ten times harder than the first. If she can do it, she truly has a great chance of transcending the heavens in this life," Jing Qing inadvertently revealed a hint of envy. Although he had a long lifespan, breaking through realms was a thousand times harder for him than for human cultivators. Perhaps even when Qingxuan was destroyed, he would not see the hope of transcending this world.

******

The essence on Zifu Peak was rich, forming clouds and mist that enveloped the mountain, giving it a unique clarity.

The essence in the mountain was rich, but it could not compare to the depths of the bamboo cottages in the lower courtyard.

Cultivators chose places where the mountain's spiritual energy converged to practice, and they set up feng shui arrays to make the essence even more abundant, facilitating cultivation.

The essence on Zifu and Tianyuan Peaks was originally superior to that on Yuyang and Qingliang Peaks, so the caves they excavated and the feng shui arrays they set up made the essence far superior to that in the upper and lower courtyards.

This was the 'location' in the four elements of cultivation: 'wealth, companions, methods, and location.'

Shen Lian, as an ordinary disciple, did not have the qualifications to open a cave on Zifu or Tianyuan Peaks, but he was not forbidden from entering them.

As long as he did not disturb the cultivation of the sect's elders, he would not suffer any consequences if he intentionally offended them.

He did not know how other sects in the world were, but Shen Lian could feel that Qingxuan's rules were indeed few, based on two principles: 'do not obstruct others, do not betray the sect.'

It had a flavor similar to the Dao De Jing's saying, 'the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard, but people live and die without interacting.'

The mountain paths were winding and secluded, with the sounds of cicadas and insects. The paths were complex, and occasionally, one could see some exquisite Daoist academies with flying eaves, or caves carved into the mountainside, or bamboo cottages built on cliffs.

These buildings, like sparse stars on a cold night, were scattered but naturally harmonious, without any sense of abruptness.

Taiwei Pavilion was deep in Zifu Peak, standing alone and divided into three floors.

The entire pavilion was not old, but it gave a sense of the passage of time.

Shen Lian had visited the Forbidden City in his previous life and could feel the silent flow of time there. Taiwei Pavilion gave a similar feeling, though not as strong, but the sense of age and distance, like a slow stream, flowed into the heart, evoking a sense of reverence.

'Reading anywhere is like being in a pure land.'

The books in Taiwei Pavilion were the pure land of Qingxuan's cultivators.

Of course, not many people came here every day. When Shen Lian arrived, there was only one elder guarding Taiwei Pavilion, and no one else.

This elder was an old Taoist priest, practicing a type of Daoist technique similar to the Buddhist silent meditation. No one knew how long he had lived, but from his appearance, there were no signs of decay.

Even the wrinkles on his forehead seemed like intricate and profound runes.

The old Taoist did not need to verify identities; Taiwei Pavilion had a magical tool that only needed to be registered once, allowing free entry and exit thereafter.

Of course, those with insufficient cultivation could not go to the second floor.

When Shen Lian entered, the old Taoist did not even spare him a glance, seemingly asleep, with no sign of breathing, as if he had lost his soul.

Breathing and practicing qi were just means to prolong life, not the fundamental path to Dao, Shen Lian had heard Zhang Ruoxu say.

From the old Taoist, he also gained some indescribable insights.

Heavenly essence could indeed nourish the body and soothe the spirit, but the body and spirit were like intricate machines. No matter how well they were maintained, they would eventually break down.

Just like the sun, moon, and stars, they were not eternal.

Shen Lian only felt this, without delving deeper, and did not ponder the old Taoist's current cultivation method, as he knew the dangers of overreaching.

The materials on the first floor of Taiwei Pavilion were bound into books, made of high-quality paper that did not yellow over time like ordinary paper.

Of course, there were no truly valuable items here. The fundamental techniques of Qingxuan were never written down or stored in special objects.

Moreover, Qingxuan always adhered to the principle that 'techniques can be easily taught, but methods must be handled with caution.'

Even if Shen Lian obtained the Xuanji Technique, it was only enough for him to cultivate to the Qi Movement stage, without involving higher realms.

The techniques on the first floor were mainly suitable for cultivators below the Returning to the Elixir stage. This stage was a significant turning point in cultivation. Above this stage, cultivators gradually transformed into terrestrial immortals, with powers far beyond the imagination of mortals.

Shen Lian found a book called 'Introduction to Talisman Dao,' written by a senior named 'Donglingzi,' who was skilled in talisman techniques. The book began by explaining that there were eight mysterious forces in the universe, divided into 'heaven, earth, mountains, marshes, thunder, fire, water, and wind.' Talismans were a special way to harness these eight forces, generating great power for various purposes, such as healing, exorcising demons, or aiding cultivation.

Talismans had many uses, depending on the needs of the cultivator.

There was one particularly interesting point in the book. It mentioned that there was once a type of cultivator who achieved immortality by forming 'true talisman seeds' instead of 'Returning to the Elixir.' The differences between these cultivators and modern ones were not clearly explained, but according to the senior 'Donglingzi,' talisman cultivators focused more on the external world and were better at harnessing the power of the universe.

Donglingzi might have mentioned this to make the book 'Introduction to Talisman Dao' more interesting.

Shen Lian continued reading and finally came to the section on the basics of talisman cultivation.

Learning talisman cultivation was similar to learning calligraphy.

In deep calligraphy, what mattered was the strength and grace of the brush.

In deep talisman cultivation, what mattered was the cultivator's power and understanding of talisman techniques.

Of course, these were just the basics and did not require such high standards.

The book introduced three widely used talisman systems.

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