novellhall Chapter 368 - 232: Manipulating Water and Fire, Shaping the Form to Attain the Spirit (Part 2)
Chapter 368 - 232: Manipulating Water and Fire, Shaping the Form to Attain the Spirit (Part 2)
Take Yihai Prefecture as an example, it is extremely rare to see a genius of the century, not even enough to count on two hands.
A peerless talent is the cream of the crop in a dominion, destined to secure a place in the Red County Divine Land as long as they don’t perish halfway.
As Bai Qi absorbed the insights from the ink talisman, his embryonic Divine Soul Thoughts became increasingly clear and clean, like a flawless piece of crystal.
Strands of Spiritual Energy, like the radiance of the bright moon, transformed into a viscous stream, gradually pouring in.
Divine Soul Thoughts are tangible yet intangible, visible but untouchable;
Spiritual Energy is formless and intangible, neither visible nor touchable.
After Bai Qi comprehended the marvel of refining form and attaining the spirit, his Divine Soul Thoughts became more sensitive and subtle, allowing him to truly perceive the essential form of Spiritual Energy.
It was like a piece of smooth silk draped over him, covering the surface of his Divine Soul.
In an instant, the usual weakness and powerlessness of his Divine Soul Thoughts leaving the physical shell was completely swept away.
"Imagine the Divine Soul as a transparent, flawless crystal goblet, hollow and empty, with Spiritual Energy like mercury liquid, condensing and dripping in, filling each thought... This is Qi Collection!
Collecting herbs is collecting Qi!
No wonder Master says this Ten Thousand Dragon Nest is a Cultivation Treasure Land!
Before the fall of the Dao, only Inner Sect Disciples of major True Lineages could be taught the Qi Collection Technique, and without a mentor’s guidance, merely flipping through secret texts, it would be exceedingly difficult to comprehend the numerous cryptic terms.
Yet this Inner Scenic Land allows one to naturally, through the act of collecting herbs, perform the work of collecting Qi."
Bai Qi suddenly realized, and moments later, each of his brilliant thoughts was filled and expanded by the Spiritual Energy, like a growing child, gradually revealing a true Divine Soul Form.
However, it was not as solid as flesh and blood, more like newly born spring water, gently flowing and converging together.
"The union of water and fire! No matter what Cultivation Technique you practice, your Divine Soul must transform into the nature of water and fire, cooking and nurturing with water, refining and transforming with fire! In the Daoist Scripture Books, this is called ’Taming the Dragon and Tiger’, ’Extracting Lead from Kan, Controlling Mercury from Li, Refining One’s Nature’.
The practice of Daoist arts is truly complex and profound."
Bai Qi spent less than Half a Stick of Incense in the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest, yet felt he gained immensely.
Many truths require personal realization to become profound, no matter how much others explain, it’s hard to gain any practical use.
Divine Soul like water, like a gushing spring, circulating endlessly.
That Jiangzhu Grass was just harvested, yet at a mere brush of thought, its medicinal properties were devoured, transforming into a rich essence.
"Ah! So this is how it feels to ’consume’ medicine!"
Bai Qi suddenly felt as if he had taken a great tonic, his still weak Divine Soul suddenly expanded.
No longer a vague mass, it slowly ’grew’ limbs.
Such an intense speed of advancement is truly mesmerizing.
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...
"Does this young man possess such deep Dao nature? The Sect Leader hasn’t even appeared to guide him on the subtleties of collecting herbs and Qi, yet he grasps it on his own?"
The secretly observing Chen Yin knitted his brows, as past White Sun Taoists took at least half a day to gradually comprehend that herb collection and Qi collection were one.
"But the real challenges lie ahead, the Eastern Route Three-Flavor River Vehicle Great Medicine ’Ren Lead’, ’Yang Fire’, ’Ganlu’, each has its unique method of collection.
Bai Qilang will eventually hit a wall, at which point the Sect Leader will intervene, showing him the profound foundations of the White Sun Lineage.
Chen Xing, oh Chen Xing, by the time you come to your senses, everything will be too late, the rice will have long been cooked."
Chen Yin was supremely confident, his directing of Bai Qi to the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest wasn’t free cultivation.
Faced with numerous precious herbs and the creation of Refining Spirit Grand Pill.
How could Bai Qilang not be tempted?
The deeper one’s Dao nature, the more they yearn for the wonder of the Great Dao.
"The Sect Leader, with a slight stratagem, allows the White Sun to triumph over Chi Yang."
Chen Yin was content with himself, but such an air of composure did not last long before his face subtly changed, seemingly shocked.
"Using tranquility to collect Ren Lead! Who told him that?!"
...
...
"Ren Lead is the union of two energies, your Divine Soul must be clear and tranquil, maintain this state, gaze for three quarters, and you can collect it."
Chen Xing instructed.
Maintaining the Divine Soul’s tranquility, this is not easy to achieve.
But as long as Bai Qi practiced "The Yellow Springs Scripture of the Subdued Flood Dragon", not to mention three quarters, even three hours would pose no problem.
The bright Ren Lead was effortlessly collected by him.
He then proceeded deeper, seeing the Yang Fire—a stream as thick as an arm, with a golden red hue, as if emanating a brilliant radiance.
"Divine Soul like water, countering the Yang Fire."
Chen Xing instructed again.
Bai Qi complied.
And collected the blazing Yang Fire.
Lastly was the Ganlu.
"Its nature is mild, yet rare. It’s like trying to scoop water with your hand from a vat, so you must imprint it with your thoughts.
Thoughts like a mirror, reflecting the false into the real."
Chen Xing instructed further.
Bai Qi concentrated, his brilliant thoughts like polished gems, vividly reflecting the bright Ganlu.
He remained neither arrogant nor impetuous, letting the time pass without a trace of anxiety.
It was hard to tell how long had passed when his Divine Soul suddenly felt a coolness, as if trickling down his forehead, pouring into the confluence of mind and spirit.
The last precious herb, the Ganlu, was in hand!
...
...
"Something must be wrong!"
Suspicion clouded Chen Yin’s eyes, no matter how deep one’s Dao nature, it shouldn’t be possible to collect the three ingredients of the Dragon and Tiger Jade Liquid Great Rejuvenation Pill so effortlessly!
His Divine Soul leapt, escaping from the Inner Scenic Land, yet Chen Xing’s body remained unchanged, still in a deep slumber.
Returning to the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest once more, before he could make sense of it, he saw Bai Qilang, having collected all three precious ingredients, did not harmonize them into a pill, but retraced his steps, heading further west.
The White Sun Sect Leader, confident in his own cunning, suddenly felt a sense of disorder, as if leading a thief straight into a treasury filled with gold and silver jewels:
"Not good! This boy wants to clean out all the spiritual treasures of the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest in one go!"