Chương 80: 1.80 Presents~

"Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form does not differ from emptiness, and emptiness does not differ from form. Whatever is form, that is emptiness; whatever is emptiness, that is form. The same is true for feeling, perception, thought, and consciousness. All dharmas are marked by emptiness. They neither arise nor cease, neither defile nor purify, neither increase nor decrease." Ning recited the sutra with focus.

Fenghuang was present as well; he ignored the mumbling youth and instead basked in the morning sun, which coated his feathers, making them shine even more. Ning opened his eyes after reciting the sutra, glancing at the shining bird, and just shook his head. His fenghuang was truly a certified aurafarmer at times. So, instead, he focused on his own situation. What was he doing, one may ask? He was trying to comprehend Buddhist scriptures.

After learning about the soul ferrying scripture, Ning had been reading and comprehending various Buddhist scriptures to further his mind. To comprehend such absurd things, Ning used these scriptures as a gateway. As for why Ning called such a thing absurd? It was simply because it was a xianxia world. After knowing that this technique required something like a state of mind, he had tried to gather as much information about it as possible and soon found the relevant info.

And finally piecing the information together, let's just say he was not surprised to find that, like any good xianxia, the states of mind were also reflected in different realms. The mortal heart: ordinary, reactive, full of wants and fears. It was an ordinary state of mind that most people had. The clear heart: the first real cultivation milestone for the mind. Emotions clarified, resolve strengthened, the cultivator no longer blown around by every passing circumstance. Ning was firmly here.

He had been here for a while, the calmness that had confounded Li Houran's rage-baiting and caused his master to fail in her enticement several times. The inner demon calamity he faced certainly helped with this, and along with his rich otherworldly experience and the sheer adaptation to this strange world he had undertaken, it was not strange for him to reach this level. After all, he was a chill guy in essence. Beyond that: the mirror heart, the empty heart, and realms Ning only had secondhand descriptions of.

For an orthodox cultivator, the path moved from mortal to clear to mirror, the heart becoming increasingly still, increasingly reflective, increasingly separate from worldly attachment. The Buddhist path was different. Buddhist cultivators, the text explained, did not cultivate toward stillness by removing themselves from the world. They cultivated toward stillness by becoming completely present within it. The difference was subtle but, in practice, enormous.

An orthodox cultivator with a mirror heart was like a still pool, undisturbed because nothing touched it. A Buddhist cultivator's ferrying mind was like a still pool that everything moved through, completely present with whatever entered, completely unretained when it left. Simply put, the water was the same temperature entering and leaving. Nothing stuck. So, that was the problem.

The Soul Ferrying Scripture was a Buddhist technique, and Buddhist cultivators, having more focus on the state of mind, had a slight variance in the realms of mind compared to the norm. In addition to having a clear heart, to reach the first solid step and use this scripture, he had to attain what the manual called the ferrying mind. Compassionate, but not attached to the outcome of compassion. Present, but not consumed by presence. Self-aware enough to remain oneself while holding another's soul.

So, yeah, even the description itself was something to comprehend before even diving in. Coupled with the inherently prose-worthy descriptions in the Buddhist scriptures found here, Ning was having a tough time reaching this ferrying mind. Moreover, being in the eastern wilderness, far apart from the western desert where Buddhism flourished, it was hard to get his hands on authentic Buddhist teachings with less mumbo-jumbo.

"Fortunately, I still have some memories regarding such things, however vague they may be." Ning mumbled. As for whether the Buddhist scriptures from his previous world worked in this one, Ning was pretty sure they would. In fact, Ning couldn't ignore the fact that his having transmigrated here at all meant there must be some connection between his previous world and this one.

After all, with something like xianxia being in his previous world, which perfectly reflected his current world said volumes about the connection. Alas, at his current, stage he could understand the connection between the two worlds.

"Panel." Ning mumbled, finishing his morning prayer duties.

[Name: Ji Ning Spiritual Root: Mid-grade Spiritual Root Attributes: Five Elemental Attributes Talent: Extreme Space-Time Sensitivity Realm: 6th Stage of Qi Condensation (3190/3200), Marrow Refining (321/600) Cultivation Methods: Pure Qi Sutra (Completion), Jade Skin and Ice Meridians (3rd Level), [Medicine King Technique: Starting (Nourishing the qi), Food Qi Nourishment Method] Martial Arts: Bone Forging Fist (Mastery), Shadow Steps (Mastery), Turtle Breathing (Mastery), Pure Eyes (Starting: 248/300), Falling Leaf Spear Technique (Unity), Spiral Arrow (Unity), Cold River Spear Technique (Starting: 12/300)] Magic: Small Cloud Rain Technique (Mastery), Soil Refining Technique (Mastery), Scorching Purge (Great Accomplishment: 56/400), Golden Finger (Great Accomplishment: 2/200), Hidden Ice Mist (Great Accomplishment: 98/400), Withering and Flourishing Technique (Great Accomplishment: 379/400), Fireball (Great Accomplishment: 3/400), Crimson Flame Control (1st Level: Great Accomplishment: 234/400), Soul Ferrying Technique (Starting: 5/10000), Spring Breeze Seedling Technique (Minor Accomplishment: 2/200)]"Damn!

This year I have made crazy progress." Ning couldn't help but smile brightly, glancing at the panel. In all his time in the sect, this one year as an inner sect disciple had seen the most progress of any single year he spent in the outer sect. Just looking at his cultivation was enough to verify that. In a single year, he had almost reached the peak of the sixth stage of Qi Condensation, which was quite remarkable since he had taken much longer to do the same for the fifth stage. But it made sense.

He had the most abundant resources this year, and he had also obtained his 'cheat' cultivation-enhancing technique. As he accumulated more and more alchemy qi, Ning had two choices: one was to continue nourishing it and use all of it for breaking through the seventh stage, or use it to enhance his cultivation speed and only accumulate the amount needed to break through after reaching the peak of the sixth stage. Between the two choices, Ning chose to directly use the alchemy qi for cultivation.

The reason was simple: the stronger his cultivation now, the better he could perform alchemy. Another thing that led to such rapid growth was undoubtedly the quality of pills. After his master listened to one of her friends explain about raising a disciple, about how a master should not simply hand resources to disciples but instead try to develop their ability to accumulate their own resources, he did not receive many free pills from her.

But despite that, as a direct disciple of Ling Xin, he still had access to the best quality star-marked pills at a relatively cheap and discounted price, which she couldn't help but offer her dear disciple. And if all of this wasn't enough, Ning realized the final thing that made his cultivation soar was synergy.

Firstly, he had the highest grade cultivation pills; then he was able to fully absorb them and slightly enhance their effect using alchemy qi; then he used his uniquely developed spiritual pressure cultivation method to accelerate the consumption of pills so he could take the next one sooner. So yeah, the synergy of all this was off the charts, leading to a rapid enhancement of cultivation. Similarly, his body refining cultivation was going smoothly as well.

He had especially found that consuming the frost grains was aided by the Food Qi Nourishment Technique he got from Xiao Fan, which would further accelerate his cultivation speed in the future. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Ning was looking forward to reaching the fourth level in body refining, since he would finally unlock the defense-related technique of this body training method. As for his martial arts, they were progressing nicely.

He had been able to accumulate enough spirit stones to buy the Cold River Technique and would soon be able to accumulate the 7, 900 spirit stones required for the Lightning Cry Arrow as well. Yeah, selling aphrodisiacs was busted. please no nerf. As for spells, they were progressing gradually.

His focus was mostly on the Fireball Technique, which he finally got to Great Accomplishment; Crimson Flame Control, which was further refined due to his relentless alchemy practice; and the Spring Breeze Seedling Technique, which he also got to Minor Accomplishment, since this technique was a minor cheat for quickly cultivating first-grade spiritual plants.

"Still, I guess for the next few years I'll try to acquire more spells and focus on them," Ning mumbled. His farming spells were already sufficient, so he was ready to branch out into regular spells. Magic was the thing he made his name with, so it would be unwise to throw that away. Moreover, having command over the elements was just plain cool. There was a reason that in most of his DnD campaigns, he liked to play the mage.

"Oh well, I can have my chuuni dreams later. I need to prepare now, after all, today is quite a special day." Ning stood up, ready to truly start his day....

"Wow, you really went all out today." Ling Xin said, glancing at the array of food in front of her. Not only were there traditional dishes, there were also various sweets, as well as the Ning-specific dishes.

"Yes, junior brother, you have made quite a feast." Ling Yinran added, eyeing the variety of foods.

"Well, it is the time of celebration, so I might have gone overboard." Ning answered, placing another bowl of ice cream on the table.

"Oh right! Sect celebration day, right? Time goes really fast." Ling Xin took the entire bowl of ice cream and ate it while speaking. Her cultivation level prevented the brain freeze that would have happened to any other person swallowing ice cream with such intensity.

"Mm. It's already been ten years." Ling Yinran also nodded. For the next few days would be the week celebrating the establishment of the Pure Qi Sect, an event that happened every ten years and was quite grand. Given the lifespan and lifestyle of cultivators, the establishment of a sect couldn't be celebrated yearly, which was why it was only held every ten years. In fact, it was quite similar to why most cultivators never celebrated their birthdays yearly, instead celebrating on a decade basis.

Cultivators typically held banquets and celebrations upon reaching new major realms rather than their age in most cases. That was just the tradition of the cultivation world.

"So, Aunt, have you prepared any gifts?" Ling Yinran turned to her aunt and spoke.

"Last time you forgot mine, surely you wouldn't forget this time as well, especially with junior brother having gone through such work to celebrate it?" As part of the festivities to celebrate the sect's establishment, the first patriarch Li Changshou had established the habit of giving gifts to close ones to promote disciple communication and brotherhood. Especially in that chaotic era, it had been very important to build up camaraderie between disciples, since it was a newly established sect full of strangers.

Ling Xin paused mid-bite.

"Of course not. Why would you think so?"

"Well, it seems like a you thing to do," Ling Yinran answered, not finding any hint of lie in her aunt's expression. Then, she turned slightly and mumbled, "even though she forgot mine last time." Of course, being a cultivator also meant enhanced senses, so no matter how quiet the mumble, Ling Xin and Ning both heard it.

"Oh, my dear niece, are you jealous? So cute." Ling Xin started to poke Ling Yinran in her cheeks, her face as smug as it could be.

"N-no, I-I am not." Ling Yinran turned her face away.

"Huhu," Ling Xin laughed.

"So cute. Don't worry, for your thirtieth birthday I'll give you a special present."

"Hm, okay then," Ling Yinran mumbled, only to see the same teasing smile on Ning's face, a recording stone already in his hand.

"Junior brother, not you too."

"But it's so rare to see senior sister act flustered. This must be immortalized." Ning said.

"As expected of my disciple." Ling Xin high-fived Ning, something she learned from her disciple.

"Send me that later."

"Mm." Ning nodded. Ling Yinran at this point was resigned to her fate and instead spoke.

"Junior brother, speaking of which, aren't you going to be twenty this year?"

"Yes." Ning had joined the sect at the age of fourteen, and it had been about six years since then. It had really been quite a while, Ning thought, reflecting on his bizarre experiences. Time really passed quickly with so much going on, and now he was going to reach his twenties in this world. He was just grateful this wasn't a fantasy isekai or some high school save-the-world situation.

In those types of stories, the protagonist's growth rate was absolutely insane, they could go from slice-of-life to fighting a world-ending villain in the span of a single year. The power curve escalated so fast that anyone not at the center of the plot would simply get left behind. If Ning had been reborn in one of those worlds, he'd have been power-crept into irrelevance before he even figured out the rules. In that respect, a xianxia world was far more forgiving.

Here, even the most gifted protagonist needed hundreds, if not thousands, of years to reach the peak, and that was already considered blindingly fast by cultivator standards. The scale was just different. There was room to breathe, room to grow, room to actually catch up.

"Yes, you really don't look like you're twenty." Ling Xin said, appraising the still-youthful face of her disciple.

"So do you, Master. It's hard to think you're already at the age o-" Ning didn't continue the statement, seeing the glare in his master's eyes. So okay, even as eccentric as she was, his master didn't like anyone mentioning her age. Ling Xin then mused, "Maybe this should be one of the rule to enter our peak as a disciple, being young-looking. That would be quite unique."

"That sounds stupid." Ling Yinran couldn't help but say, hearing another whimsical idea from her aunt.

"I think the idea has merit. If we only take those who are young-looking, then that means they either have a high level of body training alongside their normal cultivation, or it could be because in a way, being young with high cultivation also means being a genius, since they progress fast." Ning said humorously.

"That's right. That's exactly what I was thinking," Ling Xin nodded seriously, her expression bright.

"Junior brother, you really are an enabler of Aunt's worst habits," Ling Yinran sighed. Soon, the meal was finished, with all of them stuffed to the brim. Fortunately, Ning had the Food Nourishment Technique, which made his metabolism fast enough that he wasn't weighed down by the feast.

"So, here's my gift to you, my dear disciple," Ling Xin said, taking out a bottle of pills.

"This is an assortment of top-grade healing pills, berserk pills, tracking pills, explosion pills, and more, everything you would need in the wild while doing missions. I've also included a bottle of cleansing pills, which would help you clear out any impurities that may accumulate from consuming such pills." Ling Xin handed several jade bottles to Ning. Each jade bottle contained around ten pills, and there were ten different jade bottles in total.

It was extremely comprehensive, ranging from cultivation pills to auxiliary pills.

"Thank you, Master." Ning said gratefully. These would surely be helpful in the future.

"Hm, in the end you still just gave pills." Ling Yinran said, seeing this.

"Well, I am an alchemist." Ling Xin defaulted to her ult, which surprisingly deflected a lot of things including words.

"So, what did you get your Ning? I am curious." Ling Yinran took out a robe from her storage pouch.

"This is the cloud-patterned spirit robe for junior brother. Not only does it have defensive properties that would protect junior brother from attacks below the late stage of Qi Condensation, it can also provide some defense against seventh stage attacks. There are also other inscriptions like self-cleaning, cooling, and more." Ning took the offered robe, his eyes shining. This was a spirit robe, made by a spiritual weaver.

"Senior sister, this is too thoughtful."

"Well, I realized you didn't have a spiritual robe, so I got you one. Try it on, it should fit you," Ling Yinran smiled and said. When not being irritated by her aunt, she really had a big sister type of vibe. Ning nodded and put on the robe. It was blue in colour, quite comfortable, with cloud patterns and various inscriptions enhancing the spirit robe.

"It's perfect," Ling Yinran nodded, glancing at the well-dressed boy.

"As I thought, the measurements I estimated were accurate." Ning ignored that last part, not asking how she had estimated his measurements. In fact, he liked the robe a lot. It was a very expensive gift, if Ning remembered correctly, such a robe would cost at least 5, 000 spirit stones.

"Mm. You look very good." Ling Xin also gave her seal of approval.

"Thank you for your presents," Ning smiled and took out two scrolls.

"Master, senior sister, well, my present seems quite lackluster compared to yours. Please have a read." Ning handed a scroll to each of them. Ling Xin and Ling Yinran looked at each other, then quickly scanned the scrolls, their eyes widening after a few minutes.

"Junior brother, this is-" Ling Yinran was right to be shocked. In the scroll was the method of improving the speed of pill consumption using the spirit gathering formation.

"Yes, I call this the Spiritual Pressure Cultivation Method," Ning said.

"It simply uses internal pressure to reduce the time needed to consume pills. I found this when I was in the outer sect while using the spirit gathering array." Yes, Ning gave them this method. This method was not unique to him alone. While others might have trouble without his know-thyself ability, both his senior sister and master had spiritual sense and divine sense respectively, and could look into themselves and adjust the ratio needed by themselves.

"An ingenious method. In fact, it is quite similar to another method I know of, used by a cultivation family, where they use their unique cultivation technique to swiftly digest pills within their body." Ling Xin said, becoming quite serious.

"Mm, I really want to sometime pick your brain and know what's going on in there," Ling Yinran also sighed.

"You really do have some unique ideas, and moreover, they can always be executed as well."

"You're praising me too much. It was due to luck that I found this method," Ning smiled.

"Still, if it is useful to you then I am happy."

"It is." Ling Xin nodded.

"While finding the right ratio is difficult, I can help your senior sister with that. Your senior sister could probably reach the tenth stage of Qi Condensation even more quickly with this. As for me, while the level of spirit gathering array needed is quite high, it is a very interesting method. Maybe I could even improve upon it." For Ling Xin, the thing she liked most about this was the knowledge of internal pressure harmonizing with artificially created external pressure.

She could use this method to create a relevant pill with a similar type of effect. Her eyes shone as she thought of multiple ideas.

"Glad you like it, then. I was quite worried since you two gave me such amazing gifts." Ning smiled. For a normal xianxia protagonist or even a typical cultivator, it would be rare for them to share their unique cultivation knowledge and techniques with others. Maybe it was due to possessiveness, or simply the tradition of this world of hoarding knowledge among themselves.

Ning had initially not planned to share his findings with others, but as he grew, he realized that while this method was unique, it was not something that amazing in the grand scheme of things. In his mind, as long as the benefits and gains were good enough, he didn't mind sharing such things. Especially with his master and senior sister, since they were among the closest people to him in this world.

A method like this, which could help them improve faster, also indirectly helped him, much like how he got leeway for selling his pills due to the prestige and cultivation of his master. If they grew even stronger, he would indirectly benefit as well. Beside the tangible benefit, Ning also had genuine goodwill toward them, since they had helped him a great deal. So, since he had the chance, he would try to help them. Relationships were all about reciprocal give and take, as far as he was concerned.

Still, seeing that both of them were happy, Ning also smiled. It was worth it.... Thanks for reading~