Chương 5: Cultivation Lesson

A few days have passed since Lin Yi and his group of new disciples arrived at the Charging Bull Sect. In these days, they learned the basic necessities to live as a disciple of the immortal sect. They were toured around the Valley of Immortal Seedlings and their Community Residence and its functions. They were also taught the rudiments of the immortal world in and beyond the Luan Province. Clothing and Essence Pills were given to them, and the rules of the sect were also explained.

Today, a special course was on the schedule. Every disciple, from the youngest to the eldest, was excited for it and couldn't wait for the lesson to begin. It was no wonder that everyone was already assembled and seated in the teaching room. It was a big, unadorned room with enough space for more than two hundred people. Each of the new disciples sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion and awaited the arrival of Elder Bai. Today he would lead the lesson.

Some disciples, not yet accustomed to sitting for a long time cross-legged, were a little restless and shifted on their cushions from time to time. From the outside it looked like Lin Yi sat calmly in his place, while inwardly he tried to settle his mind with deep breaths. In this situation, his adaptable child body was quite a benefit, at least for seating, and his Innate Spirituality might have helped with keeping his mind clear. The disciples didn't need to wait much longer.

When Elder Bai stepped into the room, took a meditation cushion from his storage pouch, and seated himself at the very front, facing his students. With an elderly smile, he looked around the group of nervous disciples and started to talk. An immortal spell carried his voice to every person present.

"Today, I will explain the first steps of cultivation. I will use the cultivation method, the Classic of Qi Refinement, to properly explain the first three levels and the first stage of the Qi Condensation Realm. I will also mention roughly the two other stages." Every new disciple present sat upright and listened carefully with every ounce of concentration.

"But first, to calm everyone down a little bit. You don't need to take any notes or write, as you already noticed. Once you enter cultivation and gain spirituality, which I will explain later, your mental functions will be greatly strengthened. Among them will be your memories and the ability to recall them. Many of you should then be able to recall this lesson nearly completely. And if not, there are always the rudimentary books in the library."

Exclamations and gasps could be heard throughout the room, and Lin Yi, too, had a surprised expression on his face. I knew that with higher cultivation comes likely a higher degree of mental abilities, but that just by entering the first realm, it will be so strong is unexpected. Lin Yi thought.

"The Classic of Qi Refinement is one of the simplest and most all-encompassing cultivation methods for the Qi Condensation Realm. It is also one of the most widespread methods, and can sometimes even be found in the mortal world." Elder Bai continued.

"With this method, you all will be able to form a good foundation, so that when entering the second stage of Qi Condensation, you will be able to either switch to a specialized cultivation method or continue using the Classic of Qi Refinement."

"Now, I will explain the first realm of cultivation." He looked around for a few moments to make sure everyone listened properly before he nodded and started to speak.

"The Qi Condensation Realm is divided into ten levels and three stages. The three stages can also be called early, mid, or intermediate, and late stages. Sometimes they are also called Golden Cauldron, Crimson Palace, and Purple Mansion Stage."

"The first three levels belong to the first stage, the fourth to sixth levels to the second, and the seventh to ninth to the third stage. The tenth level is a special state, called the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm, and not truly necessary to break through the higher realm of Foundation Establishment, but highly advisable."

"Let's begin with how you start cultivating." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Everyone perked up at this sentence.

"Some of you might already have sensed that here in the East River Mountain Range exists a different kind of air. This special air or breath is called Spiritual Qi. It is the energy we absorb and use to cultivate. Spiritual Qi exists everywhere in the world, but in different densities. Here, supported by a Spiritual Vein, it is easier to sense and helps with opening the Golden Cauldron."

"Each living being between heaven and earth, with some exceptions, possesses the three splendors. Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Each of these splendors represents one stage of the Qi Condensation Realm."

"Essence represents the physical body and its strength and vitality."

"Qi represents the life force and energy of a being."

"Spirit represents the soul, spirituality, and mental faculties."

"To enter the first level of Qi Condensation, one must open the Golden Cauldron, also called the lower dantian, and sense one's Qi Flame."

"The method is relatively simple. One only needs to undergo deep inner meditation and search for the spiritual space that holds these manifestations. The spiritual space of the lower dantian is located in the lower abdomen, two to three finger widths below the belly button."

"The Golden Cauldron is not truly a golden cauldron, but throughout the millions of years of development of the immortal dao it was called as such." Elder Bai paused for a moment, checked that everyone still listened, and continued.

"It is an ethereal and spiritual place, and the opening of it and the sensing of the Qi Flame is for everyone different and a personal journey. Some might sense them in mere days, others in months or years. But don't worry, all of you possess immortal talents and will enter the Qi Condensation Realm. It will only be a matter of time." Some disciples originally had nervous and difficult expressions and feelings, but the last words calmed them down. Lin Yi, in contrast, was steady throughout the explanation.

With his Innate Spirituality, he had an advantage and might be among the fastest of the group to step onto the cultivation path, despite possessing the worst talent.

"The opening of the Golden Cauldron and sensing of the Qi Flame symbolizes the first level of Qi Refinement."

"The Qi Flame is one of the most important spiritual organs of us, immortal cultivators. It has many uses for the future, but its most basic and natural ability has its use directly after opening the Golden Cauldron."

"The Qi Flame refines the Essence of our physical body into our own Qi. Every being possesses Qi from the start of their existence, but this special kind of Qi, called Innate Qi, cannot be accessed till the second stage of Qi Refinement."

"The ancestors of the immortal path thus devised a method to refine Qi manually. Over time, it became a natural and automatic ability of the Qi Flame. Once awakened, it refines the Essence of our body into Qi. This Qi then flows freely through our body, nourishing everything."

"Having enough nutrition is important during this stage, as we cannot yet absorb the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth. For that reason, the sect sells the Essence Pills for nearly no price to you disciples."

"The Qi that nourishes the body also nourishes the brain. Once nourished by Qi, it, like the body itself, undergoes a metamorphosis and births spirituality. With strong spirituality and the help of the Qi Flame, cultivators achieve an ability called Inner Sight, where we can see the physical and spiritual aspects of our inner body. Spirituality also allows one to interact with different magic tools, like your sect identification."

"In the first stage of cultivation, these things also differentiate the levels."

"I already explained that the first stage of the Qi Condensation Realm is divided into the first three levels. The three levels can also be called Initial Beginning, Minor Completion, and Grand Completion."

"At the first level, Initial, the Qi Flame refines Qi from Essence and nourishes the body. This in return allows the refinement of more and stronger Qi."

"At this point, the Classic of Qi Refinement starts playing its role. To go from Initial Beginning, the first level, to Minor Completion, the second level, we need to form a self-flowing pathway among the body meridians. This self-flowing pathway will come in time, as long as one circulates enough Qi through the meridians, in accordance with the circulation shown in the Classic of Qi Refinement."

"This is also the reason one should never expand or use one's Qi and the reason first stage Qi Refiners cannot properly use magic tools or perform spells. Only once you enter the second stage of Qi Refinement and begin to birth magical power will you be able to use it. But we come to that at a different point in time."

"Meridians are divided into many categories. For the first stage, only two are of importance. The 12 Standard Meridians and the 8 Extraordinary Meridians."

"To enter the second level of Qi Condensation, one needs to form a self-reliant qi cycle of the 12 Standard Meridians."

"And to enter the third level, and Grand Completion of the first stage, one needs to build on the existing one to form a self-reliant qi cycle of the 8 Extraordinary Meridians. Once this is done, this cycle's qi flow is strong enough to absorb external Spiritual Qi, but to that we also come another day."

"Once you reach the third level, you most likely already entered a branch division of the sect. Beginning from the fourth level, you can also switch from the pure Classic of Qi Refinement to a specialized cultivation method that suits you."

"The second and third stage of Qi Condensation are similar to the first. You need to open the Crimson Palace, also known as the middle dantian, and the Purple Mansion, known as the upper dantian, refine magic power and spirit respectively, and form a greater autarch qi cycle among the body's meridians." Elder Bai looked around and saw that some disciples were already tired and could not keep up to the standard attention he wished and sighed.

"That's it for today. I explained the basics of cultivation and how you start. This should be enough till you form your first qi cycle. If you have any questions or want further knowledge, then visit the library." He stood up, recalled his meditation cushion into his storage pouch, and waved his hand again. Around two hundred small books flowed one after another from his pouch and into the laps of each disciple.

Lin Yi and the others looked in amazement not just at the cultivation method before them, but also recalled in great joy the profound art of immortal cultivation. Lin Yi, especially, couldn't wait to return to his room and start his first step on the immortal path.