Chương 6: Entering the Path

The sun and moon revolved, and weeks passed. Lin Yi sat on the meditation cushion in his courtyard room, seeking entry into the Qi Condensation Realm. After Elder Bai's lecture on the start of cultivation, Lin Yi spent most of his time, besides following the set schedule, meditating and reading the Classic of Qi Refinement or other fundamental books in the Community Residence's library.

In the mornings and middays, there were lessons by senior disciples or Elder Bai, and the rest of the day was mostly free time for the new disciples. Of course, it was expected to use this time to cultivate or study the immortal dao. And at least for the first few days, everyone used this time wisely. Lin Yi seldom had contact with his fellow disciples. The age difference was one point, and his introverted nature, plus his dedication to cultivation, another.

Still, from time to time he conversed with them, especially Lang Mo and You Lei as they shared the same hometown. From them he learned that some disciples already started to slack off. Not anything egregious, but it was noticeable to most. Some only focused on cultivation or the immortal path for an hour or so, and a few even skipped some days completely. Lin Yi didn't have this problem. He lived once a lifetime in the mundane, yearning and plunging himself into fantasy progression novels.

He planned to pursue the supernatural in this life. Starting with Elder Bai's lecture, he started to meditate every day for the last few weeks. In the beginning, he could only concentrate for a few minutes at a time, but over time he improved. After a few days, he could meditate for several hours at a time, and now, after weeks of practicing, he could immerse himself quickly. During his last meditation sessions, he even sometimes felt a small pull toward an unknown direction.

According to his research among the immortal dao literature, this could very well be a sign of nearing a spiritual space, or in simple terms, his dantian. Lin Yi calmed his breath, cleared his mind, and let his inner sight flow freely through his abdominal region. He didn't force anything and didn't directly search for the Golden Cauldron, but let nature take its course. Like in the other sessions, soon his perception was slowly pulled toward a region beyond his normal physical body.

He didn't know and didn't realize how much time had passed. Maybe it was only a few seconds, minutes, or even hours. The abundant Spiritual Qi in the surroundings stirred something deep in himself, and in harmony with his meditative state, a spiritual connection appeared. Lin Yi's sensed this, and his mind grew hasty. Before his perception could reach this spiritual connection, it vanished as if it had never been there. He pondered for a moment and recalled the notes in the Classic of Qi Refinement.

Lin Yi realized that in the final moments his mental state was unsteady, so the spiritual connection disappeared. The greater the talent one possesses, the higher is the chance that a pathway towards the Golden Cauldron appears. Those with higher talent might not even need a completely clear and steady mind, but a normal meditation state would suffice. The great dao is fifty, and the heavenly dao derived forty-nine, the last one escaped and was snatched by the human dao.

Even with a Mortal Spirit Root, the worst possible talent, entering cultivation was not impossible. One needed more human effort. As long as one's dao heart was strong enough, nothing was impossible. His Innate Spirituality might help with finding and sensing the pull towards his dantian and the spiritual connection, but it couldn't help with the fact that a spiritual connection must be there first. For that, the grade of the spirit root is responsible.

After he found the problem and had a way to resolve this minor bottleneck, Lin Yi fell into deep meditation again. After some time, the same pull appeared, and not long after another spiritual connection appeared. In his clear-minded state, he tried to reach the connection but soon distractions, like nervousness, excitement, and rushing to his goal, rippled through his mind. The spiritual connection vanished again. Not downcast by another failure, Lin Yi tried again and again.

By the ninth try, the sky already darkened, and the moon stood at its summit. Nine represents ultimate completion and extremity on the immortal path. Maybe it was the unseen fate of the immortal dao or human effort alone. Still, during the ninth time Lin Yi sensed the spiritual connection, his thoughts flew freely and unobstructed while his perception followed the natural flow.

It seemed as if an eternity passed or only an instant, but his perception swept over the spiritual connection and through a mysterious pathway into a different space. This space was completely dark, and nothing could be seen, but Lin Yi instinctively knew it was also endless and boundless. It had no limit, no heaven, no earth, no eight directions. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

There was nothing, but a small flame burning in the center. Lin Yi knew that was his Qi Flame. According to the texts of the immortal dao, the brightness, strength, and size of a Qi Flame were directly related to immortal talent, health, and cultivation. His Qi Flame was only the size of a pinky finger. That was the talent of a Mortal Spirit Root. Yellow Spirit Root's Qi Flames should be around the size of a fist, and that is only the weakest Five Element Yellow Spirit Root.

One Element Yellow Spirit Roots can be as big as an adult person, even before the start of cultivation. To say he wouldn't wish for greater talent would be a lie, but this was his Qi Flame and his alone. The Dao has no beginning and no end. Lin Yi's dao in contrast, had a beginning but no end. Boundless ambition suddenly surged within his mind, and with a spiritual smile, he thought. One day my Qi Flame will be big enough to envelop the nine heavens and six earths.

One day it would be bright enough to illuminate everything between heaven and earth! The instant Lin Yi looked upon his Qi Flame, it was like heaven and earth tilted. His perception and thoughts flowed into the flame, and his vision expanded and turned. For a moment he saw the entirety of his body, physical as well as spiritual. The deepest meridians, the 8 Extraordinary and 12 Standard ones, and the countless other connected meridians and acupoints.

The brightest points were three spiritual spaces, his three dantians. The next instant the vision vanished, and he only saw the Qi Flame again. But the flame burned differently. Throughout his body, his Essence was called towards the Qi Flame and gathered in its core. After an unknown amount of time, the Essence in the Qi Flame was transformed and refined into a different kind of existence. From the Qi Flame, a pure and unadulterated strand of energy rose above.

It had no clear form and could expand and contract freely. It had no color and was thoroughly transparent, but miraculously visible to Lin Yi's perception. This energy was his Qi. Soon more and more strands of Qi arose, and once a certain threshold was exceeded, the lower dantian couldn't keep it anymore. A good amount of Qi flew unobstructed through the dimensional barriers of the Golden Cauldron and appeared in his body.

The Qi existed between the two different forms of physical and spiritual and could freely transform either. It expanded throughout his entire body, nourishing its cells as well as its spiritual foundation. Lin Yi could feel his body becoming more and more vigorous. His heart pumped blood faster through his body, his bones became stronger, his flesh more delicate, and his skin harder but also more elastic. He could even feel his meridians and dantian grow stronger and expand into the unseen.

Then, Lin Yi could feel something in his brain awakening, bursting from his mind, as his Innate Spirituality, long dormant, finally came forth. He could then see his inner body again, but not to the same degree as before, when he could see every meridian, acupoint, and dantian for a single instant. No, he could only look at the rough outlines of his inner physical body. He could see directly into his dantian, no longer needing a spiritual connection or pathway, and several meridians deep intertwined with his body.

Lin Yi could only marvel in joy, excitement, and astoundment at the mystery of his own existence and the profundity of the immortal dao. Lin Yi breathed a sigh of relief for overcoming the first hurdle of cultivation. Some moments later, he shifted his spirituality towards and into his dantian. As his perception shifted again inward to the Golden Cauldron, he frowned. This change of perception was slightly bumpier than the first time he entered through the spiritual connection and pathway.

He left his dantian and tried again through the spiritual connection, but the result was the same. During the transition, he felt a slight delay, as if he was breaking through some barrier. He experimented through both ways several times, but it was all the same. Not knowing any explanation for this and not recalling anything in the immortal text, he resolved to ask Elder Bai once he reported his cultivation. He entered his Golden Cauldron again and observed the changes and workings of his cultivation.

The Essence of his body flowed into the Qi Flame where it is refined into Qi. The Qi then returns to the physical and spiritual body where it nourishes everything. This, in turn, strengthens the body, which corresponds to stronger Essence. The stronger Essence then feeds the Qi Flame, which then grows and refines higher-quality Qi. It was a cycle that benefits everything. As long as the body's fuel does not run empty, Lin Yi continuously grows stronger. Lin Yi smiled in contentment.

So this is the first level of the Qi Refinement Realm, the truth behind the Initial Beginning of the Golden Cauldron Stage. The night passed quickly. The next day, with enough time before the first lesson, Lin Yi stood at the door of Elder Bai's personal quarters or workplace. He didn't really know which one. Before he could knock, the door opened automatically and a voice called out.

"Come in, Disciple Lin." Lin Yi recognized the voice and entered. The room was spacious with big windows on two sides. There was only one meditation cushion where Elder Bai sat upon. Lin Yi noticed glowing lines across the walls. A formation, maybe? He didn't dwell on it, as he cupped his hands and bowed slightly.

"Elder Bai, I am here to report my entry on the path of cultivation. I successfully attained the first level of the Qi Condensation Realm." Elder Bai looked at him for a moment and smiled.

"That you have, young friend." He waved his hand, and another cushion flew out of his storage pouch and in front of him. Lin Yi noticed this time, with slightly widened eyes, that some energy flowed between Elder Bai and the storage pouch.

"Please sit." Awakened from his astonishment, Lin Yi nodded and sat down.

"First, congratulations on stepping on the immortal path, Lin Yi." Elder Bai said. Lin Yi nodded in return.

"Thank you, Elder Bai. Your lecture helped immensely." He smiled and waved his hand.

"No need for ceaseless flattering. It is your hard work that paid off. You are one of the earliest in your batch to enter cultivation, yet one with the weakest talents."

"Your Innate Spirituality might have helped you somewhat, but you will notice that in the earlier stages it won't be of much benefit as a higher Spirit Root talent. Only once you assail the Purple Mansion Stage will it be of greater help."

"Do you understand?" Lin Yi thought for a moment and nodded. After thinking it through, he realized he had already noticed this. During the time he wanted to enter the spiritual connection and pathway to his dantian, a better Spiritual Root would have been of more use than Innate Spirituality. But he also acknowledged the benefits of spirituality and a Qi-nourished brain. He could already sense how his mind worked faster, more efficiently, and remembered more.

"Yes, Elder Bai. I will remember this." Elder Bai looked at Lin Yi for several seconds as if he wanted to know if he truly internalized it. He nodded and continued.

"Good."

"I must say, you, like some others, are too early. According to the sect rules, new disciples must stay at least one month at the Valley of Immortal Seedling before being moved to a different branch and are forced to take on a profession."

"But this is also a boon for you. Disciples who become cultivators before the first month ends have free choice of the division they want to go to, and if they are not dumb, they will choose a suitable profession. In some branches you are also forced into certain tasks, so choose carefully."

"Cultivator's professions and the sect division also have no small influence on your future cultivation path. Keep that in mind. Lin Yi's mouth opened in surprise. He already had some thoughts about which immortal profession he would want to learn and which branches were suitable for it. But he didn't know of this perk. It was likely meant for talented disciples. He thought wryly. Hmm, maybe I need to rethink my choices. Seeing Lin Yi still in thought, Elder Bai continued and asked a question.