yasinovel Chapter 122 Refining Essence into Qi, Transforming Qi into Spirit
Chapter 122 Refining Essence into Qi, Transforming Qi into Spirit
Chapter 123 Refining Essence into Qi, Transforming Qi into Spirit
West Mountain, Pine Breeze Temple.
Shang Yunxiang sat cross-legged on the polished bluestone millstone, holding the wine jar in his arms like he was holding a big, fat grandson, taking sips every now and then.
He didn't look at Lu Cheng.
Lu Cheng was standing in the middle of the courtyard, his feet in the Three-Body Stance, motionless.
From midday sun to sunset.
Sweat streamed down Lu Cheng's temples, soaking his long blue robe, which clung to his body, revealing the lines of his hunched back.
He was very tired.
This kind of tiredness isn't the exhaustion you get after fighting tooth and nail or having your adrenaline surge; it's a kind of tingling, itchy feeling that seeps from the very bones.
Because Shang Yunxiang gave him a death order.
"Don't use force."
"Lock all that murderous hidden energy into your dantian, and don't let even a trace of it leak out."
For a master with seventy years of refined internal strength, accustomed to overwhelming others with sheer force, this was more difficult than carrying a millstone for ten kilometers.
It's like a wealthy man with a fortune suddenly being asked to pretend to be a beggar, and he has to do it convincingly so that no one can tell he has money in his pocket.
"Snapped!"
A pine cone fell from the tree without warning and hit Lu Cheng on the shoulder.
Lu Cheng instinctively shrugged, and a surge of hidden force erupted instantly.
"collapse!"
The tiny pine cone was shattered into powder.
"Wrong."
Shang Yunxiang, sitting on the millstone, slammed the wine jar down heavily, causing his beard to bristle.
"Who told you to shatter it?"
"That's a rock, it's an iron plate. A pine cone hitting a rock will, of course, break."
"I want you to be water, cotton, and wind."
Shang Yunxiang jumped off the millstone, walked a few steps to Lu Cheng, and stuck out a short, thick finger, poking Lu Cheng's chest.
"Kid, your kung fu is really impressive."
"Extremely wealthy."
"I suppose some old immortal bestowed upon you this power. I could never do such a thing; that person is already a terrestrial immortal. This strength is an immense blessing, but for you now, it has become your most deadly obstacle."
"You're used to throwing money at people, and when you encounter problems, you just want to use your brute force to push them aside."
"But what is 'Transformation Force'?"
Shang Yunxiang squinted.
"Transformation into strength is synonymous with 'poverty'."
"Treat yourself as a weak and helpless scholar, or as an old man in his twilight years."
"Only by forgetting your strength can you generate that spirit."
Lu Cheng listened, seemingly lost in thought.
He recalled the words in the Tao Te Ching: "In learning, one gains daily; in practicing the Tao, one loses daily."
The same applies to martial arts training.
Ming Jin (manifest strength) and An Jin (hidden strength) are about addition, about accumulating power. Hua Jin (transformation strength), on the other hand, is about subtraction, about eliminating impurities and returning to simplicity.
"Senior, what should I do?" Lu Chengcheng asked earnestly.
Shang Yunxiang pointed to a large water vat in the corner of the yard.
That was a water storage container used in the Taoist temple; it was about half a person's height and filled with clear, cool mountain spring water.
"go."
Stir the water with your hands.
"Remember, no hidden force, no brute force."
"Just use pure flesh and blood to stir it."
"When will you be able to stir this vat of water into a whirlpool, yet the surface remains completely still, without even a splash?"
Shang Yunxiang chuckled and took another swig of wine.
"Then you've mastered this 'thief's skin' skill."
Late at night.
The night in Xishan is eerily quiet.
Only the occasional hooting of an owl added an eerie touch to the silent forest.
Lu Cheng stood in front of the water vat.
He had been standing there for three hours.
He dipped his right hand into the cool spring water and drew a clockwise circle.
This seems simple, but it is actually extremely difficult.
If the speed is too fast, water splashes everywhere. If the speed is too slow, the water flow cannot move.
The most difficult part is controlling the hidden force within your body that wants to help.
That force was like a mischievous child, always wanting to jump out and show off.
"receive----"
"Tibetan----"
Lu Cheng closed his eyes, focusing intently on the sensation of the water flowing through his fingers.
That smooth, supple feeling, yet with an immense pressure.
Water is both the softest and the hardest.
It has no shape, yet it can adapt to any shape.
It does not contend with anything, yet nothing can contend with it.
"Is this the principle behind the transformation of internal energy?"
A sense of understanding gradually rose in Lu Cheng's heart.
His breathing began to become long and even.
The [Toad-Hunting Force] within his body, the golden toad that originally only made random "croaking" sounds, now seemed to have quieted down, lying deep in his dantian, rising and falling slightly with Lu Cheng's breathing.
It's not about accumulating power for an explosion, but about — "listening".
Listen to the flow of water, listen to the breath of the wind.
"Splash—splash—"
The water in the tank began to swirl.
It started as a small whirlpool, gradually grew larger, and eventually all the water in the tank started to swirl.
But what's amazing is that the water surface is really flat.
Apart from the deep vortex at the center, the surrounding water surface is like a mirror, reflecting the moon in the sky.
Lu Cheng's arm seemed to have disappeared.
It melted in the water.
His skin and pores became unusually sensitive under the touch of water.
He could even feel a tiny insect in the water, frantically spinning with the whirlpool, bumping against his fingertips several times. The slight sensation was as clear as the sound of a bell.
"I can feel it—"
Lu Cheng's lips curled up slightly.
Just then.
"Snapped!"
A mosquito, taking advantage of Lu Cheng's inattention, landed on his wrist that was protruding above the water, ready to have a feast.
In the past, Lu Cheng would have slapped it to death or shattered it with a burst of internal energy.
But this time.
The instant the mosquito's leg touched his skin.
Lu Cheng did not move.
But the skin on his wrist, as if alive, collapsed in an extremely subtle way.
It's like a small pit suddenly appearing on flat ground.
The mosquito lost its footing, its center of gravity went awry, and its body swayed to the side.
Immediately afterwards, the flesh twitched violently again.
It's not a hard, bouncy motion, but a gentle, cotton-fluffing kind of force.
"call."
The mosquito was sent flying by the force of the flick, somersaulted in the air, and flew away in a daze.
He didn't die.
It didn't even hurt its wings.
"Not a single feather can be added, not a single fly can land."
Lu Cheng opened his eyes and looked at the mosquito that had flown away. The golden light in his eyes faded, turning into a deep pool.
"So this is the ultimate form of 'listening skill'."
"Without seeing or hearing, you rely entirely on the fur on your body to sense things."
Inside the house.
Shang Yunxiang, who was snoring, suddenly turned over and a relieved smile appeared on his lips.
"This kid—his comprehension is damn high."
"It's only been a day, and they've already got the hang of it."
"Back in the day, I stood in front of this vat of water for a full three months!"
the next day.
Shang Yunxiang did not let Lu Cheng stir up trouble again.
He led Lu Cheng into the pine forest behind the mountain.
-
"Today, I'll teach you something else."
Shang Yunxiang found a dry twig and drew a circle on the ground, about one meter square.
"Stand inside."
Lu Cheng did as instructed and went inside.
"From now on, you are not allowed to leave this circle."
Shang Yunxiang threw the branch aside and pulled out a handful of pebbles from who-knows-where.
"I'll throw this pebble at you."
"You are not allowed to block with your hands, you are not allowed to kick with your feet, and you are not allowed to use your protective hard qigong to withstand it."
"You can only dodge using movement techniques."
"If you can't dodge it, it'll leave a bloody hole in your body. You know how strong I am."
Shang Yunxiang chuckled, a mischievous grin that hinted at his old rascal nature.
"Also, if you dare to go any further than that, you won't get any braised beef tonight."
This isn't practicing martial arts; this is practically risking your life.
How can you hide in such a small circle?
But Lu Cheng didn't waste any words. He nodded, lifted the hem of his long robe, and tucked it into his belt.
"bring it on."
"Go!"
With a flick of his wrist, Shang Yunxiang sent a pebble hurtling towards Lu Cheng’s brow with a sharp whistling sound.
fast!
It's not much slower than a bullet.
Lu Cheng tilted his head, and a pebble flew past his ear, causing a burning pain.
Before he could even react...
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Shang Yunxiang raised his hands in quick succession, and three pebbles were arranged in a "品" shape, blocking his upper, middle and lower routes.
How can I dodge this?
Lu Cheng instinctively tried to dodge using [Ghostly Shadow Step], but as soon as he moved his foot, he found himself already at the edge of the circle.
There's nowhere to get a refund!
"If you can't retreat, then—look at it carefully."
In that split second, Lu Cheng was pushed to the limit.
In his anxiety, he instinctively used a tactic that had long since become second nature.
"Buzz"
The golden line in the depths of Lu Cheng's eyes suddenly lit up.
In an instant, the pebble, which had been moving as fast as lightning, became incredibly slow in his field of vision.
He could even clearly see the rough texture on the stones and the airflow trails they created as they cut through the air.
The one on the left, three inches from the shoulder.
The one on the right, take the one from the space under the ribs.
The one in the middle is aimed straight at the face.
It's crystal clear!
Lu Cheng swayed slightly, as if he had foreseen the future. He tilted his neck slightly, tucked his shoulders gently, and twisted his waist.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."
The three stones, which were sure to hit the target, all flew past his clothes without even touching a piece of cloth.
"Um?"
Shang Yunxiang, who was holding another handful of pebbles, suddenly froze.
His once playful old eyes were now fixed intently on Lu Cheng's eyes, a look of utter disbelief on his face.
"Stop! Stop right there!"
With a loud shout, Shang Yunxiang threw down a pebble, rushed to Lu Cheng in a few steps, and stretched out two short, thick fingers, forcefully prying open Lu Cheng's eyelids without saying a word.
"This, this is—"
As Shang Yunxiang looked at the faint golden light that had not yet completely dissipated in the depths of Lu Cheng's pupils, his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and his voice became slightly distorted.
"Golden Eyes, revealing the inner self through outward observation?"
"Kid, how did you train those eyes—?"
Lu Cheng was startled and quickly withdrew his supernatural power. The golden light in his eyes dissipated, and his eyes returned to their clear black and white.
He was somewhat embarrassed and cupped his hands in greeting.
"Senior, this is a method of eye training that I accidentally discovered in my early years. I usually use it to train my eyesight when singing opera, and it also helps me see in the dark."
"A method for training the eyes?"
Shang Yunxiang released his grip, circled Lu Cheng twice, and clicked his tongue in amazement, his eyes looking at him as if he were looking at an extremely rare monster.
"This is no ordinary eye training method."
"When I was young, I traveled all over the country and once heard a reclusive Taoist priest from Wudang Mountain mention it."
He said that in ancient martial arts, besides cultivating qi and body, there was a secret technique that had long been lost, called ————【Pupil Technique】!
""
"Legend has it that those who master this skill will attain supernatural powers, able to see a thousand miles by day and discern the smallest detail by night, and even see through illusions and predict the flow of an enemy's energy."
"The Taoist priest said that this method disappeared hundreds of years ago, and there are only a few words about it in some Taoist classics."
Shang Yunxiang took a deep breath, looked at Lu Cheng, and his expression became extremely serious.
"No wonder you were able to dodge the foreigners' bullets, no wonder you've improved so quickly."
"So you were hiding such great fortune within you!"
Lu Cheng's heart stirred slightly. He hadn't expected that the "Fiery Eyes" had such a background, according to Shang Yunxiang.
"Senior, you flatter me. I am merely—"
"No, this is not praise, it is a wake-up call."
Shang Yunxiang suddenly interrupted him, his face hardening and his tone becoming stern.
"Lu Cheng, you listen to me carefully."
"This eye technique is powerful, allowing you to gain the upper hand in battle and see through all weaknesses."
"But for you right now, it's also a 'poison'!"
"Poison?" Lu Cheng asked, puzzled.
"right!"
Shang Yunxiang pointed to his eyes, then to the skin on his body.
"Humans are dependent."
"You rely too much on your eyes."
"You've become accustomed to seeing, capturing, and predicting with your eyes. Because you see so clearly and accurately, your body has become lazy, and your senses have become dulled!"
"But what is true mastery of internal energy?"
"That's like 'the cicadas sense the autumn wind before it even blows,' it's like being able to feel a pin drop behind you even with your eyes closed."
"Your eyes can be deceived, and the light can be blocked. What if one day you find yourself in a pitch-black place, or your enemy is so fast that they can't even keep up with your eyes?"
"Are we just waiting to die?!"
Shang Yunxiang's words resounded like a great bell in Lu Cheng's mind.
Yes.
He relies too much on his keen observation skills and ability to avoid misfortune.
While these two skills are divine abilities, they also caused him to neglect the development of his body's most primal sensory abilities.
If things continue like this, he might become a top master, but he will never reach the supreme realm of "every part of his body is a dantian, and every part of his body is an eye"—the ultimate state of mastery.
"Close your eyes."
Shang Yunxiang let out a loud shout.
"From this moment on, seal away your 'eye technique' and forget about it!"
"Even if you're beaten bloody, you're not allowed to use it again."
"Use your skin, your flesh, your bones to see."
Lu Cheng shuddered, took a deep breath, and nodded heavily.
"This junior has learned a great deal."
He closed his eyes, completely severing his connection with the "Fiery Eyes," and focused all his attention back on the tactile sensations of his body.
Darkness descends.
"They're here."
Shang Yunxiang gave him no chance to catch his breath.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
A dozen or so pebbles, accompanied by an even stronger gust of wind than before, came crashing down from the sky.
This time, without the aid of his eyes, Lu Cheng was instantly in a sorry state.
"Slap! Slap!"
He was hit by a series of attacks, and the pain made him wince.
But he did not open his eyes, nor did he use his pupil technique.
He gritted his teeth, trying hard in the darkness to catch the slightest changes in the airflow and feel the touch of the strong wind.
This training lasted for three whole days.
From morning till night.
Lu Cheng had many bruises on his body, from being hit by pebbles when he couldn't dodge in time.
Shang Yunxiang had a strong grip; when the pebble hit him, although it didn't break the skin, it shattered the flesh inside.
But he never opened his eyes again.
Until the fifth day.
In the pine forest.
Shang Yunxiang held a handful of pebbles, about a dozen in total.
"Kid, watch out, this time it's a rain of flowers!"
"go!"
A dozen or so pebbles came raining down, covering almost every inch of that small circle.
There is no way to avoid it.
Lu Cheng stood in the center of the circle, his eyes still closed.
But in that instant.
He felt that the world around him had changed.
It was no longer pitch black.
It seemed as if countless tentacles had sprouted from the surface of his skin.
As the wind blew and the air currents surged, the faint ripples created by each pebble cutting through the air were clearly reflected in the lake of his heart.
It's not what you see.
It is something that is "felt".
His body moved.
It wasn't a large-scale dodge, but rather a trembling motion like ripples on water.
"Puff puff puff————"
A dozen or so pebbles passed right through him.
But not a single one hit the mark.
Some slid away close to his clothes, some crawled under his armpits, and some were even—jumped around by his muscles, changing direction.
All efforts were in vain.
Shang Yunxiang stopped what he was doing and stared blankly at Lu Cheng. The sternness in his eyes had long since disappeared, replaced by endless relief and admiration.
a long time.
He threw down the remaining pebbles in his hand, plopped down on the ground, and let out a long sigh.
"It's done, it's done."
"By abandoning those divine eyes, you have seen something even more real."
"I'm not practicing anymore, I'm not practicing anymore."
Lu Cheng slowly opened his eyes, the golden light in them completely gone, leaving only a clear gaze.
He felt as if his body was so light it was about to float away.
That heavy feeling of physical constraint completely disappeared.
"Thank you for your kindness, senior."
Lu Cheng bowed deeply.
The seven-day period has ended.
West Mountain, Pine Breeze Temple.
The morning fog was thicker than usual, a vast expanse of white that partially concealed the ancient Taoist temple, making it appear like a fairyland.
Lu Cheng stood in the courtyard, his moon-white robe was already a little wrinkled, but he didn't care.
He is washing his face.
It's not water from a copper basin.
Instead, it uses the morning mist that fills the sky.
He stood quietly, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, his eyes slightly closed.
"breathe--
"6
His breathing was extremely slow, rising and falling only once every few minutes.
But strangely enough...
With each breath he took, the thick white mist around him seemed to be drawn towards him, swirling and surging towards him.
It doesn't just rush towards the mouth and nose.
Instead, it surged through his entire body.
If someone were to look closely with a magnifying glass, they would discover a horrifying scene.
On Lu Cheng's exposed skin, the fine hairs were undulating rhythmically.
Every pore was open, like a greedy little mouth, devouring the moisture and spiritual energy in the air.
Then, as he exhaled.
"laugh-"
The pores on his body closed instantly, and a wisp of exhaust gas, barely visible to the naked eye, was squeezed out, stirring up the surrounding mist.
Cleanse the marrow and shave the hair, let the pores breathe!
This is—[Transformation of Internal Energy]!
Refining essence into qi, and cultivating qi into spirit.
At this moment, Lu Cheng was no longer just a mortal. His control over his body had reached the cellular level.
He can control his heart rate, his intestinal peristalsis, and even his hair growth.
"Buzz"
Lu Cheng suddenly opened his eyes.
Two golden lights flashed by and then quickly disappeared, transforming into a warm, jade-like black.
Returning to simplicity.