PDLP Chapter 4 Heaven and Earth Have Spirits
Chapter 4 Heaven and Earth Have Spirits
Lu Changye's gaze fell on the ant on the blue brick, and a surge of joy welled up in his heart for no reason.
The little thing really did come again.
I noticed something was off when I placed it in my palm yesterday. An ordinary ant would be terrified and flee at the sight of such a change, but this little thing, though it also wanted to leave, moved its six legs with a certain order, and the trembling of its antennae seemed to be a sign of weighing its options.
Could it be that he has truly gained sentience?
Lu Changye had this thought in his mind, but then felt it was absurd. However, cultivators value opportunities most, so since he had doubts, he might as well give it a try.
"Senior Brother?"
Seeing that Lu Changye stared at the blue bricks without saying a word for a long time, Gu Siwei became anxious: "I have been in Qi Refining for more than half a month. Senior Brother, please tell me about Foundation Establishment."
Lu Changye withdrew his gaze, having already made up his mind: "Junior Sister, don't be impatient. Foundation Establishment isn't exactly difficult, but it's not easy either. Since you say you've already perfected Qi Refining, do you know what perfection means?"
Gu Siwei was taken aback, tilted her head and thought for a moment: "When spiritual energy is abundant and flows smoothly, isn't that perfection?"
"Only half right."
Lu Changye rose and went to the edge of the purple bamboo grove, breaking off a section of withered bamboo: "Refining Qi is like storing water. When it reaches perfection, the dantian is like a lake, and spiritual power is like mercury. However, when the water is full, it overflows. If the lake shore is not solid, forcibly building a foundation will not work..."
With a flick of his finger, the withered bamboo snapped in two.
Gu Siwei's pretty face paled slightly: "What...what will happen?"
"At best, it will damage the meridians and cause a regression in cultivation level; at worst, it will destroy the dantian and sever the path of cultivation."
Lu Changye tossed the broken bamboo aside, turned to Gu Siwei, and said with a gentler expression, "Therefore, to establish a foundation, one must first understand the meaning of 'foundation.' When you were cultivating your Qi, did you ever feel any emptiness or instability?"
Gu Siwei opened her mouth to answer the question, but couldn't.
Her natural endowments weren't particularly outstanding, so she had never bothered to delve into these details. Now, when her senior brother asked her about it, she immediately panicked.
Lu Changye observed her expression and understood, letting out a silent sigh.
Sects prioritize talent over character when recruiting new members, but this is a helpless situation given the rise of powerful families and the decline of humble families.
Well then, since I've already set out to do this, let's start from the beginning.
Lu Changye sat down again, but looked at the ant on the blue brick and slowly spoke:
"Heaven and earth possess spirit, and all things contain energy. Humans can cultivate themselves because they are born with seven orifices that are open to spiritual energy and all meridians that are complete. Other living beings can also cultivate themselves, which is nothing more than the three words: stillness, focus, and guarding."
Zhou Li lay prone on the blue bricks, his beard suddenly trembling.
Senior Brother, are you... are you giving me some pointers?
No, his gaze was falling this way, but he wasn't looking at me directly. Yet, the things he said were precisely what was most important to this insignificant person like me!
Zhou Li suppressed his turbulent thoughts, held his breath and concentrated, afraid of missing even a single word.
"A tranquil mind is like still water, free from distracting thoughts and undisturbed by external things."
As Lu Changye spoke, he gestured with his fingertips, and specks of spiritual light moved with his fingers, transforming into a phantom: "Concentration means focusing the spirit on one thing, guarding the dantian, and letting the thought follow the qi."
Gu Siwei listened casually at first. Her master had already taught her these principles when she first entered the sect, so why did her senior brother have to start from scratch?
But as she listened, she unconsciously sat up straight.
When Master spoke about stillness, he only said one sentence: "Do not think about distracting things while meditating."
But what the eldest brother said at this moment was: "A calm mind is not about forcibly suppressing thoughts, but about sitting and watching the clouds and rain, observing the rise and fall of thoughts without following them."
Lu Changye continued, "Focus your mind on the dantian. You must know where the dantian is. It is not fixed by flesh and blood, but is the place where qi gathers. Some people feel it is three inches below the navel, while others feel it between the chest and abdomen. It varies from person to person, uh, from all living things. Forcing a uniformity will only become a shackle."
"As for guarding," Lu Changye paused, looking at Gu Siwei, "Junior Sister, what do you do with the spiritual energy after it enters your body during your breathing exercises?"
"Naturally, it's gathered in the dantian," Gu Siwei replied matter-of-factly.
"That's a misinterpretation," Lu Changye shook his head. "The opening of the Qi Guiding Technique states that Qi Guiding is not about imprisoning Qi, but about using Qi to move."
He reached out and beckoned, and a fallen leaf drifted down from the bamboo grove.
"Look at these bamboo leaves. If I want to hold them in my palm, I should go with the flow rather than forcefully grasp them."
After saying that, Lu Changye gently lifted the leaf in his palm, and the leaf floated up on its own, spun in the air, and landed steadily back in his palm.
Gu Siwei's eyes widened. Her senior brother hadn't used a single bit of spiritual power; he had only relied on controlling the flow of air.
"Spiritual energy has a spirit. You only need to open up channels and guide it slightly, and it will naturally return to the dantian along the meridians. What you mean by guarding is guarding the unobstructed meridians and keeping your mind focused, not guarding a ball of spiritual energy."
These words not only deeply moved Gu Siwei, but also enlightened Zhou Li, who was standing on the blue brick.
I practiced the Zhou ritual for four years without ever thinking about these things. I only knew how to follow the steps of breathing and exhalation, but I never knew there were such profound principles involved.
He succeeded in sensing Qi with the body of an ant, which was a complete accident. The insect's body was weak in terms of Qi and blood, and it lacked many of the barriers of the human body.
That's precisely why you have to figure out the details on your own. Now, listening to Lu Changye explain it to you, many things that were unclear before suddenly become clear.
The small burning sensation in the abdomen when the Qi first appears is a sign that the Dantian is beginning to open. The slight coolness in the exhalation and the opening and closing of the Qi gates when breathing are signs that the meridians are forming naturally.
The occasional stagnation of my spiritual energy is not due to insufficient cultivation, but rather to my excessive attachment to things.
"Senior Brother!" Gu Siwei suddenly stood up and bowed respectfully. "Please...please repeat what you just said! I didn't remember everything..."
Her cheeks flushed red, both ashamed and anxious. She had previously thought her senior brother's explanation was simple, but now she realized that she hadn't even grasped the most basic things.
A smile flashed in Lu Changye's eyes as he looked down at the blue bricks.
The ant remained in the same spot, its antennae drooping and its six legs slightly bent, looking as if it were attentively listening to its own sermon.
That's really interesting.
"Very well, it's still early today, so I'll explain it to you in detail. However, the path of cultivation is all about comprehension; no matter how much I say, you will ultimately have to verify it yourself."
As the sun gradually moves, it slides from the bamboo tips to the courtyard wall.
Lu Changye spoke slowly and deliberately, starting with how to distinguish between the pure and turbid energies, and then explaining the subtle changes in spiritual energy in the dantian.
He would sometimes improvise, and sometimes quote classical texts, while Gu Siwei had already taken out paper and pen and buried herself in writing.
Zhou Li repeatedly recited the text to strengthen his memory. Fortunately, after practicing Qi cultivation, his willpower was more than ten times stronger, and he was able to barely memorize most of the explanation that lasted for half an hour.
When talking about the fusion of spiritual energy and blood, Lu Changye suddenly stopped and took out a jade bottle from his bosom.
"At the beginning of cultivation, spiritual energy nourishes the physical body, and the physical body can also nourish cultivation in return. Sufficient blood and qi can keep the meridians intact."
As he spoke, he poured out a crimson pill the size of a longan and said, "This is a Qi-replenishing pill, used by Foundation Establishment cultivators to replenish their Qi and blood. Although you have not yet established your foundation, your physique is already extraordinary after completing Qi Refining. You can take it in several doses to help you solidify your foundation."
Gu Siwei stared intently at the Qi-replenishing pill, solemnly accepting it, thinking to herself, "My senior sisters always say that our senior brother is cold and taciturn, but seeing how warm and gentle he is today, how could he be such an unapproachable person? The rumors have misled me greatly!"
Lu Changye did not put the jade bottle away, but poured out another one, applying slight pressure with his fingertips.
The elixir shattered, and a dozen or so tiny dregs were scattered in the courtyard.
His gaze seemed to casually sweep over the blue bricks, and he said lightly, "However, elixirs are ultimately external things; the foundation of cultivation lies within oneself."
Gu Siwei was completely immersed in the joy of obtaining the Qi-replenishing pill, unaware that an ant was slowly raising its head where the pill residue had fallen.