Early morning.
The dazzling morning sun leapt from Da Li Mountain, caressing the golden Wangyue Lake, wind sweeping across the endless layers of reeds, bringing along the laughter and playful shouts of children from the Meichi River.
Chen Erniu sat on the ridge of the field, his gaze heavy with worry as he looked over the crops, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of his bedridden wife.
Chen Erniu was born at the Lichuan Entrance to the east of Da Li Mountain. Ten years ago, a sudden drought struck Lichuan Entrance without reason. Not a drop of rain fell, and white smoke eerily rose from the parched earth, sending the villagers scattering in fear.
He was only a teenager at the time, and before he knew it, he had fled to Lijing Village. After pleading desperately, the farmer Li Genshui took him in, and the next year, even rented him an acre of land to sustain his life.
As he grew older, he rented an additional acre of paddy field, built an earthen house, married Li Genshui's daughter, and settled down honorably in the village.
But his wife fell ill suddenly, thankfully he had saved some money over the years, so he took her to the village entrance to see Doctor Han—just a minor illness they said, a few doses of medicine would do. He left his wife in the doctor's care, but his worried heart remained heavy—illness could impoverish a family for three generations!
"Uncle!" Lost in thought, Chen Erniu was startled by a cheerful voice.
He saw a handsome young man walking through the courtyard gate, his face lit with a warm smile, greeting him.
"Ah, Li Changhu, you flatter me, I really don't deserve such an honor!"
Chen Erniu bowed repeatedly. After all, he had only married a concubine-born daughter of the Li Family and was a tenant of theirs—he truly couldn't live up to being called the eldest son in this way.
Li Genshui was shrewd and capable, but unfortunately, he was quite the womanizer. Even after marrying his wife, he still took in two mistresses. His wife bore him two sons, but the mistresses gave him three sons and four daughters.
When Li Genshui was on the brink of death, the only legitimate son by his side died unexpectedly. His several younger half-brothers, young and strong, were eyeing the family's dozen or so acres of land greedily.
At this time, Li Mutian, who had left home, came back with a knife and followers in tow. This ferocious veteran killed the treacherous steward with a single stroke and poisoned the head of a powerful household planning a merger. The whole family was slaughtered cleanly, not even sparing a dog.
Li Mutian and his two younger brothers, carrying bloody knives and dragging corpses on a cart, left a gruesome trail from the end of the village to the front. Every household barred their doors, and everyone feared for their own safety. The younger half-brothers of Li Mutian were terrified, initially thinking with the return of the master, there would be no share of the land left for them.
But to everyone's surprise, Li Mutian called his brothers together, saying that legitimate and illegitimate brothers should stand united, and distributed the powerful household's land, two acres to each person. Additionally, he gave four acres to each of the comrades he brought back with him. Overwhelmed with gratitude, the younger brothers called him their big brother, thus establishing their status.
Looking at Li Changhu's amiable smile somehow overlaid with Li Mutian's indifferent, blood-splattered face, Chen Erniu, standing in the blazing sun, shivered and asked respectfully:
"Li Changhu, what brings you here?"
"Ah, uncle, you're too polite," Li Changhu said with a smile, speaking softly:
"I heard aunt is ill. My father was thinking that you wouldn't have time to cook, so he sent me to invite you and little Ze to our house to try my mother's cooking."
"This... I'm really embarrassed," Chen Erniu said with a reluctant smile, uncertain what to do.
"It's settled then! Mother has already prepared the meal." Li Changhu patted Chen Erniu's shoulder and took his leave.
"Alright then." Chen Erniu smiled and shook his head, calling into the house:
"Little Ze, tidy up a bit, we'll be going to your uncle's house for dinner tonight."
The Li Family had renovated their house the year before last, expanding it by several times. The entire compound faced south with a north-facing orientation, stretching out in a rectangle. The front yard was paved with stone bricks and displayed stone weights, making it resemble a place for martial practice. Looking at the hefty stone weights, Chen Erniu couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration:
"Could it be the Li Family still possesses martial training methods? What a formidable stone lock."
Stepping on the stone tiles, I entered the main courtyard. At the center, a pond had been constructed, with several green fish swimming inside. Flanking the grand hall enclosed by green rocks on the left and right were the chambers of Li Changhu and Li Tongya. The dwellings, walkways, main entrance, and side entrances were all paved with slabs of stone or stone steps, presenting a very imposing sight.
Li Tongya welcomed everyone into the main courtyard. Now eighteen years old, he had yet to take a wife. Li Changhu, however, had married the second daughter of the Ren Family. Not long ago, he had brought her into the household with great ceremony.
Chen Erniu, along with the people of the Li Family, had dinner and then sat in the courtyard, chatting intermittently, when they saw Li Chijin rush into the front yard and whisper a few words into Li Mutian's ear.
Li Chijin, just nine years of age, was already strikingly handsome with an appearance of intelligence and quick wit, making him especially favored among his uncles and brothers.
Li Mutian was idly watching the younger generation chat when he heard Li Chijin whisper into his ear,
"Father, the… 'Mirror' lit up!"
Without changing his expression, he patted his legs and addressed the crowd,
"Old age makes it hard to sit still for long. I shall go rest for a bit. You continue chatting." With that, he turned and went to the back courtyard, and everyone hastily agreed, with Chen Erniu bowing as if to take his leave.
The back hall contained several side rooms. Li Mutian entered the ancestral hall situated at the very center and the largest of them all. Inside the ancestral hall, memorial tablets were erected, with fruits offered, honoring the six generations of ancestors that had been meticulously researched and compiled from the village records.
Li Mutian pushed against the wall, revealing a compartment behind it.
A skylight was open in the compartment, with moonlight spilling onto a green stone platform.
Atop the platform sat a grayish-green bronze mirror, indeed shining brightly with a watery-like white light.
"Three years have passed… Jing'er, go and call your brothers here."
Li Mutian said while gazing at the grayish-green bronze mirror, his brow furrowed.
"Yes." Li Chijin nodded vigorously and left to fetch his brothers.
————
When Lu Jiangxian awoke, his mind was heavily laden with information. He took the time equivalent to an incense stick burning to calm down and started to read the information from the Jade Stone silently.
Taiyin Breathing and Wheel Nurturing Scripture!
This Taoist Decree primarily taught how to manipulate nature's spiritual energy through the body's "orifices" and how to engage the Taiyin Moonlight. Eventually, by cultivating the Six Wheels of Fetal Breathing, one could extend life and nurture the true self, as well as perform various spells. Once the Six Wheels were developed to their fullest, like a full moon, one could enter the Qi Cultivation Stage.
The decree also included several minor techniques—such as the Golden Light Technique, Cleansing Technique, Water Avoidance Spell, Exorcism Technique, and Heart Channel Technique. As long as one cultivated the Six Wheels, they could activate the Spiritual Energy according to the decree.
Furthermore, the decree discussed the six realms of Immortal Cultivation: Fetal Breathing, Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Zifu, Golden Core, and Yuan Mansion. And this Jade Stone recorded the Fetal Breathing Wheel Nurturing Technique from Yue Country's Moonlight Origin Mansion, to be distributed to the Fetal Breathing Disciples of the Moonlight Immortal Mansion for their cultivation practices.
After absorbing the Jade Stone, Lu Jiangxian felt an intangible enlightenment of many things. Not only did his Divine Sense extend to a range of twenty zhang, but the upper limit of his Power of Moonlight had also increased manifold. As long as the Power of Moonlight was sufficient, the minor techniques recorded in the Taiyin Breathing and Wheel Nurturing Scripture could also be performed within a zhang of the mirror.
Most importantly, a Taoist Spell emerged in the memory of the mirror itself, called:
Mysterious Pearl Spirit Offering Art!