「Great Xia Bao Yuan 6th Year, the fifth day of the fourth month.」
The weather in Yongshan County had already begun to warm. As usual, Su Dun, who was sleeping soundly, was woken up, though the method was much gentler than before.
"It's already light out, Senior Brother!" Wang Kang's tone grew urgent when he saw Su Dun roll over as if to go back to sleep.
"I know, I know." A brief internal battle raged within Su Dun, but he ultimately chose to compromise. He rose reluctantly, wiping the sweat from his brow in irritation. Without bothering with an outer robe, he simply slipped on his grayish-white vest and got out of bed. By the time he had put on his straw sandals, Wang Kang was already out the door.
When Su Dun sluggishly made his way to the kitchen, the stove was already lit. Wang Kang was pouring water into a pot. The two of them weren't as meticulous in their work as Wang Ping; they boiled the water for drinking and for steaming the buns in the same pot.
After filling the pot, Wang Kang went to knead the dough. Su Dun splashed his face with cold water and sat in front of the stove, watching the fire.
Half an hour later, the steamed buns were ready. Wang Kang skillfully packed four of them into a lunchbox woven from bamboo strips, along with a small dish of pickled vegetables.
Seeing this, Su Dun walked over. He stuck a steamed bun in his mouth, grabbed another in his hand, and picked up the lunchbox with his other hand before dashing outside. He ran across the wide courtyard and followed a small path toward the back mountain. Just as the morning sun was rising, he came to a stop in front of a small courtyard next to an old locust tree.
The small courtyard was somewhat dilapidated, its low fence enclosing two small buildings. Inside, on a tattered straw mat in front of the stone table, Wang Ping was meditating, facing the morning glow. A beautiful, purplish-blue light shimmered on the surface of his body.
Next to the stone table sat Yu Cheng Taoist, leisurely sipping tea. A small stove beside him held a pot of simmering chicken soup.
Su Dun twitched his nose, sniffing the fragrant aroma of the chicken soup. He gently pushed open the gate, walked in, and bowed to Yu Cheng Taoist from the entrance. He then stepped forward, placed the lunchbox on the stone table, glanced at the chicken soup simmering on the stove, and then turned his gaze to Wang Ping, who was meditating and cultivating.
Wang Ping was cultivating the Guiyuan Technique, which Yu Cheng Taoist had recently taught him. It was a cultivation technique for circulating Inner Qi, divided into the Qi Cultivation, Marrow-Cleansing, and Foundation Establishment stages.
Qi Cultivation was for mastering the newly formed qi in the body. Marrow-cleansing used this cultivated qi to purge impurities from the body. Foundation Establishment, in turn, laid a solid foundation for cultivating a true Secret Technique. That was right—at present, Wang Ping had not yet begun cultivating a Secret Technique. In Yu Cheng Taoist's words, his foundation was not yet firm enough; his body still required at least another ten years of honing.
Bathed in the morning glow, Wang Ping successfully circulated his inner Qi Force for five Grand Circulations before opening his eyes. The first thing he saw was the panel of light before him:
[Guiyuan Technique (Qi Cultivation Stage): An excellent cultivation technique for Qi Cultivation. With your aptitude, if you first perform a set of the Chang Chun Technique to generate a sense of qi before each session, then circulate it for five Grand Circulations, you can reach completion in five years. If someone helps you by infusing a trace of Spiritual Qi before each session, you can reach completion in three years. (Progress: 6/100, Daily Progress: 5/5)]
In less than a month, Wang Ping's total progress with this cultivation technique had already reached six percent. This was because not only did he receive a trace of Spiritual Qi from Yu Cheng Taoist before each session, but he was also aided by an elixir every five days. At this rate, Wang Ping could bring the Qi Cultivation stage to completion within a year and a half.
"Mm, not bad." A smile appeared on Yu Cheng Taoist's face as Wang Ping concluded his cultivation.
"You are quick-witted and possess the calm mind and patience required for cultivation. Your Qi Cultivation over the past month has been flawless, and your state of mind has not shown the slightest fluctuation. Not bad, not bad," he praised, then commented, "You will complete the Qi Cultivation stage in less than two years."
Wang Ping quickly bowed. "It is all thanks to Master's help. Otherwise, the Qi Cultivation process would have taken me at least five years, maybe even eight."
Yu Cheng Taoist smiled and moved the clay pot of chicken soup to the center of the stone table. "Come and have something to eat," he said.
Su Dun had already left. Wang Ping sat down, picked up a steamed bun, and eagerly took a bite. Yu Cheng Taoist took out a porcelain bowl and personally ladled some soup for him.
As he swallowed the chicken soup, a warm current spread through his stomach. Instantly, a hunger so great he felt he could eat a bull was satisfied!
There were fluctuations of Spiritual Power in the chicken soup. Wang Ping was currently unable to absorb too much energy for his Qi Cultivation and could only replenish himself through his body's natural metabolism. Eating ordinary food would increase the turbid qi in his body, which would be a major obstacle for the next stage of Marrow-Cleansing. This chicken soup was specially prepared by Yu Cheng Taoist, a fresh pot every day.
Wang Ping finished his breakfast in about fifteen minutes. As he usually did, Yu Cheng Taoist then admonished him, "Don't practice Qi Cultivation again today. For now, don't read the *Annotations on Heaven and Man* either. If you have nothing to do, read more of the books in my room. Reading can broaden your wisdom, help you understand principles, and also improve your comprehension."
"Yes, Master!"
Wang Ping agreed earnestly, just as he always did.
The day after Yu Cheng Taoist had accepted him as a disciple, he had told him that the entry requirements for cultivating the Dao and its Secret Techniques were innate talent and comprehension. Once one entered the path, advancing to the later stages depended on fortunate encounters. The concept of 'fortunate encounters' might sound ethereal, but in practical terms, it came down to your connections, financial strength, and intellect.
Yu Cheng Taoist's collection of books was vast and varied, covering the Taoist Family, the Buddhist Family, history, and the Human Dao. The Human Dao was similar to the Confucian Family of Wang Ping's previous life, used to educate and civilize the people. In addition, there were miscellaneous works of fiction, essays, folklore, and more.
As Wang Ping was preparing to read a history chronicle, Yu Cheng Taoist had already strode out of the courtyard gate. He formed a spell seal, and with a flash, his figure vanished, reappearing in his residence in the front hall.
He would be very busy today.
Wang Ping was the protagonist of tomorrow's apprenticeship ceremony, but there would also be supporting characters.
Having accepted Wang Ping as a direct disciple meant he had to work hard for Wang Ping's future cultivation—first, for the continuation of his Daoist lineage, and second, for a personal wish of his own.
When most people in the world fall into despair, they pin their hopes on the next generation.
Widely accepting new disciples and expanding Qianmu Temple were preparations for the most important of the three cultivation requisites—innate talent, comprehension, and fortunate encounters. While innate talent and comprehension determined a cultivator's lower limit, fortunate encounters determined their upper limit.
Only with immense financial power and connections could one even be qualified to obtain such fortunate encounters. This process would inevitably lead to entanglement in worldly cause and effect—the so-called principles of sacrifice and contradiction.
But a cultivator becomes entangled in cause and effect from the very moment they decide to cultivate; it is not something that can be escaped through Pure Cultivation.
After steadying himself, Yu Cheng Taoist took out his Daoist robe and put it on. He then formed a spell seal with his hand. With a flash of blue light, the old, worn robe became as good as new.
Today, the Prefect of Shang'an Prefecture would personally pay a visit and deliver twelve intelligent children. They were all from the direct bloodlines of various families in Shang'an Prefecture, and all were around ten years old.
Li An Tian, Liu Zixiu, and Mao Yulong had also learned that Yu Cheng Taoist was widely accepting disciples, and they too had selected some intelligent children from their own clans.
Before the day was over, Yu Cheng Taoist had to select some promising youths with good innate talent from among them to accept as disciples. Those not chosen could, if they wished, become outer-sect disciples and practice some basic cultivation techniques. Perhaps one day they might have an epiphany and also embark on the path of cultivation.