The past few days of physical training had brought Ethan unexpected gains.
One morning, as he sat cross-legged on his meditation mat with his hands forming a Tai Chi seal, a sudden popping sound echoed in his mind, like a bubble bursting.
Immediately, a gentle breeze began to stir outside, and spiritual energy slowly converged toward him, forming a funnel of energy above his head.
Master Lin sensed the change in spiritual energy as well. He hurried to the courtyard and, tracing the source, realized it was coming from Ethan's room. A knowing smile spread across his face.
Daniel was about to investigate when Master Lin quickly stopped him. "Do not disturb him."
Ethan's breakthrough was imminent. Master Lin whispered to Daniel, "Your senior brother is about to break through to Foundation Establishment. As a natural Taoist body, his breakthrough is truly formidable."
Daniel's eyes widened in awe. "Wow! Senior Brother is breaking through to Foundation Establishment? That's incredible!"
Master Lin glanced at Daniel's envious expression and reassured him, "Daniel, you also have the potential to reach Foundation Establishment. Do not be discouraged."
Daniel nodded earnestly. "Understood, Master. I will work hard."
Master Lin smiled and said nothing further. The two of them quietly watched from the courtyard.
At the peak of the spiritual energy's concentration, a seven-colored light suddenly descended from the sky, streaming straight into Ethan's room. The scene was awe-inspiring, and even Master Lin did not interfere. The light moved so quickly that it was impossible to stop.
After an hour, the energy gradually dissipated, and the swirling vortex above Ethan's room vanished. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
"Finally, I've broken through. Foundation Establishment is truly different. My internal power has increased immensely." He clenched his fists, feeling the newfound strength in his body.
Then, a sudden stench caught his attention. "What is this horrible smell?"
Ethan finally noticed the black residue covering his body and dashed out of the room.
Master Lin, seeing him emerge, immediately understood what had happened.
"Master, it seems my body has undergone tempering. I'll go wash this off," Ethan said, rushing to the well in the backyard. He drew a bucket of water and cleansed the blackened skin.
Soon, he returned to the main hall, clean and refreshed. Master Lin looked at him with pride.
"Ethan, how do you feel? Any additional gains?"
Ethan nodded eagerly. "Master, a seven-colored light entered my body during my breakthrough. It was the power of the Way itself. It tempered my body and strengthened my foundation. My magical power has increased tenfold or more."
Master Lin's eyes crinkled with joy. "Excellent, Ethan. A Foundation Establishment breakthrough blessed by the Way itself is a rare gift. You truly are favored by the heavens." He gently patted Ethan's shoulder.
In the following days, Ethan focused on stabilizing his cultivation and becoming familiar with his new power. His physical training continued as well, now even more intense thanks to his strengthened body. Evan sometimes struggled to keep up as Ethan sprinted with massive stones on his back.
After three months of rigorous training, Evan had completed his initial Taoist studies and achieved the third level of body refinement. Daniel, motivated by their progress, broke through to the third layer of Qi Refinement.
Their focus in body refinement gradually shifted from external exercises to internal cultivation, tempering their Daoist bodies. In Taoist practice, refining the body does not mean building muscle alone. The goal is the Daoist body, which can ultimately become a flawless vessel capable of channeling and containing spiritual energy.
The Supreme Clarity Scripture describes body refinement as visualizing thirty-nine emperors transforming into light, entering the body through the mouth or crown, circulating along fixed pathways known as the "cavernous heavens." Each location corresponds to a body organ or meridian point.
Ethan sat cross-legged, hands forming mystical seals. In his mind, he envisioned the Central Yellow Lord sending a golden light into his mouth, passing through twelve levels of the throat, descending into the heart palace, and finally settling in the lower dantian.
Wherever the divine light passed, his meridians felt like they were bathed in warm water, a sensation of unparalleled comfort. In the dantian, the light formed a miniature emperor, guarding the energy core and multiplying the absorption of spiritual energy severalfold.
The thirty-nine emperors corresponded to all the meridians, vital organs, the triple burner, dantian, blood, bone marrow, skeletal system, and skin. Once fully refined, they would produce a perfect Daoist body.
Although a natural Taoist body holds an innate advantage, rigorous training could allow one to surpass even this gift. Body refinement required immense willpower. For Ethan, the pursuit of ultimate Dao and continual self-transcendence defined his path.
Upon successfully refining each emperor within his dantian, Ethan experienced noticeable progress. His ability to draw in spiritual energy increased manifold, aiding his magical cultivation and improving his command over talismans. Successfully visualizing the Supreme Celestial Emperor to guard the upper dantian further strengthened his mental focus.
This intense visualization practice, alongside his Taoist and spell cultivation, took about a month and a half.
Ethan also observed Evan's progress. Evan could now cultivate independently, understanding the techniques fully. His next challenge would be during his own Foundation Establishment breakthrough.
Evan's approach to body refinement differed from Ethan's. While he followed the Maoshan foundational method, the practice itself was far from simple. His method required envisioning the sun, moon, and stars, with optimal results at midnight or early dawn.
Before each session, Evan recited the Classic of Purity several times to calm his mind. He then visualized a luminous moon at his brow, washing away impurities. The moon transformed into a blazing sun at his heart palace, burning away shadowy remnants. Finally, the Big Dipper's seven stars poured light over his crown, clearing all meridians.
His body first felt chilled, like soaking in a cold spring, then gradually warmed, until a tingling sensation flowed from his head through every limb. These exercises, repeated daily, would eventually cultivate a near-perfect Daoist body, sufficient for ascension, even if not the supreme Daoist body.
Motivated by Ethan, both Evan and Daniel worked diligently, achieving steady progress. They also helped nearby villages with ghost suppression, feng shui, and minor exorcisms, building a strong reputation for Master Lin and his disciples.
As the year passed, Ethan turned eighteen, Daniel twenty, and Evan nineteen. Ethan's cultivation was highest at the third level of Foundation Establishment. Daniel reached the fifth layer of Qi Refinement, while Evan caught up to the sixth layer of body refinement.
Over the years, Master Lin had maintained close ties with fellow Taoist practitioners, especially the Four-Eyed Patriarch, who frequently visited the estate and praised Ethan and his brothers. On passing trips with corpses in tow, the patriarch would rest at the estate. Ethan initially wondered if he was stepping into a scene from a zombie tale.
One evening, Master Lin and the Four-Eyed Patriarch chatted in the hall while Ethan served tea. Daniel lit incense in the mortuary, offering prayers to the corpses the patriarch had brought. When approaching a coffin without an incense burner, Daniel placed the incense on the coffin's edge. A sudden swish and the incense vanished.