As he digested the memories in his mind, Chu Zheng's gaze couldn't help but grow brighter.
Great Circulatory Qi Guideline- Beginner Chapter, apart from recording the Qi Cultivation Mnemonic, it also contained some information about the path of cultivating.
No matter which method of cultivation one used, there were inevitable differences between individuals.
There was no specific standard to measure insight, but the gap was often much more exaggerated than the "Immortal Bone."
Sometimes insight just happened, sometimes it was even impossible to explain in words.
Some Qi Cultivators might be stuck at a barrier for their entire lives, unable to advance even an inch.
For those with extraordinary insight, this barrier may not exist at all, making cultivation a smooth journey.
There are various methods in Qi Refining, not lacking those of quick success and deviant paths.
The method outlined in the Great Circulatory Qi Guideline adheres to the orthodox Qi Refining path. Its combat power isn't considered high, perhaps even mediocre, but its stability and methodical approach prevent many setbacks, and it's sufficient to cultivate to the pinnacle of humanity, where becoming an Immortal is within reach.
Qi is fundamentally what composes everything in the universe; the sun, the moon, the stars, birds, animals, mountains, stones, and plants are all composed of Qi.
For the environmental conditions of heaven and earth, Qi Cultivators don't depend much, focusing instead on balancing Yin and Yang and absorbing the essence of the sun and the moon.
In the life of a Qi Cultivator, the pursuit is the Innate Realm; under this state, one's cultivation speed can reach its true peak, with becoming an Immortal in sight.
A person's life, from birth, can generally be divided into four stages: childhood, youth, middle age, and old age.
As time away from the mother's body lengthens, growth becomes progressively slower, Yin and Yang become unbalanced, and the body's functions gradually start to decline.
While in the mother's womb, from a strand of essence Qi to form a complete human it only takes about two hundred days, this kind of growth rate can only happen inside the womb.
In childhood, the Yin and Yang Qi inside the body is still balanced, but by the youth, the balance of Yin and Yang begins to be lost, naturally leading to a longing for the opposite sex, stemming from the body's craving for Qi.
Deficient in Yin and abundant in Yang, or abundant in Yin and deficient in Yang, that is all there is to it.
By middle age, Yin and Yang completely lose balance, leading to many changes; when Yin is at its extreme, Yang arises, and when Yang is at its extreme, Yin arises, most visibly seen in emotional changes.
Women turn from softness to rigidity, gradually becoming more volatile, while men turn from rigidity to softness, their temperaments gradually becoming more reserved.
From then on, the body begins its decline.
The first step in Qi Cultivation is to adjust the Yin Yang Dual Qi within the body, a process that must continue for a full one hundred days.
Even with terrific insight, one cannot skip this step.
This is the Dao Foundation.
Having thoroughly digested the content of the Beginner Chapter, Chu Zheng lifted his head and glanced at the sky, which was deep in the night with the moon brightly shining.
Suddenly he rose, walked into the courtyard, and sat cross-legged directly on the green stone, facing the sky with his heart, gradually altering his breathing rhythm and began to try absorbing the Moonlight.
This time, his body quickly reacted, and within the time it takes to drink one cup of tea, Chu Zheng felt a cool and soft breeze entering his body from the crown of his head and slowly flowing towards his limbs and bones.
An indescribable sensation of comfort rose from his tailbone, causing his body to tremble uncontrollably.
The first time circulating the Qi through the Circuit, Chu Zheng was still unfamiliar, and it took nearly half an hour to complete one Great Circulation.
As his breathing rhythm continued, a misty Turbid Qi was exhaled from his nostrils and mouth, disappearing instantly.
The second round took much less time, only three-quarters of an hour.
By the ninth round, it took less than fifteen minutes for Chu Zheng to complete the Great Circulatory Qi.
When Chu Zheng opened his eyes again, the moon had set behind the mountains and the sky was turning white at the horizon.
He suddenly stood up with a spring, and instantly his muscles and bones emitted a series of crackling explosive sounds, his figure stretching out in an instant.
This time, Chu Zheng had sat for quite a while, yet his limbs no longer felt stiff or numb. He felt extremely vigorous, with saliva under his tongue and a great appetite, filled with inexhaustible strength all over his body.
According to the Beginner Chapter, on the first attempt at cultivation, to completely circulate the Nine Major Circuits of Qi meant one's aptitude was passable. Completing it within three hours indicated a gifted talent.
And Chu Zheng, he only took two and a half hours.
Luckily, he was still a sixteen-year-old youth, right at the age for proper cultivation.
The pure early morning Yang Qi was most suitable for cultivation. Feeling the changes in his body, Chu Zheng couldn't wait to sit down again and begin Qi Circulation, assimilating the Yang Qi into his body.
Two hours later, near noon, the remaining Nine Major Circuits of Qi were finally circulated completely.
After completing the Eighteen Great Circulations, Chu Zheng's body underwent a tremendous transformation; his strength more than doubled, and a clearly discernible true Qi flowed through the meridians in his body, ready to erupt with astonishing power at any moment.
Once he stepped onto the path of cultivation, the world before Chu Zheng immediately transformed; the sunlight, the vegetation, and even the breeze brushing by his side—everything bore traces in his eyes, the flow of Qi visible to him.
This was the true essence of the world.
This was only the preliminary Qi Refining; only after a hundred days would he become a true Qi Cultivator.
Glancing at the sky outside, Chu Zheng muttered to himself that it was not good, and hurried towards the Mansion's Treasury.
The Mansion's Treasury was still busy, and although Chu Zheng had inexplicably missed half a day's work, no one spoke up to criticize his fault.
The Song Residence was so large, news spread extremely fast—everyone knew Chu Zheng was now backed by Song Lingxue, so naturally, no one dared to make things difficult for him.
.....
.....
The sunset was like blood, and the remaining sunlight from the sun reflected off the courtyard walls, casting silhouettes that gradually disappeared.
Behind the Song Residence, a carriage slowly departed.
Song Lingxue watched the carriage disappear at the corner of the street and finally could not help but ask softly to Song Tonghai by her side,
"Dad, you've emptied more than half of the Mansion's Treasury. Where have those things gone?"
"This is a way out that Dad is leaving for you," Song Tonghai replied with a light smile.
"A way out?" Song Lingxue did not understand for a moment.
"The supplies in the Mansion's Treasury have all been sent to your uncle Song Tongxuan's hands."
"I have an uncle? You have a brother? Why have I never heard you mention him before?"
Song Lingxue was somewhat shocked; she had never heard Song Tonghai mention this. In her memory, her father was an only child in the family.
"You not knowing is normal; your uncle left home when I was just two years old. This is a family secret, known only to the Family Head."
A trace of reminiscence flickered in Song Tonghai's eyes: "Dividing the family has always been the rule from ancient times."
With dynasties changing and Immortal Sects prevailing, the heritage of mortal families was far from simple.
The world was too dangerous, and it was easy to invite the calamity of family extinction by being careless.
"Heritage is crucially important, even in the event of a family being wiped out, they should not involve each other; now your father has already broken the rule."
Song Tonghai sighed softly. For himself alone, it naturally did not matter, but Lingxue was not yet twenty years old, with plenty of time ahead of her.