PS: Seeking recommendations, favorites, and monthly tickets.
During the launch of a new book, all kinds of data are very important. As an author who is not adept at hyping, I can only write earnestly and rely on the strong support of my readers. Every piece of data is significant.
Thank you, everyone.
...
At twenty, a man's dreams yet to take shape, his aspirations for reaching the azure clouds still branches out of reach. Being a guest elsewhere easily consumes the years, whereas returning home feels fleeting, like a mere passage. Sails cut through wind and waves to Shan Country, while horses tread through Lan Pass amid frequent rain and snow. Always trusting fate to the Heavenly Dao, yet unsure of what the Heavenly Dao truly entails.
Hou Niao, carrying a large bundle on his back, headed straight out of the north gate of Divine City, embarking on a new chapter in his life.
Uncertain of how far he'd be able to travel on this path, he could only take it one step at a time, feeling his way like others might do by crossing a river using stones; except now, he was feeling his way across a river of Demon Sects.
As for all that had preceded, he did not wish to dwell on it, for it was futile; not yet fully embarked on the Daoist path, he already realized that cultivation wasn't quite as he had imagined.
One should never simply divide the world into good and bad, enemy and benefactor; such a viewpoint enriches the journey of learning the Dao.
He didn't choose to ride a horse but instead hired a small, dark-awninged boat. He wasn't in a rush but needed a quiet time to sort through the tremendous changes that had occurred over the past month.
In Anhe Country, the water system is well-developed. Most places can be reached by rowing, and even where one must go ashore, the walk is not too long; however, his journey northward to the border of Liuyang involved going against the current and thus was more time-consuming, which didn't bother him.
The Chong Ling Daoist had no demands, and the Demonic Sect's big recruitment was also lenient with deadlines.
The boatman, Old Qi, and his son took turns rowing. Hou Niao sat cross-legged under the low awning, opening the bundle given by the Daoist.
Ten shiny low-grade Spirit Stones, a bottle of twenty Energy Induction Pills, a set of ten basic low-rank Spirit Talismans, and three basic Energy Induction Cultivation Techniques comprised the entirety of the contents.
To true scions of the Daoist Sects, these items might seem unremarkable, but to Hou Niao, they were an unexpected fortune. Admitting as much would be somewhat embarrassing, for in his years of cultivation, he had never used such low-grade items from the Cultivation World. Items he could afford were typically mass-produced and lower quality, made specifically for poor, loose cultivators like him.
The Spirit Stones were defective, the Elixirs insufficiently potent and potentially with side effects, the Spirit Talismans lacked power, and careless use could even cause self-injury—they were incomparable to the genuine articles from a Daoist Sect.
Yet at his current stage, those Spirit Stones, Elixirs, and Talismans were essentially unnecessary; the purchasing power of Spirit Stones was strong, but he couldn't think of anything he needed to buy. He couldn't absorb the Elixirs after consuming them because he couldn't perform Energy Induction. The Talismans were beyond activation, as the minute amount of Spiritual Power within him was woefully insufficient to meet their activation threshold.
This was his reality, barely a notch above a typical mortal, his only advantage being the ability to sense the Heaven and Earth Spirit Mechanism.
The truly useful items for him were those three basic Energy Induction Cultivation Techniques: "Shared Origin Energy Induction," "Supreme Guiding Principles," and "Dragon and Tiger Meeting."
Shared Origin Energy Induction and Supreme Guiding Principles involved Energy Induction through the Middle Dantian, while Dragon and Tiger Meeting was via the Lower Dantian—that was the difference.
Hou Niao had cultivated for years without progress though he had read numerous Daoist texts. A significant part of his family's wealth had been spent in this area, a world where books could also be considered wealth. Not many ordinary people could afford to do what he had done.
According to Daoist scripture, the brain is the Sea of Marrow—Upper Dantian; the heart is the Red Fire—Middle Dantian; three inches below the navel lies the Lower Dantian.
The Lower Dantian is where essence is stored; the Middle Dantian, where Qi resides; the Upper Dantian, where the spirit is housed.
For those just starting on the path of cultivation, it is common to cultivate the Middle and Lower Dantians. The Upper Dantian is for refining the spirit. If a low-rank cultivator's body is not strong, their spirit will not emerge, making cultivation futile.
In terms of position, the Lower and Middle Dantians are separated by the Purple Mansion, without a distinction of precedence; however, the Middle Dantian and Upper Dantian are separated by twelve floors, signifying a fundamental difference.
Hou Niao had also gathered several Energy Induction Methods, all popular and rather rudimentary on the market, varying in all shapes and colors. To be honest, he didn't know which was the best, as he hadn't succeeded in cultivating any of them.
It should be said that the Energy Induction Cultivation Techniques prepared for him by Chong Ling Daoist, although basic, were the most orthodox, balanced, safest, and widely applicable. Simply put, even if you can't succeed, you probably won't harm yourself in the process.
This is likely why the Daoist Sects have so many disciples; they seek not speed or power, but a strong foundation and gradual progression.
Of course, he would now focus on these three cultivation techniques. As for which one would be effective, he could only try them one by one; after years of unsuccessful cultivation, his confidence was not exactly robust.
This was the first night journey on the boat, the black-canopy boat had sailed for a half day and was now moored at a ferry crossing called Feng Bridge, where a gentle breeze blew and the moon shone brightly, creating an ethereal atmosphere.
There were faint singing voices on the river's surface:
The dawn road drenched with drizzle, the leaves in the river village floated on.
With the cold air the geese cry urgently, the journey of the year-end traveller is far.
Birds shun the sailing sails, fishes startled by the oars leap.
In which haven does my lonely boat dwell tonight? The frosty moon is tied to Feng Bridge.
This is the world of mortals, yet he yearned to be far away from such a world.
...His mind tuned in to the Heaven and Earth Spirit Mechanism, these little things he was already very familiar with, just like countless fireflies dancing gracefully around him; but he just couldn't catch these little sprites, unable to lead them into his body and transform them for his use.
His eyes were half-closed, the eyelids naturally drooping, seeing the objects in front of him yet unable to discern them clearly.
Both ears blocked out all distractions from the outside world, as if entering a realm of utter silence, listening to the rhythm and breath.
This was the standard knowledge of the Daoist Sect's sitting meditation, listen not with the ears but with the heart; listen not with the heart, but with qi.
Then, heaven and earth unite to bring down the sweet dew; a naturally produced cool sweet saliva forms in the mouth.
It's just saliva.
This saliva is generated from refining the Heaven and Earth Spirit Mechanism and is much more beneficial than regular saliva. When the mouth is full, it is sent to the throat, swallowed with an audible gulp, which can also help achieve tranquility.
When first entering the doorway of cultivation, one shouldn't recklessly discuss things like meridians, the best carrier for internal practice in the human body is something everyone possesses: saliva; with spirit, it becomes saliva, without spirit it is just saliva.
Thus, when Daoists quarrel among themselves, they never spit at each other; it's too valuable to waste!
The Daoists call it the "Elixir of Longevity," saying: "Drinking the Elixir of Longevity on my own, who knows how carefree I am?" Once Qi circulation becomes natural after a long time, even without conscious guidance, the qi automatically returns to the Dantian, as if drawn by a powerful force, the pouch is connected.
Normally, one should keep a slight attention at the Dantian, still breathing with the Dantian. Exhale ever so gently, inhale ever so softly; as if existed, as if dissolved, seemingly there yet seemingly not, that is the True Breath.
As the practice of cultivation deepens, the saliva becomes increasingly sweet and delectable, who but cultivators can comprehend this? Not until the Spirit Mechanism operates independently, no longer requiring saliva for assistance, but rather directly introducing spirit into the body, tempering the meridians, does one truly enter the Energy Induction Realm.
Hou Niao was stuck at this very stage, his saliva remained just saliva, never transforming into spirit, wasting his years.
Following the method of Energy Induction, he gradually mobilized the Heaven and Earth Spirit Mechanism, and to his surprise, this time those Spirit Mechanism sprites no longer refused him, but obediently flew towards him, with every breath he swallowed a large amount of Spirit Mechanism, mixing with the saliva as he swallowed it down...
He was surrounded by a great surprise, was it really this simple? So simple it was hard to believe! Was this the magic of the orthodox cultivation techniques of the Daoist Sect?
After the initial surprise passed, his reason returned, and he felt it necessary to verify this; cultivation cannot be left to chance, knowing the effect, one must also know the cause; that is the true attitude towards cultivation.
So, he switched to another cultivation technique, began using Supreme Guiding... and was still very successful!
Then using the Dragon and Tiger Meeting method, stimulating the qi in the Lower Dantian was equally effective!
He understood something in his heart, switched cultivation techniques once more, using various methods from the continent he had collected over the years... Hmm, the effects of Energy Induction truly weren't as good as the orthodox Daoist methods, but there was no essential difference, he could still introduce the Spirit Mechanism!
So he realized, it wasn't a problem with the cultivation techniques, but rather a change within his own body!
Joy filled his heart; the shackles that had troubled him for years were gone, how could this not make him feel exhilarated and carefree?
...There exists a spirit within all things, nameless and naturally so. The red dragon hides in the universe, the white tiger lurks in the Dantian. Beneath the Northern Dipper and Southern Cross, the eyebrows aid the sides of the lashes. With a dispirited heart, one practices with water and fire, with a steady breath, the true lead is seen.