But under the influence of the Sitting and Forgetting Heart Refinement method, he recalled his second life when he was powerless beneath the falling meteors, having to scurry about like a rat.
He thought of the unspeakable secrets behind the reincarnation path, which appeared to offer choices but were, in reality, passive cycles of rebirth.
With his mind racing, he quickly regained his focus. In the blink of an eye, he cut through his distractions with a sharp mental clarity and smiled lightly, saying, "I am still willing to go!"
The boy stared at Bai Yichen for a full three breaths, and seeing his determination, finally spoke, "You indeed have some of Master Tianfeng's former charm!"
Then, the jade gourd flew back into Bai Yichen's hand.
"This is a magical artifact that Master Tianfeng refined long ago; it is also your token for entry. Once you gather Qi, you can refine it to protect yourself from enemies."
Bai Yichen felt an overwhelming joy in his heart as he tightly gripped the gourd, as if he had seized the throat of destiny.
He quickly bowed and then asked, "Esteemed uncle, does the Qi gathering you mentioned refer to the master realm? How is the immortal path divided?"
The boy returned to his relaxed demeanor, pointing to a kettle placed behind the scriptures.
"There is a kitchen on the west side, where a bottle of peach blossom dew picked in the morning is kept. Go and fetch it for me."
Bai Yichen felt a surge of excitement; this was a perfect opportunity for him to show his skills.
"Would you care for a cup of tea, esteemed uncle? I believe I can handle the tea ceremony quite well."
The boy hadn't expected Bai Yichen to recommend himself so boldly. He glanced at him, and without asking where the tea came from, waved his hand in consent.
So, Bai Yichen hurried out to prepare it in the kitchen.
In just the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Bai Yichen returned with a pot of brewed tea and two clean cups.
He poured a cup for the boy first, presenting it respectfully.
The boy gently lifted the cup, first smelling the fragrance, then taking a sip before setting it down.
"Hmm, this indeed has some merit. This tea should be from a tree over a hundred years old. To have such tea in the mundane world is quite a treat."
It seemed that in the realm of cultivation, there might be even better tea available, and he felt fortunate.
Bai Yichen chuckled to himself, then took a sip from his own cup.
"What you said earlier is correct; the master realm in the mundane world is known as 'Qi Gathering' in the cultivation realm. When one reaches this level, they can open a gateway to perceive and absorb the Essence Qi of heaven and earth, merging it with their internal breath to refine true Qi. From there, their spiritual awareness opens, allowing them to refine magical artifacts and fly at low altitudes."
After saying this, the boy took another sip of tea, and his tone became more reminiscent of when Master Yunshou taught Bai Yichen, filled with care.
"As for the cultivation realms, they ultimately boil down to these sixteen words: refine essence into Qi, refine Qi into spirit, refine spirit into void, and refine void into unity with the Dao. The specific stages are: Body Refining, Breath Nourishment, Qi Gathering, Foundation Establishment, Essence Refinement, Divine Soul, Golden Core, Yin Spirit, and Primordial Spirit. The first three realms correspond to the acquired, innate, and master levels of the mundane world. As for the Primordial Spirit and beyond, you can explore that when your cultivation level rises in the future."
Bai Yichen couldn't help but smile bitterly upon hearing this. Alright, given all this, he was indeed at the bottom tier in the realm of cultivation.
He then looked at the boy and asked, "By the way, how should I address you, esteemed uncle? And what is the name of our sect?"
The boy's eye twitched slightly as he replied, "You really know how to climb the ranks, don't you? But you haven't even entered yet!"
Nevertheless, he continued, "My name is Lingyun Shangren, and I am of the same generation as Master Lingfeng. This is the title he holds in the sect. Our sect is called Taiyuan Sect, one of the nine major sects of the Xuanming Great World."
As he spoke, Lingyun Shangren appeared to take some pride in his words.
Upon hearing this, Bai Yichen felt overjoyed. After all, based on Lingyun Shangren's tone, the sect he was about to join was undoubtedly among the most elite in this world of cultivation.
With this, he felt confident about dealing with the enemies of Master Tianfeng, as such a prestigious sect would not allow its disciples to engage in wanton bloodshed, nor would they let noble families act with impunity, distorting the truth.
Lingyun Shangren seemed to sense Bai Yichen's thoughts and said, "Rest assured, the sect has its own rules and regulations. Even noble families wouldn't dare to be overly arrogant. Besides, their lineage is not a singular voice; there are other forces within the sect to counterbalance them, and Master Tianfeng had acquaintances from years past."
He paused and added, "I can see your concern without you saying it—aren't you just thinking about that?"
Bai Yichen secretly scoffed at this thought. However, in that moment, he seemed to recall something and quickly activated the Heart Refinement method to focus his mind.
Lingyun Shangren seemed to let out a cold snort.
"You should remember that there are many secret techniques in the realm of cultivation, especially when conversing with those much higher in cultivation than yourself. Always keep your mind focused and do not let them probe into your thoughts completely; otherwise, you'll become a joke."
Bai Yichen repeatedly acknowledged this, nodding in agreement.
Indeed, he had been a bit too pleased with himself today and had forgotten the caution he had practiced in the past.
Lingyun Shangren seemed to sense whether Bai Yichen was sincere or not. Seeing that he had genuinely begun to reflect, he nodded slightly, appearing as if he could be taught.
Bai Yichen then asked several more questions about the cultivation world until Lingyun Shangren appeared to grow somewhat impatient.
Suddenly, a booklet appeared in his hand, which then floated in front of Bai Yichen.
"This book contains some basic knowledge about the cultivation world and the Xuanming Great World. Take it and read it; it will likely answer many of your questions."
"In addition, you should find a quiet room in the temple to familiarize yourself with the local Essence Qi over the next few days. Come to this hall to find me again in three days."
Upon hearing this, Bai Yichen stopped his inquiries and turned to leave. He sought out a quiet room in the temple to meditate for a while; facing Lingyun Shangren's probing questions and pressure had indeed consumed quite a bit of his energy.
Afterward, he opened the book to understand the true nature of this world.
It turned out that the Xuanming Great World, according to legend, had originally consisted of three continents at the dawn of creation: "Zhou Continent," "East Victory Continent," and "West Flame Continent."
However, after ancient times, it was said that a war among the cultivators of the three continents raged for hundreds of years, even involving celestial beings and true monarchs, who eventually broke through the void to discuss the Dao beyond the heavens.
But this war still caused immense changes to the Xuanming Great World.
Among the three continents, the Zhou Continent was shattered; some parts sank, while others fragmented into many plates. The Essence Qi of heaven and earth nearly dissipated, making it rare for cultivators to visit. The region where the Xia Dynasty resided was just one of its islands.
The West Flame Continent was also affected by the war; part of it was destroyed, leaving only half remaining.
Aside from a few special locations, most of the other areas were deficient in Essence Qi, slightly better than the Zhou Continent, making it a place for evil sects and scattered cultivators.