Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 16: First Level of Qi Refining, Stepping onto the Path of Immortality

"The Dan Yuan Child guards the Spirit Platform, the Crimson Palace Child controls the Heart Flame."

"Dragon smoke swirls around the palace, giving rise to azure clouds; seven-jeweled jade branches suppress the soul, and the elixir of immortality passes through three gates, illuminating the nine truths in the Niwan Palace."

Two days later, the sound of soft chanting could be heard from the quiet meditation room of the official residence.

As Zhao Wuji finished comprehending the last line of the Huangting Neijing Jing, the first set of tadpole-like characters on the surface of the Yang Pearl in his sea of ​​consciousness also completed its entire process.

Information about the casting, cultivation, and key points of the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends Guiding Techniques seemed to transform into countless glowing, wriggling tadpoles and flooded into his mind.

His spirit was powerful, granting him comprehension and thinking speed beyond that of ordinary people, allowing him to quickly receive and comprehend a great deal of information.

The message on the surface of the Yang Pearl changed—"The Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Techniques: Guiding Principles (Beginner's Guide 0/100)".

"The Art of Guiding Energy. By using this technique, one can guide the energy within one's own microcosm and the energy of the external macrocosm for cultivation or healing."

"The human body itself is a microcosm, which is the Lesser Three Elements; the external macrocosm is the Greater Three Elements."

Humans absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth to cultivate themselves, which is to regulate the relationship between human energy and the energy of heaven and earth.

Human power has its limits, but the universe is boundless.

Therefore, in the past, cultivators used the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to cultivate themselves. The most profound level was the unity of heaven and man, using the power of heaven to cultivate one's own power.

Zhao Wuji understood the situation clearly and also became aware of the many potential predicaments that lay ahead.

For example, we are now in the Dharma-ending Age, when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is depleted, and people have no external forces from heaven and earth to rely on to regulate themselves.

Therefore, many cultivators are unable to break through the limits of their own small world and small three elements, making it difficult to advance, and ultimately their lifespan ends, leaving them with regrets.

Those who come after them don't even know the methods of cultivating immortality. They think that cultivating immortality is an illusion. Even if they master the methods, they will still face the terrible reality of the depletion of spiritual energy.

"Has the spiritual energy truly been exhausted?"

Zhao Wuji made a hand seal and performed a guiding technique, and a wisp of yang energy surged out from the yang pearl, making the technique successful.

In an instant, he felt as if his soul and senses had become part of the spell, extending outwards and capturing the various auras within a ten-foot radius around him.

Among them, his own aura was the most powerful and pure. The internal energy in his dantian was like a vigorous elixir fire burning, and the blood energy flowing throughout his body was like magma flowing, forming a strong life force.

In addition, there are the different internal organs' energies, which appear in various colors.

Apart from himself, the invisible and colorless air within a ten-foot radius was the most abundant.

There was also the faint life force of ants in the cracks of the floor tiles, and the faint starlight filtering in through the skylight overhead.

In the state of guiding energy, Zhao Wuji quickly discerned that among the many surrounding energies, only the faint aura of stars could be guided into the body and utilized, which was useful for the body's minor three elements.

Aside from this aura, there was no trace of spiritual energy in the surrounding air.

"There's really no spiritual energy. If there's no spiritual energy, how can one cultivate? How can one embark on the path to immortality? How do the Supreme Sect, the royal family, and that Grand Preceptor Fang cultivate?"

"Could it be due to resources like Source Crystals? Or some kind of magical artifact? Or a treasure land?"

He was speechless for a moment, pondered for a while, and then examined the various energies within his body.

Through reading the "Huangting Neijing Jing", he clearly understood that the five internal organs correspond to the five elements, and the spine is the most spiritual part of the human body, known as the dragon spine and dragon root.

In martial arts, the so-called "root bone" refers to the spine.

The so-called aptitude in the immortal path is also judged by one's spine.

Humans are the most intelligent of all creatures, and are naturally more spiritual than other living beings.

Those with strong spirituality can sense and guide the absorption of spiritual energy in an era rich in spiritual energy, thus embarking on the path of immortality, which is said to be possessing the aptitude for cultivating immortality.

"Now that the earth's spiritual energy is depleted, many people's spirituality will probably degenerate."

Even if someone originally possesses spiritual aptitude, after marrying someone with weak spiritual aptitude, a vicious cycle ensues, and their offspring gradually lose their aptitude as well.

Zhao Wuji came up with a conjecture and used guiding techniques to observe his own spine. He discovered that his spine was emitting a bluish light and breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, his spirituality is not weak.

According to the ancient Huang Ting text, a person's spiritual qualities are classified into strengths and weaknesses based on the seven colors of their face.

From highest to lowest, they are divided into purple, gold, blue, red, white, black, and yellow.

According to the Huangting Neijing Jing, purple spirituality corresponds to the primordial purple qi. Blue corresponds to the Shangqing, and the book Taishang Laojun Neiguan Jing mentions "the Azure Dragon holding the talisman," which refers to spirituality absorbing and exhaling spiritual energy.

Therefore, the blue-colored one's spiritual aptitude, if not the best, is at least above average; a little genius.

Most people's spirituality is so low that they cannot even reach the yellow level. In an era rich in spiritual energy, they cannot sense its existence and do not possess the aptitude for cultivation.

However, this is an era of depleted spiritual energy. Even though he has considerable talent and the ability to guide spiritual energy, the difficulty of cultivating and embarking on the path to immortality seems to be hellish.

"Although there is no spiritual energy outside, my Nine Yin Nine Yang Pearls do contain Yin and Yang energies that can be used to cast spells. Perhaps now, by using guiding techniques, I can try to retain the Yin and Yang energies that I couldn't absorb before and embark on the path to immortality."

Zhao Wuji immediately mobilized the Yin and Yang energies within the Nine Yin Nine Yang Pearls to appear in his body.

Then, using guiding techniques, the energy is directed towards the dantian, and the absorbed spiritual energy is then transmitted throughout the body, passing through the spine, and completely imprinted by one's own spirituality, becoming one's own.

Finally, it is drawn back into the dantian to be retained.

This process is called crossing the Heavenly Bridge, the spiritual vein of Longji Town.

People with strong spirituality can refine spiritual energy faster and more efficiently, and they can also suppress spiritual energy to the greatest extent possible to prevent it from being lost.

His consciousness was completely absorbed in his mind.

The Yin and Yang energies are guided to settle in the Dantian, rising and falling, drawing out more and more Yin and Yang energies.

In a daze, it felt as if I had left my original world and slowly floated up into a void.

I felt as if I had merged into the vast and wonderful universe, forgetting that I even existed.

This means that he has completely immersed himself in his own microcosm.

After his consciousness had merged with his own little world for a long time, he did not exert any intention, and automatically floated down from his spine, accompanied by a stream of spiritual dew that continuously sprayed all over his body, nourishing his internal organs.

When Zhao Wuji came to his senses and finished his practice, three inches of azure light surrounded his body, and a lamp seemed to be lit in his dantian.

Even with just a tiny flame, the entire dantian was brightly illuminated.

In comparison, the internal energy cluster in the dantian, though seemingly abundant, is like the difference between a firefly and the bright moon.

A thousand fireflies vie for the bright moon, while the clouds and mud are clearly distinguished.

Within the Nine Yin Nine Yang Pearl, his personal cultivation status was reflected in new changes.

“仙道修为：引气一重【1/100】、武道实力：通脉境:11脉（19/100）”

At the same time, the Yin and Yang energies also changed, each decreasing by one strand, becoming 1223 and 416 strands respectively.

"A wisp of Yin and Yang energy, refined together, condensed into a strand of my spiritual energy."

Zhao Wuji looked up at the skylight, then at the water clock in the corner of the wall.

Unbeknownst to them, they had already cultivated until dawn the next day.

However, he did not feel hungry. It was as if the spiritual energy that had just flowed through his internal organs had filled his stomach, leaving him feeling warm and comfortable, and he was even slightly sweating.

"Finally, I've embarked on the path to immortality, and I'm getting better."

Zhao Wuji internally observed a single bean of spiritual light within his dantian.

I don’t know if it was just psychological, but I felt that my spiritual senses and soul had become stronger, and I felt light and ethereal all over.

He got up and stretched his limbs, eager to use the spiritual energy in his body to perform hand seals and truly experience the thrill of cultivating immortality.

But having just obtained a wisp of spiritual energy, he was somewhat reluctant to use it to cast spells.

Like a miser who has just received his only piece of gold, unwilling to use it.

"I should refine more spiritual energy over the next few days before trying to cast the spell."

Zhao Wuji rubbed his hands together, observing the Yin and Yang energies within the Nine Yin Nine Yang Pearls. He suddenly felt embarrassed and overwhelmed, and the joy of his breakthrough was somewhat diminished.

With spiritual energy depleted in this world, cultivation now requires the consumption of Yin and Yang energies. How easy is it to accumulate enough for the first Yin-Yang Pearl?

"Perhaps, only by finding resources from the royal family or the Supreme Sect can I resolve my predicament."

Breakthrough! The protagonist has embarked on the path to immortality! Brothers, let's celebrate with a monthly vote! Thank you!
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(End of this chapter)