Under One Person: Starting with the Dual Cultivation of Body and Soul

"Okay."

Li Chang'an readily agreed. In the past, he might have thought that having graduated for so long, he might not have been able to handle taking a senior high school exam paper.

But now, he has a photographic memory, and when he calms down, his comprehension ability is greatly enhanced. Ordinary questions are no challenge for him at all.

"I'll go get you some sample papers right away."

Lu Jin put Lu Linglong down and left in a hurry.

Only the three little ones remained in the yard.

Lu Linglong looked up at Li Chang'an: "Brother Chang'an, you've just arrived and might not know this place well. Let me show you around!"

She reached out and grabbed Li Chang'an's hand, leading him outside.

Just then, a voice came from the courtyard wall.

"Linglong, it's time for you to start your cultivation."

Li Chang'an looked up.

There stood a small, white-haired old man on the courtyard wall.

The old man had his hair styled in a cow-nose bun and wore a gray-blue Taoist robe. Perhaps because he was short or because he was too old, he was almost as tall as six-year-old Lu Linglong.

"Master Fang, I'm coming right now."

Lu Linglong released Li Chang'an's hand: "Brother Chang'an, then let's play together again next time."

After saying that, she jogged to the courtyard wall and followed the old man.

Lu Lin introduced, "Senior Brother Chang'an, that is Master Fang Dongtian of the Baiyun Temple of the Quanzhen Sect. Baiyun Temple is in the north. In the north, Taoist priests are called 'Master,' so his family calls him Master Fang."

Li Chang'an nodded: "Does Linglong cultivate at home?"

"Yes. Linglong is too young, and her family is reluctant to send her to the Baiyun Temple in the capital to practice. It just so happens that Master Fang and Grandfather are good friends, and Master Fang is very fond of Linglong, so he came to our home to teach her. She will probably go to the Baiyun Temple to practice when she is a little older."

Lu Lin raised her hand and looked at the watch on her wrist:

"Senior Brother Chang'an, my cultivation time is up. Let's talk again next time."

"good!"

Li Chang'an and Lu Lin waved goodbye.

The courtyard fell silent.

Li Chang'an stood there for a while, then decided to go for a walk in the courtyard to familiarize himself with the Lu family's surroundings.

The Lu Family Courtyard is a typical Suzhou-style garden, with a beautiful view at every turn.

He came out of the small courtyard and wandered aimlessly along the covered walkway, passing through the moon gate, around the artificial hill, and across the stone arch bridge, occasionally glancing at the fish in the pond.

Li Chang'an's courtyard wasn't far from Lu Linglong's residence. He wandered around until he reached the vicinity, where he saw Lu Linglong meditating in the courtyard, speaking in a childish voice:

"Master Fang, you told me to abandon distracting thoughts and feel my pure nature, but I can't feel it."

Fang Dongtian said calmly, "It's normal not to feel it at first. What you can't see is what you can easily find. Usually, cultivators are looking for something. When their master says 'enlightenment,' they go looking for enlightenment or enlightenment."

"In fact, if you have to search for something, it means it's still far away from you. 'What's close at hand and easy to find' tells us that sex doesn't need to be searched for; it's within ourselves."

"Master Fang, I don't quite understand," Lu Linglong said, her voice filled with confusion.

Fang Dongtian said, "It's normal that you don't understand. Linglong, you've studied the Three Character Classic, haven't you?"

"I've studied it!" Lu Linglong said.

There's a line in the Three Character Classic that says, "Human nature is similar, but habits make them different." Since "human nature is similar," just how similar are they?

"I don't know! Even if it's close by, I didn't see it!" Lu Linglong looked around.

Fang Dongtian laughed and said, "Because it's so close that it's right in front of your eyes, you can't see it."

Lu Linglong tilted her head and touched her eye: "If it's inside the eye, how should I see it?"

Fang Dongtian said, "Look with your heart, not with acquired eyes. 'Habits lead to differences.' If you use the eyes formed by acquired habits to look for your true nature, you will naturally find yourself getting further and further away from it."

Lu Linglong was a little confused: "Can the Three Character Classic be interpreted like this?"

Fang Dongtian laughed and said, "Yes, many principles are actually interconnected."

"The principles of this world are very simple and ordinary. If you think that the principles are far away and profound, then they really will become far away."

"It's not just about principles, it's the same when it comes to judging people and things. So Linglong, don't think too highly of Master Fang, or your great-grandfather. The principles are all very ordinary; how high can we, who speak of principles, really be?"

Fang Dongtian told Lu Linglong the story as if he were telling a tale.

As one of the few remaining senior masters of the Baiyun Temple of the Longmen School of Quanzhen Taoism, he undoubtedly has a lot to say on the topic of life and death.

Li Chang'an happened to pass by, overheard these things, and turned to leave.

After all, eavesdropping on others teaching their disciples is a major taboo in the cultivation world.

Just as he was about to leave, Master Fang turned and looked at him.

When Lu Linglong saw that Master Fang was looking over, she also looked over.

"Brother Chang'an, what are you doing here?" Lu Linglong asked in surprise.

Li Chang'an smiled at Lu Linglong: "I'm just browsing, passing by!"

After saying that, he turned to leave.

Fang Dongtian suddenly said, "You must be Lu Jin's newly accepted disciple?"

"Yes!" Li Chang'an nodded.

"You've already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, right? As an elder, let me remind you: even if you're cultivating reversal of life, don't forget to cultivate your life force, especially your sexuality," Fang Dongtian reminded him. As Lu Jin's friend, he naturally knew where Lu Jin's weaknesses lay.

"Then may I ask, Master Fang, what is the key to cultivating one's nature?" Li Chang'an asked, clasping his hands in inquiry.

"The key is to kill!"

"Murder?" Li Chang'an's brows twitched slightly.

"Yes, if you don't want someone to die, you have to kill them first!"

Fang Dongtian said unhurriedly, "If you don't kill, people will kill you. You're already dead, so what's the point of talking about life? It's all for nothing."

Upon hearing this, Li Chang'an immediately smiled, clasped his hands, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Master Fang."

After saying that, he turned and left.

"Master Fang, what's with all this talk about killing people? Killing is wrong!"

Lu Linglong looked at Li Chang'an's retreating figure and said earnestly:

"Brother Chang'an, please don't listen to Master Fang and go kill someone. Master Fang must be getting old and senile."

"Got it!" Li Chang'an waved his hand and walked away.

"Linglong, why do you say that Master Fang is confused?" Fang Dongtian was not annoyed, and looked at Lu Linglong with a smile.

"Master Fang, didn't you just say that Linglong shouldn't think too highly of you? Sending Brother Chang'an to kill someone is just foolish, isn't it? I'm so young, but I know that killing is wrong," Lu Linglong said emphatically.

"Hahaha!" Fang Dongtian laughed loudly, "Linglong, what I mean by killing people isn't killing specific individuals, but killing the people in your heart."

"The person in your heart?" Lu Linglong was taken aback.

"Yes!" Fang Dongtian bent down and explained with a smile:

"There are two people in a person, two selves, namely the consciousness and the primordial spirit."

"When the conscious mind takes charge, the primordial spirit no longer takes charge."

"When the conscious mind dies, the primordial spirit takes over."

"Once the primordial spirit takes over, the Dao is not far away!"

……