Chapter 158

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

After sensing his body for a while, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but feel like crying. It wasn’t fair to be bullied like this. He already had poor aptitude, so it was understandable that he couldn’t sense the boundless energy between Heaven and Earth as described in the <Carefree Heart Sutra>. But after working hard for such a long time and finally managing to draw in a trace of Yuan Qi today, how could it suddenly disappear like that?

Unfortunately, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t have an extra pair of eyes inside his body to search for it. All he could do was try again.

Having succeeded the first time, he now had some experience, and sensing it again became easier. It wasn’t long before Zhang Xiaohua sensed another trace of Yuan Qi. Like before, with a gentle pull, it descended and was drawn into Zhang Xiaohua’s body. Yet, as they say, the inner workings of a great house are deep and mysterious—once it entered his body, it disappeared without a trace.

After several attempts, Zhang Xiaohua no longer felt so resentful. The Yuan Qi in the world when outside his body wasn’t his. But once it was drawn into his body, it took on the surname Zhang —who cares where it went after that? As long as it didn’t escape again, one day he would surely find it.  Besides, the <Carefree Heart Sutra> didn’t specify how the Yuan Qi could escape. From what he had seen of He Tianshu and the others practicing, he had never heard of inner energy running off on its own either.

Could it be that he was somehow “letting it out”?

Oddly enough, as Zhang Xiaohua sat cross-legged on the edge of the field, he managed to draw quite a bit of Yuan Qi into his body over the course of the afternoon. But what puzzled him was that, even though he could now draw energy into his body, why couldn’t he sense the abundant Yuan Qi in the world around him? Why did he only feel it in tiny, thin strands, and always descending from above? This wasn’t like how the sutra described the energy as being spread throughout the world. Could it be that He Tianshu and the others cultivated their internal energy in this same, thread-like way from the outside world bit by bit?

With a head full of questions, Zhang Xiaohua returned to the courtyard. Naturally, he went to knock on He Tianshu’s door. He Tianshu had already returned from the Medicine Hall and was studying the “Piaomiao Steps” in his room. Seeing Zhang Xiaohua enter after knocking, he smiled and asked: “Zhang Xiaohua, is there something wrong with your practice in <Wild Ox Strength>?”

Zhang Xiaohua was startled and said: “Captain He, you really have a godly ability to predict things.”

He Tianshu waved his hand and said: “It’s nothing. When I was your age, I was just like you, hastily trying to cultivate as soon as I got my first internal energy cultivation manual. I even messed up once, and if my senior brothers hadn’t noticed in time, I would’ve been ruined. I’ve heard about this <Wild Ox Strength>. It’s simple and easy to understand, with a straightforward cultivation path, perfect for someone like you, who has patience but no guidance.”

Then, raising his eyebrows and teasingly, He Tianshu asked: “Have you been busy all afternoon? How’s your practice with  <Wild Ox Strength> going?”

Zhang Xiaohua blushed and whispered: “I didn’t feel anything, I still can’t find the sense of Qi.”

He Tianshu chuckled ‘hehe’ and said: “No worries, sensing qi varies with each person’s aptitude. Don’t lose heart, keep trying. Maybe you’ll feel it soon enough. Back in the day, it took me two whole days to sense my qi.”

“What’s the fastest someone can sense it?” Zhang Xiaohua was curious and asked.

“Immediately!” He Tianshu responded without hesitation.

“Ah?!” Zhang Xiaohua’s jaw dropped, wide enough to fit an egg.

“Yes, immediately,” He Tianshu smiled. “There are countless prodigies in this world. From my memory, a very small number of people could sense their qi right away. But most people take one or two days to feel it.”

Zhang Xiaohua followed up with another question: “Captain He, is there anyone who never senses qi?”

He Tianshu furrowed his brow and said: “As far as I know, no. Like I’ve always said, our Piaomiao Sect only selects those with natural talent and intelligence. It’s rare for anyone to take more than three or four days to sense their qi.”

Zhang Xiaohua felt disheartened and immediately asked: “Captain He, do you sense the qi from outside in strands or clusters?”

He Tianshu was taken aback, then burst into laughter: “Zhang Xiaohua, Zhang Xiaohua, you really know how to crack a joke. There’s no real ‘qi’ in the outside world. The sensation of qi is just a concept. I’m sure that in <Wild Ox Strength>, there should be a mention of ‘mental visualization’ right? This visualization is all about imagining—pretending that Qi is pouring in through your forehead, to form the embryo of inner energy. The essence of internal energy is that you guide this imagined qi to clear your body’s acupuncture points, making it circulate through your meridians. Each circulation adds a little bit of strength, and that’s how internal energy grows. There are also medicinal herbs that can enhance your internal energy, but I’ve never heard of anyone absorbing qi from outside the body. If that were the case, we’d all just inhale Qi from outside every day. Why would we need to sit cross-legged and endure the hardships of training internal energy?”

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua still looking puzzled, He Tianshu explained further: “Also, the meridians in the human body act as the container for internal energy. The size of the container determines how much internal energy one can hold. When we practice internal cultivation methods, one goal is to increase internal energy, and the other is to expand the meridians. Only when both increase can it be considered a higher-level internal cultivation method. Your <Wild Ox Strength>, while easy to learn, has a simple cultivation path. With each complete cycle, your internal energy increases only slightly. Furthermore, this technique does little to expand the meridians. That’s why it rarely leads to any problems or ‘deviations’ during practice.”

“But,” Zhang Xiaohua grew anxious, “If you don’t sense internal energy from outside the body, how can it be generated inside the body?”

He Tianshu smiled and said: “The ancients were right when they said, ‘Appearance comes from the heart’. The generation of internal energy is exactly like that. Once you sense qi, internal energy will naturally start forming in your meridians, warming your body. If you follow the technique’s instructions, the internal energy will flow through your meridians like a small mouse, moving according to your thoughts.”

“If you keep practicing for a long time, that mouse will eventually grow bigger.” He Tianshu added with a matter-of-fact tone.

“A warm current flowing through the meridians?” Zhang Xiaohua was startled. He remembered that while practicing Big Dipper Divine Fist, he had felt a warm current before—was that internal energy?

However, when he thought about the meridian paths described in the <Carefree Heart Sutra>, they didn’t seem to match the paths that the warm current had taken. So he asked again: “Captain He, is the movement of internal energy in the meridians always the same for everyone?”

He Tianshu smiled and replied: “Of course not. The uniqueness of each internal cultivation technique lies in how it uses the meridians and the routes it takes for internal energy. If <Piaomiao Divine Technique> followed the same route as your <Wild Ox Strength>, how could it still be called <Piaomiao Divine Technique>?”

Zhang Xiaohua suddenly understood.

Still, he was not entirely convinced and asked: “Captain He, are you sure? Internal energy can’t be absorbed from Qi from the outside world?”

He Tianshu firmly replied: “Absolutely certain, no doubt about it!”

Zhang Xiaohua was speechless. He had genuinely sensed the world’s Yuan Qi while practicing the <Carefree Heart Sutra> and even drawn it into his body. What was going on? Initially, he wanted to ask He Tianshu about why the Yuan Qi disappeared once inside him, but now, all his previous notions about qi sensing have been turned upside down. It might have been better not to ask at all.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s defeated expression, He Tianshu patted him on the shoulder and said: “As the ancients said, failure is the mother of success. You must have the spirit of not fearing hardship, sacrifice, or sweat. If you don’t sense the qi today, try again tomorrow. If not in two days, then try for three. And even if you don’t sense it after a month, it’s no big deal. We can always practice external martial techniques instead. Look at Shi Niu in our Piaomiao Sect—he doesn’t practice internal techniques, yet he’s still very powerful.”

Zhang Xiaohua didn’t argue. He glanced at the table in He Tianshu’s room, and He Tianshu, noticing his look, felt a bit embarrassed. He said: “The second layer of ‘Piaomiao Steps’ is proving tricky. I’ve looked it over but still haven’t fully understood it. I mean, it’s just a movement technique, but some parts of it are just baffling, beyond comprehension. I don’t know how the Sect Master and the others managed to master it. Don’t worry, though. Once I figure it out, I’ll let you know immediately. For now, focus on your <Wild Ox Strength> and keep trying to sense the qi.”

Zhang Xiaohua, feeling unmotivated, replied: “Alright, Captain He, you keep studying, and I’ll go back and ponder things myself.”

With that, Zhang Xiaohua left with his head lowered.

He had hoped to get some clear answers from He Tianshu, but now Zhang Xiaohua felt even more confused. Nothing matched up. The situation He Tianshu described was completely different from what he experienced with the <Carefree Heart Sutra>. Could he be practicing it all wrong?

As He Tianshu watched Zhang Xiaohua’s troubled figure walking away, he couldn’t help but feel worried for him. The path of internal cultivation has always been dependent on one’s natural aptitude. If he couldn’t sense his qi after a long time, he would never generate internal energy, let alone circulate it through his meridians or strengthen them. Given how Zhang Xiaohua had even forgotten parts of his fist techniques, He Tianshu feared that internal cultivation might meet the same fate.

He Tianshu then recalled Zhang Xiaohua’s cleverness in learning the Piaomiao Step. However, he knew that lightness skills like the Piaomiao Step also relied on internal energy. Without internal energy, no matter how good the technique was, it would be like a tree without roots—completely useless. Thinking of this, He Tianshu could only sigh deeply before refocusing on studying the Piaomiao Step.

Back in his room, Zhang Xiaohua was unwilling to give up. He took out the <Carefree Heart Sutra> once more and carefully reread the first layer of the technique, ensuring there were no mistakes in his memory. Only after confirming everything did he close the manual, deep in thought.

The Heart Sutra clearly stated that heaven and earth are filled with boundless Yuan Qi, and the amount of Yuan Qi one could draw into their body depended on their cultivation level. But why had his experience been so different today? The Yuan Qi he sensed came in thin threads, not the abundance described in the sutra. If he couldn’t sense the Yuan Qi at all, he could have chalked it up to his lack of ability. However, now that he could sense it, why wasn’t he feeling the vast amount of Yuan Qi that should be present? Could it really be that he could only perceive part of it and not the rest?

Suddenly, a thought struck Zhang Xiaohua—he had only read the first layer of the <Carefree Heart Sutra>. Perhaps the first layer didn’t explain everything, but the later layers might. Eagerly, he reopened the <Carefree Heart Sutra> and started reading again.

However, much to Zhang Xiaohua’s disappointment, even after thoroughly reviewing the entire text, he couldn’t find any clear answers. The other dozen or so layers all described the routes for energy circulation and the different stages of cultivation. Only the first layer touched on the concept of heaven and earth’s Yuan Qi.

Still, Zhang Xiaohua did come across something interesting. Toward the end of the <Carefree Heart Sutra>, it described another method for absorbing heaven and earth’s Yuan Qi—not by drawing in gaseous Yuan Qi but by absorbing solidified Yuan Qi known as “Yuan Stones”. According to the <Carefree Heart Sutra>, while Yuan Qi is dispersed throughout the world, certain places have much higher concentrations of it. Over time, this abundant energy can condense into Yuan Stones. Depending on how long it takes for the stone to form, they can vary in size, from as small as a bean to as large as a walnut. These stones are essentially crystallized Yuan Qi and contain a significant amount of Yuan Qi, which can be absorbed over a long period. As one absorbs the Yuan Qi, the stone gradually shrinks until it disappears completely.

Zhang Xiaohua was overjoyed to learn this new method and immediately committed it to memory. However, his excitement was quickly dampened by the last line in the technique, which poured cold water on his hopes: this method could only be used after reaching the ninth layer of the <Carefree Heart Sutra>. Before that, absorbing such a vast amount of Yuan Qi could overwhelm and rupture the cultivator’s meridians, causing the cultivator to explode and die.

Zhang Xiaohua pursed his lips and put the <Carefree Heart Sutra> back into his pocket. He thought to himself that once again, his efforts seemed in vain. Not to mention how he would even find the Yuan Stones, considering his current state—he was still struggling with the first layer, and it might be a long time before he reached the ninth layer. Even if he did find a Yuan Stone, he wouldn’t dare to absorb it without the proper foundation.

That evening, Zhang Xiaohua went to the forest as usual. He practiced his fist techniques, sword techniques, and lightness skills. While his fist and sword techniques were improving, his lightness skills were becoming more proficient too. Although he lacked internal energy, Zhang Xiaohua’s agility and speed in the forest were quite remarkable. When he used the lightness skill to run through the forest, it genuinely resembled a lightness technique, though he couldn’t leap high. It was a pity that such a graceful appearance couldn’t reach greater heights.

After finishing his exercises, Zhang Xiaohua found a spot under a tree, full of confidence. He sat down cross-legged, intending to use the <Carefree Heart Sutra> to sense the outside world Yuan Qi and draw it into his body.

However, after meditating for a long time, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t find any trace of the Yuan Qi. The faint Yuan Qi he sensed at noon seemed to have disappeared.

Feeling frustrated, Zhang Xiaohua got up and dusted himself off. What was going on? Was there no heaven and earth Yuan Qi at night?

Zhang Xiaohua’s irritation grew. It seemed that practicing the <Carefree Heart Sutra> was fraught with difficulties. Just when he managed to sense QI, it vanished the next afternoon. Where was he supposed to find it?

In reality, Zhang Xiaohua hadn’t considered that most learning and cultivation in the world benefit greatly from guidance. Although a manual contains the essence of theory, it records someone else’s experiences. Each person is different, and there will inevitably be differences in cultivation. These differences need to be addressed through practical experience. That’s why it’s often said that a great teacher produces outstanding students. Self-taught success is rare, just a drop in the ocean.

However, the thought of “where to find the lost sensation of Qi” reminded Zhang Xiaohua that he had first sensed Qi in the herb field at noon. Since he couldn’t find it in the forest at night, why not try the herb field again?

He decided to act on the thought. With plenty of time before midnight, he wasn’t worried about being unable to make it back.

The moonlit herb field was exceptionally serene, with a gentle breeze blowing through the plants, the moonlight casting delicate shadows on the swaying herbs.

It was a wonderfully beautiful night, but how Zhang Xiaohua’s luck would turn out remained unknown.

Zhang Xiaohua first sat on the ridge of the herb field, not immediately practicing the “Nine Shallow and One Deep” breathing technique.

This was progress. The manual didn’t mention the need to calm one’s mind before practicing, and without a teacher’s guidance, only through trial and error could he gain such experience.

When Zhang Xiaohua felt ready, he began to practice the breathing technique of the <Carefree Heart Sutra>, gradually adjusting his breathing rhythm and entering a state of tranquility.

However, when Zhang Xiaohua extended his perception, he could not help but be astonished and nearly lost his focus.

Why?

As soon as Zhang Xiaohua extended his perception, he discovered an overwhelming amount of heaven and earth Yuan Qi outside. The wisps of Yuan Qi descended from the sky like rain, far more than during the day—by more than five times. Although it still differed greatly from the description in the <Carefree Heart Sutra>, it was undoubtedly much more than before.

Zhang Xiaohua was overjoyed and began to draw the heaven and earth Yuan Qi using the sutra’s method. Curiously enough, as soon as he drew in the first trace of Yuan Qi, it seemed as though other wisps of Yuan Qi had heard a call and started to converge towards him.

Zhang Xiaohua was suddenly enlightened. Previously, he thought that guiding the Yuan Qi was like drawing it out thread by thread during the day. Cultivating internal energy like this was indeed time-consuming. However, now he saw that when the Yuan Qi was abundant, as long as he guided the first trace of it, the rest of the Yuan Qi would follow. This was the true trick. It seemed that he had not taken the wrong path.

In this unexpected situation, Zhang Xiaohua felt extremely satisfied. Every pore on his body seemed like a mouth, eagerly sucking in the scarce heaven and earth’s Yuan Qi. The Yuan Qi seemed endless, though each intake was small, it was continuous and persistent.

So, in this joyous and unexpected state, Zhang Xiaohua completely lost track of time. He was unaware of midnight or any specific hour, his expression serene, with a faint smile on his face.

But just as the smile appeared, it immediately solidified in his face. Poor Zhang Xiaohua fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, envied by a certain ancestor of the Piaomiao Sect.

In his dream, Zhang Xiaohua remained seated in the same meditative posture, practicing his unique breathing technique. The gentle stream of Yuan Qi continued to flow into his body. However, in the dream, those flickering lights were once again amplified under the “Nine shallow, One deep” stimulus. The formless frequency emanated from Zhang Xiaohua’s body, subtly resonating with the stars in the night sky.

Recruitment of Editors: https://gravitytales.com/recruitment-of-editors/