Chapter 294
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Within the eighteen layers of the Carefree Heart Sutra, the first six layers belonged to the early stage of Qi Refinement, and even among these six layers, each heart method was distinct.
The first layer was the most critical—it marked the transformation from an ordinary person to a Qi Refining cultivator, a fundamental change in nature. This threshold blocked the vast majority of people. Without the tempering of even the first trace of true qi, one could never truly become a Qi Refining cultivator. The internal energy cultivation of the martial path was the same: if one could not visualize and sense qi, one would never find the gateway to internal energy. However, that threshold was slightly lower than that of the immortal path’s Qi Refinement.
Aside from the first layer, the fifth and sixth layers were also of vital importance. This was because the early stage of Qi Refinement could be advanced purely through the accumulation of true qi, whereas advancing to the mid and late stages required comprehension and cultivation. The transition from early-stage to mid-stage Qi Refinement marked a shift in cultivation method—this threshold, too, halted many in their tracks.
The reason the fifth and sixth layers were deemed crucial was that they marked the beginning of the shift from the accumulation of true qi to the comprehension of realms. If one relied solely on accumulating true qi, it was still possible to push through to the last two layers of early-stage Qi Refinement. However, upon reaching the seventh layer—the beginning of mid-stage Qi Refinement—one would be beset with difficulties and find themselves lacking in momentum.
It was precisely because of this that Zhang Xiaohua had made no progress upon reaching the fourth layer. He had remained in a state of pure accumulation. Without today’s slight enlightenment brought about by brushing past life and death, even with future tempering by heavenly lightning and the absorption of Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth from the Reclining Ox Stone, he might have broken into the latter two layers of the early stage. Yet the road of cultivation that followed would lack potential for deeper excavation—his path would only grow narrower, and perhaps, the end of his cultivation journey would soon come into sight.
Fortunately, back in Guo Village, Liu Qian had already planted the seed of the Great Dao of Longevity in Zhang Xiaohua’s heart. His grandmother’s passing had watered it with the spring of regret. His yearning for his family had nourished it with the spring of hope. The cultivation of the Carefree Heart Sutra provided it with the fertilizer of possibility. Now, in the desperate situation on this deserted island, upon seeing the skeleton of a predecessor from the immortal path, he gained a sliver of understanding about the Dao of Life and Death. It was precisely this sliver of insight that ignited the explosion of all his previous accumulation. Like a spark setting a prairie ablaze, it propelled Zhang Xiaohua’s cultivation realm to soar, rising step by step to the heavens.
Had Zhang Xiaohua, at this moment, the support of the Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth within the Reclining Ox Stone beneath him, he would surely have broken through from the fourth layer of Qi Refinement to the fifth with ease, and from the fifth to the sixth just as smoothly. More than that—even breaking into the seventh and eighth layers of the mid-stage Qi Refinement realm might not have been beyond imagination.
However, cultivation in the immortal path emphasized steady, step-by-step progress. Laying a solid foundation was the true principle. To break through multiple layers so easily might indeed be a moment of exhilaration, but it was a grave taboo in the immortal path—it subtly aligned with the demonic path’s trajectory and would inevitably sow irreparable harm to future cultivation. Now, with newfound clarity in his heart, Zhang Xiaohua did not reach for the Reclining Ox Stone in his pouch to recklessly draw qi into his body as he had in the past. Instead, he merely drew in the faint, gentle, and scorching Yuan Qi from within the cave. This aligned with the natural rhythm of the immortal path—tempering true qi with the effort of grinding stone with water, forming a foundation of unshakable stability. Even if he could not advance today, the day of his breakthrough was well within reach.
There was another point. In this twilight era of the immortal path, when the Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth was still scarce, Zhang Xiaohua was unable to draw qi from the world to complete the initial stage of tempering in Qi Refinement. Yet this very early stage formed the basis of immortal cultivation—its most critical phase. Beyond the previously mentioned reasons, this importance also lay in another truth: the process of transforming unfamiliar Yuan Qi into one’s own familiar true qi. This transition from “foreign” to “familiar” was of utmost importance—it cultivated the meridians’ ability to refine Yuan Qi, and this ability was precisely the power to transform elemental qi of various attributes into one’s own true qi!
From the most fundamental perspective, the Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth was divided into the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. During the flourishing era of the immortal path, these five types of qi were mixed together. When a Qi Refining cultivator drew qi into their body, they could neither selectively absorb nor avoid any one of these types. This natural intake of elemental qi honed the meridians’ ability to refine, laying a solid foundation for future cultivation. Back then, absorbing five-elemental qi was a truth so basic it needed no mention. As such, the Carefree Heart Sutra made no record of it. No Qi Refining cultivator ever paid attention to it—nor did they need to.
But now, in this era of the immortal path’s decline, when the Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth had all but vanished, where could one even find five-elemental qi? Zhang Xiaohua was able to temper his body with heavenly lightning, drawing in the pure Yuan Qi from the lightning itself. This kind of qi, though devoid of the five elements, could still guide his cultivation. For Zhang Xiaohua, whose body held no trace of true qi, it was greatly beneficial—it elevated the foundation of his Qi Refinement to an entirely new level, allowing him to reach a height that even Qi Refining cultivators of the old immortal path could not attain at the outset.
However, this singularly pure Yuan Qi also meant that Zhang Xiaohua’s true qi lacked the power of the five elements. This deficiency was not yet apparent, but in the deeper realms to come, its consequences would inevitably surface.
The Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth within the yuan stones Zhang Xiaohua relied upon during the early stages of Qi Refinement was rich in the attribute of earth. As a result, the majority of the true qi circulating within his meridians was earth-type true qi. Of course, though Zhang Xiaohua’s fate of being stranded upon this desolate island at sea was grim, his cultivation on the island did bear one unexpected benefit: he managed to draw water-attributed Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth into his body. Though it wasn’t much, it was better than nothing.
Ah, yes—Zhang Xiaohua had also consumed a Fasting Pill. Though this was the lowest grade of pills, it still contained an extremely faint trace of wood-attributed Yuan Qi. One might say it contributed a truly “meager” effort in helping Zhang Xiaohua piece together the five elements. Although Zhang Xiaohua had already grasped the art of pill refining, by the time he could concoct such pills himself and take them during cultivation, who knew how many years or decades might pass? By then, he would likely have escaped this desolate island and returned to the mainland. At his current pace, he would already be in the mid-stage of Qi Refinement. At that time, making up for the deficiency in wood-type true qi might no longer be a matter of “mending the pen after the sheep are lost.”
This faint, gentle yet scorching Yuan Qi currently saturating the cave was precisely that rare fire-attributed Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth. The moment it entered his body, it completed the elemental balance of Zhang Xiaohua’s true qi. Having already started a step higher than other Qi Refinement cultivators, this was where the advantages of such a starting point truly became evident. His true qi, which had once been pure and single-elemented, now became full in all five elements. Within his meridians, the five types of qi interacted—mutually generating and restraining one another—continually evolving. Not only did this greatly strengthen his meridians, but it also allowed the true qi within to generate itself, forming a self-sustaining cycle of the five elements.
Such an encounter—who among the cultivators of the immortal path in its former glory could have ever possessed it? And from this day forward, as the Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth gradually grew richer once more and the various elemental attributes once again began to intermingle, even if someone had the same opportunity as Zhang Xiaohua, they could no longer replicate his fortune. Truly, this was unprecedented in the past and would remain unmatched in the future!
Now, this newly-born five-elemental true qi surged with vigor, still flickering and pressing ever forward. With the ability to self-propagate, its speed was greatly enhanced. Before long, it was already hurtling toward the bottleneck of the fifth layer of the Carefree Heart Sutra.
Thanks to the prior accumulation and now empowered by the sharp momentum of the newly-formed true qi, this transition from the third to the fifth layer was unusually smooth. As the true qi reached the vital acupoints, it knocked once upon the gate—only to stride boldly through, entering as if it belonged. The robust true qi, like an unstoppable force crushing dry weeds and rotten wood, opened up brand new meridians.
When Zhang Xiaohua’s cultivation method transitioned into the fifth layer of the Carefree Heart Sutra, the fire-attributed Yuan Qi he had drawn into his body from the cave was not like the elemental energy within the Lying Ox Stone—vast and surging, grand in momentum. Instead, it flowed like a gently murmuring stream—continuous and unbroken. This was, in fact, more in line with the orthodox cultivation methods of the immortal path. The true qi within his meridians was slowly refined, bit by bit pushing his realm forward. No one knew how much time had passed when the motionless figure of Zhang Xiaohua, seated cross-legged, stirred slightly. Then, his eyes suddenly opened—within them, a flash of flame flickered and vanished. He let out a soft sigh and stood up.
Originally, based on his estimations, had he cultivated atop the Lying Ox Stone, he would have surely broken through to the sixth layer of Qi Refinement by now. However, simply absorbing the ambient Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth into his body was far slower by comparison. As things stood, he had only just reached the middle stage of the fifth layer. Yet, as soon as he rose and moved his limbs, a series of crisp cracking sounds—“crack, snap, pop”—rang out from within his body. Zhang Xiaohua felt as though he had grown a bit taller once again. Moreover, whereas the true qi in his meridians used to feel heavy and condensed, now it pulsed with liveliness—yes, even vitality.
True qi could have emotional states?
Zhang Xiaohua was a little dumbfounded.
However, he didn’t have time to dwell on this strange notion—for…
He reached into his robes and pulled out the small sword. Unable to restrain himself, he immediately activated the flying sword and began prying at the luminous pearls embedded in the stone wall!
Earlier, when there had still been the skeleton of an immortal-path predecessor in the cave, Zhang Xiaohua had felt a bit embarrassed to make a move. But now that he was alone—how could he possibly hold back? Fortunately, over the past year, he had gained some skill in controlling the flying sword to hunt seabirds. Otherwise, extracting those luminous pearls from the high stone wall without so much as a scratch would have been far from easy!
Only after prying off every last luminous pearl from the wall, leaving not a single source of light, did Zhang Xiaohua finally let out a laugh.
“That senior of the immortal path was truly odd—there’s really nothing in this cave worth admiring, so why leave behind these luminous pearls? If he wanted to see, couldn’t he just use divine sense? Why waste such precious things?”
Yet as soon as he released his divine sense for a short while, he realized something was amiss. Divine sense was indeed useful, but there were limitations on when and how it could be used—how could one possibly use it at all times? Besides, what one perceived through divine sense was simply not the same as what the eyes saw. Left with no better option, Zhang Xiaohua reluctantly took a few pearls from his money pouch and placed them back where they had been. Only then did the cave regain a dim light.
With the light restored, Zhang Xiaohua’s gaze finally focused on the stone table—and the few jade slips atop it.
Indeed, earlier, when using divine sense, all he could perceive were red restrictive formations—he couldn’t see what was within. Only with his eyes could he now clearly make them out. They were jade slips. Divine sense—it wasn’t omnipotent after all.
