In the practice of cultivating immortality, practitioners transform the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into their own spiritual power, adapting to the natural order of nature, gradually ascending their realms, breaking through the constraints of heaven and earth, and ultimately becoming immortal.
There are eight stages in the cultivation process, from the Qi Refining Stage, the Foundation Establishment Stage, and finally the Great Perfection Stage. Each stage is incredibly challenging, and few can achieve it.
Dongsheng Prefecture, one of the five continents of the Xuanhuang Continent, boasts a vast territory stretching across countless miles.
Thousands of immortal sects, both large and small, host a vast number of cultivators, and numerous powerful individuals emerge.
The Wuwang Sect is a mere drop in the ocean within Dongsheng Prefecture, yet it is the only immortal sect within a few thousand miles. With over 500 practitioners, including 60 inner disciples, over 400 outer disciples, and only three direct disciples,
Zhou Shu is one of these three.
Being a direct disciple naturally brings unique advantages.
Despite the sect's small size, resources are prioritized for direct disciples, making Zhou Shu's path to immortality smooth.
Five months later, Zhou Shu had a deeper understanding of cultivation. Although his realm hadn't improved at all, his foundation had been extremely solid.
At the summit of Tianyun Peak, nestled in a lush bamboo forest,
Liu Yuze and Zhou Shu sat face to face in the forest, a dozen feet apart.
Liu Yuze's face was filled with satisfaction. "Zhou Shu, you've done well these past five months. I'm truly fortunate to have a disciple like you. Aunt Yun and Master Mo are truly envious, haha."
Zhou Shu said respectfully, "I'm not talented, I owe everything to Master."
Liu Yuze lowered his brows slightly. "At only the first level of Qi Refining, you've already opened up 270 Qi channels. Even the founder of the Wuwang Sect only had 261. Zhou Shu, do you want to take it one step further?"
"Further?" Zhou Shu expressed a hint of doubt.
He had calculated that opening up 270 Qi channels at the first level of Qi Refining was his limit.
According to cultivation theory, the human body has a total of 360 Qi channels, pathways for spiritual energy to flow. Only when these channels are open can cultivation be achieved.
Qi channels are initially blocked, and their locations vary from cultivator to cultivator, with no fixed pattern to follow. Cultivators must locate their channels on their own and then repeatedly impact them with spiritual energy to open them.
A large part of a cultivator's aptitude is determined by the number of channels they have opened at the first level of the Qi Refining Realm. The more channels opened, the greater the benefits. Whether they are practicing mental techniques or using spells, they will be more fluid and effortless, and their cultivation speed will increase several times.
In the world of immortal cultivation, most cultivators are content to open 150 channels at the first level of the Qi Refining Realm.
Zhou Shu, however, was different. He possessed ample resources and conditions, as well as a hidden weapon, so his starting point was naturally much higher. Besides studying the various knowledge of the immortal cultivation world, he devoted all his time to opening his channels, achieving remarkable results.
However, he struggled to continue opening more channels. Opening several more would likely take him seven or eight months, or even years, a waste of precious time that was not worth the effort.
Sharpening a knife doesn't delay the work of chopping wood, but if it takes ten years to sharpen the knife, it will only take a few
years to chop wood, then it's not worth it. Liu Yuze watched Zhou Shu lost in thought, a knowing smile on his face. "It's right to think more, but don't worry. Master doesn't want you to waste time forcing your meridians."
Zhou Shu nodded gently. "I am worried. I hope Master will guide me."
"From today on, you should stop practicing the Guiyi Heart Sutra and practice the Listening to Waves Sutra instead."
Liu Yuze looked at Zhou Shu with a look of joy on his face. "The Listening to Waves Sutra is quite famous in the world of immortal cultivation. It is said that it is a mental method that ancient immortals comprehended while listening to the waves of the river. It is extremely rare and difficult to practice, but if you practice it well, it will greatly assist the spiritual tide in your body. Practicing this mental method will not affect your cultivation, and some blocked meridians that are usually difficult to open up may be able to open up by themselves."
Zhou Shu's eyes lit up. "There is such a mental method in the Qi Refining Realm?"
Liu Yuze smiled and nodded. "The Listening to Waves Sutra is not a mental method for the Qi Refining Realm, but a mental method for the Foundation Establishment Realm."
Zhou Shu couldn't help but be stunned. "Ah?" It is not only difficult for
a Qi Refining Realm cultivator to jump to the Foundation Establishment Realm, but the body may not be able to withstand it.
Liu Yuze said gently, "Don't worry, there's no problem. I've observed you for three months and found your spiritual power very stable, and your meridians are thick enough to avoid uncontrolled surges. That's why I specially sought out the Ting Tao Sutra and gave it to you to practice."
Zhou Shu's doubts were dispelled, and he quickly stood and saluted. "Thank you, Master!"
After five months together, he could tell that Liu Yuze was completely sincere with him and would do nothing to harm him.
Liu Yuze clapped his hands, his face somewhat solemn. "There's no need for formalities between you and me, master and disciple. The Ting Tao Sutra is quite difficult, and I'm being a bit hasty, but I hope you understand my earnest intentions. The sooner you open your meridians, the better. If you can open three hundred meridians by the first level of the Qi Refining Realm, you'll have hope of achieving the Nascent Soul Realm, or even the Spiritual Transformation Realm, in the future."
Zhou Shu said solemnly, "Disciple understands. I'll do my best!"
"Take it."
Liu Yuze flicked his sleeve, and a pale green jade slip flew out, landing steadily in front of Zhou Shu.
Zhou Shu took it with both hands, delighted.
Liu Yuze looked at him, "You can practice here. Even if there's a spiritual energy surge, it won't be a big deal."
Zhou Shu nodded, a wisp of spiritual energy emerging from his palm, and he began to carefully examine the jade slip.
Dang-dang-dang--
at this moment, three long bell sounds suddenly rang out, and the entire Tianyun Peak could hear them clearly.
Liu Yuze's face changed slightly, and he stood up immediately, looking into the distance.
"Master, what's wrong?"
"The bell in the Questioning Heart Hall has rung three times, summoning all disciples above the Foundation Establishment Realm. I must go and see what's going on." Liu Yuze explained, but he was quite puzzled. Why would the bell ring at this time? Could something big be happening?
Zhou Shu said "Oh", not caring too much.
"I'll be leaving first. You can study on your own for a while. If you have any questions, wait for me to come back." Liu Yuze soared into the air, stepped into the clouds, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Zhou Shu watched Liu Yuzhe leave, a strange light flashed in his eyes, and he thought to himself, if Master hadn't left, it would have been difficult for me to learn this method.
Using his spiritual power to open the jade slip, each line of scripture information rapidly entered his mind, quickly memorizing it in its entirety. He
possessed a photographic memory.
During his time traveling, the computer that had crushed him underwent a miraculous transformation, combining with his brain to imbue him with incredible computing and memory capabilities.
Of course, there was more to it than that.
He muttered to himself, "Deduction."
Instantly, a miniature figure, identical to him, emerged in his mind. Every part of his body, from the meridians to the tendons and bones, the flow of spiritual energy was meticulously displayed, like a holographic photograph, only with far greater precision.
The miniature figure, receiving Zhou Shu's instructions, practiced the Listening to the Tao Sutra, step by step.
Of course, this practice was merely a simulation, accomplished through the calculation of immense amounts of information.
By achieving the perfect method through simulation, he could then implement it with flawless precision. Any ordinary mental method or technique could theoretically achieve optimal results, unmatched by others.
With such support, how could cultivation fail to yield excellent results? Spiritual energy tides and so on were simply a matter of following the flow. Being called a genius was par for the course, and he was capable of far greater things than he let on.
From the moment he realized he possessed this ability, he resolved to reach the pinnacle of the immortal path and become a true immortal.
"Spiritual energy is obstructed as it passes through Huiyang. We're providing a solution..."
"Spiritual energy isn't flowing smoothly at Guanyuan. We're calculating a rerouting method..."
"I've discovered a very small meridian. The success rate of forcibly opening it is 0.03%. I'm giving up..."
...
After a hundred breaths, the figure vanished, and Zhou Shu slumped down.
"The Listening to the Tao Sutra is indeed complex, and the calculations are immense. I've already finished it after just a hundred breaths. I could last three hundred before. It seems that to fully deduce it, allowing me to practice smoothly, will take at least twenty days."
He sighed and lay down to rest.
This deduction ability requires mental energy, what the immortal cultivators call "divine consciousness." His current consciousness was pitifully low, and it was depleted in a short while. Exhausted
, he needed a day and a night for his consciousness to recover.
Still, it was much better than when he'd just crossed over. Back then, his deductions could only last fifteen breaths. Even after he'd obtained the simple Guiyi Heart Sutra, it took him a full month to successfully deduce and formally practice it.
"It's okay, twenty days is bearable. Lay a solid foundation now, and then you'll be able to exert your full strength."
He smiled as he drifted off to sleep.