As the final note of the melody faded away, Yun Qi carefully handed the ancient zither, "Heavenly Wind and Pine Snow," back to the green dragon, signaling for it to take it back.
Without any visible movement from the dragon, an invisible force enveloped the zither, lifting it from Yun Qi's hands and guiding it in a graceful arc through the air before disappearing into the dragon's mouth.
Yun Qi watched with a hint of envy in his eyes.
He knew this was a form of telekinesis, a skill that required not only the presence of spiritual energy within one's body but also the ability to project it outward, much like controlling one's own limbs.
Unfortunately, Yun Qi had yet to cultivate such energy within himself.
Spiritual energy, or "fa li," was the ability to harness the natural energy of the world and make it one's own.
For nine months, from spring to winter, Yun Qi had been absorbing the energy of the five elements, nourishing his body and strengthening his organs.
However, this energy had only served to fortify his physical form and had not yet transformed into the kind of spiritual power that could be wielded.
To convert the absorbed energy into spiritual power, Yun Qi needed to undergo a process known as "circulating the heavens."
This involved guiding the energy through specific meridians and acupoints within his body, creating a closed loop that would allow the energy to flow freely.
As the energy circulated, it would clear blockages in his meridians and acupoints, purifying and refining it into spiritual power.
Circulating the heavens was as fundamental to cultivation as breathing and absorbing energy.
The key to this process lay in directing the energy along specific pathways, a practice known as "moving the qi."
The two main aspects of this were how to set the energy in motion and the route it should follow.
While the pathways varied between different sects and schools, the method of setting the energy in motion was universally agreed upon: using one's willpower to guide the energy.
However, willpower was not something one was born with; it had to be cultivated and refined from one's thoughts.
After nine months of absorbing energy and refining his willpower, Yun Qi felt he was ready to take the next step.
Earlier that day, while using the "Blow" mantra to absorb water energy, he noticed that his kidneys no longer responded.
This was a sign that his body had reached its limit and could no longer absorb more energy.
It was time to return to Mingzhi Mountain and learn the art of moving qi.
Yun Qi stood up and bowed to the green dragon.
"Thank you for your protection, fellow daoist. You've saved me a great deal of effort."
His words were sincere.
Since their encounter on Mid-Autumn Festival by the lake, Yun Qi had discovered that the presence of the water-attributed spirit beast greatly enhanced his absorption of water energy, both in speed and quality.
Realizing this, Yun Qi had struck a deal with the dragon: he would play music for it in exchange for its presence during his energy absorption sessions.
The green dragon, a rare and intelligent creature, had agreed, even providing its own zither for Yun Qi to play.
With the dragon's help, Yun Qi had been able to focus more on absorbing the energies of the other four elements, making his progress much more efficient.
Now, everything had fallen into place.
The green dragon, uninterested in Yun Qi's thoughts, let out a roar and dove deep into the lake, disappearing from sight.
Yun Qi, in turn, summoned a cloud and set off for Mingzhi Mountain.
Upon arriving at Liangjun Ferry, Yun Qi made his way to the Bamboo Stele.
He glanced toward the pavilion but saw no sign of his teacher, Yu Shi.
This didn't surprise him; during his first visit, Yu Shi had made it clear that she only taught from the ninth to the fifteenth day of each month.
Today was only the sixth, so she was likely in seclusion or traveling.
Just as Yun Qi was about to leave and return on the ninth, he heard the voice of his teacher, Su Kong, calling out to him.
"Is that you, Yun Qi? Come here."
Turning around, Yun Qi saw Su Kong sitting in the pavilion, her posture serene and her eyes closed, as if she had been there all along.
He approached and bowed.
"Disciple greets the teacher."
Su Kong slowly opened her eyes and glanced at Yun Qi.
"Open your eyes and look at the Green Jade Lord, where snowflakes fall on green lips. Yun Qi, how many years has it been since you entered the mountain?"
Yun Qi replied, "I entered in the spring, and now it is deep winter. It has been less than a year."
Su Kong smiled slightly.
"So, have you mastered the Five-Word Mantra, or have you reached your limit in absorbing energy?"
"I have reached my limit. My organs are saturated and can no longer absorb energy."
"Good," Su Kong nodded.
"I instructed you to build a palace in your mind to refine your willpower. How has that been going?"
"I have made some progress, but I still need your guidance."
Su Kong nodded again.
"Find a cushion and sit down. Relax your body and mind, clear your thoughts, and then follow my instructions."
Yun Qi did as he was told, sitting on the same cushion he had used during his initial trials.
He took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes, and after a few moments, nodded to indicate he was ready.
"Now, imagine darkness before your eyes."
Yun Qi nodded.
It was indeed dark.
"Now, a flat piece of land appears, floating in the endless darkness like an island at the center of this dark world."
In Yun Qi's mind, a floating island materialized.
"Now, a person appears on the island."
Su Kong's voice guided him.
Yun Qi was momentarily confused.
What kind of person? Who?
Suddenly, his eyelids twitched, and he almost opened his eyes.
A figure had indeed appeared on the island, but Yun Qi hadn't even begun to imagine it.
Unseen by Yun Qi, Su Kong had also closed her eyes, and a purple light emanated from her forehead, casting a violet hue over the surrounding bamboo and snow.
The light moved with indescribable speed, forming a purple thread that connected to Yun Qi's forehead.
This was a feat only a third-level cultivator could achieve.
"It's me."
A voice echoed in Yun Qi's mind, clear and close, as if it were his own thoughts.
Instantly, he "saw" the figure clearly—it was Su Kong.
In this dark world, Su Kong looked down at the ground and said, "This space is too small. Make it ten times larger."
Yun Qi, though prepared, was still stunned.
"I said, make it ten times larger."
This time, Yun Qi heard and obeyed, expanding the island in his mind.
"Now, stand beside me."
Su Kong's instruction left Yun Qi momentarily confused.
How was he supposed to do that?
"In your thoughts, what you imagine is what you see," Su Kong reminded him.
Understanding dawned on Yun Qi, and his perspective shifted rapidly, bringing him to the island and placing him beside Su Kong.
"Good. Now that your vision is steady, your body should be as well."
Yun Qi quickly imagined his own form, and soon, a lifelike version of himself stood beside Su Kong on the island.
Su Kong nodded approvingly.
"Now, using us as a reference, create your palace in front of us."
Yun Qi, growing more adept, began constructing his palace on the island.
In Su Kong's perception, the empty land before her began to transform dramatically.
First, a square platform rose from the ground, six feet high.
Thirty-six large pits appeared on the platform, each containing a stone base shaped like a dragon's foot.
On these bases, massive pillars rose, each three feet in diameter and fifty feet tall, painted red and adorned with images of firebirds.
Above the pillars, intricate brackets and beams formed a double-eaved roof, decorated with cloud and dragon patterns.
The roof was covered with glazed yellow tiles, each painted with fiery pearls.
Walls, railings, and doors were erected; the foundation was laid, and the floor was paved.
The interior was painted, and plaques were hung.
In what seemed like no time at all, a magnificent palace stood before them.
Su Kong nodded in approval.
"Why is the plaque blank? Haven't you decided on a name for your palace?"
Yun Qi admitted, "I'm still unsure. Please, teacher, bestow a name upon it."
Su Kong smiled.
"Let's go inside first."
They stepped onto the platform and entered through the red palace doors.
"Hmm, you've chosen this one."
Su Kong was slightly surprised by the deity enshrined within the palace.
The deity was not particularly tall, with a slender build, a pale face, and no beard.
His eyes were golden, and his nose was hooked.
He wore a golden crown adorned with peach leaves and a red robe decorated with clouds and stars.
It was the Star Lord of the Pleiades.
"You've chosen him. What was your reasoning?"
Seeing the amusement in Su Kong's eyes, Yun Qi knew there was no issue.
He explained how he had chosen the Pleiades over other options, referencing the "White Tiger Seven Mansions" text as his guide.
Su Kong was pleased.
"Yun Qi, you must understand that whether I am your temporary teacher now or your true master in the future, as your guide, I will tell you what is right and wrong, what is urgent, and what requires patience. But I will never dictate every step of your cultivation. If all disciples followed the same path, our traditions would stagnate and die. Remember, change leads to progress, while rigidity leads to demise."
Take the choice of your inner deity, for example.
I advised you to first establish your heart palace because our lineage practices the path of life and death.
The difference between the living and the dead lies in the spirit and the heart.
A beating heart signifies life, and a strong heart wards off evil.
Establishing your heart palace early will benefit your future cultivation.
"But I won't dictate which inner deity you should envision or which type of fire energy you should absorb. That is entirely up to you and your circumstances."
This is like a single tree bearing a hundred different flowers, each unique and beautiful in its own way.
"Among the twenty-eight mansions, there are four yang stars—Fang, Xu, Pleiades, and Star—and four fire stars—Tail, Room, Net, and Wing—that can serve as the main deities of the heart palace. Among them, Fang is internal, Xu is yin, and Star is dark. Only the Pleiades is truly yang. The fire stars are like fireflies compared to the sun, so the Pleiades is indeed the best choice. This is your opportunity."
Yun Qi was delighted.
He hadn't realized there was so much to consider.
Su Kong continued, "Since you've chosen the Pleiades, let me tell you more about this star lord." First, the Pleiades Star Lord is a deity of our Taoist tradition, a disciple of the Taiqing lineage.
It is entirely appropriate for you to venerate him.
"The Star Lord attained enlightenment during the Shang and Zhou dynasties and ascended to heaven under the decree of the Jade Emperor, becoming the ruler of the Pleiades. Before his ascension, he practiced within the Taiqing sect and studied at Zhongnan Mountain."
Yun Qi was surprised to learn of this connection.
"Second, the Pleiades has a high lineage. His father was a white-feathered celestial rooster from the ancient Peach Blossom Mountain in the East Sea, the first rooster born after the creation of the world. He had the duty of heralding the dawn, and his crowing brought forth the sun. He had close ties with the ancient Golden Crow royal family. His mother was the Buddhist goddess Vairambha, one of the protectors of the Buddhist faith."
Perhaps due to his prestigious lineage, the Pleiades Star Lord achieved far greater accomplishments than other star lords, becoming the second type of being, after the Golden Crows, to roam the sun.
"After the fall of the Shang dynasty, the Star Lord retreated to the sun and eventually mastered the Solar Bing Fire, said to be second only to the True Solar Fire. If you truly establish the Pleiades as your inner deity, it may be possible for you to absorb Solar Bing Fire through visualization."
Yun Qi, though usually composed, was overwhelmed by this flood of information.
Fortunately, it was all good news.
But just as Yun Qi began to feel pleased, Su Kong added, "However, there are challenges to choosing the Pleiades as your heart palace deity. You must be aware of them."
Yun Qi focused intently, not wanting to miss a single word.
"First, as I mentioned earlier, the Pleiades' mother is the Buddhist goddess Vairambha. Those people are very particular about karma. If you encounter them in the future, be cautious."
Second, fortune and misfortune are intertwined.
The Pleiades' status is too high.
To truly capture his essence through visualization, the materials you currently have may not be sufficient.
You will need to find other items related to the Pleiades, the closer the better.
However, given how long ago he attained enlightenment, this will not be easy.
"Third, again due to the Pleiades' high status, even if you succeed in establishing him as your heart palace deity and master the Solar Bing Fire, how will you balance it with the water element in your kidneys?"
Yun Qi fell silent.
Seeing this, Su Kong reassured him, "Cultivation and seeking immortality are about striving for the impossible. There is no such thing as gaining everything without effort. Just take each step steadily, and in the end, it all comes down to six words: do your best, and leave the rest to fate."
Yun Qi bowed deeply.
"I understand, teacher."
"Since your palace's plaque is still blank, and the Pleiades resides in the Eastern Palace of Light after his ascension, you may name it accordingly."
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(End of Chapter)