As the saying goes, "To refine the great medicine into a pill, one must rely on the secret method of timing."
Time flew swiftly, and before one knew it, five years had passed.
Jiang Yuan taught the True Breath to assist the True Fire, refining the cauldron beneath his navel.
The cauldron burned with a brilliant rainbow, as if fire stirred the smoke within, causing him unbearable pain.
The waters of his two kidneys boiled like soup, and sweat poured from his entire body.
Internally observing the cauldron beneath his navel, it was red all over, surrounded by a blazing heat that filled the air, a magnificent sight of red everywhere.
The True Fire was not something Yin-Yang Fire could compare to; this fire was a manifestation of the primordial spirit, with True Breath exerting its influence, five individuals working in unison.
Jiang Yuan looked closely at the cauldron again.
The four medicinal herbs endured the intense fire without showing any change.
These herbs were not ordinary; they were Pre-Heavenly Medicines, indeed difficult to refine.
After five years of refining, the four herbs remained completely still.
Observing the black essence fiercely reacting to the fire, the rabbit marrow being punished by the flames, the wood sap shining brightly in the fire, and the golden essence refusing to be refined by the flames, he commanded the True Fire to ebb and flow, advancing and retreating, both literary and martial in its cooking, the fire truly being "continuous yet subtle, used without diligence."
However, the True Fire could not burn the great medicine in the cauldron for a short time.
Jiang Yuan remained calm and unhurried, his heart as still as water.
Since the True Fire had burned for five years without affecting these four herbs, then fifty years should suffice to move them.
He had cultivated for hundreds of years; how could he care about these four or fifty years? Cultivation knows no time; time flows like water.
Jiang Tong'er was fully absorbed in "refining," completely unaware of the outside world.
...
Outside the quiet room.
Zhen Jian was walking towards the quiet room, reading a Zen book, having gained some insights, and was about to seek his Senior Brother to ask for teachings.
He had not yet approached the quiet room when the Master hurriedly stepped out, asking, "Who approaches?"
Zhen Jian hurriedly straightened himself, bowing and saying, "Master, it is I, it is I!"
The Master looked closely and asked, "Zhen Jian, why are you not cultivating at the front desk and have come here?"
Zhen Jian replied, "Master, I was reading the Zen book written by Senior Brother, and having gained some insights, I came to ask for teachings. I did not mean to disturb you; I hope for your forgiveness!"
The Master said, "Your heart is currently at a critical point in cultivation; you must not stop. You should continue your cultivation. I have bestowed upon you the Tai Xuan Qing Sheng Talisman; your life is without worry. Focus on your Zen understanding, and you can ask for guidance later."
How could Zhen Jian dare to say "no"? He agreed and returned the way he came.
The Master watched Zhen Jian leave and thought to himself, "This pill is difficult to form; the heavens and earth may not allow it. Whether the child can succeed in forming the pill depends on himself. I will teach no one to disturb you."
In the Pill Path, there are seven steps; at this moment, the child had taken the fourth step.
This step was difficult, concerning the primordial spirit, the heart, and the five individuals, all presenting challenges.
"Difficult, difficult, difficult! The Dao is the most profound; do not treat the Golden Pill lightly. Without encountering a true person to pass on the wondrous methods, mere words will only bind the tongue."
The Master returned to the quiet room.
...
The True Fire was difficult to refine the Pre-Heavenly Medicines, and before one knew it, another forty years had passed.
Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged in the quiet room, igniting the True Fire to refine the four herbs in the cauldron.
After enduring forty-five years of True Fire, the four herbs remained completely still, and even with deeper fire conditions, he could not achieve success in the alchemical refinement.
This did not disturb his heart; he had the jade talisman, and the two spirits could not obstruct his path.
He focused solely on refining.
His heart remained unmoved, and he did not grow lazy.
He was confident in achieving success in the refinement, yet within him, the five individuals, along with the primordial spirit, operated the True Fire daily, causing him to waver under the influence of the True Fire.
Like a restless heart monkey, the golden public spirit moved with his thoughts, the intent horse was agitated and uneasy, the wood mother grew lazy by nature, while only the yellow grandmother remained stable in the center.
Jiang Yuan secretly thought it was not good; if the five individuals became restless, it was the time to operate the fire.
If a mistake occurred, the Great Dao would become void.
Now that the True Fire had ignited, it could not be stopped; if not refining the four herbs, it would lead to his death and the loss of the Dao.
The Master had bestowed upon him the jade talisman to protect him from the obstruction of the two spirits, but if the five individuals relaxed, it was impossible to avoid.
"Heart monkey, intent horse, golden public spirit, wood mother, yellow grandmother."
Jiang Yuan wanted to awaken the five individuals from their distraction, but his True Breath was continuous and unending; how could he have the strength?
Just as the child was filled with doubts, suddenly, the cauldron shook violently, divine light entered his body, and with a loud bang, the five individuals awakened, no longer lax, fully concentrating on operating the fire with the primordial spirit, refining the four herbs.
With no more distractions, the child focused on burning the four herbs, and even as time passed, he did not stop.
...
The True Fire burned the four herbs daily, yet the four herbs never showed any change.
The child only focused on the refinement, never daring to err.
After many years of seeking the Dao, his heart remained unchanged.
Finally, after sixty-three years of diligent refinement, success was achieved.
Jiang Yuan slowly exhaled True Breath, the True Fire within him cooking, and upon closer inspection, the initial True Fire resembled a blazing golden snake, while now it resembled a mighty blood horse.
Looking again into the cauldron, the black essence had transformed, taking on a round shape as it was refined by the True Fire, manifesting as a flawless form, a state of chaos.
The rabbit marrow, wood sap, and golden essence also exhibited forms of manifestation; this great medicine was ultimately refined by him.
Jiang Tong'er did not dare to be careless; he reignited the fire, swallowing True Breath to burn the martial fire, causing the flames to surge.
Following the secret method of timing passed down by the Master, he refined the four herbs.
He knew that the two spirits often obstructed him because the jade talisman bestowed by the Master frequently vibrated.
After one hundred and eight years of refining, the black essence was successfully refined, presenting a flawless, chaotic form.
The remaining three herbs were consecutively refined within five years, ultimately achieving success.
Seeing within the cauldron, the four herbs formed four round shapes, flawless in appearance, indeed refining the formless into the form.
The fourth step of the Pill Path had finally been completed.
This step of refining was difficult in timing; if one grasped the timing, half of the success of this step was achieved.
Furthermore, it was difficult in the heart of the Dao; if the True Fire burned for many years without yielding results, one would often grow lazy, and later, the two spirits would obstruct.
Without great willpower and great fortune, one could not achieve success; a single misstep could lead to demise.
This is a common occurrence; the path of the Golden Pill is inherently difficult.
Without exceptional talent, extraordinary comprehension, and great fortune, one cannot walk this path; most cultivate through side doors and left paths.
Jiang Yuan returned to his senses; at this moment, he had achieved success in refining, but the fire had not yet ceased.
He needed to extinguish the fire to complete the process; this step required perfection.
The child calmed his spirit, allowing the primordial spirit and the five individuals to unite in "extinguishing the fire."
He recited the secret of the superior timing, "The Method to Extinguish the Fire," and with the last wisp of True Fire and True Breath slowly exhaled, he extinguished the fire in the cauldron, sealing it with the incantation, securely storing the four herbs, ensuring they would not leak.
At the moment of success, seeing the cauldron unmoving, with the four herbs concealed within, he finally felt at ease.
Jiang Yuan opened his eyes, placed the jade whisk properly, then set the jade talisman beside the whisk, took the Tai Xuan Qing Sheng Talisman, carried the cauldron with him, donned a purple robe, and he had now completed the four steps of the pill.
As for the remaining three steps, once he refined them, he would glimpse the mysteries of the Dao and attain the righteous path, achieving longevity.
Jiang Yuan sighed deeply, sitting cross-legged on the mat in the room, chanting: "The Golden Pill is all about timing, following the wondrous use of the primordial spirit, inhaling and exhaling True Breath, gathering and dispersing, rising and falling, cooking and refining, endlessly cycling, continuously existing, used without diligence, in harmony with nature."
"The four herbs are concealed within the body; this medicine is difficult to find, for when scattered, it becomes formless and merges, only when gathered does it solidify into medicine, allowing the five individuals to seek. The five individuals are the heart monkey, intent horse, golden public spirit, wood mother, yellow grandmother, infant and female, spiritual turtle and golden crow, departing from these names, they are all different names for the five individuals. Without permanence, one cannot achieve refinement."
"Difficult, difficult, difficult! The Golden Pill is difficult! Three hundred sixty side doors, the true path is one."
Jiang Yuan shook his head and then rose, heading towards the Master's quiet room...
(End of Chapter)