It is said that in the quiet chamber of the Ancestor, the Ancestor was about to teach Jiang Tong'er the Golden Dan orthodox method of 'Nine Transformations into Dan.'
The Ancestor sat cross-legged on a mat and said, "Child, you must listen attentively. The Nine Transformations into Golden Dan is a step that cannot be taken lightly, for this step is indeed a difficult barrier."
Jiang Yuan focused intently and asked, "Master, is this barrier surpassed by five people, practicing the timing and nurturing the acupoints?"
The Ancestor replied, "There are many difficulties!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan was secretly alarmed.
When he sought five people, each was hard to invite.
Practicing the timing took a long time, and nurturing the eighty-one acupoints, each had its own difficulties.
The remaining step of Nine Transformations into Dan was even more challenging, how could it not send chills down his spine? He asked, "Master, how so?"
The Ancestor said, "Nine Transformations, according to what you say, what does it entail?"
Jiang Yuan replied, "Master, this must be related to the Great Zhou Tian within the body."
The Ancestor laughed and asked, "How do you see that?"
Jiang Yuan answered, "Master has said that the Golden Dan is not merely a mud ball in the belly; gold is immortal, and dan is complete and flawless. Gathering herbs, refining, nurturing, and merging within the body. Now that the acupoints of the Great Zhou Tian are fully opened, with the primordial spirit intact and five people present, the cauldron and great medicine, I speculate that to form the Golden Dan is to achieve completeness and immortality within the body."
The Ancestor smiled and said, "Child, you are wise and truly understand the Golden Dan. I am also pleased to speak. The step of Nine Transformations into Dan should indeed take the Dao Fruit and count to nine, traversing the Zhou Tian acupoints, completing the nine counts, and thus achieving success!"
Jiang Yuan asked, "Master, is this Dao Fruit the great medicine of the cauldron?"
The Ancestor replied, "Not so! Before the Nine Transformations into Dan, you must merge the great medicine and the primordial spirit into one, with no division. This merging also has its methods, requiring you to pass through three barriers. Each of these three barriers has its own demonic obstacles!"
Jiang Yuan immediately understood that the step of 'Nine Transformations into Dan' was indeed a true difficulty, requiring the great medicine and primordial spirit to pass through three barriers to merge into one.
When the merging occurs, it is called 'Dao Fruit,' and then this Dao Fruit must traverse the Great Zhou Tian acupoints nine times before the Dan can be formed.
Without mentioning the difficulty of the Dao Fruit traversing Zhou Tian, just the three barriers alone, as the Ancestor said, must indeed be quite challenging.
Jiang Tong'er asked, "Master, what are these three barriers?"
The Ancestor said, "The three barriers are called the Tailbone, the Spine, and the Jade Pillow. The three barriers are interconnected; you must start from the Tailbone barrier, which is called 'Cao Creek,' and from there reach the Spine barrier, then the Jade Pillow barrier, where the great medicine and primordial spirit merge, forming the meeting of the Dragon and Tiger, thus creating the Dao Fruit."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan immediately understood.
He had listened to the Ancestor's teachings for many years and knew where these three barriers were located.
The Tailbone barrier is at the end of the spine within the body, also known as the 'Nine Heavy Iron Drum.' The Spine barrier is at the junction of the two shoulder blades, also known as the 'Double Barrier,' as this barrier has two paths: one leading to the Yongquan acupoint below and the other reaching the Mud Pill Palace above, one yin and one yang.
The Jade Pillow barrier is located in the brain, known as 'Jade Capital Mountain' and 'Heavenly Pillar,' connecting to the Mud Pill Palace and other places.
Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "Master, what are the demonic obstacles at these three barriers?"
The Ancestor shook his head and said, "I do not know."
Jiang Yuan replied, "I understand now."
The Ancestor said, "Child, if you can make the Dragon and Tiger meet, and then traverse the Zhou Tian acupoints nine times, the Nine Transformations Golden Dan will be formed. This remaining step of the Dan path, you must be cautious!"
Jiang Yuan bowed again and said, "Master, I will certainly remember!"
The Ancestor then dismissed Jiang Tong'er, allowing him to rest, saying that when his cultivation was sufficient, he could proceed with the step of Nine Transformations into Dan.
Jiang Yuan accepted the command and returned to his quiet chamber to meditate.
...
Time passed swiftly, and before long, half a year had gone by.
One day, with the gentle wind warming the air, Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged in his quiet chamber, nurturing his nature and cultivating his truth.
He received an invitation from Zhen Jian to join a discussion, and he gladly accepted.
The group gathered under a pine tree outside the cave to discuss.
When Jiang Yuan first arrived, he thought to himself, "What a good place!"
Zhen Jian said beside him, "Senior Brother, this place was opened up a few years ago. When the gentle winds rise, everyone enjoys discussing here. If the cold winds blow, we gather under the old cypress tree."
Jiang Yuan looked around and saw before him "a thousand old cypress trees, half-hidden in the rain, green and flourishing, and ten thousand bamboo stalks, shrouded in mist, creating a deep blue hue."
These old cypress trees, bamboo, and pine trees were all planted from the spiritual plants he had gathered when he first arrived at Ling Tai Fangcun Mountain with the Ancestor, and they had grown for hundreds of years.
Zhen Jian said, "Senior Brother, please take the seat of honor for the discussion."
Jiang Yuan replied, "Since it is a discussion, there should be no distinction of seats. It is not a lecture, but rather a discussion among all."
Upon hearing this, Zhen Jian did not distinguish between senior and junior seats and invited everyone to sit down.
Jiang Yuan sat at the back.
As he settled down, he listened to everyone discussing the Dao.
The crowd took turns to pay their respects to Jiang Yuan before taking their seats.
The crowd asked, "Ying Cang, what Dao have you recently received from the Master? Why not share it with us?"
Upon hearing the crowd's voice, Jiang Yuan saw a young man step forward, beaming with joy, and bowing to all directions, saying, "Brothers, I entered the sect late and have only recently received teachings from the Master. If you wish to know, I will certainly explain it clearly to you all."
The crowd asked, "What Dao are you cultivating?"
Ying Cang replied, "The Master has taught me the Dao of Summoning Immortals and Assisting the Phoenix!"
The crowd inquired, "What does this Dao entail?"
Jiang Yuan listened attentively, eager to hear more about this 'Summoning Immortals and Assisting the Phoenix' method.
Ying Cang, with a beaming smile, said, "Brothers, you do not know; this Dao is remarkable! The Master, out of affection for my youth, has imparted this Dao to me! This Dao involves inquiring of the spirits about good fortune and misfortune!"
The crowd asked, "What efficacy does it have? How long can one live?"
Ying Cang replied, "By inquiring of the spirits about good fortune and misfortune, I can escape disasters. Even if there are three calamities, they cannot take my life. As for longevity, I have no worries."
The crowd asked, "What does escaping disasters have to do with longevity?"
Ying Cang took out a talisman and said, "Brothers, this is a Life Talisman. Wearing this talisman ensures I will be free of worries for a hundred years. After a hundred years, I will obtain another talisman."
The crowd exclaimed in surprise, "How do you have so many talismans?"
Ying Cang, wanting to show off, said, "There was a senior brother who left the mountain, and the Dao he cultivated was a 'Talisman.' When I met him, we hit it off, and he gifted me many Life Talismans."
Upon hearing this, the crowd couldn't help but feel envious, all saying, "Junior Brother is fortunate."
Jiang Yuan observed this and thought to himself, "This is a disaster! There is a saying, 'Wealth should not be revealed.' If he has talismans, he should keep them hidden. Now that others know, it will surely stir their hearts, and once their hearts are stirred, they will devise schemes. This junior brother has the ability to escape disasters, but by making others envious, how could his life not be in danger?"
Ying Cang, however, was unaware, showing off his abilities and wanting to let his brothers know of his skills.
As the crowd listened and watched, waiting for Ying Cang to finish showing off, they applauded, and others took turns to share what Dao they were cultivating.
Jiang Yuan listened, but no one asked him, for his celestial appearance was about to manifest, and he bore an aura of authority, resembling a true immortal.
The crowd respected and feared him, not daring to speak much.
After discussing for a while, as evening approached, they finally dispersed.
Jiang Yuan left and returned to his chamber to meditate, waiting for the moment when his cultivation was complete so he could take the step to form the Dan.
With this accomplishment, he would achieve longevity and eternal life.
Not long after he returned, he heard the Ancestor calling for him, so he had no choice but to go to the Ancestor's quiet chamber.
When Jiang Tong'er arrived at the quiet chamber, he saw Ying Cang kneeling inside, tears streaming down his face, filled with regret.
He understood that it was mostly due to the Ancestor instructing him to leave to preserve his life.
Tong'er walked inside and bowed before the Ancestor.
(End of Chapter)