As the saying goes, "The mist and haze drift along with the comings and goings, unaffected by the seasons, forgetting the passage of years."
Unknowingly, a decade has passed.
In the Three Star Immortal Cave, disciples came and went, with cultivators arriving and departing frequently, yet none of the disciples knew that someone within the cave was about to attain the Dao.
The disciples were unaware of the true path, ignorant of the Golden Core, and lacked the affinity for the methods.
What they practiced were all heretical paths.
On this day, the disciples gathered under the pine trees to discuss whose path was superior and whose abilities could grant them a longer lifespan.
One said, "I possess the way of Confucian rites, a great sage; all who see me must bow, for my rites encompass all sages."
Another replied, "You cannot attain longevity; it is a waste of breath."
Yet another said, "I practice fasting and sleep techniques, achieving longevity and clarity."
The other countered, "Once you leave the cave, you will surely encounter disaster."
One more chimed in, "My path is remarkable; I have received the favor of my master and created a 'talisman' of the central path."
The other retorted, "Your cinnabar is not yet formed; your talisman is incomplete, and you will meet your end."
As they argued, each refusing to yield to the other, the discussion grew lively, truly a "battle of tongues amidst the sea of right and wrong."
You say my path is weak, I will not concede; I say your path is light, you will not relent.
Suddenly, a strange fragrance wafted from the Three Star Immortal Cave.
Upon smelling the fragrance, everyone felt at peace, their hearts calmed, and all arguments ceased.
As the saying goes, "In the arena of tongues, I have no part; in the sea of right and wrong, my trace is few."
The crowd became tranquil.
The disciples did not understand the origin of this fragrance; they could tell it was neither the fragrance of jade nor orchid, nor fruit nor plum, but rather a subtle scent that quelled disputes.
On the Yao Tai altar, the master gazed around, the strange fragrance swirling about him.
How could he not know that this was the work of the child, Jiang? He said, "The immortal fragrance is extraordinary; the child’s Golden Core is about to be formed. He has traversed three hundred and sixty acupoints, with eight remaining. Once he completes these, his Golden Core will be formed, and from then on, his immortal body will be flawless, achieving longevity and clarity."
The master knew this strange fragrance was the result of Jiang's efforts.
When the fragrance spreads throughout the Luo Tian Hai Yue, it will signal Jiang's success.
The master said, "These eight remaining acupoints are bound to be completed by the child. The child's resolve remains unshaken; in two or three decades, he will surely succeed."
...
In the quiet room, Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged on a mat.
He was performing the Great Circulation of the Sacred Embryo within his body, just as the master had instructed.
With nine cycles minus one, he still needed eight more to complete his Golden Core.
In this process of circulating the Great Circulation through the acupoints, he surpassed his previous thoughts.
The Sacred Embryo entered the acupoints; if it were those minor acupoints, it would be manageable, but for the major acupoints, it was difficult.
This was because the Sacred Embryo's vital energy needed to be sealed tightly to prevent leakage.
If it were a major acupoint, sealing the energy was challenging and prone to leakage, thus requiring focused intent to secure it.
The duration of time varied; if there was any instability, the effort would fail, the immortal body would be incomplete, and the Golden Core would not form.
The path of the Golden Core allows no mistakes, no failures.
Cultivating this path means either success or death; there is no second option.
If one were to cultivate heretical paths, as if truly seeing the way, they could still reestablish their clarity, harmed by desires for wealth, beauty, and intoxication.
However, the path of the Golden Core is indeed difficult; once the teachings are mastered, they cannot be compared to heretical paths.
Jiang Yuan was performing the Great Circulation, feeling a sense of fatigue and slight disorientation as he sealed the acupoints and concealed the energy within.
This required immense concentration.
He relied on the timing of the Sacred Embryo's movements through the Great Circulation, maintaining a steady mind.
Yet, he still had eight cycles remaining.
If he were to attempt another acupoint, he could surely achieve it.
But with eight cycles, it would be challenging.
As Jiang Yuan adjusted the Sacred Embryo to enter the acupoints again, he thought to himself, "My mind cannot possibly manage eight cycles of the Great Circulation through the acupoints. If I become fatigued and the energy leaks, my immortal body will be compromised. There must be a method to perform the Great Circulation; the Old Lord once said, 'The distance between heaven and earth is eighty-four thousand; the circulation of heaven and earth's qi and liquid is three hundred and sixty,' and the principle lies within."
The child sought the method, using the Sacred Embryo to enter the acupoints.
While sealing the energy within the acupoints, he did not rely on brute force; instead, he took the method of using three hundred and sixty as a count, sealing it slowly and steadily.
Only after three hundred and sixty counts could he fully seal it.
In this manner, he was indeed effective.
Sealing one acupoint did not require much effort; if he continued like this, he would be able to complete all eight cycles.
There were indeed methods to circulate the qi; without methods, the Sacred Embryo could not complete nine cycles.
The path of the Golden Core is fraught with difficulties, with no easy paths.
Jiang Yuan performed the Great Circulation with the Sacred Embryo, focused solely on achieving the Golden Core.
...
Time passed swiftly, and before he knew it, twenty-four years had gone by.
In the quiet room, the fragrance thickened, mist swirling, hinting at the completion of immortality.
It was said that Jiang Yuan had completed eight cycles of the Great Circulation with the Sacred Embryo, and was on the verge of completing the ninth.
If the Sacred Embryo completed nine cycles, his Golden Core would be formed.
With each cycle of the Great Circulation, a divine power manifested within him, far surpassing his previous abilities.
He had completed eight cycles, yet he was unaware of the true methods and divine powers within him.
His heart remained undisturbed, solely focused on the Sacred Embryo performing the Great Circulation.
Even if he possessed supreme true methods and divine powers, he remained unmoved.
Those who are moved by true methods and divine powers are surely used by them.
The master is the Dao, while the guest is the method; if the master and guest are reversed, one will surely be harmed.
Jiang Yuan did not dare forget the master's teachings, diligently cultivating his heart and nature.
To ensure his success, he focused entirely on completing the remaining Great Circulation with the Sacred Embryo.
As Jiang, the child, was on the verge of success, the fragrance became rich.
This fragrance, as the master had said, emanated from the Three Star Immortal Cave, reaching beyond the Fangcun Mountain, allowing the four great continents to catch wind of it.
This fragrance was not the same as before; it was the fragrance of immortality, its scent spreading far and wide, invigorating those who smelled it.
Those with the will to cultivate the Dao and possessing divine powers all recognized this as the fragrance of immortality, signaling that an immortal was about to be born.
...
Meanwhile, in a small county of the Southern Zhanbu Continent, there was a monkey dressed in human clothes, known as the Thunder Lord Monkey.
He imitated human etiquette, spoke human words, and swayed as he walked along the path, seeking the teachings of Buddhas, immortals, and divine beings, searching for a way to attain eternal life.
He had been wandering for several years, perhaps seven or eight, yet he had not found any path.
The monkey scratched his ears and scratched his cheeks, feeling anxious and restless.
He said, "In my years dwelling in the ancient cave of the immortal mountain, I did not submit to the control of the Qilin, nor the Phoenix; I was only under the secret supervision of the King of Hell. When I grow old and my blood weakens, I will surely meet my end.
As the saying goes, 'In the world of Yanfu, there are Buddhas, immortals, and divine beings.' Among these three, none are under the control of the King of Hell.
I have left the mountain to roam the seas, wandering the streets and alleys, yet all I see are those seeking fame and profit, with not a single one caring for their own lives."
"Where are the three?"
"Where to, where to?"
The monkey grew anxious and suddenly caught a whiff of the strange fragrance in his ears and nose.
This fragrance was tranquil, bringing him peace.
He jumped and danced, following the scent to the west.
Good Monkey King, knowing the lay of the land.
The monkey found a person, stopped him, and bowed, saying, "Old brother, old brother! Do you smell this strange fragrance here?"
The man shouted, "I am busy with my business; why are you stopping me? What fragrance? My business is fragrant; do you have money?"
After saying this, the man walked away, unable to be stopped.
The monkey pondered for a moment and then said, "This fragrance is indeed unusual."
The monkey decided to leave the Southern Zhanbu Continent and chase after the fragrance.
...
In the mountains, there were no cycles of years, and the cold passed without knowing the time.
Unknowingly, another two years had gone by.
Jiang Yuan was performing the remaining acupoint of the Great Circulation with the Sacred Embryo, nurturing the Sacred Embryo's vital energy to ensure the acupoint's immortality, perfect and complete.
As he prepared to seal the acupoint, he was about to achieve his Dao...
(End of Chapter)