"The Dao is formed from the Innate Primordial Qi. To refine Qi is to refine the self, to purify one's own being and revert to the innate state, thereby refining the righteous fruit of the Innate Primordial Qi, where both form and spirit are wondrous."
After a long while, Lu Yang opened his eyes, a look of joy on his face. Compared to the Yin-Yang Great Pleasure Ode, the Innate Dao Scripture truly had the appearance of a complete inheritance. The entire Dao Scripture began from the level of a mortal.
Upon entry, one first practiced a set of innate techniques to forge the physique, and there were even accompanying martial arts, called the Innate Great Grappling Art.
Once the physique reached great accomplishment, the cultivator would then begin to "revert to the innate state," first transforming the five viscera and six bowels, then the skin, flesh, sinews, and bones, until finally, the physical form was completely dissolved, refining the body into a single strand of Innate True Qi.
From then on, one could gather and scatter at will, be difficult to harm with Daoist arts, and would naturally stand in an undefeatable position when fighting others. In addition, the Dao Scripture also recorded many magical arts that could be used in conjunction with the Innate True Qi.
Magical arts such as the Heavenly Net Dust-Spreading Smoke, the Single-Minded True Qi Sword, and the Spirit-breath Qi Absorption Technique were so comprehensive in variety and diverse in function that Lu Yang felt his horizons had been greatly broadened. However, just at that moment, Lu Yang, who had been reading with rapt attention, suddenly froze.
"... How is it gone?"
Lu Yang subconsciously raised his head to look at Liu Xin, only then realizing that the Innate Dao Scripture in his hands was only the first half; the content had come to an abrupt end.
"Junior Brother, the Dao is not taught lightly."
Liu Xin chuckled softly, "The latter half of the Innate Dao Scripture concerns the secrets of Foundation Establishment. That's not included in the sect's benefits. You'll have to exchange contribution points for it."
Hearing this, Lu Yang shook his head helplessly, "So that's how it is. This junior brother has lost his composure."
"It's no matter. Half a Dao Scripture is enough for you to cultivate, Junior Brother."
Liu Xin patted Lu Yang's shoulder warmly.
"Come, I'll take you to Heaven Mending Peak to choose a cave residence. Pick a good spot, and we can visit each other more often in the future."
Lu Yang nodded, "Many thanks, Senior Brother." Half an hour later, at Heaven Mending Peak. At a remote cave residence at the foot of the mountain, Lu Yang officially settled in.
The original furniture and items inside the cave residence were swept out as trash. Watching this scene, a myriad of thoughts filled Lu Yang's mind.
"It seems being a Formal Disciple isn't so easy either..."
Heaven Mending Peak was not large. The Primordial Saint Sect had so many nominal disciples every year that even with a promotion rate of one in ten thousand, it would be enough to fill Heaven Mending Peak. But what was the reality?
As Lu Yang had walked here, Heaven Mending Peak was far from overcrowded; it was even a bit empty. Many cave residences were idle, with no disciples living in them. Where had all those Formal Disciples gone?
Surely they couldn't afford the rent for a cave residence, could they? Lu Yang shook his head, not delving deeper. Instead, he took out a Meditation Cushion, sat down, and assumed a meditative posture with the five hearts facing heaven, beginning his first cultivation session inside the cave residence.
It was one thing not to cultivate, but the moment he started, Lu Yang immediately felt a flood of spiritual energy of heaven and earth, nearly double that of the outer sect, surge towards him.
It all poured into his Dantian, then circulated throughout his entire body via his meridians, and finally, from the outside in, it gradually merged into his five viscera, six bowels, skin, flesh, sinews, and bones. The efficiency was so high that even Lu Yang was astonished.
In the same amount of time, with the same cultivation technique, the True Qi he could refine in a whole day in the outer sect now only required an hour of cultivation in the inner sect cave residence.
"No wonder you have to spend money to rent an inner sect cave residence."
It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go the other way. Once you experienced the speed of cultivating in a cave residence, it would be hard to endure cultivating anywhere else. The next day, Lu Yang did not go out.
Instead, he holed up in his cave residence, cultivating on one hand and reading the Innate Dao Scripture on the other.
"Although cultivation in this world also depends on talent, there is no such thing as spiritual roots. Basically, as long as one has the heart, anyone can step onto the path of cultivation."
That being said, cultivation had not become much easier because of it. This was because although mortals faced no restriction of spiritual roots when entering the Dao, the grade of the True Qi they refined could still determine the highest achievement a cultivator could reach in the future. This was the role of "the art."
The higher the grade of the cultivation technique, the higher the grade of the True Qi refined, and the more likely one was to reach a higher realm in the future. Conversely, the more likely one was to encounter a bottleneck. True Qi was divided into nine grades and thirty-six levels.
The lower the grade number, the more superior it was; the higher the level number, the more powerful. Generally speaking, True Qi below the seventh grade had no chance of reaching Foundation Establishment. Below the third grade, it was difficult to form a Golden Core.
And for anyone with anything other than first-grade True Qi, attempting to condense a Nascent Soul was a path of certain death.
"Rogue Cultivators truly have no way out."
Lu Yang couldn't help but sigh. Compared to the great sects with their complete inheritances, what choice did Rogue Cultivators have in cultivation techniques? They had to practice whatever they could get their hands on.
Under such circumstances, no matter how high their talent and comprehension were, they had already lost at the starting line, and could only live with regret for the rest of their lives. The difficulty of immortal cultivation was plain to see. Thinking of this, Lu Yang's brows gradually furrowed.
"The 'Innate True Qi' refined by the Innate Dao Scripture is ranked at the sixth grade, first level. A cultivator has hope of reaching Foundation Establishment. Strictly speaking, it's not considered weak."
However, it still fell short of his expectations. If he were just an ordinary cultivator, it would be fine. But now, he possessed a wondrous treasure like the Book of a Hundred Lives, his future full of promise.
A cultivation technique that stopped at Foundation Establishment could no longer satisfy his ambitions.
"If only I could have a supreme true inheritance ranked at the first grade..."
Lu Yang fantasized for a moment, then sighed, "Forget it. I still have to take this path one step at a time. If I take too big a step, it's easy to pull something."
"First, I'll cultivate the Innate Dao Scripture and become a great cultivator of Foundation Establishment."
Once the Dao foundation was established, one could live for three hundred years, almost equivalent to a mortal dynasty. In the cultivation world, they could also be called a "Great Cultivator." Once he had the strength, he would seek a higher inheritance, and immediately restart upon obtaining it.
By repeating this cycle, there would come a day when his dreams would come true. As long as he was patient and not reckless, time would always be his good friend, standing on his side. This was the confidence the Book of a Hundred Lives gave Lu Yang.
Ten days later, in Lu Yang's cave residence. A wisp of white Qi was seen steaming and swirling. It suddenly transformed into roiling black smoke, then into an formless sword of qi, and finally, it transformed back into a graceful, immortal-like human figure.
"I've succeeded!"
Although the Innate Dao Scripture was profound, it was not difficult to practice. In just ten short days, Lu Yang had successfully dissolved his physical form and refined his body into a strand of True Qi.
Name: Lu Yang Lifespan: 18 Cultivation: Qi Refining Realm, First Level Talent: Dual Cultivation Prodigy (White) Cultivation Techniques: Yin-Yang Great Pleasure Ode (Perfection), Innate Qi Refining Form Transformation Art (Perfection) Divine Ability: None Treasures: None Book of a Hundred Lives Pages: 99 Looking at the updated information on the Book of a Hundred Lives, Lu Yang trod upon the void, feeling like he was in peak condition.
Even the venereal disease from his original body was cured without medicine.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, the triumphant Lu Yang frowned, abruptly stopping his movements. He then looked at the Book of a Hundred Lives again, falling into a state of inexplicable contemplation.
"... Something's not right."
It seemed he had overlooked something. Lu Yang subconsciously began to recall. He hadn't encountered any difficulties in this life.
He had smoothly become a Formal Disciple and smoothly received the Innate Dao Scripture... In the next second, Lu Yang finally realized what he had overlooked. After dual cultivating with you, Yu Suzhen broke through to the Qi Refining Realm.
Unfortunately, the venereal disease was deeply rooted and hard to expel with True Qi. She was bedridden for several months and eventually died from the severe illness. In the last life, why did Senior Sister Yu die?
Since she was a Formal Disciple, she must have also received the Innate Dao Scripture. As long as she successfully refined it, transformed her form, and became Qi, how could she have possibly died from venereal disease? She didn't succeed?
"Impossible!"
Lu Yang shook his head. The Innate Dao Scripture was not considered difficult to practice. Since Yu Suzhen had the ability to break through to the Qi Refining Realm, then no matter how poor her aptitude was, it's impossible that she couldn't succeed even after several months.
"Unless, she wasn't cultivating the Innate Dao Scripture at all!"
In that instant, Lu Yang felt as if he had been plunged into an icy cavern. The sound of his heart beating had never been so clear, and his breathing became rapid. The original excitement on Lu Yang's face quickly faded.
"The Innate Dao Scripture... was prepared specifically for me by Liu Xin?"
Lu Yang thought of the scene he had witnessed earlier at the Treasure Refining Hall. That nominal disciple from the Treasure Refining Hall thought he had achieved the Great Dao, but in the end, he was seeking his own death. Not only did he fail to break through, but he refined himself into a magical artifact instead.
That moment then, was it just like this moment now? Just then, a familiar and friendly call came from outside the cave residence.
"Junior Brother Lu, are you there?"
(End of this chapter)