In the dead of night, the faint sound of a gong could be heard coming from outside the wall.
Yù Huá once again spent the night at Gu Wēn's house, repeatedly teaching him the "Imperial Vessel Catalog." However, she couldn't understand why Gu Wēn was not learning quickly, or rather, his talent did not match the four-day foundation building.
Even if Gu Wēn's aptitude belonged to the average category even in the Three Clear Daoist Sects, he would understand after one repetition, become proficient after four repetitions, and whenever encountering something he didn't understand, he would humbly seek guidance.
Not arrogant or impatient, his temperament was acceptable.
Back when she was learning the methods of controlling vessels, she wasn't much faster than Gu Wēn.
The goal of cultivation is not speed, but steadiness without haste.
Many people can persist for decades, but deep down, they are always impatient.
"The refinement of vessels is divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. The upper grade involves refining artifacts by infusing Dao rhymes into them, which is known as the lifeblood. The middle grade involves treasures recognizing their master and actively absorbing Dao rhymes, known as spiritual treasures. The lower grade involves refining spiritual fire to transform it into matter, known as magical treasures."
Gu Wēn sat cross-legged on the ground, silently reciting the incantation, his spiritual fire flickering continuously in his palm.
Cultivation involves absorbing spiritual energy and transforming it into mana, much like inhaling oxygen to supply the body, but unlike inhaling oxygen, humans do not have innate organs to assist.
Therefore, cultivation is like grinding a stone mill, grinding the diamond-like spiritual energy into water.
On the other hand, artifact refinement is like blowing glass, requiring skill, or rather, control over mana.
Finally stabilizing, it solidified into a small flame, swaying in the void.
With a foundation in the second level of the Jade Clear Dao, even without the blessing of Heavenly Essence, mastering the art of vessel control wouldn't take much time.
Different paths lead to the same goal in cultivation; mastering mana manipulation in one aspect lays the foundation for all other techniques.
There is a saying in the Jade Clear Heart Sutra, as mentioned by a great master of the Jade Clear Sect: "All methods in the world rely on refinement and control."
The level of mana determines the depth of control.
He stopped his cultivation and asked, "What is the difference between the three?"
"There is no difference, only in the magnitude of power. Even the best artifact cannot help you in your cultivation."
Yù Huá shook her head.
"Lifeblood, Dao artifact, magical treasure, all involve using external objects to unleash greater power. However, regardless of the artifact, corresponding cultivation is still required. If your cultivation reaches the heavens, why rely on external objects?"
Is it better to have something than nothing? Can bare hands and a knife be the same?
Gu Wēn smirked.
He probably understood this fairy's preferences, or rather, the style of their Jade Clear Sect.
All things are inferior, only high cultivation matters, emphasizing brute force.
But he currently lacked the miraculous ability to perform feats of strength, preferring to rely on external objects.
"However, in terms of refinement, there are still certain differences among the three." Yù Huá's tone changed, "The lifeblood does not require refinement, while the spiritual treasure, as its name suggests, possesses spirituality and requires acknowledgment more than refinement."
"What if acknowledgment cannot be obtained?"
"Annihilate its spirituality and transform it into a magical treasure."
"Isn't that a waste of a spiritual treasure?"
Gu Wēn hesitated.
It was already difficult for him to obtain spiritual medicines, and he couldn't simply turn a spiritual treasure into a magical one, could he?
Yù Huá's tone was indifferent, but her words were unquestionable, "External objects are just that, external. There is no need to lower yourself for a spiritual treasure. If it doesn't acknowledge you, erase its spirituality through refinement."
The jade-eyed water pearl was handed to Gu Wēn, who closed his eyes and circulated his technique, enveloping the spiritual treasure with his mana, infusing it with his power.
In an instant, it was as if he had gained an extra organ, able to sense the pearl.
In a flash, the shadow of a yellow eel appeared today, swallowing him in one gulp, while a tremendous repelling force squeezed out his mana.
Gu Wēn grunted, feeling a dull pain in his chest.
The pearl in his hand inexplicably became scorching hot.
He wanted to discard it but was afraid of damaging the treasure.
The "Imperial Vessel Catalog" mentioned that spiritual treasures, being proud and unwilling to acknowledge a master, required extremely complex procedures for refinement, with the best cultivation level being at the Nascent Soul stage.
Because after the Nascent Soul stage...
Yù Huá watched Gu Wēn tightly gripping the jade-eyed water pearl, even though its spirituality strongly rejected him, he refused to let go.
She sighed, bending down to place a hand on Gu Wēn's forehead to stabilize his chaotic true qi, while using her other hand to pry the pearl from his fingers.
Only then did Gu Wēn's heavy breathing ease, opening his eyes and slightly leaning back, creating some distance between himself and Yù Huá.
"Although cultivators need a handy magical treasure, you don't have to push yourself so hard," Yù Huá said nonchalantly, accustomed to the slippery nature of eels.
Gu Wēn wiped his sweat, chuckling, "It's just a bit itchy, nothing life-threatening."
Yù Huá tilted her head and suggested, "How about refining it into a magical treasure? It will only reduce its power by twenty percent and lower its upper limit slightly."
"What is the value of this spiritual treasure? Is it something commonly seen?"
"It is invaluable. If placed outside, it could buy a city with a population of a million, allow entry into any sect of the world, or even make a grandmaster capable of moving mountains and filling seas take you as a disciple."
Yù Huá's tone changed:
"But compared to your Jade Clear Dao foundation, it is insignificant. You only need to focus on cultivating your mana; don't let this thing damage your meridians."
Gu Wēn's mouth twitched, "Let me try again. Maybe a few more attempts will do the trick."
Reducing the upper limit and power by twenty percent was his only spiritual treasure.
"The word 'fate' cannot be achieved through mere attempts. Becoming an immortal always depends on fate. This is like nurturing a spiritual beast; the karma of killing is destined not to be used by you, only to harm your meridians."
Yù Huá took a step back, raising the spiritual treasure high above Gu Wēn, a phantom swirling within the emerald pearl, showing its teeth and claws towards him.
Although there are restrictions on the number of days to become an immortal, a spiritual treasure is still a spiritual treasure, possessing extraordinary powers not inferior to the outside world.
"You can even give up that jade pendant. Why bother with a spiritual treasure when it's less than a thousandth of the jade pendant?"
"The pain of cutting skin, life comes first. What is a jade pendant compared to that? Now that there is no pain, one should consider the future when not hungry."
Gu Wēn stood up, half a head taller than Yù Huá, reaching out to the emerald pearl held high.
Yù Huá did not stop him, only watching his black eyes, shining brightly from a distance of half an arm's length, with a hint of amusement.
"All the good things in this world have been taken by the Zhao family. Can't I have a spiritual treasure?"
Yù Huá's voice behind the veil remained soft and distant:
"A spiritual treasure is like a wolf or tiger. With the techniques from the Imperial Vessel Catalog as your blade, you can sever its spirituality. If you wish to tame it, you need to do so bare-handed. Can you avoid being injured?"
"A moment of carelessness in a clash of divine thoughts can lead to irreversible calamity. While there may be elixirs to repair the soul in the realm of immortality, it is still troublesome."
Yù Huá continued incessantly, speaking more to Gu Wēn in ten seconds than Zhao Feng could hear in total, showing a level of concern beyond reach.
However, it stopped there; they were nameless and without any real connection, not belonging to the same sect or having any blood ties.
She did not believe she had the right or obligation to stop Gu Wēn.
Going too far would only cause annoyance.
Moreover, Gu Wēn needed to endure some hardships to temper his temperament.
It was inevitable for arrogance to arise after four days of foundation building, and a lack of reverence for cultivation could be understood.
At least she was there to watch over him, able to intervene if any problems arose.
Gu Wēn asked, "Can the fairy protect me completely?"
He was already in too deep.
As the saying goes, love makes the other party increase their sunk cost and investment in you.
Similarly, cooperation in the path of cultivation also requires investment for expected returns, which in turn leads to further investment.
"Practice, and I will protect you."
Yù Huá leaned back, brushing her robe with her hands, her slender waistline faintly visible.
Sitting on the chair, she casually flipped through the scrolls, saying, "But how much hardship you endure during this period depends on your own abilities. I only guarantee that you won't die."
Gu Wēn once again sat cross-legged on the ground, holding the jade-eyed water pearl containing malicious intent towards himself, closing his eyes, with only the faint sound of pages turning in his ears.
Feeling somewhat uneasy, he opened his eyes again, seeing a figure in white under the candlelight, gently flipping through the scrolls.
Upon noticing his gaze, the figure looked up with a slight smile and reassured, "You have nothing to fear with me around."
Gu Wēn closed his eyes, but soon trembled again due to the rejection of the spiritual essence.
Before he could open his eyes, he felt a cool touch on his forehead.
A hand gently stroked his forehead.
"Calm your qi, guard your mind."
Entering a meditative state once more, only to be rejected again, the cycle repeated.
Gu Wēn seemed to be solving a math problem, always encountering issues in certain areas.
Gu Wēn realized the method of artifact refinement without using Heavenly Essence, but fortunately, practice made perfect.
On the foundation of his existing Dao, he gradually mastered the art of vessel control.
However, failed refinements and spiritual rejection added a cost to his trial and error.
Opening his eyes, a wisp of white veil entered his sight.
Yù Huá withdrew her hand, and even Gu Wēn could sense her disordered aura.
A significant portion of the cost had been transferred to Yù Huá.
In any field of expertise, having a mentor always helps avoid injuries.
Partial success in vessel control.
"Not bad at all. You have already achieved some proficiency in the Imperial Vessel Catalog. Although it is not a miraculous technique, it is not something anyone can easily master."
Yù Huá was always generous with her praise for Gu Wēn.
She took out an orange pill from her sleeve.
"Take it. This is your reward."
Gu Wēn swallowed the pill, finding it slightly sweet at first, followed by a rich orange flavor.
It was the first time he had tasted a sweet pill.
He was surprised, "What kind of pill is this?"
Yù Huá replied, "A sugar pill. My master used to give me one after I finished my cultivation when I was young. It's a tradition of the Jade Clear Sect."
"........."
Gu Wēn was delighted.
After eating it, he found it quite delicious.
In ancient times, sugar was a precious commodity, and only the royal family could enjoy the finest sugar.
It had been five years since he had tasted such a delicate sweetness.
His destiny slightly vibrated, increasing by about one-fifth of a unit of Heavenly Essence.
"Is there more?"
"Don't be greedy."
Yù Huá chided him like a mother, but still brought out another sugar pill.
"This is the last one."
Gu Wēn ended up eating five pills before Yù Huá scolded him slightly annoyed.
One unit of Heavenly Essence gained.
The poor Daoist had more money to spend.
Many books are now hard to find, so cherish them while you can.