Chapter 1, Lin Xuan

The flow of spiritual energy does not require concern, as it is clearly stated in the sect's teachings; one only needs to follow them. However, the speed of the flow must be explored individually, for the reason is simple: each person's meridian condition is different.

This trace of spiritual power is what Lin Xuan has cultivated over the past three years. Naturally, compared to his peers, it is significantly less, as he lacks a spiritual root, making his path of cultivation far more arduous than that of his fellow disciples

In the dantian, there was only a vast emptiness, with the sole presence of a faint azure gas, which is the legendary spiritual energy

The progress is so slow, not because Lin Xuan is not diligent; on the contrary, his efforts are unparalleled among the lower-tier disciples. While others practice their techniques once, he practices three times; while others meditate for one hour, he meditates for three hours. However, despite such hard work, the rewards are pitifully few, leaving him far behind everyone else, filling Lin Xuan's heart with a sense of frustration

Under the influence of consciousness, strands of spiritual energy began to gather and intertwine. Initially, each strand of spiritual energy was only as fine as a hair, but over time, they coalesced into a single stream of spiritual energy approximately the thickness of a little finger

Lin Xuan tightly clenched his fist, his nails digging deeply into his flesh, yet he seemed to feel no pain at all

Unfortunately, Lin Xuan is an ordinary person without any spiritual roots

A sigh of disappointment echoed as an ordinary-looking youth, with a blank expression on his face, had failed once again. This marked the forty-ninth failure in his attempts over the past three months. Even though Lin Xuan possessed a resilient spirit, he was now enveloped by feelings of frustration and despair.

After the spiritual energy was gathered, Lin Xuan's expression showed no sign of relaxation. He cautiously released his consciousness, controlling the spiritual energy to flow out from his dantian into his meridians, in accordance with the mental techniques taught by his master.

A hint of a bitter smile appeared at the corner of the youth's mouth as he shook his head and looked at his hands. Could it be that his aptitude was truly this poor

The so-called cultivation of immortality is essentially an act of defying the heavens. To defy the heavens, one must possess extraordinary abilities. This process requires enduring various hardships and trials in order to master the five elements, absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, refine it, and ultimately utilize it for oneself

However, the gas is sparse and extremely thin, which is due to Lin Xuan's relatively low level of skill

The Great Circulation, although a mandatory course for every cultivator, is not as easy as the outside world imagines; in fact, it can be said to be quite difficult

Spiritual roots are a term used in the realm of cultivation, but there has been no precise description of what they specifically refer to over the course of thousands of years. It is only known that those who possess spiritual roots cultivate at a significantly faster rate than ordinary people without them. In other words, theoretically, even ordinary individuals with average aptitude are not entirely incapable of cultivating; however, their efforts yield only half the results. No, it should be said that even with ten times the effort, they still achieve less than half of what others do.

Lin Xuan felt a misty white vapor rising from his head, his entire body drenched in sweat. Merely the process of gathering spiritual energy had exhausted all his strength. Indeed, for an ordinary person to cultivate in the realm of immortality is fraught with difficulties at every turn

Some individuals possess robust meridians and strong endurance, allowing them to accommodate more spiritual energy, and a faster flow is also manageable. Conversely, those with weaker meridians experience the opposite situation. Generally speaking, the better the spiritual root, the stronger the meridians, and vice versa.

In three years, his fellow seniors and juniors who entered at the same time have already progressed to the mid-stage of the Spirit Movement realm, with several exceptionally talented individuals even reaching the late stage of the fifth layer, yet he still lingers at the first layer.

For cultivators, the dantian is the fundamental storage of spiritual energy, and the eight extraordinary meridians are also of great importance. When spiritual energy circulates through the eight extraordinary meridians from head to toe, it is referred to as one complete cycle.

The cultivation process is divided into eight stages: Spiritual Movement, Foundation Establishment, Dan Condensation, Nascent Soul, Separation and Reunion, Cave Profound, and Spirit Division, as well as the Tribulation stage. Each stage is further divided into seven levels: the first and second levels are considered the early stage, the third and fourth levels are the mid-stage, the fifth and sixth levels are the late stage, and the seventh level is referred to as Great Perfection. One can advance to the next stage by breaking through the bottleneck.

His breathing became somewhat heavier, yet Lin Xuan's expression remained unchanged; over the past three years, he had long since grown accustomed to it

Originally, a person as ordinary as him, without any spiritual roots, would find it impossible to embark on the path of cultivation, as no sect would be willing to accept him. However, Lin Xuan's situation was somewhat special. Three years ago, due to a fortuitous encounter, he saved a severely injured elder from the Floating Cloud Valley. In gratitude, the elder recommended him for admission, allowing him to become a member of this small cultivation sect, Floating Cloud Valley.

After a long while, Lin Xuan released his tightly clenched fist, exhaling as if to expel the gloom from his heart. He sat down cross-legged once more and began to practice the method of inner vision

For three years through the changing seasons, Lin Xuan has never once slackened in his training. He practices in the harshest winter and the hottest summer, expending far more sweat than others. Yet, despite this effort, he still falls far behind his peers.

Every step must be taken with utmost caution; if the pace is too fast, not only will the cycle not be completed smoothly, but it may also damage the meridians

Sigh

Piao Yun Valley is a small sect in the realm of cultivation, with nearly one thousand disciples, among whom Lin Xuan is one of the lower-ranked disciples

Recently, during the challenge, Lin Xuan felt that his abilities had reached the pinnacle of the first level, and he was just a step away from the second level of the Spirit Movement Stage. However, these slight differences felt like a vast chasm, and no matter how hard Lin Xuan tried, he could not bridge the gap

In simple terms, it is a thankless task.

Although the path of immortality is arduous, it progresses from shallow to deep. For instance, the techniques of the first two levels of the Spirit Movement Stage are merely introductory. Those with good aptitude can master the first level in two months, while those with slightly poorer aptitude can achieve it in three to five months. Unfortunately, this is all applicable only to those with spiritual roots

With each iteration of this cycle, the spiritual energy will increase slightly. Although the enhancement is minimal, accumulation leads to growth. By performing this cycle several times a day, the spiritual energy will gradually develop.

Inner Vision is a minor spell in the cultivation world that allows one to observe the flow of spiritual energy within their dantian and meridians. It is an auxiliary spell used primarily during the practice of cultivation

Lin Xuan is seventeen years old this year and has been under the tutelage of the Floating Cloud Valley for three years

Indeed, in the realm of cultivation, there are myriad techniques, and each sect follows a different path for the Great Circulation of the Heavens, resulting in significant variations in effectiveness

Lin Xuan is merely an ordinary person, lacking even a spiritual root, which necessitates that he expends more effort and consumes more time to perform the Great Zhou Tian Cycle

In the pursuit of the immortal path, talent is of greater importance; relying solely on effort makes it difficult to compensate for shortcomings