Chapter 9, Washing the Pulse
There is an old saying in China: to achieve wealth, one must first build the roads
From this day forward, Tang Jie began to practice the Zangxiang Sutra daily, refining his meridians
"Strange, why hasn't that kid brought the food yet?" Xu Mu Yang murmured in surprise
In the room, Xu Mu Yang continued to explain to Tang Jie about the matters of the cultivation world
At this time, Tang Jie should have already returned and brought over the dinner he prepared.
"Then, if that is the case, wouldn't my practice of the Hidden Image Sutra be of little use?" Tang Jie asked again
Yes, that is the meaning. The Xiyue Sect is a grand and prestigious school, with profound principles and a strong capacity for inclusivity. With this as a foundation, there will be no issues in learning anything in the future, and the prospects are limitless
Suddenly realizing something, Xu Mu Yang slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "Oh no!"
Moreover, not every type of cultivation method can be compatible and inclusive; the key lies in whether there are conflicts among them. For instance, the "Heavenly Fire Scripture" primarily focuses on the Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian, with its energy dispersing into the Heart Network and returning to the Liver and Gallbladder. The Liver belongs to Wood and is responsible for sublimation, while the Heart belongs to Fire and governs the spirit. Therefore, with a vigorous fire energy, once cultivation is successful, it possesses the might of heavenly fire sweeping across the plains. In contrast, the "Condensed Water Scripture" primarily focuses on the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, originating from the Spleen and returning to the Kidney. The Spleen belongs to Earth and is responsible for transformation, while the Kidney belongs to Water and governs the storage of essence. Once cultivation is successful, it embodies the grandeur of embracing rivers and seas.
At this stage, cultivators still possess mortal bodies and have not yet reached the true transformation phase. They can learn techniques, but can only perform them by consuming the spiritual energy within their bodies, which limits their power. Therefore, cultivators at this stage are generally referred to as spiritual apprentices, and the spells they use are typically called techniques rather than laws. Only upon entering the Transcendence Realm can they use the spiritual energy within their bodies to draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, at which point they can employ true laws. This period marks the genuine transformation of cultivators from mortal bodies to spiritual and ethereal forms, hence it is called the Transcendence Realm. Since establishing a spiritual body and shedding the mortal form is fundamental to cultivation, it is also commonly referred to as the Foundation Establishment Stage or Spiritual Body Stage. Do you understand?
However, this sound could not be transmitted outside, so Xu Mu Yang did not hear it at first
Yes, that's how it is said Xu Mu Yang smiled
What’s wrong? Are you anxious?" Xu Mu Yang asked with a smile
Today, he was idly wandering in the courtyard, admiring the scenery, when he suddenly noticed the arrangement of the rockery, pavilion, stone table, and the surrounding flowers and plants in this small courtyard. He realized that, quite unintentionally, they aligned with certain principles of heaven and earth. He felt that with a slight modification, it might be possible to arrange them into a formation, and he immediately began to study it.
This is also another reason why I am unwilling to teach you the inheritance of the Xu family. Xu Mu Yang said: "The Xu family's Dongxu Sutra primarily focuses on the Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, emphasizing the Eye Meridian to break the void and primarily dealing with illusions. The Xiyue Sect mainly studies the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian, emphasizing the Heart Meridian. The two sides do not belong to each other, but the heart is the master of the five organs, the official of the sovereign. From a foundational perspective, it is still better to start with the Xiyue Sect's Ziyu Heart Method and the Shenxiao Sword Classic as a base."
Xu Mu Yang still spent most of his time recuperating at home. Regardless of the passage of time, his injuries were healing increasingly well, and he was now able to move about at any moment. Occasionally, he would feel inspired to practice a set of boxing moves to stretch his weary muscles and bones.
Well said! Xu Mu Yang clapped his hands and said: You need not be anxious. The expansion of the meridians has its limits, and the cleansing of the meridians generally takes about a year and a half to complete. By that time, you will be able to officially begin your cultivation. At that point, I will certainly take you under the wing of the Xiyue Sect, and with my status as a Grand Array Master, it should not be a problem.
Then Xu Mu Yang pointed at the small formation and said: "Hidden hetushu.com com!"
He does not mention the face of the Heavenly Heart True Person, but only speaks of the face of the Grand Array Master, which shows how strong his confidence is in his own array skills
This is merely independent of one another; there are even those that are contradictory. If one does not understand the principles and practices them together, it may lead to efforts yielding half the results for double the work
Brother Xu's explanation is simple and clear, and I have understood it. To put it simply, the realm is a qualitative enhancement, while the stage is a quantitative enhancement, correct?
I can understand your feelings," Xu Mu Yang said with a smile. "However, cultivation is not something that can be achieved overnight. A solid foundation must be established for cultivation to yield twice the result with half the effort. In fact, for children of your age, when the bones and muscles have yet to fully develop, it is the most suitable time for meridian cleansing. Unfortunately, due to the youthful temperament, many cannot withstand the allure of magical powers and often seek immediate gratification... How many exceptionally talented individuals have, for this reason, passed through the arduous and painful threshold of initiation, only to fail at this simple meridian cleansing, resulting in limited achievements later on.
Tang Jie felt a flush of embarrassment, yet he did not attempt to defend himself: "It was merely a moment of eagerness"
Experienced individuals can often make a rough judgment about another person's major field and background just by observing their hands
Although he is young in age, his soul is that of an adult, having long surpassed the stage of youthful impulsiveness and lack of self-control. Therefore, after making a mistake once in haste, he does not repeat it, and his level of composure even surprises Xu Mu Yang.
Xu Mu Yang nodded with a smile: "This statement is fresh and interesting, and it does have some merit. Although it is not entirely accurate, it is not far from the truth either"
If the human body is likened to a country, then the meridians are the roads, and each acupoint is a station. The wider the roads, the more developed the transportation naturally becomes, allowing for a greater flow of vital energy, which in turn increases its potency.
Tang Jie is a clever and perceptive young man, and he is particularly fond of such students. Although he does not formally accept Tang Jie as a disciple, he has already regarded him as one in practice
However, different cultivation techniques have various methods for opening the spiritual eye, and even the locations may differ. For this reason, Xu Mu Yang did not teach Tang Jie the method for opening the spiritual eye—he is destined to join the Xiyue Sect in the future, where there are better techniques to learn than those of the Xu family
Hurriedly rushing out of the house, I saw Tang Jie spinning around in the courtyard, his surroundings a blur, clearly disoriented, and he was intermittently shouting: "Brother Xu!"
Despite being busy with his cultivation, Tang Jie did not neglect his care for Xu Mu Yang. Every day, he still diligently cleaned the courtyard, and during the day, he went out to work to earn some household expenses
At this moment, he solemnly said: "I understand. No matter where we are or what we do, patience is the key to our success"
After the Jade Gate opens, the qi flows through the meridians. Different methods of circulating qi correspond to different practices. Washing the meridians essentially involves expanding the channels, allowing for a greater flow of spiritual energy, and similarly enhancing the capacity of the meridians.
Not bad! Not bad! Looking at the new work he had just completed, Xu Mu Yang nodded in great satisfaction. This formation was merely set up casually, but during the arrangement process, he suddenly felt a surge of many good ideas in his heart. With a burst of inspiration, he did not hesitate any longer and hurried back to his room to meticulously record his insights and feelings from the formation process, writing them down in detail.
However, the two are mutually exclusive and independent of each other
The Zangxiang Sutra is merely a method for opening the meridians and has the ability to cleanse them; it does not focus on cultivating any specific meridian, thus practicing it will not lead to any issues. Moreover, this Zangxiang Sutra, in any case, is a method created by the military master, and I always feel it cannot be that simple. If you practice diligently, you may gain other insights in the future. My meridians are already solidified, so this cleansing of the meridians is of no use to me. " At this point, Xu Mu Yang shook his head and sighed. My meridians are already solidified, so this cleansing of the meridians is of no use to me. " At this point, Xu Mu Yang shook his head and sighed.
So, does that mean I have to wait until I enter the Academy of Moonlight before I can officially begin my training
What is referred to as "washing the meridians" is essentially the refinement and expansion of the meridians
Thus, washing the meridians is about laying the foundation, but as long as the spiritual eye remains closed for a day, Tang Jie cannot be considered a formal cultivator apprentice for that day
According to Xu Mu Yang, the human body consists of various components such as meridians, qi and blood, tendons and bones, and the five organs, each of which has its unique purpose and significance. Different cultivation methods and processes can bring about different changes in the cultivator, leading to distinct strengths. Even the simplest basic spells like Wind Blade, Frost Sword, Fireball, and Electric Chain exhibit varying performances and powers in the hands of cultivators with different training methods
His words were spoken with great weight and sincerity, and Tang Jie felt a chill in his heart, knowing that this was Xu Mu Yang's advice to him
Not long ago, he was focused on recovering from his injuries and had no time for research, which was understandable. Now that his condition has greatly improved, he naturally has the inclination to engage in activities he enjoys
He has a natural inclination towards formations, to the extent that he is willing to forgo the position of the head of the Xu family in order to study array techniques
Understood, this is akin to a sea that accommodates rivers, allowing the lake to embrace the ocean, even as the vast waters rage uncontrollably
Only the flickering array patterns gradually dimmed and disappeared without a trace. If no one were to remind them, no one would know that an additional array had been added to this courtyard
By the time everything was written, Xu Mu Yang's emotions had been vented to the fullest, feeling that nothing was left unexpressed. Only then did he raise his head to look at the sky, only to find that it was already night.
He, a member of the Xu family, was so deeply immersed in the profound teachings of his lineage that he perceived the night as if it were day, and thus failed to notice the arrival of darkness
The cultivation is divided into five realms, and each realm is further divided into three stages, except for the Immortal Platform realm, which has only two stages, thus referred to as five realms and fourteen stages. Among them, the Spirit Platform realm is divided into three realms: Spirit Spring, Spirit Lake, and Spirit Sea, primarily indicating the quantity of spiritual energy accumulated within the body. Cultivators practice with spiritual energy, so the first realm focuses on the absorption and utilization of spiritual energy. The Spirit Platform realm is about improving one's constitution and enhancing the quantity of contained spiritual energy through the inhalation and exhalation of spiritual energy, which is why the Spirit Platform realm is often referred to as the Inhalation Period or Qi Training Period.
If it had been a killing formation at that time, then Tang Jie would already be dead now
There is an old saying in the realm of cultivation: to pursue immortality, one must first cleanse the meridians
Look at him, he has been trapped inside for quite a while now
At this moment, under his command, lines of array patterns flew out from beneath his feet, connecting to the rockery and pavilions in the courtyard, shimmering with brilliant radiance. In just a brief moment, a small formation had already taken shape.
"Huh! Fortunately, it was just an illusionary formation." Xu Mu Yang also broke out in a cold sweat.
Although the realms are the same, the effects brought about by different cultivation methods vary significantly
In addition to cleansing the meridians, novice cultivators must also open their spiritual eyes, which serve as the storage for spiritual energy. Only by opening the spiritual eyes can the absorbed spiritual energy be stored, expanded, and transformed into the fundamental energy necessary for casting spells
Therefore, the practice of martial arts is not about excessive accumulation, but rather about returning to its essence, where mutual enhancement is optimal
"What you mean is that having cultivated the Ziyu Heart Method of the Xiyue Sect and the Shenxiao Sword Classic, one might still be able to cultivate the Dongxu Sutra of the Xu family. However, having cultivated the Dongxu Sutra does not necessarily mean one can still practice the Ziyu Heart Method well, is that correct?" Tang Jie asked.
Clearly cunning in thought, yet surprisingly mature for his age, he truly is difficult to see through. Regarding Tang Jie, Xu Mu Yang had to admit that although he may not possess the best aptitude for cultivation, in terms of dealing with people and situations, one can no longer regard him as a mere child.