Chapter 3, The Beginning of Qi Cultivation

However, he remained completely silent and showed no signs of complaint

In the previous life, such an environment made it impossible to achieve any cultivation, so after a few years of playing around, Su Li honestly turned to studying materialism.

"What if this old fool comes out, and in a desperate gamble, he fails and dies without a word?" asked Chi Lao.

Su Li was indeed exhausted, his sweat-soaked robe had turned a dark, damp color.

This is the burning sensation brought about by the accelerated flow of blood throughout his body after exercise, making him feel as if he is radiating heat even in this silence

At this moment, the long-silent Chi Lao suddenly spoke again: "Su Li, what are your thoughts?"

However, by that time, he had already mastered his energy perception, and even faintly refined some genuine internal energy. It was just that he suffered from a lack of guidance and was unclear about his own condition, which ultimately led him to give up.

Then I will collect his body, surely I can gain some benefits from it

It is merely a matter of unfamiliarity at present, yet when inducing the thermal flow, there are actually no obstacles, and it appears to be quite smooth. This is already a significant improvement compared to the situation in the previous life

At this moment, Su Li felt a burning sensation all over his body, as if hot air were rising from him

Following such a situation, Su Li truly felt somewhat troubled, completely lacking direction

Chi Lao no longer wished to speak, as Su Li's reaction was completely different from what he had imagined, leading him to once again doubt whether he had made a mistake at some step.

However, this did not discourage Su Li, as in his previous life, he not only moved slowly but also faced numerous obstacles along the way

The life I lived before was not in vain

And in the silence, he felt the surging warmth coursing through his body

Although this young boy has an average foundation, his intention and energy are exceptional, and his character is truly commendable. Furthermore, at the age of eight, his innate pure Yang has not yet dissipated, so it seems that this time he should be able to sense the energy.

It is merely a simple method to help you recover your stamina quickly

Su Li responded with curiosity, "Isn't it thanks to you, Chi Lao, that I am able to think more clearly now? You allowed me to experience a lifetime, which has enabled me to grasp many skills that will help me survive."

On that day, Su Li descended the mountain, and the old Taoist said nothing. He simply led Su Li along the winding path of Tianlie Mountain, where the Sword Sect's gate was located, and then seemingly chose a random direction, walking forward without looking back.

Su Li hesitated slightly but did not pursue the matter further, simply following the old master's teachings and beginning to breathe diligently.

Half an hour is neither fast nor slow. Just as Su Li was barely guiding the heat flow to his dantian, the time was up. The old Daoist would not wait a moment longer; he stood up and said, "Alright, let us continue our journey."

He then added: "If the master succeeds, then as the Taoist boy who has accompanied him all the way, I should also receive some benefits, right?"

At the beginning, there were some difficulties; each stream of heat moved slowly, and his thoughts often became 'disconnected' from these streams of heat

At this moment, Su Li instinctively made use of a "small talent" inherited from his previous life

The term "Qi Xian" was not explicitly mentioned by the old master, yet Su Li had already grasped this concept quite well

Su Li quickly complied upon hearing this, while internally asking Chi Lao: "Is this teaching me to cultivate my energy?"

The old man’s eyes had never left Su Li, and upon seeing this, he could not help but nod to himself.

These are all the boiling essence of the physical body, which is much more difficult to control compared to true vital energy.

That is rather troublesome, but I believe that as long as there are people around, I will be able to survive. If it really comes to it, then there is nothing that can be done

His mood naturally calmed and settled down amidst the continuous rhythm of breathing in and out

It is important to understand that although the hot air that was just drawn in is now concentrated in the Dantian, if it cannot be refined into true energy and the process is halted, then next time it will require great effort to repeat what was just done.

Such performance, in the eyes of the experienced, can naturally be regarded as 'talented'.

Subsequently, he attempted to guide these thermal currents with his will based on experience, directing and concentrating them towards his dantian position

Su Li is quite open-minded; this is not merely the maturity of middle age, but rather a sense of having transcended life and death.

However, at that moment, the old Taoist finally came to a stop. He looked at the panting Su Li and seemingly dissatisfied, said, "Rest for half an hour"

Su Li immediately returned to his senses from his state of cultivation, feeling somewhat regretful about his current condition

He was somewhat surprised, as it seemed that his physical strength and experiences from his previous life were quite different. Wasn't the physical strength of an eight-year-old a bit too good?

The old man was silent for a long time before he could not help but say: "Your temperament is not at all like that of an eight-year-old boy"

His small arms and legs were somewhat unable to cope; by the time he reached the foot of the mountain from the servant quarters halfway up Tianlie Mountain, he was nearly exhausted. However, judging by the old Taoist's demeanor, it seemed he had no intention of seeking a horse-drawn carriage after descending the mountain... he continued to measure the earth with his own legs

In fact, the old master instructed Su Li to walk briskly and then immediately sit down to practice breathing and meditation, because the residual heat in the body after exercise is the easiest state to experience the sensation of Qi, and possessing the sensation of Qi marks the beginning of Qi cultivation

Su Li was not clear about the old Taoist's thoughts, but he could actually sense the hidden goodwill of the old Taoist, which made him feel even more at ease than the direct spiritual communication he had with the red elder

In fact, the old master mentioned that the key points of breathing were something he had learned during his lifetime as a doctor. However, in that lifetime, cultivating the Dao and practicing Qi was merely a legend, so he could only be considered to have learned a few scattered bits through hearsay and practiced for a period of time.

What? Su Lizheng was startled and exhausted, but fortunately, he had already understood how to communicate with Chi Lao on a spiritual level, so he asked in his heart: "What are you thinking?"

Su Li indeed has a sense of energy, but this is actually unrelated to the guidance of the old master; it is purely a result of experiences from a past life

At this moment, after communicating with Chi Lao for a while, Su Li felt much better physically; this should be what is referred to in kinesiology as the 'second wind'

Having died once, he found that his heart was particularly capable of remaining calm, especially when recalling the moment in his previous life when everything returned to darkness and silence

He knew that perhaps if he spoke at this moment, the old Taoist would really stop and let him rest for a while, but if that were truly the case, it would also leave a bad impression in the old Taoist's mind

"Think simply; if this old man takes you to die in a remote and impoverished place, the first problem is how you will survive!" Chi Lao said with a hint of intimidation.

However, this state of breathing is entered very quickly

Su Li, as if granted a great pardon, immediately found a place to sit down, took small sips of water, and then made an effort to regulate his breathing.

The old master, upon seeing this, actually nodded subtly, and then seemingly casually pointed out: "Press the tongue against the palate, focus the mind on the dantian, tighten the abdomen while inhaling and relax while exhaling..."

In his view, the so-called sense of qi is a manifestation of one's focused intention, or it can also be described as the most superficial attempt of human will to subjectively regulate the body

Su Li's thoughts are exceedingly pragmatic, lacking even the slightest pretense

In summary, Su Li believes that as he continues on this path, he will not suffer any losses regardless of the circumstances. He truly cannot understand why those people are unwilling to follow this old master.