Chapter 8: Tempering the Body

However, Sui Ge spent money and bled, certainly not to assist this dogtail grass in its cultivation. At this moment, seeing the dogtail grass exude a few strands of vital energy, he knew that the opportunity must not be missed, and hurriedly opened his mouth to inhale, intending to swallow these precious strands of vital energy into his belly

This breath, however, was a foul, gray-black gas that made one feel nauseous, causing Sui Ge to hurriedly hold his breath.

This sudden rainstorm lasted only five seconds before it disappeared

Subsequently, he placed five pieces of jade at the five corners of a pentagonal flowerpot, arranging a simple formation according to the method outlined in the Divine Farmer's Herbal Classic. He then poured in sand and soil, and planted dogtail grass into it.

After receiving the money, Sui Ge haggled at the jade shop and finally managed to purchase five uncarved Lantian jade pieces.

The newly planted foxtail grass immediately radiated a vibrant vitality, and there was an elusive yet profound connection to the spirit of Sui Ge that was mysterious and difficult to articulate

The soil in this flowerpot is quite particular; it is a type of reddish soil with a slight fishy smell, sourced by Sui Ge from Qixia Mountain. According to the teachings in the Divine Farmer's Herbal Classic, this type of soil is referred to as "Yin Yue Soil," which is capable of absorbing the moonlight and connecting with the earth's energy

After leaving school, Sui Ge first went to the flower and bird market to buy a pentagonal ceramic flower pot, spending twenty yuan

At last, Sui Ge, with a determined heart, used a small blade to cut his finger, letting a few drops of fresh blood fall onto the leaves of the dogtail grass

Gazing at the foxtail grass in the flowerpot, Sui Ge was truly filled with emotions.

Subsequently, Sui Ge went to the antique jade market, preparing to purchase several pieces of jade.

As this clump of foxtail grass was on the verge of withering, a cloud of ethereal energy appeared above the flowerpot, gently cascading into it, revitalizing the wild grass with renewed vigor

These strands of vitality are the essence transformed from the spiritual energy absorbed by the dogtail grass yesterday.

Practicing martial arts without refining medicine will inevitably lead to wasted efforts. Traditional Chinese medicine without cultivating Qi is of no value at all

The process of transformation is, in fact, a form of cultivation

However, for martial artists to reach the level of being able to break bricks and stones, withstand spears to the throat, possess skin as tough as copper and bones as strong as iron, and be impervious to knives and axes, it often requires ten years or even several decades of training

To cultivate energy, one must first refine the body

Clouds and rain

The body tempering technique of the Divine Farmer's Herbal Formula requires the assistance of a wild grass with exceptionally strong vitality and reproductive ability. After some contemplation, Sui Ge deemed that the foxtail grass was quite suitable, as it thrived remarkably well even under the frequent onslaught of herbicides each month. Its vitality must therefore be extremely resilient, so he conveniently dug up a specimen to bring back.

Sui Ge felt an overwhelming joy in his heart, even experiencing an impulse to shout and scream

This is not difficult to understand; if martial arts were too easy, then masters of Iron Shirt and Golden Bell Shield would be everywhere.

Oh, four hundred yuan... are you planning to buy jade or stones? The owner of the jade shop spoke with a harsh tone, "Young man, do you know that pork is now over ten yuan per jin?"

At this moment, Sui Ge wished he could absorb a few more breaths of vital energy, but that was nothing short of a luxury. The dogtail grass, which had painstakingly condensed a few strands of vital energy and knowledge, was stolen by Sui Ge, causing its stems and leaves to begin wilting immediately, forming a stark contrast to its previous vibrant appearance

In an instant, Sui Ge felt invigorated and full of vitality, as the fatigue brought on by waking up early was instantly swept away

Upon exiting the jade shop, Sui Ge truly felt as if his heart were being cut by knives. If this trick of deception were to fail, Sui Ge would likely end up crashing his head against the wall.

... ...

After arriving at the dormitory, Sui Ge locked the door to prevent any disturbances

This is the dogtail grass instinctively breathing in and out the spiritual energy of heaven and earth

Although body tempering is the first step in cultivation, it is by no means an easy task to take this step.

At this moment, Sui Ge was finally completely convinced that his money was well spent; this "Divine Farmer's Herbal Formula" was undoubtedly genuine and of real value

The cultivation of spiritual energy absorbed by plants from heaven and earth is an inherent ability, yet this ability varies in strength. For instance, ginseng, reishi mushrooms, and he shou wu possess far greater cultivation capabilities than ordinary plants, even enabling them to awaken spiritual intelligence and transform into demons or immortals. Consequently, when humans consume such substances, they greatly benefit their health. In contrast, plants like dogtail grass have extremely weak cultivation abilities and short lifespans, making it nearly impossible for them to awaken spiritual intelligence and become spiritual herbs. Therefore, while the consumption of such plants offers little benefit to humans, the disparity in cultivation potential is evident.

Even breathing in Qixia Mountain, known as a natural oxygen bar, will never provide such a wonderful feeling

Jade, referred to by practitioners as spiritual stone, inherently possesses a certain amount of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, which is also an essential item for the initial cultivation of the Shennong Immortal Herb Formula

However, Sui Ge Xian and Tu Shu Ran underestimated the price of the "spiritual stone"

For those who practice martial arts, if they are injured and lack medical treatment, the consequences can range from disability to death, which is indeed tragic. Similarly, every renowned practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine possesses the ability to cultivate the spirit and vital energy; otherwise, techniques such as massage, acupuncture, and cupping would not be able to demonstrate their true efficacy. This is also why there are so many quacks and barefoot doctors in traditional Chinese medicine today

The black mist gathered on the flowerpot for a moment and finally dissipated completely

Carrying a flower pot and jade, Sui Ge dug up a yet-to-bloom foxtail grass from the greenbelt by the roadside and brought it back to the dormitory.

The night is still deep, and all is silent.

This tempering method is called "Stealing the Sky and Changing the Sun." By cultivating with a wild grass, one can achieve results equivalent to the efforts of others over ten or even several decades within a maximum of one to two months.

This is the cloud and rain formed by the spiritual energy gathered from the jade

After being cleansed and nourished by the ethereal clouds and rain, this clump of foxtail grass is truly vibrant and thriving. Especially the slender leaves, which are as emerald green as jade. Setting aside other matters, this Shennong Immortal Herb Formula is indeed remarkably effective for nurturing grass.

Seeing the withered yellow leaves of the dogtail grass gradually turn green, Sui Ge let out a sigh of relief

Moments later, a small tuft of white, cotton-like cloud unexpectedly appeared about thirty to forty centimeters above the flower pot. Within that small cloud, a fine drizzle began to fall, enveloping the entire clump of foxtail grass in this little cloud of rain.

In the end, Sui Ge had no choice but to grit his teeth and withdraw all of his living expenses for half a year, a total of five thousand yuan

The method of body tempering in the Divine Farmer's Immortal Herb Sutra is extraordinarily bizarre and unfathomable, and it is also a fast-track approach to mastery

Exciting!

Perhaps sensing Sui Ge's ill intentions, this clump of foxtail grass hurriedly drew back several strands of vital energy into its own stems and leaves

To steal the sky and replace the sun

Six thirty in the morning

The dogtail grass in the Sui Ge flowerpot is different; the clouds and rain produced by the Xiaoyunyu formation are, in essence, the pure spiritual energy accumulated over thousands of years within the jade stones, far denser than the spiritual energy found in the natural world. Because of this, in just one night, this dogtail grass has cultivated several strands of vital energy within its body.

According to the words of the Immortal in the Celestial Garden, every blade of grass and every tree in the world actually breathes and exhales; however, their breathing is extremely prolonged and silent, which is why many people tend to overlook it

Under the cleansing of the rain, the blood that Sui Ge had previously dripped onto the foxtail grass quickly merged into the stems and leaves of the grass

However, the few drops of blood that Sui Ge shed yesterday were not shed in vain. This clump of foxtail grass, having absorbed Sui Ge's essence, could not resist his actions and could only watch helplessly as several strands of vital energy were consumed by Sui Ge.

At this moment, the clump of foxtail grass in the flowerpot is just releasing a few strands of vital energy it has absorbed in the first ray of morning light

When spiritual energy is absorbed and transformed, it is referred to as primordial energy

Strange and inexplicable events have occurred

Many secular martial artists utilize various medicinal herbs, supplemented by martial techniques, to refine their bodies. For instance, Shaolin and Wudang are not only renowned for their martial arts but also famous for their various ointments, pills, and medicinal wines.

While the other three roommates in the bedroom were still sound asleep, Sui Ge had quietly gotten out of bed, tiptoed silently to the balcony, and was intently staring at the foxtail grass that had been planted yesterday

After a few minutes, the first ray of sunlight appeared on the eastern horizon

Sui Ge successfully stole a few strands of vital energy that the dogtail grass had painstakingly condensed, and expelled a mouthful of turbid air from within his body

At this moment, wisps of white smoke, resembling fine silk threads, slowly rose from the blades of the dogtail grass and then lingered in the air above the flowerpot

Despite some skepticism, considering that it would at most waste a month or two, and with no other alternatives available for the time being, Sui Ge immediately felt relieved and began to make preparations for it

Subsequently, Sui Ge opened his mouth and exhaled towards the flowerpot

A few strands of vitality entered his abdomen, quickly merging into Sui Ge's body

This proves that his judgment is correct; the vitality of this foxtail grass is indeed robust. Otherwise, if this foxtail grass were to completely wither, it would signify the total failure of his sleight of hand.

After finishing the planting, Sui Ge carried the flower pot to the balcony. He examined it carefully before placing the pot at the corner of the balcony railing, muttering to himself, "Hmm, this should be facing due east, right"

Upon entering the jade shop, Sui Ge was looked down upon by the shop owner. However, this 400 yuan was indeed his living expenses for half a month

The same breath, yet this particular breath made Sui Ge feel as if he were seizing the creation of heaven and earth, floating as if he were a celestial being