Chapter 9, Daoist Canon (Part 2)
The old man stared blankly at the heavy snow blanketing the temple entrance for a long time before coming to his senses. He reached into his bosom and rummaged for a while, finally pulling out an ancient-looking scroll and handing it to Lin Junxuan, saying: "This is for you; it is a gift I prepared for you before I left"
Elder, do you not possess supreme powers? How could you possibly die
Lin Junxuan's thoughts were completely immersed in the world described by the old man; this realm of cultivation, which transcended the ordinary person's perspective, held an infinite allure for him
Have you really thought it through? There is no road of regret
Lin Junxuan instinctively took the scroll, and saw that the cover of the ancient book was inscribed in small seal script with four simple characters: "Dao Fa Zheng Cang"
After bringing Lin Junxuan into the air, the old man appeared somewhat weak: "Child, although you are only a little over four years old, I have never regarded you as an ordinary child. This volume of 'Dao Fa Zheng Zang' is a supreme work of Daoist teachings. Once you practice it, you will surely possess abilities like mine just now. However, that is not the purpose of my passing this book to you."
Lin Junxuan's eyes revealed a trace of sorrow: "Elder, is your current situation the Five Declines of Heaven and Man?"
"Elder, are you leaving?" From the old man's tone, Lin Junxuan sensed a hint of farewell.
The old man sighed and said, "This is your choice; in the future, you cannot blame others. Let me first tell you about the realm of cultivation."
In the next moment, Lin Junxuan returned to the City God Temple. The beggars remained silent, and the old man and Lin Junxuan were still seated in their original positions. If it were not for the layer of accumulated snow on his shoulder, Lin Junxuan would truly believe that what had just occurred was merely a figment of his imagination
Lin Junxuan had not yet reacted to what was happening when an old man's withered hand reached out and grasped him. His vision darkened, and in the next moment, Lin Junxuan found himself suddenly floating in the air.
Lin Junxuan did not wish to linger on this matter, so he directly stated his purpose: "It is snowing tonight, and the weather is very cold. My teacher has asked me to invite you to the academy to avoid the cold." Since the old man was not an ordinary human, he naturally would not fear the wind and snow like an ordinary person. When Lin Junxuan said this, he did not expect the old man to agree, as he had already declined once. However, since his teacher had given the instruction, it was still necessary for him to fulfill it.
I cannot find that feeling!" Lin Junxuan said as he opened his eyes
"You have a point; what good is fear?" The old man smiled, nodded, and said, "You are truly a peculiar child! It is really hard for one to regard you as a four-year-old child"
"Child, are you not afraid?" Seeing the calm expression on Lin Junxuan's face, the old man couldn't help but feel puzzled; this was an expression that a four-year-old child should not possess
It has started to snow? ... ... The old man seems to have just realized this fact; his gaze swept past Lin Junxuan's shoulder and looked towards the temple gate, where the wind and snow were vast and had long since merged into one.
Lin Junxuan did not understand why this ordinary snowfall held so much meaning in the old man's eyes, so he simply watched the old man in silence
The vast wind and snow drifted down around him, and beneath his feet, the city of Lin'an lay quietly in the midst of the snowstorm, covered by a layer of white snow. Lin Junxuan could hardly believe his eyes
"Since you will not harm me, why should I be afraid? Moreover, what is the use of fear?" Lin Junxuan retorted
Lin Junxuan continued to follow the instructions, imagining his blood forming a vortex at the navel. This process felt somewhat strange. Half an hour later, Lin Junxuan stopped imagining, yet he still did not feel any small drops of blood coagulating and remaining still in his lower abdomen
Lin Junxuan merely smiled and said nothing. Although the elderly man before him posed no threat, he would not reveal that he came from another world
Child," the old man looked down at Lin Junxuan and said, "If I had met you a little earlier, I would have had time to teach you and make you a master who could traverse the world. However, now I am becoming increasingly frail, and my abilities have nearly deteriorated. My time is limited; during the day, I can only be clear-headed at noon and during the midnight hour. At all other times, I am in a state of confusion.
The old man shook his head: "The ways of heaven are merciless; one cannot attain the realm of the 'immortal' where one is neither born nor dies. Even with the greatest powers, one cannot escape death! When the 'five declines of heaven and man' arrive, one's abilities will weaken, and one will gradually age and die, no different from an ordinary person!"
Cultivation is divided into eight levels: Foundation Establishment, Qi Connection, Golden Core, Dragon and Tiger, Celestial Being, Qi Absorption, Corpse Severing, and Immortal. Among these, Foundation Establishment refers to the process of extracting blood essence from the blood; Qi Connection involves attracting the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to nourish the blood essence, allowing it to grow stronger. At this stage, the blood essence is referred to as 'Essence Qi'; when the Essence Qi is abundant, it transforms into a Dan, known as the 'Golden Core Stage.' The Golden Core Stage is further divided into nine levels, each level being a 'Turn,' referred to as 'First Grade.' The 'Ninth Grade Golden Core' is the most perfect form of the Golden Core, and only after achieving the Ninth Turn can one continue to cultivate. Upon reaching the 'Dragon and Tiger' stage, the yin and yang within the body converge, and the Ninth Grade Golden Core transforms into 'Misty Purple Qi.' As for the 'Celestial Being' realm, it is a process of 'Refining Qi into Spirit.' At this time, the 'Misty Purple Qi' within the body transforms into a radiant light resembling flowers atop the head. The Celestial Being stage is further divided into two levels: 'One Flower Gathering at the Top' and 'Two Flowers Gathering at the Top.' Those who reach this 'Celestial Being' realm possess extraordinary abilities beyond ordinary imagination, and their lifespans are exceedingly long, yet they still face death. Only those who attain the Immortal realm of 'Three Flowers Gathering at the Top' and 'Five Qi Returning to Origin' can achieve immortality and possess an infinitely long life.
However, since time travel can exist, why can't monsters exist as well? Thinking of this, Lin Junxuan felt a sense of calm in his heart. There was no need to pursue whether the old man was a demon or not; one thing was certain, this old man was definitely not an ordinary fortune-teller.
The old man raised his head, gazing into the deep azure beyond the door: "My life has reached its end. I have lived as a demon, in a state of confusion, until I transformed into human form, at which point I finally understood humanity. As a demon, I roared proudly across the world, unmatched by any! My entire life has been devoted to the pursuit of power, and only as my lifespan drew to a close did I begin to notice the ordinary things I had previously overlooked. Our demon race has always been emotionally detached; to feel the kind of emotions shared among ordinary humans before my death is already enough for me!" My entire life has been devoted to the pursuit of power, and only as my lifespan drew to a close did I begin to notice the ordinary things I had previously overlooked. Our demon race has always been emotionally detached; to feel the kind of emotions shared among ordinary humans before my death is already enough for me!
Another year has passed! Looking out at the vast wind and snow, the old man sighed, his face revealing an immense sense of melancholy and solitude
Lin Junxuan did not deliberate for long before making a decision: "I wish to study this volume of the Daoist Canon."
Do not be afraid. Lin Junxuan looked directly into the old man's eyes, his expression calm and composed
Lin Junxuan's answer was very simple and also very firm
This volume of the "Daoist Canon" was found by me inadvertently in an ancient cave deep in the mountains during my long life. I am a demon and unable to practice your human esoteric arts..." The old man suddenly paused and said with a smile, "Are you still in doubt?"
Lin Junxuan listened quietly, fully aware that what the elder was saying was of great importance, not daring to miss a single word
Yes. The old man nodded: "All cultivators, if they are not killed in the disputes of sects, will ultimately reach this point! If one has not crossed the boundary of the celestial being, it is 'the five declines of the minor'; if one has crossed the 'boundary of the celestial being', it is the five declines of the celestial being! You need not pity me; I can naturally reach the end of life, having already surpassed the vast majority of cultivators!"
"Did you see? This is Lin'an City! This world is not inhabited solely by humans," the old man said calmly. "There are also demons!"
Why are you not afraid? The old man was filled with astonishment.
For some reason, Lin Junxuan suddenly recalled the myths and legends he had learned about before his time travel. "So, myths are not false!" This thought instinctively flashed through his mind
"Will you hurt me?" Lin Junxuan suddenly asked. The old man shook his head, still looking at him with a strange expression.
Lin Junxuan held the ancient scroll, lost in thought. The old man's words had already provided sufficient hints; by practicing the teachings within this scroll, one would gain the ability to soar through the skies and traverse the earth. Such abilities, for him, were originally thought to exist only in myths.
Child, cultivation is a lengthy process. Most people stop at the 'Golden Core' stage, and currently, the leaders of most sects and schools have only reached the 'Celestial' realm at most. As for the 'Immortal' realm, in my tens of thousands of years of life, I have never heard of anyone achieving this level!
"The Daoist Canon is a volume of magical secrets, but for you, it is not merely a magical tome; it is a door, a door to different worlds. Once you step through this door, there is no possibility of retreat. Regarding the world beyond this door, I cannot tell you too much. I can only share from my own experience— the world of ordinary people is fraught with conflict, while the world beyond this door has conflicts that transcend ordinary humanity! Such conflicts may lead to any outcome you can imagine!"
The old man was not the least bit surprised: "Just as not all non-human entities can transform into demons, not everyone can cultivate the Dao. Within this, there is also a distinction in aptitude. Those with good aptitude will feel a slight presence of very small droplets below the navel in three to five days. Those with poor aptitude will experience this sensation in about thirty days. There is also a category of people who, even after a long time of cultivation, will not feel anything; these individuals are not suited for cultivating the Dao! With your aptitude, you will feel something at the latest within ten days!"
The old man stared into the eyes of the four-year-old child beside him, and in those eyes, he truly did not see a trace of fear.
Child, my time is limited. Come, let me first teach you the foundational skills! The old man sat cross-legged, his expression solemn: "Sit like me, and imagine your blood swirling around your navel. When you feel a warmth in that area, as if a small drop of blood has solidified and remains still, then you have succeeded. This process is called 'establishing the foundation.' Whether it is a demon or a human, this process is the same."
Blood essence is the most refined part of a biological body. In an ordinary human body, a maximum of three to four drops of blood essence can be refined, while our demon race can refine eight to ten drops! This blood essence is the origin of everything! Moreover, it can only be extracted near the umbilical cord. Even the person with the best aptitude for the first drop of blood essence requires three days!" As the elder spoke, he turned to Lin Junxuan and said: "After refining the blood essence, initially you can only obtain spiritual energy from food to strengthen the blood essence. Once the blood essence is stabilized, you can then absorb spiritual energy from the heavens and the earth to further enhance the blood essence!" The person with the best aptitude for the first drop of blood essence also requires three days!" As the elder spoke, he turned to Lin Junxuan and said: "After refining the blood essence, initially you can only obtain spiritual energy from food to strengthen the blood essence. Once the blood essence is stabilized, you can then absorb spiritual energy from the heavens and the earth to further enhance the blood essence!
I am a demon, and you are a human. There is a distinction between humans and demons. Although I possess great powers, I am not suited for you. The only thing I can pass on to you is this volume of the "Daoist Canon of Righteousness." The method of foundation establishment is the same for both humans and demons. As for the subsequent cultivation methods, they are all recorded in the "Daoist Canon of Righteousness." After you return, study it carefully. If there are any parts you do not understand, come to see me during the hours of Zi and Wu each day, and I will provide you with answers.