Chapter 2, Planning for the Future
As Shi Xuan emerged from the alley, he found himself on the bustling and lively main street. Instead of choosing one of the lavishly decorated grand restaurants, he relied on his memory and entered a small noodle shop by the roadside
It is fortunate that Shopkeeper Liu is concerned about the content of the discussion and does not pay too much attention to the tone: "I see you have developed a good physique from your training. Why not consider becoming a constable at the yamen? The salary is not much, but when combined with other benefits, it amounts to a considerable sum. Although your family has some wealth, you still cannot afford to live off it indefinitely. I do have some connections in this regard."
Finishing the last sip of the noodle soup was truly delightful. After being a glutton in a past life, I felt that living was indeed wonderful after having my fill of Shixuan soup. I then stood up, paid the bill to the shopkeeper Liu, greeted him, and headed out towards the southern part of the city, where there are several large herbal medicine shops
However, the main issue lies in the differing levels of the body and the soul. The body belongs to Du Bai, who has already surpassed the realm of body refinement and reached a level where he can generate internal energy to strengthen the soul. In contrast, the soul belongs to Shi Xuan. During his previous life while studying, he was fine, but after starting work, he neglected exercise, resulting in his soul's realm being at the initial stage of the body refinement and soul nurturing period. This is also the reason why Shi Xuan did not immediately begin visualization training. Visualization would guide internal energy to strengthen the soul, but given the current level of his soul, there is a significant risk of it being unable to absorb the energy effectively. To be cautious, he should continue daily body refinement until the soul reaches the initial strength of the soul enhancement stage under the slow nourishment of the physical body before starting visualization.
Shi Xuan sighed, realizing that he would inevitably have to embark on the same journey as Old Daoist Xu, traveling the world in search of immortals and the Dao. Excluding the places Old Daoist Xu had visited, it seems there are only three locations in the Central Plains that need to be explored: Tongxuan Mountain, Mang Mountain, and the Imperial Capital. The last location was added by Shi Xuan himself, because if there truly exists a realm of immortals, and they need to communicate with the mortal world, aside from famous mountains and rivers, it is likely that only the capital of a dynasty could meet the conditions, whether for the collection of spiritual herbs and other resources, or for recruiting exceptionally talented disciples. These conclusions are drawn from various novels he had read before, combined with some experiential reasoning; if he is wrong, then it will just be a wasted trip.
I said, "Du Xiaozai, you usually come early, but today it's almost noon." Shopkeeper Liu, with his big belly, walked over after cutting the pig intestines, showing concern for this neighbor he had watched grow up.
After completing the journey through Middle-earth, if one has not yet encountered any celestial fate, one should prepare to set sail for the Eastern Sea Fairy Island, often mentioned in myths and legends. The subsequent destinations in order are south of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains and the Western Wilderness.
Shi Xuan was already extremely hungry, but with ten years of experience in cultivating and training his body, he knew that he should not eat in haste at this moment. He began to eat slowly, savoring each bite of the light and refreshing Yangchun noodles and the richly flavored braised dish. The flavors were delightful, smooth without being greasy, truly a delicacy of the human world
According to Xu Laodao's explanation, the highest level of cultivation in the two capitals and thirteen provinces only reaches the stage of soul separation. Therefore, as one's cultivation advances and encounters bottlenecks requiring external assistance, it may become quite difficult to find individuals of the same realm for discussion and exploration. Moreover, when faced with challenging problems or unfamiliar phrases in the Daoist teachings, seeking guidance from those of a higher realm will be even more challenging.
Ah, don't mention it. Last night, I was thinking about what to do in the future, and I couldn't sleep. I felt a lot of pressure. Shi Xuan recalled Du Bai's tone in front of Shopkeeper Liu, but still unconsciously spoke in the current tone.
As someone who has a unique affection for the world of immortal heroes, as someone who hopes to live freely and carefreely, and as someone who fears death, if given the opportunity to cultivate immortality and seek longevity, Shi Xuan would undoubtedly pursue it without hesitation
However, both the Dan Fang and the Qi Tu are equally frustrating, as many of the medicinal materials within are either unheard of or exist only in legends. Particularly, the first prescription, the Dragon Emperor Blood Refining Pill, is likely 70 to 80 percent unknown and rooted in myth. The second prescription, the Human Immortal Body Refining Soup, is about 40 to 50 percent.
The law, one has already attained the fundamental teachings that directly point to the Great Way, which does not require external seeking. However, based on the content of the previous volume of the precious record, it leans more towards the Dao, with only about ten types of teachings that naturally derive from the original Dao.
Indeed, nothing in the world is perfect. There is still a type of medicinal herb, "Shishangshen," that is not labeled. However, Shixuan remembers having seen it in ancient texts and can basically confirm that it is one of the following: Shibao, Chishen, or Taigenlian. As for which specific one it is, we can only wait until we go out to buy some and find a few experimental animals to test it.
Wealth, having inherited the legacy of the old Daoist, there are still about a thousand taels of silver, but the accumulation of resources for cultivation is quite limited. In the words of the old Daoist Xu, in the Central Plains, the resources for cultivating immortality are scarce
Certainly, if such a situation arises, it is highly likely that the properties of medicine A and medicine B are different. Shi Xuan is now quite proficient in pharmacology and should be able to distinguish between them. However, if A and B happen to have identical properties, with only slight differences, it is possible that medicine B could masquerade as medicine A in Xu Laodao's prescription, coinciding with the properties of other medicines to produce an effect. Yet, in the medicines that Shi Xuan intends to use, the slight differences could render it toxic. The probability of this occurring is very low, but one cannot be too careful when it concerns matters of life. It is better to exercise caution. If a problem arises, who would one turn to for help?
Fortunately, the third prescription, Qianyuan Huansui Decoction, may be said by even the best doctors to have over twenty percent of its components unheard of and derived from myths and legends. However, these are present in Elder Xu's prescription, which also notes their ancient names alongside their modern names that have evolved over time
To pursue the path of cultivation, wealth, companions, teachings, and the environment are indispensable
Upon exiting the courtyard, I was nearly blinded by the sunlight. Looking up, I noticed that it was already past noon, which explained why I was feeling quite hungry. After locking the courtyard gate and greeting the neighbors on either side, I headed towards the end of the alley.
In fact, even if the names of the drugs match, Shi Xuan intends to conduct animal experiments first. This is because, after such a long period of evolution, it is quite possible for another drug to evolve into the current name. For example, originally there were Drug A and Drug B, and through evolution, the name of Drug A changed to Drug D, while the name of Drug B changed to Drug A.
Moreover, the medicinal bath formula and the herbal decoction used by Du Bai during his body forging were all derived from the true teachings obtained by Elder Xu. Now, Shi Xuan has better options available, as the Baolu provides three formulas, each divided into two types: medicinal baths and oral consumption.
Shi Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Uncle Liu, I have a relative in Anjing City. I plan to set off in half a year to seek refuge with him. Under the emperor's feet, there should be more opportunities." This could also be seen as laying the groundwork for his future departure. The neighbors around basically only knew that Shi Xuan was strengthening his body, but they were unaware of his practice of Taoist arts. In fact, there are probably very few in the world who have truly witnessed Taoist arts.
The content of alchemy is similarly the case. It appears that these are not the internal and textual contents of the Baolu, but rather a few formulas and diagrams of utensils that Qingyunzi himself appended at the end. Additionally, since he is a figure from a very long time ago, this situation has arisen.
Regarding the issue of the Daoist robe, several consecutive emperors have been followers of Daoism, which has influenced the prevailing atmosphere in the world. Many wealthy merchants, and even Confucian scholars and high officials, also enjoy wearing Daoist robes at home. In other words, the Daoist robe is akin to modern luxury casual wear. Therefore, it is not unusual for Shi Xuan to wear a Daoist robe without a Daoist disc; at most, he might be mistaken for the son of a wealthy merchant or a Confucian scholar
"Uncle Liu, bring me three or two servings of Yangchun noodles and half a pound of braised pig intestines." The flavor of the braised dish at this establishment is unparalleled in the city. It is important to note that this city is the capital of Xi'an Prefecture, a place of considerable prosperity in the Yangzhou region, second only to the city of Yangzhou itself. This is not a small town; moreover, it is strategically located along the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal, making it a renowned transportation hub among the thirteen provinces of the realm.
Shi Xuan had determined his future path and the few tasks he needed to accomplish in the near term. Instantly, he felt a sense of calm, and only then did he realize how hungry he was. He changed into a Daoist robe, tucked away over a hundred taels of silver, and planned to go out to fill his stomach before attending to important matters such as buying medicine. As for the few relics left by the old Daoist Xu, he decided to wait until the night was deep and quiet to examine them.
In the past, Du Bai spent seven years progressing from the initial stage of physical training to the stage of nourishing energy and strengthening the soul. However, now that his physical body has reached the energy-nourishing stage, the nourishment of the soul is incomparable to before. Shi Xuan estimates that the time required for the soul to enter the stage of strengthening should be several times shorter than before. The exact duration will need to be determined after some time, based on the effects of the nourishment.
The neighbors on both sides were quite surprised. Aunt Zhang on the left said to Aunt Li on the right, "Hey, this kid is usually very shy; he just buries his head and walks past us. Today, the sun has risen in the west, and he actually took the initiative to greet us."
Under the feet of the Son of Heaven, although there are many opportunities, there are also many dangers. I know you are young and ambitious, but you must also know your limits. After saying this, Shopkeeper Liu patted Shixuan on the shoulder and went to attend to the new customers. At that moment, the Yangchun noodles were also served.
The content regarding artifact refining is limited to a few methods of crafting magical tools that Qingyunzi himself has noted at the end of the first volume. Moreover, from memory, he only knows a few types of materials for these magical tools, while the rest are materials that appear only in myths, tales, and storytelling, with several being ones he has never even heard of. Most importantly, there is no foundational content on artifact refining. Shixuan was nearly in tears; previously, he had been quite excited upon seeing references to things like the Map of Heaven and Earth, the Life and Death Disk, and the Five Fires Burning Heaven Banner, but the reality turned out to be extremely disappointing
Shi Xuan took a sip of cool water. The long-term goals and steps have been roughly planned out. In the near term, the priority is to heal, and then to restore his cultivation to the previous level of his body. Once he has the ability to protect himself, he will proceed to the next step. After following the old master for ten years, he has acquired skills in medical theory and pharmacology, as well as in healing and preparing medicine. Within half a month, his physical body can be restored to its original state.
Aunt Zhang sighed and said: "That dead girl of mine, after studying for a few days with her second uncle, has become very proud and arrogant, always wanting to find a scholar as her husband. She doesn't even look at herself; scholars are like stars descended from the heavens. Does she think she is worthy of one!"
I believe that after his grandfather passed away, he experienced various flavors of life. I think this young man is quite good, and your daughter, being so charming, is a perfect match for him. His family is also wealthy and can definitely come up with several hundred taels of silver. Aunt Li has a fervent passion for matchmaking.
From the perspective of Elder Xu, this place has a very pleasant environment reminiscent of several famous mountains and rivers