Chapter 0003: The Three Souls in Slumber

Why are monasteries always located far away from the mundane world

To cultivate the innate, one must first cultivate the acquired; without practicing the acquired, how can one cultivate the innate? Therefore, the first step in cultivating the innate is to enter a state of meditation

Rubbing his nose, as the north wind howled into the room, Zhang Bairen quickly closed the door. He watched his mother, Zhang, busily preparing breakfast, while he sat at the stove with his head down, reading the book in his hands by the light of the fire in the hearth

It is somewhat an exaggeration to refer to it as a cave; calling it a dirt hole would be more accurate

Fortunately, Zhang Bairen is nonetheless one of the renowned masters of Taoism in his previous life. Although still young and unable to gather herbs or transport goods, he can cultivate his spirit and nurture his three souls and seven spirits through entering a meditative state while sleeping.

As the sun rises in the east, the vast purple aura sweeps across this world. The countless corpses of the Turks from yesterday have already turned to dry bones, and the lingering vengeful spirits have also been reduced to ashes within the grand purple aura

Zhang Bairen slowly put on his clothes in the quilt, neatly folded the bedding, and got off the warm kang: "Mother, why do you get up so early every day? Didn't I tell you to wait until the sun comes out before getting up?"

Zhang Bairen took a deep breath, pushed open the door, looked at the dim eastern sky, shook his head, and said that the Daoist classics state that winter is a time for concealment and nourishment. It is best to engage in exercise and fitness only after the sun has fully risen, especially after the winter solstice, when the yang energy on the earth has been completely depleted, making the ground even colder

"You child, just keep sleeping. Your mother has already prepared the meal early. I am in a hurry to make a few more leather garments to sell to the border troops, so that I can exchange them for some goods for the New Year." Zhang's mother complained.

Summer is quite pleasant, as everyone goes to bed early and rises early. This is because summer is the main season for growth, and the earth is full of vitality. It is not only the sun that possesses yang energy; the earth also teems with life. Therefore, going to bed early and rising early is not a problem. However, the same cannot be said for winter

Zhang Bairen's three souls and seven spirits differ from those of ordinary people. For ordinary individuals, as long as they can enter a meditative state, they can attain life during the hour of the rat, and then gather herbs and cultivate their energy, beginning their postnatal or minor circulatory training. However, Zhang Bairen is different, for he knows that the Yang Spirit he cultivated in his previous life has already been disrupted. Within his own three souls and seven spirits reside four great lords. Due to traversing time and space and undergoing the refinement of temporal forces, Zhang Bairen understands that his three souls and seven spirits are extraordinarily pure, to the extent that even a true Yang Spirit might not compare.

After having breakfast, Mother Zhang hurriedly took the medicinal herbs to Uncle Zhang's house. Zhang Bairen tightened his little cotton jacket and stepped out of the house, walking towards the mountains.

The children of the poor take on responsibilities early, and Zhang Bairen naturally understands that the family relies solely on his mother making a few cotton clothes for others, making it difficult for the two of them to make ends meet. If it had not been for Uncle Zhang from the village providing assistance before he turned three, he would have likely starved to death.

It is a pity. In the darkness of the night, Zhang Bairen murmured softly, sleeping soundly with his pillow in his embrace

The rooster crowed, and Zhang Bairen opened his eyes. The sky was still dim, and his mother, Zhang, had already begun to get up to prepare breakfast.

Although Zhang Bairen is still young, his mastery of Daoist heart-nurturing has already reached the level of a Yang Spirit True Person. Unfortunately, his soul has undergone a mutation, and robbers have invaded his home, stealing his vital energy day and night. Otherwise, with Zhang Bairen's level at that time, he could have forcibly opened the human body's hidden treasures and begun his cultivation, restoring the cultivation of his previous life.

In the eyes of the villagers, Zhang Bairen was indeed a prodigy. He could speak within three months, recognize characters within a year, and recite articles fluently within two years. By the age of three, he was already able to identify various medicinal herbs, learning from the hunters in the village, and then he devised some specialized tools for capturing game on his own. From that point on, the lives of the mother and son began to improve.

"It is a pity that there is no vermilion, otherwise this cave would reach another level of refinement," Zhang Bairen said, with his hands clasped behind his back, surveying his own "cave" like a master. To restore his powers, he could only take the risk of using secret methods to activate his acupoints and unlock hidden treasures. With someone at home, it was not suitable for meditation and cultivation, so this cave was what Zhang Bairen had prepared for himself as a "paradise" for future cultivation.

It is not said that sentient animals will become spirits to seek revenge, but in the eyes of Taoist practitioners, such actions are considered unkind and will damage one's virtue. Sentient beings possess emotions and can be saved, just like humans; they are capable of thought and experience joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

How much power is truly needed to completely awaken you Zhang Bairen felt somewhat uncertain in his heart This treasure is indeed somewhat abnormal It is not quite accurate to call it a treasure It would be more appropriate to refer to it as a technique Or perhaps it cannot even be considered a technique It should be described as Zhang Bairen's own three souls and seven spirits

To pursue the path of cultivation, the first step is breathing, indeed, it is breathing

Zhang Bairen appears to be an ordinary person, but he knows that there are issues with his three souls and seven spirits, and these are not minor issues, but significant problems

When the heart is burdened with distractions, one cannot enter a state of meditation. To achieve meditation, it is essential for the mind to be free of extraneous thoughts

There is no need; within the army, there are specialized military doctors who produce medicine. As long as it is a medicinal material, regardless of whether it has been processed or not, the price remains the same. Zhang's mother rejected Zhang Bairen's proposal

The hunting of wild beasts is also a matter of significance in Taoism. Taoism emphasizes the value of life and the concept of boundless beings. In the view of Zhang Bairen, the idea of boundless beings is somewhat absurd; however, the value of life is indeed genuine. There is no need to engage in acts of releasing life; as long as you refrain from killing during the season when birds and beasts lay eggs and nurture their offspring, this itself constitutes merit

Zhang Bairen let out a sigh, revealing a bitter smile, and smacked his lips: "Sword technique! Indeed, human greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant; you deserve this calamity."

The three souls lay dormant, while the seven spirits governed the physical actions of Zhang Bairen. It sounds somewhat incredible, yet it indeed occurred to Zhang Bairen, and this slumber lasted for four years

One is broad in meaning, and the other is narrow in meaning

Life in ancient times was quite good, although there were no televisions, computers, mobile phones, or WiFi, it lacked the temptations of the bustling world, making the pursuit of spiritual cultivation and enlightenment significantly simpler, and people's hearts were pure

Mother, I will prepare the medicinal herbs today and have Uncle Zhang take them tomorrow

Is it considered a major issue if the three souls fall into a deep sleep

As he watched the sun rise, Zhang Bairen ceased his breathing exercises and continued walking in the mountains. After traveling three to five li, he came across a hidden cave.

Winter is characterized by a sense of desolation and conservation. During the night, the yin energy rises while the yang energy declines, which is unfavorable for activities. Prolonged exposure to this condition will inevitably deplete one's vital energy and blood. It is only when the sun rises in the east, heralding the growth of yang energy and the retreat of yin energy, that the optimal time for exercise arrives

Zhang Bairen ascended to the mountain peak, his eyes gazing at the vast purple aura in the distance. He suddenly opened his mouth wide, only to see that the magnificent purple aura poured into his mouth, then vanished as if it had fallen into a bottomless pit, without any effect whatsoever

The cage designed by Zhang Bairen is a marvel of ingenuity, embodying the wisdom accumulated over five thousand years of history. Immersed in the teachings of various schools, Zhang Bairen, who is situated within the Daoist tradition, has greatly broadened his perspective, particularly with the existence of the internet.

This is Zhang Bairen's definition for the people of this era. Taking advantage of the sunrise, Zhang Bairen wobbled his way into the mountains, having observed that there were indeed some small gains from the cage he set up last night

Entering a meditative state may sound simple, yet it has barred the majority of practitioners from the threshold.

The fusion of the seven souls into one, or being merged into one by a certain force, can this be considered a significant issue

Entering a meditative state is not merely sitting idly, nor is it aimlessly lingering in meditation; rather, it is the practice of gathering medicinal herbs and cultivating one's vital energy.

Hook hook

During the breeding season of birds and beasts, the act of hunting is particularly egregious. Perhaps if you capture a wild chicken, countless chicks waiting to be fed will perish as a result. One death leads to multiple lives lost, which is indeed a grave sin

Taoism and Daoism are not the same concept. Many people often confuse Daoism with Taoism, unaware that Daoism encompasses a vast array of ideas and is considered the foremost among the various schools of thought. Daoism is merely a branch that belongs to the broader category of Daoism.

My wish is very simple: to have a flock of sheep in this desolate north, so that I can eat meat all day long; that would be a good life. Zhang Bairen looked at the wild chickens in the cage and muttered to himself

This is Zhang Bairen's labor成果 over the past six months. Every day, he has been digging half a meter here, and now the earth cave has already taken shape, measuring a full four to five square meters. Piles of firewood are arranged in the cave, along with some cured meat that has already been air-dried.

To achieve meditation, one must endure hardship and effort

What about the Seven Spirits

Winter is somewhat better; as long as you are craving, you may hunt as you please. However, for those sentient animals, it is advisable to minimize the hunting as much as possible