Yu Ci perceived this as a test from a senior, and responded, "I diligently practice every day without fail."
This was no empty boast. Although the method he used to assimilate foreign Qi was no longer needed, the concept of dividing Yin and Yang greatly improved the structure of his Inner Void of the Heart. Yu Ci had grown accustomed to using it as a supplementary method to the "Primordial Root Qi Method". He found that invoking it before opening his Inner Void of the Heart yielded better results.
He Qing nodded gently, her voice softening, "This method combines Yin and Yang, returning to simplicity and truth, fully embodying the essence of the mysterious path. Although it seems simple, it holds boundless profundities. Do not slacken in your efforts."
"Yes."
He Qing continued, "Now that you have reached the Nature-Connecting Upper Stage, you are still some distance from the Golden Elixir Stage. What are your plans for the future?"
Was this another test? Yu Ci did not dare to take it lightly. He pondered for a moment before responding, "The painstaking task of nurturing and cultivating my essence is still necessary, for without it, my foundation will not be stable. However, I also wish to put more effort into advancing the realm of the 'Primordial Root Qi Method'."
He Qing shifted her position, showing some interest, "Tell me more."
Yu Ci complied, saying, "Master Jie Xian passed on the 'Primordial Root Qi Method' to me. If we only consider the Primordial Qi Method, I have already reached the peak and am merely refining it further. However, I had a stroke of luck and accidentally touched the edge of Energy introduction, which you, Immortal Elder, are aware of. Since there is a path ahead, I dare to explore it, attempting to sense the external Qi and connect my Mental Image with the world outside. This, compared to the monotonous task of grinding, is certainly more enjoyable."
"Enjoyable?"
He Qing wore a smile that was not quite a smile, but she didn't seem angry, "To find joy in cultivation is a realm in itself. It's good that you're putting some thought into the 'Primordial Root Qi Method', but don't get carried away. The later stages of Inner and outer completion and Unity of heaven and earth, even Junior Brother Jie himself only speculated and experimented. Don't let your imagination run wild and end up losing your way."
This was the first time the female cultivator spoke to Yu Ci in such a relaxed tone, which was quite surprising. As if emboldened, Yu Ci laughed and said, "I understand. I do not dare to hope to surpass Master Jie Xian in the next few years."
His words carried a hint of familiarity, which caused He Qing to look at him in a new light. Not minding it, she even smiled slightly, "To achieve Energy introduction, first, you need to sense the outside world. I have a Heart Method here that promotes communication with External Primordial Qi, which should suit you. Calm your mind and see if you can learn this Karmic Method?"
Yu Ci, a man, was taken aback by He Qing's, a woman, openness and generosity, but if he could learn a new skill from her, it would undoubtedly be for the best. However, something else was on his mind: "I travel with my Yin Spirit."
"No matter," she reassured him. "This method is similar to the Method of Returning to Void and Combining. Both are about sensing Yin and Yang energies. Everything in the universe is divided into Yin and Yang. This vast coverage leaves no stone unturned. What does it matter if your Yin Spirit and physical body are together or apart?"
Yu Ci was impressed and chose not to say anything more, instead focusing his mind. Soon, a wave emanated from the void, transforming into strands of clear sound directly perceived by his Yin Spirit. This was the Heart Technique taught by He Qing, similar to what Elder Jie Liang had imparted on him. Although the words were profound and numerous, understanding them was not about picking out phrases, but about pointing to the heart. There was no need for deliberate memorization, and he gained insights.
As he focused, he indeed found this method to be a continuation of the Method of Returning to Void and Combining. In a daze, he felt as though all tangible objects in the world had become ethereal, with only Yin and Yang energies rubbing and merging, flowing in the boundless void, limitless and all-encompassing, as though his mind was being absorbed into it.
This feeling was too intense. Yu Ci's Yin Spirit couldn't resist and silently dissipated, merging into the air of the garden pavilion and disappearing without a trace.
If this continued, he feared he might lose his sense of self.
Yu Ci subtly realized something was amiss, but his senses were becoming increasingly blurred. At this moment, in the void of Yin and Yang energies, a clear target suddenly appeared. It was a figure formed by the fusion of Yin and Yang energies, ethereal and elusive, transcending the mundane.
"Immortal He?" Yu Ci had never seen He Qing like this. Amid the flowing Yin and Yang energies, the female cultivator was no longer stern and rigid. It was as though she had let down her hair, her black locks flowing, her clothes fluttering, attracting one's mind entirely.
"What is this?"
Yu Ci was initially confused, but after the female cultivator drifted past him a few times, he finally understood: He Qing was teaching him how to reshape the Yin Spirit using Yin and Yang energies. Her changing demeanor and posture served as a series of examples for him to learn from.
Such an opportunity was not to be missed. Yu Ci focused his mind, locked onto the dancing and changing phantom, and strived to comprehend the demonstrated flow and changes of Yin and Yang energies.
Stolen story; please report.
"To manipulate Yin and Yang energies to reshape the Yin spirit is neither easy nor difficult," Yu Ci pondered, after observing for a while. He had some insights, but putting them into practice was far from simple. The merging and transformation of Yin and Yang energies, giving rise to all phenomena, was profoundly mysterious. A slight mistake could lead to a vast deviation. Yu Ci had tried dozens of times, but always missed something in the details, and so had not succeeded even once.
However, he was not discouraged. His will was steadfast, and he wanted to keep trying. He Qing, on the other hand, did not share his patience. The ethereal figure suddenly moved closer, reaching out to touch the gathered Yin and Yang energies. Immediately, an intense feeling of fulfillment overwhelmed Yu Ci.
In that instant, there seemed to be no secrets left between Yu Ci and He Qing.
The feeling was fleeting, but in that moment, Yu Ci truly understood the technique of using Yin and Yang energies to reshape the Yin spirit, and the shadowy ghost reappeared.
Before he could rejoice, a sensation ten, a hundred times more intense than before, like a tidal wave, completely submerged his Yin spirit.
It was pure comfort and satisfaction, as if his entire body was basking in the sunlight, soaking in warm water, or being caressed by a gentle breeze amidst the chirping of birds and the fragrance of flowers. All the most beautiful feelings he had ever experienced seemed to be magnified a thousandfold, flooding over his entire body in an instant.
Under the impact of this sensation, Yu Ci's spirit suddenly expanded, like countless tendrils dancing wildly in a broader void, his sensitivity and clarity to the External Primordial Qi increasing. Just as He Qing had said, this method indeed facilitated the sensing of External Primordial Qi.
More surprisingly, this cultivation was so pleasurable that it was addictive, making one reluctant to wake from it. Unbeknownst to him, dawn had already broken. He had spent the whole night in the pavilion garden in the state of Yin Spirit, and by this time, He Qing had vanished without a trace.
However, Yu Ci remembered her parting words: "Come back at midnight tonight."
***********
Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, two days had passed.
Cliff City was very stable. On the ground within a radius of thousands of miles, there were hardly any traces of demons. The new spheres of influence of the various sects in the city had also basically formed and were in the final stages of integration. There were minor conflicts, but none that would reach Yu Ci and the others.
After entering the city, Gan Shi Zhen had been in seclusion, reportedly to digest her new insights after entering the Vacuum Walking Realm. This was a crucial period, and whether her realm would stabilize depended on these few days.
Yu Ci had also been working hard. The method that He Qing had taught him that night, called the "Great Dream Yin-Yang Method", was difficult to master. Without the protection of a master, it was easy to be distracted by the Yin and Yang energies and damage the Divine Soul. However, He Qing had been thorough. She was usually reticent, but when it came to cultivation, she spared no effort to help Yu Ci. For two consecutive nights, she had guided him personally in cultivation, causing Yu Ci to be deeply grateful.
Indeed, the "Great Dream Yin-Yang Method" is a remarkable technique. In the span of merely two or three days, Yu Ci felt his connection to the External Primordial Qi ascend several steps. He increasingly understood the thought process of creation through Yin and Yang, analyzed all phenomena, sorted out the threads of logic, and organized the structure of the Inner Void of the Heart more reasonably. His Fish-Dragon Mental Image became even more agile and mature, taking a small step forward in his Cultivation Level.
Externally, he was brimming with energy, his Qi and Blood constantly in flux, forcing him to constantly refine his sword, draw talismans, and perform rituals to expend the surplus energy in various ways.
But what he couldn't forget was the entrancing comfort he felt during cultivation. Whenever he activated the Great Dream Yin-Yang Method, under the guidance of He Qing's Yin Spirit, he experienced the various transformations of Yin and Yang energies. The indescribable intense joy would flood over his Yin Spirit and physical body. At its peak intensity, it stimulated his spirit, gradually enhancing Yu Ci's sensitivity to external Qi.
No wonder everyone in the world wants to cultivate. Such pleasure and relaxation truly make one reluctant to stop!
One night, Yu Ci sat in his room, playing with the Golden Green Palace Cord in his hand. This object was very mysterious and had a significant origin. After Yu Ci introduced the Illusion Power of Rakshasa and gained control over it, he spent a lot of effort refining it.
Now, two layers of Talismanic Cultivation have been added to this silk ribbon, and the third layer is about to be completed. However, what he was thinking about was the upcoming cultivation of the "Great Dream Yin-Yang Method".
He wondered what kind of sensation he would experience tonight.
Just as he was thinking, the beautiful maid serving him announced, "Immortal Elder Bao De has come to visit."
"Senior Brother Bao De!"
Yu Ci greeted him with a smile.
Bao De was the one appointed by the Sect to assist the Immortal Elder in managing Cliff City in Yu Ci's stead. He was also an Outer Disciple from the Still Heart Temple. Generally speaking, there is always some awkwardness between the predecessor and successor, no matter the position. However, Yu Ci and Bao De had a good relationship in the temple, and both were cultivators not overly concerned with such matters, hence there were no disturbing thoughts.
"Junior Brother Yu, I came here tonight to ask you about your thoughts on the nocturnal feast at the Sky Wing Tower, hosted by the Xuan Yin Sect next month."
Bao De was very candid, getting straight to the point. Everyone knew about the enmity between Yu Ci and the Xuan Yin Sect. It was Yu Ci who had orchestrated the collective pressure from various sects in Cliff City on the Xuan Yin Sect. To some extent, Yu Ci's attitude was the benchmark for the success of this feast.
It seemed that Bao De was in favor of the feast. Naturally, Yu Ci would not play the villain. Moreover, he had already decided to attend this feast and would not deliberately sabotage it.
Seeing that Yu Ci had no objections, Bao De breathed a sigh of relief. Nowadays, even the fire-tending servant in the Still Heart Temple knew that the most valued person by Temple Master Yu Zhou was undoubtedly this young expert who had joined the sect only a few months ago.
Everyone was speculating that after the Old Daoist Yu Zhou passed away, the affairs of the Still Heart Temple would be entirely handed over to Yu Ci. Of course, there was another possibility - that Yu Ci had progressed further on the path of cultivation and no longer valued the level of the Still Heart Temple.
It wasn't impossible. Among the many Outer Disciples of the sect, how many had received consecutive guidance from Xie Yan, Elder Jie Liang, and even Immortal He Qing? Especially Immortal He Qing, wasn't she always at odds with those few?
Very strange, indeed very strange.
Bao De shook his head repeatedly, puzzled. Until Yu Ci asked him, "Senior Brother, is there anything else?"
"No, there's nothing else. I almost forgot this."
Bao De took out a jade slip and handed it over. "This is a letter sent from the Random Heart Pavilion in the south by flying sword. It clearly states it's for Elder Xie, and your name, Junior Brother, is also attached. The Master is out on a long journey and can't receive it in time, so you'll have to take it."
*********