The essence is life itself, and life is linked to the heart and kidneys. The heart and kidneys carry mercury, and mercury itself is symbolized by the dragon and tiger. The dragon and tiger relate to the concepts of Kan and Li in the I Ching, and Kan and Li are the furnace, the alchemical cauldron. By collecting external medicine to refine essence and Qi, one creates the internal medicine that nurtures the heart and spirit.
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"Why don’t you go to another world?"
On the way back to the base, my classmate Wu Xiaoman, who had become even more beautiful, suddenly asked me.
I staggered, almost losing my composure.
Feigning ignorance, I asked, "What other world? What are you talking about? I don’t know anything about that."
Xiaoman gave me a sweet, almost mischievous smile, as she proudly flaunted her charm. She spoke with a smile, "It’s a place with mesmerizing elves, beautiful mermaids with endless tenderness! And let’s not forget the beastly sisters with pores like craters. Heh!"
I forced a bitter smile, realizing that it was pointless to pretend I didn’t understand. It seemed that after being possessed by the Ghostly Evil (鬼煞), Xiaoman was aware of everything that had happened inside her spiritual realm. Who would’ve thought?
Heh! Suddenly, an image of Xiaoman’s beautiful, naked form flashed in my mind. I couldn’t help but chuckle and shake my head, teasing, "Beautiful, so beautiful! Haha!"
Xiaoman’s face flushed red, but to my surprise, she didn’t respond with her usual sharp retort. Instead, she sighed, glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention, and then quietly asked, "Zhang Santong, can you tell me what’s going on? The excuses you gave everyone are only half-truths. I know there’s more you’re keeping to yourself. Can you tell me?"
I sighed helplessly, saying, "Some things are better left unknown. Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand."
With a bewildered look, Xiaoman muttered to herself, "Yes, I don’t understand. I don’t get it at all."
I shook my head and said with a wry smile, "Don’t think too much about it. Just consider it a dream. It’s all over now."
"Thank you!" Xiaoman nodded, taking a deep breath before smiling at me, "Yeah! Let’s just treat it all as a dream."
On our way back, there was little conversation. Groups of students walked in clusters, and before long, Teacher Lü Yanling came over to have a heart-to-heart with everyone, reminding us not to speak of what had happened by the stone statue in the Medicine Water Gorge.
Ah! This is difficult! With so many people, who could guarantee that the events concerning Xiaoman wouldn’t be spread around?
As we neared the base, Xiaoman, who had been walking distantly from the others, began to show signs of a faint sorrow on her forehead. She, who normally avoided me, had taken a few steps away from the others and walked beside me.
Perhaps after the Ghostly Evil incident, her embarrassing moments had been exposed to everyone. For a beautiful girl, that was undoubtedly an uncomfortable experience.
Around 3 PM, we arrived at the camp. The students who had stayed behind were gathered in groups, playing cards and games.
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When they saw us returning from the Medicine Water Gorge, they eagerly surrounded us, asking a flurry of questions.
After some difficulty in managing them, those of us who had gone to the gorge walked back to our tents, weary. Some immediately collapsed onto the ground, while others applied ointment to their feet and ankles.
When I entered the tent, I saw my cousin, Zhang Fuhong, lovingly admiring the dragon-shaped sword. Soon after, Cao Kui and Cheng Fan also entered, and the three of them began chatting excitedly.
I couldn’t help but feel somewhat detached. It seemed like I was just a spectator among my classmates, unable to really integrate into their world. Is cultivation destined to be a lonely path?
Suddenly, I felt a strange emptiness, like I was missing something. It was an odd sensation. What had I lost?
I quickly put my hands in my pockets, and then—where’s my little bird? My green little bird that couldn’t even fly, the one I’d left on the ground when I was chasing Xiaoman through the Medicine Water Gorge. I had completely forgotten about it after everything that happened.
What would that little bird do after drinking the spiritual water? I began to speculate. Should I go look for it? Maybe I could go and check the stone toad statue while I’m at it...
After thinking for a while, I decided against it. Maybe the little bird and I are just not meant to be. Let things happen naturally. As for the mystery of the Xuanwu spitting water, I could always check it out later—maybe during the Grand Multi-Nation Bonfire Festival next June 6th.
Feeling bored, I walked out of the tent and wandered over to a small creek in the canyon. I watched the flowing water and listened to its gurgling sound as tadpoles swam past. The world truly is beautiful.
How much of the water from this creek will eventually flow to the ocean, I wondered?
In the evening, we lit the bonfire. Everyone gathered around it, singing, dancing, and chatting. It was a lively scene, but strangely, I couldn’t find Xiaoman anywhere among the crowd.
Our class teacher, limping a little, took the spotlight at the bonfire, singing songs I had never heard before.
Later that night, just as I expected, when it was time to arrange the night watch, everyone scrambled away faster than rabbits.
I volunteered to take the night watch, and when the others saw someone had volunteered, they didn’t question whether I’d be alone or lonely. They simply accepted it.
The night was calm, the stars faintly visible, and the occasional breeze made its way through the camp. The moon had disappeared from view. I lay on the ground, staring up at the sky.
Crackle—many flying insects flew into the fire.
The surrounding mountains seemed rugged and sharp, as if they were struggling to sink into the earth with an almost unbearable persistence. The creek in the canyon wound like a silver ribbon...
I lay there, feeling the strange sensation in my mind. I looked up at the stars. Wait—where did the stars go? When did they disappear? It looks like it’s going to rain. Damn!
I quickly added more fuel to the fire. Moments later, a light drizzle began, and I felt someone walking toward me. Without turning around, I envisioned Xiaoman holding an umbrella and walking toward me.
Ever since I had entered her spiritual realm, whenever she was close, all I had to do was focus for a moment, and I could sense what she was doing. Damn! Am I planning to sneak away and... hehe, I’m such a pervert! Amitabha Buddha!
When did she change into that black outfit? If only I had known earlier... haha!
Xiaoman offered the umbrella to me with an inexplicable expression. "Take good care of Zhang Yu," she said, "She’s a good girl." After saying that, she turned and walked back to her tent.
I was stunned. What does that mean?
I threw the umbrella aside—not that I wasn’t grateful, but I actually enjoyed the rain.
I began to drift into a daze again, my mind wandering to feel everything around me.
At that moment, the eternal presence of life, the ceaseless motion of all things, rushed at me. It felt like the universe itself was calling out to a lonely cultivator seeking the truth of life.
The connection between spirit and flesh, the embrace of fire and rain, the call and response between what searches and what is searched—it was as if something deep within me was awakening, my soul trembling. Suddenly, life felt fuller, more profound. My soul expanded into infinity, becoming one with the eternal flow of existence, as the passion of life overwhelmed me.
My vital energy surged, and within my dantian, a single glimmer of light flashed—seemingly slow, yet in an instant, a star-like brilliance filled my being.
At that moment, my lonely soul cried out in joy.
On October 2nd, 1998, on this very day, my external medicine reached perfection, and my internal medicine began to birth. The period of heart movement passed... inexplicably.