Chapter 9: Dagos and Fuwa (1/2)

It was Xavion's first time playing the role of teacher, seeing Shaw Danon hand holding his cheek and enchanted, he could not help but increase in enthusiasm and continue talking:

Pure Essence process from simple to most complicated. Most people need only one year to master Yu Qing's first level; however, later on greater difficulties will appear. Normal people need five years for the second level. The third level is like a watershed, it separates the strong from the weak. If quality is just a little poor, they will be stuck there for the rest of their life, more accomplished people may need as many as fifty to sixty years.

Shaw Danon was tongue tied, Xavion smiled, and continued.

Pure Essence's main cultivation incantation is roughly completed in terms of outside instruction at the third level; following that is dependent upon quality and self-study. A master with high cultivation may be of slight assistance, the experiential is personal, only in ensuring disciples can experience a less crooked path. Of course, this so-called ”crooked road” is measured in terms of a hundred years or more.

When practice of Pure Essence reaches Yu Qing fourth level, meaning they have mastered the basic principles, disciples then can practice different types of magic and craft their own esper. The origin of espers is a long story. Myths and legends purported that the gods of heave have their own artifacts with peerless power. In the human world, cultivators are also able to develop. Those of weaker strength can fly at the speed of lightning, while the stronger are able to shake heaven and earth, destroy mountains and rivers.

There are varieties of esper materials, some are strange. One thing, however, is certain; esper's material decides the esper's strength after it has been crafted. If simply normal iron is utilized to cast ”Thunderblade,” the sword and the owner will have already turned to ashes before they even have an opportunity to attack enemies.

In Jadeon, because Master Jade Leaf found the ancient sword ”Regenesis” in the ”Moontop Hollow,” with no comparable opponent. Many younger generations not only admired him, most people practice with swords as their esper. Thousands of years later, many people became swordsmen, it has almost become Jadeon's unwritten rule, even the change of its name to Jadeon Sword Faction is not surprising.

Here, there is need to mention the specifics of the head of Bamboo Peak, Tian Bolis. He himself crafted a sword esper, ”Flame Spirit”; it is one of the most famous swords of Jadeon. However, for some unknown reason, he does not wish to encourage his disciples to practice swords. Not only that, he often ”encourages” his disciples to craft some different sorts of esper which creates a bit of criticism within Jadeon. Since there is no written rule, however, and, secondly, Tian Bolis' disciples quality is just normal and low in number, people generally let them be.

Within all of Bamboo Peak's disciples, da shixiong Xavion maintains the highest level of cultivation, he has already reached Pure Essence's Yu Qing fifth level. Then, following his attainment, is fourth disciple He Dazhi, who has reached fourth level. Although he started later than Wu Dayi, Zheng Dali, he is the wisest of all the disciples; as such, he was capable of catching up even though he started late.

As for the second disciple Wu Dayi, third disciple Zheng Dali, fifth disciple Ludaxin, sixth disciple Amandla, all were struggling in Yu Qing third level. But xiao shi mei Hidi was of extraordinary intelligence, parents carefully taught her while she was still a child. Although she started to do bamboo chopping homework at 10 years of age, she had already practiced Pure Essence for many years. At thirteen years old she reached Yu Qing fourth level, is able to use esper, is known as one of the famous precocious children in Jadeon, favoured by her parents and elders, Surin has given Hidi her famous ”Phoenix Soul” as a self-defense esper.

”Wow shijie is so smart!” Shaw Danon said.

Xavion smiled: ”Yes, xiao shimei is very intelligent. Very talented at cultivation. When master and shi niang teach her something, she will comprehend it. Her quality is far better than us. Now she is still young, not practicing enough yet, it's just a matter of time for her to become far more successful than us. To flourish, Bamboo Peak all rely on her.”

His eyes full of expectation, it is clear that he also put his hope on that lovely xiao shimei.

Then, Xavion told Shaw Danon something to pay attention to during cultivation, and finally seriously said: :”Xiao shidi, I must tell you one last thing: our faction's cultivation is about progressing slowly, remaining down to earth. If you grow greedy and want to look for a short cut, not only will work not be completed, it will also create disaster. To be successful or not, was originally destined and can not be forced. Evil heretics and their Felkin evil practices are not to be satisfied and perpetually create more desire, they may bring forth nature's judgement, poor and pathetic. You must be careful.”

Shaw Danon frightened, hurriedly said: ”Yes, Da shixiong, I understand.”

Xavion nodded, stood up and said: ”That should be enough, Tai Chi Cave is in the back hill; only disciples with Pure Essence third level can go in and practice. Before this, you can practice first in your room; it is quiet here, master and shi niang will usually not come by, so work hard.”

Shaw Danon stood up and said: ”Thank you, da shixiong.”

Xavion smiled, patted his head and turned away.

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After Xavion left, Shaw Danon returned to his room and shut the door. There is an indescribable excitement in his heart, even the tiredness from cutting bamboo has subsided.

He took a deep breath, calmed down, walked slowly to the bed. He meditated in the position Xavion had taught him, then closed his eyes. Remembering the incantation of Pure Essence's Yu Qing first level Xavion had taught him; ready to practice, but all of a sudden his heart began to think of something, his eyes shot open, said: ”That's wrong!”

Pure Essence's Yu Qing first level that Xavion taught him is the most basic incantation, a practitioner need only to focus on two words: Obtain Energy. When a cultivator is meditating, the mind must open and cast aside all sorts of trouble, obtain the spirit energy within the sky and earth into the body and meditate; use it to bind the oneself to the world, feeling change within sky and earth. If able to obtain spirit and meditate thirty-six times in a row, then the body's channel becomes stable and one is able to practice higher levels.

This type of cultivation has been a part of Taoism for thousands of years, there should be no error. But at that moment, Shaw Danon's mind, like a violent storm, keeps on shaking; because everything he had learned today is completely opposite of the incantation monk Pozhi taught him.

In the night before Grasstemple Village massacre, when Pozhi taught him the incantation he clearly told him, when meditating, be sure to cut off all contact with the outside world; gain understanding of the truth of self also known as: ”Form here is only emptiness, emptiness is only form. Form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form. Feeling, thought, and choice, consciousness itself, are the same as this. Dharmas here are empty, all are the primal void. None are born or die. Nor are they stained or pure, nor do they wax or wane. So in emptiness no form, no feeling, thought, or choice, nor is there consciousness. No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, or what the mind takes hold of, nor even act of sensing. No ignorance, or end of it, nor all that comes of ignorance: no withering, no death, no end of them. Nor is their pain, or cause of pain, or cease in pain, or noble path to lead from pain, not even wisdom to attain, attainment too is emptiness.” (note 1)

The deep meaning within it, of course Shaw Danon won't understand clearly; however, he can sort out that the two incantations are totally different from one another; he is now utterly confused, not knowing what to do.

In fact Shaw Danon didn't know, Pure Essence is Dagos' supreme incantation, but Pozhi had put his most important hope on him, and the incantation he taught him is also the supreme incantation of Fuwa: Fawin Wisdom.

Two incanations, practiced in two very different ways, all come from their respective basic idea.

Fuwa and Dagos hold a long history, never mixing together, the art of cultivation all originated from distinctly different types of though. Dagos, as example, the main subject is ”Dao,” also known as: From Dao comes one, from one comes two, from two comes three, from three arises the ten thousand things. All things have both yin and yang; the combination of the two maintains a neutral harmony. (Note 2) Daoism comes from Daoist's thoughs, even the Pure Essence's three stages, also from Daoist mythology: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun and Daode Tianzun's Yu Qing, Shang Qing, Tai Qing, named after ”The Three Qing.” Daoist cultivation focuses on combining the self with the world, using the body to control nature, harnessing powerful magic.

But Fuwa, on the other hand, the main subject is: ”everything that happens is answer to the heart, it cannot leave the self.” also said: Understand self, originally clean; understand self, originally no birth and no death; understand self, originally enough; understand self, originally static; understand self, can give birth to everything! (Note 3) Fuwa cultivation, focuses on understanding of self, can reflect the truth, ”one wisdom can give birth to eight-four thousand intelligences” is what it means.

Buddhist and Daoist thought were very different, the way to practice were also completely opposite, but because people kept their secrets for thousands of years, no one knew anything about it. Now a small disciple named Shaw Danon in Jadeon's Bamboo Peak was having a headache because of it.