Vol 1 Chapter 19 (2/2)

These huge amounts of firewood were not to cook food, but was to fire up the cauldron and use its purifying effect to temper the Qi in his Dantian!

He put a pile of firewood under the cauldron and used a bamboo tube to direct the spring water from the cliff into the cauldron. When the cauldron was half filled, he burned the firewood under the cauldron.

Shortly after, the water in the cauldron began to boil. Zhang Yan quickly took his clothes off and jumped into the cauldron.

When he fought w.a.n.g Lie previously, he realized that under the stimulation from extreme circ.u.mstances, such as being put into a moment of life and death, it could make the acupoints’ gates open, making one’s Qi and life force strengthen. The first downside of this approach was that it was too dangerous. The second was that it needed a ma.s.sive amount of concocted pills to support. Otherwise, accidents would be unavoidable. It could be said that this was a very extreme and dangerous method.

Now, as he a.n.a.lyzed, when Chen Feng was using the external circ.u.mstances to temper his Qi, he should also have taken a risk and faced other similar difficulties.

According to his a.n.a.lysis, aside from these extreme methods, the masters and elders in the sect should also have safer methods to temper Qi.

In fact, his a.n.a.lysis was very close to reality. Many cultivators from ancient families, when tempering their Qi, relied on their elders’ help to open their acupoints’ gates and guide their Qi. They then slowly refined their Qi by themselves afterward. However, this approach was also by no means perfect. Because their elders also must spend their Qi, depending on the each person’s cultivation level.

Generally speaking, he could only enter the cauldron for one or two hours a day and then slowly meditate to restore his Qi. He estimated that it would take half a month to complete this method.

Thus, it could be said that it was very easy for disciples with profound cultivation methods’ inheritance.

But in Zhang Yan’s case, he neither had any seniors or elders to direct him. He could only rely on himself.

As the temperature in the cauldron was getting higher, Zhang Yan had to circulate his Qi to endure the heat.

At this time, he could see the cauldron’s wonderful feature. Even if the firewood was being burned, there was neither smoke nor fumigation in his cave. Even the cauldron’s temperature was still cool. But, the heat and steam it was producing was unlike the usual steam that rose to mid-air, as it seeped into his bones and muscles.

He knew that this was not a common steam, but rather a spiritual power many teachers have talked about as the result of constantly using the Qi forced out his body’s impurities.

Zhang Yan faintly felt some pains in his internal organs. He quickly swallowed a ‘Mainspring Pill’ and tried his hardest to circulate his Qi to withstand the heat. But the heat wave unceasingly hit him, making it hard for him to even breathe.

His Qi consumption rate was getting faster. He did everything he could to exert his Qi, circulating it through his meridians. He was almost exhausted. He knew that this was the most critical time. Although his complexion had turned crimson, and his boiled body had thoroughly become red, he clenched his teeth and persevered.

About a quarter of an hour later, his Qi was completely exhausted. He faintly heard a ‘puff’ sound in his ears. One of the tightly blocked acupoints’ gates was opened. But, because the heat wave continued seeping into his body, that acupoints’ gate didn’t close again as it suddenly burst out with a strand of qi, unceasingly resisting the heat energy from outside.

As his qi continued to be consumed, the heat in the cauldron unceasingly purified its impurities, transforming it into its purest essence. Black filth constantly seeped out from Zhang Yan’s body through his skin, and although the stench of this filth was unbearable, he had no time to pay any attention to it.

When he felt that he could no longer persevere, Zhang Yan swallowed another pill to cure his meridians and internal organs, continuing to force out the impurities. He vowed and insisted to completely squeeze out the remaining impure Qi hidden within his body.

Whenever a pile of firewood had been completely burned, he took another pile to prevent the fire from being extinguished, so as to keep the heat in the cauldron steady.

For three days and nights, Zhang Yan stayed in his cave, tempering himself in the cauldron.

After swallowing more than 26 ‘Mainspring Pills’, almost all of his qi had been tempered and purified. However, for the last strand of the remaining qi, no matter how hard he tried, it was very difficult to force out.

Just when his patience was almost gone, suddenly an idea flashed in his mind. He recalled the line from the ‘Oneness Purifying Breath’ manual:

“The Death G.o.d lives within one’s heart, as his force could only be wielded by himself.”

Zhang Yan was well aware that his tempered Qi had reached a sufficient state to breakthrough, like the ca.n.a.l that had already been formed before the water came and flowed. But he was overhasty and his state of mind was not tranquil enough. Thus, he forgot the true meaning of Natural Laws, impeding his Qi flow. His qi had even retracted and ceased moving.

Wasn’t this situation almost similar to when he was condensing his Primordial Qi?

As he recalled about it, Zhang Yan’s mind suddenly became clear. He swallowed all the remaining Mainspring Pills and ignored the changes in his Qi. He only preserved the qi in the newly opened acupoints’ gates and let the other body parts become devoid from any qi.

He had, in fact, arrived at the last step and only needed the final push to breakthrough. At this moment, he suddenly realized and clearly understood the true meaning of one of the Three Precious Treasures, tranquility [1]. He casted away all worldly thoughts as he immersed himself in a deep state of emptiness. Finally, the last strand of impure Qi slowly rose through the acupoints’ gate and was purified of impurities, and separated in Yin and Yang. It then combined with the already purified Qi once again. The purified Qi circulated through the meridians all over his body for 36 cycles before it returned to his Dantian, finally staying motionless.

The firewood under the cauldron had been burnt out. As Zhang Yan opened his eyes, a brilliant bright-spark flashed from his eyes. He could clearly see everything in his dark cave mansion as if it was daytime.

At this point, he successfully completed the process to officially cross over to the ‘Primordial Qi Tempering’ step and finally broke through into the Primordial Qi Establishment Realm. All of his Qi had been purified and transformed into True Primordial Qi [2]. His strength had been improved by three folds and both his arms had 3,000 pounds of strength now. Zhang Yan could also see the stars during the daytime, and he was able to see the bottom of a deep lake. His mortal body had far surpa.s.sed the strength of an ordinary person.

Now he only needed to spend time to increase his True Qi, consolidating his cultivation realm, before he can open his closed meridians!

Zhang Yan remembered the line from the ‘Exquisite Records of the Inner Qi Profound Origins’ manual which he recited in his heart, “The heaven would help if I only I help myself”.

Even if this book had thousands of meanings and various directions, and was very difficult to understand compared to others. But, with the Broken Jade in his hand, he could try and try again unceasingly. He wasn’t afraid to fail. After he successfully opened his acupoints’ gates and meridians later, he really wanted to see those Grandmasters and the rest of the outer disciples’ expressions!

He looked at the big and heavy ‘Impurity Purification Cauldron’. It was like someone thought that his growth was too slow, and then helped him this way. Thinking of which, he couldn’t help but loudly laugh. He recited his feeling with a clear voice, “Others wanted to stop me by giving me the cauldron? I used the cauldron to quench my True Qi. How could mortals calculate destiny? No matter what they want, it is destined to never be achieved, like pouring a libation into the river!”

[1] 三宝: (pinyin: sān bǎo). Literally translated to the Three Precious Treasures, but it refers to different contexts and meanings. Read these references for Buddhism. Taoism, Traditional Chinese Medicine plus the explanation about Jing, Qi and Shen

[2] The novel by far has the most confusing cultivation level I’ve ever read. The Primordial Qi Condensation Realm is only the 1st stage and Primordial Qi Establishment Realm is the 2nd stage to reach the True Qi. This had been mentioned in the previous chapters by the author. I still use the ‘realm’ term for cultivation level because I haven’t found any hints about other cultivation levels aside cultivations’ stage like the Radiant Qi Stage, Profound Light Stage in chapter 13.

However, I will change the term ‘Realm’ into Level/Layer or even erase this word. Radiant Qi and Profound Light I presume to be in the same realm because I haven’t read the raws that far to find enough information. However, the higher cultivation level—such as Dan Transformation, and Primordial Nascent Soul had been mentioned in the early chapter. As of now, the fixed terms for cultivation levels are Primordial Qi Condensation → Primordial Qi Establishment → True Primordial Qi. I will update the cultivation levels’ terms accordingly when I read ahead in my spare time.

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