From a Zhengyi Taoist Child to a Master of All Laws

Chapter 389: Contemplation of the Impure Bones

"The contemplation of impure white bones begins with the contemplation of one of your own body organs. Imagine that after death, the skin and flesh gradually decay and the white bones are exposed. You need to visualize the skin and flesh covering your skull, spine, limbs, etc. decaying and flying with flies, festering and worms, until it is completely empty. Make the image of the white bones clearer and more stable in your mind, until only a pair of white jade and glass bones remain."

"After a mortal dies, the body changes in nine stages, which are also the core of our school's visualization method. They are the so-called nine phases: the newly dead phase, the fat swelling phase, the blood-stained phase, the fat chaos phase..."

"Today, I will teach you the first phase, the new phase of death."

Under the moonlight, Yubao spoke in a serious tone, the mountain breeze blew up the corners of her indigo clothes, Liu Ming was still kneeling on the ground, his heart was beating fast, but his face looked like a typical good student.

"The so-called newly dead appearance means that although dead at this time, the body is still as beautiful and fragrant as a flower in full bloom in spring. It is just like: the color of life fades due to illness, and the body is as fragrant as a newly dead sleeping posture..."

"Liu Ming, listen to the following dharma: You should visualize your body as a white skeleton, making it extremely white and pure, with the head falling down and entering the bones... You can even see countless white skeletons, scattered and disordered, some large, some small, some broken, some intact... Among the scattered bones, where is the self and other bodies? At that time, the practitioner contemplates the non-self, and the body and mind are at peace, peaceful and happy."

Liu Ming was listening attentively at first, but he felt something was wrong. He raised his head, swallowed his saliva, looked at the female Taoist priest who was muttering something, and asked tentatively: "Master Yubao, are you sure this is your Wudang secret?"

"Well, that's what my master said when he passed it on to me anyway."

"But I heard from the Taoist priest that this seems to be one of the five Buddhist Zen methods. They also call it the contemplation of the impure bones..."

"What does Buddhism have to do with me?"

"..."

That's fine, you have a high level of cultivation, so you have the final say.

Liu Ming was 100% sure that this was one of the five highest Buddhist meditation methods, or one of the most profound methods of Buddhist practice. He didn't know which stupid Taoist priest taught this female Taoist priest as a Wudang secret.
Hiss, could it be that this lack of mind is passed down from generation to generation? No wonder Taoist Master Yubao is also a little lack of mind...

Liu Ming looked at Yubao secretly, muttering to himself.

Yubao frowned: "What are you thinking about?"

Liu Ming's face straightened, and then he said passionately: "I am thinking about how to carry forward this method of visualization and live up to the good intentions of Taoist Master Yubao!"

Yubao looked at Liu Ming's expression for a moment and found nothing wrong with him. He nodded with satisfaction and said, "I hope you can realize that the essence of the body is not as beautiful and clean as you usually crave. This way, you can get rid of your greed for the body and free yourself from the obsession with lust."

Liu Ming slapped his hands and prostrated himself, "I will follow the Taoist's instructions."

Yubao nodded and was about to turn around and leave, but he seemed to think of something and turned around with a frown:

"Zhu Ling and I are in charge of Chunyang Hall. The Qi-inducing rate of our disciples is very important to me. If possible, I hope to hear news of your breakthrough in Qi-inducing within a month."

Liu Ming's heart trembled. He set a time limit of six months for himself, so that his speed would not be too outstanding nor would he fall behind.

But it’s only been three months, what do you think I am, a genius?

After thinking it over, Liu Ming finally raised his head and said in embarrassment: "Ah, this, my disciple is dull and I am afraid I will let you down, Taoist Master Yubao..."

Taking a deep breath, as if he had made a decision, Yubao continued to speak in a cold voice: "If you can cultivate the sense of Qi within a month, I will ask Zhu Ling to teach you the 'Nine Apertures Spiritual Stone View'. If you can't cultivate it, I will deduct ten mission points from you."

Liu Ming was struck by lightning: "Master, are you trying to...seduce + threaten?"

"Not really, I can only say that..." Yubao thought for a moment and used a word he had heard from Zhao Ziyao: "It's just a big promise. Whether you can get it or not is up to you."

"Can't refuse?" "Can't refuse!"

"Okay." Liu Ming was in distress, and when he met Yubao's clear and deep eyes, he suddenly felt his mood fluctuate: "Then, Taoist Master Yubao, if you succeed in breaking through, I would like to add a small request!"

"what?"

"I want you to teach me in person!"

"What's the difference?"

"Of course."

"Okay, I'll do what you say...Please pack up and come to the evening class."

After saying this, Yubao didn't stay any longer and turned around and left.

Yubao was born in Wudang since childhood, and has been practicing in various mountains since then. She is the only female Taoist who does not eat meat on Baiyun Mountain. She has no worldly airs, and her indigo Taoist robe makes her curves look even more beautiful. Her skin is like the most flawless white jade in the world, with no color difference.

Rubbing his aching knees, Liu Ming stood up tremblingly, looked at the direction where Yubao left, shook his head and smiled bitterly:

"If you, Taoist Master Yubao, were to teach me personally, it wouldn't be as simple as a pancake... Pancakes aren't this white..."

After three months of study, there were six people teaching at Baiyun Taoist Temple, including the two from the back mountain, four of whom were women.

Chi Yanhong is elusive and hard to spot for ordinary disciples; Zhao Ziyao has an eccentric personality and is difficult to treat as a woman; Zhu Ling is very serious and old-fashioned.
As a result, Taoist Master Yubao is almost universally recognized as the most popular person in Baiyun Taoist Academy, and his elective course [Introduction to Swordsmanship] is always full...

Walking on the mountain road of Chunyang Palace, Liu Ming smiled bitterly. It was a blessing in disguise. Not only did he not get his armor exposed, but he also got a supreme visualization method from this person.

If Yan Fu and Yang Xinwu, those two sultry guys, came back from Suzhou and found out, they would be so jealous that they would jump up and down.

However, it is still unknown whether these two guys can come back. The flash flood in Suzhou was not simple...

His thoughts slowly came back to him. Liu Ming pressed his forehead and wondered if he should make a breakthrough within the remaining month.
After all, who wouldn't want such a fairy who is not worldly and patient to teach them how to practice...
-
The moonlight is dim and the mist is hazy, and Baiyun Mountain has a completely different look at night.

Looking around, under the clear moonlight, clouds and mist seem to be pouring out from the sparsely populated forest on the mountain, turning into fairyland clouds.

After Zhu Ling finished his evening class and before resting, he would pay his respects to his master as usual.

Yubao had nothing to do, so he followed Zhu Ling.

Both of them were not good at talking, unlike the two guys in the Dharma Hall next door who would start a quarrel when they got together. They walked alone on the bluestone steps, not saying a word, but feeling very comfortable.

Arriving at the Yuchan Palace in the back mountain, they could see with their naked eyes countless golden lights flashing around in the palace under the night sky. They couldn't help but guess that the two practitioners inside might have made some progress recently.

After paying respects, no one responded as usual. Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly heard the voice of Master Chi from inside the hall.

"Zhu Ling, have you seen Wang Xin recently? I don't think I've heard from him in a few days."

(End of this chapter)