A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

As Duan Rong walked out of Lü Yinlin's cave, carrying the bamboo tube containing the complete Garbhadhatu Sutra, his eyes still gleamed with a deep, contemplative light.

For Duan Rong, what Lü Yinlin said was like opening a door to a new world.

Only now did he finally understand why the Cave of Darkness was called the gateway to sainthood.

Indeed, once you cross this mountain, the world is completely different.

After the enlightenment of the Dao, all martial arts in the world became dust.

The cultivation method of the Cave-Ming Realm also struck Duan Rong as novel. Unlike the martial arts-based cultivation methods before the Cave-Ming Realm, its cultivation involves four steps: investigating things, finding a medium, comprehending, and breaking through the barrier. Therefore, its cultivation method is called the Four-Step Cultivation.

Moreover, Lü Yinlin's rather in-depth explanation gave him a deeper understanding of these four steps of cultivation. Although there were many parts that he still needed to explore himself to understand, Lü Yinlin provided many examples, making his explanations both profound and easy to understand.

Within the Taiyi Sect, Duan Rong was the fifth person to cultivate under Lü Yinlin's guidance. Duan Rong didn't know if Lü Yinlin had analyzed the previous four people in such detail. However, Duan Rong was very grateful that Lü Yinlin could explain things to him so thoroughly.

He read through the Daoist canon but found no mention of this practice, indicating that it was a separate transmission outside of the established doctrines and not recorded in writing.

If Lü Yinlin explained things roughly and briefly, his understanding would be superficial; if Lü Yinlin explained things in detail, his understanding would be profound. He even suspected that Chu Qiushan's inability to find his medium might be related to the rough explanation Lü Yinlin gave him.

Duan Rong slowly walked out of the withered forest. The afternoon sun cast dappled shadows among the trees outside the valley entrance. His eyes flickered slightly, and he put the bamboo tube in his sleeve and sat down on a large rock beside the valley entrance.

He wanted to find a quiet place to reflect again on Lü Yinlin's earlier remarks.

At this moment, he had only just heard it, and the words were still ringing in his ears. Even Lü Yinlin's tone and expression were imprinted in his mind. If he were distracted by some trivial matters, these details might fade away.

Therefore, he wanted to take this opportunity to reflect and comprehend it. Just now in the cave, Lü Yinlin had explained a great deal of information, in large chunks, and in such a rush, he hadn't fully digested some of it.

Duan Rong started from the four steps of cultivation and went through it all again.

First, he traveled the world and experienced life's trials, seeking a medium for self-cultivation through the investigation of things.

When a sensation occurs, how do we determine that it is the medium, how do we understand the medium, and finally, what are the examples of breaking through the medium?

Lü Yinlin explained it to him in great detail, step by step.

Duan Rong sat on that large rock, thought it over, and finally, the inscription of the "On the Immutability of Things" by Lan Ruoshui, the founder of the sect, came into his mind again.

Lu Yinlin did not give the animal hide used to make rubbings of the inscription to Duan Rong. He had instructed Duan Rong not to become engrossed in the inscription, but Duan Rong's spirit was strong and he had a photographic memory. At this moment, the inscription flowed through his mind like water.

“Rivers rush forth but do not flow…” Duan Rong murmured to himself, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Just then, perhaps because he had been sitting on that moss-covered rock for too long, he suddenly felt an urge to urinate.

The moment the urge to urinate surged, Duan Rong's eyes flickered; the founder of the sect had broken through to enlightenment while urinating.

He immediately stood up, moved aside, and unzipped his trousers. A thin stream of clear water splashed onto the mossy ground beside the large rock.

As Duan Rong spurted out the water, he stared blankly at the thin stream of clear water that was gushing out, muttering to himself, "Rivers rush forth but do not flow..."

The moment he finished urinating, he suddenly shuddered, as if he had suddenly realized something...

The image of that clear, thin stream of water was still vivid in his mind. Duan Rong, holding the bird, stood in the breeze, motionless as if possessed.

A question swirled in his mind. In those few breaths when he urinated, did that thin stream of clear urine move or not?

If he hadn't moved, he would have finished urinating by now.

If it were moved, that thin stream of clear water would remain in the same form for several breaths, as if frozen in time.

"Rivers pour forth but do not flow..."

In that instant, Duan Rong felt he had understood.

Although the river flows on and on, day and night, the Yangtze River surges year after year, and it remains there forever.

Did the river move or not?
The principle that things do not change...

Just then, a strong wind blew, making Duan Rong's penis feel cold. He suddenly realized what was happening and pulled up his pants.

Fasten his belt and look at the patch of wet moss he had sprayed in the distance. Duan Rong shook his head slightly and muttered to himself, "The ancestor is right. I cannot get lost in this 'Theory of the Immutability of Things.' This is where the ancestor made his breakthrough, but it is definitely not mine."

Because of Duan Rong's enlightenment just now, he thought he had understood, but the power of the laws within his Insightful Cave showed no reaction and no deepening whatsoever.

If he truly breaks through to the next level, there will definitely be signs of his understanding of the power of laws deepening.

In this world, no two people will ever achieve enlightenment in the same situation. Because achieving enlightenment is a profound and subtle experience, not something you simply understand.

Duan Rong then put the essay "On the Immutability of Things" out of his mind and slowly walked towards the hilltop not far away.

After climbing the hill and passing through the dense forest, he soon saw the thatched hut by the stream. In the afternoon sun, Chu Wushang was sitting in front of the hut, weaving bamboo baskets.

Duan Rong's eyes twitched, and he walked over slowly, stopping a short distance away. This time, he didn't interrupt Chu Wushang. If it were any other time, he would have already spoken up, because in the past, he would have simply thought that sitting in the sun weaving bamboo baskets was a leisurely way to pass the time.

But now he knows that Chu Wushang is cultivating.

The medium he chose was weaving bamboo baskets.

Duan Rong walked over from the valley entrance, wanting to take a closer look at how Chu Wushang wove the bamboo baskets, and how he walked. More precisely, how he comprehended the medium.

Because Ancestor Lü Yinlin was already an accomplished being, having reached the Nascent Soul Realm, he could explain things very clearly and in great depth. However, Chu Wushang was truly cultivating, and he was working on the comprehension step of the four-step cultivation process.

Duan Rong was eager to see for himself how the medium of enlightenment was actually conducted.

He stood there silently, afraid of disturbing Chu Wushang. Chu Wushang spun for a while, then suddenly raised his head, looked at Duan Rong, and said coldly, "What is it?"

Duan Rong said, "Mr. Chu, I would like to stay with you for a couple of days. Would that be convenient?"

"Stay with me for two days?" Chu Wushang's eyes widened in surprise. He asked, "Why?"

Duan Rong said, "I know that Mr. Chu, your weaving of bamboo baskets and your walking are all forms of spiritual practice. I would like to experience firsthand how you comprehend the medium."

Chu Wushang looked at Duan Rong with icy eyes and said, "Do you think I'm some kind of street performer?" Duan Rong bowed deeply and said respectfully, "I wouldn't dare. I have offended you, sir. I'll be leaving now."

Chu Wushang looked at Duan Rong's respectful demeanor, his eyes flickered slightly, and just as Duan Rong turned around, he suddenly called out to him, "Wait."

Duan Rong stopped, turned around, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Is there anything else you need, sir?"

Chu Wushang said, "You seem to be quite well-behaved and don't talk much. If you'd like to stay here, then stay for two days."

"Thank you, sir!" Duan Rong clasped his hands in a salute again, then grabbed a small stool from the corner and sat down not far from Chu Wushang.

Chu Wushang was always aloof, so it was quite remarkable that he agreed to stay with Duan Rong. Besides Duan Rong's amazing talent, he had also made a good impression on Chu Wushang during his seclusion in the talisman array chamber.

At least during that time, Duan Rong never asked him why he kept weaving bamboo baskets. Moreover, Duan Rong's innate aversion to killing also made him quite fond of this young man.

In his life, he had seen many hypocrites, but he had rarely met anyone who was truly kind-hearted.

In particular, during his hundreds of years of presiding over the secret chamber of the talisman array, he had seen countless seemingly respectable people harboring twisted and filthy inner demons.

A person like Duan Rong can already be considered clean.

He was kind-hearted, exceptionally talented, and didn't waste words. Every aspect of him appealed to Chu Wushang. Moreover, after Chu Wushang refused him, Duan Rong was very polite and wanted to leave humbly. That's when Chu Wushang had a change of heart, changed his mind, and called out to Duan Rong.

Duan Rong sat on the stool, looking at the bamboo basket that Chu Wushang had placed in front of his knees. The afternoon sun was shining on Chu Wushang's face, but his cold face seemed to give even the sunlight a chill.

Chu Wushang's long, calloused fingers deftly manipulated the bluish bamboo strips. He quickly ignored Duan Rong's presence and once again focused on weaving the bamboo basket.

The afternoon sunlight and Duan Rong's gaze were both focused on Chu Wushang's long, slender, and nimble fingers.

The fingers deftly and skillfully manipulated the bamboo strips, making round and round until a basket was complete.

Chu Wushang placed the woven basket aside and picked up a few bamboo strips from the ground, coiling them in his hands.

The woven bamboo basket was placed not far from Duan Rong, but Duan Rong didn't even glance at it.

Because the bamboo basket is not the main point.

The key is not in the basket, but in the weaving itself.

Each and every moment of editing is a way to understand the medium.

Once the basket is woven, the enlightenment is over.

Duan Rong came here to see the medium for enlightenment, not to really see the basket.

Chu Wushang noticed Duan Rong, but didn't even look at the woven basket placed not far in front of him. He was still focused on watching Duan Rong's fingers fiddling with the basket, and a barely perceptible hint of admiration flashed deep in his eyes.

He deliberately placed the woven bamboo basket in front of Duan Rong to see if he would be distracted.

Chu Wushang calmly and patiently continued weaving, while Duan Rong sat not far away, frozen in place, staring intently at his hands.

One by one, the woven bamboo baskets were stacked not far from Duan Rong. The sun gradually moved westward until dusk enveloped the mountains and forests. Chu Wushang and Duan Rong were still sitting in front of the thatched hut.

In the dim twilight, both men had cold, expressionless faces, but their gazes were extremely focused, without a trace of distraction.

As night fell, Chu Wushang groped around the basket with the last bamboo strip in the dark, and then put the unfinished basket aside.

He let out a long sigh, and in the pitch-black night, looked at Duan Rong not far away, and suddenly said, "You've been watching all afternoon, have you figured anything out?"

In the darkness, Duan Rong's eyes gleamed. He shook his head and said, "I didn't see anything. I only saw a skilled craftsman weaving bamboo baskets."

Chu Wushang chuckled strangely a few times and said, "That's right. I spent the whole afternoon writing this, and I couldn't get into the zone even once."

Duan Rong's eyes flashed, and he immediately asked, "Entering the state?! What do you mean by entering the state?"

Chu Wushang had developed a rather favorable impression of Duan Rong by this time. When he heard Duan Rong ask, he replied, "Comprehending a medium only means entering that state. If I keep making this up, I'd be lucky to enter that state ten or so times a month. And each time it's just like a dragonfly skimming the water."

"If you can achieve this twice in a row, it means that you have just finished entering a state and then suddenly enter a state again, with a very short interval of only a few breaths. This is called 'mastering the skill in one go.' Mastering the skill in one go is also called 'breaking through the barrier,' which means that you are about to break through the barrier."

"Kung Fu in its entirety?! Breaking through to the next level?!" Duan Rong's eyes flashed upon hearing this, and he was slightly surprised. He then asked, "These are things the patriarch didn't mention today?"

Chu Wushang said, “The ancestor only talks about what is useful. When you comprehend the medium of these skills, you will experience it yourself. When the time is right, the skills will naturally become complete. If it is not the right time, it is useless to try to figure it out. This is called the obstacle of knowledge. I don’t usually talk about these things with others. Today, I’m here with you, kid, and I couldn’t keep up with the conversation.”

Duan Rong said, "Thank you for your guidance, sir."

In the darkness, Chu Wushang waved his hand and said, "I sleep in the mountains at night. There's only one bed in this hut. As for where you sleep, find a place yourself."

Duan Rong glanced at the dark thatched hut behind him. He knew the hut was very dirty, so he said, "I think the roof looks nice, it's covered with dry thatch. I'll sleep on the roof."

"Whatever." Chu Wushang said, then slowly walked into the dark thatched hut. He went into the inner room, walked along the narrow passageway piled with bamboo baskets, came to the bed, and lay down on his own.

The practice of weaving bamboo baskets is actually very mentally taxing. Although Chu Wushang hadn't been able to get into the zone for a whole day, he had been mentally working hard. By now, he was exhausted and fell into a deep sleep the moment he touched the bed, snoring loudly.

The moment the snoring began, the squeaking of mice echoed from inside the hut. Hearing that familiar snoring, these creatures knew they were safe and immediately came out to move around.

Duan Rong stood at the doorway, and upon hearing the rampant squeaking of the rats, his brows furrowed slightly. He finally understood why the pile of porcelain vases in the corner was covered with cobwebs and rat droppings. There were so many rats in this thatched hut, and they were quite brazen about it.

Although he was disgusted, he didn't presume to do the dirty work and exterminate the rats for Chu Wushang. Chu Wushang clearly didn't care about the rats; otherwise, he would have had plenty of ways to get rid of them.

Duan Rong rolled over and landed on the roof. His body was as light as a falling leaf. He lay on the roof, which was covered with dry thatch, with his head on his elbow, gazing up at the dark night sky.

In fact, he was quite tired at this point. Whether it was Lü Yinlin's narration or Chu Wushang's observation, he was completely focused and absorbed.

Even now, he still had many doubts about the four cultivators, but he knew that he couldn't understand them just by thinking; he had to seek the truth through enlightenment himself.

As Duan Rong was thinking this, before he knew it, a half-moon rose in the eastern sky, and as clouds drifted by, the moon seemed to be traveling through a sea of ​​clouds.

Duan Rong yawned to himself, gazing at the bright moon weaving through the clouds, and murmured, "Is it the clouds that are moving, or the moon? Isn't this also a principle of the immutability of things...?"

As he spoke, he turned over and fell asleep. A moment later, the clouds dispersed, and a half-moon shone brightly in the night sky, its light spilling onto the roof and illuminating half of Duan Rong's profile... (End of Chapter)