Wanfa Daojun, starting from the Little Cloud and Rain Technique

Chapter 464 Gold Generates Water

In the current environment, there is no resistance at all when riding the golden cloud.

Ji An was not moving fast. He saw many marks in the passage that looked like they had been cut by a sharp blade, the deepest of which was about half a finger deep.

These are traces left behind after the outbreak of the spiritual tide, silently telling the story of the rampant spiritual energy in the past.

After a while, he encountered two cultivators standing side by side in the passage, which was about thirty feet above the ground.

"Fellow Daoist, please make way, I need to continue downwards."

The passageway was not wide; two people standing in the middle would occupy half of it.

As he spoke, he summoned the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner, and a yellow aura protected his entire body, with countless golden flowers swirling around him.

For no other reason than caution.

If we assume that these two people are acting out of malice, they would leave him very little time to react if they attacked him, so using a magical artifact for protection is a good choice.

A cultivator with a goatee raised an eyebrow slightly and said:

"Hehe, you are quite vigilant. I have seen all the cultivators who can withstand a large spiritual tide, but I have never seen you before. Is this your first time experiencing a large spiritual tide?"

He had been hanging around here for over ten years and knew most of the cultivators who had gotten involved with the Gu family and were capable of withstanding large-scale metal elemental tides.

Ji An nodded. "Yes, what advice do you have, fellow Daoist?"

"I dare not offer any guidance. Many cultivators do not have a deep understanding of the Metal element and may misjudge the situation."

The deepest part of this passage is about fifty feet below the ground, and the eruption of spiritual tide is no different from facing a powerful sword cultivator's attack.

If this is your first time experiencing a spiritual tide of this intensity, it's best not to delve too deeply.

As he spoke, the man with the goatee pressed himself against the stone wall of the passageway to make way for him.

If you go too deep into the passage, you won't have time to evacuate when the spiritual tide erupts, and you'll have to tough it out. Even top-grade spiritual artifacts might not be able to withstand that brief burst of beauty.

He had experienced seven or eight high-intensity bursts of spiritual energy and deeply understood their terrifying nature; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were like being pierced by a thousand arrows.

"Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist," Ji An said with a smile. He had no connection with the other party, so it was quite remarkable that the other party could say such a thing.

If he were in that situation, he wouldn't say anything; everyone has to be responsible for their own choices.

He solemnly bowed in thanks, then rode the clouds to continue deeper into the world.

After he walked away, the man with the goatee shook his head and sighed, "Sigh, it seems he doesn't know how to turn back until he's stumbled."

The cultivator next to him curled his lip and said:
"Why does my old friend sigh? Kind words are hard to persuade this damned devil, and compassion cannot save him from his own destruction."

What truly awakens people is not persuasion, but an impenetrable wall. Only after being battered and bruised will they learn their lesson. Weren't we the same when we were young?

He's just a passerby; there's no need to let it bother you.

Even though some cultivators are located deeper than them, when the spiritual tide erupts, everyone will retreat and eventually all leave the passage.

My understanding of the metal element is not deep enough, so I can only slowly work through this tedious method, experiencing firsthand what the ultimate meaning of metal is, and only then can I comprehend the concept of metal generating water.

Ji An flew downwards and encountered three more cultivators before finally reaching the bottom of the passage.

There are several huge cracks, each half a foot wide, surrounded by a rich aura of metal elemental energy.

He nodded slightly, sensing the vibrant inspiration within him, and closed his eyes to carefully perceive the changes.

Having a superior Geng metal Dao seed and a mid-grade Xin metal Dao seed, he has a much greater advantage than others.

Ji An silently recited in his heart, "The Five Elements are a kind of property, a form of energy change."

The energy is still the same energy. The so-called mutual generation of the five elements refers to the transformation from one form to another.

The transformation of the Five Elements is caused by the changes in Yin and Yang.

Yin is turbid and Yang is clear; when Yin and Yang are in balance, this property is stable.

When Yin and Yang are out of balance, they will separate, with Yang rising and Yin falling. Only then will they transform from one form to another.

These few simple words encapsulate his insights gained over the years.

Thinking of this, he suddenly recalled the three realms of Chan meditation proposed by Qingyuan Xingsi, a Chan master from the Song Dynasty in his previous life.

The first level is to see mountains as mountains and water as water.

When first encountering something, one accepts its appearance from a pure, uncomplicated perspective; this is what it means to judge a book by its cover.

The second stage: Seeing mountains not as mountains, seeing water not as water;

As experience and knowledge accumulate, one begins to question appearances and explore the essence. One knows a little about everything, but in reality, one doesn't know much at all, and thus falls into self-doubt.

The third level: Seeing mountains as mountains and water as water;

After achieving enlightenment, one returns to one's true self, transcending appearances and obsessions with a clear mind. This allows one to understand the complexity of things while accepting their essence with a return to simplicity.

Ji An felt that even if he comprehended the mutual generation of the five elements, he would only be at the second level.

Different perceptions lead to different perspectives on things.

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. Cultivating immortality is also called cultivating truth. It is about eliminating falsehood and preserving truth, and this should be a lifelong pursuit for cultivators.

He gathered his thoughts, extended his divine sense, spreading it out into tendrils, and sensed the change in the metal element's aura.

Ji An stood with his legs shoulder-width apart, gradually raised his hands from in front of his navel to chest level, tilted his head back and tucked his neck in, and slowly moved his hands forward.

This is the step of absorbing metal and circulating qi. He exhales a breath and makes a "xi" sound, and then inhales naturally.

Then a wisp of golden energy was swallowed into the abdomen, and the golden palace of the lungs in the body shone with silver light.

Ji An fell into deep thought, his entire aura blending into the surrounding environment.

As time passed, he sensed a change in Jin Xing's restrained divine will, like bubbles rising in a calm pond.

Convergence symbolizes stability and is the manifestation of Xin metal; severance symbolizes decay and is the manifestation of Geng metal.

Geng metal is yang, and Xin metal is yin. Yang is qi, which cannot be seen or touched but can only be felt, while yin is substance, which can be seen. Only when the two are combined can the complete metal element be formed.

Ji An felt as if sunshine had shone into his heart, and everything became clear. With this understanding, everything made sense.

As long as Yin and Yang coexist, regardless of the quantity of Yin and Yang, the nature will not change; it will simply manifest as more Yang metal or more Yin metal.

Ji An sensed that the Yin Metal was decreasing while the Yang Metal was increasing, and its nature was becoming increasingly hyperactive.

In a certain instant, the last trace of Yin Metal disappeared, and the gathered metal element was like boiling water, with silver light emerging from the cracks in the underground rocks.

A storm of metal energy appeared in the cave, and water gushed out from the spring and swept upwards.

At this moment, the gold passage completed its transformation from stillness to movement, and fine water droplets appeared above the passage.

Ji Anruo, like a piece of driftwood in the river, was propelled upwards by the waves, her body moving along the channel.

A smile appeared on his lips. In the metal element, the interplay of yin and yang transforms from coexistence to unipolarity, and the nature of gathering becomes fluidity. This is the principle of metal generating water.

Strands of Geng metal energy entered his body like bullets, but caused no damage. The metal palace of his lungs shone brightly, transforming the incoming energy.

The Five Elements circulate wildly without his control, rapidly transforming Qi into magical power.

Within his dantian, the stone tortoise devoured the descending magical power, and within the primordial fire, the boundary between white and black flames blurred. At this moment, Ji An resembled a silver creation, exuding a strong metallic texture.

At the cave entrance, the steward Gu Zewei looked anxious. She paced back and forth, glancing into the cave every now and then.

Even outside the cave, she could feel a chilling, murderous aura. She couldn't imagine how the cultivators inside could sense the changes in the metal element in such an environment.

One by one, the cultivators flew out of the cave, all wearing bitter smiles. Needless to say, it was another day of fruitless labor.

A burly cultivator with a full beard scratched his head vigorously and said:

"Old Hu and Old Zhang haven't come out yet. These two have managed to hold out for so long. Could they be about to achieve their goal?"

His tone held both expectation and a touch of bittersweetness.

He felt anticipation because witnessing a cultivator comprehend the concept of "metal generating water" would bolster his already crushed confidence; he felt bitterness because if the other person truly grasped its profound meaning, he would feel uneasy.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the goatee-bearded monk and his companion flew out on a cloud. "Don't gossip behind people's backs. Achieving perfect merit isn't that easy!"

"Haha, Lao Hu, how many years have you been here?"

The goatee-bearded monk's name was Hu Jingming. He pursed his lips, causing his beard to tremble.

"Twenty-three years have passed, and we still have no clue."

His tone carried a hint of desolation, as helpless as a yellow leaf falling in the autumn wind.

The words resonated with the crowd, and the scene immediately fell silent, with everyone sighing inwardly.

Time was wasted in vain, without any substantial progress.

Gu Zewei's anxiety intensified, as Ji An was now the only cultivator who had not yet emerged from the mine.

The other party is a distinguished guest of Uncle Gu Mingyuan; if he gets injured, it will be embarrassing for both sides.

Hu Jingming peeked into the cave and asked:

"I saw a new face come in today, why hasn't he come out yet?"

He would stand guard in the passage, so he would know when any cultivators entered or left.

The bearded man chuckled, "That newcomer is quite brave. I was forty feet underground, originally one of the deepest people among us, but he surpassed me and continued to descend."

His tone was tinged with schadenfreude as he continued:
"I'm really looking forward to seeing his expression when he comes out; it's sure to be quite a sight."

The thought of seeing someone suffer the same 'tragic' fate as he had back then filled him with a strange excitement!
Hu Jingming shook his head. "I hope he wasn't seriously injured."

In his view, the other party was someone who paid the price for carelessness, which was good and left a deep impression on him.

However, staying here to watch people in such a sorry state was not a good idea, so he called out to his friend and they rode away on a cloud.

The cultivators left one after another, leaving only the bearded man and Gu Zewei at the cave entrance.

After a while, the bearded man felt the vigorous metal element energy begin to decline, sighed, and summoned his magical artifact to leave.

He recalled his past, when, in order to avoid others seeing his embarrassment, he stayed for a full hour after the spiritual tide subsided before leaving.

If you were in that situation, the newcomer who was deepest underground at that time would definitely not want to see anyone.

Gu Zewei felt bitter. Her elders had presented her with a difficult problem, and now she could neither go in to search nor leave.

'Hey, you promised to protect me if I'm in danger.'

Just as she was lost in thought, Ji An flew out on a cloud, his Taoist robe now riddled with tiny holes.

"Senior, you've come out."

Gu Zewei forced herself to speak, her head bowed, not daring to look the other person in the eye.

“Okay,” Ji An nodded with a smile, “I’m leaving now. Could you please help me with the procedures for returning the spirit stones?”

"Huh?!" Gu Zewei suddenly looked up, her almond-shaped eyes wide open.

She thought she had misheard and asked tentatively:

"Did I hear that right? Senior is asking for a refund of the spirit stones?"

"You heard me right, I don't need to come anymore."

Ji An burst into laughter, his laughter like the cold wind howling across a mountain peak.

The rosy clouds resembled a continuous fiery mountain range in the sky, while the white snow stood proudly on the mountain peaks. The sunset reflected on the snow, creating a scene of white tinged with red.

At the mountaintop villa, Gu Mingyuan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the snow eagles soaring through the clouds, catching birds returning to their nests.

His thoughts weren't here, but rather flew to the foot of the mountain, where he thought:

'Fellow Daoist Ji, please don't get seriously injured!'

Suddenly he caught sight of a cultivator approaching on a magical artifact on the horizon. As the person drew closer, he recognized who it was.

Gu Zewei landed at the villa, bowed gracefully, and said in a deep voice:
"Sixth Uncle, Zewei has something to report. Senior Ji has settled the spirit stones he mortgaged to the family and left."

"What do you mean?"

Gu Mingyuan suddenly realized that he hadn't understood the meaning behind the other person's words, and his facial expression became stiff.

Pay the bill and leave? You'd only do that after understanding the principle of metal generating water!
"Senior Ji said he has already grasped the transformation of metal into water."

Gu Mingyuan: "."

He couldn't understand how the other party had done it; it was completely unreasonable.

After a moment, he sighed softly, "Perhaps Fellow Daoist Ji has experienced many spiritual tides in other regions, and has finally achieved his goal here. Did he have any other explanations?"

"Senior Ji also said he would like to treat you to drinks. It will be noon three days from now at Drunken Immortal Abode, Room No. 1 in the Heavenly Class. You can choose any dishes you like. You don't need to save him spirit stones."

Gu Zewei had mixed feelings. When she settled the bill, she checked the records and found that Senior Ji had only paid thirty-eight mid-grade spirit stones, and had even given her two mid-grade spirit stones as a bonus before leaving.

Perhaps, as Uncle Liu said, the other party must have experienced many outbreaks of the Metal Element Spirit Tide in other places.

Thinking of this, she immediately realized something was wrong. If the other party had experienced many spiritual tides, there was no reason for them to feel a small spiritual tide again.

She was shocked by her own thoughts. To be able to comprehend the true meaning of metal generating water in just three years and through dozens of spiritual tides was an incredibly terrifying talent and comprehension.

In the Red Rock Immortal City, Ji An hurriedly returned to his cave.

He took out a blank jade slip, stuck it to his forehead, and wrote down his insights.

There is a clear difference between metal generating water and fire generating earth. When fire generates earth, the fire elements Bing and Ding respectively transform into earth elements Wu and Ji, and the yin and yang energies combine to transform into earth.

Metal generates water, which is the process of metal moving in a state where yin diminishes and yang grows. After polarization, Geng metal flows and transforms into Kan water.

Fire generates earth, which is a process of movement turning into stillness; metal generates water, which is a process of stillness turning into movement.

From this perspective, the transformation methods of the five elements' mutual generation are different, and we cannot simply apply the original experience.

But one thing is consistent: the flow of Yin and Yang is the basis of transformation.

From a higher perspective, metal represents lesser yin, and water represents greater yin. The generation of water by metal is the transformation from lesser yin to greater yin.

(End of this chapter)