Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 24 The Way of Cultivation
Xuanji Zi finished speaking in one breath, and solemnly instructed at the end: "Remember! All offerings, ritual implements, and materials must be genuine and of the highest quality, and handled with utmost care! The altar connects with heaven and earth, and there is absolutely no room for negligence!"

Magistrate Sun nodded repeatedly, forgetting to wipe the sweat from his brow. After Xuanjizi finished speaking, he immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Rest assured, Master!"
I will personally oversee this immediately! There must be absolutely no mishap!
"Master and disciples, please rest here in peace. If the food and wine are insufficient, please inform the steward to provide more! I will be right back!"

Having said that, he bowed hastily and rushed out with two constables, clearly in a hurry.

Only the master and his apprentice remained in the hall, along with a table of leftover food.

Xuanjizi glared at Qi Yun, who was still shoveling the last bit of rice, and said irritably, "A starving ghost reincarnated? You've never seen anything like this! You've made your teacher lose all face!"

Qi Yun swallowed the last mouthful of rice, wiped his mouth, chuckled, and said with a hint of laziness, "Master, how can you blame me for this?"
Following you, I only have coarse bread and cold water for two meals a day, and my stomach is already completely dry.

"Besides," he picked up his teacup and took a sip, "you and the county magistrate were discussing important matters like exorcising ghosts, while I only know a few basic martial arts moves, so I can't get a word in edgewise. All I can do is bury my head in my food."

His words revealed a desire to learn more skills.

Xuanji Zi could easily understand the hidden meaning in his words. He snorted, picked up his teacup and sipped slowly. After a moment, he spoke slowly, his voice lower: "The path of cultivation is long and arduous."

Our orthodox Taoist tradition places great emphasis on a solid foundation.

"Practicing the Five Organs Fist strengthens your muscles and bones, harmonizes your five internal organs, and cultivates a bit of innate Yang energy within your body, laying the foundation for drawing Qi into your body and condensing 'true Qi' in the future."

"True Qi?" Qi Yun's eyes lit up, and he sat up straight.

“Not bad.” Xuanjizi put down his teacup, his gaze seemingly fixed on the distance. “True Qi is the root of life and the source of magical power.”

Taoist cultivation is roughly divided into four realms based on the depth of one's true qi cultivation. The first is 'receiving the ordination': a formal ceremony is required to report to Heaven and Earth and the Ancestral Master, and receive the ordination talisman. Only then can one be considered to have truly entered the Taoist sect, and only then can a faint true qi be condensed within the body.

They can barely perform some rudimentary techniques, such as drawing talismans, consecrating, and exorcising evil spirits, but their true energy is thin, and the number of times they can perform these techniques is limited.

Last night, the simple altar that my master set up was called the 'Purification Altar,' which could only barely 'consecrate' the talismans and give them a brief spiritual response.

You were born with the ability to see spirits, saving you the trouble of learning the "eye-opening technique" that most people do; you are already incredibly fortunate.

He paused for a moment, then continued, “The second stage is ‘transformation’: one must use true qi to cleanse oneself day and night, expelling the impurities of grains and worldly filth acquired later in life, so that the body and mind gradually become pure and the true qi gradually becomes refined and condensed.”

At this stage, cultivators' true energy gradually increases, enabling them to support slightly more complex spells and altars, and they can also begin to utilize some 'methods'.

"I have cultivated the Dao for fifty-three years, and now I am in this realm, where eight or nine tenths of my impurities have been removed."

At this point, a barely perceptible hint of pride flashed across the old Taoist's gaunt face.

Qi Yun was secretly astonished: Fifty-three years to reach the peak of the second realm? And he's so proud of that speed? It seems cultivation is truly difficult!
But he didn't show it on his face, and just listened attentively.

"The third level is 'refining the form': the true energy is abundant, the inner and outer are in harmony, it prolongs life and allows one to unleash more powerful spells."

As for the fourth level, 'Stepping on the Gang'!

Xuanjizi's eyes revealed deep awe, "That is the realm of a true master in this world!"

His true energy is vast and boundless, capable of communicating with heaven and earth, performing the steps of the Big Dipper, and summoning wind and rain!
The old Celestial Master who presided over the Luotian Grand Ritual at Qingwei Mountain was such a terrestrial immortal!

Its power is beyond our comprehension.

"As for the rituals and ceremonies of the altar," Xuanjizi changed the subject, "they are not just for show."

Ordinary fake Taoist priests, who have not cultivated true qi, set up altars that are nothing more than a stage for pretending to be gods and ghosts, and have no spiritual efficacy whatsoever.

Only cultivators with true qi can use their own true qi as a guide to communicate with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the divine power of the ancestral masters set up on the altar, so as to truly consecrate talismans and magical artifacts and endow them with supernatural powers and wonderful uses!
There are also different levels of altars, with vastly different levels of power.

Last night's 'purification of the altar' was the most basic.

Today, what I will set up is called 'Tracing the Shadow Altar,' which is specifically designed to pinpoint the location of evil spirits!
The higher the level of the altar, the deeper the required true qi cultivation and the more stringent the setup requirements. Forcibly setting up an altar beyond one's own cultivation level will inevitably result in backlash!
"The Great Ritual of Na Luo Tian..." Xuanji Zi's eyes shone brightly, "It is the pinnacle of the ritual altar! It requires the gathering of the elites of all the Taoist sects in the world, and the borrowing of the power of heaven, earth, mountains and rivers, to be accomplished!"

Its power can communicate with the heavens and influence the fate of a nation! It cannot be accomplished by the efforts of one person or one faction!

"Technique, method, and principle?" Qi Yun keenly grasped the words the old Taoist had mentioned earlier.

“Hmm,” Xuanjizi nodded, “‘Technique’ refers to the skills of application, such as talismans, incantations, hand gestures, and footwork. Cultivators at the Talisman Realm can learn these skills, which are techniques for protecting the Dao.”

'Dharma' is the wondrous principle of the circulation of true qi. On a deeper level, it involves the application of the rules of heaven and earth, and one can only glimpse the path after reaching the Transcendent Realm.

As for the 'Tao'..." He shook his head, his tone ethereal, "Profound and mysterious, the gateway to all wonders."

The ultimate goal for us is to seek the Great Way.

The manifestation of this is supernatural power!
But these are all.

He glanced at Qi Yun and said, "That's still a long way off for you. The most important thing right now is to master the Five Internal Organs Fist. Once my observation period is over, I will formally ordain you."

After receiving the ordination, you draw qi into your body and condense your first wisp of true qi. Only then can you truly step into the Taoist path and become a true Taoist priest, and only then can you practice Taoist arts and techniques.

Just then, the capable old butler tiptoed in and served two cups of hot tea.

The tea has a delicate aroma and is served in a fine celadon covered bowl.

Xuanjizi picked up the bowl, slightly lifted the lid, and skimmed off the foam.

Qi Yun was thirsty, and seeing that it was hot tea, he picked it up, blew on it, and then gulped it down in a few mouthfuls.

Seeing this, Xuanji Zi sighed helplessly and had no choice but to drink the first cup of tea that he was supposed to use to rinse his mouth.

The butler stood by with his hands at his sides, looking down at his nose and pretending not to see anything.

Xuanjizi put down his teacup and said to the steward, "Please find two quiet rooms. My master and I need to rest and recuperate in preparation for the evening's ritual."

"Rest assured, Your Excellency, everything is prepared. Please follow me." The steward bowed and led the way.

After passing through several corridors, we arrived at a secluded courtyard, where flowers and trees flourished, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

The steward opened the doors to two adjacent side rooms: "Master, young Taoist priest, please rest."

If you have any instructions, please come and find me at any time.

Having said that, he respectfully withdrew.

Qi Yun went into his room.

The room wasn't big, but it was bright and clean, with a bed, a table, a chair, and new bedding that smelled of sunshine.

After eating and drinking my fill, and listening to the old Taoist priest's explanation of cultivation, my mind relaxed, and I felt sleepy.

He kicked off his shoes and flopped onto the bed, fully clothed. The bed was soft and comfortable, much more so than the hard wooden kang (heated brick bed) in the inn.

The air was filled with the clean scent of linens, and the faint chirping of birds could be heard outside the window. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and he soon drifted off to sleep.

……

(End of this chapter)