From Celestial Official to Great Celestial Venerable

Chapter 4 Wisdom of Spiritual Practice
“Spiritual particles are the smallest particles of spiritual energy in the world. They are so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. It may seem that you have condensed sixty-four spiritual energy particles, but when combined together, they are nothing. Even if one hundred thousand spiritual particles are gathered into a spiritual wave and manifested in the body, it will only be three inches in size.”

Qin Li slowly explained the starting point of cultivation to his nephew:

"With a three-inch spiritual wave, one can control all things and move all objects."

"So, what kind of result is it that I only accumulated sixty-four spirit grains in one night?"

Qin Chuan took the initiative to ask:

Does this mean I'm not very talented?

"For ordinary people, that's already pretty good."

After Qin Li answered, he seemed to have figured out Qin Chuan's second question:
"You should know that while talent and aptitude are certainly very important in cultivation, the most important thing is actually 'wealth, companions, methods, and environment'."

"Wealth, companionship, law, and land?"

Qin Chuan seemed to be deep in thought.

“That’s right. Ordinary people like you and me, even if we work ourselves to the bone in this poor village, can only absorb a few dozen spiritual particles in one night. This is not because you or I are not talented. After all, being able to pass the exam to become a Daoist among tens of thousands of people cannot be considered as having poor talent.”

Qin Li said slowly:
"It's just because we're in the countryside, where the land doesn't contain spiritual veins and the spiritual particles in the world are scarce. If you go to the city, it's different. Every city is built on spiritual veins. Even the cheapest house in Jiuchuan County has more than ten times the spiritual energy content of our countryside."

"More than ten times? Is the urban-rural gap really that big?"

Qin Chuan did a rough calculation and said:
"In other words, if one goes to the county town to cultivate, one can steadily enter the first level of Qi Refining in as little as half a year."

"Indeed, this is still the lowest grade of spiritual housing. If it were a high-grade cave dwelling in the county town, it wouldn't be difficult for someone to reach the first level of Qi cultivation in three to five days. However, such a high-grade cave dwelling is not something that ordinary people can afford to rent, let alone buy."

Qin Li continued, saying:

"This is why I'm telling you about the importance of 'wealth' and 'location' in the context of wealth, companionship, law, and career."

"What about companionship and law?"

Qin Chuan seized the opportunity to ask further questions.

"Generally speaking, the Heavenly Court provides basic cultivation techniques for ordained Daoists and fire-craft Daoists. For example, if you go to Nongling Temple, Nongling Temple will teach you a cultivation technique that is essential for fire-craft Daoists of Nongling Temple. However, compared with the accumulation of thousands of years by real great clans and temples, these basic cultivation techniques are like chicken ribs. If you cultivate such techniques, you will never be able to get ahead in your lifetime. This is also some of my experience."

As Qin Li finished speaking, he sighed, reflecting on his wasted years.

“Just like your third uncle, I seem to have entered the Jing'an Police Station and have now been officially granted a title, but I am only a ‘second-class constable’ in the Jing'an Police Station. No matter how hard I try in this life, I can only be promoted to ‘deputy head constable’ at most, and that’s the end of the road.”

Qin Chuan was puzzled:

"With your abilities, is it really that difficult to be promoted to deputy constable?"

"If there is no opportunity to make meritorious contributions, then so be it. And even if there is an opportunity to make meritorious contributions, for my Jing'an Bureau, the only way to be promoted to the next rank is to take a job that puts your life on the line."

Qin Li said:

"So when you get to Nongling Temple, if you want to climb up, you must remember the last one, which is 'companion'."

"companion?"

Qin Chuan seemed to be deep in thought:
"What does 'friend' mean?"

"Ordinary people call each other friends, but we cultivators call each other 'fellow Daoists.' Once you enter Nongling Temple, you need to make as many fellow Daoists as possible and as few enemies as possible in order to cultivate."

After pondering for a moment, Qin Li said:

"This is only the surface meaning of 'companion,' because sometimes, ordinary fellow Daoists can't really help you much. You need to become a disciple of some seniors and become their fellow Daoists. The status of these seniors is the opportunity for you to advance further in Nongling Temple in the future."

Qin Chuan mentally translated his third uncle's senior status.

The term "senior" generally refers to... a powerful backer.

Qin's father listened to Qin Li's conversation with his son. Although he only half understood, he could clearly grasp that every word Qin Li said was invaluable advice for Qin Chuan's future cultivation.

He then earnestly instructed:

"Chuan'er, you must remember what your third uncle said."

Qin Chuan said earnestly, "I know."

"In a couple of days, you will be reporting to Nongling Temple. Remember to listen more and talk less."

Qin Li suddenly gave a bitter laugh as he spoke:
"These wisdoms of cultivation are passed down from generation to generation in large families. But for ordinary people like us, we have to go through trials and tribulations to even begin to understand them. Although what your third uncle has said is only the tip of the iceberg, it is still better for you to have grasped these key points than for your third uncle to have known nothing back then."

Qin Chuan said solemnly, "Third Uncle's words carry immense weight; I will never forget a single one."

A thought flashed through my mind.

Wealth, spouse, law, land.

To put it bluntly, the path of cultivation in this life is to have money, connections, background, and resources.

It's not the kind of world where you can break through your cultivation level and emerge invincible by secluded cultivation in a mountain cave for hundreds of years.

In this world, even a breakthrough requires a 'vacancy' before you can advance to that 'rank'. "That's all for now. Besides giving you these instructions, the main reason I came here is to take you to the city in advance to rent a temporary cave dwelling so you can familiarize yourself with the city's affairs."

Qin Li said.

"I will listen to everything my third uncle says." Qin Chuan now regarded this uncle as a guide on his path of cultivation.

“I took two days off to come back. I have to go back to handle some business tomorrow. Time waits for no one, so after we have breakfast, we have to leave.”

Qin Li said.

Qin Chuan was naturally a little uncomfortable with the rush, but then he felt a surge of anticipation for the future.

The family ate breakfast.

At the dinner table, Qin's parents loaded all their savings and the local specialties that the clansmen and ancestral hall had brought the day before onto Qin Chuan's cart, so that he could go to the city to sell them for spiritual energy to buy what he needed in the future.

Once everything was packed, Qin Chuan noticed that many elders from the clan had gathered at the door, including the patriarch himself.

Crackling.

They even set off firecrackers. Amidst the sounds of firecrackers and drums, came the innocent sobs of the younger sister, Qin Kui:
"Goodbye brother."

"When your brother comes back for holidays, he'll bring you delicious food."

Suppressing his reluctance, Qin Chuan turned to Qin Li and said:
"Third Uncle, let's go."

……

The road from Guniu Town to Jiuchuan County is about ten miles long. The uncle and nephew rode in Qin Li's carriage and arrived in the county town in about half an hour.

A city wall six zhang high appeared in the distance. When passing through the city gate, because of his third uncle Qin Li's identity, he greeted him with a smile and entered the city without even needing to be checked.

Upon entering Jiuchuan County, one sees white-walled, black-tiled buildings scattered throughout the county.

Official residences, ancestral halls, merchant houses, and former residences of villagers—these buildings are arranged in a series of front and back halls, or dozens of buildings clustered together, with streets and alleys paved with bluestone slabs.

The streets were even decorated with red ribbons and tavern banners, giving Qin Chuan a feeling of returning to those ancient towns from his previous life.

Qin Li first led Qin Chuan to the market at the foot of the city wall.

"This is the Sifu Street market. Many people in and around Jiuchuan City are used to bringing their own produce here to sell. Take advantage of the fact that the market hasn't closed yet and sell as much of the vegetables, fruits, and rice you have on the cart as you can. Your third uncle will go and rent you a temporary house."

The alley below the city wall was filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares.

"Selling big steamed buns, old-fashioned steamed buns."

"Sharpening knives and scissors!"

……

"Cucumbers and eggplants that were just picked from the field."

……

"Pot scrubber handle, small spatula, needle and thread, buttons, washbasin, scissors, hair clips, rattle..."

As I drove my horse-drawn carriage past this peddler, I could hear the clear, ringing bells on his clothes and his long, cheerful shouts.

Uncle San found Qin Chuan a seat so he could buy the things he brought from home, while he went to rent a house for Qin Chuan.

Qin Chuan looked around at the busy people with curiosity, observing them intently.

Although he studied scriptures day and night in this life, he was not lazy or ignorant of farming. He knew the prices of local produce and vegetables, and he didn't feel ashamed. Since he had no money, he simply started selling them.

In this era, many people still struggle to make ends meet, and the car is full of food, so there's no worry about selling it.

Around noon, Qin Chuan sold all the bags of grain, baskets of fruits and vegetables, and some cured meat from the cart, earning a few strings of coins.

The Eastern Heavenly Court uses spiritual energy to communicate with the world. One thousand spiritual coins equal one string, which can be converted into one spiritual energy.

The spirit coin is similar to the silver coin of the previous life, with spirit patterns on it, decorated with the image of the 'Celestial Venerable'. The spirit coin is round on the outside and square on the inside, with the four characters 'Dongsheng Tongbao' written on it.

Then, before the market dispersed, he pulled his carriage around and bought himself a steamed bun for a penny. He then wandered around the alleys of Sifu Street.

A little while later, I saw that at the end of the alley, there were antique plates, bottles and the like.

Qin Chuan stopped the carriage and squatted down in front of a stall to look at the goods with curiosity.

They went through each one one by one.

The stall owner was a lean, middle-aged man with a melon-shaped hat, a mustache, and beady eyes. Watching the young man pick and choose, he smiled and struck up a conversation:

“Young man, you’re quite the expert. To be honest, no one here has ever handled anything like you. You’re a veteran. Look, this thing you’re holding right now, let me tell you, it’s from the ‘Great Zhou’ era. Take a closer look and open the door.”

(End of this chapter)