Journey to the West: Starting with the True Lord of the Pure Land

Inside the quiet room.

Chen Jiao drew dozens of spiritual talismans in succession, each stroke flowing smoothly until the last stroke fell, at which point the spiritual light on the talisman paper flowed, containing a clear radiance.

He put down the small awl, its eyes clear and bright. Far from showing any signs of weariness, he felt his consciousness becoming increasingly clear and transparent, and he gained a deeper understanding of the way of talismans.

Just then, a knock came from outside the courtyard, accompanied by the laughter of the Golden Light Immortal:

"Is Fellow Daoist Jiangxiao here? I am Jin Guang, and I have come with a fellow Daoist friend to bother you."

Chen Jiao got up and opened the door to greet them. He saw Jin Guang Zhenren standing outside the door, with an old Taoist priest beside him.

It was none other than Luo Daoren of Jieyang Mountain.

Luo Daoren looked somewhat cautious. When Chen Jiao opened the door, he quickly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect.

Master Jin Guang smiled and introduced, "This is Luo Quan from Zhenyun Temple on Jieyang Mountain. Fellow Daoist Luo has considerable experience in alchemy."

Having heard that you are here, I have come to pay my respects.

Chen Jiao returned the greeting and led the two into the quiet room. Seeing that the talismans, writing brushes, and ink on the table were not all put away, he said:

"I just finished drawing talismans, please excuse my poor performance."

When Jin Guang Zhenren and Luo Daoren glanced at the stack of talismans on the table, which were faintly glowing with spiritual light, their eyes lit up.

Jin Guang Zhenren praised, "I never imagined that you, fellow Daoist, would not only be so proficient in fire magic and swordsmanship, but also so accomplished in the art of talismans."

"The aura here is condensed and does not dissipate; this talisman you created is certainly no ordinary one."

Luo Daoren was skilled in alchemy and had a particularly keen sense of qi. At this moment, he felt that the room was filled with a clear and harmonious spiritual energy, which calmed his mind and soothed his spirit.

He nodded in agreement, saying, "That's true. Making talismans is extremely mentally taxing, yet you still managed to make dozens of them with full energy, which shows your profound foundation."

Chen Jiao led the two to sit on the prayer mats, took out tea utensils to boil water, and said slowly:

"My two fellow Daoists are too kind. I merely scribbled down some random thoughts that came to me."

Jiang Xiao will remember Fellow Daoist Jin Guang's assistance just now.

Master Jinguang waved his hand and said:

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to worry. I've long known about that old dragon's temperament; it just so happens that we've met today."

He took a sip of tea, then suddenly laughed:

"Observe that your true fire is pure and refined, and its circulation is controlled by your heart."

"This humble Taoist and Fellow Taoist Luo are both rudimentary in the art of alchemy. I wonder if Fellow Taoist Jiangxiao has any knowledge or insights into this path?"

Upon hearing this, Daoist Luo also looked up.

Although he was always cautious, this time, with the introduction of the Golden Light Immortal and having personally witnessed the methods and demeanor of the Crimson Cloud Immortal, he truly harbored the idea of ​​befriending him.

Chen Jiao knew that since he had asked this question, he must have intended to discuss and exchange ideas, so he did not refuse and smiled:

"The Dao of Alchemy is vast and boundless; my knowledge is but a superficial understanding. Yet, of the three thousand great Daos, all ultimately return to the same source."

The adjustment of the heat, the roles of the ruler, ministers, assistants, and envoys, are all connected to the rise and fall of Yin and Yang in Heaven and Earth, and the flow of spiritual energy.

Like other arts such as talismans, artifacts, and formations, alchemy originates from the mind and is accomplished according to principles.

I have some experience in controlling the heat.

Now that I have some free time, I would like to exchange ideas and verify my understanding with you two fellow practitioners.

Jin Guang Zhenren and Luo Daoren exchanged a glance, both seeing the intense interest in each other's eyes.

Upon hearing this, Jin Guang Zhenren clapped his hands and laughed, "Excellent! Fellow Daoist's words have a profound understanding of the principles of alchemy."

The saying "refining oneself in the furnace and regulating one's spirit in the cauldron" is indeed similar to the Daoist's mastery of true fire and connection with the talisman's essence.

Luo Daoyou has a profound understanding of the nature of plants, metals, and stones, as well as the principles of ruler, minister, assistant, and envoy relationships.

The three of us are skilled in controlling the heat, adept at understanding the properties of medicines, and... cough cough, this humble Taoist also has some knowledge of the transformations of elixirs.

Why not take advantage of this free time to discuss it? Perhaps we can both gain some insights.

Upon hearing the discussion of alchemy, Master Luo's expression became serious, and he nodded, saying:

"That is indeed my wish. Fellow Daoist Jiangxiao's true fire is extraordinary. He must have profound insights into the transformation between martial and civil fire, and the mechanism of yin and yang rising and falling."

Chen Jiao nodded and said, "That's exactly what I wanted to ask you."

In the quiet room, the steam of tea rose gently as the three sat facing each other.

The faint glow of the talisman on the table cast dappled light and shadow in the room, creating a unique and mysterious atmosphere.

Master Jinguang spoke first, his whisk lightly resting on his arm, and he smiled:

"The foundation of alchemy lies first in clearly discerning the properties of medicinal ingredients. However, all things in the universe have their own biases and impurities. How to purify the essence and remove the dross to preserve the true nature is the first hurdle."

I observe that most alchemists in the world are rigidly bound by ancient formulas and combinations, daring not to deviate even slightly from the prescribed path. Little do they know that times change, and the inherent energy of spiritual substances also evolves.

He looked at Daoist Luo and said, "Fellow Daoist Luo has studied the properties of plants, minerals and metals, so you must have some understanding of this."

Upon hearing this, Daoist Luo straightened his expression and said:

"What Fellow Daoist Jin Guang said is very true."

I have spent many years collecting herbs and refining elixirs, and I have indeed gained some insights.

The spiritual herbs of the same kind, whether growing on sunny or shady sides of a mountain, or harvested in spring or autumn, contain different kinds of wood essence or water essence.

Although the ancient formula serves as the framework, the specific control of the heat, the addition or subtraction of auxiliary medicines, and even the natural energy of heaven and earth during the alchemy process all require flexible adaptation.

For example, when refining the [Condensing Essence and Transforming into True Foundation Building Pill], the main ingredient, the Three-Leaf Green Ganoderma, is at its most vigorous if it is picked in the early spring when the morning dew has not yet dried.

During the refining process, the time spent nourishing the elixir with a gentle fire needs to be slightly longer than the ancient recipe's description by half an hour, in order to fully stimulate its vital energy and integrate it into the pill.

He spoke in great detail, clearly demonstrating a deep immersion in this Daoist alchemical formula.

Master Jinguang nodded in agreement. He gently stroked his whisk, his gaze falling on Chen Jiao's face, and said:

"Identification and processing of medicinal materials are Luo Daoyou's strengths."

The concept of "fire control" is the very essence of Daoist alchemy; the transformation between civil and military arts, the rise and fall of Yin and Yang, all reside in one's own mind.

The concept of "fire control" is the very essence of Daoist alchemy; the transformation between civil and military arts, the rise and fall of Yin and Yang, all reside in one's own mind.

Fellow Daoist Jiangxiao, your true fire is pure and your control over it is exquisite, as we witnessed during our previous duel. I wonder what insights you have regarding the control of fire in alchemy?

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao pondered for a moment, then said slowly:

"The fire of civil and military affairs is a metaphor for their nature. The fire of military affairs is fierce, like the scorching summer sun, destroying the withered and decaying. It is the fire that moves when the extreme of yang is reached, and it is responsible for transformation, breaking through obstacles, and extracting the essence;

A gentle fire is warm and gentle, like a spring night's drizzle, nourishing things silently. It is a quiet and nurturing force, primarily for cohesion, gentle nourishment, and strengthening the foundation and cultivating vitality.

However, the two are not completely separate; rather, they are interdependent, like yin and yang, and movement and stillness are interdependent.

When the fire starts, martial intent already contains literary intent, lest it become too intense and burn the cauldron; when the fire is at its warmest, literary intent also contains martial intent, lest it stagnate and fail to transform.

The key lies in subtle adjustments of mind and awareness of the flow of Qi, in knowing the white while guarding the black, so as not to stray from the Middle Way.

His tone was calm, yet he explained the principles of fire's yin and yang nature, and the transformation between movement and stillness, clearly and thoroughly.

In particular, knowing the white while guarding the black subtly aligns with profound principles, highlighting the subtle balance in controlling the timing and intensity of the fire.

Master Luo listened intently, and at this moment he couldn't help but clap his hands and sigh softly:

"Excellent! Fellow Daoist Jiangxiao's words have a profound understanding of the principles of timing and control."

Ordinary alchemists are mostly focused on identifying the color of the fire and calculating the timing, but rarely pay attention to the subtle interplay between the mind's energy and the furnace fire.

However…

He changed the subject, his expression turning to one of seeking advice.

"Medicines made from metals, stones, herbs, and trees have properties of cold, heat, warmth, and coolness, as well as properties of lightness, heaviness, floating, and sinking. Furthermore, there are the combinations of principal, assistant, adjuvant, and guide herbs, where a single hair can affect the whole body."

Even with precise timing and temperature control, if one cannot adapt to the properties of the herbs, it may be difficult to achieve the desired balance of Yin and Yang.

What do you think, fellow Daoist?