Hermit in the Mountains

The next day at noon, Gu Changsheng climbed alone to the plum blossom forest on the back mountain.

In the plum blossom forest on the mountaintop, Gu Changsheng stood beside a large, exposed rock half a meter high, his right hand forming a sword-finger gesture, and a phantom Dao seal half a meter in diameter appeared in front of him.

A half-meter-long light blue spiritual energy sword took shape, and Gu Changsheng pointed his right hand towards the bottom of the large rock.

"go.........."

The spiritual energy sword 'whooshed' through the air and pierced the hard ground a meter in front of the large rock.

"Bang........."

An explosion rang out, sending clods of earth flying in all directions and dust billowing everywhere.

A pit, one meter in diameter and thirty centimeters deep, was revealed.

Gu Changsheng continued to attack the pit with his spiritual energy sword, and in an instant, five explosions rang out, soil and stones flew everywhere, and dust filled the sky.

As the dust settled, a pit two meters in diameter and one meter deep was revealed.

Gu Changsheng walked over and stood beside the pit. He saw that the width and depth were sufficient. He raised his right hand and made a fist. His right fist was covered by a gray-brown transparent glove.

He struck the pit with his right hand, and the gray-brown transparent glove flew out of his right hand, transforming into a semi-circle in the air before slamming heavily into the pit. The pit was hit hard, and the ground trembled slightly.

The uneven pit was compacted to resemble a pot. Gu Changsheng jumped in and stomped around in it a few times before nodding in satisfaction.

He activated his sword technique to create fifteen holes in the pit, then took out fifteen jade stones from his sleeve and threw them into the holes. Using his divine sense, he retrieved fifteen identical stones and threw them into the holes one by one, placing them on top of the jade stones.

Gu Changsheng infused a wisp of withering and flourishing magic power into the jade, and a wisp of spiritual power flew into the jade to outline the incomplete array pattern into a complete array pattern.

"Water Gathering Formation...Activate..."

The patterns inside the fifteen jade stones shimmered, forming an invisible array. A suction force was generated, and water molecules within a ten-meter radius around the pit converged towards it.

Gu Changsheng leaped out of the pit, walked to the large rock, sat cross-legged, and stared at the pit below.

A cloud of white mist appeared at the bottom of the pit, slowly moistening the surrounding soil, which then spread from the bottom to the entire pit.

Three hours after the water-gathering formation was activated, a puddle of water appeared in the pit, about the size of a basin.

Gu Changsheng, who was sitting cross-legged on a large rock, had already closed his eyes and entered meditation. The water-gathering formation he set up was to create a spring on the mountaintop.

Firstly, it can be used for irrigation;

Secondly, it is used to enhance the scenery of Changsheng Peak; how can a landscape of mountains, rivers, and fields exist without water?

Thirdly, he wanted to try to create a water vein for Changsheng Peak, and Gu Changsheng also wanted to see if it would transform into a permanent spiritual spring as the concentration of spiritual energy increased.

Gu Changsheng sat quietly on the big rock for a day and a night. The next day, after refining the 'Purple Qi' of the primordial sun and finishing his morning exercises, he slowly opened his eyes.

The water in the pit was already thirty centimeters deep, and the water was clear.

The soil in the pit had its vitality extinguished by the "power of withering" and then compacted by gravity, resulting in a seepage rate of about 30% and a very good water retention effect.

Gu Changsheng got up and strolled through the plum blossom forest before returning to the mountainside. He checked on his disciple to make sure he was alright, then went to the warehouse to examine the changes in the jade within the formation. He returned to the living room and took out the refined fire copper and refined cold iron to nurture them.

The next day, Zhang Yuanfu delivered four tons each of Earth Core Fire Copper and Deep Sea Cold Iron. Gu Changsheng gave him a bottle of Grade Two Nourishing Essence Pill to pay for the goods.

Over the next few days, Gu Changsheng cultivated, deduced the method of weapon refining, improved the visualization diagram of the Green Ox Carrying the Mountain, purified the ore, and nurtured the raw materials for weapon refining, entering a state of continuous intensive work around the clock.

During this period, Gu Changsheng also crafted a spirit-gathering array, which he set up in the warehouse to nurture the refined fire copper, refined cold iron, and withered and flourishing tree heartwood.

On the last night of August, Gu Changsheng, who was sitting cross-legged at the door with his three pets, suddenly opened his eyes, looked at the medicine field and scanned it with his divine sense.

The Earth Spirit Ginseng shed another layer of its outer shell, breaking through to the third transformation realm of the Dao Seed.

The energy that was fed back increased Gu Changsheng's cultivation by one-fiftieth, bringing him close to the fruition stage. Within a week, his 'natal Dao root' would undergo a cycle of flourishing and decay.

Gu Changsheng withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes, and focused his mind on perfecting the visualization of the Green Ox Carrying the Mountain.

It was midnight, and the night was deep.

Gu Changsheng frowned, as if his body was pressed down by some kind of gravity. A lifelike painting of a green ox carrying a mountain floated in his mind.

The moment the painting "Green Ox Carrying a Mountain" was completed, Gu Changsheng seemed to be carrying a mountain peak on his back.

The "Green Ox Carrying a Mountain" painting generates a suction force that devours the "earth energy" and earth spirit, while simultaneously expelling a stream of pure energy that flows into the physical body.

Gu Changsheng instantly realized that the "Green Ox Carrying Mountain Visualization Method" was a method for tempering the physical body.

[The Green Ox Carrying a Mountain Visualization Method: When visualizing, one experiences the effect of a mountain pressing down on their body, while simultaneously absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to temper the physical body.]

After learning about the "Green Ox Carrying Mountain Visualization Method," Gu Changsheng was overjoyed. This was truly an unexpected surprise. He had been thinking about deduce the methods of Qi cultivation and body refinement, and now it had come to fruition unexpectedly.

The success of the two visualization techniques, granting different abilities, provided Gu Changsheng with new ideas.

If we were to draw a diagram of the Five Elements, would it be possible to absorb the spiritual energy of the Five Elements for cultivation?

If we were to sketch out a visual diagram of a sword formation, would that be equivalent to comprehending the method of arranging a sword formation?

Is there any similarity between visualization diagrams and techniques/seals? The former is the "Tao" used for cultivation, while the latter is the "technique" used for attack.

Why insist on writing it down as a cultivation method? Wouldn't it be closer to the "Tao" to use visualization diagrams as the "fundamental method" and Taoist seals as the "techniques"?

Visualization diagrams and Daoist seals seem to more intuitively embody the essence of Dao, while textual interpretation requires understanding its meaning.

Visualization diagrams and Daoist seals can be passed down for hundreds or thousands of years without deviation, but the meaning expressed by the text will vary depending on the era in which it was written.

The more Gu Changsheng thought about it, the more he felt that his thinking and direction were correct, and suddenly he had a flash of inspiration.

If he were to sketch the "Tree of Life and Death" within his body and make it into a visualization, would it form a method that combines Qi cultivation, body refinement, and spirit refinement?

Thinking of this, Gu Changsheng suddenly burst into laughter.

"Haha, so the most suitable cultivation method for me is right inside my body!"

"It's darkest under the lamp, it's darkest under the lamp."

If there is any reference point he is most familiar with and feels most strongly about, it is the "Tree of Withering and Flourishing" within his body.

The 'Tree of Withering and Flourishing' has gone through more than ten cycles of withering and flourishing within his body. He has personally experienced each growth cycle and each change of withering and flourishing.

When sketching the "withered and flourishing Dao tree" visualization, he can replicate every Daoist charm, which is much simpler than sketching some unseen reference objects. It is also easier to sketch the visualization and make it both lifelike and expressive.

Gu Changsheng suppressed the urge in his heart, deciding to deduce the Withering and Flourishing Contemplation Technique later.

His mind returned to the "Green Ox Carrying Mountain Visualization Method," experiencing its refining effects...