Yang Guo: I defied death and reached the heavens in The Return of the Condor Heroes

Since Li Zhichang repeatedly gave him instructions, Yang Guo has rarely gone out for leisure in the past few days.

During the day, he would go to Li Zhichang's seat to study as usual, and after finishing the assigned chores in the afternoon, he would close the door early.

He rarely went to the vegetarian room anymore, and often asked his fellow disciples to bring back two steamed buns, which he would eat with a pot of cold water.

Others only said that he was aloof and disliked being with others, and no one speculated about his true nature.

Only Yang Guo himself knew that he was currently at a critical juncture in his cultivation.

Since coming to Zhongnan Mountain to practice the Reverse Life Heart Sutra.

Every night, Yang Guo would meditate and practice his internal energy, repeatedly purifying and refining his Qi in his meridians, resulting in a higher and higher level of Qi transformation in his skin and flesh.

The body's ability to resist damage and its capacity to heal itself have reached an unprecedented level.

But the closer he got to perfection, the clearer he felt an invisible barrier blocking his path from the first to the second level.

The barrier was as thin as paper, and he could even vaguely perceive the scene on the other side of the barrier.

That is a more profound and purer Qi.

It is the seamless integration of skin, flesh, tendons, and bones, a comprehensive leap in the transformation of the body's functions.

That realm felt so close, as if all it took was a little more concentration to break through that barrier and step into a completely new world of cultivation.

But this seemingly insurmountable step remained insurmountable for him.

He had tried to forcefully concentrate his mind and break through the barrier, gathering all the Qi in his body into one point and slamming it hard against that invisible barrier.

The barrier remained unmoved, but the body itself suffered a violent backlash, causing its blood and qi to surge, a metallic taste in its throat, and nearly resulting in internal injury.

He also tried a gradual approach, slowly immersing the body in the environment day after day using gentle, nourishing methods.

They tried to wear down this barrier with persistent effort, but the results were minimal.

The barrier was like thick, tanned cowhide; no matter how much he tried to penetrate it, it remained stubbornly in place, showing no sign of loosening.

He had no choice but to temporarily stop and re-examine his own cultivation path.

Late that night, Yang Guo lit an oil lamp and took out a thin copy of "The Complete Dao of Quanzhen" from under his pillow.

This book was given to him by Li Zhichang when they first met and he began teaching him the arts. He said it was the general outline of the Quanzhen School's basic mental cultivation method.

He was advised to read and contemplate the text more in his spare time, as it would help him understand the fundamental principles of Taoist cultivation.

He opened the manuscript and read it carefully, word by word.

Yang Guo had already read through this book, "The Song of the Great Dao of Quanzhen," several times.

The text is not obscure; in fact, it can be described as easy to understand.

However, the profound Taoist principles hidden between the lines require repeated and thoughtful contemplation to grasp even a fraction of their true meaning.

When he reached the concluding remarks, he suddenly stopped and focused intently on reading.

The volume states:

"Sex refers to the mind, spirit, and intention; life refers to the essence, energy, and physical form."

"Without nature, life cannot stand; without life, nature cannot exist."

"Those who cultivate their nature should know the root of their destiny, and those who cultivate their destiny should understand the ultimate destination of their nature. Only by cultivating both nature and destiny can one truly follow the correct path of the Great Way."

Yang Guo read the passage aloud several times, and suddenly he had an epiphany.

He has been practicing the Threefold Reversal of Life to this day, and has always focused on cultivating "life".

They focused solely on cultivating their Qi, tempering their physical body, and transforming their bones and muscles, pursuing only the advancement of their cultivation and the breakthrough of their realm.

However, he has always neglected to cultivate his "nature," and has never calmly refined his mind, nurtured his spirit, or tempered his will.

He had always thought that as long as his inner energy was abundant, he would naturally be able to break through the shackles.

But only now did I realize that the reason why that barrier was so difficult to break through was not because of insufficient Qi.

Rather, it is because one's mind is not calm, one's consciousness is not focused, and one's will is not firm.

He closed the copy, shut his eyes, sat quietly, and pondered for a long time.

He then sat cross-legged again, but did not immediately begin to circulate his internal energy.

Instead, first regulate your breathing and gradually eliminate the distracting thoughts from your mind.

He no longer focused on the barriers to his cultivation, nor on breaking through his current realm, and he didn't even think about the Reverse Life Heart Sutra itself.

He simply sat quietly, calmly feeling the long, deep breaths flowing through his body, listening to the subtle sounds of his blood flowing slowly through his veins, and sensing the clarity of his mind.

He sat there quietly for quite some time without realizing it.

When he opened his eyes again, he felt that the flow of Qi in his body was smoother and more unobstructed than ever before.

The invisible barrier still stood in front of them, but it no longer seemed as cold and stubborn as before.

He had a vague feeling that he was getting closer and closer to breaking through this thin barrier.

He got up, blew out the oil lamp, and then pushed open the door and went outside.

A night breeze swept over me, carrying the fresh, clean scent of the mountain vegetation, and felt slightly cool on my face.

He stood under the porch, gazing at the deep night in the distance, his heart clear and peaceful, without a trace of anxiety or distraction.

He knew that even if that barrier stood in his way, he was confident that one day he would be able to break through and make progress.

All that's missing is time and patience, and a timely opportunity.

And this opportunity may come soon.

......

Meanwhile, after reporting to Zhao Zhijing that night.

Lu Qingdu secretly kept an eye on things for another two or three days.

To his surprise, Yin Zhiping seemed to have already sensed something and had been living a secluded life ever since that night.

Even the number of times he went to Qiu Chuji's residence to pay his respects gradually decreased.

Sometimes, even late at night, the lights in his room remain on.

Lu Qingdu then hid in the crack in the wall and secretly spied on them.

Yin Zhiping sat alone at his desk, a Taoist scripture lying open on the table, but he refused to turn a single page for a long time.

They often sat like this until the lamp oil ran out and the house was plunged into complete darkness.

He remained seated, showing no intention of getting up or leaving.

Lu Qingdu huddled under the old locust tree, wrapped in his tattered cotton-padded coat that was getting dirtier and dirtier.

The cold wind made my limbs stiff and numb, and I groaned inwardly.

He originally thought that Yin Zhiping would go to the back mountain every few days.

All I need to do is wait here and wait for them to run into me; sooner or later I'll catch them red-handed.

For several days in a row, Yin Zhiping hardly left the hospital, let alone sneak out at night.

The next morning.

Exhausted, Lu Qingdu rushed back to Zhao Zhijing's courtyard to report.

He stood outside the door, hesitated for a long time, and then gently knocked on the door.

Impatient voices came from inside the room:

"Come in."

Lu Qingdu pushed open the door and entered, his steps unsteady and soft, as if he were walking on cotton wool.

Zhao Zhijing was sitting at the table drinking tea when he saw him come in. He glanced at Zhao Zhijing's face and his brows furrowed slightly.

Lu Qingdu looked more haggard than usual, with sunken eyes, bloodshot eyes, and chapped lips.

His whole body resembled a piece of dried-out, lifeless wood.

Zhao Zhijing put down his teacup and asked in a calm tone:

"Is there any movement?"

Lu Qingdu lowered his head and looked down, his voice hoarse and weak, almost inaudible:

"Master...it's still not..."

"Uncle-Master Yin has hardly left the hospital these past few days, and I truly..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Zhijing slammed his teacup down heavily on the table, a muffled thud resounding.

Tea splashed everywhere, leaving a small water stain on the table.

Lu Qingdu trembled with fright, and the words he was about to say were immediately stuck in his throat and he swallowed them back, not daring to say another word.