Qiu Zu: From an apprentice in a medicine shop to an immortal ancestor.

"Immortal Technique!" Qiu Zhen murmured to himself.

Even though he had possessed this treasured silk for a full three months, his heart would still ripple with excitement every time he studied it.

What was recorded in the treasured silk was not an ordinary martial arts divine skill manual, but a method for cultivating immortality and attaining truth, as described in legends.

After learning that martial arts flourished in this world and that demons and monsters roamed freely, he developed a strong interest in "cultivation."

Initially, his goal was not martial arts, but to aim directly for cultivating immortality and attaining truth.

Entering a Taoist temple to become a Taoist page, or entering a Buddhist temple to become a young monk... anything would do, as long as he could embark on the path of cultivation.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.

There were indeed experts in Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries, but the Taoist priests and eminent monks also cultivated martial arts.

He had never heard of any true cultivation practitioners.

When he asked the "experts" about it, they all said things like, "Strange powers and chaotic spirits are not worth mentioning," each of them being tight-lipped and evasive.

In the countryside, there were occasionally rumors of incredibly powerful experts, but most of them were swindlers trying to make money.

Some people went to learn from a master, claiming to have learned the "wall-penetration technique," able to "pass through walls and barriers," possessing great skills and profound Taoist magic.

Upon returning from their apprenticeship, they would stick a talisman on their foreheads and demonstrate their skills to others, only to end up smashing their heads against the wall, a miserable sight with blood splattering everywhere.

They temporarily became the laughingstock of the villagers.

However, according to rumors, cultivation was indeed prevalent in this world in the past, and traces of immortals frequently appeared.

Cultivating truth and attaining the Dao emphasized the dual cultivation of both nature and life.

It was said that the current flourishing martial arts were derived from the "life cultivation" aspect of dual cultivation of nature and life.

Unfortunately, the path of cultivation declined for some unknown reason, entering an era of decline, and "true men" and "enlightened ones" were no longer seen in the world.

Qiu Zhen's ability to obtain this opportunity could be described as an unexpected stroke of good fortune, a wonderful and indescribable chance.

Speaking of which, his ability to obtain this great opportunity was related to Uncle Li, his employer and neighbor.

Three months ago, Uncle Li's daughter, Xing'er, caught a cold, fell seriously ill, and went to the Qingmu Pharmacy in town to seek medical treatment and get medicine.

Most people in the countryside could not afford the consultation fees of the physicians from Medicine King Valley.

For ordinary colds and flu, they would just get medicine according to prescriptions, just those few formulas and decoctions, like buying medicine in a pharmacy in later generations, purely a business relationship.

If it worked, everything would be fine; if it didn't, there would rarely be any medical disputes.

On that day, Qiu Zhen happened to be filling in for someone at the shop in the front yard, following the rules and regulations, and got medicine for Xing'er.

However, when it came time to pay, something went wrong.

Uncle Li looked flustered on the spot, saying that he was in a hurry and had lost his money.

At that time, the government had just collected a round of "exorbitant taxes," and the people didn't have much surplus grain or money in their hands.

The money for Xing'er's medical treatment was the family's last bit of life-saving money.

Uncle Li, a dignified eight-foot-tall man, was pacing around anxiously, his eyes turning red.

Qiu Zhen found Uncle Li familiar, knowing that he lived in a village in the suburbs, not a vagrant from another place, with a house and land, and a clean family background.

At that time, he had a moment of compassion and let the other party write an IOU, lending him money to buy medicine.

Afterward, he regretted it a little.

These days, everyone's life was difficult.

If the other party became a debt dodger, although there was an IOU, the money could definitely be recovered, but it would also be a troublesome matter, inevitably involving a round of arguments.

Who knew, the development of the matter exceeded his expectations.

A few days later, Uncle Li took the initiative to come to the door, saying that Xing'er's illness had improved, and he had borrowed money from his father-in-law's family, taking the initiative to repay the debt, and brought a fat grass carp as a thank-you gift.

Uncle Li usually farmed, but also went fishing from time to time, and this fish was his gift of gratitude.

Unable to refuse his kindness, Qiu Zhen couldn't decline and accepted the grass carp.

Who knew that when he went home to kill the fish, he found the silk in the belly of the grass carp?

"Establishing good relationships brings good results; the sages do not deceive me."

Qiu Zhen murmured softly, his heart filled with rejoicing.

The method in this silk was extraordinary.

From the silk, he learned that the Daoist cultivation of inner alchemy was divided into "gradual and sudden methods."

The path of cultivation included five realms: "Refining Essence to Transform into Qi," "Refining Qi to Transform into Spirit," "Refining Spirit to Return to Emptiness," and "Returning to Emptiness and Merging with the Dao."

Under normal circumstances, one must first "Refine Essence to Transform into Qi," replenishing essence and refining oneself to a certain level, when the essence is full, the Qi is sufficient, and the spirit is strong, before one can enter the "Hundred Days Foundation Establishment," cultivating the nature through life cultivation, entering stillness and entering concentration, so that one's essence does not dissipate, cultivating an un-leaking body.

Then, refining essence, refining Qi, and refining spirit would be done step by step, which was called the "gradual method," meaning gradual progress.

The mysterious silk was different, directly starting from "nature cultivation," cultivating the inner alchemy of spirit cultivation.

Using the spirit, soul, and intention as medicinal materials, using walking, standing, sitting, and lying down as the heat, using purity and tranquility as the application, and using stillness and wisdom as water and fire, this was called the "sudden method."

Moreover, from top to bottom, it also cultivated essence and Qi, which was the highest-grade method of inner alchemy.

This was a great benefit for Qiu Zhen.

With his aptitude, cultivating the "Medicine King Five Animal Exercises" to reach the level of "essence full, Qi sufficient, and spirit strong" would take at least ten years to get started with the "Hundred Days Foundation Establishment," even if he obtained the immortal technique, he would not be able to use it in the short term.

The benefits of a superior inner alchemy method were self-evident, countless in number.

The disadvantage was also obvious—it was extremely difficult to get started.

Just like the Zen sect's special transmission outside the teachings, it was extremely profound and mysterious, emphasizing comprehension and innate talent the most.

Qiu Zhen's martial arts talent was not good, but as a person with two lifetimes of experience, his mind was very sharp, he had a photographic memory, and his thoughts were quick.

As the saying goes, what is difficult is unknown, and what is known is not difficult.

Qiu Zhen's comprehension and practice of the method in the mysterious silk went surprisingly smoothly, and he vaguely grasped the knack.

This mysterious nameless method, "Hundred Days Foundation Establishment," seemed mysterious, but in reality, it was eight words—"Return the Wind and Mix, Hundred Days of Spiritual Merit."

When practicing, use both eyes to reflect inward, relying on the heart and breath, and after practicing for a hundred days, true light will appear.

The so-called "true light" is "nature light," the "light of the innate primordial spirit," the light that wisdom flashes.

This method ascends to the sky in one step, starting with the cultivation of the "primordial spirit."

Once cultivated, it can steal the creation of heaven and earth, steal the mystery of the universe, transform the Dao into oneself, and enlighten wisdom.

Since Qiu Zhen obtained the "mysterious silk," he planned to move out of the apprentice's house in Qingmu Pharmacy to cultivate.

That day, he went out to find a real estate agent to rent a house and happened to meet Uncle Li, learning that he had an idle courtyard at home.

They hit it off and rented the small courtyard on the spot.

Uncle Li was a sentimental person.

Although he was short on money, seeing that Qiu Zhen was renting a house, he only charged a rent of one hundred copper coins per month.

This price was considered medium to low around Qingmu Town.

To this day, Qiu Zhen had lived here for almost three months, nearly a hundred days, practicing diligently every day.

The [Return the Wind and Mix] method had been cultivated to a certain level, reaching a critical juncture.

He finished his work at the pharmacy early today and rushed back for this reason.

That night, dusk descended.

Inside the house, the lights were dim and everything was silent.

Qiu Zhen sat cross-legged on the bed, letting go of all thoughts, calming his mind, and contemplating the three-dot-shaped secret text.

The left dot of divine light was stored in the left eye, the right dot of divine light was stored in the right eye, and the divine light of both eyes gathered at the space between his eyebrows.

The space between the eyebrows was the "heavenly eye," the gateway for the gathering and entry of the three lights of the sun, moon, and stars.

If one could, like the "divine light secret text," rotate the divine light of the left eye, right eye, and space between the eyebrows with intention, like polishing a mirror, the three lights of the sun, moon, and stars could gather at the space between the eyebrows, like the great sun blooming.

At that time, the [Mysterious Female Gate] would descend, the heart of heaven would open, and a hundred days of merit would be accomplished.

These days, Qiu Zhen had been cultivating this method of reflecting light with both eyes, transporting and circulating divine light.

Over the past three months, he had made rapid progress, his skill had matured, and he had reached a crucial step.

Tonight, he had been practicing for not long when there was soon movement.

A faint golden light bloomed from the space between Qiu Zhen's eyebrows.

"The great sun is blooming!"

Qiu Zhen's ability to nurture Qi was not bad, and he did not develop strong emotions due to joy, breaking his concentration.

Of course, it was not suitable to continue practicing at the moment.

Qiu Zhen slowly withdrew his technique, his mind returning from a state of stillness and concentration, opened his eyes, cleaned up the distracting thoughts in his mind, and did not intend to continue practicing.

Instead, his gaze fell on the mysterious silk.

His eyes swept over it.

Immediately, his expression changed slightly.

In the basin, in addition to the faint golden light emitted by the mysterious silk, a ball of white mist had appeared at some unknown time.

The white mist rolled and turned into a line of words.

[The inner alchemy sudden method is profound and mysterious, but there is an eighty or ninety percent chance that it will transform into evil.

I hope that fellow Taoists who study later will think thrice before acting...]

"This..."

Qiu Zhen, who had remained calm even when the immortal technique broke through just now and he encountered a great happy event, suddenly changed his face at this moment, and a murmur arose in his heart.

Cultivating the Dao and attaining truth seemed to suddenly become terrifying and horrifying...