Warhammer Cultivation: Cultivating the Tao Te Ching in the 40K Universe

On the contrary, this living legend is using his most unique way to find the most solid, yet most dangerous, "whetstone" for himself and for the entire "Intercepting Sect Academy".

He wanted to let "Tao" and "Iron," two completely opposite yet equally pursuing ultimate "order," collide, rub against each other, and merge in this huge furnace called "Empire"!

He wanted to force Hector's "Tai Chi" and Kelbo's "gear" to mesh together!

He wanted to forge a truly indestructible "ideological barrier" for the empire amidst the fierce clash of two ideologies, one that could withstand any chaotic corruption!

And he, Hector Kane, also underwent a transformation in his identity once again in this silent power struggle.

He was no longer just a simple "dean," but a completely new figure officially recognized by the Empire, on par with the Mars Forging General...

"Thought Leaders".

Chapter 183 Foundation Building Scroll

Hector Kane sat cross-legged under an ancient tree that seemed to connect with the pulse of heaven and earth, slowly concluding his practice.

He exhaled a long, pure white breath, which condensed in the morning breeze into a cloud-like seal that lingered for a long time, silently explaining the true meaning of "Tao".

Several months have passed since the "Three Kings Standoff" that went down in the dark history of the empire.

For Hector now, time has long lost its mundane measure, transforming into a silent stream flowing on the lake of his heart during moments of introspection. But the aftershocks of that storm still silently spread throughout the vast abyss of the empire's power.

The emperor's decree injected unprecedented transformative power into the legendary Wenxinzhai Garden.

After the expansion of enrollment, the Taoist academy was no longer the refuge with only a hundred or so "defective products".

Today, this place brings together more than three thousand young souls from all corners of the galaxy.

Different civilizations, beliefs, and ideologies collided fiercely in this small temple, sparking countless intellectual insights and bringing unprecedented management pressure.

A young sergeant from the Ultramarines Legion's auxiliary force (mortal soldier), accustomed to measuring everything by data, frowned because he couldn't find the absolutely "precise" point of force in the "Baoyuan stance." He tried to forcefully calibrate the "relaxation" and "sinking" of Tai Chi using the muscle memory of the "standard shooting posture" in the Legion's tactical regulations. As a result, his body was stiff and comical, like a puppet being pulled by countless threads.

Another son of the grasslands (Fanrenjun), with white scars and the wind and freedom flowing in his blood, can easily find the agility of the wind in the "flowing water" momentum, but his heart is like a rootless duckweed, and he can never sink into the heavy "stillness" of the earth.

Hector knew, but he was too busy to attend to everything.

He could enlighten Saint Gilles and discuss the Dao with Ryan, but he could not break his own "Dao" into three thousand parts and feed them one by one to these young monks whose minds were not yet mature.

That is not preaching, but indoctrination, another form of dictatorship based on "ego".

He needs time to establish a system that allows the Taoist temple to function, and the foundation of this system is a group of capable individuals.

He needs to quickly cultivate the first batch of cultivators who can spread the Daoist teachings, making them teaching assistants and cornerstones of the Daoist Academy, so that this crucible of thought can operate on a large scale relying on its own organizational strength.

To establish a foundation, one must be able to stabilize the projection and brilliance of the Naya space after establishing the foundation.

When Hector himself advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, his subspace soul shone brightly after opening up his Ren and Du meridians, thanks to the protection of the Emperor's will while he was in the Emperor's Palace.

Even after being promoted, one still needs a tranquil mind to conceal the "gaze".

However, it is clear that if every student in the academy had to do this, the academy's costs would be no less than... or even exceed those of the Star Language Hall, which required the emperor to personally "bind his soul."

Before considering this point, what is needed is a standardized advanced cultivation method that can be understood by students from different backgrounds, a supreme manual that can transform the mysterious "Tao" into a "method" that can be learned, inherited, and verified, and allow them to safely enter the "Foundation Building" stage.

The first step is to find a way to break through, which means clarifying the direction and knowing the path;

We also need protective measures, such as fences and steps.

......

After entrusting the daily administration of the monastery to the increasingly mature Karen and Groll, Hector once again went into seclusion to refine his theories and preparations.

He locked himself in the quietest and simplest library on the top floor of Wenxinzhai.

There were no ornate decorations here, only bookshelves made of moonstone, radiating a soft glow. On the shelves were crystal memory chips that Macardo had granted him permission to access, recording the empire's various fundamental scientific theories.

From biological genetics to high-energy physics, from social psychology to basic neuroscience... the most fundamental "principles" upon which the empire operates are all contained here.

He sat quietly in the pavilion, his Golden Core Dao Heart perfectly aligned, his divine sense resonating deeply with tens of thousands of crystal memory chips like the tides. On one side was Eastern metaphysics, which emphasized the unity of heaven and man, filled with "Tao," "Qi," "Yin and Yang," and "Five Elements." On the other side was Western technology, which believed in "method as reason," filled with "genes," "energy," "logic," and "data."

He wanted to provide a scientific definition for the mysterious "tribulation" that the empire could understand.

The Daoist Canon's Foundation Building Scroll outlines the path for Qi cultivators to open the Ren and Du meridians, calm their minds, and advance to the Foundation Building stage. It also details the advanced cultivation stages for supernatural abilities such as "Qi Observation Technique," "Intuitive Finger," and "Immovable as a Mountain" after Foundation Building.

The key point is the promotion process—a trial by fire.

Hector was the first to define the unpredictable, death- and madness-filled "transcendence" as a "controllable psychic sublimation ritual" that can be observed, guided, and even "assisted".

In the book, he further elaborates on the causes of "inner demons":

"When a Qi cultivator's true essence condenses to a certain level, their soul will shine as brightly as a campfire in the ocean of mental noise in the subspace, inevitably attracting 'predators' who feed on souls. This is the external cause of inner demons."

"However, chaos cannot 'create' inner demons, but can only 'utilize' the inner demons we already have. Our own memories, desires, and fears are the 'internal causes' of inner demons. When internal and external causes come together, a tribulation of inner demons that can destroy one's Dao heart becomes inevitable."

Following that, he made an earth-shattering proposal of a completely new solution that was enough to overturn the very foundation of the Empire's psionic upgrade system!

He proposed that the success rate of tribulation can be greatly increased through specific "formations" (environment), "elixirs and artifacts" (assistance), and "protectors" (guidance)!

"Formations rely on the advantage of terrain."

In his book, he wrote: "By setting up a 'spirit-gathering' or 'mind-purifying' talisman array that resonates with the practitioner's own 'qi' field, one can shield against external subspace interference to the greatest extent possible and create a relatively pure 'sterile' environment."

"The alchemy and its tools are a product of human harmony."

He cited his experience in refining the "Heart-Clearing Pill": "Taking a pill that can stabilize the mind and replenish true energy before undergoing tribulation, and wearing a device that assists spiritual energy, is like preparing enough provisions for an expeditionary army. It cannot win the war for you, but it can give you enough strength to carry the war through to the end."

“The protectors of the Dharma are chosen by the right time.”

This is the most crucial link: "A 'protector' with higher cultivation and a more steadfast Dao heart will stand guard. He will not directly intervene in the tribulation seeker's inner demon battle, but will act as an unyielding 'lighthouse.' When the tribulation seeker is about to lose his way in the dark ocean of illusion and despair, the protector will use his own Dao heart to guide him to the only path that can lead him back to 'truth'!"

All of this was to ensure that the cultivators of the Dao Academy could successfully overcome the "Heavenly Tribulation" caused by the shimmering light in the subspace and the resulting chaotic upheaval after opening their Ren and Du meridians.

This theory is intricately linked, logically rigorous, and full of the beauty of science and rationality!

It completely transformed the "soul binding" ritual full of sacrifice and pain, the psionic training methods of the Assassin's Court, and the cruel tempering methods of the Navigator family into a "soul sublimation" full of hope and humanistic care that can be replicated!

"I need your help, Sage Alkan." After completing all the puzzle pieces, Hector contacted Alkan and explained his idea...

Alkan, who had almost integrated the Taiyi Core with himself, was so excited when he saw the concepts of artifacts and arrays in the Foundation Establishment Scroll that his entire mechanical structure trembled slightly...

......

The first joint meeting of the "Imperial Psionic Political Department," established by imperial regent Makado himself.

The location is neither in the opulent Terra nor in the Temple of Machines on Mars.

The location was chosen as "Fulcrum," an independent space station situated at the gravitational equilibrium point between Terra and Mars.

This is a truly "neutral" place.

As Hector Kane, escorted by the Imperial Guard, stepped into the circular conference hall constructed of pure black energy-absorbing alloy, a cold storm of will, filled with absolute "rationality" and "logic," immediately greeted him!

In the center of the conference hall was a huge round table made of a single piece of black crystal, with a waterfall of dark blue data flowing across its surface.

The table was already full of people.

They are the core gears and bearings that form the fragile "covenant" between the Empire and Mars.

Hector's gaze swept calmly across the entire room.

Under his "qi observation technique," a picture of "qi fortune" full of conflict and opposition unfolds.

Chapter 184 Dao Heart Jade Talisman (Long Chapter)

On one side is the "Tao," which he represents, harmonious and balanced.

On the other side is the "Iron," led by Mars Forging General Kelbo Hall, a group that is rule-bound and dogmatic!

Kelbo Hall was not submerged in a life support tank today. He had been fitted with a new, larger, and more imposing war hull, crafted entirely from ancient brass that shimmered with a dark red light, and connected to hundreds of serpentine mechanical tentacles and data probes.

Behind his brass mask, his human eyes burned with a flame powerful enough to incinerate any "heretic"! Behind him stood ten of Mars' most elite "Logic Priests," their "aura" being high-speed "data furnaces," radiating an absolute rejection of all "illogical" existence!

"It seems everyone has arrived." An aged, weary yet authoritative voice came from the head of the table. The Imperial Regent, Macardo, descended via holographic projection.

"Now, let's begin the second and crucial conceptual seminar on the 'Nicaea Code'." Without further ado, he projected Hector's newly completed draft of the "Taoist Canon: Foundation Building" onto the center of the round table.

“I believe General Kelbo and all the sages from Mars have already seen this blueprint,” Macado said calmly. “Now, I would like to hear your ‘logic’.”

"Nonsense!"

Kelbo Hall’s metallic, electronic voice rudely interrupted the Regent’s words!

With a sudden swing of his massive mechanical hand, an even larger and more "realistic" holographic projection instantly covered Hector's draft! On it were chilling images of the psychic's cerebral cortex activity during the moment of "loss of control"!

"Your Excellency! Dean Kane!" Kelber's voice was like that of a rigorous scholar refuting a paper riddled with errors. "Please allow me to use 'science' to reveal the true nature of this so-called inner demon!"

He pointed to the brain region on the projection screen, which had turned crimson due to overload, representing the "amygdala" and "prefrontal cortex." "Look! This is what you call the inner demon! It's not some subspace demon! It's just a predictable collapse of logic and data overflow that occurs when our flawed carbon-based brain faces a high-intensity energy shock!"

"So-called fear is nothing more than the overactivity of the amygdala! So-called anger is nothing more than the uncontrolled secretion of adrenaline! So-called hallucinations are nothing more than false signals from the visual cortex!" His voice grew more and more impassioned, filled with absolute confidence in the truth of "materialism"!

“And you, Dean Kane,” his mechanical eye, flashing a menacing red light, was fixed on Hector, “your so-called introspection and observation, in my view, are nothing but the least efficient and most dangerous form of self-deception! You are trying to fix yourself with a piece of faulty software that has already been infected by a virus!”

"Perhaps the Legalist system can satisfy your desire to tame weak, wild psychics, but it's like an outdated..."

"Mercury thermometers can only meet basic needs."

"The inevitable result of its advancement will be utter collapse!"

He suddenly waved his hand, and the projection changed again! A microchip that was slowly rotating and flashing with blue electric arcs appeared.

"And we, the Martian Mechanicus, offer the real solution!" His voice was filled with undeniable pride. "We don't need to pay attention to those ethereal souls! All we need to do is implant this logic suppression chip into the brains of these bio-computers, capable of monitoring and correcting their erroneous signals in real time!"

"When it detects any dangerous emotional fluctuations that could lead to data overflow, it will automatically release a weak electrical pulse of order to forcibly correct the error!"

"This is true purification! A perfect external logical constraint built on absolute logic and the beauty of mathematics, one that never makes a mistake!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is not the first time I have presented this technical solution on behalf of Mars." Kelbo raised an eyebrow, clearly somewhat proud. "I also want to thank Dean Kane. It is the establishment of the Psionic Political Department that has given our previously stalled solution another opportunity to be discussed."

"Moreover, it provided me with a perfect... control group."

Kelbo's side continued to deliver a barrage of irrefutable "materialist" data, utterly refuting Hector's "Foundation Building" book.

Words seemed pale and powerless in the face of those cold, precise data models. The entire atmosphere in the conference hall completely shifted towards that realm of "iron."

A cold, emotionless electronic voice, yet seemingly carrying the weight of a new universe, slowly rose from the absolutely rational camp of Mars.

"General, your logic contains a fundamental fallacy."

These words caused a stir among the audience! All eyes were drawn by an invisible hand, instantly focusing on the enormous, cyborg figure that remained silent like a statue!

The Sage, Alkan. He slowly rose from the shadows of the conservatives. His compound eyes, composed of dozens of optical sensors, flashed with a high-speed, eerie blue light as he calmly swept over his once arrogant superior, who was now shocked and enraged by his "betrayal."

“Arkan!” Kelber’s electronic voice was filled with offended anger. “Are you questioning my logic? Are you questioning the truth of the Pantheon?!”

“No, Your Excellency.” Alkan’s electronic voice remained cold, but now carried an unwavering determination befitting a seeker of truth. “I am not questioning logic. On the contrary, I will demonstrate to you a higher-dimensional logic.”

He offered no further philosophical rebuttal. He knew that for these souls already bound by dogma, any "words" were superfluous. He simply and slowly took an item from the sleeve of his dark red mechanical priest's robe.

A "miracle" that left everyone present breathless, filled with the beauty of contradiction and harmony.

It was a palm-sized, warm jade talisman crafted from the purest obsidian from the Noktun volcano.

The surface of the jade talisman was not a cold circuit, but rather engraved with a Tai Chi diagram that Hector was very familiar with, using flowing brushstrokes.

At the core of the Tai Chi diagram, where Yin and Yang meet, is a hexagonal crystal core the size of a fingernail, warm and white, as if sealing a peaceful starry sky!

“What is this?” Kelber’s mechanical eye flashed a fierce red light, a sign of “vigilance.” “Is it an amulet imbued with heretical aesthetics?”

“No, Your Excellency General.” Alkan slowly shook his head, his electronic voice carrying a hint of the creator’s irrepressible passion. “It is not a talisman, but a ‘biological crystal logic engine,’ a singularity that can resonate with the most primal order of our souls!”

"I named it—'Taoist Heart Jade Talisman'!"

This is the tribulation-crossing combination that Hector considered preparing for the disciples of the Daoist Academy.

The first step to breakthrough is to clarify the direction and know the path – the foundation book.

We also need protective tools, such as fences and steps—the Dao Heart Jade Talisman.

This is actually part of the Foundation Building Scroll—the "artifact" in the "elixir artifact" theory. It was created by Alkan through reverse engineering of the "Heart of Tranquility" obtained by Hector after he advanced to Foundation Building, combined with the Taiyi core. Hector even felt that it was already a kind of "magic weapon".

Alkan offered no further explanation, but simply placed the jade talisman, imbued with a mysterious and harmonious beauty, gently in the center of the conference table.

Then, he nodded slightly to Hector.

Hector understood. He slowly extended a finger and gently infused the jade talisman with a wisp of the purest, non-aggressive, and harmonious "balanced" golden elixir essence, like a spring breeze.

“Buzz——!!!”

A sound unlike anything from the mortal world, more like the purest and most harmonious whisper when the first star was lit at the beginning of the universe, instantly resounded throughout the entire conference hall!

The "Taoist Heart Jade Talisman" seems to have awakened from a slumber of millions of years!

On the jade talisman, the Tai Chi diagram constructed from black and white energies slowly rotated as if it were alive!