On the Path to the Great Dao

Fu Leisheng's impressions and memories of Blackie Pot fluctuated between moments of clarity and hazy confusion.

Blackie Pot gave him a few extra glances. Unbeknownst to him, his impression of the dog grew even blurrier, to the point where he even forgot the dog's purpose. In this way, his suspicions about Blackie Pot dissolved, and everything felt perfectly normal.

Now, whenever he looked at Blackie Pot, no matter what the dog did, it all seemed entirely appropriate.

—Keeping a dog at home always subtly influences certain things.

Thus, he saw nothing wrong with being affected by the dog.

"Our countryside isn't like the city. We often deal with evils and spirits here."

Chen Shi paid his respects to Godmother and lit incense for Scholar Zhu. After completing his morning rites, he began introducing Fu Leisheng to the local customs and practices.

"During the daytime, the moon only peeks out as a thin crescent, and the evils that appear are usually the weaker sort."

"At night, it's best not to go out. The evils grow much fiercer."

"Before heading out, you need proper preparations—bring Peach Talismans and hang them all around you. Ideally, carry a lantern painted entirely with Five Yangs Thunder Illumination Talismans." "It's even better to draw Taishan Grandma on the lantern too."

"Remember, it has to be completely covered—no missing spots allowed."

"Also, watch out for ghost blow-lamps. Some little ghosts burrow up from underground and blow right at your lantern. If it goes out, they'll swarm over and devour you."

Fu Leisheng committed the key points to memory. He might end up living in the countryside for a long time—possibly forever, never returning to the county seat.

The countryside was safe. If trouble arose, one could hide in Qianyang Mountain, where bailiffs rarely ventured deep into the villages. They usually just poked around a bit and called it quits.

He had heard Chen Shi mention that the private tutor in town had died, with no replacement yet. So, Fu Leisheng planned to return to his old trade and open a private school in Bridge Bay Town.

Roadside cucumbers could be picked and eaten, but they needed washing first.

If country girls were chasing ducks, you could snatch one, grip its neck, and "extort" some duck eggs.

The melons in that field were fair game too—as long as you could outrun Old Lady Wuzhu, you were generally fine.

Chen Shi explained everything in an orderly fashion. Just then, Old Lady Wuzhu poked her head out from the melon field, chuckling as she asked,

"Little Ten, did you pass the scholar exam?"

"Passed."

Chen Shi replied.

Old Lady Wuzhu promptly turned around, plucked a few watermelons and cantaloupes, and stuffed them into his arms.

"Little Ten made it out!"

She laughed.

"If your grandpa were still alive, wouldn't he set out several tables of celebratory wine, all lively and grand? Don't complain about the small haul—eat up first."

"If you want more melons, just pick them yourself from the field."

For the first time, Chen Shi felt the true power of being a scholar.

In the countryside, passing the scholar exam was headline news—a top-tier event. By custom, it called for a feast.

Chen Shi turned to Fu Leisheng.

"But my family's just me now, so no need for a feast."

Fu Leisheng shook his head.

"A scholar's title isn't all that useful."

"It's fine in the county seat—not too many around. But head to the provincial capital, and they're everywhere; one brick could flatten two."

"In a place like the Western Capital, they're so numerous it's downright scary."

"We country folk wouldn't know."

"We figure passing scholar means you've made it big—basically an official lord."

From talk of evils and spirits, they shifted to village customs, eventually circling to the small temple at the back of Chen Shi's head.

Fu Leisheng had initially viewed the small temple replacing the Divine Shrine as downright rebellious. But Chen Shi explained that the small temple served the same function and divine purpose: a place to nurture the Divine Embryo. Shrines were housed in temples anyway, so adding a small temple changed nothing.

"Besides, with the Divine Embryo in the shrine and the shrine in the temple, it's shielded from wind and rain. You can offer incense too—isn't that showing even greater respect?"

Fu Leisheng pondered it and found the logic compelling.

Blackie Pot felt endless admiration for his little master.

He hadn't even needed spells to make Fu sir see nothing amiss—far superior to his own efforts.

Their conversation eventually turned to spells.

As a private tutor, Fu Leisheng had rock-solid fundamentals. He spotted numerous subtle flaws in Chen Shi's Noon-Midnight Evil-Slaying Sword forms and helped correct his posture, standardizing his power output.

Once adjusted, the power of the six sword techniques surged.

Fu Leisheng was stunned.

The Noon-Midnight Evil-Slaying Sword had fixed limits on power and range—once reached, no further gains were possible. Yet Chen Shi had somehow pushed beyond!

With his guidance, Chen Shi's sword qi grew even more ferocious than during the county exams. Back then, his thrusting strike reached over eighty zhang; now, it hit a full hundred!

Fu Leisheng zoned out for a moment.

"Chen Shi, your Noon-Midnight Evil-Slaying Sword has impressive range, but accuracy drops off sharply with distance. At a hundred zhang, targets blur to the naked eye—you'll need constant practice to hone your aim."

He sliced over a dozen wooden stakes with sword qi and set them up at a hundred zhang, topping each with goose-egg stones.

"Practice your spell accuracy first. Once you hit every one, train while on the move."

"When you nail it even then, go for fast-moving targets."

"If you still hit every time, combat against foes will come naturally."

Chen Shi's sword held tremendous power, but he lacked foundational drills. He dove right in.

"Blackie Pot, whenever your little master hits a goose-egg stone, trot over, grab a fresh one, and set it on the stake."

Fu Leisheng gave the order.

Before long, he watched the dog darting back and forth nonstop, which surprised him.

Out at the hundred-zhang stakes, goose-egg stones exploded one after another—boom, boom! Fixing his gaze, he realized Chen Shi's sword qi had pierced straight to a hundred zhang, striking them dead-on!

The dog stayed busy replacing stones.

This quickly?

Fu Leisheng was astonished. Then he saw Chen Shi start running, picking up speed, sword gesture pinched as he thrust repeatedly!

"Pa!... Pa!... Pa!"

The stones at a hundred zhang burst apart one by one—still pinpoint accurate, not a single miss!

Fu Leisheng scooped up a pile of goose-egg stones, bundled them in his robe, and called out,

"Chen Shi, a hundred zhang!"

Chen Shi got it. The two stood a hundred zhang apart and bolted into motion. Fu Leisheng wove a serpentine path, steps twisting unpredictably, his footwork elusive as he flung stones into the air.

Chen Shi chased after, weaving through dense woods. Whenever a stone flew up, his sword finger stabbed out.

Ten stones—he hit seven or eight.

They drilled from morning till noon. By then, Chen Shi struck nine out of ten, sometimes all ten.

Fu Leisheng, winded, shook his head.

"Enough, that's it."

"Chen Shi, how do you do it?"

"Where my eyes see, my intent arrives."

Chen Shi answered honestly.

"My intent reaches, my spirit follows."

"Spirit merges with sword qi—no misses."

"Sometimes stray thoughts disrupt my focus, like a random idea flashing by. That nudges the sword qi slightly off."

Fu Leisheng grew even more shocked and blurted,

"You control sword qi with spirit across a hundred zhang? Hold on! Blackie Pot, Blackie Pot, come here!"

Blackie Pot trotted over.

Fu Leisheng carved a wooden plaque, wrote a line on it, and had Blackie Pot carry it in his mouth to a hundred zhang away.

"Chen Shi, use your spirit to read the words on the plaque. Can you make them out?"

Chen Shi focused intently, then exclaimed in surprise,

"I see it—blurry, but... 'Ess... ence-Qi-Spirit... Essence, Qi, and Spirit in Unity!'"

Fu Leisheng exhaled heavily, murmuring,

"It's indeed 'Essence, Qi, and Spirit in Unity'—those exact five words."

"Essence, Qi, and Spirit in Unity is the crucial step in Golden Core's nine revolutions, transforming core to infant."

"Take the Golden Core as seed, unify essence, qi, and spirit into it—only then does it sprout the Yellow Sprout."

"The Yellow Sprout matures into the Nascent Soul."

"I've pored over countless books seeking the mysteries of the Nascent Soul, but all were vague and misleading."

He shook his head. The triad he'd desperately sought but never forged—he'd just learned Chen Shi had stumbled into it unwittingly!

"It's simple to achieve triad unity."

Chen Shi said, puzzled.

"I cultivated the Big Dipper Seven Refinements, condensed my Golden Core, then went through seven returns, eight transformations, nine restorations. Naturally, essence, qi, and spirit unified."

He didn't find it hard at all.

The Big Dipper Seven Refinements tempered bone, heart, blood, flesh, skin, qi, and spirit—瑶光 specifically honed spirit. His diligent practice had unknowingly forged it into something extraordinarily potent.

His qi and blood had been hammered relentlessly too. Now, he could claim a Sacred Embryo Dharma Body!

He had formed the Sacred Embryo, making flesh a Divine Embryo. Achieving Dharma Body spread qi and blood throughout, spells flowing effortlessly at will.

"What are the seven returns?"

Fu Leisheng asked.

Chen Shi replied,

"After forming the Golden Core, refine it into jade nectar and phoenix liquor: return to vessels, qi, blood, essence, bone, marrow, form and spirit."

"What of the eight transformations?"

"Transform vessels—vessels halt like death."

"Transform qi—qi gathers and condenses."

"Transform blood—blood turns to milk."

"Transform essence—essence forms jeweled glory."

"Transform bone—bone like red jade."

"Transform marrow—marrow to mystic frost."

"Transform form—form pure, body wondrous."

"Transform spirit—spirit transforms boundless."

"What of the nine restorations?"

"Golden Core restores kidney, heart, liver, lung, spleen, core, qi, essence, spirit."

Fu Leisheng stood frozen like a wooden chicken, staring blankly without moving for ages. Two trails of clear tears streamed down his face.

Chen Shi was baffled. Seven returns, eight transformations, nine restorations—weren't these covered in most techniques on the stele outside the Tomb of the True King? Nothing unusual. Why the breakdown?

"This is the formula for the Great Medicine!"

Fu Leisheng wept openly, then burst into wild laughter—like sobbing.

"This is the human body's Great Medicine formula! No need to seek it externally—refine it internally. Seven returns, eight transformations, nine restorations—the Great Medicine forms naturally! No buying spirit pills for breakthrough, no hunting loftier arts!"

He raved like a madman, weeping and laughing.

"I've researched for twenty years—twenty years! Always thought post-Golden Core nine revolutions, qi and blood lacked for breakthrough. I figured I needed spirit pills as Great Medicine. But the Golden Core is the Great Medicine!"

"The Golden Core is the Great Medicine!"

He dropped to his knees, sobbing.

"I've wasted twenty years! I could've formed Nascent Soul ages ago, but wasted twenty years! How many twenty-years in a life? But it's not too late!"

He leaped up, dazed and giggling.

"With the Golden Core's seven returns, eight transformations, nine restorations, I can plant the core, sprout the Yellow Sprout, form Nascent Soul!"

"Chen Shi, you're my enlightenment master—I'll kowtow!"

He banged his head.

"I'll kowtow a few more!"

"Blackie Pot, no more doubts about you—kowtow!"

Raving, he bowed formally. The dog, puzzled but game, kowtowed back a few times.

Fu Leisheng wouldn't quit, so man and dog traded kowtows—you a few, I return as many.

Chen Shi stood quietly by, waiting for normalcy, inwardly surprised.

"Aren't seven returns, eight transformations, nine restorations standard in most techniques? Fu sir's never seen them?"

A long while later, Fu Leisheng snapped out of his frenzy, embarrassed by his outburst.

"Uh, Chen Shi, Blackie Pot—don't breathe a word of this."

He stammered.

"I'll be teaching in town from now on. If it spreads, folks'll laugh."

Chen Shi smiled.

"Heaven's and earth's omens are in my image. Better seek self than gods or ghosts."

"If Golden Core isn't Great Medicine for breakthrough, why refine it? Just to fight better?"

Fu Leisheng regained composure, overwhelmed with shame.

"I've taught you little, yet you've instructed me greatly—unworthy as a teacher."

Seeing Chen Shi still full of vigor, he suddenly recalled: during practice, Chen Shi's true qi stayed at peak, barely needing breathers!

"How vast is his true qi cultivation? Even Golden Core cultivators couldn't sustain that drain!"

Fu Leisheng marveled warily. In his alma mater, students practicing this art managed four or five strikes before resting to recover qi—needing good food and rest. Poor families lagged if meat and eggs ran short.

Twice a day was decent means.

Even with Divine Embryo and juren status, sword qi wasn't casual—true qi drain required recovery.

At Golden Core, true qi couldn't be squandered.

Take Fu Leisheng: his nine-revolution Golden Core, squandered like Chen Shi's morning drill, would've emptied him too—needing recovery.

He had a Divine Embryo to regulate qi and still struggled so. Chen Shi, sans Divine Embryo, recovered freakishly fast—astounding.

"Is it his technique? Forming Golden Core without Divine Embryo means flawed method."

Fu Leisheng's mind exploded like spring thunder crashing his crown, dazing him.

"But why does his technique hold the human Great Medicine method, when my orthodox one doesn't? Not just mine—Teacher Zeng's higher Li family art lacks Golden Core-as-medicine too!"

"Why rely on separate spirit pills for Nascent Soul breakthrough?"

Fu Leisheng shied from dwelling; the deeper, the more terrifying.

They returned to the village to find Huangpo Village folk setting a feast. Food was ready, just waiting for them.

"Our village finally has another scholar after all these years. Old Chen's gone, but we can't skip celebrating!"

Grandma Yuzhu laughed, pulling Chen Shi to the head seat.

"Fu sir, you're the learned one—sit here!"

Chen Shi was overwhelmed, tears streaming. Fu Leisheng felt the countryside warmth too.

Blackie Pot joined the kids' table for chow—no one batted an eye.

Mid-feast, the semi-literate Old Lady Wuzhu recounted Zhou Chu's tale of slaying the three harms plaguing the village, adding pointedly,

"Little Ten, you're a scholar lord now. What will you do?"

"I'll charge just three taels silver to banish our village's evils and spirits!"

Chen Shi thumped his chest, vowing to the villagers.

"Once I'm lord, when I exploit you folk, I'll go easy!"

Villagers itched to curse—other lords gouged with full force. Chen Shi lightening up? Anger faded to grins; the banquet buzzed merrily.

Afternoon brought Granny Sha with a basket, beaming. Trailing her: a burly bearded man and an azure sheep walking upright on two legs.

Fu Leisheng eyed the bipedal sheep—felt perfectly normal.

"Country sheep and dogs are like that."

"Little Ten, the Mountain Lord's new temple is built. Time to invite the Mountain Lord in, consecrate and incense it."

Granny Sha smiled.

The azure sheep nodded vigorously, speaking human words.

"You can't misuse the Mountain Lord for evil anymore!"

Fu Leisheng blinked at the talking sheep, disoriented. He glanced at Blackie Pot, sensing something off.

Blackie Pot shot him a look. Fu Leisheng's mind cleared.

Countryside thing—nothing to fuss over.

Yeah, I'm the odd one, overthinking again.