Chapter 71: Breaking Through Two Realms in a Row

The third page contained the Precepts of Profound Truth: "The Upper Precept of Heavenly Execution: first, it forbids doubting heaven and deities; second, it forbids doubting the Dao and scriptures."

"The Middle Precept of Earthly Execution: first, it forbids doubting one's master; second, it forbids betraying one's master; third, it forbids disrupting the hierarchy."

"The Lower Precept of Evil: first, it forbids absolute assertions; second, it forbids craving knowledge; third, it forbids excessive speech; fourth, it forbids gossip; fifth, it forbids showing off; sixth, it forbids slandering fellow practitioners."

"All disciples entering the sect must acknowledge, recite, and strictly obey these precepts."

Authentic Daoist canons were extremely strict when it came to selecting disciples. This much was obvious from the precepts alone.

"There are this many rules and restrictions? If I went to a Daoist temple to learn the Dao on my own, I wouldn't get the true teachings even in a hundred years." Lying in bed while flipping through the Profound Truth Detailed Explanation, just this scene alone would be enough for a Daoist of the Celestial Master Dao to charge me with blaspheming a sacred canon.

"The Ten Grottoes of Profound Truth are divided into blessings, fasting, elixirs, medicine, talismans, incantations, suppression..."

Reading up to this point, I completely ignored the parts about blessings and fasting, skipping straight to talismans and incantations. That was what I cared about most.

Unlike Daoists seeking immortality, I cultivated only to survive.

"Practitioners of incantations and spells differ from ordinary people. The talismanic tools they use must undergo ritual refinement and be infused with spiritual energy before use. Before drawing a talisman, one must burn incense and pray sincerely. When taking up the brush, one must adopt an imposing stance, keeping the eyes open but not focusing entirely on the center of the paper. Relax the body and mind, concentrate on the tip of the brush, and only then begin to channel energy, chant the incantation, and draw. The chanting and drawing must be completed in one continuous breath, without interruption or error. One cannot speak to others, nor can the mind wander, or else the talisman will fail. When chanting, the incantation must come from the heart, rather than just being muttered casually from the lips."

The book was incredibly detailed about the classification and drawing of talismans. After reading through most of it, I finally realized just how dangerous my reckless use of the Deity-Inviting Talisman had been.

Depleting my vital essence and blood and losing Yang Lifespan wasn't even the worst part. If I had accidentally invited an evil spirit to possess me, my mind could have been corrupted, turning me into a puppet for dark entities.

In the Profound Truth Dao, talismans were divided into four grades and nine colors.

The Lower Vehicle Talisman grade was the lowest, mostly drawn by wandering charlatans and rural elders. Whether they actually worked was purely up to fate.

Lesser Vehicle Talismans were generally crafted by Daoist masters of the Celestial Master Dao to ward off evil and avoid disasters. Based on their effects, they were further divided into a full one hundred and eight categories.

Upper Vehicle talisman paper could only be drawn by accomplished experts, and the materials used were mostly the quintessence of heaven and earth—like the Thunder Talisman Embryo I had obtained from Blind Liu's house. Even an unformed embryo could harm a vicious ghost. What's more, I had known absolutely nothing about cultivation back then, meaning I had only unleashed a tenth of the thunder talisman's true power.

Mahayana talisman paper transcended the Post-Heaven Stage entirely. Only almighty figures in the Pre-Heaven Stage could draw them.

With talismans divided into four grades, their color served as a basis for determining their function. For instance, red talismans secured a home, a Blood Talisman governed ominous matters, purple talismans extended lifespan, and gold talismans were mostly related to thunder.

At the very end of the book were the drawing methods and chants for a few entry-level talismans and incantations. Perhaps my cultivation was too shallow, because after staring at them for a while, I grew dizzy and couldn't commit the brushstrokes to memory.

After finishing the section on talismans, I found the introductory mental cultivation method for the Profound Truth Dao.

"Sit quietly and strive to suppress distracting thoughts. Focus inwardly on the lower dantian. Do not overexert your focus, and do not force your breathing. Allow everything to occur naturally. Empty your mind of thought, return to sincerity, and purge impurities."

"After sitting quietly for a month, one will feel their heart and energy calm, and their breathing harmonize. Gradually, a faint vibration will be felt in the lower dantian. A warm liquid will descend from the chest into the lower dantian, bringing warmth and vibration that spreads throughout the body and reaches the limbs. Eventually, the blood in the Governing Meridian will rise from the back, passing through the Jade Pillow, upper dantian, Bright Hall, Magpie Bridge, and Multi-Storied Tower, before finally reaching the Yellow Courtyard."

Although that short passage wasn't long, someone just entering the Profound Truth Dao would need at least three years of practice before they were even allowed to read it.

"The book says I'll see results after meditating for a month. I wonder how long it will take for these copper roots and rusted bones to achieve anything?" Now that I had learned the mental method, I had to give it a try. I sat cross-legged on the floor, facing the setting sun.

I silently chanted the method and emptied my mind. Likely because I had drunk the Child Immortal Wine, a warm, intoxicating feeling melted into my limbs and bones. It felt like sitting around a stove in the dead of winter.

The effect this time was surprisingly good. In less than half a quarter-hour, I entered a deep state of meditation. Without even realizing it, I had reached the first realm of Heart Fasting that Blind Liu had mentioned.

As my distracting thoughts faded, I silently recited the incantation. Gradually, the very words in my mind dissolved into nothingness as my consciousness climbed higher.

It felt like I was soaring into the sky, but it wasn't the sky. It felt like the place where the Nine-Tailed Blood Fox had once appeared.

"I, Xue Zhuo the Nine-Tails, entrust my spirit to you. From now on, we are bound in glory and loss."

That ancient, untamed voice still seemed to echo in my ears. Ever since my consciousness was swallowed by that Blood Fox, it was as if I had been reborn, and my mind became exceptionally tranquil.

My consciousness continued to rise, gradually sitting firmly in that high expanse.

In truth, this so-called high expanse was the upper dantian described in the Profound Truth Dao texts—located right between the eyebrows, also known as the Mansion of the Hidden Spirit.

When the mind sat firmly in the upper dantian, it meant one had officially entered the second realm, Sitting in Forgetfulness.

Free from sorrow and joy, sitting in forgetfulness of the universe.

If Blind Liu saw this, his jaw would hit the floor. After all, it had taken him half a month just to stabilize his Heart Fasting realm, and a full half-year to enter Sitting in Forgetfulness.

My mind sat securely in the Mansion of the Spirit as I performed Breath Regulation according to the mental method.

Drawing in pure energy and expelling the impure, I gradually grew proficient. My body simply wasn't used to it yet—like a leaky funnel, it couldn't retain the spiritual resonance, but it was slowly being remolded all the same.

In this deep meditative state, my internal organs were nourished, and the essence from that mouthful of Child Immortal Wine was fully absorbed.

I didn't know how much time had passed. After cycling the energy through a few Major Heavenly Cycles according to the acupoint instructions in the method, I opened my eyes.

It was late into the night. A cool breeze blew in through the window, but I didn't feel the slightest chill.

The wound on my chest didn't hurt as much anymore. My meridians were clear, and my eyes shone with vitality.

I continued flipping through the Detailed Explanation of Profound Truth Dao Methods. This book was all-encompassing—those ten points had been incredibly well spent.

Ordinary people entered the Dao step by step, like finishing elementary school to go to middle school, all the way up to college. Not only did it waste time, but they would also learn things they would never use once they stepped into society.

But I was different. I was reading the secret mental methods directly, free to choose from the Ten Grottoes of Profound Truth as I pleased. It was like having ten professional lecturers on standby at all times, working diligently and never deliberately making things difficult just to test my mental fortitude.

In less than three shichen, I had broken through the two realms of Heart Fasting and Sitting in Forgetfulness back-to-back. With the Child Immortal Wine nourishing my meridians, I would soon break through the third realm as well.

"Old Liu actually called me copper roots and rusted bones. I'm clearly just a late bloomer." I had actually already faintly realized that my transformation was tied to that Blood-Colored Nine-Tails. "During the next livestream, I definitely need to ask Half-immortal and the others to see exactly which deity I invited."

I focused on my meditation until dawn the next day. Perhaps because I was too impatient, the results of my cultivation in the latter half of the night weren't great.

"The Profound Truth Dao Method emphasizes letting nature take its course. I can't just blindly bury myself in training." I changed into a fresh set of clothes, practiced the Heavenly Eye once while facing the morning sun, then went downstairs and opened the cabinet. Carefully, I poured some Child Immortal Wine into a thermos.

I didn't pour too much—only half a finger deep.

Catching the scent of the wine, Bai Qi instantly darted over, rolling around and acting cute.

"Stop messing around. I'm heading out for a bit. If things go smoothly, we'll be drinking Child Immortal Wine every day from now on."

My plan was very simple. Child Immortal Wine had to be brewed from grains and traditional Chinese medicine. With science so advanced nowadays, as long as I could analyze the chemical makeup of the herbs and grains inside it, I could absolutely brew it myself.

With my skills, I definitely couldn't analyze it, but I knew the biggest pharmaceutical manufacturer in Jiangcheng—Ganding Pharmaceuticals.

It was a win-win transaction. I didn't believe they wouldn't be tempted.

I dialed Secretary Zhang. An hour later, I arrived at Ganding Pharmaceuticals' New Drug Research and Development Center. Secretary Zhang had already been waiting at the entrance for quite a while.

"Mr. Gao, right this way, please." He led me to the top-floor office. "Director Huang is waiting for you inside. According to his schedule, you have fifteen minutes."

I pushed the door open and entered. The simple, unadorned office carried a strong traditional Chinese style. As expected of Ganding Pharmaceuticals, which had started out in traditional Chinese medicine, the walls were covered in large ink calligraphy and medicinal herb charts.

"Looks like I came to the right place." Looking around, I grew even more confident in Ganding Pharmaceuticals.

Stepping into the inner office, a middle-aged man who looked forty at most was leaning back in his chair, wearing a Tang suit. "Gao Jian, is there any progress on my son's case?"

"You are Director Huang?"

The man had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a square face. The first impression he gave was one of sincere honesty, but looking closely, his eyes glinted constantly. This was a deeply hidden old fox.

"I am Huang Boyuan. This is our second time meeting." He put down the Thousand-Eyed Bodhi beads he was playing with and gestured for me to sit opposite him. "I am fifty-six years old today. Although Huang Guanxing had a stubborn and unruly personality, he was the only male heir of my Huang Family. There is definitely something suspicious about his death."

Huang Boyuan's intuition was spot on. I slowly furrowed my brows. 'This old guy isn't going to be easy to deal with!'