Chapter 279 - 111 [Zen Meditation Travel Study Plan] (8200 words)_3
Borrowing Qi to Refine the Body?
Chen Yan’s eyes flickered as he looked at Gu Qingyi: "This Qi, there must be some specifics to it, right?"
"Of course." Gu Qingyi nodded and said, "This Qi is not the Inner Qi mentioned in your novels here, nor is it the Primordial Qi used for Essence Nourishing, but rather... some other things.
The ancient Body Cultivators discovered that our physical bodies have special responses to many external stimuli.
For example, when a person’s courage surges, they become immensely powerful.
For example, when a person senses danger, their body hair stands on end.
For example, when a person is killing on the battlefield, they are invaded by Evil Qi, becoming wildly fierce, and can withstand sword and blade injuries for a long time...
The path of Borrowing Qi to Refine the Body is considered the most high-end and righteous route among the Body Cultivators in the Domain Realm.
Of course, there are many varieties of Cultivation Techniques for Borrowing Qi. The Body Cultivation Techniques of the Gu Family focus on achieving enlightenment through killing! The Evil Qi concentrated from slaughter is used to stimulate and temper the body.
But overall, in the path of Body Cultivation, if you ask my opinion, I would tell you that Borrowing Qi to Refine the Body is the true path!
Nowadays, among the forty-two Venerables in the Domain Realm, there are nine Young Venerables and one Earth Venerable who are all Body Cultivators that follow the route of Borrowing Qi to Refine the Body.
The first two routes I mentioned earlier haven’t produced even a single Saint Position!
·
In the neighboring villa, Lin Qingquan sat behind the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a cup of tea. After taking a sip, he gently poured it out.
With a cold smile on his face, his tone carried a bit of disdain: "Hmph, what’s there to be proud of? Crude martial artists!"
·
Regarding the principles of Body Refining, Gu Qingyi explained everything he knew to Chen Yan—of course, he didn’t mention the combat techniques and Cultivation Techniques practiced by the Gu Family.
After finishing the conversation with Gu Qingyi, Chen Yan returned to his practice room and re-read the Body Refining Technique given by the little girl several times.
The Body Refining Technique given by the little girl also follows the third path, which Gu Qingyi called the "correct path," Borrowing Qi to Refine the Body.
Although he hadn’t seen the Gu Family’s combat techniques, Gu Qingyi had mentioned that it’s about achieving enlightenment through killing and nurturing the spirit with killing—naturally, the Qi borrowed is killing intent.
However, the Technique given to him by the little girl also involves Borrowing Qi, but not killing intent.
Rather, it’s...
"Anger..." Chen Yan sighed and said with a bitter smile, "If I practice this, wouldn’t I become like a berserker in a game? Strengthening my body infinitely after getting angry, a berserker? Or the Hulk?"
Sure enough, there are conflicts.
Whether it’s killing intent or anger.
They are in conflict with the cultivation of the Primordial Spirit.
To cultivate the Primordial Spirit, one must purify it, keeping it free from external emotional disturbances, thus transcending these impurities.
Reaching a state similar to "emptiness."
But both killing intent and anger are impurities. With impurities, how can one achieve "emptiness"?
Indeed, cultivators in the Domain Realm cannot walk on both paths; they are locked in.
Chen Yan didn’t practice the Body Refining Technique given by the little girl either.
He never intended to practice it in the first place!
He was just curious and couldn’t figure some things out, so he came to see it.
After understanding more about the cultivation framework in the Domain Realm, Chen Yan increasingly developed a strange notion: don’t practice either the Primordial Spirit or Body Refining!
A crippled cultivation path should not be followed!
Otherwise, even if one reaches the realm of a Venerable, there will be inherent deficiencies.
·
The next morning, Chen Yan got up and practiced circulating Primordial Qi in the training room. He wasn’t anxious about either refining the spirit or the body. He had a vague feeling that he had caught onto something, but was still unclear about it, so he didn’t rush.
Nearing noon, Chen Yan went out.
Today, he had to attend a class at the Academy.
After all, whether it’s cultivating the Primordial Spirit or refining the body, both were still distant goals. But earning pocket money was an urgent matter every month. If he didn’t earn it, the Heavenly Dao would demand payment.
Arriving at the Academy, Chen Yan changed into the Academy’s long robe and cloth shoes in the instructors’ lounge and then headed to the back kitchen and dining hall—he hadn’t had lunch at home and didn’t feel like cooking, so he thought he’d have a meal at the Academy.
The Academy provided three meals a day for the instructors, though they were simple and not lavish.
Overall, the Zen Meditation Academy established by the Cloud Sect promoted "self-discipline and cultivation" and naturally adhered to a simple lifestyle in food, clothing, housing, and transportation.
When Chen Yan arrived, it was exactly lunchtime, and the dining hall was filled with students having their meals.
Chen Yan looked around and, not seeing Chuyi, didn’t rush to find him. Instead, he grabbed a tray and served himself some food.
The meal included two dishes and a soup—stir-fried green pepper with dried tofu meat, braised meatballs, and tomato egg soup.
With a bowl of rice, it was a balanced meal with both meat and vegetables.
Chen Yan found an empty table and just took a few bites when suddenly the light in front of him dimmed as someone slowly sat down in front of him.
When Chen Yan looked up, he saw an elderly man in a gray student robe sitting across from him.
The man appeared to be around fifty or sixty years old, but his presence was notable. He clearly looked like someone accustomed to giving orders or possibly a boss.
Chen Yan recognized him—he was a student in the elementary advanced studies class he taught.
"Instructor Xiao Chen, eating alone?" The old man smiled slightly. He also had a tray, but his meal was even simpler than Chen Yan’s: just a stir-fried vegetable and a plate of stir-fried potato strips. His bowl of rice was only half full.