50: Chapter 50: Subsequent Cultivation Techniques, Rank, and Extraordinary Essence

Daoist Priest Zhang Mingqing looked at Wang An, who had just spoken, and said,

"Scientists have already proposed such hypotheses, but as of now, they have not found any such substance or energy within these enhanced organisms or in the air."

"Moreover, these organisms still possess normal physiological structures; they only show increased bone density and larger, stronger muscles, with no mutations such as special organs."

Daoist Baoyuan said in surprise,

"Isn't that just like us practitioners? Could it be that these creatures are also capable of cultivation?"

As the discussion deepened, everyone's brows began to furrow. While some felt this idea was reasonable, others immediately pointed out loopholes.

"It is possible that the continuously strengthening magnetic field in the Forbidden Zone is causing these organisms to become stronger; after all, many places have been significantly affected by this magnetic field."

"But, how do you explain that within the same Forbidden Zone, organisms in some areas have been enhanced, while in others they show no enhancement at all, only increased activity?"

"The strengthening of the magnetic field should only increase the activity of the organisms; it provides no direct assistance in breaking through physiological limits."

"It is also possible that things like Dragon Qi in Feng Shui were consumed by those organisms, causing them to become stronger."

"That is even more ridiculous. We are all people in the circle; who doesn't know about Feng Shui? If consuming Dragon Qi were enough to become stronger, look at the Perfected Ones, Celestial Masters, and high monks in our sects—they would have occupied every place with Dragon Qi long ago."

"Could it be that no such accounts have been passed down within our sects?"

"It is also possible that those organisms have somehow cultivated True Qi; after all, when we cultivate True Qi, our own physical fitness gradually improves."

"They might have cultivated some form of demonic power or True Qi. After all, the True Qi we cultivate cannot be detected by current methods; it is truly intangible."

"Right, that is also a possibility. Perhaps we need to go and experience the situation on-site. If these places provide a boost to our cultivation, then that is very likely the reason."

Upon hearing the discussion reach this point, Daoist Priest Zhang Mingqing immediately extended an invitation to everyone present.

"Everyone, the state supports you in using various methods to verify exactly how these organisms are becoming stronger. If we humans could also do the same, perhaps it would be a new form of evolution."

"Those of you interested in participating and experiencing these places in person can sign up with me, and I will organize everyone to go together."

By the end of the discussion, all parties decided to send one accomplished practitioner from their respective sects, at a level of at least Refining Essence into Qi, to these special regions.

After all, everyone is still mortal and has aspirations for their cultivation; if these special places could help them reach a higher level, it is unlikely that anyone would be able to refuse.

After everyone had left, Wang An and Daoist Priest Zhang Mingqing took out their talisman inheritances and job information to exchange with one another.

As for whether to forbid the other party from passing on this information to others after the exchange, they both tacitly avoided mentioning it.

After all, if someone secretly passes it on, others would not know, making it difficult to enforce restrictions. Therefore, they only briefly mentioned that both sides should be aware of who uses this information.

The primary consensus reached was that this information could not be traded to other factions. If anyone approached them for a trade, they would refer them to the other party.

This was a gentleman's agreement; if both sides adhered to it, it would be mutually beneficial.

After the transaction was completed, Wang An continued to study the Daoist canons and classics in the Special Administration Bureau's library to enrich his knowledge.

He continued to refine the two cultivation methods, Refining Essence into Qi and Refining Qi into Spirit, while also laying the groundwork for the subsequent Refining Spirit into Void.

As for Refining Spirit into Void, to achieve it, one must unify Divine Qi, attain the Yang Spirit, refine away self-attachment, and enter a state of "Void Silence."

Wang An felt it was all quite abstract, much like the two stages of "Moving Spirit to the Upper Field" and "Vacuum Refining Form," which the Daoist scriptures describe as follows:

"Moving Spirit to the Upper Field": Moving the Divine Qi from the Middle Dantian to the Upper Dantian, and going into seclusion to face the wall and break through the final attachments.

"Vacuum Refining Form": The form and spirit guard each other, entering a state of stillness and determination, refining away the yin qualities within the spirit to make the Yang Spirit pure yang, devoid of any yin.

This appears quite simple; one only needs to follow the steps to achieve "focusing the Primordial Spirit, purifying the Divine Qi; and purifying the Primordial Spirit to attain pure yang."

However, after achieving such a state, the merit attained is merely the realization of the Yang Spirit, a detached state of mind, and freedom from all hindrances, becoming an "Earth Immortal."

The true achievement here is actually the detachment of the state of mind and freedom from all hindrances; one could say this is a cultivation method for the heart and nature.

Wang An speculated that perhaps in ancient times, after practitioners had experienced Refining Essence into Qi and Refining Qi into Spirit, they discovered that the improvement of their three-dimensional attributes was gradually stagnating, as the world could no longer sustain higher-level life, so they turned to pursuing detachment of the state of mind instead.

The unification of Divine Qi and the achievement of the Yang Spirit here are more of a description of one's thoughts. Only by polishing one's mental thoughts until they are pure and free from external interference can one have the opportunity to refine away self-attachment and achieve detachment of the state of mind.

Therefore, one need not even mention the final step, the merit of Refining Void and Combining with Dao: merging with the Dao to become truth, shattering the void, achieving wonder in both form and spirit, reaching a state of no self, no objects, and effortless freedom.

That seems more like cultivating a wisp of thought to the stage where it resonates with heaven and earth, and finally merging into the Great Dao of rules, achieving a state where "I am the Dao, and the Dao is me."

He did not know if anyone had ever achieved such a realm, and he suspected that none had; if anyone had reached this step, why had no one ever seen these immortals who had achieved Refining Void and Combining with Dao?

After examining numerous cultivation systems, Wang An finally concluded that to cultivate to the level of a "Heavenly Immortal," one must first cultivate oneself to be like the rules themselves in order to resist the influence of the cosmic rules.

That is to cultivate the small universe within the human body into a true universe, using this small universe to contend against the great universe; only then is it possible to initially transcend the influence of the rules and attain eternal life.

Therefore, it ultimately comes back to that one point: only entities of the same status can resist and influence one another.

Other things born under the influence of a higher status, such as physical laws and the material world—even if the world were destroyed, under those same physical laws, the next world would be born anew.

Understanding this, Wang An increasingly felt that the rule rune fragments were the key to unlocking the extraordinary and the path forward for ultimate evolution.

It was precisely because of this that he had expended so much effort to deduce the Heavenly River Water Dao foundation, which could carry an extraordinary status.

If the countless laws of the entire universe, when intertwined, formed a massive internet, then an organism that created an extraordinary status—extraordinary rule runes—and fused with an extraordinary Dao foundation, would possess a local area network of its own.

Based on this theory, Wang An deduced a method that was, in essence, a clumsy imitation of the universe.