325: Chapter 325 Sermon

After the morning class ended, the Outer Sect Disciples dispersed one after another; some went to the cafeteria for breakfast, while others returned directly to their living quarters.

Ling Ye followed the crowd to the cafeteria, hurriedly drank a bowl of porridge, gnawed on two steamed buns, and then, following yesterday's instructions, headed to the Scripture Lecture Hall to wait for the morning class.

The Scripture Lecture Hall was located on the east side of the martial arts field; it was a spacious wooden structure with its doors and windows wide open, allowing the mountain breeze to pass through and carry away the sultry heat of late summer.

Inside the hall, dozens of low tables were arranged with prayer mats placed on them. The Outer Sect Disciples took their seats one by one, waiting for the lecturer to arrive.

Ling Ye found an empty seat near the back and sat down, waiting quietly.

Not long after, an old man with white hair walked in. He wore a grey robe that had been washed until it turned pale; his face was gaunt and refined, his gait steady, and he carried no books or lecture notes in his hands.

He sat down on the prayer mat at the very front of the Scripture Lecture Hall, his gaze slowly sweeping over the Disciples in the hall, before he opened his mouth to say something that left a deep impression on Ling Ye:

"Everyone here, who among you believes that you will definitely be able to Cultivate to the Golden Core stage in this lifetime?"

The hall fell into silence. No one answered, and no one raised their hand.

The old man waited for a while, and seeing no response, he continued himself: "No one dares to answer. Because everyone knows that the path of immortal cultivation becomes narrower the higher one goes. Foundation Establishment is a hurdle, Core Formation is a hurdle, and Nascent Soul is an even greater hurdle. Every time you cross a hurdle, a large number of people are eliminated. This is not alarmist talk; it is a fact."

He paused, then continued in a calm tone: "But think about it from the other perspective—if someone determines from the very beginning that they cannot do it, then they certainly will not be able to. What are you Cultivating when you Cultivate immortality? You are Cultivating the heart, the will, and that breath of Qi. Without this breath of Qi, even the best Spiritual Root is useless."

Ling Ye listened quietly, and the impression of this old man in his heart quietly changed. He had originally thought that the scripture lecture would be a dull theoretical class, but he had not expected such words to open the session.

The old man did not continue to expand on this topic, but changed the subject and began the formal lecture: "Today we will discuss the first chapter of the 'Qingyun Basic Formula'—Guiding Qi into the Body. During the morning class, you already tried to sense Spiritual Qi; some succeeded, and some may not have found the feeling yet. It doesn't matter; everyone's Aptitude is different, Comprehension Ability is different, and the time it takes to get started is also different. Today, I will not talk about profound principles, but only one thing—how to stably guide Spiritual Qi into the body."

He began from the most basic concepts—what is the Dantian, what are Meridians, and what is the path for Spiritual Qi to circulate. His explanation was not profound, but rather very simple and down-to-earth, using metaphors from daily life so that even those who had never been exposed to Cultivation could understand.

When he spoke about Spiritual Qi circulating in the Meridians, he described it as "a mountain stream; there is no need to forcibly dig a riverbed, just follow the natural flow, and the channel will form itself when the water arrives."

Ling Ye listened very carefully. As he listened, he compared it with his own experience during the morning class, and many vague areas gradually became clear.

He realized that his ability to successfully guide Spiritual Qi into his body during the morning class was largely due to the Mental Energy he had accumulated in the Star Gate World—his will was more concentrated than that of an ordinary person, making it easier for him to enter a state of focus. But this did not mean his Spiritual Root was any better; it just meant his starting point was slightly higher than others.

The old man spoke for about an hour, without any breaks or question-and-answer sessions. When he finished, he said: "During the afternoon practice time, I will be at the martial arts field to provide guidance. Those who have questions can come to find me." Then he stood up and left, his gait still steady, without any hesitation.

Ling Ye sat on the prayer mat, savoring the content he had just heard. He looked down at his hands, then closed his eyes, and tried to follow the path the old man had described, guiding the faint wisp of Spiritual Qi in his Dantian to circulate along his Meridians.

The Spiritual Qi obediently flowed according to his will; although slow, it was indeed moving. It followed a path he had never realized existed, rising from the Dantian, passing through his waist and abdomen, reaching his chest, and then slowly sinking back down to the Dantian, completing one full cycle.

He opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

In the morning sunlight, that breath vaguely carried a trace of extremely faint white color.

He was stunned for a moment, then looked down at his hands and remained silent for a while.

He did not know if this counted as progressing quickly, nor did he know what the progress of others was like. He only knew that he was, step by step, integrating into the rules of this world.