2: Chapter 2: Spiritual Energy Catalyzes Internal Force, One Turn to Perfection!

Before the morning mist had dispersed, halfway up Qingyun Peak, where the Outer Sect Disciples of the Taiyi Dao Sect resided.

Gu Yan was already carrying a bucket of fresh water, pushing open the wooden door to the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion.

"Only cleaning is permitted; no reading."

On a rattan chair by the door, an old man with white hair and beard was resting with his eyes closed, yet his voice clearly entered Gu Yan's ears.

"Yes."

Gu Yan replied respectfully, picking up the bucket and rag to begin wiping.

This old man's surname was Duan. The Outer Sect Disciples privately called him Elder Duan; it was said he was a Second Transformation Martial Cultivator.

Martial cultivation has Nine Transformations; each transformation is a new heaven.

At the Second Transformation, one can already release Internal Energy externally, shattering monuments and cracking stones.

Having a Second Transformation Martial Cultivator guard the outer Scripture Pavilion was a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but it also showed the Sect's emphasis on its texts.

After about an hour, the cleaning was finished.

Elder Duan inspected the work, pulled a stack of yellow papers from his robes, counted out five, and handed them over.

The yellow paper was about the size of a palm and had a unique texture.

This was the Sect contribution of the Taiyi Dao Sect.

It was commonly joked about by the Disciples as taiyi currency.

However, this thing only circulated within the Sect; once down the mountain, it was just scrap paper.

Yet, it was the hard currency for exchanging for the Sect's Medicinal Pills, weapons, and even better housing resources.

Gu Yan carefully tucked away the five contribution papers and turned to walk toward Herb Garden C.

The herb garden was located on the sunny eastern slope of the peak, covering over thirty mu. It was enclosed by an exquisite stone wall and divided into dozens of sections, where various herbs were planted.

Coming here was naturally for clearing weeds, watering the herbs, and so on.

This was his fixed daily chore.

There was no need to scramble for tasks every day; as long as he arrived on time, he could steadily earn three points of Sect contribution daily.

Such a cushy job was something Outer Sect members would fight tooth and nail for.

The reason Gu Yan could get it was entirely because the oldest managing Disciple in the garden, Chen Chu, was a close friend of his parents from years ago.

"Xiao Yan, you're here?"

In front of the stone house at the garden entrance, a middle-aged man in grey clothes with white hair greeted him with a smile.

This was Chen Chu, who was over fifty and still stuck at the First Transformation Late Stage.

Martial Dao has Nine Transformations. The First Transformation is Body Refining, divided into three stages: Early Stage for tempering blood and Qi, Middle Stage for spontaneous Internal Energy generation, and Late Stage for the filling of the nine Acupoints.

Chen Chu had entered the Late Stage twenty years ago, but he had never been able to condense a Qi cyclone and Breakthrough the Second Transformation threshold.

"Old Chen," Gu Yan bowed in greeting, then took his tools from the house.

"Xiao Yan, same as usual today, Sections Seven to Twelve."

"Oh, one more thing. Elder Xuan Qing sent a message the day before yesterday. He discovered several rare poisonous grasses while visiting a friend, and his return date is uncertain."

"Let's take extra care with the maintenance; we can't afford any mistakes."

Gu Yan nodded.

This garden belonged to the Outer Sect Elder, Daoist Xuan Qing, a Second Transformation Martial Cultivator obsessed with Alchemy.

There was no shortage of highly toxic things in the garden. A Disciple once accidentally touched Bone-Corroding Orchid Grass, and within three days, his flesh and blood dissolved, leaving only a skeleton.

Since then, all Disciples working here have been cautious, as if treading on thin ice.

The five sections Gu Yan was responsible for, each about half a mu, were planted with common healing herbs like Dew-Condensing Grass, Red Blood Vine, and Three-Leaf Green Ganoderma.

He first carefully checked the state of each plant, recording any anomalies, and then used a long-necked copper pot to draw water from a special canal, meticulously watering them one by one.

The water was mixed with trace amounts of medicinal dregs to nourish the herbs, a formula prepared by Elder Xuan Qing.

Next was clearing dead leaves, weeding, and loosening the soil.

In this herb garden, silence was the norm; after all, talking too much made it easy to get distracted, and distraction could lead to mistakes.

And making a mistake here often came with a heavy price.

Only during the midday break would Gu Yan sit in front of the house and chat with Chen Chu.

Chen Chu would talk about interesting stories of his parents from back then or remind him of things to watch out for in his Cultivate.

"Internal Energy Cultivate is about letting things happen naturally."

"You are now at the First Transformation Early Stage, and your blood and Qi are almost tempered. Next is to sense that spark of Qi within your body and guide it to transform into Internal Energy."

"You can't rush it, but you can't be lax either."

Gu Yan listened intently, nodding occasionally.

As the sun leaned toward the west, the work ended.

Chen Chu distributed the contributions as usual: three yellow papers, each with a denomination of one.

Gu Yan tucked them away, said his goodbyes, and walked toward the Outer Sect Dining Hall.

The Dining Hall was located on the west side of the peak's main square, a three-story wood and stone building.

It was dinner time, and the hall was bustling with hundreds of Outer Sect Disciples gathered together.

Gu Yan walked to the exchange window and glanced at the price list on the wall:

Choice of two vegetable dishes: 1 contribution

Choice of one meat dish: 3 contributions

One bowl of Hundred-Refined Grain Rice: 2 contributions

Ordinary white rice: 0.5 contributions

The deacon Disciple behind the window waited lazily.

Gu Yan thought for a moment, pulled out a few taiyi currency notes, and said, "One meat dish, one bowl of Hundred-Refined Grain Rice, and two vegetable dishes."

The deacon Disciple took the taiyi currency and then handed over a wooden plaque engraved with a number.

Gu Yan found a quiet spot by the window to sit down, and soon a Utility Disciple brought the meal on a tray.

This meal cost five contribution points, equivalent to Gu Yan's entire earnings from the Scripture Pavilion today.

But Gu Yan never mistreated himself; Cultivate required physical strength, so eating a bit better was never wrong.

He hardly touched the silver his parents had left him, saving it all for future use.

Since Sect contributions couldn't be taken out, they should be used where they mattered most.

And diet was one of those critical areas.

After eating slowly and thoroughly, Gu Yan stood up.

As he walked out of the Dining Hall, he felt the remaining taiyi currency in his robes.

Five points from the Scripture Pavilion in the morning, three from the herb garden, and five for dinner; today was a net gain of three points.

Including his previous savings, he had fifty-three points on hand.

By the time he returned to his quarters, it was already dark.

Closing the courtyard gate, the world suddenly became quiet.

Gu Yan did not light a lamp, sitting quietly on a stone stool in the courtyard for a moment.

Only after his mind was completely calm did he walk inside and sit cross-legged on the wooden bed.

At this time, ordinary Outer Sect Disciples might be tempering their blood and Qi or practicing Martial Skills.

But what Gu Yan was about to do was something entirely different.

He closed his eyes, his breathing gradually becoming even.

His mind concentrated, and his consciousness slowly extended outward.

Gradually, specks of faint light emerged around him, floating and flowing slowly in his perception.

That was the Five Elements Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth.

The Five Elements Spiritual Body can perceive and absorb Spiritual Qi.

However, the speed of absorption depends on the Cultivation Technique and the environment.

Without a Cultivation Technique or guidance, with only this body that could suddenly sense Spiritual Qi, the speed could not be fast.

Last night, Gu Yan tried all night and only managed to absorb five or six specks of light into his body, but he didn't know how to use them.

But this morning, he had an idea.

Now, he only needed to verify it.

Gu Yan began to operate the "Taiyi Dao De True Scripture · First Transformation Chapter."

This Cultivation Technique was a core Legacy of the Taiyi Dao Sect, rumored to reach the Realm of the Six Transformations Five Immortals.

But Outer Sect Disciples could only obtain the First Transformation chapter to Cultivate.

To obtain subsequent Legacies, one had to enter the Inner Sect, accumulate Sect contributions, and prove their talent.

After all, the Sect was not a charity; how could they pass on all their assets at once?

The First Transformation chapter of the Taiyi Dao De True Scripture is mainly divided into three steps.

Early Stage: tempering blood and Qi to strengthen the physique.

Middle Stage: sensing the Qi mechanism to generate Internal Energy.

Late Stage: filling the nine major Acupoints with Internal Energy to lay the Foundation for the Second Transformation Qi Cyclone Realm.

Gu Yan was originally at the First Transformation Early Stage, with his blood and Qi almost tempered, yet he had never been able to sense that so-called Qi mechanism.

At this moment, he deliberately guided those five-colored specks of light absorbed into his body to flow according to the blood and Qi circulation routes recorded in the Cultivation Technique.

At first, there was no reaction; the Spiritual Qi wandered lazily through the Meridians, going its own way alongside the blood and Qi.

But Gu Yan was neither anxious nor impatient, trying again and again, carefully adjusting the rhythm and intensity of his guidance.

After about half an hour, a sudden change occurred.

When a wisp of red light, seemingly Fire-element Spiritual Qi, flowed through the shanzhong acupoint in his chest, his originally dormant blood and Qi suddenly boiled!

Immediately after, all the five-colored specks of light absorbed into his body seemed to have found a commander,

And began to circulate in an orderly fashion along the Cultivation Technique's route, faster and faster!

Boom!

It felt as if some barrier inside his body was broken through, and a warm sensation of Qi grew from his Dantian, quickly flowing throughout his entire body.

This was Internal Energy!

Gu Yan's heart jolted, but he didn't dare have a Divided Soul, continuing to operate the Cultivation Technique.

Under the boost of Spiritual Qi, the newly born Internal Energy grew frantically, like a stream converging into a river, surging and galloping.

The first Acupoint, the shanzhong acupoint, was filled.

This Acupoint is located in the center of the line connecting the two breasts, behind the sternum.

Being filled meant that his internal breath could now penetrate the chest and abdomen, and he could mobilize thirty percent of his body's blood and Qi with a single breath.

The second Acupoint, the Qihai Acupoint, was filled.

This Acupoint is located an inch and a half below the navel, where the Dantian is situated. It is the Martial Dao Foundation and the core of Internal Energy generation and storage.

The Qi Sea, which originally required months of tempering to fill, was instantly filled to the brim under the infusion of Spiritual Qi.

The third Acupoint, the Mingmen Acupoint, was filled.

This Acupoint is located in the center of the lower back, opposite the navel.

It governs the human body's Innate essence and Qi. When Martial Dao Cultivate reaches this point, waist strength doubles, and the body becomes as firm as a rock.

Gu Yan guided a stream of earthy yellow Spiritual Qi into it, and immediately felt a steady warmth coming from his lower back.

It was as if an invisible pillar was supporting his entire spine.

Subsequently, Dazhui, Laogong, Yongquan, Taiyang, Shenque...

Eight Acupoints lit up one after another, connecting into a network where Internal Energy transformed from Spiritual Qi circulated repeatedly, endless and unceasing.

Only the last piece of the puzzle remained to form the Small Heavenly Circuit and step into the First Transformation Late Stage Perfection.

And the ninth Acupoint was the Baihui Acupoint.

This Acupoint is located in the center of the top of the head, below the hair whorl. It is the meeting point of all Yang and the place where a hundred vessels return to their source.

In Martial Dao Cultivate, the Baihui is the hardest to fill. One must lift Internal Energy from the Yongquan at the soles of the feet, pass through the Dazhui of the spine, and break through numerous barriers before reaching the Heavenly Gate.

After another half hour, Gu Yan took a deep breath and activated all the Spiritual Qi absorbed into his body.

The Earth-element Spiritual Qi at the Yongquan of his soles responded first, rising up his legs like an earthquake.

The Mingmen, Dazhui, and other Acupoints lit up in sequence, like lighting a string of lamps.

The shanzhong acupoint in his chest and the Qi Sea in his abdomen surged simultaneously, gathering strength for this final push.

When all the Spiritual Qi converged at the top of his head...

Gu Yan only felt a clear ringing in his brain, like the striking of a bell and chime.

The Baihui Acupoint was suddenly cleared!

In an instant, the nine major Acupoints trembled simultaneously, and the Internal Energy transformed from Spiritual Qi flowed freely, forming a perfect cycle.

The pores all over Gu Yan's body opened slightly, and a faint white mist actually seeped out.

This was a sign that Internal Energy was filled to the extreme and had begun to nourish the surface of the body.

He slowly opened his eyes.

No lamp was lit in the room, but in his eyes, everything was as clear as day.

The direction of the wooden table's grain, the faint light of the dew on the spiderweb in the corner...

First Transformation Late Stage, nine Acupoints filled.

According to common knowledge of the Martial Dao, going from the First Transformation Early Stage to the Late Stage takes those with excellent talent half a year to a year.

Ordinary Outer Sect Disciples require decades of hard work.

Yet Gu Yan had used less than two hours to cross from the Early Stage through the Middle Stage, reaching the Late Stage directly.

And this was merely the result of introducing a trace amount of Spiritual Qi and operating it in conjunction with a basic Cultivation Technique.

Gu Yan took a deep breath, suppressing the waves in his heart.

He carefully experienced the changes within his body; the Internal Energy stored in the nine Acupoints was pure and peaceful, indeed the authentic Internal Energy of the "Taiyi Dao De True Scripture."

But deep down, there was a faint trace of Five Elements attributes, which were the remnants of the Spiritual Qi.

"Internal Energy is Internal Energy after all; it's different from Spiritual Qi."

"But since Spiritual Qi can be used to catalyze Internal Energy Cultivate, then can I... take it a step further?"

A bold thought emerged: using a Martial Dao Cultivation Technique as the boat and Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi as the sail.

So what if I don't have an Immortal Cultivation Technique?

Simply use the Martial Dao Cultivation Technique as the skeleton.

But no longer use Spiritual Qi to catalyze Internal Energy.

Instead, use Spiritual Power to replace Martial Dao Internal Energy.

And store it within these nine Acupoints.

Tonight's leap from the Martial Dao First Transformation Early Stage to the Late Stage had already proven that this path might be feasible.

With a thought from Gu Yan, his personal panel appeared:

[Gu Yan]

[Lifespan: 20/80]

[Realm: Qi Refining · First Layer]

[Trait: Five Elements Spiritual Body · Orange]

Looking at the panel information, he fell into deep thought:

The Realm is still Qi Refining First Layer; I thought it would reach the Second Layer...

Immortal Cultivation is indeed different from practicing martial arts.

However, what is the criterion for determining the Realm on this panel?

Is it the total amount of Spiritual Power? The purity? Or...

According to the settings of Immortal Cultivation novels he had read in his past life, the Qi Refinement Stage is usually the starting stage of Immortal Cultivation, divided into nine or thirteen layers.

Never mind, in short, I'll just continue to draw Qi into my body and accumulate Spiritual Power.