Asked About The World Of Mortals

Chapter 42: Fragrant

Late at night, when all was quiet.

Qin Yi made a final stroke, and a burst of light appeared on the talisman paper. It seemed as if tiny specks of starlight fell onto the cinnabar, gradually disappearing.

After wasting sixteen sheets, he finally made the first Divine Movement Talisman.

This talisman was used on the body and could harness the power of the wind, allowing one to move as fast as lightning, crossing mountains and rivers effortlessly, and traveling a thousand miles without fatigue. It already involved profound principles and, according to Ming He's evaluation system, it was already an Eight Grade talisman.

This talisman was not as ingenious as Ming He had imagined. In fact, it was casually made by Liu Su, reflecting its understanding of the transcendent path of cultivation. While Ming He was amazed, Liu Su only did it casually.

But as Qin Yi looked at the completed talisman, Liu Su remained silent.

Qin Yi, feeling happy, noticed Liu Su's silence and asked in surprise, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with this talisman I made?"

"No, you did a good job. This talisman has reached the lower level of the Eight Grade," Liu Su replied somewhat gloomily. "But I've been thinking about what Ming He said, and maybe she has a point. So I'm wondering if you still want to continue learning."

"You haven't seen the talismans nowadays, so how do you know if what she said makes sense?"

"I don't need to see them. It's a matter of principle," Liu Su sighed. "Any art or core technique is always constantly summarized and improved based on the foundation of previous generations. Even I have improved many things that were considered standards by previous generations. There are also geniuses who integrate various schools of thought and create new systems that shake the world... If after tens of thousands of years, we are still inferior to ancient times, then we are underestimating the talents of the world."

"Um..." Qin Yi tried to comfort him. "What if some profound Dao techniques have been lost? It's possible that it could lead to a gap in that particular system, making the present inferior to the past."

Liu Su's mood improved a bit. "That's probably true. Especially according to Ming He, there have been calamities in the past that may have caused many important lineages to be cut off, leaving only remnants to be deduced and even just superficial knowledge. They think about things more than I do, but it doesn't necessarily mean they are better."

Qin Yi smiled and said, "Everyone has their own strengths. Your cultivation far surpasses theirs, and even if you have to absorb new knowledge, you'll do it faster than anyone else. So what's there to fear?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," Liu Su said slowly. "It's just that... I really hate being compared to others."

Qin Yi was taken aback. Was this the reason why Liu Su was so easily provoked? But at its level of cultivation, would it still have such a competitive spirit?

As if knowing what he was thinking, Liu Su said, "No matter how far you cultivate, everyone has their own unique soul, their own distinctive imprint. Some people may find it ridiculous that I care so much about winning or losing, thinking it's a flaw or weakness. But that's who I am, and I'm fine with it. Do you think that in cultivation, once you reach a certain level, everyone becomes indifferent and doesn't care about anything? That's not the way of the Dao; it's a group of walking corpses."

Qin Yi pondered for a while, deeply moved by Liu Su's perspective. Liu Su's views were always unconventional but interesting, and most importantly, they often resonated with his own thoughts. "I'm fine with it" was a statement that would be considered juvenile in the modern world, but in the Immortal Cultivation World, it didn't seem out of place. Seeking truth, seeking oneself, seeking the Dao, seeking one's heart—wasn't that what it was all about?

But compared to Ming He's behavior, Liu Su was probably a bit rebellious and not something that could be considered mainstream or orthodox...

"You can listen to these things, but it's too early for you to comprehend the true self," Liu Su finally said. "It's late at night, let's start cultivating the inner elixir... No matter how much the cultivation methods change, laying a solid foundation is always the same, just like in the Martial Dao, no matter how it changes, you still need to stabilize your horse stance first."

Listening to this, Qin Yi couldn't help but find it a bit worrying that what he had taught Liu Su was outdated, as if he was encouraging himself. Qin Yi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Fragrant."

Liu Su laughed helplessly. This would definitely confuse outsiders, but it was a meaning that only it and Qin Yi understood.

For some reason, this feeling made it very happy. It felt even more gratifying to let Qin Yi cultivate than the act of cultivation itself.

Qin Yi adjusted his posture and asked, "Everyone says I'm suitable for cultivation, but none of you have checked whether I really have spiritual roots. If I have no spiritual roots, I won't be able to cultivate at all. What should I do?"

Liu Su was puzzled. "Spiritual roots? Whether a person is suitable for cultivation and which direction they are suitable for is determined by their spiritual roots. Some people who don't know the details might need to check, but we've been together day and night. Do we still need to test anything? What do you think spiritual roots are? Is it something that grows on your body, like a root?"

Qin Yi, however, had already closed his eyes and slowly entered a state of clarity.

Liu Su was somewhat surprised. After observing him seriously for a while, she suddenly chuckled softly and muttered to herself, "To worry about not having spiritual roots... Throughout eternity, there are only a handful of individuals who are more compatible with the Immortal Dao than you can count on one hand."

Because he had only recited a mantra before, without any specific explanation. Originally, Liu Su had planned to explain a few things, but Qin Yi had already started practicing on his own. The miraculous thing was that not only did he not make any mistakes, but there was even a trace of spiritual energy gathering around him.

Perhaps it was because he had already studied external elixirs, formations, and the common knowledge of the Dao for a long time, and recently learned talismans as well. In addition, he spent all his time with Liu Su, receiving knowledge related to cultivation. His foundation was already sufficient, so he had no obstacles in understanding the mantra and the method of cultivation.

But this couldn't explain why the spiritual energy was gathering so quickly, as if it was being summoned.

The path of the Great Dao is arduous. Not to mention his three months of foundation, there are many people who can't achieve anything even after thirty years of learning, and there are many who have exhausted themselves. Just look at the king... He couldn't possibly have no foundation in cultivation methods, but what has he achieved in the past few years?

In the jargon of other industries, Qin Yi is probably what they call "born to do this job."

In the terminology of Martial Dao, it's called "innate talent."

In the terminology of cultivation, perhaps it can be called "heavenly spirit root."

...

Qin Yi felt very strange at this moment.

If he looked at it from the most basic level of his current cultivation, there wasn't much difference between the Qi Refining of cultivation and the True Qi of Martial Dao. They both originated from the same concept, harmonizing yin and yang, connecting the hundred meridians, nurturing the dantian with one's own breath, and achieving a small world within oneself.

Then, they both could strengthen the body, cleanse the meridians, eliminate diseases, and prolong life.

Furthermore, they both needed to open up the Ren and Du meridians, connect the bridge between heaven and earth, and draw in the yin and yang qi of heaven and earth to achieve a great circulation between oneself and the world. In Martial Dao, this is called the Innate Qi realm, which Li Qinglin has already reached, but Qin Yi and Li Qingjun have not.

However, now that Qin Yi possesses both True Qi and spiritual energy, he can discover the difference in their nature.

For example, the True Qi of Martial Dao can increase his strength and can also be released externally, possessing direct destructive power. On the other hand, the spiritual energy or magical power cultivated in Immortal Dao seems to lack this effect for the time being. It may only appear after it becomes stronger. The current feeling is quite... pleasant.

Yes, it is pleasant. Now that he has just cultivated a wisp of spiritual energy that floats like a light fluff, he feels comfortable throughout his body. It feels as if every part of his body is being bathed in sweet spring water, cool and refreshing, making him not want to stop.

No wonder some people who cultivate would even lose interest in women... Perhaps when they cultivate to the level of the divine soul, it will be even more pleasant?

Before experiencing a comparison with higher realms, Qin Yi currently feels that the True Qi of Martial Dao is like yang, attacking enemies like fire, while the spiritual energy of Immortal Dao is like yin, cleansing the body like water.

In fact, the True Qi and spiritual energy he cultivates are both neutral, each being the result of the harmonization of yin and yang. They shouldn't have such obvious differences.

After the harmonization of yin and yang, they harmonize again?

Qin Yi can almost see his lower dantian. The True Qi that was originally present and the newly arrived spiritual energy slowly rotate, finally turning into the shape of a yin-yang fish. However, the spiritual energy is still very weak, while the True Qi has been cultivated for many years. It feels like two entities of vastly different sizes engaging in a sexual position, which feels disharmonious.

He doesn't know what it will look like if he continues to cultivate. According to reason, the grade of spiritual energy should be much higher than that of Martial Dao True Qi. If they can't achieve balance, let alone harmonization, it shouldn't have formed this situation... It really shouldn't have.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Qin Yi's mind.

That unnamed blue-skinned secret manual on his body might really have some special techniques... Could it be that the quality of the True Qi he cultivates is different from others?

(End of this chapter)