Chapter 17: Practice


    Teacher Yan said: "The breathing method taught by the sect before is similar to the technique. You can also practice spiritual power, but it is relatively simple and only suitable for cultivators before the third level of Qi refining. After the third level of Qi refining, you have to choose a real skill to learn. Of course, it is okay to continue using the breathing method, but you will be much slower in practicing..."


    "This is a directory of exercises for external disciples to practice. The directory contains the names of exercises, such as applicable spiritual roots, required spiritual stones, spiritual objects that break through the bottleneck, and the effectiveness of exercises. You can take a look first."


    Teacher Yan sent the catalog and each disciple got a book, and ink paintings were no exception.


    The directory is very thin, only about ten pages, but it is densely recorded in it.


    "If you have any questions, please ask me." Teacher Yan said.


    The disciples were quiet for a moment, and then some disciples raised their hands and asked:


    "Sir, are the martial arts the same as spiritual roots, divided into attributes and grades?"


    Teacher Yan glanced at the disciple indifferently and said:


    "I''ve been refining Qi for three levels, and I still ask such a simple question. It seems that you didn''t listen to the lesson Zhou taught. You went back and copied the "First Interpretation of the Practice" and gave it to me in three days."


    The disciple was stunned for a moment as if he was struck by lightning, so he had to lower his head and said, "Yes." But he felt very regretful.


    I was careless and forgot that it was not the one who taught now. I asked casually what I thought of...


    Teacher Yan looked around for a while and said earnestly:


    "Teacher Zhou is old and has a good temper. If you don''t take much control over you, you may not listen carefully in class. But choosing exercises is of great importance. I will explain it to you again. You can listen carefully and don''t think it''s boring."


    The disciples sat upright.


    "The spiritual roots of monks are divided into attributes and grades, and the skills are the same."


    "The attributes of spiritual roots are dominated by the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. Some are single elements, some are mixed five elements, and there are also small five elements and big five elements that are complete with the five elements. In addition to the five elements, there are also some special spiritual roots that are transformed from the five elements, such as ice spirit root, thunder spirit root, wind spirit root, and yin and yang spirit root. These spiritual roots are quite rare and are generally difficult to encounter."


    "In addition, spiritual roots are divided into nine grades according to their qualifications, from lower, lower middle, lower upper, middle and lower... to upper upper grades, each grade has a huge difference. The higher the spiritual root grade, the better the talent for cultivation, and the higher the upper limit of spiritual power that can be accommodated in the Qi sea."


    "The classification of exercises is also divided into attributes, and the nine grades, which are basically the same as spiritual roots. When choosing exercises, you should choose the exercises based on your spiritual roots, which attributes of spiritual roots, and which attributes of spiritual roots; what level of spiritual roots, it is best to choose the exercises with the same grade of exercises."


    "The attributes of spiritual roots determine the spiritual power characteristics of a monk. The rarer the attributes are, the more special the spiritual power of a monk; the level of spiritual roots determines the talent of a monk. The higher the level of the cultivator, the higher the talent of a monk in cultivation."


    …


    "The rarer the spiritual root, the better?" a disciple asked timidly.


    "Not necessarily. This is a good thing for disciples who have great clans and sect inheritance. But for ordinary monks, the rarer spiritual roots are, the fewer skills can be selected, and some of them cannot even find skills to learn. This is not a good thing." Teacher Yan explained.


    "What if the attributes of the martial arts are different from those of the spiritual root?" asked a disciple.


    "It won''t be like this," said Yan Zhixi, "because you can''t practice. You, a cultivator with the golden and water roots, cannot learn the skills of the earth and wood system at all."


    "Is there no exception?"


    Teacher Yan raised his eyebrows and said, "The Taoist records of at least 20,000 years are not included in the Taoist records. If you meet them, you can tell me, and I will have a long experience."


    The disciple shrank his head and stopped talking.


    "Teaching, must the level of the exercises be the same as the level of the spiritual roots?" another disciple asked.


    Teacher Yan said: "High-grade spiritual roots can practice low-grade exercises, but low-grade spiritual roots cannot practice high-grade exercises."


    Some disciples asked in confusion: "If the spiritual root level is high, why do you need to choose a low-grade exercise? Isn''t the spiritual power you cultivate in this way less?"


    Teacher Yan said: "The higher the level of the exercises, the more spirit stones you need to practice, and the treasures that break through the bottleneck are also more expensive. Some treasures of heaven and earth are not something that ordinary monks can afford. Don''t choose high-grade exercises. If you practice halfway through practice, you find that you can''t afford it. It''s too late to regret it at that time."


    "What if the spiritual root level is low but you have learned high-grade skills?" the disciple asked again. Yan Teaching said: "According to the "Cultural Books of Practice", if the level of the practice exceeds its own spiritual roots, most of the monks will absorb too much spiritual power, which will cause damage to the Qi Sea, and the severe Qi Sea collapse, and all their cultivation will be destroyed. What''s worse, they will become possessed by the devil and die of the Tao."


    "Some are obsessed with devils, that is, aren''t there anyone who is obsessed with devils?" a disciple asked with his eyes lit up.


    The strict teaching looked at him meaningfully:


    "Don''t always think that you are the most special one. Others will have problems when they learn it, but you may be fine if you learn it. Some people may have luck in practicing Taoism, but don''t pin life and death on this ethereal luck, and seek death on your own."


    Many of the disciples here have had such thoughts. When they heard this, they were slightly aware of their feelings and dared not have any other thoughts.


    Teacher Yan said again: "These are not isolated cases, but countless **** lessons over the past 20,000 years of cultivation and development. If you don''t learn from the experience of your predecessors, you will easily make mistakes. Once a practitioner goes astray, he will often be unable to help himself. Some people can turn back, while others will never turn back."


    Teacher Yan sighed, looking a little disappointed, Mo Hua felt that Teacher Yan seemed to be worried.


    But Yan Zhixi no longer said anything, but pointed to the "Catalogue of Qi Refining External Sects of Tongxianmen" and said:


    "You should follow what I just said, look for it in it yourself and choose a suitable one. Remember, don''t be too ambitious when practicing Taoism, the right one is the best."


    The disciples bowed their heads one after another and flipped out the catalog of exercises.


    After Mo Hua knew about it, she began to look for exercises.


    He is the spiritual root of the middle and lower grades, and can only practice the middle and lower grades of martial arts, but he is a little curious about what the top grades of martial arts are like.


    Ink Painting first turned the catalog to the end and read a few top-quality exercises:


    "The Legend of Heaven and Earth": The upper and lower grades are suitable for the cultivation of earth-based spiritual roots, and can cultivate the spiritual power of 120 cycles. At least 5,000 spiritual stones are required to be refined for the complete Qi refining period, and the heavenly materials and earth treasures are required: Xuanhuang grass, bitter water root, Tianxuan stone...


    "Soft Water Skill": It is suitable for the cultivation of water-based spiritual roots, and can cultivate 130 cycles of spiritual power. At least 5,200 spiritual stones are required to be refined for the complete Qi refining period, and genius earth treasures are required: a hundred years of rootless water, silver snake blood...


    "Five Elements Qigong": It is suitable for the cultivation of the five elements of gold, wood, water, fire, earth, and spiritual roots. It can cultivate the spiritual power of 150 cycles. At least 6,000 spiritual stones are required to be refined during the Qi refining period, and the treasures of heaven and earth are required: gold and earth stone, molten stone, and a hundred-year-old earth...


    …


    Ink painting was shocked.


    "The Qi Refining Period requires at least five or six thousand spirit stones. This is simply a refined spirit stone, not including the heavenly and earth treasures that assist in cultivation and break through bottlenecks. Some rare heavenly and earth treasures may have more than five or six thousand spirit stones..."


    Mo Hua worked hard for a month and only earned fifty spirit stones. The consumption of these 5,000 spirit stones made Mo Hua''s scalp numb.


    I have heard from others that ordinary casual cultivators cannot practice the best skills even if they have the best spiritual roots.


    If you have to practice, there are generally only two ways.


    First, you can find a large sect, take the elders of the sect as your teacher, enter the inner sect, bind them to the sect, and never leave the sect for life.


    The second is to find a family to marry into the family and let the family provide you with practice, but the family will ask you to change your family and abandon your name, parents, background and everything in your past. Although you have a future, you are no longer you...


    No matter how you choose, it is basically considered a personal dependence. Although there is hope for practicing Taoism, you can’t help it.


    No wonder monks often say that one life, two fortunes, and three Feng Shui.


    The fate of a monk is determined once the spiritual roots and his origin is determined again.


    It’s not easy to change one’s fate against the will of heaven…


    Mo Hua sighed long.


    (This chapter ends)