Chapter 15: Pure Yuan Gong and Spiritual Roots
Shi Feng picked up the thin book and saw the words "Pure Yuan Gong" written on the cover. He said, "Then this Pure Yuan Gong is also the lowest-grade entry-level martial art."
Chang Qing chuckled, "That's true and not true. This is indeed the most basic entry-level technique, but if you dare to say that, I guarantee you'll be punished in the Punishment Hall tomorrow."
Shi Feng looked at Changqing, a little confused.
Chang Qing explained, "Junior brother, all of us who cultivate Qi may practice a myriad of different techniques, but the core purpose is the same: to absorb the vital energy of heaven and earth and store it in the Qi Sea. Each cultivator has different spiritual roots, so the vital energy they absorb is also different. For example, I have a gold spiritual root, so I naturally absorb gold spiritual energy. The so-called cultivation method is the method for absorbing vital energy." He patted the book of Pure Yuan Gongfa and said, "This Pure Yuan Gong is similar. However, since it is called Pure Yuan, it means to purify the vital energy of heaven and earth. Therefore, it also records the cultivation methods for absorbing the five kinds of vital energy: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth."
Shi Feng was stunned. "Well, wouldn't that be even better?" Chang Qing said, "What's so good about that? Although it records the method of absorbing the five kinds of energy, can you really absorb all five kinds of energy at the same time? Besides, the five elements counteract each other. If you absorb water and fire energy at the same time, the two energies will intertwine in your body. If you're lucky, they will just cancel each other out. If you're unlucky, you'll go crazy on the spot. Besides, if you have a gold spiritual root, it's impossible for you to absorb spiritual energy of other attributes besides gold spiritual energy."
Shi Feng asked, "Then why does the Pure Yuan Gong record five different methods of absorbing Yuan Qi? Wouldn't that make it useless?" Chang Qing said, "It's not completely useless. The greatest advantage of this manual is that everyone can practice it. No matter what your spiritual roots are, you can find a corresponding method in it. Therefore, every inner disciple who has just entered the sect can receive a copy. However, the speed at which this method absorbs and transforms the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is very average, and almost no one practices it."
Shi Feng was puzzled, "What does it mean to absorb and transform it into the spiritual energy of heaven and earth?" Chang Qing said, "Generally speaking, there are three aspects of cultivation: the body, the method, and the function." Shi Feng was suddenly confused.
Chang Qing said, "The so-called gongti refers to your physical constitution and spiritual roots; the so-called gongfa refers to the way you absorb and transform the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and the gongfu refers to the magical power you use to fight with others." Shi Feng nodded.
Chang Qing continued, "Pure Yuan Gong is a technique that absorbs the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, stores it in the Dantian, and transforms it into one's own mana. The quality of a technique is determined by the speed at which it absorbs and transforms the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The more it absorbs, the faster it transforms, and naturally the higher its quality. Some high-grade techniques are more than a hundred times more effective than lower-grade ones. Our Taiji Sect has been established for thousands of years. Over the years, there are more than a hundred techniques created by our masters and collected from outside, including some high-grade ones."
Shi Feng couldn't help but ask, "Since there are so many high-grade techniques, why not just practice them? Why bother with low-grade techniques?" Chang Qing laughed, "You've got a good idea. Although high-grade techniques absorb and transform spiritual energy faster, they are also more difficult and risky to practice. Furthermore, most high-grade techniques require one to be in the Foundation Establishment Stage or even the Golden Core Stage before practicing. A Qi Refining disciple who has just started can't practice them. They can only start with the low-grade techniques and slowly work their way up."
Shi Feng asked, "Since Pure Yuan Gong is indeed a low-grade technique, why do you say it's neither?" Chang Qing said, "The reason is actually very simple. In terms of effectiveness, Pure Yuan Gong is indeed a low-grade technique, but it was created by our founder. It is said that the founder founded Taiji Sect with his bare hands. In the beginning, he accepted many Qi Refining disciples, but they had no techniques. Since the founder had already reached a high level of cultivation, his techniques were not suitable for beginners. In addition, the spiritual roots of beginners were varied, so the founder created Pure Yuan Gong, which encompasses the five types of spiritual roots, making it accessible to everyone."
Shi Feng suddenly understood. Chang Qing said, "Since this technique was created by the Grandmaster himself for beginners, it must have been passed down from generation to generation. After all, all inner disciples must receive a copy." Shi Feng nodded repeatedly. "I see," Chang Qing said. "Although no one practices this technique, you must be careful, Junior Brother. After all, it was given by the Grandmaster. You must not lose it, let alone pass it on to others. Otherwise, if the old masters in the sect find out, you will be in big trouble."
As they talked, it was already dark. Shi Feng couldn't help but feel a little hungry and asked, "Brother, I wonder where we're having dinner tonight?" Chang Qing was stunned for a moment before he remembered, "We cultivators are not ordinary people. It's common for us to go without food for dozens of days. When we're hungry, we take some fasting pills. I forgot to get some for you today. I happen to have another bottle here. Take it first. One pill will cover you for four or five days of fasting. Don't hesitate. We inner disciples can get these pills at the Deacon Hall at any time. It's completely free."
After hearing this, Shi Feng thanked him and accepted the vial. Chang Qing said, "Well, it's getting late. You've been tired all day. Go get some sleep first. We can talk about it tomorrow. There are no monsters or poisonous insects on this mountain, so you can rest assured." After saying this, he said goodbye and left.
Shi Feng saw Chang Qing off and sat down, looking around. Although the walls were bare, he was already quite satisfied. After all, he was less than fourteen years old and had been wandering around for a year. Just having a place to stay was already very satisfying.
Shi Feng poured a Bigu Pill from the bottle. The pill was the size of a broad bean, slightly yellow in color, and had no odor. He put it in his mouth, moistened it with saliva, and could chew it, but the taste was quite ordinary, like cotton wool, and it was difficult to swallow. Shi Feng had made two trips back and forth during the day and remembered there was a mountain spring not far from his house. He went out to find it, scooped up some spring water, and drank it. As soon as the pill entered his stomach, he immediately felt full and bloated, and actually burped.
When he returned to the house, it was already completely dark. Shi Feng searched the room but couldn't find any oil lamps or candles, so he had no choice but to sleep in his clothes. He woke up in the middle of the night from the cold. There were no bedding in the room, so Shi Feng could only cover himself with the green robe issued by the sect. Strangely, the green robe was only a thin layer, but it greatly reduced the cold. Shi Feng simply took off his tattered cotton jacket and put it on directly, and slept soundly until dawn.
The next morning, Shi Feng got up and had nothing to do, so he opened the book of Chun Yuan Gong. It was filled with tiny regular script, saying things like "As for how to practice the Gong, you still need to use the three words 'concentrate, forget, and stop'", "When the Qi rushes outside, the spirit also rushes outside; when the spirit returns to the root, the Qi also returns to the root", "What is fire, the acquired breathing; how to move fire, exhale to descend and inhale to ascend". Shi Feng didn't understand anything at all.
At this moment, Chang Qing's voice came from outside the room, "Seventh Junior Brother, are you up?" Shi Feng hurriedly put down the book and said, "Good morning, Senior Brother." Chang Qing had already walked in. Seeing Shi Feng reading the Pure Yuan Gong, he smiled and asked, "How is it going? How are your thoughts going?" Shi Feng said, "Please forgive me, Senior Brother. I don't understand it at all."
Chang Qing chuckled and said, "Don't worry. This Pure Yuan Gong isn't difficult to understand. I'll explain it to you slowly later. According to the rules of our Tai Chi sect, the basic techniques for beginners are usually taught by the eldest senior brother. You can come to me later." Shi Feng was surprised and said, "How can I practice this technique when I don't have any spiritual roots?"
Chang Qing said, "Who says you can't practice without spiritual roots? You just can't absorb and transform spiritual energy. If you practice this technique, even if you can't develop magical powers, it can prolong your life. Since you have nothing else to do, why not practice it?" Shi Feng said, "I keep hearing senior brother talk about spiritual roots. What exactly are these spiritual roots?"
Chang Qing said, "Spiritual roots refer to a person's natural constitution. There are many different types of spiritual roots, generally classified according to the five elements: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth. Whether a person has spiritual roots is determined by heaven and has nothing to do with wealth, height, weight, or status. There are billions of people in the world, but only one in a million possesses spiritual roots."
Shi Feng said, "Brother, you said yesterday that those with spiritual roots can absorb and transform spiritual energy, but those without spiritual roots cannot absorb and transform spiritual energy." Chang Qing said, "That's right. In fact, the universe is filled with vital energy. The difference is that some places have denser vital energy, while others have thinner. Even in the mundane world, there is vital energy. Ordinary people also have vital energy in their breath. However, those without spiritual roots cannot extract this vital energy and transform it into their own."
Shi Feng asked, "So, the so-called golden spiritual roots mean that one's constitution can naturally absorb golden spiritual energy?" Chang Qing replied, "Exactly. People with golden spiritual roots can absorb golden spiritual energy through cultivation techniques and store it in their dantian. This golden spiritual energy will not be lost, but will gradually increase in thickness and transform into their own magic power. However, for those without spiritual roots, no matter how much spiritual energy they absorb, it will disappear in the blink of an eye."
Shi Feng asked, "If that's the case, why did senior brother still teach me to practice this Pure Yuan Gong?" Chang Qing said, "Although your Dantian Qi Sea cannot accumulate true essence, by inhaling and exhaling the Yuan Qi of heaven and earth, it can temper your skin and bones, making you stronger and more healthy, and prolonging your life. This is also a good thing." Shi Feng nodded in understanding.
Chang Qing's conversational spirit returned, and he said, "Actually, spiritual roots aren't just divided into five elements, they're also divided into levels one to nine. Level one spiritual roots are only slightly stronger than ordinary people, and such people have almost no chance of achieving the Great Dao. Some small sects will accept disciples with level two spiritual roots, but inner disciples of my Taiji Sect must have spiritual roots of at least level three. However, with each level up in spiritual roots, they become much rarer and more precious."
Shi Feng asked, "So, what level of spiritual roots do you have, Senior Brother?" Chang Qing smiled proudly, "I have sixth-level gold spiritual roots, which puts me in the top 100 among Qi Refining disciples." Suddenly, his smile faded and he sighed, "But there's an elder in our sect who actually has an incredible ninth-level ice root." Shi Feng asked, "Ninth-level ice root?" Chang Qing said, "Yes, this is a rare talent that only appears once in a thousand years. Even in the entire Great Yan Kingdom, there are only a few of them."
Shi Feng asked, "How do I know the level of this spiritual root?" Chang Qing said, "It's simple. Just use the spirit-testing plate you saw yesterday. The number of spiritual roots that can be illuminated by the bluestone on it is the level of the spiritual root." Shi Feng remembered that he pressed his hand on it, but none of them lit up.
Shi Feng asked, "Then are there people who possess two spiritual roots at the same time?" Chang Qing said, "Of course there are. Such people are called dual spiritual roots, and their number is naturally even rarer. However, there are many types of dual spiritual roots, including twin spiritual roots and dual reverse spiritual roots. The so-called twin spiritual roots are when the two spiritual roots are mutually beneficial, such as the dual spiritual roots of gold and water, where gold gives birth to water. People with twin spiritual roots have faster mana recovery than ordinary people and can endure the longest battles. The so-called dual reverse spiritual roots are when the two spiritual roots are mutually restraining, such as the dual spiritual roots of water and fire, where water restrains fire. People with dual reverse spiritual roots have a particularly difficult time cultivating, but once they succeed, their magical powers are exceptionally powerful. If you encounter an opponent with dual reverse spiritual roots, it's best to run away."
Shi Feng said, "It seems that those with dual spiritual roots are far more powerful than those with single spiritual roots." Chang Qing said, "That's not necessarily true. In some things in this world, quality is more important than quantity. Furthermore, since dual spiritual roots absorb two kinds of spiritual energy simultaneously, they often end up biting off more than they can chew, so they're not necessarily stronger than single spiritual roots. Furthermore, there are many different types of dual spiritual roots. Even if you have both gold and water spiritual roots, it depends on which level of gold or water spiritual roots you have. If you have sixth-level gold and water spiritual roots and first-level water spiritual roots, you might as well just focus on practicing gold-based techniques."
Shi Feng asked again, "Then are there people with three spiritual roots?" Chang Qing said, "Theoretically, three spiritual roots, four spiritual roots, or even all spiritual roots are possible. However, people with a single spiritual root are already one in ten thousand, and two spiritual roots are only one in a hundred. So what are the chances of having all spiritual roots? I'm afraid it would be hard to see one even in a million years."
Shi Feng asked, "Is the ninth-order spiritual root already the highest? Is there anything higher than the ninth order?" Chang Qing said, "Are you talking about the tenth-order heavenly spiritual root? This also exists in legends. It is said that people with heavenly spiritual roots can absorb true essence twice as fast as those with ninth-order spiritual roots. Ninth-order spiritual roots are already against the will of heaven. As for the tenth-order spiritual root, I have never heard of it."
Shi Feng said, "So there's so much knowledge in just one spiritual root." Chang Qing said, "Of course. Junior brother, I'll take you to familiarize yourself with the sect today, and by the way, I'll take you to get some fasting pills."
The two talked as they walked, and Changqing said, "Spiritual roots are the foundation of cultivation. As you said, it is a very profound subject. If you are interested, you can go to the Sutra Library to look through the classics. I remember that three hundred years ago, an elder of our sect wrote a classic text specifically about spiritual roots. The discussion was very detailed. There are many details involved. For example, for dual spiritual roots, it depends on the stage of the two spiritual roots, whether dual cultivation is necessary, which method to practice first and which one later, or whether the two methods should be practiced alternately, how to connect them in between, how to prevent the backlash of the methods, and so on." Shi Feng nodded repeatedly.
As they talked, they went to the Deacon Hall to get the Qigong Pills and also helped Shi Feng get five low-grade spirit stones. Inner disciples can receive five spirit stones every month. These spirit stones are colorful, the size of a little finger, and crystal clear.
Chang Qing explained, "Spirit stones are also called crystal stones because of their crystalline appearance. Spirit stones are also divided into five elements and contain a certain amount of spiritual power. They are the currency commonly used in our world of cultivation. Of course, in addition to being used as currency, the spiritual power in spirit stones can also be directly absorbed by people. Spirit stones are also indispensable auxiliary items for formations, alchemy, and refining equipment."