Lu Zhao adhered to the principle of never hesitating to ask questions of his teacher; whenever he had the slightest doubt, he spoke it aloud.
Many of these issues, in the old Taoist's words, were merely "minor perplexities" in cultivation that Lu Zhao could have puzzled out on his own in time.
Yet Lu Zhao knew all too well that a minor problem today and another tomorrow would drag down his cultivation speed over time.
After listening to Lu Zhao's explanation, the old Taoist answered without hesitation, "You have progressed too quickly, leaving your soul unstable. If left unchecked, it could cause spirit projection."
"What happens if my spirit projects?"
Lu Zhao inquired curiously. Spirit projection was a hallmark of psychic superhumans.
The old Taoist replied, "The outer form, inner form, and ethereal terrace are the three thresholds of entry in nature cultivation. Without bringing both outer and inner forms to completion, spirit projection leaves you as a wandering soul, and you may never be able to return."
Lu Zhao felt a chill run through him.
Nature cultivation was fraught with such peril; cultivating carelessly could get one killed.
He could not help thinking of the curriculum at Dijing University. A premier institution like that primarily used guided methods when teaching psychic power development.
If it were easy to practice and free of danger, it likely would have been popularized decades ago.
Before the Cataclysm—the era when the Federation was standardizing life-force development—even a child injuring themselves due to a divine power would make major headlines in the newspapers.
He asked, "Teacher, how do I resolve this?"
"Throughout history, many self-taught practitioners died as wandering souls, whether because they thought early spirit projection was a good thing, or because they couldn't suppress it."
As always, the old Taoist retrieved a cultivation manual from his sleeve. Across the deep-blue cover were written the words:
[Immobilization Technique]
Just from the name, Lu Zhao had a rough idea of its effect, and his pulse could not help quickening slightly.
Back at Dijing University, he had a classmate whose psychic divine power allowed them to control others, with the personal characteristic of immobilization.
Controlling others was limited to ordinary people, and superhumans could easily break free, but that classmate could immobilize targets with forty points of life force higher than their own.
Upon graduation, that student had been specially recruited straight into the Imperial Capital Guard Bureau.
Could such a rare ability actually be learned?
Psychic attack had already set a precedent; his teacher's cultivation methods could grant divine powers other characteristics. Whatever psychic divine powers possessed, he could have as well.
Still, Lu Zhao found it hard to believe.
The old Taoist nodded. "Naturally. But the prerequisite is that your Fate Bone is suited to the art; otherwise, you will harm yourself.
"'That which exists prior to physical form is called the Dao; that which exists after physical form is called a vessel.' Daoist arts rely upon vessels, talismans, and movements, and in the end they are merely minor arts. You may use them, but you must not make them your foundation.
"On the great path of cultivation, there are only two words: nature and life."
Lu Zhao nodded. "Your student understands."
"Furthermore, you must not display these arts recklessly out in the world. Every Daoist art has a lineage behind it; beware of Shangqing Palace on Longhu Mountain coming to cause you trouble."
The old Taoist repeatedly cautioned and emphasized, "Throughout history, imperial dynasties have wielded great power, but the inheritances of religious sects run deep and long. They must not be underestimated."
Lu Zhao looked puzzled. "With Teacher's inheritance, your student still needs to avoid notice?"
The old Taoist countered, "Your master has been dead for five hundred years—how will you explain that? When your wings are fully grown in the future, it won't be too late to claim ancestry on my behalf."
Lu Zhao was speechless. It was indefensible and impossible to explain.
-----
June thirtieth, light rain.
Having entered the rainy season, Nanhai West Circuit was shrouded in an unbroken drizzle and mist. When Lu Zhao was a child, there had been no such concept as a "rainy season"; at most, it rained somewhat more in July and August.
Yet after the Cataclysm, influenced by the Ancient God's ecological sphere, all sorts of abnormal weather patterns had emerged.
Lu Zhao tested his life force.
[Life Force: 41.9]
His life-force development progressed as rapidly as ever, yet felt agonizingly slow.
Over the past four years, Lu Zhao had fallen behind far too much. He had to redouble his efforts to catch up.
Once he finished refining essence into qi, Lu Zhao added a new routine. He cleared out a small space in his cluttered room and began studying the Immobilization Technique.
Learning a Daoist art was not as simple as chanting a few incantations; one first had to understand the underlying principles, immobilizing oneself before one could immobilize others.
"To immobilize others, first immobilize yourself. The first step is sealing the qi acupoints."
He bent his knees into a squat, pressed his palms downward, and then raised them upward.
One inhale and one exhale, descending on the inhale and rising on the exhale. Three inhales, three exhales, slowly shifting into a lower stance.
Lu Zhao circulated the qi unique to nature cultivation. He could feel an energy binding his body like hemp rope; the erratic, floating sensation of the wandering soul state vanished, but his body also became unable to move.
After several attempts, Lu Zhao quickly grasped the trick to immobilizing himself.
From start to finish, it took less time than an incense stick to burn. The Daoist art was much simpler than he had anticipated.
Like a quadratic equation from primary school.
The next step was immobilizing others by projecting qi into another's body, but when Lu Zhao gave it a try, he discovered that his qi could not leave his body at all.
His current life force was not yet sufficient to support expelling qi outward.
Life cultivation was the foundation, nature cultivation was comprehension—neither could be dispensed with.
At that moment, Zhang Like hurried inside, shouting, "Old Lu, something huge happened... How are you still in the mood to exercise?!"
Lu Zhao remained in a horse stance, his body unable to move, though his mouth could still speak.
"What's the rush? It's not like the sky is falling."
"Something happened to Zhao De."
Zhang Like spoke rapidly, laced with excitement. "I read the paper: yesterday there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a commercial center in the city. It's a key municipal project that the city executive personally oversaw, but yesterday Zhao De didn't attend the ribbon cutting!"
While the investigation of high-ranking leaders within the Federation was never publicly announced, certain signs invariably appeared—such as their work schedule suddenly 'cooling off.'
When a prominent figure suddenly stopped showing their face at public events, it meant trouble was brewing.
Naturally, Lu Zhao caught his meaning. With a calm expression, he said, "A cooling off in work doesn't necessarily mean punishment. It could just be waiting out the storm."
Zhang Like said, "Was the physical evidence you sent out not enough?"
"It won't be that fast. Handing down a decision takes at least a day. Passing the intelligence up through the chain of command takes time, and making the final call takes time as well."
Lu Zhao reined in the qi throughout his body, and his muscles naturally relaxed.
"Don't rush. Let the bullet fly a little longer."
With that, he walked over to Zhang Like and patted him on the shoulder.
Zhang Like didn't react much. Lu Zhao asked, "Old Zhang, do you feel anything unusual right now?"
"Anything unusual?"
Just as Zhang Like was about to shake his head, he suddenly realized he couldn't move.
"I can't seem to move... Holy shit, what's going on?!"
He then began struggling deliberately, his muscles trembling slightly, and in just three seconds, he broke free from the Immobilization Technique's hold.
From this, Lu Zhao could determine the duration and scope of the Immobilization Technique. With his current proficiency, it would likely be difficult to immobilize an enemy of the same rank.
With more practice in the future, he wouldn't need to immobilize enemies across tiers; as long as he could hold someone of the same rank for three seconds, it would serve a decisive role.
Particularly for Lu Zhao, close combat had always been his weakness. Facing a superhuman of the same rank, once closed in on, he was in grave danger.
Immobilization thus became a lifesaver.
If he could extend the effective range to ten meters, or even just three meters, it could become a trump card to turn the tables.
Zhang Like asked, "Old Lu, what did you just do to me?"
Lu Zhao brought out an explanation he had prepared in advance. "I gave you a bit of psychic suggestion, making you think you couldn't move."
"You have a trick like that too?"
Zhang Like marveled, "Doesn't that mean in the future you can freeze someone in place and then beat them to death? If you run into alley fighting or an ambush, you'll be able to respond in time, too. I remember your reflexes are really fast."
"It still needs a lot of practice. Right now, even holding you for three seconds requires me to build up for a while."
Lu Zhao dropped back into a horse stance, immobilizing himself once again.
Chapter 82