The Xuanzhu Spirit-Sacrifice Art was far longer than the Taiyin Breathing and Wheel Nourishing Scripture. It mainly expounded upon how to draw in Taiyin moon essence through the mirror's body to condense Xuanzhu talisman seeds.
Planting this talisman seed in another person's dantian could assist them in cultivation. Once that person achieved success in their cultivation or died, it would feed back into oneself, allowing one to cultivate Taiyin Mystic Radiance...
Within it was also a Reception Method, used to instruct the recipient on how to invite the Xuanzhu talisman seed forth from the mirror and then nurture it within their dantian.
Lu Jiangxian was taken aback. He felt that this Xuanzhu Spirit-Sacrifice Art seemed somewhat wicked, looking just like the demonic arts described in books. But pondering it more carefully, he read through the entire formula from top to bottom, confirming that not only was this Xuanzhu talisman seed harmless to the recipient, it actually offered many benefits.
The Xuanzhu Spirit-Sacrifice Art was the innate art awakened by this mirror. The number of Xuanzhu talisman seeds he could condense depended on the strength of his divine sense, and for now, he could only bear six Xuanzhu talisman seeds.
Having thought this through, Lu Jiangxian stirred his divine sense and swept over the Li family compound inside and out, from top to bottom. He could not help but sigh in admiration:
"What a tremendous change!"
He had slept within the mirror for three years. Now, the Li family had dug a pond and built a large courtyard compound—what a bustling sight! Li Changhu had even taken a wife and grown a beard, looking every bit like the Li family's new head of household.
He channeled the technique, scanning over everyone in the Li family, only to find—as expected, yet still disappointing—that not a single one possessed a spirit "aperture."
In other words, barring any unexpected turns, the Li family was fated to have no affinity with immortality in this life. They would spend their lives battered by the mortal world, and if fortune favored them, die peacefully of old age around seventy.
Gazing at the Li family members gathered around him, Lu Jiangxian let out a long sigh and channeled the technique.
"Father, look!" The Li brothers had already gathered around. Sharp-eyed Li Chijing called out.
Li Mutian quickly focused his gaze. White light flickered across the mirror's surface, and tiny regular script characters began to emerge one after another. He clapped Li Chijing on the shoulder and said repeatedly:
"Bring cloth and ink and brush!"
The brothers hurriedly split up to fetch them. Fortunately, the Li family had built a study furnished with the Four Treasures of the Study discarded by the teacher; otherwise, they might have had to run to the head of the village.
Before long, Li Changhu brought silk cloth, and Li Tongya went so far as to carry over a wooden desk equipped with brushes and ink. Fortunately, Li Chijing had already been waiting by the mirror and memorized the opening lines that had appeared and vanished from its surface.
Among them, Li Chijing was the youngest, but he had read the most books, so Li Mutian had him take up the brush and copy down all the small characters.
The Reception Method was rather long. Li Chijing held the brush and wrote for the time it took an incense stick to burn until his wrist ached terribly. He had no choice but to let Li Tongya take over the copying, while everyone watched from the side, terrified of missing or miswriting a word.
Alternating back and forth like this, they spent two full hours copying before finally finishing.
Lu Jiangxian was also afraid that they might cultivate the technique incorrectly, so he displayed it three full times, along with detailed annotations for certain Daoist esoteric terms and several diagrams of qi-circulation meridians. Only after watching them proofread everything meticulously did he slowly withdraw the light.
"Reception Method."
Li Xiangping gazed at the small characters on the cloth and read aloud slowly:
"'The Xuanzhu is the true elixir. At the start of the first revolution, the elixir descends into the heart collateral, hence it is said the elixir cavern lies in the central palace, and the descending of the elixir constitutes one revolution... After the elixir descends, one must hold the breath for nine periods as one count, until nine times nine equals eighty-one as nine counts. Thus it is called the repeated nine count...'
"This is an immortal art!"
Li Changhu was both shocked and delighted, eager to pick up the mirror and plant a kiss on it.
Suppressing their joy, the brothers passed the formula around to read it carefully, memorizing it with the help of the annotations in the scroll.
Li Xiangping's eyes swept quickly across the cloth, settling on the final lines.
"'Once the Reception Art is mastered, await such days as Jiazi, Gengshen, one's natal day, the Three Primes, the Three Assemblies, the Eight Solar Nodes, or the new and dark moons. On such days, heavenly qi heralds birth and luminous yang dispels darkness. Place the dharma mirror beneath the moon essence, burn incense, and bathe. Bow low and petition, saying: "Disciple [Name] of such-and-such family respectfully invites the Mysterious and Luminous Wondrous Dharma, to govern destiny and calm the spirit, dedicating oneself to the Dao in cultivation. In due time I shall report my merits, never failing in devotion and faith. When the talisman burns away, my body shall give thanks to the Taiyin." When finished, swallow qi thrice.'"
"'In due time I shall report my merits, never failing in devotion and faith. When the talisman burns away, my body shall give thanks to the Taiyin.'"
He repeated the words in a low voice.
Looking at the silent boy with head bowed, Li Mutian patted his head soothingly and said with a calm expression:
"Govern destiny and calm the spirit, dedicating oneself to the Dao in cultivation."
***
Early morning. Strands of cooking smoke drifted from the village rooftops, and a thin, veil-like mist hung in the air.
"Uncle Li, is there some happy occasion today?" Li Mutian hummed softly to himself as he walked past the fields, hearing someone working the soil call out with a smile.
Li Mutian looked down and saw his nephew, Ye Chengfu. The young man looked honest and simple, yet spoke in a pleasing, clever manner.
"These green ears of grain in the fields look delightful!" Li Mutian chuckled and replied.
There were four major surnames in Lijing Village: Ye, Tian, Li, and Liu. The Ye family was the largest clan in Lijing Village; over thirty percent of the villagers bore the Ye surname. If they ever united as one rope, they would certainly be a force not to be underestimated.
"Hoh, that must be from basking in Brother Changhu's good fortune!" Leaning both hands on his hoe, Ye Chengfu answered respectfully.
"You lad certainly know how to talk!"
The old man knew he was referring to Li Changhu's wedding a few days earlier. Lady Ren was lovely in appearance, well-behaved and sensible, and devoted entirely to Li Changhu.
Li Mutian intended to wait until Lady Ren bore a child before revealing some family matters in moderation. She was someone who could keep her mouth shut, and living under the same roof, excessive secrecy would only breed suspicion and discord.
"On the other hand, Tongya is unwilling to marry, and Xiangping has reached the age as well." Li Mutian stroked his beard, mentally running through household after household in the village.
"The young maiden Tian Yun raised by my old brother isn't bad, and her age matches. When I get back, I'll ask Xiangping. If all seems well, after a few days I'll carry a wild goose over to ask for her name," he thought with a smile.
Li Tongya and his brothers were studying the Reception Method carefully in the courtyard. Li Changhu had gone out early in the morning to patrol the fields, then hurried back to the courtyard to study alongside his brothers.
He alone, an old man who felt his years were advanced and his mind no longer as sharp as it once was, had set aside the immortal art to watch over the fields.
For one, someone had to manage mundane affairs, or there would be no means to provide for food and daily expenses. For another, he was keeping watch against any blind fool trying to sneak around and peek over the walls.
In exceptionally high spirits today, Li Mutian sat leisurely on the ridge between the fields, chatting idly with the village elders.
***
At the Li family compound.
Lu Jiangxian's divine sense fell upon Li Tongya and the other three brothers sitting cross-legged with eyes closed in the courtyard. Faint white rays of light immediately materialized above their heads.
Li Chijing's white ray was the longest, about eight cun, shining brightly. Li Tongya and Li Xiangping had six cun and five cun respectively, while Li Changhu's was merely three cun.
The white ray manifested during one's first cultivation of the Reception Method represented that person's compatibility with the Xuanzhu talisman seed. One whose white ray reached one chi, upon swallowing the talisman seed, would cultivate as if possessing a spirit aperture.
With a white ray of eight cun, Li Chijing could reach eighty percent of the cultivation speed of someone with a spirit aperture, whereas Li Changhu's white ray was merely three cun, giving him only thirty percent of a spirit aperture bearer's speed.
In other words, Li Changhu cultivating for an entire day could not even match someone else cultivating for eight hours...
Chapter 8