plumnovel Chapter 59: Explaining the Dao and Understanding the Timing of Fire, Introspecting to Recognize the
Chapter 59: Explaining the Dao and Understanding the Timing of Fire, Introspecting to Recognize the
"Master, true lead represents true feelings. How can I find true feelings?"
"By peeling away the layers and restoring the essence, one can analyze one's true nature, understand what one truly seeks and desires, and reveal one's true feelings."
"Master, how do I find true lead, and how do I refine it once I find it?"
"First, let's talk about how to find true lead. Wuzhen said: 'If you want to know where the source of the medicine is, just look for your hometown in the southwest.' True lead is true yang, which comes from the lower dantian of the Kan Palace. But you need to embrace the original primordial energy and guard the oneness to enter from the Yellow Court in order to see true lead."
"May I ask, Master, how should I cultivate it?"
"Draw the Ding fire to the Kan palace and Zhen position to refine it. First, nourish it with a gentle fire, then forge it with a strong fire. Repeat this process three times, peeling away the old fire and restoring it to its original state. Wuzhen said: Yellow Sprout, Elixir Head. That is: Kan lightning cooks and bombards to refine true feelings."
At this point, Chen Chunan was suddenly stunned.
True lead refined into yellow sprouts, but what is mine?
Seeing that it had the shape of yellow sprouts, he assumed it was the Yellow Sprout Pill he had read about in a Taoist book in his previous life.
Looking at it again today, this is clearly an old elixir that has been overcooked!
Wuzhen said: Yellow Sprout and White Snow are actually the result of three rounds of refining emotions and five rounds of refining nature.
Snow is associated with Yin, and its nature is to fly. Mercury also has a tendency to fly. By comparing the two, they are called snow or mercury flowers.
Therefore, it needs to be made with lead.
Only when the two are cooked to perfection can they be combined to transform into a mysterious pearl.
This is the true elixir of immortality!
Although he had previously found genuine lead and mercury, he did not understand the proper firing techniques.
He was single-mindedly thinking of stripping away the yin and restoring the yang, stripping away all the yin to reveal the true yang.
The alchemical elixir was refined nine times, and the jade elixir was burned seven times, causing both precious medicines to be completely over-processed.
This is probably why the liver fire, combined with the heart fire, becomes an unnamed fire that attacks the brain, thus triggering a calamity.
If I hadn't read the Jade Pivot Treasure Scripture, I wouldn't have been able to use the Jade Pivot Divine Thunder to activate the Yin and Yang energies of this world and transform them into heavenly thunder.
He probably died at the hands of that Golden Core cultivator that day!
Thinking of this, cold sweat instantly soaked my back.
Fortunately, the "Yellow Sprout Elixir" has only just been made and is not yet fully solidified.
If Gu Hou wants to overturn and rebuild it, it will be difficult.
Chen Chunan initially thought taking on an apprentice would be a troublesome matter, but now he sees it as a good thing.
Before you can teach others, you must first understand things thoroughly yourself. If you think you understand them thoroughly, you may not actually know the proper timing and intensity.
Now that I have grasped the essence of timing and control, it is like a sudden enlightenment.
Seeing that her master had suddenly fallen into deep thought, Chen Yunling did not dare to ask.
After a long while, his master suddenly spoke: "The timing of the fire is crucial in alchemy. Do not rush into it if you do not understand the timing. In a few days, the day when the yang energy returns will arrive. Try to observe the qi and find the true lead."
Upon hearing his master's teachings, Chen Yunling quickly agreed.
After Chen Chunan told him to figure it out on his own, he carefully recalled the methods of controlling the heat in the Cantongqi and Journey to the West.
The cooking time varies from person to person.
It is necessary to act according to the year, month, day, and hour; one must not act rashly as before.
In Journey to the West, the dragon-horse is said to be the driving force.
The Cantongqi states: "After a long period of darkness, enlightenment will follow."
"Hun" means to close one's eyes and focus on the center.
Only by embracing the original essence and guarding the unity, and diligently observing oneself, can one achieve clarity of mind and know the proper timing.
My previous interpretation of the couplet, "From 'Fu' to 'Gou', one can apply it," was not entirely wrong, but it was not exactly correct either.
He previously believed that the human body is a microcosm, and the universe is a macrocosm, and that the hexagrams Fu and Gou represent the changes in Qi.
While internal alchemy relies on timing, it does not necessarily depend on the universe. By diligently observing the changes in "qi," one can still "obtain the right timing."
Now that I understand the meaning of the "Cantongqi" regarding the timing of fire, I understand what it means to observe the actions of Heaven to correct one's own behavior.
The four trigrams Qian, Kun, Kan, and Li are the foundation of alchemy. Of the remaining 60 trigrams, two are used each day: Yang advances the fire, and Yin retreats the talisman.
Wuzhen said: When you reach the point where the first yang energy begins to stir, it is the right time to apply the fire without delay.
Today I will return the "Yellow Sprout Elixir" to the true lead and mercury, and reforge the Mysterious Pearl.
Having grasped the essence of the technique, Chen Chunan inexplicably felt a touch of envy towards Chen Yunling.
He tried to figure things out on his own, but made two mistakes that led to disaster and almost cost him his life.
But she had her own mentor to guide her.
If they are still not up to par, then they truly have no affinity with immortality.
After clearing his mind, Chen Chunan went into seclusion for several days again.
Transform the already somewhat sluggish "Huangya Dan" into real lead and mercury.
Then, the lead was refined into a pill head through three cycles in the lower dantian, and the mercury was refined into white snow through five cycles in the upper dantian.
The two combined to form a mysterious pearl.
The moment the elixir was completed, both dragon and tiger appeared.
The Mysterious Gate of the Female Reopens, drawing upon the Primordial True Qi to nourish and strengthen the Three Treasures of Essence, Qi, and Spirit.
The two flying swords, which had been injured by the cinnabar fire, also roused themselves and transformed into two dragons.
This time, the alchemy process was completed perfectly, but there was no longer any leakage of elixir energy.
This further proves that the elixir produced last time was completely wrong.
The Golden Elixir is manifest, secret, perfect, and all-encompassing.
With the elixir of Qi overflowing, how can it still be called secret and perfect?
Chen Chunan cultivated the True Rejuvenation Pill, his chronic illness was completely cured, and his Dao foundation was restored. He was immediately filled with joy.
Looking at the Yellow Court Mysterious Pearl, Chen Chunan knew that this Mysterious Pearl now possessed both Yin and Yang Qi, and still needed to be nurtured in the Yellow Court to solidify it, before undergoing the River Chariot Transport and Seven Returns and Nine Transformations to strip away all Yin Qi and transform it into a Golden Elixir through nine cycles.
Solidifying the foundation and achieving the seven returns and nine transformations are all gradual processes, requiring patient and meticulous work; there's no rush at this point.
The most urgent task is to bring back the clansmen and find them a place to settle down.
...
As soon as Chen Chunan came out of seclusion, he asked Chen Yunling to check on her studies.
Upon inquiry, Chen Chunan realized he had overlooked something: he hadn't taught Chen Yunling the Book of Changes.
How can one cultivate inner alchemy without understanding the Book of Changes?
Chen Yunling only knew that the day before yesterday was the day when the yang energy returned.
But what is meant by "Fu"? I don't know.
If one does not understand the Book of Changes or the timing of events, how can one observe the workings of the heavens to correct one's own conduct?
Upon learning the reason, Chen Chunan slapped his forehead, feeling utterly doomed.
The Book of Changes (I Ching) contains 64 hexagrams and 384 lines, and the texts explaining these hexagrams and lines often contain metaphors. Even I only have a superficial understanding of them.
Furthermore, I only vaguely remember the wisdom I gained from past lives as described in the "He Tu" and "Luo Tu" and "Can Tong Tu".
I don't know if I can teach Chen Yunling.
I'll just learn and teach at the same time; consider it a review and reinforcement of what I've learned.
Seeing Chen Yunling's apprehension, Chen Chunan thought for a moment and said, "Here's what we'll do: you'll first learn the Book of Changes from me. Don't neglect your spiritual cultivation either; I have quite a few resources here, which you can use for cultivation later. Once you understand the Book of Changes, I'll teach you the River Chart, the Luo River Chart, and the Cantong Chart. The Great Dao of the Golden Elixir requires humility, diligence, and careful thought; it's not something that can be achieved quickly."
Upon hearing that she had so much to learn, Chen Yunling was not deterred; on the contrary, she was pleasantly surprised.
He quickly nodded and said, "Disciple understands. The Great Dao is difficult to find; without understanding its principles, one cannot comprehend its truth."
Chen Chunan nodded in satisfaction: "It's good that you understand. Today I intend to go to Qing'ao Island to find your father and his party, and then to find the three clan elders. I will take you back to Lingzhou Market first, and then I will find a way to settle you down somewhere."
Knowing that she was going to find her father, how could Chen Yunling refuse?
The little boy nodded vigorously, eager to get to his father's side immediately.
Chen Hongxian was also acquainted with the three clan elders, so he was happy to go.
The four of them rented a floating boat from the market and headed southwest.
But just as he left Lingzhou Market, three uninvited guests arrived in Lingzhou City.
...
Longshou Mountain
A young man in a black Taoist robe looked at the kneeling maid before him and said calmly, "Is this the place?"
The maid looked closely at his face and realized that he was one of the nine people who had escaped that day!
But right now he looks like he's been through a lot of suffering.
His eyes were filled with extreme fear, and he spoke in a trembling voice: "This is the place. It was here that my master was killed by a black lightning bolt summoned by that cultivator named Chen Chunan."
"Lightning magic? That's rare. Lightning magic that can even destroy a Golden Core cultivator? And it's black?"
The boy muttered to himself, flipped his hand and took out a precious mirror, tossing it into the air.
Then he exhaled a breath of elixir onto the precious mirror, causing it to emit a clear light.
"All things in the universe, the Dao returns to its original state! Manifest!"
After the incantation was recited, the mirror shone even brighter, and then it revealed the image of Chen Chunan and his group.