Chapter 102: Soul-nourishing Qi-refining Spiritual Medicine
Not long after, Fang Shu met the Dojo Master in the Assembly Hall.
Seeing him approach, the Dojo Master looked surprised and said: “What matter actually made you come out of seclusion?”
“Greetings, Master.” Fang Shu did not conceal anything at all. After paying respects, he said straightforwardly:
“This disciple has already cultivated to Second Tribulation perfection, and has come specifically to report progress to Master, as well as to seek Master’s guidance on passing through Tribulation experience.”
Hearing this, the Dojo Master’s expression changed slightly.
Clear surprise appeared in her eyes, and she muttered to herself: “I didn’t expect you could really catch up, and so quickly. I thought…”
After muttering a few words, the Dojo Master restrained the shock on her face, then flashed to appear in front of Fang Shu, extending her chicken claw-like withered hand to probe his tendons and bones.
Buzz! Unknown what method this old woman used, Fang Shu’s qi and blood spontaneously stirred, rising thick and sturdy, three zhang high, just like a smoke signal, standing angrily in the Assembly Hall.
“Good, good, good!”
The old woman felt his bones, looking at the qi and blood smoke signal, joyfully said: “Tendons and bones solid, qi and blood thick, without any false color! As expected of you, never disappointing your master.”
She praised him greatly.
Fang Shu cupped his hands and said softly: “All thanks to Master’s teachings and care.”
Hearing this, the Dojo Master’s smile grew even wider. She narrowed her eyes slightly and said: “The care this old body gave is not enough for you to cultivate to Third Tribulation so quickly.”
This old woman saw at a glance that there was still unrefined medicinal power in Fang Shu’s body, clearly from eating something that made him “fat and robust.”
Hearing this, Fang Shu pondered silently, merely lowering his eyelids.
The Dojo Master just mentioned it casually, not taking this matter about Fang Shu to heart. She even suspected suspiciously that this kid was deliberately using words to probe her, hinting for more benefits.
“Since you have already cultivated to Second Tribulation perfection with good quality, it is indeed time to breakthrough Third Tribulation, the earlier the better.”
As the Dojo Master spoke, she paced in the hall, then sighed lightly:
“This old body originally thought you would need to cultivate for some time before reaching Second Tribulation perfection, or even possibly not make it before the Spring Examination.
So I prepared to find you a Precious Medicine for calming the mind and nourishing the brain in another fifty or sixty days, to help you accumulate perfection in one go, breakthrough and refine Qi, to facilitate going up the mountain.
Unfortunately, you are too early, too beyond this old body’s expectations. And that Qin Min fellow just broke through Third Tribulation not long ago and demanded provisions.”
Hearing this, Fang Shu’s mood sank immediately.
Good grief, could it be he would lag behind that Qin Min again, watching the dojo’s provisions be taken by that Qin Min, while he couldn’t even get the leftovers?
However, Fang Shu stayed calm and did not speak immediately.
Fortunately, the next moment, the Dojo Master changed her tone, a half-smile on her lips:
“Now it seems, you kid can take a big advantage.”
She stared closely at Fang Shu. Seeing no particular reaction on his face, she restrained her smile, tightened her face, and continued:
“There are not many Precious Medicines in the dojo suitable for passing through Tribulation and for calming the mind and nourishing the brain, but this old body still has one Spiritual Medicine, which is a medicine that can directly nourish the soul.”
“Soul?” Fang Shu raised his head in surprise.
In the Immortal Cultivator’s Six Tribulations first tribulation, the entire Essence Refining stage involves qi and blood, tendons and bones, etc., focusing on tempering the body. The term soul is very unfamiliar to Essence Refining Immortals.
The Dojo Master asked: “Do you still remember the specific name of the Third Tribulation, what it is called?”
Fang Shu answered immediately:
“Immortal Cultivator Third Tribulation, full name ‘Ear and Eye Muddle,’ also known as ‘Few Dreams Little Sleep.’
Those who pass through it will have greatly increased eyesight, hearing, and even intuition. They only need three hours of sleep per day to be full of energy, or even go seven days without sleep and resist the sleep demon.
Such Immortal Cultivators, even when old and qi-deficient, will not have weak hearing, cloudy vision, muddled and demented, but will retain extraordinary memory, with the wonder of doing two things at once.”
The Dojo Master nodded in satisfaction:
“Correct. What the Third Tribulation passes through and refines is related to ears, eyes, and brain, so the ‘fat’ it refines is not fatty ‘fat,’ but brain fat ‘fat.'”
Pausing, she added:
“This brain fat, also known as brain paste, refers to both real and abstract things, generally describing the Immortal Cultivator’s brain power accumulation.
After passing Third Tribulation, subsequently it is no longer mainly about increasing qi and blood, but accumulating brain fat and developing spiritual light in the brain. Once accumulated to perfection one day, with spiritual light bursting in the brain, the soul condenses, true qi stirs, essence and qi intersect, achieving a Spiritual Immortal.”
Fang Shu listened to her instruction in the hall, waves of realization dawning in his heart.
After chewing on it for a moment, he probed:
“Based on Master’s words, ordinary Essence Refining Precious Medicines mainly accumulate so-called ‘brain fat,’ but accumulating brain fat is to better nurture the soul.
So directly taking a medicine that nourishes the soul is a top-down approach, even better for health preservation?”
The Dojo Master showed “this child can be taught” in her eyes, then nodded reservedly: “Indeed.”
At this time, Fang Shu was not polite and immediately cupped his hands:
“This disciple is unworthy of such virtue to receive this soul secret medicine from Master.”
The Dojo Master drooped her eyelids: “What, you dare not take it?”
Fang Shu did not hesitate at all, nor was he embarrassed, but immediately said:
“Many thanks, Master!”
This reaction made the Dojo Master chuckle involuntarily.
Immediately after, she did not hesitate, directly taking out a wooden box from her sleeve, without making Fang Shu go to the Medicine Hall or earth storehouse to fetch it.
“This medicine is named ‘Whalebone Spirit Nourishing Net,’ strange name, but actually an Immortal Sect secret incense. The method of taking is by incense method: burn into smoke, hold in mouth to enter the abdomen, then return upward to inject into the brain aperture.”
The Dojo Master explained in detail: “Divide this portion into two parts, one for passing through Tribulation, one after passing through Tribulation. Do not show it to others, lest you incur jealousy.”
“Yes, Master.” Fang Shu nodded, indicating he understood.
Immediately, the Dojo Master tossed the wooden box to Fang Shu.
Holding the wooden box, Fang Shu pondered her earlier words and said: “Immortal Sect secret, Spiritual Medicine? Could this medicine be what Master brought back when descending the mountain, a medicine for Refining Qi Immortals? Does Master have more in stock…”
The Dojo Master showed a sly grin:
“You guessed wrong, kid. This old body couldn’t bear to buy it back then.
Its medicinal power is for consolidating foundation and nurturing vitality, or prolonging life, most suitable for kids like you, or old fellows.
This is what the Immortal Sect rewarded to this old body for constantly nurturing talent for the Immortal Sect, lest this old body in this spiritual energy sparse place has declining power, aging further, with life not long.”
Seeing Fang Shu stunned, the Dojo Master casually introduced more.
The dojo masters of each dojo in the town nurture Daoist Children for the Immortal Sect, one for enjoying a leisurely life in the town, two to obtain life-prolonging items from the Immortal Sect.
She clicked her tongue: “Every time a Refining Qi disciple or missed spiritual root disciple is nurtured, similar medicines like Whalebone Spirit Nourishing Net can be obtained. If one day a disciple sent up the mountain achieves Foundation Establishment, it is said real life-extending medicine will be granted, extending life by ten years!”
Speaking of this, even the Dojo Master’s face involuntarily showed envy and longing.
Fang Shu also muttered: “Foundation Establishment disciple, huh…”
Such Earth Immortal figures, not only to a little Essence Refining Daoist Child like him, but even to the Dojo Master, are truly Divine Immortals, attainable but unreachable.
Immediately, Fang Shu restrained his mind, did not boast, but performed a grand salute:
“This disciple will surely enter the sect and refine Qi, not failing Master’s grace, and help you exchange for another Spiritual Medicine!”
The Dojo Master came back to herself, smiled on her face, nodded: “Not bad, not bad.”
Immediately, this old woman asked Fang Shu if he had preparations and ideas for passing through Tribulation, and tested him on the spot to see if he had any oversights in certain aspects.
In the end, the Dojo Master stopped, merely instructing:
“Take the medicine well, but don’t be stingy, don’t hoard it; only what’s in your belly is yours.
And the earlier you nourish the soul, the earlier you can refine spiritual sense.
Some can even refine spiritual sense before Refining Qi, convenient for Refining Qi learning; some can only refine it after Refining Qi, becoming a laughingstock.”
Fang Shu pondered the term “spiritual sense” in his heart, quite surprised that such a thing could be nurtured even in the Essence Refining stage.
Immediately, after saluting again, he walked out of the Assembly Hall full of gains.
Outside the hall.
Fang Shu then discovered that someone had been waiting outside the hall long ago, but because people were talking inside, they did not enter.
There were two people, quite familiar faces to Fang Shu: Qu Yan and Fu Shi Er.
The two had not entered the hall; due to the hall’s design, voices from inside could not be heard outside, only vague figures visible.
Thus, Qu Yan and Fu Shi Er only saw Fang Shu’s three-zhang-high qi and blood smoke signal rising in the hall, hard to ignore, knowing nothing else.
At this moment, seeing Fang Shu come out, both their faces showed shock. They had never imagined Fang Shu was now qualified to pass through Tribulation and breakthrough.
Fang Shu did not bother with them, just nodded and left.
Even until Fang Shu was far away, Qu Yan and Fu Shi Er could not withdraw their gazes, forgetting to hurry into the hall to seek Du Shi.
This man and woman were both dazed.
After finally coming back to themselves, the two looked at each other, both feeling a bit like their own cultivation had gone to the dogs.
Among them, Qu Yan muttered lowly: “Hmph! Acting all smug, not even greeting properly.
Wait until this old man begs for secret medicine, this old man can also have three-zhang qi and blood.”
Fu Shi Er, with her mind shaken, also suppressed the thought of chasing after Fang Shu.
She instead pulled Qu Yan, going together into the hall, hoping to beg medicine from the Dojo Master to help both of them cultivate full three-zhang qi and blood, to strive for the gradually leaking news of the Spring Examination.
Unfortunately, to this day, these two were still six or seven tenths away from completing Second Tribulation.
Thus their request was rejected outright by the Dojo Master, who scolded them to temper well.
After scolding, the Dojo Master frankly said that the dojo’s recent superior Precious Medicines were truly scarce, mostly taken by Qin Min, even Fang Shu did not get Precious Medicine.
This made Qu Yan and Fu Shi Er leave the Assembly Hall dejectedly.
Walking out of the hall, both downcast, complex feelings toward that Qin Min also rose in their hearts. But since she had already cultivated to Third Tribulation and would soon go up the mountain to enter the sect, they dared not say much.
Among them, Qu Yan, with changing expression, suddenly showed a sneer:
“This Fang fellow is always suppressed by Junior Sister Qin Min. We didn’t get Precious Medicine, neither did he.
This guy’s loss is even bigger than yours and mine!”
Fu Shi Er hearing this, though vaguely feeling a petty mindset, had nothing to say; the unhappiness in her heart truly lessened a bit.
The two whispered a few words, then parted ways.
With their departure, the news that Fang Shu “hit a wall” at the Dojo Master actually spread for a time.
Even Second Uncle Yu Le heard about it.
It made Second Uncle Yu Le, when delivering goods, specially write a note and send it into the Quiet Room for comfort.
Fang Shu learning of this, his expression was slightly odd.
He ignored the matter, continuing to immerse in seclusion, tempering carefully.
Soon, on his Dao Talisman, the realm column clearly showed:
【Ready to Pass Through Tribulation (97%)】
