Chapter 68: Don’t Practice Cultivation!
In the simple and relaxed conversation, Yuan Zhu finally figured out the true nature of the Herbal Medicine School. They were indeed researching Herbs, but the essence was exploring the mysteries of immortal cultivation.
The immortal cultivation methods of the Kunlun System are a major category in the space exchange list, divided into five types of immortals: Heaven, Earth, Human, Ghost, God, exactly the same as the classifications in Earth Daoism. But he dared to assert that the specific contents had absolutely no relation whatsoever.
No matter which type of Kunlun Immortal, entry requires 2000 points, and the minimum threshold is set at implanting a Spiritual Root, or Kunlun Immortal Root, into the body.
Listening to Senior Student Chen explain, Mortals do not have Immortal Roots in their bodies. Only direct descendants of Immortals have a chance of Spiritual Roots being born in their bodies. Yuan Zhu strongly agreed with this; for a normal viviparous animal, where would ‘Peach of Immortality Root Tendrils’ come from in the body?
But if the mother body was parasitized by ‘Root Tendrils (Spiritual Roots)’, then the offspring’s body would likely retain such parasites, right?
Although he had no intention of implanting a ‘Spiritual Root’ into his body, Yuan Zhu was indeed intrigued by Du Ling’s immortal cultivation system and followed up by asking: “So the Herbal Medicine School, or rather the overseas Rogue Immortals, how do they cultivate?”
The senior student had a profound and inscrutable expression as she countered: “Younger Brother Yuan, have you heard of ‘Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, Five Qi Returning to the Origin’?”
With this question, Yuan Zhu immediately felt a familiar yet inevitably completely different sense of apprehension and anticipation. What kind of worldview-shattering answer would this be?
“I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know much. Do these overseas Rogue Immortals cultivate ‘Three Flowers Above the Crown, Five Qi in the Chest’?”
The senior student nodded: “Five Qi in the Chest is cultivated by Immortals who practice the Yellow Heaven Method. Overseas Rogue Immortals cultivate Three Flowers Above the Crown, which are three kinds of ‘dangerous Herbs’.”
As expected, this is the style I imagined!
Hearing such a simple and brutal Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, he didn’t secretly curse but instead felt a sense of relief, and couldn’t help saying: “Does Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown really mean planting three flowers on the head? Can that achieve longevity? And count as an Immortal?”
The senior student shook her head: “How could it be that simple? First, these Three Flowers are not ordinary plants, but three herbal medicinal materials with unique ‘Spirituality (Polluting Nature)’. Our Herbal Medicine School analyzes, cultivates, and improves the seeds of these herbal Spiritual Roots. Second, before planting the three flowers, one must calculate a person’s innate attributes and adjust the medicinal properties. There are many types of Three Flowers Dao Seeds, with infinite combinations; only selecting the correct ‘Three Flowers Dao Seed’ can complement the cultivator, generating unique Spiritual Energy and achieving a positive cycle.”
“Finally, Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown is not simply planting three seeds on the head and growing flowers. What would that be, a flower pot for the head? The essence of the Three Flowers Dao Seed is the same as the Kunlun Immortal Root, implanting a Spiritual Root into the human body. Nailed in from the crown of the skull, it takes root and sprouts, travels against the flow throughout the body, spreading through the Meridians. The Three Flowers Dao Seeds are planted in three separate times, spreading and penetrating a person’s three major systems of Essence, Qi, and Spirit. In the end, it forms its own cycle, achieving longevity, and can even generate various extraordinary abilities depending on the ‘Dao Seed’.”
Yuan Zhu listened enraptured. Although the principle was absurd, after Miss’s explanation, it carried an alternative sense of authority and conviction. When you seriously think about and understand this system, it seems to actually make some sense?
He asked again: “Which three major systems?”
“The first Dao Seed will spread through the body’s blood vessels, assimilating and transforming your essence system, reforming the vitality of the blood. Not only does it help you digest and absorb food in the body, but it can also exchange energy with the outside world like a plant through Root Tendrils (blood vessels). This second Dao Seed will spread through the body’s Meridian system, traveling through the Twelve Main Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians, assisting you in Refining Essence to Qi and circulating Spiritual Energy. This third Dao Seed will spread through your nervous system, helping you go further to Refine Qi to Spirit. If all three Dao Seeds fully sprout, you achieve Initial Immortal Body Formation, already at the level of a Human World Rogue Immortal.”
“What about after that?” Yuan Zhu, engrossed, followed up.
The senior student shook her head: “What comes after is beyond what your consultation fee can cover. Don’t aim too high. Even one Dao Seed fully sprouting achieves Shedding the Mortal Body and Exchanging the Bones, no longer a Mortal. With two Dao Seeds sprouted, one must leave the Present World, either ascending to the Spirit Realm or fleeing overseas for better cultivation.”
Yuan Zhu nodded thoughtfully: “So what’s the difference between Rogue Immortals and Kunlun True Immortals? One transplants an Immortal Root, the other implants a Spiritual Seed?”
The senior student: “On the surface, yes, but the essence is not wanting to be constrained by the Kunlun Divine Wood. These two Immortal methods correspond to woody and herbaceous plants respectively. All woody Spiritual Roots in the world originate from Kunlun Mother. You can think of Kunlun Mother as a super Pollution Root; all woody Spiritual Roots are influenced by her. Moreover, the Kunlun Five Immortals system is complex and rigidly hierarchical, with too many established high-ranking figures, making every step forward extremely difficult.”
“Conversely, the Rogue Immortal Method may not match the potential of Kunlun Immortal Method, but the ‘herbaceous Dao Seeds’ draw part of their spirituality from beyond the heavens, without a unified origin. At most, some Dao Seeds have an upstream source, some don’t. Although their potential and strength fall short of Kunlun Method, they excel in freedom with fewer constraints. Our Herbal Medicine School, on one hand, explores and cultivates new ‘unowned Dao Seeds’, and on the other, uses hybridization and breeding to try turning ‘Dao Seeds’ with origins into new unowned varieties.”
Yuan Zhu suddenly understood: “Ah, now I get it! Sister, have you planted a Dao?”
The senior student shook her head: “Not yet, my family doesn’t allow it. I study the Herbal Medicine School just to broaden my knowledge and accumulate Supernatural Knowledge. Even if I choose, it won’t be Rogue Immortal; this path only excels in leisure and freedom, nothing else works, and I don’t recommend planting flowers in your head.”
“No way, no way!” Yuan Zhu waved his hands repeatedly. He even disdained the Kunlun Method, let alone this unreliable Three Flowers Method. Even if he chopped off his own head and joined the Headless Society, he wouldn’t plant grass in his brain!
Yuan Zhu: “Then what about the Five Qi in the Chest · Yellow Heaven Method you just mentioned?”
Hearing this, the senior student looked emotional: “The Yellow Heaven Method was originally the orthodox law of heaven and earth, but it’s a pity Yellow Heaven shattered. If the Kunlun Method takes innate Spiritual Roots (plants) as the model, gradually transforming oneself to swallow and exhale heaven and earth spiritual machine like a Spiritual Root, achieving longevity and transcending the Human World, then the Yellow Heaven Method is to create one’s own world, operate the Heavenly Dao, and live as long as heaven and earth!”
Yuan Zhu’s blood boiled as he listened: “Holy crap, is Yellow Heaven that awesome?!”
“I exaggerated a bit. Ordinary Yellow Heaven Cultivators pursue Establishing Temple. They refine themselves into a living ‘Flesh God Statue’, placed in a Temple, joining the Immortal Class, enjoying incense offerings for immortality. The most important part of the Yellow Heaven Method is not how to cultivate, but having a world to accept you, allowing mud fetus to form a god and join the Immortal Class.”
Yuan Zhu: “How is that achieved? How to mud fetus Deification and join the Immortal Class?”
This Yellow Heaven Method sounds completely different from the Kunlun Method, entirely two systems. No wonder the exchange list divides the Immortal Path into two regions.
“Flesh Deification is very troublesome. Like Kunlun, Yellow Heaven has many different paths. I’ll tell you the two most common ones. Flesh Deification starts by extracting a bone from the body, grinding it into powder, adding Spiritual Soil and Spiritual Earth, remolding with blood and marrow into clay, firing into Bone China, then implanting back into the body. This is called Dao Bone or Bone Structure; this process is Shedding the Mortal Body and Exchanging the Bones.”
Yuan Zhu’s expression twitched. Right! This flavor again. Peach of Immortality Root Tendrils are called Spiritual Roots, and this bone extraction and porcelain firing is called Dao Bone—perfectly fitting! Incredibly reasonable.
“As the bones in your body are gradually replaced, don’t you feel your bones and body becoming more and more like the fired God Statues in Temples?”
Yuan Zhu shook his head: “Doesn’t seem like it? God Statues are fired as one complete piece in human form. But even after fully completing Shedding the Mortal Body and Exchanging the Bones, it’s just a porcelain Skeleton.”
Miss rolled her eyes: “Symbolism! Dao Bone seeks symbolic meaning. Only through true trials of gold and fire can one transform and truly Shed the Mortal Body and Exchanging the Bones. Moreover, who says only bones change? The Yellow Heaven Method emphasizes simultaneous transformation of ‘Bone, Flesh, Heaven’. Bones are fired into ‘porcelain’ like God Statues, able to bear incense Divine Power when accepting offerings, even carrying Divine Rank, Divine Position, and operating Laws. Meanwhile, the body’s flesh and blood are also excised, refined with Spiritual Earth into ‘Flesh Spiritual Clay’, reapplied to the ‘Bone China God Statue’—this is called Mud Sculpted God Fetus, forming the Dao Body. At that point, aren’t you just a God Statue?”
Yuan Zhu nodded: “In a symbolic sense, yes, you’ve become a god. Bones fired into porcelain, body mud-sculpted—just like Temple God Statues, and all made from your own materials, so it’s still you! So, I’ve become my own god (statue)?”
The senior student nodded satisfied: “You really have Spirituality, getting it immediately! This is the cultivation method of the Yellow Heaven Dao Body. Cultivators torment themselves this way precisely to become gods on the spot and join the Immortal Class. Using the ‘Yellow Heaven Dao Body’ to bear Divine Power, Divine Position, Divine Rank, operate Laws, and manage a piece of land.”
“Therefore, Yellow Heaven Cultivators pursue Establishing Temple and Immortal Class registry. There are two choices for Establishing Temple: bind to a Yellow Heaven World to easily join that world’s Immortal Class System, then cultivate step by step. But the once mighty Yellow Heaven Immortal Court collapsed—I don’t know the details, only that part of Yellow Heaven was torn by Kunlun Mother, creating the current Great Red Heaven of Geng Continent, which is the faith of the Red Dragon Empire. The remaining Yellow Heaven debris split into countless Little Yellow Heaven Realms, hidden away, so some say ‘Yellow Heaven is dead’.”
“If you can’t find a mature Yellow Heaven World for support, the Yellow Heaven Method becomes more miserable the further you cultivate; without binding a world, you can’t enter the Immortal Class registry, and your body becomes increasingly rigid and immobile. So another method is to abandon the existing Yellow Heaven World, bind directly to Reality or the Spirit Layer, becoming a Landlord God, i.e., Landlord, gradually managing territory, connecting to Earth Veins, achieving Yellow Heaven Land God. Ultimately, tearing a piece of land from Reality to construct your own Yellow Heaven Small World (Grotto-Heaven)—this is the Blessed Earth Immortal under the Yellow Heaven System. Of course, these realms are very distant for you; just listen, don’t dream.”
Yuan Zhu nodded repeatedly: “I’ll just listen to broaden my knowledge. Even if you told me to cultivate Yellow Heaven Method, I wouldn’t. Yellow Heaven is dead anyway!”
This Yellow Heaven sounds even more troublesome than Kunlun. One relies on Kunlun Mother for cultivation, the other seeks to join the Yellow Heaven Immortal Class. Just like other Pollution Systems constrained by their Pollution Sources. This is the Sequence Path!
The Yellow Heaven Cultivators who don’t rely on Yellow Heaven Realm but choose to open their own world… He suddenly thought of Bubble Worlds—perfect foundation for a Blessed Earth Immortal Grotto-Heaven.
For example, Buddha Tomato refined Little Xihong Realm, packaging the entire world into their ‘Grotto-Heaven’, becoming Yellow Heaven Little Xihong Heaven, or simply Little West Heaven!
After fully comprehending Du Ling’s immortal methods, Yuan Zhu had one thought: he’d die before cultivating them! Too damn horrifying—one turns you into a Plant Person, the other also a Plant Person (can’t move).
“Does our Rain Courtyard have other Supernatural Systems? Like your Dangerous Animal major…”
“Our major has two major schools: Frog School and Wolf School. Wolf School is not recommended—garbage werewolves are a product of the academy’s purely self-developed ‘Supernatural System’. Safe and reliable, single-handedly created. The flaw is extremely low potential; the supernatural origin of the Wolf School, that Demon God, is imprisoned in the school’s Spirit Layer. Even the Deity is a lab creation—this system is a dead end. Good for research, suicide for cultivation. Unless… you gain the academy’s favor and are chosen to replace that Demon God as the new origin of ‘werewolves’. But how could that happen? You’re just an outsider.”
Yuan Zhu’s heart stirred. Rain Courtyard really has some tricks—even Gods and Demons can be nurtured. And replace the origin—is it the same principle as Shadow Tiger Demon biting a Shadow Evil God?
“What about Frog School?”
Miss nodded: “This one works. Among the 12 Zodiacs, Frog ranks 2nd, and it’s Running City’s mascot + local specialty, as well as the academy’s most important School. Choosing Frog School gives innate advantages; even Frog God will grant extra Blessing, with cultivation efficiency 5% higher than practitioners from other countries or cities.”
“What’s special about Frog School? How to cultivate?”
The senior student: “Very simple: train hard! Frog God doesn’t do fancy stuff—just one word: brute force! Strength creates miracles. Physical Body to sainthood, Proving the Dao with Strength! Simple, brutal, efficient. At high levels, the Physical Body is invincible, crushing Pollution barehanded, Invulnerable to All Magic, killing while hard-countering karma.”
Physical Body to sainthood has a thousand benefits, but one question: “Can it fly?”
The senior student: “Can jump very high, and throw rocks to smash opponents down.”
Yuan Zhu said tactfully: “What else in our academy is worth recommending?”
“Geology major isn’t too bitter or tiring, just too expensive. Gemstone System requires precious Gems to continue cultivation. You’re not suited. Industrial System now imports Red Dragon Empire’s four-element Alchemy, and also has old Industrial System’s Element Totems—our academy is strong here. But for Element Totems, you need your own Factory, do Business, walk the Industrial God path. Similar to Yellow Heaven, but no need for Temple; the Factory is your God Kingdom, Steam Totem your Divine Rank, Products your Divine Position. Industrial God System doesn’t use Faith power, but real Production, Sales, Influence… Go bankrupt, and you’re done, even soul scattered. Not for poor people; it involves complex binding Rituals, still a money issue.”
Yuan Zhu’s first reaction was Mao Mao King!
Gotcha, you’ve shown your hand! Industrial Deity Mao Mao King, Divine Position Luxury Children’s Wear, God Kingdom (Factory) built in another world. Through Space of Gods, widely selling children’s wear to condense Divine Power.
Got it! Now I understand everything! These eyes of mine have seen through it all!
“Does Industrial System have ways to master without opening a Factory? Or entry-level first, then step into Industrial God System?”
The senior student nodded: “Yes, but requires installing Steam Element Core in the body, gradually accepting transformation, replacing Flesh or combining with it, Steam Ascension. Or on mechanical transformation base, concurrently study Alchemy as another path; or connect to Clockwork God Kingdom for a ‘mechanical ascension to godhood’ route. Refugees from Clockwork Universe already have several powerhouses who have formally Deified in Du Ling.”
“…” Yuan Zhu was completely baffled, couldn’t understand, totally couldn’t understand—why does Industrial System connect everywhere?
But now he knew: among the eight external universes, besides Magic and Plant, there’s another Clockwork Universe, likely mechanical alien race? Similar to Transformers, playing ‘Steam, Clockwork’ instead of ‘Fire Seed Source, Transformation Metal’.
“Anything else?”
“Skip Nightmare School. Those white folks have bad intentions, eyeing Running’s special Spatial Structure, plus moving the test site abroad—so even if it goes wrong, their home country doesn’t suffer.” The senior student rejected Nightmare School.
Yuan Zhu: “If it’s so dangerous, why does the academy accept cooperation?”
“Because Nightmare Layer is infinitely vast with infinite Resources. For exploring and mining the Nightmare Layer, mere danger is nothing? They provide real gold and silver aid, plus massive Supernatural Knowledge and Resources. If it goes wrong, just blow up the school, sink it into Spirit Layer, rebuild a new one. Not like we haven’t done it before.” The senior student said indifferently.
Yuan Zhu: “Huh? Our academy was blown up before?”
“Yeah, over seventy years ago. That principal sacrificed to Yellow Heaven and botched it, tearing Reality’s Barrier and space Barrier. True Yellow Heaven debris descended, polluting the entire academy district plus four nearby streets, about to be torn into that Yellow Heaven Realm. In the end, Running’s officials intervened, detonating several ‘Pollution Sources’ contained in lab buildings, dragging nearby streets into the Spirit Layer.”
“Now, our Rain Courtyard not only has a site in Reality, but also headquarters in Spirit Layer with four streets attached—huge profit! But that Yellow Heaven Crisis burned all Yellow Heaven Cultivators in Running. So ‘Yellow Heaven is dead’! Only a few small Daoist Temples in the Suburbs, miserable.” Miss looked gleeful at the misfortune.
Yuan Zhu was thoroughly numb. What kind of Auspicious Land is this Running?
Yellow Heaven Cultivators all burned dead 70 years ago, then West Coast launched anti-Buddhism movement, Kunlun System’s home base is on Geng Continent, and the only Rogue Immortal is either secretly kidnapped for dissection or thrown into a restaurant pot… Reading between the lines, it’s a warning: Don’t cultivate immortality!
“What about Law System?”
“If you don’t mind working for Pale Great Law, I don’t mind recommending you to Security Bureau.”
Yuan Zhu sighed. As expected. Rain Courtyard has many Supernatural Systems, but few suitable. He’s quite interested in that Industrial God Kingdom, but short on cash: “Forget it. Can you tell me about Holy Light? Does our academy have this course?”
“Ha, Holy Light again! Don’t worry, no Holy Light courses here, but I’m very familiar. These two years, many have gone to practice Holy Light one after another. Foreign Bodhisattvas chant well; I know Holy Light well, accompanied two friends to Holy Church this year for Receive Precepts, planting Holy Marks. And Holy Church has one good point: internal management chaotic and corrupt, among Eight Holy Kings there’s everything—even Buddha and Yellow Heaven Dao Master. Choosing Holy Light seems to lock your path, but internal choices are vast, room to think calmly about your direction.”
Yuan Zhu: “What are Eight Holy Kings?”
“The eight most powerful Deities in Holy Light System, eight Holy Light Kings, eight independent Holy Light origins. Or in Western terms, eight Archangels. One is Buddhism’s Buddha, another Yellow Heaven’s Dao Master. Among 12 Zodiacs, 7th-ranked Great Moth is also a Holy Light King.”
“…”
Yuan Zhu was dumbfounded. Aren’t these cultivation systems all locked? Or only effective on Mortals, invalid on Deities? But he confirmed one thing: this Holy Light seems promising too? If it can harbor corruption, and Buddha, Dao Master, Fate Great Moth can cultivate it, why can’t my Shadow Tiger Demon?
