Episode 37

  "Chang Er, I've been reciting several Taoist incantations since childhood, and Grandfather also taught me the method of meditation. From now on, I'll teach you the incantations, and we can practice together, so you won't have to keep chattering in front of me all day."

  "Ah! Insufficient brother, yet is it that you're annoyed with me?"

  "No, it's just that Grandfather once said that the path of cultivation is time-consuming and mentally exhausting. I'm afraid it won't be possible to achieve full success in just two or three years! When will I be able to leave and return to my old home?"

  "It's not that we don't have enough brothers, or time. Have you ever thought that as long as they are in power for one day, we can stay here for one day too? Who knows how many years, tens of years we'll have to wait? But isn't cultivating the Tao and its methods also a way out?"

  "It doesn't matter if it's not too long, but I wonder if you have a fate with the immortal?"

  "Inadequate brother, Grandfather has taken your pulse before, you are a person with six spirits and five elements, indeed someone with great spiritual connection!"

  "That's all right!"

  He then recited a poem called "Jin Shen Jue" and had Chang'er memorize it. Chang'er pretended to practice according to his instructions. From then on, the two of them practiced Taoist magic and the old madman's killing techniques together, passing their days in leisure.

  Actually, this Golden Body Secret is also the initial method of practice for rare mortal practitioners. Jin Chan'er only needed one recitation to memorize it thoroughly. With her powerful spirit and vast spiritual realm, she naturally grasped the initial practice method of a cultivator's Daoist secret with ease. What surprised Jin Chan'er greatly was that this small initial practice method actually contained the essence of Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian practices, and even her own demonic cultivation methods seemed to be included. The wonderful fusion of the strengths of each sect truly deserved the praise of being a brilliant and ingenious idea!

  The original method was to cast the body with the demonic cultivation method, temper the bones with the Taoist cultivation method, refine the meridians with the Buddhist cultivation method, and merge the various schools of thought with the Confucian cultivation method. All sorts of methods blended together like milk and water, forming a large array during cultivation that acted on the cultivator's physical body, absorbing the heavenly and earthly divine energy to use for oneself, casting a solid and unshakeable foundation for the cultivator's body. This method is truly extraordinary! The demonic cultivation method must make the body as hard as gold and stone, the Taoist cultivation method must make the bones clear and unusual, and the Buddhist cultivation method must make the meridians supple and vast like the ocean that can contain hundreds of rivers. Although Jin Chan'er's demonic cultivation was nearly complete and she was about to ascend, observing her still didn't evoke admiration. It can be seen that the insufficient ancestor's heart is deep, his expectations are high! Therefore, he urged them day by day to diligently cultivate, explaining and discussing their feelings and doubts, secretly helping the insufficient one to understand, and the insufficient one truly benefited a lot.

  In prison, he had nothing to do all day long. Moreover, the two of them were not allowed to talk or communicate with other prisoners, so except for three meals a day, he spent the whole day practicing. He was not extremely intelligent, but not stupid either. His strength lay in his firm heart and constant actions. Once he made up his mind, it was difficult to change. In the prison cell, there was only one window. Watching the sunlight enter through the window every day, shining obliquely on the ground inside the cell, and then disappearing after a while. Sometimes, a look of confusion would suddenly appear on his face at this time, but seeing that Chang'er remained unchanged, he would calm down again and continue to practice diligently as usual.

  Three years later, he was not satisfied with just practicing the Golden Body Technique and the Must-Kill Skill or only cultivating the Taiyi Xuan Shen Technique. He discussed with Chang'er whether it is possible to cultivate both techniques at the same time. Chang'er advocated for a steady approach, first tempering the body before talking about other things. But Xu was not convinced.

  "Some still want to practice together in pairs, so as to speed up their cultivation, and quickly get out of prison to see grandpa!"

  "Insufficient, brother! The two techniques practiced together only fear the calamity of spiritual backlash! You think one is a method for refining the body, and the other is a method for strengthening the spirit and cultivating the yuan Shen. The two methods have different approaches and require different mental focus. Practicing both techniques at once with an unfocused mind, and during practice, they form two separate arrays: one is the small boundary of physical refinement, while the other is the vast spiritual realm. If something goes wrong, the two realms will be unable to rescue each other, and disaster will be great!"

  "How can you know if you don't try?! Besides, it's often said that cultivation goes against the natural order of things. How can you reach the other shore in peace and tranquility?!"

  "Insufficient brother, why don't you ever think like me?"

  "You're just a little girl after all! Haha, haha, haha, haha......"

  "Brother......"

  Chang'e could only think to herself:

  "Alas! My nemesis, it seems that generation owes him. I can only take action now. If there's danger, even if I have to abandon this physical body, I'll save him from the jaws of death!"

  Insufficiently aware of the danger, he didn't know what was going on in Chang'er's mind. He focused solely on simultaneously activating the Golden Body Technique and the Taiyi Mysterious God Technique. The Golden Body Technique was activated with full force, forming a large array that tempered his body, creating a small domain within his flesh. This domain generated a mysterious field that resonated with the divine energy of heaven and earth, borrowing their power to temper his body. His internal organs became like instruments in this array, absorbing divine energy to sustain its operation, thereby tempering his body. At the same time, the Taiyi Mysterious God Technique also activated a large array, using the five senses as instruments, creating a field of consciousness. As soon as this field was formed, it connected with the surrounding divine energy of heaven and earth, gathering it into the array. The divine energy in this space became chaotic, and the two techniques couldn't be stopped like they normally could; it seemed that the two arrays were no longer under control! Insufficiently's body inside and out gathered a massive amount of divine energy from heaven and earth, with his current meager power unable to withstand it for even three breaths' time before exploding and dying. At this moment, Insufficiently was also shocked and pale, feeling like a river overflowing within him, gradually filling up, and his flesh constantly expanding! Moreover, the five senses were also ceaselessly growing stronger, absorbing divine energy with increasing ferocity and speed. Although Insufficiently's heart was exhausted, he hadn't lost his ability to think; however, searching through what he had learned, he found that only a killing technique could be used. Previously, when cultivating alone, there wasn't this situation, but now this chaos arose, it must be related to the disorder of the divine energy of heaven and earth. As long as he could calm down this chaotic divine energy, the turmoil would subside, and this crisis would pass safely. Thus, with a sense of urgency, he began to think, but there was nothing else to do except try using ordinary martial techniques to guide the divine energy into his body! Insufficiently secretly operated his breath, thinking deeply as he accelerated the Golden Body Technique's absorption of divine energy, and used a killing technique to guide it evenly throughout his body. At the same time, he tried his best to slow down the Taiyi Mysterious God Technique's absorption speed, also using a killing technique to guide the absorbed divine energy directly into each of the five senses, carefully sensing and adjusting the balance of the divine energy within and outside his body. Suddenly, several hours passed, and Insufficiently was unaware of it; he only carefully manipulated the two techniques to stop them. The two techniques actually stopped! Insufficiently was overjoyed. Opening his eyes, he saw that Chang'er was still ceaselessly absorbing divine energy, so he said:

  "Chang Er, it's a success! I almost died just now!"

  "Brother, you're going to scare me to death!"

  Chang'er said with tears in her eyes. How could she know that Chang'er was trying to slow down his spiritual energy from entering the body, and then took a risk to absorb this spiritual energy again? In just a few more hours, Chang'er's great calamity would arrive! At that time, Chang'er, who was completely unprepared, would certainly lose her life! But from now on, Bu Xu could cultivate together with Chang'er, and their progress would be several times faster than usual. This point even surprised and delighted Chang'er. This successful adventure also became a good omen for Bu Xu's cultivation path.

  One day, the prison gate opened and a scholar-like young man came in with a scoundrel named Gu.

  "Sir, this is that little fellow."

  "Oh, so this little girl is Miss Jin Chang'er!"

  Insufficient and Chang'er both stood up to greet him. Insufficient raised his head to look at the elegant young master, who was greatly shocked! Fortunately, he had made some progress in his cultivation, so his worldly heart was undisturbed, and he only cast a glance before storing away his doubts, lowering his head without speaking.

  "This is the young master of our county magistrate's family, who has recently passed the imperial examination and become a jinshi. You two haven't even come to pay your respects yet!"

  "Yes!"

  Insufficient and Chang'er made their way, saying:

  "I've seen Master Juren!"

  "Never mind, never mind."

  The young master smiled and said.

  A fright in the heart again, secretly said:

  "This is obviously another thief from the backyard of the thieves' den that day. Judging by his appearance and listening to his voice, it's absolutely unmistakable. Who would have thought that he was actually the son of the county magistrate - the esteemed gentleman! The ways of this mundane world are indeed like this! No wonder the common people fear officials more than they fear thieves!"

  "Is your accommodation comfortable?"

  "Recalling Mr. Hui's words, with Master Gu taking care of me, I have been eating and sleeping well. The only thing is that I couldn't go out, it's really suffocating."

  "Oh, haha... indeed it is so in prison, even we can't think of a way out! However, if you have any dissatisfaction, be sure to tell me, I will take care of it for you!"

  "Yes, thank you, sir."

  That clever girl said. Then the old gentleman and the leader of the guards all went out of the prison gate together. Jin Qiaoniang's divine power, an ordinary person's whispers were heard clearly. It turned out that this thief was the leader of the thieves, wanting Qiaoniang to serve him, but was persuaded by the second-in-command of the thieves, Gu Doutong,

  "Sir, there are many beautiful women in the world, all sorts of them. If you really want one, my brothers can go and get her for you. But let this one go. The old master has given orders, don't lose the big picture because of a small mistake, it will ruin everything!"

  "Good grief, I'd like to play a trick on the woman and make her wait! Never mind, never mind! The important thing is at hand. Have you prepared the grand gift? Choose a day and present it to Governor Cui, then quickly send a copy to Minister Wang of the Ministry of Official Personnel. It's time for my father to get promoted too. After one or two years, I'll get a good ranking in the imperial examination, and I can be appointed to an official position. Then my brothers can relax and enjoy themselves."

  "Thank you, young master!"

  The jailer spoke in a low voice, and then the two of them left the stone corridor outside the cell.