"Mortals possess ordinary eyes and bodies, indulging in mundane foods, and are entangled by the Red Dust Qi of the world. Their hearts are covered in layers of dust, wandering in confusion, their Primordial Spirit formless, senses in chaotic disarray, making it difficult to perceive the subtle Qi of nature."
Duan Hong explained.
"Therefore, when mortals cultivate, they must first open apertures."
"Through the 'Chaos Seven Orifices Chapter,' one observes and chisels the tools, chiseling open the seven orifices on the 'formless Primordial Spirit' for sensory apertures, thereby nurturing the light of spirituality."
"Once these senses are opened, cultivators can perceive airflows, discern Qi dynamics, absorb Spiritual Qi, and thus, through the Breathing Technique, embark on the path of Qi Cultivation."
Duan Hong elaborated in detail, then took out the second Jade Scroll, "And this Breathing Technique..."
"Wait a minute."
Ning Xunqiu interrupted him with a smile, "I've heard that chiseling seven orifices in chaos leads to one orifice per day, and death in seven days."
"Fellow Daoist, are you sure that chiseling seven apertures on the Primordial Spirit won't lead to my death?"
"...No, it won't."
"Guaranteed?"
Duan Hong, after hearing this, remained silent for a while, then replied with a blank expression: "Fellow Daoist, I assure you."
Boom!
Before the words fell, a rainbow light suddenly pierced through his body.
After a short while, Duan Hong's figure reformed, staring expressionlessly at Ning Xunqiu.
"Fellow Daoist, in this state of neither life nor death, it seems that ordinary means truly cannot erase you..." Seeing this, Ning Xunqiu, holding the Divine Weapon Flame Sparrow, turned to leave.
"I just don't know, when this world and all its living beings are consumed by a great fire..."
"Fellow Daoist, stay a moment."
Duan Hong's expression changed dramatically, hurriedly taking out another Jade Scroll, "I've slept for too long, with the Primordial Spirit in disarray, I forgot that the 'Chaos Seven Orifices Chapter' also requires the construction of the Two Apertures of Heaven and Earth."
"What are the Two Apertures of Heaven and Earth?" Ning Xunqiu stopped.
"With hands supporting the sky and feet on the ground, standing erect between heaven and earth, this forms a human being," Duan Hong explained.
"Thus, the formless Primordial Spirit can take human form, standing between heaven and earth, splitting chaos, supporting the heavens and earth, stabilizing the four quarters, the nine orifices becoming the Primordial, nurturing a place to store Qi — the Spiritual Acupoint Heaven and Earth."
"Spiritual Acupoint? Heaven and Earth?"
The mention of Spiritual Acupoint reminded Ning Xunqiu of a myth.
The chaos of heaven and earth being like a chicken egg, Pangu was born within. Emerging, he opened the heavens and the earth, supporting the sky with his hands, standing with feet on the ground, creating space for Pure and Muddy Qi…
Afterward, the sky grew a yard higher each day, the earth a yard thicker, and Pangu extended by a yard each day.
Is heaven and earth then Pangu's Spiritual Acupoint?
In such cultivation, if the Spiritual Acupoint transforms into a real heaven and earth, wouldn't it mean longevity akin to the universe? Truly, a Great Daoist Skill!
"What is cultivation?" Ning Xunqiu, elated, continued to ask.
"Cultivate Qi to form methods, strengthen the Primordial Spirit, and continue to expand the Spiritual Acupoint Heaven and Earth, thus allowing more Qi to be accommodated," Duan Hong replied.
Ning Xunqiu nodded, then asked again.
"What is destiny with the immortals?"
"Those with Innate Spiritual Apertures, their Primordial Spirit is born with seven apertures. They only need to consume Spiritual Food, breathe in Pure Qi, and cleanse the dust off it, then construct the Two Apertures of Heaven and Earth, to feel Qi and cultivate."
Duan Hong replied.
He then kindly advised:
"The Great Dao possesses fifty paths, but one escapes, all living beings have a chance to cultivate."
"But this chiseling of the Primordial Spirit's seven apertures for cultivation is extremely dangerous; without caution, it leads to eternal doom. This endeavor also defies the natural order, resulting in doubled efforts with half the results, much like that of an alien."
"Fellow Daoist, despite being a mortal, you possess astonishing abilities and have a 'Celestial Destiny Spiritual Treasure' recognizing you as its master, perhaps you are born under destiny. Why strive for immortality, why not..."
Ning Xunqiu waved his hand, somewhat impatient: "Just say it, what is it?"
Duan Hong deeply bowed:
"Fellow Daoist, would you kindly travel to the Divine Land Ancestral Vein, to the Moral Immortal Sect, and inform my Master, Tianhe True Master, of my whereabouts?"
"Hand it over." Ning Xunqiu nodded, extending a hand towards Duan Hong.
"What?" Duan Hong was taken aback.
"Naturally, the reward." Ning Xunqiu said naturally.
Duan Hong pondered for a moment, "Then, Fellow Daoist, you may serve as a Dharma Guardian Divine General in the Moral Immortal Sect, and even a hundred years later, when the physical body decays, the Primordial Spirit can still partake of incense and rest with the Daoist Virtue, attaining longevity..."
Trying to get away without paying?
Ning Xunqiu heard this and his face subtly darkened.
Incense? Faith? This sounded toxic from the start. Should the Primordial Spirit consume too much, it might even be lethal, not to mention dying afterward... Dying, with no feeling left, what's the point of longevity?
This would be no different than committing suicide and returning to the heavens and the earth, I could also say "live as long as the sky."
Since its birth, Yiya the Ginseng, each day lived in joy, carefree because it was alive.
It could feel the breeze, light rain, the sun, joy, sadness, feel its own existence; each of these aliens cherished their life and consciousness so dearly.
And you want me to become a dead person?
The malicious old man, too wicked.
"Fellow Daoist, this journey to Divine Land is long and arduous, and I, a mere mortal without much strength, fear I am unable to fulfill this task." Ning Xunqiu shook his head, declining politely.
Nima... (Damn...)
Duan Hong almost blurted out.
Catching a glimpse of the Divine Weapon Flame Sparrow, which held the power to destroy the heavens and earth in Ning Xunqiu's hand, he calmed down entirely.
He contemplated for a while, then with a flick of his wrist, eighteen Jade Scrolls flew forth.
"These contain the eighteen marvelous techniques of the Moral Immortal Sect, encompassing magic, immortal talismans, arrays, pills, artifact refining, beast taming, inference, transformations, and various other skills, all-encompassing."
"Not enough."
"There are also magical artifacts..."
"Not enough."
"And spirit pills..."
"Not enough."
Ning Xunqiu shook his head, Duan Hong, now empty-handed, frowned and asked: "Fellow Daoist, what do you actually desire?"
"The journey is long, with untold monsters and ghosts lying in ambush, I ask you, Fellow Daoist, to lend me this mortal's Magical Treasure Mountain and River Seal for self-defense."
Ning Xunqiu pondered slightly.
His words left lingering.
Duan Hong's gaze turned cold, "Fellow Daoist, the Mountain and River Seal is my Dao-attainment Magical Treasure, the very foundation of this world's..."
His words stopped abruptly.
"The foundation... of the world? Where exactly is the Mountain and River Seal?" Ning Xunqiu pressed further, attempting to learn more.
Facing Ning Xunqiu's inquiries, Duan Hong remained silent, revealing no more.
...
[I realized no information could be gleaned, so I turned hostile without hesitation, erasing Duan Hong's Divine Thought...
Front foot left the Demon Realm, back foot landed, Earth Dragon flipped over, lava surged, a storm swept in, Celestial Thunder struck me... countless calamities descended upon me, as if the world itself opposed me, soon after, millions of troops from Jin Country came to besiege me.]
[Golden Light Talismans, Dragon Vein Grand Arrays, heavenly meteors fell, with countless methods...]
[With the Supreme Divine Weapon's protection, I still sustained mild injuries.]
[Through several confrontations, I had a vague suspicion regarding the whereabouts of the 'Mountain and River Seal'.]
[I personally annihilated Jin Country, exterminated Jiang Hong.]
[I acquired a great treasure, the Jade Pearl "Profound Dragon Pearl", which was originally the national treasure of Qi Country, lost a century ago. It was a top-grade Spirit Stone, possessing a tiny Spiritual Aperture, capable of autonomously inhaling Heaven and Earth Qi.]
[I established Chao Long Country, becoming Sovereign of All Under Heaven, assuming the title "Emperor", using the "Profound Dragon Pearl" as the principal national treasure, patrolling the realm, offering sacrifices to all major mountains and rivers.
Soon after, heaven and earth trembled, the sound of dragon cries echoed, and after returning to peace once more.
I was no longer targeted by the heavens and the earth.]
[I felt a response in my heart, Duan Hong had completely fallen.]
[I formed a cause and effect with the "Moral Immortal Sect", crossed the sea to defeat the Profound Flood Dragon, and upon leaving the "Mountain and River Seal" heaven and earth, I suddenly had a foreboding omen.]
[The Divine Land Ancestral Vein, Moral Immortal Sect trembled, an immortal revived, calculating with a pinch for sensing the turbulence of the Daoist Inheritance Fortune foundation, "Mountain and River Fortune" rapidly ebbed, immediately utilizing three thousand years of Dao Practice to infer celestial secrets with the "Daoist Treasure".]
[Qingxu Realm?? Celestial Dao responding...]
[...]
[Would you utilize ninety-eight points of Fortune to shield against the immortal's inference of celestial secrets and continue rewriting this segment of life?]
...