Jade Clarity True Scripture, True Martial Seven Star Daoist Formula, Grand Clarity Energy Strengthening, and others—Wudang Sect had many profound cultivation methods. But people who could actually practice them were rare. It was more a matter of aptitude than qualification.
The physical body, which could be seen and touched, was something anyone could train. On the other hand, the spiritual body, which could neither be seen nor touched, was not something just anyone could train.
The so-called divine cultivation methods involved directly moving the spiritual body to absorb the vital energy of heaven and earth. To practice these, one's spiritual sensitivity had to be awakened first.
'In my past life, my spiritual sensitivity awakened only when I reached fifty. Since the spiritual sensitivity in this newly born body isn't awakened yet, I can only gradually nourish the spirit through Tai Chi Fist.'
A daily life spent solely within his quarters with nothing else to do. Some might have found it stifling, and others might have found it boring, but Xu Xin felt nothing of the sort.
Waking up early in the morning, he would perform the 108 forms of Tai Chi Fist once as a light warm-up.
After having a light meal with a single Bakto fruit that resembled a chestnut, he would work on mastering the deployment and connections of Tai Chi Fist forms.
Then, after another light meal with a Bakto, he would wash his sweaty body in the bathtub prepared in his quarters.
Taking a nap so that his child's body could grow well, waking up later with a clear mind to recite Daoist scriptures.
When the Elves brought ten baskets of fruit, he would devour them all, then finish the day with a light performance of the 108 forms of Tai Chi Fist.
Xu Xin thoroughly enjoyed this repetitive routine.
Not having to worry about food, clothing, or shelter, and simply being able to immerse himself in what he wanted to do while spending peaceful days—how could this not be enjoyable?
The Platinum Tree Palace, warm like spring and cool like autumn. A forest with mild weather where neither hot summers nor cold winters came.
Xu Xin, who found it difficult to measure the passage of time, simply hoped this routine would continue unchangingly.
Thus, more than twenty years passed.
※※※
At the age of twenty, a human would be in their prime youth. But for Elves who lived for five hundred years, it was just about the age of a three or four-year-old, and for High Elves who lived eternally, it was hardly different from having just been born.
So, on a certain day at twenty-something years old, which was little different from a newborn by High Elf standards, Xu Xin's spiritual sensitivity awakened.
'Could it be thanks to the memory of having once awakened spiritual sensitivity in my past life? Or is it because this young body's talent is better than my past life? My spiritual sensitivity has awakened earlier than expected.'
The feeling of having spiritual sensitivity reawakened in a new body was similar to recovering a sense that had rusted from not being used for a long time.
Xu Xin smiled.
The awakening of spiritual sensitivity meant he could handle and move his spiritual body.
And being able to move his spiritual body meant he could finally enter the cultivation practice that strengthens the physical body by training the spirit.
Direct cultivation of the spirit yielded much faster results than martial arts that indirectly nourished the spirit by training the physical body.
'In my past life, I trained for seventy years, but it was only after I passed fifty that I was initiated into the profound cultivation methods of Wudang Sect.'
This was indeed the reason why, in his past life, his martial arts were weaker than his much younger disciples.
The earlier one's spiritual sensitivity awakened, the earlier one could be initiated into cultivation, allowing juniors to possibly catch up with seniors' achievements.
Suddenly, Xu Xin was immersed in memories of his past life. The image of the vibrant disciples of Wudang Sect faintly came to mind.
'Come to think of it, our Wudang Sect was truly blessed. We accepted such intelligent and talented children as disciples. I wonder if they're all living well.'
After briefly reminiscing about the people he missed, Xu Xin eventually shook off his thoughts. Since he was already dead in that world, dwelling on attachments would only bring pain.
'I've been given a new life, haven't I? I should focus on this one.'
Now that his spiritual sensitivity had awakened, he could gradually be initiated into profound cultivation methods.
However, just because he could be initiated into cultivation didn't mean he could immediately practice the divine cultivation methods of Wudang Sect.
'The spiritual sensitivity of this new body doesn't seem as nimble as in my past life either.'
Xu Xin gauged his newly awakened spiritual sensitivity.
Spiritual sensitivity was the sense of handling and moving the spiritual body. Just as the sense of moving the physical body was important in martial arts training, the sense of moving the spiritual body was important in energy cultivation.
'The divine cultivation methods of Wudang Sect rapidly nourish the spiritual body. But they require extraordinary spiritual sensitivity for practice.'
For example, divine cultivation methods were like doing push-ups while standing on your fingers in a handstand.
Someone with innate talent might be able to do such training methods from the start, but most needed preliminary basic training.
'Jade Clarity True Scripture, Supreme Clarity Formless Kung Fu, Grand Clarity Energy Strengthening—these are heavens beyond heavens that I dare not attempt now.'
The highest divine cultivation methods said to contain the immeasurable Daoist power of Jade Clarity Original Heavenly Worthy, Supreme Clarity Numinous Treasure Heavenly Worthy, and Grand Clarity Moral Virtue Heavenly Worthy. In Wudang Sect, these three divine cultivation methods were collectively called the Three Clarity Cultivation.
'True Martial Seven Star Daoist Formula, Combined Five Elements Kung Fu, Nourishing Intent Divine Kung Fu, and others are also too much for me.'
Although not comparable to the Three Clarity Cultivation, these divine cultivation methods were not to be taken lightly either.
If the Three Clarity Cultivation was like doing push-ups while standing on your fingers in a handstand, these divine cultivation methods would be about the level of doing push-ups while standing on your palms in a handstand.
'For my just-awakened spiritual sensitivity, this cultivation method would probably be most appropriate.'
Xu Xin crossed his slightly matured and lengthened legs into a full lotus position. It was a rather challenging posture for a boy of eight or nine years old, but thanks to flexible joints, he could somehow manage it.
Sitting in that full lotus position, he closed his eyes as if meditating.
With spiritual sensitivity, he felt and moved his own spiritual body. In order to absorb and nourish the numinous energy of heaven and earth.
'The cultivation method I'll use to build my foundation is...'
Three Talents Energy Cultivation.
It was a slow but comfortable, weak but flexible energy cultivation method of Wudang Sect.
Compared to other divine cultivation methods, it was as easy as doing push-ups on one's knees, and even if one made mistakes, there was no risk of injury.
'There's no more suitable cultivation method for my weak spiritual body and dull spiritual sensitivity than this.'
Clearing his mind of distractions, Xu Xin focused his attention on moving his spiritual body. Meanwhile, he regulated his inhalation and exhalation properly.
The foundation of longevity is nourishing life.
The foundation of nourishing life is breathing in and out.
The foundation of breathing in and out is respiration.
Ultimately, everything depended on breathing properly.
Xu Xin recited the formula of the Three Talents Energy Cultivation in his mind.
The way of the Three Talents is the principle of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.
The Three Talents are mutually necessary, thus all things take form.
Humans receive the energy of the Three Talents to form the nature of Heaven and Earth.
Heaven and Earth have the Three Talents, humans also have the Three Talents, together they become one.
The Three Talents are Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, together they form the Tao.
Xu Xin's spiritual body absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. And following the formula of the Three Talents Energy Cultivation, he digested that spiritual energy.
The spiritual body that digested the spiritual energy gradually became nourished. Although it couldn't digest much spiritual energy and thus the nourishment wasn't that great, it had a purity that was second to none.
"Whoo... Haah."
How long had he been absorbed in his cultivation? His legs crossed in the full lotus position were getting numb.
Xu Xin stopped his Three Talents Energy Cultivation practice and uncrossed his legs. He stretched out both legs and massaged them to improve blood circulation.
"Good. It's indeed good."
Massaging his numb legs, Xu Xin suddenly smiled and muttered.
Three Talents Energy Cultivation, which was nothing more than the most basic of basics. Impatient people would have been unable to endure its slow cultivation and would have sought out faster achievement methods.
But Xu Xin felt no such need. He found even this slow cultivation to be exciting and joyful.
His practice of martial arts was neither to subjugate others with strong power nor to take revenge.
He simply found the process of cultivation itself fun, and was satisfied with the achievement of progressing just a little bit at a time.
Indeed, slow and fast are relative concepts, and if one is not competing with others, how can one say it's slow?
From that day on, Xu Xin added the practice of Three Talents Energy Cultivation to his daily routine. He now practiced both Tai Chi Fist and Three Talents Energy Cultivation morning and evening.
※※※
White, slender fingers picked up a dull-colored fruit. Neatly trimmed fingernails gently scratched the hard surface of the fruit.
The platinum-haired beauty rested her chin on her hand as she looked at the small fruit in her hand.
"You made two meals a day with this? For seventy years?"
The platinum-haired beauty wearing a crown and sitting on the throne, Eve, murmured.
The fruit in her hand was Bakto, the most humble fruit among those eaten by Elves.
"Yes, Your Majesty. We earnestly advised him otherwise, but the king's will was so firm... Please forgive us for offering such humble food."
The Elves who served Xu Xin said, watching her expression.
"I didn't ask to punish you. If he wanted it himself, I have no reason to interfere. I'm merely curious."
Eve had practically forgotten about Xu Xin for seventy years after bringing him to the palace.
But Xu Xin's eccentric habit of consistently eating Bakto for seventy years had become so famous among the palace Elves that it eventually reached her ears today.
Having belatedly learned about Xu Xin's eccentricity, which was already widely spread throughout the palace, Eve became curious. So she summoned the Elves who served Xu Xin and asked.
"When you always eat delicious things, sometimes even tasteless things can become a delicacy. I've tried Bakto once or twice myself. But eating Bakto consistently for seventy years is incomprehensible."
"Your Majesty, I dare to report. The king has been eating Bakto because he was immersed in something called martial arts, which allows for quick filling of the stomach."
"Martial arts? What's that?"
"We're not quite sure either. It seemed like... a kind of game the king created."
The more she heard, the more Eve's curiosity grew. What on earth was this game called martial arts that he would devote himself to it even while eating this tasteless Bakto?
Eve abruptly stood up from her throne. It was her personality to immediately resolve curiosities. She headed straight for Xu Xin's quarters.
"Is it here?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Is he still doing that martial arts thing now?"
"At this time, yes, probably..."
Putting her index finger to her lips to silence the Elves, Eve strode toward the door of the quarters. Following her steps, magical wind flung the door open.
Carefully controlling the magical wind to eliminate sound, she entered the quarters secretly. She wanted to see what kind of game this martial arts was.
And she saw.
In the spacious area of a corner of the quarters. In the center of that space was a black-haired High Elf.
Her brother, with the appearance of a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years.
He had taken off his upper garment and was wearing only pants, assuming strange postures and movements.
Eve blinked as she looked at the black-haired boy.
Wide shoulders contrasting with a small head, and squarely defined pectoral muscles.
Below them, abdominal muscles split like dried tree bark.
Trapezius muscles supporting a neck as long as a deer's. Deltoid muscles rising at both ends of the shoulders.
Thick biceps, triceps, brachialis, and forearm muscles extending from the deltoids.
And the latissimus dorsi muscles that spread like wings whenever he extended his arms.
Muscles forged like swords unfolded before her eyes.
'What is that?'
Elves' physiques were basically slender. Furthermore, with very few exceptions, everyone was born with magical force.
So Elves did not feel the need to train their bodies separately, and they lived and died with thin bodies all their lives.
Thus, Eve, seeing a boy's developed muscles for the first time, was momentarily puzzled.
Can an Elf's body be like that too?
Why is his body so angular, thick, and bumpy? Is he sick or something?
'It's like he has stones embedded in his body. It's g-gross.'
Eve thought the boy's muscles were gross. But somehow, her eyes couldn't leave the boy's body. As if she were entranced by something.
At that moment, the boy's movement suddenly stopped. Turning his head, he stared at her, then approached, roughly putting on the upper garment he had taken off.