The ethereal chime of the jade bell rang out. Ji An felt his mind clear, his spirit refreshed, and his whole body relaxed, as if he were cultivating a technique.
An auditory-type artifact! How generous of Uncle Qin.
He had heard that cultivators could use musical artifacts to play heavenly melodies, producing all sorts of effects. Clearly, this jade bell calmed the mind and sharpened one's focus, helping disciples absorb knowledge more efficiently.
Ji An studied the jade bell carefully. Its frame was made of red copper, perfectly complementing the bell's turquoise sheen. The surface was etched with countless minuscule runes. Through the bell's semi-translucent body, he could glimpse dense interwoven patterns inside seals embedded into the artifact itself.
No wonder the duty disciple held Uncle Qin in such esteem. Every use shortened the lifespan of an artifact like this. Who else would willingly spend their life just to help juniors stay alert?
With a wave of his sleeve, Qin Yan shut the doors of the Hall of the Dao. The lecture began.
"Depending on which hall you were assigned to, the main cultivation method you received differs; most of you will practice either the Clear Source Sutra, the Bing Fire Canon, or the Earth Canon.
Any of these is sufficient to carry you into Foundation Establishment. The reason the sect chose them is deliberate.
These are not the strongest Qi Refining techniques, but they are the ones most suitable to the sect's circumstances.
I will start with the Clear Source Sutra, dissect its mysteries for you, and then move on. I'll explain in detail the methods of the first three layers, and only briefly touch on the later levels."
Ji An immediately pricked up his ears, listening with full attention.
A high-ranking cultivator explaining Qi Refining methods from a bird's-eye view was an entirely different perspective. Several practical insights for improving cultivation efficiency struck him at once.
If he had to figure these out on his own, who knew how long it would take?
He sighed inwardly. No wonder rogue cultivators, though outwardly deferential, harbor resentment toward sect disciples. It's pure envy.
With mentors to preach the Dao and answer doubts, sect disciples avoided countless detours. Instead of wasting time fumbling in the dark, they could devote more hours to cultivation and advancing their realms.
He thought of his original body's father, who once spent half a year stalled, unable to grasp the essence of a technique, until he finally paid dearly to invite a senior cultivator to explain it.
Qin Yan's explanations lasted an hour and a half. His teaching was lucid and thorough, leaving every disciple feeling richly rewarded.
At that moment, the duty disciple appeared with a pot of fragrant tea, spiritual qi rising in wisps from the spout. He placed it before Qin Yan.
"Uncle, have a cup of spirit tea to moisten your throat."
"Nephew Li, you are thoughtful."
"Uncle is too kind," Li Changfeng smiled slightly, bowing as he retreated from the dais.
The faint fragrance wafted down. Ji An swallowed involuntarily, his mouth watering. Spirit tea… If only I could drink some!
Just one sip could be refined into pure mana. He could only watch with envy.
Qin Yan sipped, cleared his throat, and continued:
"Most people's aptitudes are mediocre, some even inferior. Without backing, without pills or spirit food, relying solely on techniques to absorb ambient energy is extremely inefficient.
At the same time, we must also practice spells that allow us to earn spirit stones and contribution points. Our circumstances are arduous.
I myself was of inferior aptitude, and I know this hardship well.
What many fail to realize is that cultivation methods and spell practice conflict with each other. You must find balance, so both can progress together."
"The optimal time to circulate your cultivation method is when more than half your mana remains in your dantian. That way, you refine energy faster, filling your sea of qi more quickly.
Some of you may think this wastes the refined mana, but that is not the case. This leads to another crucial point."
"The purpose of cultivation methods is not merely to increase one's realm. Realm is the foundation, yes, but the true value of a cultivation method goes beyond that."
Qin Yan's eyes grew distant, his voice dropping lower.
"When we first take Opening the Veins Pills and practice the Vein-Opening Method, our immortal meridians are revealed, but only a few main channels and a scattering of branches.
The greatest role of a cultivation method is to expand and strengthen these immortal meridians, opening more branches.
The more meridians connected to acupoints, the better our foundation for future cultivation."
"And how do we strengthen them? By circulating your method when your dantian is already brimming with mana.
If your dantian is empty, almost all the refined energy will simply pool in your qi sea. Only a trickle will nourish and broaden your immortal meridians."
"Aptitude is not fixed. As your meridians grow stronger and more plentiful, your aptitude itself improves."
"Advancing through the great realms not only elevates your cultivation but also greatly enhances your aptitude.
Foundation Establishment, Origin Ascension, and Golden Core; these three stages are Heaven's gift, opportunities for even the most mediocre of talents.
If one can seize them, then upon forming the Golden Core, even the poorest aptitude will be raised at least to Earth-grade."
The moment his words fell, the hall erupted.
Whispers spread like wildfire, disciples exclaiming in shock and excitement.
Thrilling!
One word of wisdom from a master is worth ten years of study.
Ji An pressed a hand to his chest, taking deep breaths to steady the storm surging in his heart. This trip to hear the Dao was worth more than I ever imagined.
A single formula in the martial world might seem trivial, worth no more than a copper coin, but if one failed to grasp it, it could cost half a lifetime.
For others, Qin Yan's words might not change much.
But for Ji An, they were worth tens of thousands of spirit stones!
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The jade bell rang three times. The uproar fell to silence, the boiling blood of the disciples slowly calming.
Qin Yan rose, his gaze sweeping across the sea of faces.
"Today, I spoke more than intended, carried by a passing insight.
What was spoken from my lips, let it end in your ears. Remember this well."
With that, he flicked his sleeve and walked off at a measured pace.
The great doors swung open of their own accord. The great crane followed close behind.
A cool breeze swept in from outside, lifting his Daoist robe and billowing his wide sleeves, making him look every bit like an immortal descended into the mortal world.
"Respectfully sending off Uncle!"
The disciples all bowed deeply, their hearts filled with awe and gratitude.
Outside the hall, Qin Yan reached to mount his crane but paused. He patted the creature's long neck gently.
"Wait here for me."
Then he turned and strode into the main hall of the Administrative Hall, ascending the stairs to the loft.
In the innermost chamber, the door was already open. He stepped inside and bowed deeply to the elder seated cross-legged upon a white meditation cushion.
"Senior Brother."
The man was none other than Xu Banshan, Hall Master of the Administrative Hall.
Wisps of smoke curled from a bronze incense burner, carrying with them a faint fragrance of pine resin.
"Junior Brother, sit."
Qin Yan lifted a cushion and sat across from him. He smiled faintly, remarking:
"Top-grade Jade Spirit Pine Incense, you're in fine spirits, Senior Brother."
Even for a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, Jade Spirit Pine Incense was considered premium calming incense. Qin Yan himself only used it sparingly, and only when comprehending profound arts.