Chapter 115
The path to immortality is long and requires constant diligence to reach distant goals. After a brief celebration, Ning Changge calmed his mind and contemplated his next steps.
“Now that I’ve perfected Qi Refinement, to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage, I must first create the Foundation Establishment chapter of the Eternal Evergreen Technique.
The Foundation Establishment chapter isn’t difficult; I’ve had a draft in mind for a while.
The achievements of the Five Elements Divine Sword Qi and the Five Elements Sword Formation have given me a foundational understanding of the Five Elements Dao. Now, I just need to integrate this understanding into my path to naturally comprehend the method for forging the Five Elements Dao Foundation.”
Ning Changge summoned the Five Elements Spiritual Swords, which began to rotate around him. The Five Elements Dao Foundation was his chosen path. The Five Elements are infinitely profound and currently the most accessible path for him.
Using them as his Dao Foundation would not only make him powerful in battle but also pave the way for future advancements into yin-yang, life and death, time and space, and chaos.
He focused his spiritual sense on his dantian, observing the vortex of spiritual liquid nurturing the Five Elements’ spiritual light, and smiled. “I can start from here and create the Foundation Establishment chapter in one go.”
With the general direction and foundation in place, the remaining task was to fill in the details, which was not difficult for him. The Five Elements Spiritual Swords emitted spiritual light, enveloping Ning Changge as he entered a state of enlightenment.
Wudang Mountain remained peaceful. The disciples diligently cultivated. Jin Ling, besides his daily cultivation, often sparred with Song Yuanqiao and other senior brothers. Jin Ling’s tough skin and immense strength made him the only one, aside from Ning Changge, capable of withstanding the combined attacks of the Wudang Seven Heroes’ sword formation. Jin Ling enjoyed this, as combining cultivation and combat accelerated his growth.
The strength of Wudang’s members increased daily. Living in a spiritual land, practicing supreme martial arts, and receiving guidance from their elders made it hard not to grow stronger. The Wudang Seven Heroes were determined to become more powerful, not wanting to rely on their junior brother for every crisis.
Occasionally, martial artists visited Wudang, leaving in awe and reverence. Since the old leader of the Beggar Sect was buried in the Heaven-Man Tomb, its prestige had grown, deterring many challengers. Jin Ling’s strength intimidated many, as defeating him to meet Ning Changge required near-Land Immortal power, which was extremely rare.
After receiving the Golden Armor Manifestation from Ning Changge, Jin Ling’s combat power soared. In this atmosphere, Ning Changge was delighted. Immersed in enlightenment, he sought perfection in his future path, taking his time.
He read Daoist scriptures daily, deepening his understanding of the Five Elements. The Five Elements Spiritual Swords in his dantian enhanced the spiritual light, occasionally being summoned for insights into the fusion of the Five Elements and spiritual power.
He also learned from nature, observing the interplay of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, understanding their separation and fusion, and consolidating his insights. Time passed swiftly. Months flew by.
One day, Ning Changge, sitting on his spiritual jade mat, suddenly awoke from a deep sleep. He had dreamt of climbing a celestial tree, each leaf representing a law, its fruits embodying the Dao, and its trunk filled with endless mysteries. The tree, infinite and rooted in chaos, had taken him eons to climb. He awoke from the dream, feeling unsatisfied.
“Such a path is truly the Great Dao!” Ning Changge sighed, filled with longing. Inspired by his dream, he thought, “Pursuing immortality is about fulfilling one’s desires. If I yearn for such a Dao, why not strive for it?”
An epiphany struck him. “If I am to forge the Five Elements Dao Foundation, why not use a spiritual tree as the foundation to nurture the golden core?”
It was as if thunder exploded in his mind, revealing the long-sought opportunity. Overwhelmed with excitement, he began to deduce and comprehend.
In his dantian, the vortex of spiritual liquid and the Five Elements’ spiritual light slowly transformed into a small sapling.
Time passed unnoticed. When Ning Changge emerged from his profound state, he observed significant changes in his dantian. The vortex of spiritual liquid had turned azure, filled with vibrant life. The Five Elements’ spiritual light had transformed into a small sapling, a fusion of spiritual power and the Dao.
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System Prompt:
[Using the Five Elements Sword Formation and the Five Elements Divine Sword Qi as a foundation, you comprehend the principles of the Five Elements. Learning from nature and Daoist scriptures, you gain inspiration in a dream and create the Eternal Evergreen Technique (Foundation Establishment Chapter—Five Elements Dao Foundation Method)!]
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Ning Changge couldn’t help but laugh heartily, his joy resonating through Tianzhu Peak, surprising Jin Ling, who sensed his master’s rare happiness and felt elated.
The Wudang disciples, hearing Ning Changge’s laughter, bowed respectfully towards the Sutra Pavilion, knowing their junior uncle had achieved something significant.
Ning Changge, smiling, looked at the small sapling in his dantian’s vortex.
“The path to Foundation Establishment is now clear. When this sapling grows into a tree, I will advance to the Foundation Establishment stage!”
“According to my calculations, advancing from the pinnacle of Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment involves three major hurdles: spiritual power, spiritual sense, and mental state. The Eternal Evergreen Technique, refined over five years, grants me spiritual power far surpassing my peers. My spiritual power has already liquefied, meeting the requirements for Foundation Establishment. This hurdle is not difficult; my spiritual liquid constantly nourishes the sapling, and it will grow into a tree in due time.”
“As for spiritual sense, my daily practice of the Heavenly Phenomenon Spirit Refining Technique has made my spiritual sense exceptionally strong, surpassing my peers. This hurdle is also manageable.”