[March 7, 6823. Sunday. Heavy Rain]
[So Immortals were fighting today. I’m not happy about it. I wanted to ask Dad to drive them away, but he’s too busy. He probably doesn’t have ti.]
[I wandered around with Lu Xuan for a long ti today. It was the first ti I’ve ever done that with soone other than Dad. I’m very happy.]
[The Director said they’ve made so progress on Ancient Lu Xuan and Li Er. They dug up sothing related from a large tomb and will send it over in a few days.]
[How many days until I see Lu Xuan again?]
Yan Jiangxue wrote in her diary, carefully forming each character. A look of anticipation appeared on her face. Once the ancient artifacts arrived, she could learn even more about ancient history.
But she had to wait for several days. The waiting was hard to bear.
She lay on her bed and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she thought of the young man again and smiled softly before drifting into a deep sleep.
* * *
Wisps of smoke curled upward, lingering around the rafters without dispersing.
"Teacher." Lu Xuan glanced around, realizing he was in a dream again. He quickly bowed to the old man seated cross-legged in the room.
He was a little curious. The teacher was uncharacteristically wearing a pure white overcoat. ’Is he about to go out?’
With that thought, he also bowed to Senior Brother Zhang, who was off to the side.
Just then, the Old Master, who was sitting upright in the room, slowly raised his head and smiled calmly.
"Your discipleship ceremony was supposed to be tomorrow evening. However, I have given it so thought. Since you are to join my sect, it is ti I took you to et your two senior uncles."
Lu Xuan didn’t have much of a reaction, simply responding with respect. Zhang Ling, on the other hand, nearly lost his balance. He looked at his teacher with a sowhat reproachful expression.
’I’ve been in the Supre Sect all this ti,’ he grumbled to himself, ’and I’ve never even t the two senior uncles. Yet he’s in such a rush to take my junior brother to see them before he’s even officially joined...’
A sliver of suspicion arose in Zhang Ling’s mind. ’Could it be that Teacher just wants to show him off?’
The Old Master shot him an indifferent glare before turning back to Lu Xuan and speaking gently.
"Between eting your two senior uncles and the discipleship ceremony, I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here for a day or two. Will that cause you any trouble on your end?"
Lu Xuan froze for a mont. ’Does Teacher an I’ll be asleep for two days, that I’ll be dreaming for two days?’
At that thought, he shook his head decisively.
"There shouldn’t be any problems."
"Good. Now then, have you encountered any confusion in your recent Cultivation?"
"I have," Lu Xuan answered honestly. "I am currently at the third level of the Jade Tower, having completed Marrow Cultivation. However, I don’t know which internal organ I should refine first for the Fourth Level. I’m stuck and unable to break through to the Grandmaster Realm."
"Grandmaster?" Zhang Ling teased. "Junior Brother, where on earth are you from? People where you live dare to call themselves a Grandmaster just for tempering their five viscera?"
"I don’t know," Lu Xuan said, scratching his head. "That’s just what everyone calls it."
Zhang Ling leaned in with interest.
"I’m actually quite curious..."
"Do not be boisterous," the Old Master interrupted. "I am clearing up Xiaoxuan’s confusion. Why are you coming over here instead of studying your scriptures properly?"
Zhang Ling sat back down indignantly.
The Old Master paid him no mind, simply looking at Lu Xuan and beginning his explanation.
"The Jade Tower. The first three levels—skin, bone, and marrow—are for Refining Essence. The middle five levels correspond to the five viscera, which is also a part of Refining Essence, but it also touches upon ’Qi Transformation.’ There is no set order for the five viscera; you may temper them in any sequence your heart desires. These are all minor details."
As he spoke, the Old Master poured a cup of tea and took a sip.
"You need only rember that the five viscera house spirits. Pay close attention to this step, as it will be beneficial when you are ’Climbing the Divine Ladder’ in the future."
"Climbing the Divine Ladder?" Lu Xuan asked curiously. "Is that the stage after the Jade Tower?"
The Old Master set down his teacup.
"Cultivation begins with the ’Jade Tower,’ then cos ’Climbing the Divine Ladder,’ followed by the ’Heaven Ascending Gate.’ Only after ascending the Celestial Gate can one reach the ’Heaven-Facing Palace.’ These are the four steps of Cultivation, and each step is a world unto itself."
As he spoke, he made a gentle gesture. The steam rising from the teacup condensed into a small figure. The figure underwent arduous cultivation, rising from obscurity. It first refined its physical shell, then forged a Divine Ladder to connect its body and spirit. It then climbed the Celestial Gate, and finally, from atop the Celestial Gate, it gazed upon the Celestial Palace, achieving Enlightennt and its true nature.
"What I have just demonstrated in my palm are the four steps of Cultivation. According to the conventions of the Celestial Court, those at the Jade Tower stage are mortals. An Ascender of the Climbing the Divine Ladder is a Celestial Human. One who ascends the Celestial Gate becos an Earth Immortal. And one who reaches the Heaven-Facing Palace is a certified True Immortal."
The Old Master said calmly,
"Nearly all Cultivators in the world struggle within these four steps. Countless people can’t reach the Celestial Palace even after a myriad of lifetis; many never even ascend the Celestial Gate. If one can take that step to beco an Earth Immortal, they can enter the Celestial Palace, beco an Immortal Official, and be entered into the Immortal Record."
Lu Xuan stared intently at the small figure of condensed steam in the Old Master’s palm.
"May I ask, Teacher, is there a path beyond the Heaven-Facing Palace?"
"Reaching the Heaven-Facing Palace ans comprehending your own Dao and understanding your true nature, but that is all. Naturally, you must continue to cultivate your own path. Therefore, there are still two or three steps beyond it."
"I understand," Lu Xuan said with a bow.
"Have your senior brother take you to change your clothes. Prepare to accompany to et your two senior uncles."
"Yes, Teacher."
After Zhang Ling led Lu Xuan out of the room,
the Old Master gently set down the little figure in his palm. The being of condensed steam bowed respectfully, then grew with the wind, transforming into a real, flesh-and-blood person in the span of a single breath.
Or rather, a real, flesh-and-blood Immortal.
"You were manifested from the vapor of tea, and you have traversed the four steps of Cultivation in an instant to beco a True Immortal. Your foundation is too shallow. Go to the Human World and undergo Reincarnation and tribulations for thirty thousand years to solidify it."
Although it was a casual Creation, this Immortal was born because of him, so the Old Master offered a few extra words of guidance.
The young man—a mont ago a wisp of steam, now a True Immortal of this age who had comprehended the fundantal path of his true self—bowed respectfully.
"I beg the Great Celestial Venerable to grant a na."
"This tea was picked by Zhang Ling from a distant cape. Therefore, take Zhang as your surna and Jiao as your na. As you go to the Human World to undergo Reincarnation and tribulations, you must not rely on your Cultivation to bring disaster upon the living. Do you understand?"
Zhang Jiao bowed his head again.
"I accept the Great Celestial Venerable’s command. I will go forth into Reincarnation and seal my own Cultivation. I shall not return until my foundation is solid."
"Go."
"Yes!"
With that, Zhang Jiao stepped into the void, crossing from the Human World into the Netherworld in a single stride. Under the shocked and uncertain gazes of the Ghost ssengers and Yin Officials, he threw himself into Reincarnation.
In the final mont before plunging into Reincarnation, he silently committed the nas ’Zhang Ling’ and ’Lu Xuan’ to mory.
’I am not yet worthy of receiving a favor from the Great Celestial Venerable himself,’ he thought. ’Therefore, I will record this debt of gratitude to these two.’
Besides, he was the steam that had risen from the tea leaves Zhang Ling had picked, and he had been born because the Great Celestial Venerable was demonstrating the Dao for Lu Xuan. It was only right that he rember this great kindness.
As he thought, a sense of regret washed over him. ’What a pity. If the Great Celestial Venerable had demonstrated the path from the Jade Tower to beyond the Heaven-Facing Palace for that Lu Xuan, I would now have surpassed the True Immortal realm and beco a Celestial Venerable with an endless lifespan.’
Not long after Zhang Jiao’s departure,
Zhang Ling returned, leading a Lu Xuan who had changed into a Daoist Robe. He laughed and said,
"Junior Brother, you really look the part in a Daoist Robe!"
Lu Xuan scratched his head, embarrassed.
The Old Master slowly rose to his feet, straightened his robes, and ambled over.
"Co with to et your two senior uncles."
"Okay!" A brilliant smile lit up Lu Xuan’s face, and his heart filled with anticipation. After eting his two senior uncles, he could formally beco a disciple tomorrow. ’Speaking of which, I wonder what my two senior uncles are like?’
’Uncle Dong, who taught the Wood Splitting Form, is supposed to be the disciple of one of my senior uncles. I wonder if I’ll get a chance to see him this ti?’
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