Finally, I have reached the stage of condensing the golden elixir.
Chen Yun couldn't help but recall his decades-long cultivation career.
At the beginning, I was as thin as a child, who entered the Zhongnanshan Jingyang Cave. Later, due to a coincidence of fate, I joined my master and have been cultivating for more than three decades.
In the span of over thirty years, an ordinary person might still be at the level of a lower-level mage, yet I am to attempt immortality.
Particularly in the cultivation of internal energy, the speed is generally not particularly fast.
Trying to ascend the immortal realm for more than three decades is a feat that I should be proud of.
Chen Yun basked in a moment of self-satisfaction, then began to focus his attention on how to condense the golden elixir.
He carefully reviewed the core of internal energy cultivation.
Unlike other cultivation techniques, the inner elixir technique differs in that it uses certain parts of the body as "furnace", "medicine" as qi and essence, "fire" as spirit, and "temperature" as the combined operation of spirit and essence for cooking and refining.
The furnace, medicine, and temperature are the three fundamental elements of the inner elixir.
Inner elixir cultivation can be roughly divided into four stages: foundation-building, refining jing to qi, refining qi to shen, and refining shen to virtual.
The ultimate goal of all cultivation, the unity of Dao and true essence, does not solely belong to the inner elixir technique, so it is not forcibly included.
If one must count it, the unity of Dao and true essence in the practice of the inner elixir technique has a specific term, known as refining emptiness to merge with the Dao.
Chen Yun has experienced foundation-building and refining jing to qi, and is now about to step into the stage of refining qi to shen.
Of course, he is thoroughly familiar with foundation-building and refining jing to qi.
As for foundation-building, there is no need for further elaboration. This is the preparatory stage of cultivating the inner elixir, which requires filling in deficiencies and strengthening one's three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit. It involves cultivating them to be full and reaching the "triple perfection" realm of sufficient essence, full qi, and vigorous spirit.
Just like building tall skyscrapers, the first step is to lay a solid foundation.
Typically, it takes one hundred days, hence the term "hundred-day foundation-building".
Actually, not everyone has to go through a hundred days; some may take longer, while others may take shorter.
The key to foundation-building lies in "refining oneself," which means eliminating all impurities and vices from one's mind.
In the Ming Dynasty, Wu Chongxu's "Inner Alchemy of Golden Elixir Heart Method: Refining Oneself": "The 'oneself' refers to my true nature in stillness, my true intention in motion, and is also another name for the original spirit."
The method of refining oneself involves cutting off pleasures and diversions, avoiding social engagements, and returning the ears and eyes to simplicity, so that distracting thoughts are eradicated before they arise.
The process of refining oneself is synonymous with foundation-building.
Only by focusing the gaze and turning back the ears, clearing the mind and abating desires can one cultivate the primary essence, qi, and spirit, reaching the realm of triple perfection.
Chen Yun remembered the situation during his hundred-day foundation-building.
"At the age of sixteen or seventeen, with nothing on my mind and the aid of the Great Dao Spirit Brew, I didn't take a hundred days to accomplish it."
The process of refining jing to qi is also known as the Small Universe and the Hundred Days Barrier.
After combining jing with qi and becoming qi, one reaches the "Three Reunited to Two" state.
The method starts with the preliminary circulation through the Ren and Du meridians, clearing the "small universe".
This involves using the power of the mind to transform essence into qi, and then allowing the qi to rise from the lower part of the body, along the spine to the nape, and then descending to the Dan Tien, repeatedly circulating in this manner, which is called "the River Cart Circulation".
Refining jing to qi is also known as the "first barrier".
The process of refining jing to qi involves leading qi circulation with intention and is related to the postnatal Eight Diagrams.
The postnatal Eight Trigrams use the Kan and Li trigrams to represent the human heart and kidneys, water and fire. In the twelve Earthly Branches, they are represented by the zi (midnight) and wu (noon), and in terms of directions, they are south and north.
Thus, the "small universe" is also referred to as "Kan and Li exchange," "take Kan to fill in Li," "water fire mutual aid," and "heart-kidney interchange."
The small universe is also known as the "zi-wu zhou tian" (the meridian circuit of the midnight and noon).
The "small universe" qigong is to open up the Ren and Du meridians through the zi-wu circulation, fill Kan and empty Li to restore the original Eight Diagrams essence.
At this stage, it is generally divided into several steps: adjusting the body, adjusting the medicine, producing the medicine, collecting the medicine, sealing the furnace, practicing and refining, controlling the temperature, bathing in energy, and stopping the fire.
The "small universe" qigong has nine levels, which can be simply summarized into four processes: "collecting," "sealing," "refining," and "stopping."
According to the theory of inner alchemy, completing the refining jing to qi small universe qigong requires at least one hundred days, hence it is called "the hundred-day barrier".
Chen Yun carefully reviewed this information, and then his thoughts gradually shifted to the next stage of refining qi to shen.
"The stage of refining jing to qi is about integrating the essence and vitality. I have already entered the late stage of the master, which can be considered as having reached this point."
Chen Yun pondered silently: "Now, what I need to do is to combine the qi and spirit, let the qi return to the spirit, and reach the state of two returning to one."
The process of refining qi to shen is also known as the "Great Universe," the "Middle Barrier," or the "October Barrier."
According to the teachings of the elixir classics, the Great Universe belongs to the "exchange (liaoyu) of Qian and Kun," or the "Mao and You Great Universe." After filling in Kan with Li based on the postnatal Bagua, from Li in the south and Kan in the north, it turns to Qian in the south and Kun in the north. The original postnatal Bagua trigrams of Kan and Li have moved to the east (Mao) and west (You), respectively. Since alchemy values these two trigrams of Kan and Li highly, the Great Universe is thus called "Mao You Great Universe," and the small universe is called "Zi Wu Great Universe."
Unlike the Small Universe which uses the postnatal Bagua, the Great Universe employs the diagram of the primordial Bagua.
The Small Universe is a conscious stage, and during the refining process, the true intention must serve as the mediator, allowing the jiuxin miaohe (merge of five and two) to occur and lead to the formation of a pill.
The Great Universe transitions from the conscious stage to the unconscious stage, transforming qi into spirit, making the two become one, and allowing the primordial spirit to be pure and yang, thus enabling it to manifest externally.
This stage of the Great Universe is also known as the "nurturing the baby," and after entering the "Ten Days Barrier," the cultivation of the Great Universe can be considered a state of concentration.
The qi transforms from slight movement to stillness, and the true intention from observing with both eyes to awarenesslessness. At this point, wisdom arises from concentration, entering the realm of six penetrations and enlightenment. If one can achieve wisdom without use, transforming recognition into wisdom, then the fetus will be complete, and the yang spirit will be realized.
After sorting out these thoughts, Chen Yun roughly knew how to refine qi to shen and cultivate the sacred fetus golden elixir.
"First, try to see if we can integrate the spirit and qi and cultivate the sacred fetus by refining them together. If it doesn't work, it means I haven't reached the level of nurturing the sacred fetus, and I need to strengthen my own qi."
Chen Yun pondered that he still had some Qianli Grand Sage's immortality qi inside his body.
Even if this attempt of his fails, there's no harm done.
After all, he doesn't have to go through three barriers, so there's no dangerous situation.
He habitually sat cross-legged.
After sitting down, Chen Yun adjusted his mental activity, moving from the left front part of his body to the qi sea, attempting to merge spirit with qi and allowing the elixir qi to fill the Dan Tien, growing from small to large and then back to small, continuously refining it.
This step can be easily achieved if one's cultivation is deep enough.
Chen Yun tried for half an hour, but failed to succeed.
"I cannot merge the spirit and qi; what went wrong in the step?"
He stopped his cultivation and sat there in meditation, deep in thought.
When he tried to merge the spirit and qi, he felt that his elixir qi was full, clearly not due to insufficient power.
After a while, Chen Yun roughly figured things out.
"It seems I've misunderstood. This stage is generally prepared for people who haven't refined elixir qi yet. I've already refined my elixir qi, which means I should have been able to merge spirit and qi. Now, they're asking me to let the spirit merge with the elixir qi, how could that be possible?"
Chen Yun was deep in thought.
He did not care about what he should do at this stage anymore.
Even more so, he didn't concern himself with what to do next.
The normal next step should be: guiding the essence, qi, and spirit with the aid of intention, up to the Xuanjing cavity, left to the armpit and then down to Quchi, through Neiguan inward, along the fingertip, out of the arm to the outer part of the arm at Gaowan. Up over elbow across Jingjing well, up to Dazhui and down below. Out through Weilui. From below upwards through Yuzhen and onto Kunlun, to facial features passing over Queqiao and dropping down Zhonglou through Weiguan. Through gastric cavity past umbilicus to Yuzhu returning to Qihai. Along right leg through Kexian over foot back through zhi jian turning into Chongquen Zhou behind. Upwards running past Yinggu valley through Weilui back up top gate again. As before descending Queqiao in sequence down onto left leg just as following right leg meridians descend falling into Chongquen beneath tail pond and capture element sea.
The true qi flows through the meridians and circulates around in a full circle as described above.
The Great Universe cultivation of refining qi into spirit means to send the elixir obtained in the Small Universe into the twelve meridians and eight extraordinary meridians, refining it into a combination of jing, qi, and shen - the "great medicine" with unimaginable energy.
"I haven't refined the elixir mother, but have already refined the elixir qi that belongs to the great medicine. It seems that the normal methods are not suitable for me."
Chen Yun decided to change his approach and directly proceed to collect the "great medicine."
The timing for collecting the "great medicine" is very important.
You need to know when it's time to collect the "great medicine," then you can collect it.
Otherwise, collecting the "great medicine" too early or too late is not suitable.
When should the drug collection occur?
This is explained very clearly in "Xianfo Hezong". It is necessary to know that when the great medicine is born, the six roots will vibrate first. At this time, the fire in the Dan Tien is fierce, and the two kidneys are boiling. The eyes shoot out golden light, wind rises at the back of the ears, a vulture crows at the back of the head, and the body gushes and nasal convulsions occur. These are phenomena when obtaining the medicine. The obtained one is indeed the great medicine.
This moment is known as the "true midnight."
"The true midnight" is an internal alchemy term relative to the "living midnight" in the Small Universe Qigong.
The "cauldron" in the "true midnight" is different from the "cauldron" in the Small Universe.
The lower Dan Tien is the "furnace" in the Small Universe, while the upper Dan Tien is the "cauldron";
In the Great Universe, the lower Dan Tien is the "furnace," and the middle Dan Tien is the "cauldron."
After collecting the elixir in the "true midnight" of the Great Universe and putting it into the "furnace" in the lower Dan Tian, and then into the "cauldron" in the middle Dan Tian, the fire method used is even higher with "silent and profound observation."
Its method, from the perspective of the mind, most requires heart silent and observation, always determined and awake, listening to the "great medicine" up and down floating in the cauldron in the middle Dan Tian and furnace in the lower Dan Tian, diffusing and flexible;
As for breathing, it must also be allowed to come and go naturally, closely and meticulously, deep and regulated, with not a bit of roughness or urgency.
In this way, with long-term cultivation and profound understanding, when the "sacred fetus" formed by the concentration of spirit and qi reaches a certain level, one can transition to the final stage of "upgrading the soul and reaching spiritual emptiness" in the Great Universe cultivation.
Chen Yun began to practice according to the method.
Chen Yun wanted to use the lower Dan Tien as the furnace and the middle Dan Tien as the cauldron, attempting to merge spirit and qi.
Just as he was about to attempt it, he encountered trouble again.
"I've already refined the elixir qi. It's obvious that this method is no longer suitable."
This doesn't work, that doesn't work.
So how should one refine the golden elixir?
Chen Yun felt frustrated, "If Master were by my side, I could ask for clarification. However, now Master is detained and I have a very unclear understanding of this. How can I make things clear?"
He knew that he couldn't just blindly puzzle over it by himself, as practicing with deviations could potentially lead to major problems.
Chen Yun's gaze unconsciously turned towards the position of North Qiyu Mountain, "I must seek an understanding from a major master of Daoist cultivation. Currently, there are only two people who can be considered true major masters of internal alchemy, my teacher and Lu Dongbin Senior Brother. It seems that I have to go to North Qiyu Mountain to seek advice from Lu Senior Brother."
Thinking about it, he reached out and pushed the window, which automatically opened.
Chen Yun transformed into a beam of golden light and shot out quickly, heading towards the direction of North Qi Mountain.
Chen Yun had to learn deeply from Lu Dongbin in order to understand the specific situation and then attempt to refine the golden elixir.
(The end of this chapter)
