chsdbacks 18. Obtaining the Dharma
18. Obtaining the Dharma
The entire apprenticeship ceremony was very simple and was completed under the witness of the academy's headmaster, Xuan Yin. Before the statue of the deity, the academy established the rules that it must abide by, such as not betraying the academy, not betraying the academy, and not passing on the techniques to outsiders. The apprenticeship ceremony ended in half an hour.
Lu Feng walked out of the main hall and saw Ke Xing standing in front of the hall waiting for the apprenticeship ceremony to end. The first thing he said when he saw his junior brother was, "Are you as relaxed as I said? You seemed a little nervous before."
Lu Feng revealed an innocent expression and replied naturally, "It's inevitable to be nervous if you've never had this experience before."
"Indeed." In front of the main hall of the Taoist temple, with its upturned eaves, Ke Xing shook his head in agreement. Then, with a smile on his face and his hands behind his back, his purple robe fluttering, he asked, "Master, may I bestow upon you a Taoist title?"
Lu Feng immediately replied, "I bestow upon you the Daoist title of Mingxu, and make you my thirty-second generation disciple."
Ke Xingqian walked forward, his voice following behind: "Junior Brother Mingxu, my Daoist name is Mingxuan. Follow me. First, we will go to the Hall of Dharma Robes to measure your physique, then to the Daoist Canon Building to receive the Daoist Canon, and finally to the Dharma Pavilion to obtain the wondrous method to resist the ghostly calamity."
The voice suddenly carried a sense of freedom and vastness, which was somewhat similar to that of the master in the main hall.
"Yes, Senior Brother Mingxuan."
Lu Feng walked on the white jade bricks, descended the steps, and left the main hall.
Finally, after acquiring the innate talent, he truly began to come into contact with the cultivation methods of this world, which were truly beyond the reach of ordinary mortals.
The reason why Taoist temples are high above and have a natural sense of transcendence is because they have methods that enable people to resist evil spirits.
Even people in the outer city know that disciples of the Dao Academy can kill night ghosts. The basis for this is naturally the technique mentioned by Ke Xing and the academy master.
The Taoist temple is divided into several areas. Walking to the side from the main hall, there is a smaller Taoist palace, which is called the Calligraphy and Robe Hall.
At first glance, it was deserted. But once inside, one would see many beautiful young women, around sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed in flowing, cloud-patterned gauze dresses that accentuated their graceful figures.
The two had been standing there for a short while when a manager came over. She was also a woman, older, with a beautiful appearance, and she carried just the right amount of respect.
He bowed to Ke and said in a sweet voice, "Master Mingxuan, what are your orders?"
Ke Xing treated Lu Feng like a warm spring sun, but when dealing with those on duty at the academy, his expression turned cold, his voice barely moved, and his gaze never fell upon them.
"Junior Brother Mingxu has successfully become a disciple today. He needs to have Daoist robes made, a Daoist crown, a belt, high boots, and flat shoes made, one set for summer and one for winter. I require the highest quality. Do you understand?"
The woman in charge's expression changed slightly, revealing an unnatural look, and she paused for a few breaths before answering.
Ke Xing gave a soft hum, his gaze fixed on the woman with a hint of doubt, until she began to tremble. After a moment's hesitation, he finally spoke: "Interesting. You refuse to do it?"
"I wouldn't dare!" the manager said in a low voice, then raised his head and explained the reason: "It's Daoist Mingchenzi. He wants to exchange it, and there's only one set left in stock. There's no second set."
Upon hearing the name Ming Chenzi, Ke Xing's eyes narrowed slightly, and he pondered for a rare moment. Lu Chen prepared to speak, after all, he was new here and knew nothing, and it was not something a newcomer should do to offend people for no reason.
Just as he was about to speak, Ke Xing snorted coldly: "I hit it off with Junior Brother Mingxu at first sight. Master specially asked me to bring him here for a walk. This set of materials is for me. If Mingchenzi doesn't agree, let him come to me to negotiate. I will provide compensation myself."
Lu Feng fell silent and didn't say anything more. Senior Brother Ke Xing had already said everything. However, he sighed inwardly. It seemed that no matter where you were, you had to fight for it.
Seeing this, the woman in charge had no other choice. Asking anyone would only bring trouble for her, so she might as well bite the bullet and deal with the person in front of her, which would give her a reason for the future.
"Understood, Master Mingxuan. Then please have this new master come over to measure his body."
Lu Feng sighed slightly and still said, "Senior brother, isn't this inappropriate?"
This prompted Ke Xing to laugh heartily: "You are the junior brother I found, which means we are destined to meet. A top-quality Taoist robe costs no more than a hundred taels of silver, which I can afford."
Upon hearing that it cost a hundred taels, even though Lu Feng knew before he came that the Dao Academy spent money extravagantly, the fact that a set of clothes cost a hundred taels still made his heart skip a beat.
"I..."
"Go ahead. The Taoist temple teaches about predestined relationships and the natural way. It's just a small matter. After measuring the clothes, there are two more things to complete."
Ok.
Lu Feng stopped talking and followed the female manager inside. They entered a small, enclosed room, where seven or eight women with a subtle fragrance and holding soft rulers came out and began to undress him.
Only the inner garment was left on, and then every part of the body was carefully measured. In Lu Feng's eyes, this was definitely a high-end private custom-made garment from his previous life.
Considering that they would grow taller quickly in the future, he asked these people to aim for 1.8 meters, but someone replied that there was a free replacement opportunity every year, which completely shut Lu Feng up.
Okay, he just has poor judgment.
When I came out, the clothes inside were already being made, and even if someone came to make alterations, there wouldn't be any second set of fabric.
Lu Feng followed Ke Xing, leaving the Dharma Robe Hall and heading into the Taoist Academy. After passing through a long corridor, they went to retrieve the Taoist scriptures.
The so-called Taoist classics are high books that record Taoist thought. They generally describe the integration of Taoist temples with nature, the understanding of the great Tao of heaven and earth, and also emphasize the principles of fate and other ways of dealing with the world.
Finally, we arrived at the Dharma Pavilion, located at the deepest part of the Taoist temple. It was heavily guarded by Taoist protectors, and the temple buildings inside were magnificent.
Ke Xing stopped and stood still, waving to Lu Feng: "Go, the Dharma Pavilion cannot accompany you. Once you have received the wonderful method, I will begin to teach you formal cultivation."
Lu Feng nodded, performed the Daoist salute, and entered the majestic pavilion without being looked at by the many protectors.
As soon as you enter, the scent of sandalwood fills the air, its fragrance invigorating and instantly clearing your mind.
Looking inside the pavilion, a large, openwork incense burner carved with auspicious clouds and cranes stands in the center. An old Taoist priest with white hair is sitting loosely in front of the burner, his hair tied up with a wooden hairpin, and he sits on a soft futon.
The man made no move, his back to Lu Feng, and only the old Taoist's black robe could be seen.
A leisurely voice rang out: "Heaven and earth possess great beauty but do not speak of it; the four seasons have clear laws but do not discuss them; all things have inherent principles but do not explain them."
With a melodious and varied tone, the old Taoist priest abruptly stopped speaking and asked again, "Have you come to obtain the Dharma?"
Lu Feng immediately straightened his posture, bowed, and said, "Mingxu, the thirty-second generation disciple of Yunxia, has come to learn the Dharma."
"On the left, in the third row, is 'The Way of Clouds and Mist: The Chapter on Approaching the Body.' Take it. You have come here because you possess the essence of humanity, a talent that is hard to find among ordinary people. After you have mastered it, remember to fight for the survival of the human race and resist the evil spirits."
Upon hearing this, Lu Feng paused, and his tone became serious.
"Your disciple will remember this."
But inwardly he sighed; this principle was too profound, too difficult for him. Doing his best and taking care of those around him was probably the limit.
The old Taoist priest fell completely silent, not uttering another word, leaving only Lu Feng with his back turned.
Lu Feng regained his composure, went to the location the old Taoist had indicated, picked up a small, smooth booklet, and without reading it immediately, bowed again before leaving the Dharma Pavilion.
After leaving the Dharma Pavilion, Ke Xing saw Lu Feng holding a small booklet and immediately said, "Let's go. You can read this wonderful method as we walk. I'll take you to the practice pavilion."
"Yes."
Lu Feng followed behind, casually opening the booklet in his hand and reading it as he walked. Since there weren't many people in the academy, he could avoid the risk of falling as long as he paid a little attention.
The contents of the booklet were quickly read, and just as the booklet was being closed, Ke Xing's words arrived.
"Senior brother will first pass on some insights to you. The chapter on cultivating the body is divided into three parts: flesh, bone, and blood. These three are the foundation of cultivation."
Specifically, it can be: coagulation, gas gathering, and blood combination.
Humans are born with the inherent energy and blood to resist evil spirits. The most obvious part of this energy is the flesh, or the solidified body. Those with a solidified body can throw horns like an ox, and their flesh and skin can withstand weapons. When cleaved by knives or swords, the force reaching the point where the blade reaches can break the weapon.
At this point, Ke Xing immediately added, "I'm talking about ordinary ironware. If you encounter a sharp divine weapon with a name, you'd better run away as soon as possible. Our flesh and blood can't stop it."
Hearing the other person's words, Lu Feng chuckled and asked the question that had been bothering him: "Can a solidified body kill night demons?"
The Night Demon is not just a Night Demon, but also his advancement resource, because after he obtained the cultivation technique, he could see more text above Ke Xing's head.
[Skill Replication: Body Condensation (Breakthrough) / Cloud Mist Academy's First Realm of the Immersive Experience]
【Required Martial Arts Points: 15 / 3 of the current Martial Arts slots】
The moment Lu Feng saw these words, he understood that as long as he cultivated the Body Condensation Realm of the Body Tempering Chapter to the point of breaking through, he could download it from the Martial Arts Bar, and then break through to that realm in a natural way.
Ke Xing wasn't surprised by his junior brother's question; it was normal for someone from the outer city to harbor hatred towards the Night Demons.
But he still shook his head, saying bluntly, "What I call 'body condensation' is still within the realm of humans. Even against ordinary creatures like Night Demons, it's not enough. Unless I cultivate to my current Blood Fusion realm and activate the special blood energy within my body, I can't kill them!"
Okay, Lu Feng understands. If you're at a lower level, going up there is just like offering yourself up as food.
It seems we should continue to keep a low profile. After today's matter is resolved, we'll go to the outer city to collect black liquid. The quantity is small, but it's safe. In addition, our identities are different now, and the channels for obtaining information are also different, making it much easier than before.
The two exchanged questions and answers as they walked to another training pavilion in the Taoist temple. It was a series of interconnected, standardized buildings, totaling six, with people inside two of them.
Considering it was a one-on-one teaching session, Ke Xing led Lu Feng into the empty training pavilion.
The base is made of old elm wood, with seamless joints, spacious and flat, with wavy grain, and the floor is spotless.
The air is circulating, the doors and windows are open, and outside the house are towering ancient cypress trees, with green tiles and red walls visible in the distance.
Barefoot, standing on the wooden board, Lu Feng was intently watching Ke Xing teach him the specific training method for condensing the body.
"This is the foundation of martial arts, the stance training, which is the beginning of martial arts. My Yunxia Dao Martial Arts is also based on this foundation. There are three forms in total, each with different variations. With each form, you can stand until you feel as if you have nothing on your body and your whole body is like fire, and then you can try to break through to the Condensation Body."
Ke Xing taught earnestly, just like a master. In fact, this was the case at Yunxia Dao Academy: the master leads you in, but the cultivation depends on the senior brothers. Under this model, the relationship between senior brothers and sisters and junior brothers and sisters was as close as family.
Usually, if one of them encounters a problem, he can summon a whole string of people with a single shout. This is why Ke Xing dared to confront Ming Chenzi head-on in the Dharma Robe Hall; he also has powerful backers.