Night, in the secluded dwelling.
Bai Cang wore a brocade blue Taoist robe, layered six-fold sole boots, a Qing Dynasty hibiscus crown, and a jade token hanging from his waist.
He now looked every bit the elegant young gentleman or a young Taoist priest, a far cry from his previous attire of a servant in gray linen clothes.
If he used to look like a farmhand in a landlord's house, now he looks like a young master from a scholarly family; even his demeanor has changed.
As the saying goes, "Buddha relies on gold plating, and people rely on clothing," the ancients were absolutely right.
This is the state of the world today: there are three, six, and nine classes, with clear distinctions between social classes, without any attempt to conceal them.
This difference in social status is not only reflected in clothing and attire, but also in all aspects of life, including clothing, food, housing, and transportation.
For example, when he lived in the servants' quarters, Bai Cang slept on a large communal bed with more than a dozen other people.
They could only take a bath once every ten days, and during the day they had to do all sorts of hard labor, so you can imagine how smelly they were.
The moment I stepped into the room, the pungent smell was simply indescribable; only those who know can truly comprehend it.
And now? The private room for one person, though not large, is still about thirty square meters, the same as that of an African student.
Moreover, although it is small, it has all the essentials. It provides fragrant baths, writing implements, and other miscellaneous items every day, all free of charge.
As for food, what did the servants eat in the handyman's quarters? Salted vegetables and steamed buns.
Although compared to the common people outside who had to eat coarse grains and wild vegetables in their cornbread, the servants of the Sanyin Temple who had white flour steamed buns to eat were living a life that "only immortals could live."
But what does Bai Cang eat now? He has plenty of the finest chicken, duck, fish, and meat at every meal, a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.
Every ten days there are medicinal meals, and occasionally we can enjoy delicacies such as venison jerky. Every three months we also receive a small health-preserving pill, which is simply incomparable to what we had before.
"It wasn't for nothing that I went to all that trouble and took that risk!"
Bai Cang was delighted. "Is this the charm of taking shortcuts? I love it!"
According to the normal promotion process of the Three Yin Temple, it takes at least five to ten years to go from a menial servant to an inner disciple.
Theoretically speaking, serving as a servant for three months qualifies one to participate in the assessment and be promoted to the outer sect, while serving in the outer sect for three years qualifies one to participate in the assessment and be promoted to the inner sect.
However, theory is one thing, and passing the assessment is another.
People like Jiao Fei, who come from powerful families and have powerful backers, have plenty of ways to circumvent the rules.
It doesn't matter, as long as the wealthy have the financial means, they can still get promoted step by step.
But Bai Cang, who has no connections and no money, is born with the Palu Sacred Body. He has to spend more time and effort to obtain what others can easily get.
If he doesn't take shortcuts, it will take him at least ten years to advance to the inner sect, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Ultimately, the Sanyin Temple is not a sect that properly trains disciples and has an orderly lineage, but rather a "dojo" specifically for supporting the temple's master, the Sanyin Daoist, a cultivator.
Those truly promising "spirit children" have long been sent to places like Fuhutan, Chilong Temple, or even the headquarters of Heshandao.
Those who remain are all "Paru," truly "the cattle and horses of all living beings."
But how many decades does one have in a lifetime? Bai Cang didn't want to waste his prime years working like an ox for the Sanyin Temple.
"No wonder people often say: We who follow unorthodox paths are taking shortcuts."
Bai Cang thought to himself, "Once you enter a heretical path, it's like entering a deep sea; from then on, the righteous path becomes a distant memory."
"If you don't take shortcuts, you'll never get ahead through unorthodox methods!"
He weighed his gains and losses in his mind, and now he could barely consider himself to have achieved something in terms of wealth, companionship, law, and land.
Wealth: Five taels of silver, one small health-preserving pill.
Partners: Zhang He, the adoptive father, and Jiao Fei, the brother on the surface.
Method: Hunyuan stance, Great Vajra pestle.
Location: A small, elegant residence, where the child was a test subject for medicine.
Of course, Bai Cang was also very clear that taking shortcuts would always come at a price.
Every gift of fate comes with a hidden price.
His status as a drug testing subject could save him ten years of detours.
However, the price is that one must test the drug on oneself, and there is always the risk of damage to one's foundation or even death.
But whether this is a price to pay or a reward for Bai Cang remains to be seen.
Just as for a normal person, having someone lick their feet is a great humiliation.
But for foot fetishists: Why should I be rewarded?
"There's no point in thinking too much, let's focus on cultivation!"
Bai Cang carefully reviewed his words and actions of the day, taking stock of the gains and losses.
He immediately placed his most precious possessions on the table.
One copy of the Great Vajra Pestle (Internal Cultivation Method) manual, and one Small Nourishing Pill.
Before starting his cultivation, Bai Cang first opened the Great Vajra Pestle Manual and reviewed his "knowledge system" again.
After all, what you learn from books is never enough; you must put it into practice to truly understand.
The infusion of Daoist blessings granted him a highly refined internal cultivation method, but he lacked practical experience in its application.
It's best to play it safe.
“Guiding method, breathing method, movement method, meditation method, and dynamic and static stance training.”
"Even mortal martial arts have so many intricacies, let alone cultivation techniques for immortality."
Bai Cang carefully perused the manual, comparing it with his own knowledge. "It seems that illiterate people cannot cultivate immortality. The opportunity to audit classes in the scripture hall may be the greatest benefit for the medicine-testing children."
Bai Cang can't actually use most of the methods in this "Internal Cultivation Method" now.
The "internal cultivation method" that Zhang He taught him by "words and deeds" during the day was actually only the "guiding" part, which aimed to guide the essence, qi and blood, and nurture a trace of true qi.
Logically speaking, this part of the method should be combined with dynamic and static stance exercises to achieve the best results.
However, the stance training of "Da Weituo Chu" is clearly not as refined as that of Hunyuan stance.
Moreover, the Hunyuan Zhuang (Primordial Stance) is highly adaptable and works perfectly with the "internal cultivation method" of the Great Vajra Pestle.
"This kind of overwhelming dominance is on a completely different level."
Bai Cang thought to himself, "Could it be that the Hunyuan Stance Technique is actually a simplified version of an immortal cultivation method?"
With this in mind, Bai Cang immediately stood up in the Hunyuan stance and began his first formal cultivation session, coordinating with the "meditation method" and "guiding method".
"call!"
"suck!"
The cold, frosty moonlight shone down, and the figures in the study kept changing their postures.
Bai Cang stood in the Hunyuan stance, constantly adjusting his breathing and relaxing his muscles and bones. All sorts of thoughts returned to calm, and the surging blood and qi continuously stimulated that faint sense of qi.
After about half a cup of tea's time, that familiar feeling of weakness returned.
Bai Cang knew that his cultivation had reached its limit for the day, and the essence he had gained from the food he had eaten during the day had been completely depleted.
However, that faint sense of energy was not much stronger.
"No wonder they say that scholars are poor while warriors are rich, and those who practice cultivation ruin their families, if they don't have enough resources to support them."
"The natural energy generated each day is simply insufficient to support the needs of cultivation."
"This is only the entry-level stage of mortal martial arts. If it were a cultivation technique for immortality, how terrifying would the energy consumption be?"
Bai Cang thought to himself, then decisively took out the "Minor Health Pill" and swallowed it.
"boom!"
The next moment.
Bai Cang suddenly felt a surge of vital energy rising from his abdomen and flowing into his limbs and bones.
Then, guided by the "guiding method," the energy gathers three inches below the navel, constantly stimulating and nourishing that faint sensation of energy.
"Buzz!"
In no time, Bai Cang suddenly opened his eyes, as if a sharp light was flashing within them.
A faint "true energy" condensed and took shape in the dantian.
"Hahaha, I've succeeded, Daoist Master!"
Under the cold, frosty moonlight, Bai Cang's eyes shone with an eerie brightness.
He could clearly feel that wisp of warm true energy circulating around his body.
It felt like soaking in hot water, so comfortable that it made you want to groan out loud.
The feeling was so wonderful that Bai Cang was completely captivated.
Most importantly, once he had mastered true qi, he would be considered to have entered the inner cultivation path, and at best, he would be a "third-rate master".
"According to the secret manual: when true qi is first generated, one enters the first grade."
"Next, nurture and strengthen your true energy, and connect the twelve regular meridians to become a second-rate master. Open the eight extraordinary meridians to become a first-rate master."
"If one can connect the two bridges of heaven and earth and return to the innate realm, then one will be qualified to enter the Dao through martial arts."
Bai Cang thought to himself, suppressing the urge to let out a long howl, and then assumed the Hunyuan stance.
But the next second, his expression showed even more surprise!
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