As I draw breath, the warmth in his Dantian spreads, making his entire body feel as if submerged in a hot spring; he realizes that this Tuna practice, much like Zen meditation, is a most pleasant experience.

Once the Dantian was sufficiently warm, he ceased the breathing exercises and began guiding his spirit to move the Qi along the Ren and Du meridians, circulating it once. His internal energy increased infinitesimally, a comforting, lingering warmth.

After a short while, he felt the familiar sensation of fullness in his Dantian again, so he stopped.

However, this time, the Baihui acupoint did not open, no celestial dew dripped down, and the growth of his internal energy was not as swift as before. What could be the reason?

Li Muzhan pondered for a moment, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

He resettled himself, forming a mudra with his hands, intending to enter meditation, but a faint chuckle reached his ears—it was the voice of his sister-in-law, Zhao Yiyi. He shook his head, released the mudra, and left the room.

A full moon hung high in the sky, casting silver light everywhere, the world outside utterly clear, the sounds of insects rising and falling, punctuated by Zhao Yiyi’s occasional light laughter.

Moonlight flooded the entire small courtyard, revealing a family of four gathered around a round table set near the flowerbeds, the air thick with the scent of blossoms.

Li Zhuzi, Madam Qin, Zhao Yiyi, and Li Yurong were eating fruit and chatting idly, relaxed and at ease, their expressions perfectly natural.

Seeing him emerge, Madam Qin’s beautiful face broke into a smile, and she beckoned him softly: "San'er!"

Li Muzhan walked over and sat down beside her. On his other side was Zhao Yiyi, clad in a delicate blue-and-white floral print dress, truly lovely, who smiled and nodded at him, her delicate fragrance drifting into his nostrils.

"San'er, you entered the Mei Manor yesterday, didn't you?" Madam Qin asked with a warm smile.

Li Muzhan nodded and accepted a slice of watermelon handed to him by Zhao Yiyi.

"Good. Since you are in the manor, work hard and do well, don't let anyone look down on you," Madam Qin said softly.

Li Muzhan chuckled, "Don't worry, Mother, I won't disgrace you!"

Madam Qin laughed, "You three siblings, you are the one with the most schemes; I'm not worried about you."

She sighed then, shaking her head, "Little Jian's wife, her appearance is good, her figure is fine, a virtuous wife who will bear strong sons—truly wonderful!"

"Li Jian must be ecstatic, right?" Li Muzhan lowered his head, took a bite of watermelon, and smiled.

Li Zhuzi coughed, then snorted, "Little Jian has finally amounted to something... Just the other day he was a child, constantly seeking you out to play; now, in the blink of an eye, he’s setting up his own family!"

Li Muzhan smiled, not taking the bait, and glanced at Li Yurong. Li Yurong gave him a look, her bright eyes flickering, and quickly steered the conversation away: "Father, let's eat!"

Madam Qin quickly added, "That’s right. Yiyi, are you hungry?"

Zhao Yiyi smiled and shook her head, "Not yet... Mother, you just sit still; I'll bring some more."

She rose gracefully, and Li Yurong followed suit; the two of them went into the kitchen together.

Li Muzhan finally couldn't escape. Li Zhuzi picked up the thread of conversation, shaking his head and sighing, "Look at that, Little Jian is getting married too, and we might have a grandchild after the New Year!"

Li Muzhan offered a wry smile, "Father, you should say that to Elder Brother!"

"Hmph, his wings have hardened; he hasn't listened to this old man for ages!" Li Zhuzi snorted.

Li Muzhan smiled gently, "Father, you wrong Elder Brother. He's been a Vice Steward for so long, his tone naturally grows firm; why lower yourself to his level, Father!"

Li Zhuzi sighed, "It's a pity you cannot return to secular life; otherwise, you too should be married by now!"

Madam Qin said, "Old man, stop pestering San'er. The Emperor issued the decree just last year; monks are forbidden from returning to lay life. Give up that thought!"

"Alas... my fate..." Li Zhuzi shook his head and sighed.

After the meal, Li Muzhan sat chatting with his parents and elder sister, the conversation meandering aimlessly, covering nothing more than daily trifles and neighborhood gossip.

Li Muzhan found no weariness in the trivialities; instead, he listened with keen interest.

In his previous life, he believed a true man should concern himself with affairs of state, considering such petty details a waste of energy.

In this world, he suddenly understood that the true joys of life reside within these small matters; to not be ensnared by them, but to view them from a detached perspective and savor them closely, held a unique delight.

The night deepened, and Li Muzhan urged everyone to sleep. Missing the Zi and Wu hours of rest was highly detrimental to the health of the elderly couple; the art of nourishment lies in the smallest details of daily life.

The others departed with a sense of wistfulness, and Li Muzhan returned to the west room.

Of the three main rooms, the center was the living hall. Li Zhuzi and Madam Qin occupied the east room, Li Muzhan lived in the west room. The east wing housed Li Yurong, and the west wing was for Li Mufeng and his wife.

Li Mufeng often smiled wryly, as the location of their rooms clearly indicated the status of the three siblings in the household.

Quiet settled outside; the moonlight shone brightly, and a gentle breeze swirled through the leaves and flowers. His hearing had sharpened considerably, and he perceived the courtyard’s profound silence even more clearly.

His heart settling into stillness, he blew out the lamp and settled onto the couch, sitting cross-legged. He formed a mudra with his hands, allowing his body to relax and loosen, his expression softening, a slight smile playing on his lips, quickly entering the state of Zen meditation.

As time passed, the lake of his mind became utterly clear, his consciousness sharp. A few stray thoughts quickly subsided, replaced by a faint joy that he wished could last forever, allowing him to merge with the cosmos.

This was the initial stage of Chán (First Meditation). With a slight stir of his spirit, a wisp of warm Qi floated out from his Dantian, descended to the Mendao (likely a typo or specific term, assumed here for continuity), and then followed the Du meridian upward, smoothly passing the Three Gates before entering the Baihui point.

The internal energy circulated. His spirit remained unmoved, no extraneous thoughts arising. He felt the warmth of the internal energy with detached clarity as it circulated ceaselessly at the Baihui point.

After circling for several breaths, suddenly, the Baihui aperture opened like a cavern, and a drop of celestial dew descended. Instantly, the internal energy grew heavier, transforming from cloud to rain, descending through the Twelve Layers of the Tower, and settling into the Dantian.

The Dantian instantly became immensely warm and slightly distended.

A flicker of joy crossed his mind, a ripple on the lake of his spirit that smoothed over immediately. He continued to guide the Qi with his spirit, drawing a small thread of internal energy from the Dantian up the Du meridian to the Baihui, where it met the drop of celestial dew, then flowed down the Ren meridian.

After three full cycles, his Dantian felt sore and swollen, so he stopped, slowly emerging from the state of meditation, a broad smile on his face, knowing he had uncovered a great mystery.

The marvels of the human body were truly unimaginable. This sublime scene of dew descending from the crown—if told to an outsider, they might deem it absurd, like a myth.

Thus, it seemed that the Tuna technique, when practiced in isolation, merely circulates the Ren and Du meridians. Although the internal energy increased with every cycle, the augmentation was inferior to that brought by the descending celestial dew.

The secret behind this was unknown and required slow exploration.

For the Baihui acupoint to open and let the dew descend, one needed to enter the initial stage of Chán—to achieve a state utterly free of distracting thoughts—which, for ordinary people, was as difficult as scaling heaven.

Buddhism is divided into the Sect of Being and the Sect of Non-being. The Sect of Non-being speaks of the Four Great Emptinesses: Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire, which constitute the world. Qi belongs to Wind.

When cultivating Zen meditation, the movement of Qi corresponds to the Wind element, which must be emptied. Once the spirit focuses too much on Qi, it is easy to fall into demonic states, entering a dark realm, which is extremely dangerous.

Martial artists, however, cultivate Qi by guiding it with intention.

Logically, both paths should eventually lead to the same destination: profound attainment requires a pure heart and mind, utterly devoid of stray thoughts.

But these two paths differ greatly. Buddhism cultivates the mind (Xin), which is far superior to the internal cultivation methods of the martial world, like the difference between a straight path and a winding detour.

He dismounted from the couch and paced slowly in his room, a faint smile on his face. It seemed his deep Zen cultivation was a tremendous aid to his internal energy practice.

However, the secret manual for the Tianyuan Tuna Technique only described the methods of practice, not the stages. He didn't know what the third level entailed, but judging by the appearance of his three senior brothers, it must be extremely difficult.

After thinking for a while, he decided to set the matter aside. He reached out and pulled open the small bedside cabinet, intending to take out the volume of the Guan Tianren Shenzhao Jing to study.

"Eh?!" As he pulled the cabinet door open, his expression changed drastically.

He gave a bitter smile and pulled out a damaged booklet; the upper half was missing, leaving only the lower portion, and the left half of that lower portion was also gone.

Flipping through it, he could vaguely make out a lotus flower emerging from a lake, standing tall and graceful. This damaged booklet was the Guan Tianren Shenzhao Jing!

Li Muzhan looked at it, shook his head with a bitter smile, and slammed the wall with his fist: "Alas—!"

With a dull thud, he startled himself.

Then realization dawned: having just finished practicing the Tianyuan Tuna Technique, his strength had increased again, yet he hadn't noticed. It seemed his Zen control was still insufficient; as soon as he was disturbed by an external object, his senses immediately dulled.

"What's wrong, San'er?!" Madam Qin knocked urgently on the door from outside. The door creaked open, and Li Yurong's sweet, clear, and round voice asked, "Little San'er, what are you doing?"

Li Muzhan went to open the door and gave a wry smile, "Mother, you need to control the rats in our house!"

Madam Qin, wearing only a thin robe, stood outside the door and scrutinized him in the moonlight, chuckling, "What’s wrong? Did the rats bother you?"

"Look!" Li Muzhan held up the Guan Tianren Shenzhao Jing with annoyance.

Madam Qin looked down and couldn't help but laugh, "Don't blame me; it’s all your father’s fault. I asked for a cat, but he insisted against it, saying cats are treacherous ministers and not fit to keep!"

"Heh heh, Father loves to eat fish; he's afraid the cat will steal his share!" Li Yurong giggled.

Li Yurong was wearing a moon-white monastic robe, clearly not yet asleep. She glanced at the booklet, pursed her lips, and smiled, "San'er, what kind of secret manual is this? It seems so precious?"

She understood her younger brother's character—calm and profoundly detached from worldly affairs; ordinary things couldn't stir his heart. Such an expression meant this item was extraordinary.

"You wicked girl, stop teasing me!" Li Zhuzi’s voice came from the room to the east.

Zhao Yiyi also draped a pink garment over herself, her unbound hair catching the moonlight, lending her an added layer of allure.

She peered at the small booklet and whispered, "Little Uncle, do you have any fragments left? I can try to stick them together for you!"

Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Those have already been eaten by the rats!"

"Then there's nothing to be done," Zhao Yiyi pursed her lips tightly, struggling to suppress her laughter.

"Mother, you ruined my great affair!" Li Muzhan shook his head.

Madam Qin pursed her lips and smiled softly, "Alright, alright, it's all my fault! ...I didn't tell you, but they’ve become too bold, daring to disturb the Grand Master!"

Li Yurong snatched it up, took a look, and laughed, "Guan Tianren Shenzhao Jing... what kind of Buddhist scripture is this? I've never heard of it!"

The booklet was chewed away by seven or eight tenths; only a lotus flower and a few characters below it remained.

Li Muzhan sighed, "This was gifted by an eminent monk before his Parinirvana. I never grasped its profound secrets, but now I suppose I must give up hope!"

Li Yurong pursed her lips and smiled, "It seems your destiny with it has ended here!"

"Second Sister, you’re gloating!" Li Muzhan huffed, annoyed.

"Alright, alright, go back to sleep now; it’s so late!" Li Yurong cajoled him like a child.

It was rare to see her third brother so vexed, which she found genuinely amusing, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, go back to sleep, Yiyi, you're visiting your parents tomorrow; don't stay up too late... San'er, since it's come to this, just let your heart rest. Consider it lost by your own carelessness!"

Madam Qin said a few things, then turned and left with a smile.

Zhao Yiyi pressed her rosy lips together tightly, her expression peculiar, glanced at Li Muzhan, and quickly turned back to the west wing.

After everyone dispersed, Li Muzhan could only shake his head helplessly, return to his room, and sit cross-legged on the couch.

In this short time, the lake of his mind had calmed, undisturbed; his anger and unwillingness had dissolved, and peace and joy returned.

Forming the mudra with his hands, he once again entered meditation, the process now familiar and smooth. Soon, his spirit ascended into tranquility and harmony; everything around him vanished, leaving only a single thought swirling.

Suddenly, a thought stirred within him, and he began to contemplate that lotus flower.

In a crystal-clear lake, a lotus flower broke the surface, standing tall and graceful. Under the bright sunlight, its pristine petals resembled thin jade slices, translucent and pure—one petal, two petals, three petals... nine petals in total.

The lake water was like the clear lake within the Mei Manor, so transparent it was almost invisible; the mud, stones, swimming fish, and aquatic plants beneath were all perfectly discernible.

Having never seen the Clear Lake, he couldn't imagine water could be so clear—even clearer than the hot spring behind Chengjing Temple. Gazing upon it brought immediate clarity of mind.

A slight breeze blew, causing the lotus petals to tremble gently, flawless and radiant. He contemplated this lake and lotus, his heart filled with joy, remaining silent and unmoving.

In his practice of Zen, he only used the method of Cessation (Zhi), stopping extraneous thoughts to purify the mind like polished glass.

He knew a little of the method of Contemplation (Guan) as well, having briefly practiced it before, though he stopped short of deep cultivation. This was because Guan required guidance from a master, as it was prone to the grave danger of 'Qi deviation leading to madness' (Zou Huo Ru Mo).

He once heard his master, Faxing, recount a secret history: when the Buddha first turned the Dharma Wheel, he instructed his disciples in the White Bone Contemplation technique; many who practiced it committed suicide, showing the immense danger.

Since Master Faxing passed into Nirvana, he dared not practice Guan, adhering only to the path of stopping thoughts.

He had once tried to visualize the entire painting, but his vision remained dark; he couldn't perceive it. Now that the scroll had been gnawed by rats, leaving only the lotus and the lake, he was moved to contemplate this damaged image.

When Buddhist practice reaches a certain level, he faintly sensed countless threads connecting heaven and earth, discovering the existence of 'Karma' (Yuan). Who could say that the rats gnawing the painting wasn't his own 'Karma'?

He had seen the Clear Lake during the day and felt joy; now, contemplating it required no effort; instead, a slight happiness arose, his whole body feeling comfortable, as if he had transformed into the lotus itself, basking in the bright sunlight, caressed by the gentle breeze.

Unaware of the passage of time in his meditation, he contemplated for an unknown duration. Suddenly, his Baihui aperture opened, and a drop of celestial dew gently descended from the sky.

The dew dripped into the Baihui acupoint and landed precisely on the lotus, where it was immediately absorbed by the seed head, vanishing. The lotus faintly emitted a slight glow, appearing and disappearing, as if it had truly turned into warm, lustrous white jade.

A surge of joy flooded him, and the scene before his eyes suddenly shattered into fragments, plunging him back into darkness.

Slowly opening his eyes, he released the hand seal, dismounted from the couch, and pushed open the window. Moonlight streamed in, illuminating his shaven head, making it gleam.

Looking up at the sky, he calculated that it was precisely the turn of Zi and Wu—the time when Yin energy was strongest.

He then quietly examined his body: his spirit was vigorous, as if he had just woken from deep sleep; he felt completely refreshed, without any trace of drowsiness, so he returned to the couch and entered meditation again.

He used meditation in place of sleep; the effect was miraculous. Compared to sleeping, meditation was more wondrous and provided more thorough rest.

After breakfast the next day, he went to Li Jian's house, and the two set off for Jinyang City together.

As they walked, Li Jian glanced at him twice and smiled, "Muzhan, you slept well last night, didn't you? You look very energetic."

Li Muzhan, clad in a gray monastic robe, wore prayer beads on his wrists and another string around his neck, exuding a calm demeanor—the very image of a young, accomplished monk.

He smiled, "You didn't sleep well, did you? Still thinking about your wife?"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Li Jian’s face flushed.

Li Muzhan chuckled, "Are you satisfied with your wife?"

"It's passable!... It was my parents' decree, arranged by the matchmaker; where would my opinion matter?" Li Jian pouted.

Li Muzhan laughed, "Enough of this pretense. Do you think your parents could force you against your will?!"

Li Jian chuckled sheepishly. The two chatted and laughed their way to Jinyang City. They parted ways in front of the Chaoran Tower; Li Jian entered the tower, while Li Muzhan headed to the Mei Manor.

At the entrance of the Mei Manor, four imposing men still stood in two rows, their gazes sharp and their expressions solemn, forming an imposing aura along with the two stone lions.

A square-faced man stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Junior Master Zhanran, the Commander bids you come see him directly!"

"Very well, thank you," Li Muzhan nodded, pressed his palms together in greeting, and stepped into the Mei Manor, proceeding directly along the Clear Lake toward the west, arriving at the training grounds.

The training grounds were bustling.

Under the bright sunlight, some practiced punches and kicks, others brandished sabers and swords; some stood motionless, like wooden chickens, practicing pole standing; still others ran with astonishing speed, practicing lightness skills.

Jin Kaitai stood in the center of the high platform with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture slightly hunched like a black bear, his eyes like a falcon’s. When he saw Li Muzhan from afar, his gaze fixed on him. Li Muzhan felt his body tighten momentarily and hurriedly composed his spirit.

He walked along the central gravel path to the high platform, bowed with joined palms, and said, "Commander!"

Jin Kaitai had been watching him, his gaze like a drill. Li Muzhan remained composed and unperturbed, as if noticing nothing.

After watching him for a while, Jin Kaitai softened his gaze, nodded slightly, and said in a deep voice, "How is your training progressing?"

Li Muzhan replied, "Second Senior Brother explained it to me, but there are still some things I don't quite understand."

"Tell me about them," Jin Kaitai nodded.

Li Muzhan said, "After the internal energy circulates two full cycles, the Dantian begins to swell—what is happening? Is it serious?"

"Wait a moment!" Jin Kaitai frowned and said in a deep voice, "You said the internal energy circulated two full cycles?!"

"Yes, after two cycles, the Dantian swells. I dared not continue the practice," Li Muzhan nodded.

Jin Kaitai’s brow furrowed tightly, "You've just started practicing the Tianyuan Tuna Technique, and you can already sense your internal energy?"

"Yes. After practicing Tuna for an hour, the Dantian filled with Qi, which surged out on its own, went up the Du meridian on my back, and then down the Ren meridian in front, returning to the Dantian, making it swell considerably," Li Muzhan recounted slowly.

"Wait!" Jin Kaitai hastily waved his hand, examining him up and down. Li Muzhan's expression was calm, his gaze peaceful.

Jin Kaitai pressed his left hand to his temple, seeming to have a headache. After thinking, he frowned, "Words are hard to explain clearly. Demonstrate one practice session for me."

"Here?" Li Muzhan looked around.

"...Let's go back to the Tianshu Courtyard!" Jin Kaitai turned and strode down the high platform with long steps.

Li Muzhan followed closely behind him, and the two soon reached the Tianshu Courtyard, which was silent at that moment.

"They have all gone out to practice; it's quiet here, just right!" Jin Kaitai noticed Li Muzhan looking around as if searching for someone and spoke up.

He pointed toward the covered corridor, and they went over, sitting down on separate benches in the corridor.

Wide wooden planks, acting as long benches, spanned between the vermilion pillars, broad and flat enough to sit cross-legged upon, with a few meditation cushions already placed there.

Li Muzhan sat cross-legged. Jin Kaitai sat behind him, placing his right palm on Li Muzhan's back, and said in a deep voice, "Zhanran, circulate your energy now."

Li Muzhan nodded gently, closed his eyes, and began the Tuna.

After a few breaths, warmth ignited in his Dantian, like a fire stoked beneath a cauldron, slowly increasing the heat.

Soon, a stream of internal energy surged from the Dantian, descended to the Mendao, pierced the Three Gates, rose to the Baihui, descended through the Twelve Layers of the Tower, and returned to the Dantian, completing one cycle.

Warmth enveloped him, as if soaking in a hot spring, incomparably pleasant, so he guided the internal energy for two more cycles. The Dantian began to swell slowly, then he ceased, drawing the Qi back into the Dantian.

He released his hand and turned to Jin Kaitai, who stood in the corridor, "Commander, is anything amiss?"

Jin Kaitai was staring at him with wide eyes, his expression strange.

Li Muzhan’s question startled him into motion. He shook himself and hastily asked, "Zhanran, you truly have never practiced internal arts before?"

Li Muzhan shook his head, "I have only been practicing the Buddhist Zen discipline; I have never practiced internal arts."

"This is truly seeing a ghost!" Jin Kaitai muttered to himself.

"Commander?" Li Muzhan quickly inquired, "How does one reach the third level? The manual doesn't specify the stages."

Jin Kaitai looked at him strangely, "Three levels? Heh heh, you have already mastered it... you have achieved Great Accomplishment!"

"Mastered it?" Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow and slowly nodded, "In that case, I can return home tonight?"

"I keep my word!" Jin Kaitai quickly nodded, then added, "Zhanran, when you were a child, did you ever consume any elixirs? Spirit medicines?"

Li Muzhan shook his head.

Jin Kaitai remained unconvinced, studying him. After a moment, he asked, "Then why are your Ren and Du meridians so easily connected?"

"When I cultivated my Zen discipline, I seem to have accidentally opened them... Is there something wrong?" Li Muzhan inquired.

Jin Kaitai slapped his thigh, "So it’s the power of Buddhist Dharma! ...No wonder!"

He then quickly smiled, "Heh heh, not only is there nothing wrong, but it’s a huge piece of good news!... Zhanran, how familiar are you with the body's Twelve Main Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Vessels?"

Li Muzhan shook his head, "I listened to Second Senior Brother lecture yesterday, but I’m not very clear on them."

"Then I will explain them to you in detail," Jin Kaitai said.

Li Muzhan nodded softly, listening intently.

"And these Eight Extraordinary Vessels," Jin Kaitai continued, "are like a series of lakes, interconnected by the Twelve Primary Meridians."

He went on, "However, the Eight Extraordinary Vessels are inherently Yin in their composition and possess several fixed barriers that separate them from the Twelve Primary Meridians, much like this clear lake before us."

As he spoke, he gestured toward the placid, unruffled surface of the Ming Lake ahead.

Li Muzhan nodded slowly, indicating comprehension.

Jin Kaitai explained, "Only when the water in the lake becomes too full can it overflow into the river, or conversely, if the river's water level rises too high, it can flow back in."

He added, "Normal practitioners, when cultivating, usually circumvent the Eight Extraordinary Vessels and focus on the Twelve Primary Meridians, guiding the Qi with intention, cycling it within certain meridians to increase inner strength... Little do they realize that the strength they build is merely the minimal overflow from the Eight Extraordinary Vessels—a pittance. This is why increasing inner strength must be a slow accumulation over years, never rushed."

Suddenly, his spirit lifted, and he turned sharply, "But the Tianyuan Breathing Technique is different!"

Li Muzhan slowly nodded; the Tianyuan Breathing Technique was indeed distinct.

"The Tianyuan Breathing Technique attacks the Conception and Governing Vessels directly. The inner energy gained through breathing is used to impact these two vessels. Once broken through, it’s like connecting to a massive lake—a lake that naturally possesses its own spring source, allowing inner energy to generate continuously. Compared to that occasional overflow, the difference is heaven and earth!"

At this point, his eyes gleamed, his demeanor vibrant with energy.

Then, he sighed, "A pity. This Tianyuan Breathing Technique is too difficult; not a single one of the four senior disciples at the Tianshu Institute managed to master it!"

He shook his head, lamenting, "These fellows are too eager for quick success and immediate gain. They will regret this later! Once they cultivate other mental methods that run through the Twelve Primary Meridians, trying to break through the Eight Extraordinary Vessels later will be harder than climbing to heaven!"

"And why is that?" Li Muzhan asked.

Jin Kaitai sneered, "Internal cultivation methods travel the Twelve Primary Meridians. Take our esteemed Shaoyang True Scripture from the Mei Manor; it travels along the Hand Shaoyang and Foot Shaoyang channels... Once the Qi in these Twelve Meridians fills up, it overflows into the Eight Extraordinary Vessels, reinforcing their barriers. The deeper the cultivation, the more overflows, and the higher and stronger those barriers become... Accumulated over time like this, they become utterly impregnable. To try and break through them... Hmph, they might as well dream!"

Li Muzhan nodded, pondering in silence.

He felt his mind was unusually sharp today. He absorbed Jin Kaitai’s words instantly, understanding them upon hearing them, vaguely attributing it to his contemplation of the Gazing at Heaven and Man Illumination Scripture.

His thoughts raced as he considered: In that case, when attempting to break the Conception and Governing Vessels, seated meditation might actually surpass the Tianyuan Breathing Technique.

During deep meditation, when the Neiqi fills the Dantian, it naturally surges out, impacting the Conception and Governing Vessels. At this point, the spirit remains tightly anchored in emptiness, the mind unmoving, the body completely relaxed.

However, with the Tianyuan Breathing Technique, as the inner energy impacts the vessels, the thought of breaking through unintentionally arises, causing the body to tense imperceptibly, thus making the barriers naturally more solid.

Of course, to ignore the body's instability, allow no distracting thoughts, and keep the heart unmoved—that requires an extremely deep level of seated meditation, something few can achieve. In truth, mastering seated meditation is far more arduous than mastering internal cultivation methods.

But, the breathing methodology of the Tianyuan Breathing Technique is superior for gathering Neiqi.

Jin Kaitai wiped his face, and his impassioned expression vanished instantly, replaced by calm composure.

He turned to look at Li Muzhan, his voice grave, "Zhanran, what are you thinking about?... Since you have successfully cultivated the Tianyuan Breathing Technique, you may now choose an internal cultivation method!"

Li Muzhan slowly stated, "Commander, I wish to cultivate the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill!"

"The Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill?" Jin Kaitai frowned again.

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