The cultivation method of the Great Bright King Scripture was exceedingly peculiar; the essence lay in obtaining the seed—without the seed, achievement was utterly impossible.
This differed vastly from the Buddhist cultivation methods of the Central Plains, where practice was aimed at flowering and fruiting; without the seed, everything was void, and no true realization could ever be attained.
There were two ways to acquire the seed. The swiftest method was receiving the empowerment, obtaining the mai qi (pulse covenant), wherein the master implants the seed directly into the disciple. Once the seed is secured, one cultivates according to the scripture, naturally achieving rapid advancement toward the Great Perfection.
If empowerment was unattainable, there existed a supplementary method: cultivating and condensing the seed independently.
However, obtaining empowerment was now impossible. According to his Master, the Great Bright King Scripture had long been lost, and even west of the Great Snow Mountains, no lineage remained.
Consequently, the only recourse was the supplementary method: self-condensation of the seed.
Yet, this supplementary method was unbearably arduous. With the effort required, one might as well cultivate something else entirely.
But his Master had pleaded and pressed him repeatedly to attempt it. He could not, in good conscience, ignore his Master’s heartfelt instruction, so he could only agree to try it tentatively.
Besides, a part of him was eager to test the waters, wanting to see if the Great Bright King Scripture could truly be realized.
Having already mastered the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art had greatly bolstered his confidence.
He formed the mudra, silently chanted the mantra, and entered the meditative state. When he awoke, the entire night had passed without any unusual sensation; it felt no different from his usual deep meditation.
He was not anxious; it was merely an initial trial. The practice of mudras and mantras rested upon the prerequisite of having the seed. Without the seed, the mudras and mantras were like water and fertilizer applied to barren earth—no matter how much one watered or fertilized, it would be useless.
The most critical steps involved condensing Jí and Fūzi.
The first step required cultivating the Great Compassionate Heart, then transforming that compassionate heart into raging divine fire, and with that fierce, blazing fire, condensing the form of a Bright King. Through visualization, this Bright King had to be brought into tangible reality, manifesting opposite him, allowing both to gaze upon and perceive the other.
The second step was to have the Bright King ascend above his own head, standing in the void, amplifying its radiance, showering down sweet dew to continuously purify the self.
The third step involved condensing the Bright King into a single point, descending through the Heavenly Gate, landing upon the heart center, and merging, becoming one with the self. Light would burst forth—I am the Bright King, the Bright King is I, without separation.
After these three steps, the seed would be condensed.
Subsequently, only through secluded cultivation could one possibly achieve the Great Bright King Dharmas.
He agreed to practice because his spirit was unusually strong, and he possessed deep insight into visualization. Condensing the Bright King into a true, tangible form was nearly impossible for ordinary people, but he could achieve it effortlessly.
However, for him, generating the Great Compassionate Heart was the hardest part. If the divine fire condensed from compassion were absent, what would manifest would not be a Bright King, but a Demon King.
This single thought constituted the difference between heaven and hell; a moment’s carelessness could result in eternal damnation—it was the most perilous of all prospects.
The Great Compassionate Heart. Li Muzhan shook his head. He felt no kinship; to him, all beings were but straw dogs; human nature was inherently evil. Having been reincarnated and looking down upon life, he possessed only the vast sorrow of heaven and earth, but not the cí xīn (kindly compassion).
To generate that kindly compassion required shifting the accumulated concepts of two lifetimes; it was truly difficult.
He was in no hurry. After washing up, he left his room and knocked on the door of the neighboring eastern courtyard.
“Who is it?!” an impatient voice called from within. The door was yanked open, revealing Li Zongheng’s large face, his brow deeply furrowed.
“It’s you again?!” Li Zongheng’s face immediately darkened, and he snorted, “What do you want?”
Li Muzhan smiled faintly, “Boss Li, have you had breakfast yet?”
“Not yet, what’s up?!” Li Zongheng asked guardedly.
← Hearing the address ‘Boss Li,’ he involuntarily straightened up. Li Muzhan had challenged and passed one gate today, and then vanished after passing a second gate; every outer disciple knew of it. He also understood that Li Muzhan had initially gone easy on him; otherwise, it should have been he calling Muzhan ‘Boss.’
But he felt no gratitude whatsoever. What manner of person was Li Zongheng to accept being yielded to? It felt like Li Muzhan was slapping his face—truly detestable, utterly detestable!
Li Muzhan smiled, “Perfect, I haven’t eaten either. Shall we go together?”
“Hmph, if you want to go, go yourself. I don’t have the leisure to accompany you!” Li Zongheng waved his hand dismissively and turned to re-enter his room.
Li Muzhan maintained his faint smile, “I am a new disciple. As a senior brother, shouldn’t I offer some guidance? You should at least possess this much decorum, Boss Li, shouldn’t you?”
“Nonsense decorum! I do what I want, what the hell do I care about decorum!” Li Zongheng squinted at him, his face full of disdain.
Li Muzhan remained smiling thinly, “Then let me treat Senior Brother to a meal. Senior Brother need not be polite!”
With that, he reached out, and before Li Zongheng could dodge, he had grasped his shoulder and pulled him out of the room.
Li Zongheng felt an immense surge of power, finding himself like a small skiff in a massive wave, utterly incapable of resistance, staggering right out of the courtyard.
“You… you… what are you doing?!” Li Zongheng stammered.
Li Muzhan smiled faintly, “Inviting Senior Brother to eat, of course. Senior Brother, give me face, please don't refuse, I insist…!”
Saying this, he kept his hand pressed on the shoulder and walked forward. Li Zongheng was propelled along, stumbling, his face flushed crimson, struggling forcefully to break free from the grip and escape.
But Li Muzhan’s strength was overwhelming; his struggling was like an ant attempting to shake a tree.
Suddenly, Li Muzhan loosened his grip and smiled, “Senior Brother, please…!”
Though Li Zongheng was arrogant and rough-mannered, he was not a fool. Looking at Li Muzhan’s smiling countenance, he inwardly cursed him as a smiling tiger. He let out a muffled grunt, “Fine, I’ll bestow my face upon you and have one meal!”
“I am deeply grateful,” Li Muzhan replied with a smile.
“Hmph!” Li Zongheng turned his head and snorted heavily, but his feet kept moving, lest he invite further humiliation.
From that brief encounter, he knew that if he chose to fight, he stood no chance. A small arm cannot twist a thick thigh; recognizing the situation was the mark of a true wise man.
The two men walked along the bluestone path, exiting the First Heaven, and continued upward until they reached the Fifth Heaven. Suddenly, they turned and headed west.
This was the North Courtyard, the women’s quarters, and the Canghai Sword Sect’s dining hall was located here in the Tán Pavilion.
As they walked west, people came and went—men in green robes, women in black shirts, gathered in twos and threes or in larger groups. The scene reminded Li Muzhan of a university cafeteria from his past life.
They entered a magnificent great hall, and their eyes immediately widened.
The hall possessed a vaulted dome decorated with intricate fish and flower patterns. The surrounding walls were like white jade, grand and luxurious. The hall could accommodate several thousand people; stepping inside, one immediately felt diminished and insignificant. The floor was covered with a dark purple carpet that muffled all sound.
When they entered, nearly a hundred people were eating at long tables, the murmuring sound ceaseless, like a swarm of buzzing bees.
The Canghai Sword Sect’s dining hall allowed free meals without payment, but two rules had to be strictly observed: one could select a maximum of four dishes per visit, and all food taken had to be consumed; no leftovers were permitted.
Li Muzhan sighed inwardly. In his previous world, they were called restaurants; here, they were truly called dining halls—how magnificent.
Similar to a modern buffet, large platters of dishes lined one side. The disciples of the Canghai Sect simply took a tray, helped themselves to whatever they desired, as long as the two rules were followed.
The two men picked up their trays of food and sat down at an empty long table. Li Muzhan glanced around. Men and women were seated together, but when his gaze swept over them, they quickly averted their eyes.
Some were bolder, smiling and nodding at him, which Li Muzhan returned with a nod and a smile.
Most of the surrounding disciples were seated in mixed-gender groups—not strictly pairs, but clusters where one man sat with several women, chatting and laughing amongst themselves.
Li Muzhan smiled, “Senior Brother Li, our sect doesn’t forbid marriage, does it?”
“Mmm,” Li Zongheng replied, his mouth full of pork knuckle, chewing with relish, his face smeared with oil.
Li Muzhan picked up a small silver fish and tasted it carefully, “Can male disciples marry female disciples?”
“Of course. As long as they take a liking to each other, nobody cares,” Li Zongheng shot him a quick, impatient glare before burying his face back into his meal, eating ferociously.
In his mind, he was treating that knuckle as Li Muzhan, and he was thoroughly enjoying it.
Li Muzhan nodded and said no more, focusing on his meal. Observing the gazes of those around him, he realized he was indeed famous now.
Suddenly, a voice spoke from behind him, “Zhanran… Junior Brother Zhanran?”
Li Muzhan turned around, stood up, and smiled heartily, “Oh, it’s Senior Brother Song. Come over and sit!”
Song Wenbin approached with his tray, a simple, honest smile on his face. He stole a glance at Li Zongheng and hesitated slightly.
Li Muzhan smiled faintly, “Senior Brother Li?”
“If you want me to sit, then sit! Why are you staring at me?!” Li Zongheng snarled, his face stern.
Li Muzhan turned back with a smile, “Senior Brother Song, come, come, sit over here by me. I didn’t expect you to be eating at this hour too. I thought you would have finished long ago?”
Song Wenbin cautiously sat down near Li Muzhan. Seeing Li Zongheng was not paying attention, he smiled slightly, “I just finished my practice session. I went to find you, Junior Brother Zhanran, but you weren't there.”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Senior Brother Li and I just arrived as well.”
The two chatted while eating. Li Zongheng only buried his head and gnawed away, speaking not a word.
Soon, the three finished eating and left the dining hall together, walking downward until they reached the Department of Miscellaneous Affairs. Li Zongheng went to fetch water, while Li Muzhan and Song Wenbin proceeded to the vegetable garden.
It was the height of summer, and although they were high in the mountains, the sunlight was exceptionally harsh. They needed to water the crops every two days. Li Muzhan took up fetching water and watering the vegetables, while Song Wenbin provided detailed instructions.
In the days that followed, his routine became extremely regular: waiting for Song Wenbin in the morning, then knocking on Li Zongheng’s door, the three of them going to the dining hall together, and returning afterward to attend to their respective tasks.
Li Zongheng progressed quickly, reaching the Second Gate within a month.
Then the small competition at the end of the month arrived.
Li Muzhan intended to participate in the small competition to earn points and enter the Inner Sect as soon as possible.
For him, entering the Inner Sect would allow him to lift the restriction on the Jì Mì Suǒ Wú Shù (Silent Lock Absence Technique). Besides the Great Bright King Scripture, he could also begin cultivating his Martial Uncle Zhumei’s Canghai Divine Art.
Mei Ruolan’s mastery of the introductory Heart Method for the Canghai Art was already formidable, demonstrating the true wonder of this skill. If he could cultivate the Canghai Divine Art, he could further expand his internal energy advantage, making the path toward overwhelming power with sheer force a real possibility. Thus, he hoped to begin cultivating it quickly.
As for the Great Bright King Scripture, progress was stalled. Without the Great Compassionate Heart, he dared not condense the Bright King with divine fire, lest he fall into the Demonic Path.