Ziyuan was a cultivator who intensely favored asking 'why.' She had to probe the root of everything, demanding clarity and complete understanding before she would yield.

She taught Li Yundong cultivation the same way. From the very beginning, when she prompted him to contemplate: "What is cultivation?" to now, as she instructed him in the most vital of the True Cultivation arts—the Divine Abilities—she always began with a rhetorical question.

"What are Divine Abilities?" Ziyuan sat cross-legged, her bearing reminiscent of an ancient pine, like a true grandmaster, commanding respect.

Li Yundong, having recently studied the Shurangama Sutra and the Zongjing Lu, answered without hesitation: "Divine Abilities differ between Buddhism and Daoism."

Ziyuan inquired, "How so?"

Li Yundong explained, "Buddhism considers Divine Abilities (Siddhis) as the capacity to fully grasp principles and realities. There are six main types: Clairvoyance (Heavenly Eye), Clairaudience (Heavenly Ear), Mind-reading, Psychic Power (Divine Foot), Recollection of Past Lives, and Extinguishment of Defilements (Āsrava-kshaya). Daoism, however, doesn't delineate so many distinct levels. Daoists recognize five kinds of ' 통' ( 통, tōng, meaning access or passage) in the cosmos: Dao-tōng, Shen-tōng, Yi-tōng, Bao-tōng, and Yao-tōng. Among these, Shen-tōng refers to the method by which a cultivator achieves a god-like state through the refinement of spirit and mind."

Ziyuan smiled faintly and asked, "What distinguishes the other four 'tōng' from Shen-tōng?"

Li Yundong continued, "Dao-tōng refers to those who reach the zenith of scholarly attainment and principle, thereby transcending the mundane and achieving sainthood—like Laozi, Confucius, and Mencius of the pre-Qin era, or the great scholar Wang Yangming of the Ming Dynasty!"

"Yi-tōng refers to spirits and strange beings that gain power through the accumulation of the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, such as Ginseng Spirits."

"Bao-tōng concerns the lingering shadows of the deceased whose souls fail to transition and ultimately transform into demons or malevolent spirits."

"Yao-tōng pertains to fox spirits attaining sentience or inanimate objects transforming into demons—that is Yao-tōng."

As Li Yundong finished speaking, he couldn't help but mutter inwardly, "So that little girl is Yao-tōng?"

Seeing Li Yundong answer fluently, Ziyuan nodded and stated, "Precisely. There are five paths in this world to acquire supremely potent power. Firstly, scholarship. When your learning reaches the level of Confucius or Laozi, you can command the vast, righteous energy between Heaven and Earth. Even without mastering spells, you possess a body impervious to all evil; demons and monsters will detour rather than offend you. This is why the saying exists: of the myriad pursuits, only scholarly study stands above all others."

Ziyuan’s statement stirred something deep within Li Yundong, further solidifying his resolve to immerse himself in reading.

Ziyuan continued, "There is a common saying: In books, one finds jade beauty; in books, one finds golden mansions. But there is another saying: In books, one finds the path to the Heavens!"

Li Yundong couldn't help but respond, "That line resonates deeply with me. Previously, reading these books felt like deciphering celestial script; even one extra character would leave me dizzy. But now, every word seems like a pearl, every phrase a maxim. I glean so much from them!"

Ziyuan smiled and nodded, saying, "Very well. One final question for you. How many layers does Heaven have? How many tiers does cultivation have?"

Li Yundong recalled Su Chan’s words and replied, "Heaven has nine layers, so cultivation has nine tiers, correct?"

Ziyuan nodded. "Good. My question is this: Why is Shen-tōng situated at the Fifth Heaven?"

Li Yundong, having devoured texts day and night recently, was usually unshakeable by common inquiries, but this single question stumped him!

Li Yundong laughed wryly, "Is there a rationale behind that specific ranking?"

Ziyuan smiled gently, "Is there no reason for respecting elders and maintaining order? You must remember, the Nine Heavens of cultivation are not arranged arbitrarily!"

Li Yundong managed a bitter smile, "Alright, then why is it so?"

Ziyuan chuckled, "It’s actually quite simple. Do you know why the Emperor is called the 'Noble One of Nine-Five'?"

Li Yundong’s eyes lit up. "Ah, I understand! The ancients believed that from one to nine, nine is the greatest and most revered number, while five, being central, represents harmony. Combining these two imbues a sense of supreme honor and perfect balance—the most auspicious symbol for an emperor!"

Ziyuan nodded, "Exactly! Placing Shen-tōng at the Fifth Heaven signifies that this level of cultivation is the most crucial stage within the Nine Heavens! It teaches you how to be the emperor of Heaven and Earth, the emperor of yourself!"

Li Yundong asked in surprise, "Isn't Foundation Building in the Fourth Heaven the most important?"

Ziyuan corrected him, "Foundation Building is merely a watershed; it separates mortals from cultivators. Surviving that hurdle proves you possess the strength to contend for dominion, but it does not make you an emperor. However, once you complete the cultivation of the Fifth Heaven, you can become the ultimate authority on Earth—not just your own master, but potentially the master of Heaven and Earth! Because by then, your every movement will possess the power to move mountains and drain seas. Everything an emperor can achieve, you can achieve."

Li Yundong’s eyes shone at this prospect. Who wouldn't desire dominion over creation, wielding the power to reshape landscapes with a mere gesture?

Especially after Ao Wushuang had demonstrated the terrifying extent of her Daoist might, Li Yundong yearned for cultivation more fiercely than ever. He craved strength, to be stronger than anyone else, perhaps even stronger than the heavens themselves!

Yet, Li Yundong wasn't blinded by ambition. He asked cautiously, "If I cultivate Divine Abilities, will the Heavenly Tribulation arrive immediately?"

Ziyuan nodded to him, "Yes. Divine Abilities grant you immense power, and from that moment forward, Heaven will monitor you every second! If you refrain from cultivating Shen-tōng, the tribulation will still arrive eventually, but if you are adept at concealment and cultivating in obscurity, you might live for another twenty years or more. But once you cultivate Divine Abilities, there is no turning back. You must confront the most terrifying force in existence: Heavenly Thunder!"

Ziyuan spoke with stern gravity, "You must consider this carefully!"

Li Yundong laughed heartily, "To live a lifetime in mediocrity, even longer than a turtle, what meaning does that hold? No need to think further. I must cultivate Divine Abilities, and I will pass the Heavenly Tribulation!"

Ziyuan observed Li Yundong’s unshakeable confidence, unaware of the source of this certainty.

She conceded, "Very well, I shall teach you how to cultivate Shen-tōng. Now, close your eyes, sink your Qi to your Dantian, gather the Three Flowers at the Crown, and unify the Five Breaths. Then, mobilize the Inner Elixir within you, gathering the True Essence Qi throughout your body to your crown. Once this True Essence Qi is refined, you must deliberately guide this refined energy back down toward your Inner Elixir."

Li Yundong listened intently, nodding to show understanding, and asked, "And then what?"

Ziyuan smiled, "And then? Nothing more. First, strengthen your Inner Elixir."

Li Yundong nearly fainted. "What? You went through all that circumlocution, only for it to be this simple? Are you teasing me?"

Ziyuan laughed, "It’s like asking if one plus one equals two. It sounds simple, but no one in this world has solved the Goldbach Conjecture! Achieve this first!"

Li Yundong stared, unwilling to believe Ziyuan's words.

Seeing his expression, Ziyuan relented and explained, "Why can't you shift your perspective? The various energies within your body are like different metals—gold, silver, copper, iron. What you must do is gather these metals into your three Dantians and, using your body as the grand furnace, refine these metals into currencies usable for trade—in short, turn them into money!"

"The True Essence Qi within you is the currency. Whenever a situation arises, you must spend currency to purchase or resolve matters," Ziyuan used a vulgar but remarkably clear analogy. "There are many nations in this world, and many types of goods, but the function of money is universal: circulation and exchange. True Essence is the same. The art of Shen-tōng is about strengthening your True Essence, making you wealthy beyond measure, so you can buy anything you desire, and learn any spell or technique effortlessly!"

This analogy struck Li Yundong instantly. He exclaimed with sudden realization, "I get it now! You mean this is like learning Passive Skills. As for specific spells, those are Active Skills. Passive Skills simply provide a bonus or enhancement to the Active Skills!"

Ziyuan was left speechless by his analogy, finding it even cruder than her own. She thought: If the venerable predecessors of cultivation heard you compare this to such trivial matters, they would surely explode with rage.

Having understood, Li Yundong said no more. He closed his eyes and soon entered a state of seated meditation.

Though Li Yundong’s formal cultivation time was short, aided by the Human Origin Golden Elixir and enlightened by Su Chan, his progress had been astonishingly swift. Furthermore, his subsequent rigorous physical training had forged his body and the Primeval Yang Qi within him into an exceptionally robust foundation. His actual cultivation mastery was already comparable to that of many who had practiced for fifteen or even thirty years.

In a short while, a wisp of white vapor, as thick as a little finger, began to rise from the crown of Li Yundong's head. He could distinctly feel his vital Essence, Blood, and Qi ceaselessly gathering at the upper Dantian in his crown. The energies of his five viscera followed the Essence, Blood, and Qi upwards.

At this moment, the Three Flowers gathered at the crown, and the Five Breaths unified!

Once the Essence, Blood, and the energies of the five viscera were refined into Qi at the crown, Li Yundong rapidly guided this energy flow down toward the Lower Dantian’s Inner Elixir in his lower abdomen.

This established a ceaseless, self-sustaining inner circulation!

The Inner Elixir continuously released True Essence to stimulate the body’s generation of Essence, Blood, and Qi. These, in turn, stimulated the five viscera to secrete their respective energies. Both streams converged at the crown, where the body, acting as the great furnace, refined the Three Flowers and Five Breaths into True Essence. This True Essence was then returned to the Inner Elixir, strengthening it, prompting it to surge forth with even more True Essence, which, in turn, spurred the greater production of Essence, Blood, and Visceral Qi.

The ancients spoke of the unity of Heaven and Man: Heaven and Earth constitute the Macrocosm, and the human body is the Microcosm, sharing profound similarities and commonalities.

The most significant commonality is the self-sustaining, ceaseless circulating power of Heaven and Earth—and the human body possesses the very same inherent force. This power is the power of Divine Abilities!

This cycle continued for perhaps two or three hours before Li Yundong slowly opened his eyes. When he did, he noticed Ziyuan sitting motionlessly beside him, also engaged in meditative qi circulation. The moment his gaze landed on her face, as pale and delicate as jade, Ziyuan woke serenely.

Ziyuan glanced at Li Yundong, "You're awake? How do you feel?"

Li Yundong gave a wry smile, "The feeling is fine, but I don't sense that I've acquired any Divine Ability. It feels the same as before, no difference."

Ziyuan smiled, her gaze drifting to the Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan resting near him, "You can try channeling your True Essence into the Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan and see what happens."

A thrill shot through Li Yundong. His eyes fixed on the fan, his heart beginning to pound: This Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan was already formidable even without spiritual power. What might it become once imbued with true magic?