From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 107 A First Exploration of Immortal Techniques: A Mystery Remains Unclear

The passage behind the stone gate wound its way down, and I followed it for a long time until I finally arrived at a wide valley. The warm sunlight shone on me, dispelling the chill of the earth. I took a deep breath, determined my direction, and flew towards the sect.

Back at the sect, I went straight to the Immortal Arts Pavilion. Pushing open the vermilion doors, a faint scent of sandalwood wafted out. Inside, countless bookshelves were neatly arranged, piled high with all sorts of books and scrolls. Daoist Lingxu was sitting cross-legged on a futon, meditating with his eyes closed.

"Disciple Xiao Yao greets Daoist Master." I bowed respectfully.

Master Lingxu slowly opened his eyes and smiled kindly: "You're back. It seems you've gained a lot from this trip to the secret realm."

I presented the golden bead I had obtained from the secret realm: "This disciple has been fortunate enough to acquire a treasure, and would like to ask the Daoist Master to take a look."

Master Lingxu took the bead, examined it carefully, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "This is... an ancient spiritual bead! It contains extremely pure immortal spiritual energy, which will greatly benefit your cultivation." He handed the bead back to me, "Now that you have obtained such a treasure, it is time for you to begin to explore more profound immortal techniques."

I was overjoyed; this was exactly the purpose of my trip! "Please enlighten me, Daoist Master."

Master Lingxu stood up, walked to a bookshelf, took down an ancient and simple manual, and handed it to me: "This book, 'The Mysterious Heaven Immortal Manual,' is the treasure of our sect. Only those with the right destiny can cultivate it. Take it and study it. If you have any questions, you can ask me at any time."

I received the manual with both hands, my heart pounding with excitement. Finally, I could learn profound immortal techniques! I eagerly opened the manual, but what greeted my eyes was a sea of ​​obscure and incomprehensible characters and runes. These characters were twisted and winding, like tadpoles, and I didn't recognize a single one. The runes were even more complex, their lines intertwined, making my eyes dizzy.

I tried hard to understand its meaning, but it felt like looking at flowers through a fog; I couldn't grasp the essence at all. The cultivation methods I had practiced before were relatively simple and straightforward; I had never encountered such a complex manual before.

“Master,” I asked, somewhat dejectedly, “I have never seen these characters and runes before. How can I decipher them?”

Master Lingxu stroked his beard and said, "These are ancient immortal scripts, which are very different from modern writing. As for these runes, they contain the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, which need to be comprehended with the heart, rather than simply understood."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I carefully read through the manual again from beginning to end, trying to find some patterns. I tried to apply my past cultivation experience to my understanding of immortal techniques, connecting those unfamiliar runes with the moves I was familiar with.

However, the harder I tried, the more confused I became. I felt like a traveler lost in a forest, unable to find my way or see any hope. I tried again and again, but failed each time.

I slumped onto the futon, the manual in my hands feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds. Could it be that I simply lack the aptitude to cultivate immortal techniques?

Suddenly, I heard Master Lingxu say, "Haste makes waste. Cultivating immortal techniques is not something that can be accomplished overnight..." His voice gradually faded, but my gaze fell on an inconspicuous symbol on the title page of the manual, a symbol that I had never noticed before, shimmering with a faint light...

Master Lingxu's words struck my restless heart like a morning bell. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Yes, cultivation is inherently defying the heavens; how can it be achieved overnight? I cannot give up because of a temporary setback.

I picked up the "Mysterious Heaven Immortal Manual" again, my gaze falling once more on the characters that wriggled like tadpoles. I tried not to understand their literal meaning, but to feel the flow of energy they contained, to experience the laws of heaven and earth they represented. I closed my eyes, immersing myself in the manual, imagining myself in a vast starry sky, feeling the movement of the stars and the breath of the universe.

However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't truly understand the meaning of these words and runes. I tried to interpret the immortal techniques based on my past cultivation experience, connecting those unfamiliar runes with familiar moves, but I found that this simply didn't work. The harder I tried, the more confused I became, and even the simple spells I had previously mastered began to feel rusty.

Repeated attempts, repeated failures—I felt utterly frustrated. I slumped down the manual, rubbed my aching temples, and felt utterly powerless. Did I truly lack the aptitude for cultivating immortal arts? Was I destined to never reach a higher realm?

"Junior Sister Xiao Yao, what are you looking at?" A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up and saw it was Senior Brother Qingfeng. He was holding a long sword, the blade gleaming faintly with a cold light.

"I'm studying the new immortal techniques that the Taoist priest has just given me, but..." I hesitated, unsure how to express my confusion.

Senior Brother Qingfeng sat down beside me and asked with concern, "Have you encountered any difficulties?"

I handed him the manual and pointed to the obscure characters and runes, saying, "Senior brother, I can't understand these characters and runes at all, and I don't know how to cultivate."

Senior Brother Qingfeng took the manual and carefully perused it, his brow furrowing slightly. After a moment, he said, "These are indeed ancient immortal scripts, quite different from the scripts we use now. However, I have encountered some related texts before, which may offer you some inspiration."

In the following time, Senior Brother Qingfeng patiently explained to me some basic rules and structure of ancient immortal script, as well as the meaning of some common runes. Combining his past cultivation experience, he explained some complex principles of immortal techniques to me in easy-to-understand language.

I listened attentively and tried my best to understand. My senior brother's explanation did give me some new insights into immortal techniques and answered some of my questions. However, I found that these insights could not completely solve my problems. I still could not grasp the core mysteries of the "Mysterious Heaven Immortal Technique," nor could I transform those obscure words and runes into practical cultivation methods.

I gratefully said to Senior Brother Qingfeng, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother, I..."

Before I could finish speaking, a clear voice rang out: "Junior Sister Xiao Yao, I heard that the Daoist Master taught you a new immortal technique. How is it? How is your cultivation?"

I looked up and saw Senior Sister Xuan Yu. She was holding an exquisite jade box in her hands and had a gentle smile on her face.

"Senior Sister Xuan Yu." I forced a smile.

“I heard from Qingfeng that you are studying new immortal techniques, so I thought I’d come and see you.” Senior Sister Xuanyu handed me the jade box. “Inside are some pills for calming the mind and spirit, which may help you comprehend immortal techniques more easily.”

I accepted the jade box, my heart filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Senior Sister."

I know that elixirs can only be an aid; the key is to understand the immortal techniques themselves. But right now, I feel like I'm facing a towering mountain that reaches into the clouds, and I can't find any path to climb it.

Seeing this, Senior Brother Qingfeng comforted her, "Junior Sister Xiao Yao, don't be discouraged. Cultivating immortal techniques is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Take it slow, and you will succeed eventually."

I nodded, but my heart was still filled with confusion. Although Senior Brother Qingfeng's explanation gave me a deeper understanding of immortal techniques, those obscure words and runes were still like a tangled mess, leaving me unable to make sense of them.

"Perhaps I can consult Fairy Dream." A thought suddenly flashed through my mind. Fairy Dream is one of the most skilled in immortal arts in the sect; perhaps she can give me some guidance.

Thinking of this, I immediately got up and headed towards Fairy Dream's residence.

After hearing my purpose, Fairy Dream took the "Mysterious Heaven Immortal Manual" and carefully perused it. Her slender fingers gently brushed over the ancient characters and runes, as if sensing the mysteries they contained.

After a moment, she pointed to a passage and said, "This passage describes the state of 'harmony between man and nature.' You need to merge your spiritual power with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to truly understand its meaning."

She then pointed to another rune and said, "This rune represents 'spatial transformation,' which allows you to instantly teleport to another place. However, you need to master the laws of space before you can use this rune."

The Dream Fairy's explanations were insightful yet easy to understand, making complex principles of magic readily apparent. However, I found myself still struggling to grasp them. I felt as if I were shrouded in a fog, only able to vaguely discern some indistinct shadows, unable to grasp their essence.

The Dream Fairy seemed to see my confusion and encouraged me, "Cultivating immortal arts requires patience and comprehension. Since you were chosen by the Daoist Master, it means you have the potential to cultivate immortal arts. Don't be discouraged, keep working hard, and one day you will succeed."

I thanked Fairy Meng gratefully and returned to my room. I sat cross-legged on the bed and picked up the "Mysterious Heaven Immortal Manual" again. I tried hard to recall Fairy Meng's explanations and attempted to connect those obscure words and runes with my own cultivation experience.

However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't truly understand the meaning of these words and runes. I felt incredibly frustrated and powerless. I began to doubt whether I was truly suited to cultivate immortal arts.

I put down the manual, rubbed my aching temples, and got up to walk to the window. Outside, the night was deep, dotted with countless stars. Gazing at the starry sky, my mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts.

I began to reflect on my cultivation journey over this period. From a useless person with no spiritual roots to someone capable of cultivating immortal techniques, I have put in tremendous effort. However, why am I still unable to break through the bottleneck and reach a higher realm?

Am I truly incapable of cultivating immortal techniques? Am I destined to never become a true powerhouse?

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I can't give up; I must keep trying.

I turned back to the table and picked up the "Mysterious Heaven Immortal Manual" again. I decided to start from the beginning and reread this secret manual.

I lit an oil lamp, its dim light illuminating the room. I gazed at the characters, which wriggled like tadpoles, and my heart gradually calmed down.

I closed my eyes and immersed myself in the manual, trying to feel the flow of energy contained in the words and runes.

However, at that moment, some random thoughts suddenly surfaced in my mind. I thought of my experience in the secret realm, and the threat of those competitors seemed to reappear before my eyes... My hands unconsciously clenched.

Those狰狞 faces, greedy eyes, and cold swords haunted me like a nightmare. My heart began to race, and my breathing became rapid. I shook my head violently, trying to drive these distracting thoughts away, but they clung to me like maggots.

I knew I needed to calm my mind to comprehend the immortal techniques. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I attempted to recall the breathing techniques that Senior Brother Qingfeng had taught me, slowly adjusting my breathing rhythm. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale… I repeated this over and over, hoping to clear my mind of distractions.

However, the effect was not ideal. Those distracting thoughts, like mischievous sprites, jumped around in my mind, disturbing my thoughts. I could even feel my palms starting to sweat, and my body trembling slightly.

No, I can't go on like this! I suddenly opened my eyes, stood up, and paced back and forth in the room. I needed to find a way to calm myself down completely.

I thought of the ethereal and graceful figure of the Dream Fairy, the peaceful and serene aura she exuded that filled me with longing. If I could be like her, perhaps I could escape the torment of these distracting thoughts.

I closed my eyes and tried to imitate the fairy's posture, imagining that I also possessed that otherworldly aura. I slowly raised my hands, drawing a graceful arc in the air, and then slowly lowered them.

I repeated the movement over and over, feeling every subtle change in my body. Gradually, I felt my mind begin to calm down, and those distracting thoughts gradually dissipated.

I sat cross-legged again, picked up the "Mysterious Heaven Immortal Manual," and prepared to begin studying it again. This time, my mind was much calmer than before, and the words and runes no longer seemed so obscure and difficult to understand.

I concentrated, focusing all my attention on the manual. I read it word by word, trying to understand the mysteries contained in each word and each rune.

Time passed second by second, and I was immersed in the world of immortal magic, forgetting everything around me. I felt as if I were in a vast starry sky, experiencing the mystery and wonder of the universe.

However, my good fortune didn't last long. Just when I was about to grasp a spark of inspiration, those distracting thoughts began to stir again. I felt my heart become restless and uneasy once more, and those terrifying images started to resurface in my mind.

I gritted my teeth, struggling to resist the onslaught of distracting thoughts. I kept telling myself that I couldn't give up, that I had to persevere.

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes again, and focused my mind on the manual. I tried to use the profound mysteries of immortal techniques to suppress the distracting thoughts in my heart, hoping to find an opportunity for a breakthrough.

However, just then, I heard a familiar voice from outside the door: "Junior Sister Xiao Yao, are you there?"

I opened my eyes abruptly, my mind filled with confusion. Who had come to find me at this hour? I put down the manual in my hand, got up, walked to the door, and opened it.

Standing outside the door is... Master Lingxu.