Chapter 12 Cultivating the Tao is Cultivating the Mind

  "Thank you, elder, but I'm afraid my junior's cultivation is inferior. Today's victory was merely a fluke. The techniques of the Wuji Pavilion were collected at great cost in treasures and resources by our sect over the years. Although they are powerful, I think it would be too difficult for my disciples to comprehend them now." said Sun Mingdao.

  "This is why, if others were given such an opportunity they would be overjoyed and wouldn't decline it, but you are?" Tian asked.

  "It's true, the Wujiguan has always kept its techniques from being disclosed to disciples below the exit period. Today, Elder specially let Lingming choose a technique and he declined, why is that?" Lingyu asked doubtfully.

  "This is a no-brainer, there must be an even bigger scheme at play. It seems I underestimated this one-star waste." Ling Xing said thoughtfully.

  "Elder, it's not that I don't like advanced magic, but my cultivation has just reached the opening period. Even if I chose a high-level technique, I wouldn't be able to cultivate it. The higher the level of magic, the more it requires a strong foundation of true yuan energy. Since I'm only at the opening period now, I humbly request that you reserve this opportunity for me and let me choose again when my cultivation has improved." said Sun Mingdao.

  "It's also true that this spiritual clarity is the foundation, and high-level magic can't be used at all. This time, he was lucky to have a sudden enlightenment, but there won't be such a good opportunity in the future. I'll reserve the opportunity for now. By the time he can choose his cultivation method, we'll already be ascended." Ling Xing looked at Sun Ming with disdain on her face.

  "Ling Xing, how dare you speak like that? Do you think your sudden enlightenment is due to dumb luck? It's all the result of your usual accumulation. You've already formed a golden elixir, yet you lost the competition and don't even reflect on it. Instead, you're still spouting nonsense here. Get out." Tian Yi said sternly to Ling Xing.

  Ling Xing glared at Sun Ming with a venomous gaze and fell silent.

  "Sun Ming, be careful! When Ouyang Xingyue makes this kind of expression, she usually means to scheme against you. You must be careful!" Sun Ming was puzzled by the unfamiliar female voice. Who is this?

  "Boss, it's Ling Yue. Ouyang Xingyue is her sister, what she says should be reliable. From now on, we won't cultivate together anymore, you have to be careful yourself, remember that open attacks are easy to dodge but hidden arrows are hard to guard against." said Ling Bao.

  "I see, it seems that Lingyue has been bullied by Lingxing before." Sun Ming thought to himself as he looked at Lingyue who had returned to her usual expression.

  "Alright, I'll agree with you. As long as I don't ascend to the heavens, you can come find me at Yun Ling Peak's Gathering Clouds Pavilion anytime." Tian Yi said.

  "Then I'll thank Elder for it." Sun Ming said.

  "Let's go back, Tuer." said Xuan Kong.

  "It's Master, I'll bid farewell to Lingbao and Lingyue." Sun Mingdao.

  "Go quickly and return quickly." said Xuan Kong.

  Sun Ming turned and walked towards Ling Bao and Ling Yue.

  "Lingbao, you acknowledge me as the boss, but I've never taken you seriously. It's really embarrassing, but you know, I'm not a talkative person, this is a bit like Lingyue, although not as fierce." Sun Ming said while rubbing his hands.

  "Boss, I know we haven't been together for long, but your character, we can all feel it, right Lingyue?" After finishing speaking, Lingbao touched Lingyue's hand.

  "Ah! It's true." Lingyue arrived.

  "It seems that Ling Yue can still speak properly, I heard her say two sentences today, she's made progress." Sun Ming said with a smile.

  "Lingming Shixiong, I still hope you can be careful with Ling Xing. Her temper is the kind that cannot tolerate any grievances and will definitely retaliate, so you must be careful." Lingyue rarely said a long sentence.

  "Alright, I understand, Ling Yue." Sun Ming said.

  "You must remember, the way of cultivation is to cultivate the heart and the way. The name can be named, but it's not an ordinary name. No name is the beginning of heaven and earth; having a name is the mother of all things. Therefore, always have no desires to observe its subtlety; always have desires to observe its boundary. These two are from the same origin but with different names, both called profound. The profound within the profound is the gate of all wonders. Be cautious, be cautious: man follows earth, earth follows heaven, heaven follows the way, and the way follows nature." Having spoken, Sun Ming departed.

  "Master, where are we going?" Sun Ming stood on the flying sword with a puzzled face and asked Xuan Kong who was controlling the sword.

  "Of course it's going to the cave mansion opened by Master, where else can we go?" said Xuan Kong.

  "But Master, isn't this too far from the main peak? It's almost detached from the Huoyun mountain range." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Alas! As a master, I have no choice. By the time you arrive at Kai Bi Dong Fu, even such mountain peaks may be gone. After all, our Qi Ling Zong has been open for so many years, and some spiritual energy gathering places near the mountain gate have already been occupied by people. Although this place is relatively far from the mountain gate, it can still be considered a good cave house with sparse human presence." Xuan Kong said somewhat embarrassedly.

  "Master, this is obviously a stone wall, why are we stopping here?" Sun Ming asked in doubt, standing on the flying sword.

  "Heh heh, this is one of the formation methods that Master entered in the Yuan Ying period, Wu Xing Mi Zong Formation. It's normal if you can't see it." said Xuan Kong Dao.

  Sun Ming secretly smiled in his heart, such a simple and crude Five Elements Maze Formation still wants to deceive me. If it wasn't for not wanting to arouse your suspicion, Master Xuan Kong, and not wanting you to lose face, I would have walked right in long ago.

  "Tomorrow, it's not possible. This Xu Kong has a favor for you, and this bit of respect should still be given." Yun Zhongzi said.

  "I see, Master," Sun Ming said, "I just found it amusing."

  "You this child." Yun Zhongzi smiled and said.

  "Alright, come in." Xuan Kong tapped out a few incantations on the formation, and a small path appeared before Sun Ming.

  "Why bother with so much trouble? Can't we just go in directly?" Sun Ming muttered quietly.

  "What's with the Lingming? Don't be surprised, it's just a simple formation. When your cultivation reaches a certain level, I'll teach it to you. For now, don't think wildly and focus on cultivating." said Xuan Kong Dao.

  "This master of yours is also a wonderful person." Yun Zhongzi laughed and said.

  "Unexpectedly, in the past when Ling Kong was around, in front of so many people, he was a serious and proper master, but behind his back, he's actually so humorous." Sun Ming thought to himself.

  Sun Ming followed Xu Kong's footsteps, slowly walking into the valley, which was full of greenery. Although there were no cranes or other auspicious birds, it could still be considered a fairyland. As they walked deeper into the valley, a cave appeared before them.

  "Master, this cave in the mountain you've chosen is naturally formed, right?" Sun Mingdao.

  "Yes, how did you know?" asked Xuan Kong.

  "This great work of nature is something that humans cannot create." Sun Ming sighed.

  Only the cave's spiritual stone was hanging upside down, with dog teeth intersecting, although it looked gloomy, but fortunately there was a ray of sunlight shining in from behind the cave. The originally desolate atmosphere inside the cave was gone at this moment, and instead revealed a vibrant and thriving appearance. Just then, a drop of rock water dripped down from the stone wall, landing right on a small blade of grass growing on the sunlit rock face. Looking at the lush vitality of the little grass, Sun Ming couldn't help but feel a little dazed for a moment.

  "Disciple, disciple." Xuan Kong shouted.

  "Ah, Master, what instructions do you have?" Sun Mingdao said.

  "Heh heh, you're also mesmerized by this scene, aren't you?" Xuan Kong said.

  "Yes, Master, I was momentarily stunned." Sun Mingdao said.

  "This cave was discovered by chance, although the spiritual energy is not as strong as some places nearby where spiritual veins converge. However, when I saw the scenery inside the cave, I didn't hesitate to give you a gift of a high-quality spirit stone to renovate this place. Seeing you now, I truly feel relieved. My fellow disciples were puzzled that I used the high-quality spirit stone here instead of absorbing it to increase my cultivation. But seeing you like this, I'm glad I took you as my disciple."

  A transitional chapter, and the story gets more exciting afterwards.

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