Chapter 65: The Worst Talent in Five Hundred Years

Liu Blindman's reaction was truly amusing in my eyes: "Just a few books and secret techniques, and you're already questioning your life over it?"

"Just a few books and secret techniques? Kid, you really don't know how lucky you are. Every single manual on this list is a unique copy reserved exclusively for true disciples." He looked indignant, as if lamenting the unfairness of the universe. "Do you even know how long it would take an ordinary person to learn these techniques after joining a Taoist temple?"

"How long?"

Liu Blindman took a sip of wine, calming his tone. "First, one must calm their mind upon entering the Tao, memorize the precepts and scriptures, and spend three years chopping wood and drawing water. Only those with excellent aptitude can proceed to learn external martial techniques to strengthen the body. Another three years are spent on this before selecting those who are pure-hearted, loyal, and virtuous for oral instruction in foundational techniques."

"What are foundational techniques?"

"They are basic internal techniques for cultivating the mind, stabilizing one's Taoist resolve, and accumulating merits. Every three years, the master will assess your progress. If you achieve the state of 'goodness like water' and 'purity of nature,' only then can you enter the inner sanctum."

Liu Blindman poured himself another cup of wine, seemingly determined to drown his sorrows today. "Spending ten years just to become an inner disciple qualifies you to learn true Taoist techniques. But even then, you must pass rigorous tests to access the sacred texts."

"So strict?" I was stunned. "Aren't you worried about losing successors with such a demanding process?"

"Taoism values the reverence of the Tao and virtue, emphasizing the natural order. Its purpose is to cultivate the mind and body in pursuit of longevity. Those powerful talismans and techniques are merely by-products. If your goal is to cultivate combat skills, no Taoist temple would accept you," Liu Blindman explained earnestly, his tone seasoned with the wisdom of experience.

He picked up the paper filled with Taoist methods and treasures. "Your vitality is drained, and your lifespan is diminished. If you don't use external means to replenish yourself, it'll be hard to survive past three months. The 'Immortal Child Wine' listed here is a top-tier restorative elixir. I've only heard of it in legends—just a single drop can nourish the mind and calm the spirit, while one sip replenishes the five internal organs."

"Immortal Child Wine, huh? I'll remember that." I nodded silently.

"As for internal techniques, although the ones listed on this paper are all superior classics, since you've previously studied the Heavenly Eye of the Miao Zhen Taoist Sect, I recommend continuing with its methods," Liu Blindman advised after careful consideration.

"Miao Zhen Taoism originated from the Zhuangzi School of the pre-Qin period. At its peak, it allows practitioners to naturally sense the rhythms of the heavens and receive nourishment from celestial essence, which would greatly benefit your body."

"Don't bite off more than you can chew. Remember, stick to one path and see it through."

"Got it." Even if I wanted to learn more, my points were limited. I quickly calculated in my mind: "Five points for the Immortal Child Wine, ten for the detailed Miao Zhen Taoist methods. That leaves me with six points. What else should I redeem? This 'Red String of Fate' looks tempting."

"Don't even think about shortcuts! Cultivation has no easy path. The fact that you can directly access advanced classics already puts you ten years ahead of others. Don't slack off during the process," Liu Blindman scolded, snapping me out of my daydream.

"You're right. No matter how powerful the techniques, I still have to learn them."

"By the way, how long would it take for a naturally gifted person to get started?"

"Hard to say." Liu Blindman sipped his wine. "Let me first explain the basic levels of cultivation."

"Taoist cultivation is divided into two major realms: Post-Heaven and Pre-Heaven. Only after mastering the Post-Heaven realm can one naturally open the gates to the Pre-Heaven realm."

"In the Pre-Heaven realm, even the most powerful practitioners are merely scratching the surface. Don't even dream about it within ten years."

"I'll outline the stages of the Post-Heaven realm for now."

"Although different sects use various terminologies, they generally classify the stages as Heart Fasting, Sitting Oblivion, Resonating the Du Meridian, Breath Regulation, Listening to Breath, Following Breath, Grain Avoidance, Fetal Breath, External Elixir, and Internal Elixir."

"Heart Fasting refers to inner purity and tranquility. It doesn't mean eating vegetarian food but cleansing one's inner heart."

"Sitting Oblivion is about sitting still and forgetting oneself. The body ceases to move, thoughts quiet down, and one detaches from the physical form and mental distractions."

"Resonating the Du Meridian involves aligning with the central path, circulating energy through the Du meridian, and opening the body's internal channels."

"These first three stages lay the groundwork for further cultivation."

"Starting from the fourth stage, Breath Regulation, true cultivation begins. It involves exhaling impure air and inhaling pure energy, essentially purifying the breath."

"The fifth stage, Listening to Breath—also known as Listening to Qi—involves using Qi to listen to one's breathing in stillness, harmonizing the spirit with the Tao. I'm currently at this stage," Liu Blindman said, pointing to the blindfold over his eyes. "To my shame, after more than thirty years of practice, I'm still only at the fifth stage of the Post-Heaven realm. My aptitude is indeed dull."

"Seriously? Thirty years to reach just the fifth stage? What's the point of me even trying? I'll probably drop dead in three days," I said, despairing at the live example before me. "Isn't there a quicker way?"

"Foundation is paramount in cultivation—there's no room for shortcuts. But everyone's aptitude differs. I've seen geniuses who broke through three stages in a single day, smoothly opening their Du meridian and mastering breath regulation," Liu Blindman said, perhaps emboldened by the wine. He waved his cane. "I've observed your fate multiple times, and the results vary each time. You're destined for the Tao and should be well-suited for cultivation. Let me guide you in calming your mind now. For those with talent, they can achieve the Heart Fasting stage in just ten breaths."

"Alright." Feeling slightly nervous about my first cultivation attempt, I ignored the curious stares from the table next to us and sat cross-legged, following Liu Blindman's instructions to enter a meditative state step by step.

"Do you feel the noise around you fading and your mind becoming empty?"

The moment I closed my eyes, my thoughts raced. Events from the past few days surged like a rollercoaster through my mind. Out of habit, I began rationally analyzing the trajectory of these incidents.

"There's still an unresolved mystery on Bus 14. That girl who helped me—was she really Sakura? Her appearance was different, but her voice…"

"Is your mind quieter now?" Liu Blindman spoke softly, startling me awake.

"Now's not the time to think about such things. I need to empty my mind." Though I told myself this, the moment I closed my eyes, images of vengeful spirits, dead bodies, and case clues flooded my mind.

"Alright, stop forcing yourself." Liu Blindman covered his face. "I told you to clear your mind, not revisit your past. Your facial muscles are twitching—what kind of trauma have you been through?"

"Really?"

"You've scared the kid at the next table to tears and still have the nerve to ask? Let's head back. It seems external aids are necessary for you to enter the state."

After settling the bill, we returned to Ting Tang Road.

Liu Blindman first inspected the house's layout, then chose a sunny corner on the second floor for me to sit. He took a few premium sandalwood sticks from his divination bag and arranged them in a fixed order around me.

"I'm using treasures I wouldn't even indulge in myself. You'd better make it worthwhile." Liu Blindman lit the sandalwood reluctantly, then affixed a concentration talisman to my back. "Alright, now relax completely. Free your spirit from the constraints of the flesh. Do nothing, think nothing."

I genuinely tried to follow Liu Blindman's instructions. The fragrance of the sandalwood entered my nostrils, my body gradually relaxed, and it felt like shedding the armor of a soldier, discarding the thick layers of pretense I carried against the world.

Behind me, the talisman fluttered without wind. Sitting in the sunlight, my spirit felt an unprecedented sense of safety.

"I have nothing to fear now. I'm in my own home—no schemes, no terrifying spirits, nothing at all…"

Roughly two hours later, my facial expression finally softened. It wasn't my usual composed look but a natural state of peace.

Standing at the door, Liu Blindman finally breathed a sigh of relief. "It took an entire hour just to enter this state with the help of so many external aids. For him to cultivate the Tao, it's going to be extremely difficult."

As for me, once I emptied my mind of all distractions, I felt an indescribable sense of comfort, far surpassing deep sleep.

But just as I entered this state, I felt the blood in my chest surge. Looking up at the sky, I seemed to see a colossal nine-tailed blood fox staring down at me from above.

"Blood-tainted Nine Tails, bound to your spirit. From now on, our fates are intertwined."

The nine-tailed fox leaped from the air, swallowing me whole!

As my consciousness was devoured, I awoke from my meditation in shock. "What did I just see?"

The bandage on my chest was soaked with blood. Supporting myself with one hand, sweat dripped from my chin onto the floor.

"You're awake already?" Liu Blindman stood at the door, dumbfounded. "It took two hours to get into the state, and you only lasted a few seconds before waking up in shock. Gao Jian, this isn't a matter of low aptitude—you have no aptitude at all!"

Seeing the expensive sandalwood reduced to ashes, Liu Blindman could only smile bitterly. "Even the founding patriarch would marvel at this scene."

"Marvel at what?" Clutching my bleeding chest, I apologized as I got up from the floor.

"You are, without a doubt, the worst talent recorded in the Liu family lineage in the past five hundred years. In the old days, you'd have been beaten out of the temple with sticks…"