The Sea of Consciousness (Part One)

Xiao Fang, should I call the nurse to lower your bed?" Sun Lao glanced at Fang Yi's hospital bed, which had been elevated during mealtime to allow Fang Yi to sit up comfortably. However, this position was unsuitable for resting or sleeping.

"Sun Lao, there's no need. I can just meditate for a while..." Fang Yi smiled and shook his head. Although he could circulate his energy while lying down, it was far less effective than meditating.

"Very well, then I shall take a nap..." Sun Lao, accustomed to afternoon rest, did not close his eyes immediately. Instead, he curiously observed Fang Yi, eager to see how he meditated.

Both Buddhist and Daoist practices involve meditation. In Daoism, it is referred to as "cross-legged sitting" or "quiet sitting," while in Buddhism, it is known as "Zen sitting" or "entering a state of meditation." The postures are quite similar, so Fang Yi felt no apprehension about being seen by Sun Lao. He promptly drew his extended legs back, placing the soles of his feet skyward, and assumed a full lotus position.

In the past, Fang Yi found the full lotus position effortless, but at that moment, his body ached, and intertwining his legs required considerable effort. By the time he settled into position, beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.

"Ah..." Letting out a breath, Fang Yi placed his hands naturally on his knees, his eyes half-closed, and began to regulate his breathing.

It must be said that the shared posture of meditation among both Buddhist and Daoist practitioners holds its own significance. The full lotus position allows for a stable alignment of the body, akin to the structural integrity of a pagoda, layer upon layer, ensuring a steadfastness akin to Mount Tai.

According to ancient Daoist medical principles, "Essence arises from the soles of the feet," a fundamental truth revered in traditional Chinese medicine.

During the quiet sitting with crossed legs, if one experiences soreness or numbness in the legs, it indicates an obstruction in the nerves and blood vessels, suggesting underlying health issues. As the saying goes, "Where there is flow, there is no pain; where there is pain, there is no flow."

When meditating and refining energy, if one can guide the energy from the dantian through the hips to the thighs and knees, traversing each segment, one will encounter sensations of pain, itchiness, numbness, swelling, cold, and heat, until the internal energy flows smoothly, alleviating discomfort.

The human legs resemble the branches of ginseng; thus, coiling the legs together is akin to curling a ginseng plant or pine branch, preventing its growth potential from dispersing outward and nurturing its essence, thereby enhancing its vitality.

Therefore, the full lotus position in both Buddhism and Daoism offers considerable benefits for meditation and energy cultivation, especially for someone like Fang Yi, whose meridians were currently obstructed. Meditating in this posture proved far more effective than merely resting.

"This young man appears to have truly practiced the Dao, hasn't he?" 

Observing Fang Yi's posture, Sun Lianda nodded inwardly. He recognized the term "full lotus position," and among the so-called Buddhist and Daoist practitioners he knew, only Fang Yi could execute this posture with such precision.

"This method of cultivation is indeed an unfamiliar experience..." Though Fang Yi closed his eyes, his sensitivity to his surroundings heightened. He could distinctly feel Sun Lao's gaze fixated upon him.

Daoist quiet sitting seeks to enter a meditative state, delving into profound levels of cultivation. Fang Yi had meditated before a waterfall in the mountains, so external disturbances held little sway over him. Now, he needed to overcome the effects of his own bodily soreness.

"The valley spirit is immortal; this is called the mysterious womb. The gate of the mysterious womb is the root of heaven and earth, enduring as if it exists but is not actively employed..."

Fang Yi silently recited the Daoist scriptures in his mind, striving to shift his focus from his physical discomfort to the internal energy, using his formidable will to guide the energy within him. This time, however, he traversed the great circulation, flowing not only along the Ren and Du meridians but also through other channels to relieve his physical pain.

His master had once told him that humanity has evolved to its current state, merely taking a small step along the path of evolution. The potential within the human body is limitless; each person is a mysterious treasure trove, yet few can unlock its depths.

Whether in Buddhist or Daoist cultivation, whether seeking ascension or enlightenment, the ultimate goal is to awaken one's latent potential. However, in this age of advanced technology, people tend to focus more on scientific progress, often neglecting the fundamental capabilities of the human body.

"Indeed, there is an effect..." 

Taking a deep breath, Fang Yi endured the pain coursing through his body as he guided the internal energy through the circulation. After the energy flowed, a sense of relief washed over a portion of his body. Although the soreness persisted, it had significantly diminished.

When a person becomes intensely focused on a single matter, they tend to overlook everything else around them.

Fang Yi had been taught the full lotus position by an old Daoist when he was merely two or three years old. This practice had become ingrained in him, and after just a few minutes, aside from the occasional pang of discomfort, his consciousness was fully immersed in his dantian.

As the internal energy coursed through the wound on Fang Yi's chest, his body trembled slightly. However, as the energy continued to flow through the circulation, it quietly formed a scab over the bandaged wound, healing at a rate several times faster than that of an ordinary person.

Yet, Fang Yi's traversal of this great circulation was somewhat of a shortcut, as many acupoints remained unactivated. Otherwise, according to Daoist cultivation principles, he would have entered the realm of refining energy into spirit, which is the second stage of internal alchemy.

Daoist energy refinement is divided into several stages. The first stage is known as "One Hundred Days of Foundation Building," aimed at unblocking the Ren and Du meridians, allowing internal energy to circulate. This is the foundation of energy refinement, akin to laying the groundwork for a house. After one hundred days, one naturally progresses to the stage of refining essence into energy.

In martial arts novels, the notion that unblocking the Ren and Du meridians is akin to ascending to the heavens and that doing so renders one invincible is somewhat exaggerated. Unblocking these meridians primarily facilitates the smooth flow of internal energy and enhances physical strength, but it does not necessarily confer significant advantages over ordinary individuals.

Not to mention the hermits living in remote mountains, many martial artists in urban areas have also unblocked their Ren and Du meridians, achieving a sense of energy flow. For instance, Fang Yi's master had an old friend surnamed Nan who unblocked his meridians at the tender age of ten.

However, this old Daoist friend, having reached the stage of refining essence into energy during his one hundred days of foundation building, succumbed to various external temptations and never returned to focus on his cultivation. Though he gained immense fame and was hailed as a master, his progress stagnated.

Fang Yi established his foundation at the age of ten and is now in the stage of refining essence into energy. Yet, he has remained singularly focused over the past decade, surpassing his master's old friend in cultivation, needing only to unblock a few acupoints to freely navigate the great circulation and enter the realm of refining energy into spirit.

"The sea of consciousness, perhaps it is better to leave it be..."

As Fang Yi's internal energy reached the area beneath the Baihui acupoint, situated between his eyebrows, it naturally sought to bypass this region, as he had not yet unblocked his sea of consciousness.

The sea of consciousness is located beneath the Baihui acupoint, between the eyebrows, and deep behind the Yintang point. Those who have successfully refined their energy nurture it daily with their qi, eventually gaining the ability to perceive the energy within their bodies. The human body comprises five organs and six viscera, each corresponding to the five elements, opening through the five senses, with energy manifesting on the face, commonly referred to as internal vision, allowing for finer control over one's body.

The sea of consciousness is divided into four layers: typically referred to as the superficial, middle, deep, and bottom layers. The superficial layer generally contains fragmented memories, some vivid and others overlooked, all appearing within this realm.

The contents of the middle layer of the sea of consciousness vary from person to person but are organized, akin to neatly categorized files that can be accessed at will.

However, entering the middle layer of the sea of consciousness carries certain risks, requiring mental fortitude far beyond that of the average person. Those with weak mental strength often become disoriented upon entry, and many accounts of losing oneself in meditation stem from the sea of consciousness rebounding against their weakened mental state.

The deep layer of the sea of consciousness is profoundly mysterious, harboring countless treasures of the mind. Gaining access to this deep layer indicates that one has developed more of their brain than the average person or awakened dormant potential within their body, or perhaps encountered other wondrous phenomena.

The Daoist abilities of the heavenly eye and the Buddhist six supernatural powers originate from the sea of consciousness. High-level practitioners and esteemed monks enter this realm through rigorous cultivation, further unlocking their potential.

Within the Daoist cultivation system, if one can fully enter the deep layer of the sea of consciousness and still return, it signifies they have attained the realm of refining energy into spirit. Many achieve the one hundred days of foundation building, but few can surpass the threshold of refining energy into spirit.

As for the bottom layer of the sea of consciousness, it corresponds to the realm of refining spirit and transcending the void. Those who reach this state are rare, with legendary figures such as Zuo Ci, Zhang Daoling, and Ge Hong being among them. More recently, only Zhang Sanfeng from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties is known to have attained such heights.

Fang Yi's cultivation is currently at the stage of refining essence into energy, so he does not dare to delve too deeply into the sea of consciousness. According to his master's teachings, lacking sufficient strength to explore this realm could lead to the annihilation of one's spirit.

However, just as Fang Yi's internal energy sought to navigate around the Baihui acupoint, an immense force suddenly drew him into the depths of the sea of consciousness. Before he could react, his mental force, significantly stronger than that of an average person, was pulled into the deep layer of the sea of consciousness.

"Wuliang Tianzun, what is happening here?"

Fang Yi had previously accessed the superficial and middle layers of the sea of consciousness. When he entered the middle layer, he could still feel the connection between his mind and body, ready to withdraw from the sea of consciousness at any moment.

Yet this time, his mental force was directly absorbed into the deep layer. The instant he entered, Fang Yi completely lost any sense of his physical body.