Chapter Three: Tao Te Ching

At night, Chen Yi lay on his bed, preparing to organize the memories from Earth that now resided within him. In the center of his room, a fist-sized luminous pearl illuminated the entire space. In the mundane world of the cultivation realm, such a large luminous pearl would be worth a fortune, yet within the Five Elements Sect, it served only as a lighting device for the menial disciples—a truly extravagant display.

Though the memory from Earth was long and winding, the brilliance of that life broadened his horizons, enriched his experiences, tempered his mindset, increased his knowledge, and accumulated wisdom. Within those memories were ideas, knowledge, and culture wholly absent from the world of cultivation.

One particular book in his recollections caught Chen Yi’s attention: “The Supreme Treasure of Daoism—The Dao De Jing!”

“The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of all things. Therefore, ever desireless, one observes its essence; ever desiring, one observes its manifestations. These two emerge together but differ in name; together they are called profound. The profound of the profound, the gateway to all wonders.”

To think that such an extraordinary text existed in the world left Chen Yi awestruck.

This Daoist classic from the otherworldly Earth pointed directly to the essence of the Great Dao from its very opening, unveiling the origins of Heaven and Earth. The mysterious and far-reaching aura, the majestic profundity yet penetrating simplicity within these opening lines, shook Chen Yi to his core, causing his very spirit to waver.

Without hesitation, Chen Yi decided to read the Dao De Jing in its entirety. He began to recite, “The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of all things…”

But at the very instant he uttered the first line, an astonishing transformation occurred that filled Chen Yi with wild elation. The sound of the scripture seemed to resonate with this world itself. In the void surrounding him, it was as if countless voices joined his recitation. The once unremarkable Chen Yi, sitting on his bed, suddenly radiated dazzling light that outshone the luminous pearl, flooding the entire room. He appeared as a deity, sacred and inviolable. Had he not closed the door tightly, he might well have drawn the attention of the other menial disciples nearby.

The spiritual energy in the room surged toward Chen Yi as he chanted, the concentration reaching more than tenfold its usual density. Activating the Five Elements Technique, he absorbed this influx, instantly stabilizing his cultivation at the third level of Qi Refinement, a process that would have otherwise taken him over ten days.

Eager to continue, Chen Yi prepared to recite further. But at that moment, he suddenly fainted, his entire body suffused with a gentle warmth, as if he had returned to the comfort of his mother’s womb—a sensation he felt an intense longing for.

Unbeknownst to Chen Yi, after he lost consciousness, the spiritual energy did not dissipate. Instead, it cocooned his body as though he were an embryo. Then, astonishingly, all the spiritual energy within a radius of several miles rushed toward his room, enveloping him. The Five Elements Technique within him began to operate on its own—one cycle, two cycles, three cycles… Each rotation not only absorbed the spiritual energy but also continuously tempered his physical body.

If Chen Yi had been awake, he would have been overjoyed, for during the time he was unconscious, his cultivation advanced effortlessly from the third to the fourth level of Qi Refinement as the Five Elements Technique circulated automatically. His newly attained fourth level was also swiftly consolidated.

By the time Chen Yi regained consciousness, a full day and night had passed.