C13 Buddha Light

After spending over half an hour, Ding Yue and Xiaoshan had meticulously cleared the stone surface of any debris. Following the monkey's gestures, Ding Yue removed his jacket and diligently wiped away the remaining specks of dust from the stone. In just over ten minutes, the now mirror-like surface reflected the images of both man and monkey.

It was high noon. The autumn sun bathed the stone in light, causing a prismatic effect. Ding Yue felt a sudden acceleration in the flow of Qi and blood within his meridians, as minuscule, luminous particles visible to the naked eye swirled around him.

The monkey at his side began to chirp excitedly, mimicking Ding Yue's usual meditation pose by sitting cross-legged and forming a hand seal with its paws. It then stood and motioned for Ding Yue to follow suit.

Feeling the dense spiritual energy of the place, Ding Yue chuckled and affectionately patted the monkey's head, saying, "You want me to cultivate here and achieve a breakthrough in the Qi Refining stage."

Xiaoshan nodded vigorously, pointing first at Ding Yue, then at himself, grinning with excitement.

Rubbing his earlobe, Ding Yue pondered, "Normally, after advancing to the Transcending stage, it takes one to two years to stabilize the suspended Yuan Qi within the body. But the energy here is so rich that compressing it a few times could eliminate the need for that stabilization period. Yes, I've reached the pinnacle of the Qi Refining stage; it's time to advance."

Resolute after a moment of contemplation, Ding Yue positioned himself facing south with his back to the north, sitting cross-legged at the center of the stone. With the sun overhead, he formed a hand seal and began to draw Yuan Qi into his body.

The Yuan Qi coursed through the twelve primary meridians and the eight extraordinary vessels, converging in the Ren and Du channels—the Ren being the gathering point of all Yin meridians, and the Du, the convergence of all Yang meridians.

With the meridian system fully saturated, Ding Yue concentrated his spirit at the Baihui Acupoint, where the Yuan Qi coalesced, ready to be harnessed in dual paths. One path of Qi traveled from the Baihui, through the Shanzhong, and into the Dantian, while another surged into the Yang Meridian.

The two streams of Qi intertwined, spiraling around each other as they opened up the Dantian, creating a vortex. This process marked his progression to the Transcending Realm.

The beauty of the Yin Yang Embracing Qi Formula lay in the harmonious interplay of Yin and Yang, capturing the very essence of the Dao.

Another noteworthy aspect was its universal applicability. Whether one was in the Qi Refinement Realm or the Nascent Infant Realm, the formula could be practiced.

After all, everything in the world is categorized into Yin and Yang. Without the other, neither can thrive.

Thus, the various cultivation techniques and magic arts are classified into the categories of Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Yet, the Yin Yang Embracing Qi Formula defies such categorization, which is a testament to its uniqueness.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon ascended in the east, the night sky shifted with the dance of the stars.

Midnight had fallen, and Ding Yue remained still as stone, seated atop a large rock, his breath flowing in and out in deep meditation.

Elsewhere, the elder with the wooden vine behind his back addressed the two companions, "You've been out for days and must be weary. I'll watch over the young master; you go and rest."

The old man chuckled, countering, "Our cultivation level surpasses yours. Besides, even though the young master is at the peak of the Qi Refinement Realm and on the cusp of Transcending, our presence here offers a greater sense of security."

Liu Wuya massaged his forehead, murmuring, "For some reason, since Ding scaled that hundred-foot cliff, I've been feeling restless, as if something is about to happen."

The old ghost shifted his position, leaning against the tree trunk, and with eyes closed, he dismissed the concern, "What could possibly happen? You're worrying over nothing. I'm going to catch a quick nap."

Casting a glance at the old ghost feigning sleep and noticing the wooden vine also in a meditative posture, Liu Wuya felt resigned. He glided onto an outcropping of rock on the mountainside, his robe sleeves sweeping away leaves and dust.

He lay back, arms cushioning his head, and gazed up at the sky. It wasn't long before the soft sound of his snores blended with the tranquil night.

Leaning against the tree trunk, the old ghost's lips curled into a slight smile as he mumbled, "Old wood, longing to return to the Southern Wilderness, the Forest of Ten Thousand Willows, the Estate of the Seven Sages, huh?"

The wooden vine, previously with eyes closed, responded, "We've been here for over a century. Once the young master returns from the Drifting Space, we'll head back to the Southern Wilderness. And you?"

The old ghost's contemplative words reached his ears, and after a moment, he replied, "I'll go with the young master to the Southern Wilderness or Glacierfell." After a pause, he added, "Actually, I hope the young master can cultivate on his own."

"Hmm," the wooden vine agreed, "I share that sentiment. Still, he needs someone to watch over him."

"Your idle chatter is pointless," interrupted a voice suddenly. It was Liu Wuya, who had appeared to be asleep moments before. He continued, "For mortals, dying of old age at home is a cause for celebration."

"But in this world, how many can die at home in their old age? There are those who perish young, victims of natural and man-made disasters, sudden illnesses, poverty, starvation, and the like."

"Old ghost, you, having been a physician, should know this better than anyone."

"Indeed!" came the raspy reply. The old ghost sighed, "Rumor has it that Earth Immortals may live over a hundred thousand years, but if they fail to ascend to Heaven Immortal, they too will turn to dust."

"We can protect the young master for a time, but not for a lifetime."

"Just follow the Master's orders and do your part," Liu Wuya said, sitting up straight. "According to Taoist Mu, the Master has decreed that the young master should only join the Heavenly Clothes Sect after reaching the Golden Core stage. Beyond that, the Master has made no plans; it's all in the young master's hands."

"The ways of Heaven are fickle, and even saints have no sway. We are but insects in comparison. Though young master Ding is alone and young, his path up to the Golden Core stage has been laid out for him, making him luckier than many," the old ghost reflected.

"We too are fortunate to have met the Master. Otherwise, I'd be dust by now," the wooden vine said, stretching languidly and glancing at the sky. "Let's all rest for a bit. Once the young master reaches the Transcending stage, we can consider his future training."

As the first light of dawn broke across the eastern sky, the three opened their eyes, which had been tightly shut, and the warmth of the sunlight bathed them in its glow.

The sun's warm rays bathed Ding Yue as he meditated through the noon hour. He had been in deep contemplation for a full day and night. In that time, he had compressed the Origin Energy in his dantian six times. Now, he was concluding his practice.

Ding Yue had successfully progressed to the Transcending stage, and the vortex of energy within him continued to spin, showing no signs of stopping. It seemed he was intent on solidifying his cultivation level, avoiding the usual fluctuations that come with advancement. By stabilizing his cultivation at the early Transcending stage, he could bypass over a year of arduous training.

Time slipped away like grains of sand between one's fingers. Three days and nights vanished in an instant.

Elsewhere, in the forest, Liu Wuya and his companions stood shoulder to shoulder, their brows furrowed in silent contemplation.

From a distance, they could see a monkey, Little Mountain, nibbling on wild fruits beside Ding Yue. Over the past three days, the monkey had descended the steep cliff only three times to gather fruit before quickly returning to Ding Yue's side.

On the fourth day, as the first light of dawn broke through the confines of the sky, the apple-sized vortex within Ding Yue's dantian rotated slowly, its form dense and substantial. Ding Yue's hands danced in the air, signaling the end of his cultivation session.

Suddenly, the calm was shattered as the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi violently rushed into Ding Yue's body. The once slowly turning vortex now spun wildly out of control, like a river breaking through a dam. The Yuan Qi, ripped from the outside, surged into his meridians, heading straight for the dantian's vortex.

Caught in a moment of sheer terror, Ding Yue was drenched in a cold sweat. Such an uncontrolled flow could at best damage his meridians, halting any further progress in his cultivation. At worst, it could lead to a catastrophic explosion, ending his life.

Desperate, Ding Yue clenched his teeth and shouted, channeling all his strength into guiding the unruly Yuan Qi through his meridians. He immediately felt a sharp, wrenching pain as the energy coursed through him.

Overwhelmed and momentarily stunned, Ding Yue clenched his teeth and let out a loud shout. He waved his hands, casting magic arts with all his might, guiding the rampaging Yuan Qi through his meridians. Instantly, he felt a series of painful spasms as his once delicate veins swelled to double their size due to the furious energy.

Within moments, Ding Yue's clenched jaw oozed blood, and droplets of blood seeped from the pores all over his body, falling onto the stone platform.

At another mountain summit, three figures soared up, reaching the cliff's peak in the blink of an eye. Liu Wuya's Divine Sense swept over the area and detected the turmoil within Ding Yue's body. He stepped forward, intending to leap onto the stone platform.

A mouthful of blood burst forth, splattering the stone surface. Ding Yue's body arched backward, collapsing to the ground.

Suddenly, another anomaly arose. A ring of golden light materialized around the stone platform, enveloping both Ding Yue and the monkey. The glowing aura spun, gently lifting Ding Yue's body into the air. Meanwhile, the monkey, resembling a small mountain, lay sprawled and still on the stone, oblivious to the abrupt changes around it.

"What's going on here? This situation..." Liu Wuya raised his hand to strike the light barrier, which, despite appearing fragile, emitted a series of metallic clangs without showing any sign of disturbance.

"Stay calm," the old ghost urged, seizing Liu Wuya's arm as he attempted another attack. In a grave tone, he speculated, "This seems to be the Buddhist light. The legends say that when the Buddhist light emerges, the Vajra is revealed."

Liu Wuya's grip on his dragon-headed staff eased.

As they conversed, a multitude of characters began to emerge within the halo, densely packed and swirling like a school of fish darting through water.

Upon seeing the characters, the old ghost clapped his hands together, his excitement palpable. "Buddhist scriptures, indeed it is Buddhism," he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming and his body quivering with anticipation.

After a brief pause, the old ghost smacked his forehead, chiding himself, "I got carried away there, old wood." He firmly grasped Liu Wuya's shoulder and declared, "We must join forces to conceal this space, to prevent any disturbances."

Liu Wuya nodded with gravity. Together, they ascended into the sky, their robes billowing as they cast a veil over the airspace for miles around, shielding the area from prying eyes.

Words emerged from the halo, increasing in number to over a thousand, swirling around the circle of light. At a certain moment, as if drawn by an unseen force, they surged into Ding Yue, who was suspended in midair. When a third of the golden script had entered, Ding Yue's body suddenly emitted a burst of silver brilliance, resisting the influx of golden characters.

The golden script seemed alive, flaring up with intense luminosity. Following the surge of golden light, the script within the halo transformed into a purple-gold color and aggressively charged toward the silver glow. The silver light, sensing the invader's ferocity, shone even more resplendently.

Inside Ding Yue, a fierce battle ensued between the golden and silver radiance. Externally, his body displayed a golden hue on the chest and a silver glow on the back, each contaminating the other, neither yielding.

Onlookers outside the stone platform, including the wooden vines, could only watch Ding Yue with wide eyes, cold sweat trickling down their cheeks and into their mouths, leaving a faintly bitter taste. Their fists clenched tightly, bodies trembling slightly from the tension.

Despite his experience and cultivation, Ding Yue was terrified by the situation, unsure of what to do.