Chapter 40 of the Tao Te Ching

  Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, three months have passed. Ye Fan and Pang Bo gradually adapted to life here, and this change was first a transformation of their mindset, slowly accepting everything.

  During this period, the two did not engage in what is called cultivation, but instead continued to absorb common sense and ponder their future path. Old Man Wu Qingfeng did not rush them, but rather took the initiative to impart his experiences and insights gained from his own cultivation.

  This was very important for Ye Fan and Pang Bo, until another month had passed before they felt fully integrated and understood, feeling that they could start practicing.

  "The wheel of life and the sea of suffering are intertwined, so cultivating the wheel of life cannot be separated from cultivating the sea of suffering. In a sense, all cultivation starts from the sea of suffering."

  Cultivation is a difficult process, especially for those who are just starting out on the path to immortality. One must have someone to guide them; otherwise, they will not know where to start and how to break through the door.

  "In the next two months, I will help you embark on the path of immortality and become formal practitioners. After that, I will no longer teach you individually, and you will go to Lingxu Cliff with others to listen to the profound teachings."

  Although Ye Fan did not join the Lingxu Cave Heaven, Wu Qingfeng did not let him withdraw when he was passing on his teachings, treating him as an equal to Pang Bangbo. The old man knew that even if Ye Fan persisted in his cultivation, there would be no results. In ancient times, Ye Fan's physique could be considered the best in the world, but now it was just a useless body.

  For those who have just set foot on the path to immortality, laying a solid foundation is of utmost importance. Only by doing so can one ascend even higher in the future. Old Man Wu Qingfeng took out a foundational technique known as the strongest in the world - "The Dao Scripture".

  The Taoist Canon, the name itself is enough to explain the problem, records the scriptures of the Great Way, and is the supreme law. Legend has it that it is a fairy book, in the vast and boundless Eastern Wilderness, only a few ancient classics can be compared with it, and there are no completely surpassing ones.

  Of course, Ling Xuan Cave Heaven can't grasp the true "Tao Jing". Relying on a cave heaven blessed land is fundamentally not profound enough. What they recorded was only the initial chapter of Tao Jing. Moreover, this initial chapter, even in Yan Land, is not a solitary edition. Otherwise, it would definitely bring about the disaster of destroying the sect.

  Undoubtedly, the Lingxu Cave Heaven has the initial chapter of the "Dao Jing" which is a great blessing for disciples with exceptional talents. It can lay an extremely solid foundation for them and bring enormous benefits to their future cultivation.

  Although this basic trick is precious, it has long been no longer a unique secret recipe, so Wu Qingfeng did not avoid Ye Fan and directly passed it on to the two of them.

  "The Tao Te Ching" is indeed a profound and subtle ancient classic, or else it wouldn't have been renowned for endless years in the eastern wilderness. This first chapter alone contains the supreme truth, yet within just a few thousand words, Old Man Wu Qingfeng spent half a month expounding on it.

  Every sentence of the Tao Te Ching contains profound meaning, with infinite wonderful principles all included. The subtlety of cultivation is explained to the utmost, and even a strong man will sigh in admiration when he gets this foundational chapter - it turns out that basic cultivation can be so mysterious and subtle.

  Ye Fan and Pang Bo were diligently cultivating every day, according to the Dao Jing, first they had to feel their own life wheel, then guide the essence of Qi, and break through the sea of suffering. In this process, there were naturally mysterious methods of feeling and unique guiding techniques.

  However, this is still not enough. It's very difficult to break through by just practicing on one's own, and someone with "immortal energy" must guide them. Old Man Wu Qingfeng personally takes action every day, using his body to transfer the fundamental key points recorded in the Daoist scriptures, placing his hand on Ye Fan and Pang Bo's lower abdomen.

  More than a dozen days later, Pang Bo finally had a response and sensed the existence of the wheel of life. In the following days, he began to try to guide the vital energy hidden in the wheel of life to impact the sea of suffering.

  But Ye Fan still gained nothing, his wheel of life was quiet and still, where it was as hard as divine iron, even the powerful Wu Qingfeng elder could not break in the "immortal energy", let alone guide it.

  "It's really hard to imagine why there would be such a physique..." Wu Qingfeng furrowed his brow, ultimately having no choice but to give up. He had almost exhausted all of his vital energy to attack Ye Fan's Wheel of Life, but it remained unshakeable.

  "Old man, you must help out a bit more and lend Ye Fan a helping hand. Who knows, maybe the next moment will be successful." Pang Bo saw Wu Qingfeng old man wanting to give up, so he quickly spoke up to request.

  "Alas, it's not that I'm unwilling to help, but there's really no way. With his physical condition, no one can guide him, in the end he still has to rely on himself." Old Man Wu Qingfeng shook his head.

  "How could this be? Or... would you try again?" Pang Bo asked with a smile.

  "This physique was called the First Sacred Body in ancient times, and it's naturally not something that we can understand. There must be many secrets that are unknown to us. It's just that for some reason, it's hard to see its former glory again. Whether it requires a special cultivation method or other reasons, it's hard to say."

  At this moment, Ye Fan was still in a meditative state and had not yet come to.

  Pang Bo continued, "I think the old man needs to investigate thoroughly. Who knows, you might discover the reason and possibly recreate the unparalleled power of the ancient first saint. At that time, the Ling Xuan Cave Heaven will be within reach."

  Wu Qingfeng, an old man who had lived for so many years and was well-versed in the ways of the world, couldn't possibly be deceived by him. He chuckled and shook his head, saying: "In the Post-Ancient Era, this kind of physique has appeared several times before. Even the powerful Sacred Lands of Donghuang were powerless against it. With the foundation of our Lingxu Cave Heaven, do you think we have a chance?"

  "Huh?"

  At this moment, Wu Qingfeng seemed to have suddenly sensed something, stretched out his hand and pressed it on Ye Fan's abdomen again, and then gathered all his energy to explore.

  "What about it, old man... is there any hope?" Pang Bo asked anxiously.

  After a long time, Wu Qingfeng finally put down his palm with fatigue and shook his head: "The wheel of life and the sea of suffering are still as hard as divine iron, quiet and silent, without any fluctuations. However, I have a strange feeling that his blood essence seems to be more vigorous, although it is introverted and difficult to detect, but the momentary fluctuation just now was still sensed by me."

  "Is your blood vigorous?" Pang Bo didn't understand.

  "Not bad, you two unexpectedly picked some sacred fruit in the ancient forbidden land and drank the water of the divine spring. Your physical body has undergone a great transformation, and your energy is exceptionally vigorous." Wu Qingfeng's expression turned puzzled as he said, "In these past few days, his cultivation of the 'Dao Jing' has made no progress, and he still can't sense the wheel of life. But now, his blood essence seems even more majestic than before, stronger than your own energy."

  "You're not saying that the 'Taoist Canon' is known as the strongest foundational technique in the Eastern Wilderness, and it's a legendary immortal classic? It should be highly targeted, right? The first chapter is used to cultivate the Wheel of Life, so how did he end up cultivating his blood essence instead?"

  "This..." Wu Qingfeng also furrowed his brow, unable to think of a reason.

  At this moment, Ye Fan opened his eyes, with a bright and piercing gaze, full of energy.

  Seeing his spirited appearance, Wu Qingfeng became even more uncertain and asked: "Have you sensed the Wheel of Life?"

  Ye Fan shook his head and said frankly: "No."

  "Do you have any special feeling?" The old man continued to ask.

  Ye Fan didn't want to hide anything from him, because the old man was really good to him, and did his best for him, without any discrimination or prejudice due to his special physique, but instead spent a lot of energy every day to help him.

  "Although I didn't feel the wheel of life, I felt refreshed and invigorated all over, with energy bursting forth from every part of my body."

  "Do you think there's anything different?" asked Wu Qingfeng again.

  "It's as if I have endless strength." As he said this, Ye Fan single-handedly lifted a massive boulder in front of the thatched hut, calm and composed, seemingly without exerting much effort.

  Wu Qingfeng's old man suddenly took a breath of cool air and said, "Looking at your relaxed appearance, the single arm is probably enough to have several thousand catties of strength. If both arms are combined, it will be almost as strong as an elephant."

  Next to him, Pang Bo was also shocked. He and Ye Fan had undergone a strange transformation of rejuvenation at the same time. The difference in strength between them was limited, but now he felt that he couldn't compare with Ye Fan's divine power.

  Wu Qingfeng left with an inexplicable feeling, he couldn't understand why things had turned out this way. Although the other party couldn't sense the existence of the wheel of life, could they still be considered ordinary people in their current state?

  After the old man left, Ye Fan suddenly sprang into action, like a gust of wind blowing past in front of the short mountain. Pang Bo's face immediately showed a look of surprise, saying: "Not only has his strength increased greatly, but his speed has also improved!"

  In the following days, the old man taught more diligently, for soon he would no longer be able to instruct in this way alone. After a period of time, Ye Fan and Pang Bo would have to go to Ling Xuan Cliff to listen to the profound teachings along with the crowd.

  The master leads the way in, cultivates personally, once formally sets foot on the immortal path, it's completely up to oneself, Ling Xuan Cave Heaven will provide mysterious methods and elixirs, as for passing on methods and resolving doubts etc. all concentrated proceedings, after all, the elders also need to cultivate, no so much time and energy to individually instruct.

  "It won't be long before you head to Lingyuan Cliff. Be low-key when you get there, and endure if you can. Don't take action rashly."