Shui Miao deeply understood Xiong Ying’s personality. If he found out about the way he had pressured Chen Jianguo, the matter of learning the Five Elements Qigong would be postponed again, and who knew when it might resume? Therefore, Shui Miao had to act quickly and extract the details of the Qigong practice method in the shortest possible time.
Xiong Ying, on the other hand, thought Shui Miao was genuinely eager to learn and was delighted, so he immediately explained the method of practicing the Five Elements Qigong.
In essence, this Qigong wasn’t complicated and was quite similar to other traditional Qigong practices.
The only difference was that this particular Qigong required a specific incantation to be recited silently. Xiong Ying told Shui Miao that this incantation had the power to connect with spiritual forces—the spirits of the Five Elements. However, he did not explain the origin of the incantation.
After learning the method, Shui Miao felt somewhat disappointed. He was skeptical about whether simply reciting the incantation twice and then sitting in meditation practicing breathing could really generate true Qi. Even if it could, it would probably take decades! If it required such a long time to develop the Yin-Yang Eye, wouldn’t it take forty or fifty years? How could he possibly rely on this to make a fortune?
Besides, life was short—whether he could even live past sixty was uncertain.
“Grandpa, how long will it take for me to cultivate the Five Elements Qi?” Shui Miao’s face gradually lost its initial excitement. “By the way, how long did it take you to cultivate the Five Elements Qi when you were young?”
“Thirty years.”
Shui Miao was well aware of Xiong Ying’s temperament and character. If Xiong Ying were to find out that he had threatened Chen Jianguo, his plan to learn the Five Elements Qigong would be delayed indefinitely. Who knew how long he would have to wait then? Therefore, Shui Miao had to strike while the iron was hot and extract the cultivation method for the Five Elements Qigong in the shortest time possible.
Xiong Ying, thinking that Shui Miao was genuinely eager to learn, was delighted and immediately explained the cultivation method for the Five Elements Qigong.
To put it bluntly, this qigong wasn’t particularly complex and was quite similar to ordinary qigong practices.
The only difference was that this qigong required silently reciting a specific incantation. Xiong Ying told Shui Miao that this incantation could connect with the spiritual realm, specifically the spirits of the Five Elements. However, Xiong Ying did not reveal the origin of this incantation. Upon learning the cultivation method, Shui Miao felt somewhat disappointed. He found it hard to believe that merely reciting the incantation twice and practicing breathing exercises while meditating could generate genuine qi. Even if it were possible, it would likely take decades of accumulation! With such a long time required, even if he could persevere, wouldn’t it take forty or fifty years to develop the Yin-Yang Eyes? How could he possibly rely on this to make a fortune?
Besides, life was short, and there was no guarantee he would even live to his sixties.
“Grandpa, how long will it take for me to cultivate the Five Elements Qi?” The excitement on Shui Miao’s face gradually faded. “By the way, Grandpa, how long did it take you to cultivate the Five Elements Qi back then?”
“Thirty years.”
Xiong Ying raised his hand, holding up three fingers. Seeing Shui Miao’s growing impatience, he shook his head and chuckled coldly. “Do you think you can achieve greatness overnight without putting in the time? Haste makes waste! However… it’s not entirely impossible. Unless, of course, your comprehension surpasses mine, and your opportunities are better than mine.”
After saying this, Xiong Ying continued drinking and said nothing more.
Xiong Ying knew very well that cultivating the Dao and refining qi required seizing the right opportunities and letting things take their natural course. It couldn’t be forced. Pressuring oneself too much could lead to deviations in practice, resulting in the opposite of what was intended. Now, he had taught Shui Miao all he needed to know. The rest was up to Shui Miao’s own destiny.
Shui Miao fell silent, pondering to himself. Wasn’t this like a chicken rib—tasteless to eat yet a pity to discard? With all the time spent cultivating qi, he might as well work and earn money. Over a few decades, he could still accumulate some wealth! But… this was his grandfather’s expectation, and hadn’t he always aspired to become someone as remarkable as his grandfather? Moreover, mastering this would surely help him in his future career and financial success!
Shui Miao admitted he was pragmatic, but such was the reality of society, especially for the poor. Without money, life was incredibly difficult. Even basic living conditions were hard to maintain, let alone getting married. During his years working away from home, Shui Miao had fully realized the harshness of society, which was why he had to prioritize money above all else.
“Grandpa, don’t worry. I’ll start cultivating qi right after dinner.” Shui Miao broke the silence with a smile.
Xiong Ying didn’t smile. After finishing the wine in his bowl, he said calmly, “You’re cultivating qi for yourself, not for me. Also, you should practice in a quiet place on an empty stomach. The best time is early in the morning when the sky is just beginning to lighten—the air is freshest then. Another thing: I’ll be going to Kunlun Mountain with a few fellow disciples in a couple of days. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, so take care of yourself. Don’t worry about me.”
“Oh…”
Seeing his grandfather suddenly become distant, Shui Miao thought it might be because he was being too pragmatic. As for his grandfather’s upcoming trip, Shui Miao had nothing to say. Xiong Ying often went into the mountains with his fellow disciples to search for dragon veins. He disliked unnecessary chatter and considered it unlucky.
Soon, Xiong Ying finished eating. He urged Shui Miao to eat more before heading out to play cards with his friends.
Shui Miao ate a little, not feeling particularly hungry, and cleared the table.
With nowhere to go in the midday heat, Shui Miao went to the pavilion to silently recite the incantation a few times before inadvertently falling asleep. To take time off, he had covered two night shifts for his colleagues, meaning he hadn’t slept for forty-eight hours. By now, he was utterly exhausted.
He slept until nightfall.
Xiong Ying had already returned and cooked some porridge. Seeing Shui Miao emerge from the pavilion, he told him not to eat immediately and to practice qi by the river on an empty stomach. Shui Miao washed his face by the river and sat cross-legged on a clean cement patch nearby, about to start practicing, when Xiong Ying urged him to move to a muddy area. According to Xiong Ying, this would make it easier to absorb the Earth Spirit Qi.
Shui Miao wondered to himself: if sitting on muddy ground helped absorb Earth Spirit Qi, would he need to immerse himself in fire to absorb Fire Spirit Qi? Although he doubted his grandfather’s method, Shui Miao didn’t argue and simply followed instructions.
This qigong closely resembled the Daoist practice of nurturing qi and regulating meridians through static qigong, not the hard qigong type.
Shui Miao sat naturally, relaxed his entire body, stacked his hands with thumbs forming a Tai Chi shape placed over his dantian, pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, breathed naturally through his nose, silently recited the incantation twice, and gradually entered a meditative state.
Static qigong was not unfamiliar to Shui Miao.
While working away from home, he occasionally browsed the internet. Besides studying feng shui, he often searched for good qigong practices to familiarize himself with. However, he had never dared to try them for fear of deviating from his grandfather’s methods. Nevertheless, he was very familiar with qigong techniques.
Practicing static qigong emphasized three states of tranquility: bodily stillness, mental stillness, and intentional stillness.
Shui Miao completely relaxed his mind, thinking of nothing, and soon entered a state of deep calm.
“The kid actually looks the part. Maybe he really has a talent for cultivating qi!” Xiong Ying watched Shui Miao meditating with proper form, stroked his beard, nodded in satisfaction, and said calmly, “Cultivating qigong is actually quite simple. As long as you have strong mental fortitude, you’re mostly there. However, cultivating the Five Elements Qigong is different from ordinary static qigong. You must recite the incantation, which helps you connect with the spiritual realm. Persist in this, and success will follow naturally.”
Xiong Ying knew that it typically took three to five years of accumulation for ordinary people to make progress, so there was no need to say more for now.
Seeing Shui Miao sitting motionless, Xiong Ying shook his head helplessly. “Well! Since you’re so keen on practicing, you can practice a while longer. I’ll leave dinner for you—eat when you’re hungry. I’m off to play cards with some old fellows. For us Dao cultivators, winning at gambling and making others concede defeat is one of life’s great pleasures!”
Xiong Ying glanced at Shui Miao a couple more times before turning to leave.
Soon, the mosquitoes would come out. The mosquitoes in the barley fields were large and vicious, and Xiong Ying doubted Shui Miao could endure sitting by the river for long.
Xiong Ying had arranged to play mahjong all night with his friends. He finished the leftover dishes from lunch, leaving Shui Miao a large bowl of porridge and a plate of stir-fried celery. This wasn’t due to stinginess but because Dao cultivators had many dietary restrictions and preferences.
Xiong Ying left after eating, leaving Shui Miao alone by the river.
After practicing qi for a while, Shui Miao felt exceptionally comfortable all over and wanted to continue. However, swarms of mosquitoes emerged from the grass, biting him so fiercely that he leaped up…
※※※
Seeing the large bowl of porridge and plate of side dishes, Shui Miao wasn’t picky. He devoured everything like a whirlwind.
Just after washing the bowls, Shui Miao heard Chen Bing calling.
“Brother Shui! Brother Shui, where are you?”
Chen Bing carried a battery pack, wore a headlamp, and held a net and fishing spear. “Brother Shui, I’ve got everything ready. Shall we set off? Xiao Ye and Li Hua are getting the boat. By the time we get there, Lin Haiyang should have arrived too.”
“Oh no! I forgot to buy the alcohol!” Shui Miao suddenly remembered.
“No worries. The wife of ‘Er Daizi’ at the east end of the village runs a shop with all kinds of alcohol. I checked earlier. We can buy a couple of cases of beer on our way and load them directly onto the boat.”
Chen Bing and the others had already planned everything. Now, they were just waiting for Shui Miao.
Shui Miao quickly changed clothes and went with Chen Bing to Er Daizi’s house at the east end of the village. Just as they were about to buy alcohol, Lin Haiyang called out, “Brother, I’ve already bought the alcohol—five full cases!”
“Brother Shui! You’re finally here. We’ve been waiting for you!”
Shui Miao turned around and saw the chubby Xiao Ye standing at the bow of the boat, holding a bamboo pole, while Lin Haiyang and Li Hua were loading the alcohol onto the boat.
Xiao Ye, whose full name was Ye Haibing, was also twenty years old. He had been learning pastry-making in Suzhou and had left the village three years ago with Shui Miao and Chen Bing. Fortunately, a relative in Suzhou had introduced him to a renowned pastry chef. He had been learning for three years and had mastered the craft but lacked the capital to start his own business or the connections to switch jobs, so he continued working under his master. His parents had called him back for a blind date, and he was thrilled to find Shui Miao and the others back too. He planned to go to Zhonghai with them in a few days to seek new opportunities.
The boat was about ten meters long, made of cement, and belonged to Li Hua’s family.
Li Hua’s father used to be a small kiln owner, and the boat was used for transporting straw. Now, his father had switched to being a businessman and was rarely home, so the boat was seldom used. Li Hua wore thick glasses and was still in university—the only one among the friends still studying.
Chen Bing was talkative and loved excitement. Before even getting on the boat, he had called Xiao Ye, who then notified Li Hua. The childhood friends quickly gathered. As Shui Miao boarded the boat and tried to pay Lin Haiyang for the alcohol, Lin Haiyang sternly said, “Are you trying to drive me away? I can’t catch fish, I can’t hunt birds, and I can’t cook. If you won’t even let me pay for the alcohol, I’ll get off and go home. We won’t even be brothers after this.”
Lin Haiyang was two years older than Shui Miao and from the neighboring Xiaozhou Village.
Hearing this, Shui Miao was at a loss.
Just then, Li Hua adjusted his glasses and said, “Brother Shui, why don’t you take charge of cooking? I’m not good at anything either.”
“Exactly! It’s rare for us brothers to get together. It’s not worth ruining our camaraderie over a little money for alcohol,” Ye Haibing said, pushing off with his bamboo pole. The cement boat began to move, and everyone quickly jumped into the cabin to steady themselves. Ye Haibing’s rowing pace was anything but slow.
As night fell, the reeds in the river blocked the light. Chen Bing quickly turned on his headlamp to illuminate the way for Ye Haibing. “Xiao Ye, slow down! Where are you planning to go in such a hurry?”
“The usual spot—the chaotic burial grounds. Others don’t dare go there, but we do.”
Ye Haibing exerted force, and the cement boat instantly picked up speed, creating splashing sounds as it cut through the water…
After saying this, Xiong Ying continued drinking and said nothing more.
Xiong Ying knew very well that cultivating Dao and practicing Qi required natural progression and opportunity. It couldn’t be forced; pushing too hard might lead to mistakes and counterproductive results. Now that he had taught everything he needed to, the rest depended on Shui Miao’s own efforts.
Shui Miao fell silent as well. He thought to himself, “Isn’t this like a bone that’s all tasteless meat? It’s neither worth pursuing nor worth abandoning. I could spend that time working and earn a decent living. But… this is Grandpa’s expectation. Haven’t I always wanted to become someone as great as him? Besides, learning this could help me in my future business and wealth-building endeavors!”
Shui Miao admitted he was pragmatic, but that was the reality of society. Especially for the poor, without money, life was tough—basic needs couldn’t be met, let alone the possibility of getting married. During his years working away from home, he had fully experienced the harshness of society, so he had no choice but to prioritize money.
“Grandpa, don’t worry. I’ll start practicing Qi after I finish eating,” Shui Miao smiled at his grandfather, breaking the silence.
Xiong Ying didn’t smile. After finishing his bowl of wine, he said indifferently, “You’re practicing for yourself, not for me. Also, you should practice in a quiet place on an empty stomach, preferably in the early morning when the sky just starts to brighten. The air is best then. Oh, and I’m going to Kunlun Mountain with a few of my fellow apprentices soon. I don’t know when I’ll be back. Take care of yourself and don’t worry about me.”
“Oh…”
Seeing his grandfather suddenly become cold, Shui Miao thought maybe it was because he had been too pragmatic. As for his grandfather going away, Shui Miao had nothing to say. His grandfather often went into the mountains with his apprentices to search for dragon veins. He disliked unnecessary chatter about it—it was considered bad luck.
Soon after, Xiong Ying stopped eating, told Shui Miao to eat more, and went off to play cards with his friends.
Shui Miao ate a little, not really hungry, and then cleared the table.
It was the middle of the day with nowhere to go, so he went to the pavilion and silently recited the incantation a few times in his mind. Then, before he realized it, he fell asleep. He had covered two night shifts for his coworkers, meaning he hadn’t slept for 48 hours straight. He was completely exhausted.
He slept until nightfall.
Xiong Ying had already returned and even cooked porridge. When Shui Miao came out of the pavilion, Xiong Ying told him not to rush into eating. Instead, while his stomach was still empty, he should go practice Qi by the river. Shui Miao washed his face by the river and was about to sit cross-legged on a clean patch of cement nearby when Xiong Ying chased him onto the muddy ground instead, saying that this would help him absorb the Earth Spirit’s Qi more easily.
Shui Miao was puzzled—if sitting in mud helped absorb Earth Spirit Qi, then wouldn’t he have to sit in fire to absorb Fire Spirit Qi? Though he doubted his grandfather’s method, he didn’t argue and followed his instructions.
This Qigong was very similar to Daoist meditative practices focused on cultivating energy and regulating meridians, not the type of hard Qigong involving physical resistance.
Shui Miao sat cross-legged naturally, relaxed his entire body, placed both hands together with thumbs forming a Taiji shape over the lower abdomen, tongue touching the roof of his mouth, breathing calmly through his nose, and silently recited the incantation twice before gradually entering a meditative state.
This kind of meditative Qigong was not unfamiliar to Shui Miao.
While working away from home, he occasionally browsed the internet, not only studying Feng Shui but also searching for effective Qigong methods. He had learned a lot but had never dared to try them out for fear that they might differ from his grandfather’s teachings. Still, he was quite familiar with the general techniques.
Meditative Qigong emphasized three kinds of stillness: physical stillness, mental stillness, and intentional stillness.
Shui Miao completely relaxed his mind, thinking of nothing, and quickly entered a state of deep meditation.
“Hmph, the little brat actually looks the part. Maybe he really has the potential to cultivate Qi!” Xiong Ying watched Shui Miao sitting in meditation with a composed posture, stroked his beard, and nodded in satisfaction. He said indifferently, “Cultivating Qigong is actually quite simple—once your mindset is strong enough, you’re halfway there. However, cultivating the Five Elements Qigong is different. It requires reciting the incantation, which helps you connect with the spiritual realm. If you persist long enough, success will naturally follow.”
Xiong Ying knew very well that for ordinary people, it would take at least three to five years of consistent practice before any real progress could be made. There was no need to explain all that now.
Seeing Shui Miao still sitting motionless, Xiong Ying shook his head helplessly: “Fine! If you like practicing so much, go ahead and practice longer. I’ll save your dinner. When you get hungry, just come eat by yourself. I’m off to play cards with some old friends. For us Daoist cultivators, the real joy is in winning every bet while still making our opponents admit defeat willingly!”
He glanced at Shui Miao a couple more times and then turned to leave.
Mosquitoes would soon come out, and the mosquitoes in the barley fields were both large and fierce. Xiong Ying doubted that Shui Miao could sit still by the river for long.
Xiong Ying had made plans to play mahjong all night with his card-playing buddies. After finishing off the leftover food from lunch, he left a big bowl of porridge and a plate of stir-fried celery for Shui Miao. It wasn’t that Xiong Ying was stingy—it was just that Daoist practitioners had many dietary restrictions.
After finishing his meal, Xiong Ying left Shui Miao alone by the river.
Shui Miao practiced for a while and felt incredibly comfortable, so he decided to keep going. But soon, swarms of mosquitoes flew out from the grass, biting him so badly that he jumped up in pain…
※※※
Seeing a big bowl of porridge and a small dish of vegetables, Shui Miao didn’t fuss and devoured everything in a flash.
Just after washing the dishes, he heard Chen Bing calling.
“Shui Ge! Shui Ge! Where are you?”
Chen Bing had a battery pack on his back, a miner’s headlamp on his head, and was holding a net and a fish spear. “Shui Ge, I’ve got everything ready. Let’s go! Xiao Ye and Li Hua are getting the boat ready. Once we get there, Lin Haiyang should already be there too.”
“Oh no! I forgot to buy the beer!”
“No problem! There’s a store run by ‘Second Fool’s’ wife at the east end of the village. They’ve got every kind of beer. I checked earlier. We can just buy two cases on the way and carry them directly onto the boat.”
Chen Bing and the others had already made plans. Now they were just waiting for Shui Miao.
Shui Miao quickly changed clothes and followed Chen Bing to Er Daizi’s house at the east end of the village. Just as they were about to buy the beer, they heard Lin Haiyang shout, “Brother, the beer is already bought—five whole cases!”
“Shui Ge! You’re finally here! We’ve been waiting for you!”
Shui Miao turned around and saw the chubby Xiao Ye standing at the bow of the boat, holding a bamboo pole. Lin Haiyang and Li Hua were loading the beer onto the boat.
Xiao Ye’s real name was Ye Haibing. He was twenty years old and had been learning pastry-making in Suzhou. Three years ago, he had left home with Shui Miao and Chen Bing. But he was lucky—his cousin in Suzhou had introduced him to a famous pastry master. He studied for three years and had already mastered the skills. However, lacking capital and connections, he had to continue working under his master. This time, his parents had urged him to return home for a blind date, but when he found out that Shui Miao and the others had also come back, he was delighted and planned to go to Haiyang with them in a few days.
This was a ten-meter-long cement boat belonging to Li Hua’s family.
Li Hua’s father used to be a small brick kiln owner. The boat was originally used to transport straw. Now that his father had switched to business and was rarely home, the boat had become unused. Li Hua wore thick glasses and was still in university. Among their group of friends, he was the only one still studying.
Chen Bing had a big mouth and loved socializing. Before even getting on the boat, he had already called Xiao Ye, who then notified Li Hua. The childhood friends quickly reunited.
Shui Miao boarded the boat and was about to pay Lin Haiyang for the beer when Lin Haiyang frowned and said, “Are you trying to push me away on purpose? I can’t fish, I can’t hunt birds, and I can’t cook. If you don’t let me pay for the beer, I’ll just go home and we won’t be brothers anymore!”
Lin Haiyang was two years older than Shui Miao and came from the neighboring Xiaozhou Village.
Hearing this, Shui Miao was at a loss.
At that moment, Li Hua pushed up his glasses and said, “Shui Ge, you can take care of the cooking. I can’t do anything either.”
“Yeah! It’s rare for us brothers to reunite like this. It’s not worth ruining our friendship over a few bottles of beer, right?” With a push of the bamboo pole, Ye Haibing set the cement boat in motion. Everyone quickly jumped into the cabin to steady themselves. Ye Haibing was known for his fast boating.
As night fell, the reeds along the river blocked the light, so Chen Bing quickly turned on his miner’s lamp to illuminate Ye Haibing’s path. “Xiao Ye, slow down! Why are you in such a hurry? Where are you going?”
“The old place—the graveyard where no one dares to go. Only we dare!”
With a powerful thrust, Ye Haibing accelerated the boat, creating splashing sounds as the water rushed past…
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