The Hundred-Day Foundation Establishment: Diagram of the True Dao

"Cultivation is difficult; difficult at the beginning, difficult in the middle, and even more difficult towards the end!"

Ling Feng Zi sighed indifferently, his eyes profound, as if piercing through the long river of time, seeing countless cultivators wasting their time searching for shadows on the path.

He sat cross-legged, his hands gently stroking his knees, his expression serious and solemn, slowly beginning to speak.

"The initial stage of cultivation involves tempering the body and circulating qi and blood. In our Daoist cultivation, this is called 'Hundred-Day Foundation Establishment.' The 'hundred days' is merely a symbolic number; true cultivation often takes more than a hundred days. Those with exceptional talent may take a few months, while others may take several years. For those with dull aptitude, it can take over ten years or even longer."

Tai Yuan sat upright opposite his master, his expression earnest, his eyes sparkling, as if he wanted to engrave every word his master spoke into his heart.

He leaned forward slightly and respectfully asked, "Honored Master, what exactly is Foundation Establishment? Why is it so important?"

Ling Feng Zi smiled faintly and asked in return, "Yuan'er, do you know what needs to be done first when building a house?"

Tai Yuan thought for a moment and replied, "Tall buildings rise from the ground; the key lies in laying a good foundation. If the foundation is well laid, then tall buildings can be erected; if the foundation is not solid, even if a tall building is built, it will collapse in an instant."

"Precisely!" Ling Feng Zi nodded with satisfaction, a flicker of praise in his eyes. "Therefore, true cultivators of our Daoist school must all undergo Foundation Establishment to lay a satisfactory foundation for their future cultivation path. Those who directly begin with various so-called profound and abstruse wondrous methods will ultimately end up like withered trees."

Tai Yuan pondered, then after a moment of contemplation, asked, "Honored Master, is this what Daoist alchemy discusses as 'Only cultivating ancestral nature without cultivating elixirs, myriad kalpas of Yin spirits find it hard to enter sagehood'?"

Ling Feng Zi heard this, his eyes flashing with brilliant light, and he clapped his hands in praise: "Excellent! Your understanding is not bad; that is precisely the principle."

He paused, and continued, "So, how does one establish the Foundation? All methods, all cultivators, cannot do without Entering Samadhi."

"Only by stabilizing the Monkey Mind and tying down the Wild Horse of Intent can one open the meridians. However, there are many strange and peculiar cultivation methods in the world that teach people to directly cultivate meridians and circulate the River Cart. These methods must never be learned, as they easily lead to Qi Deviation."

Tai Yuan listened intently, his brows slightly furrowed, as if contemplating the profound meaning in his master's words.

Ling Feng Zi, seeing this, further explained: "Because, just like a farmer planting crops, Primordial Qi is like the fertility of the soil, and meridians are like the growth condition of the crops. If you do not diligently cultivate the soil and directly force the crops to grow, it will only lead to haste making waste. Moreover, if Primordial Qi is insufficient, even opening the meridians will not have much effect."

At this point, Ling Feng Zi stopped, allowing Tai Yuan some time to think.

In Tai Yuan's mind, various rumors from the martial world he had read in his previous life appeared, especially how Ling Hu Chong, after his internal energy was crippled, could be bullied even by those who hadn't practiced martial arts, without any power to retaliate. Wasn't this a manifestation of an insufficient foundation?

Tai Yuan thought again, and in the entire martial world, everyone seemed eager to directly cultivate Internal Qi, with few valuing body tempering. Even if there were, they were considered unqualified external methods. Such a reversal of priorities was truly regrettable.

"True constancy responds to things; true constancy attains nature. Constantly responding, constantly still; constantly pure and tranquil." Ling Feng Zi, seeing Tai Yuan in deep thought, continued: "In this world, there is only one true method to open the meridians: that is to quiet the mind, not seek, not be deluded, not be anxious, but calmly wait. When Essence, Qi, and Spirit are complete, the meridians will naturally open, and the Samadhi State will naturally be entered. No forcing can achieve it. Whatever method in the world, if it deviates from the mind in cultivation, or deviates from stillness in cultivation, it is a deviant method."

Tai Yuan deeply agreed, nodding and saying, "Honored Master's words are very reasonable. This disciple understands that the path of cultivation values a tranquil mind and naturalness."

Ling Feng Zi smiled joyfully and continued, "Currently, the so-called first, second, and third-rate experts in the martial world are all pursuing the unobstructed flow of the Twelve Primary Meridians and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. They call this the Post-natal stage, which is merely equivalent to our Daoist Foundation Establishment practice. When they comprehend the true principles of martial arts, which is the Pre-natal realm, it is equivalent to us beginning Nature Cultivation, nurturing the Sacred Embryo, and repairing our true selves."

"The so-called repairing refers to repairing the body's leakage. Here, body leakage does not simply refer to the loss of essence or blood, but mainly refers to the misdirection of Primordial Qi within the body."

Tai Yuan listened intently, and couldn't help but ask, "Honored Master, what stages are divided within Nature Cultivation?"

Ling Feng Zi stroked his long beard and slowly said, "Nature Cultivation is divided into Inner Vision and Outer Vision. Inner means mind; Vision means image. Outer images include: sun, moon, stars, purple clouds; Inner images include: blood, flesh, tendons, bones, internal organs."

"The mind resides within the body, existing to observe the forms and colors of the whole, thus it is called Inner Vision. It is similar to the Martial Dao Grandmaster realm in the martial world. A Martial Dao Grandmaster has a meticulous mind and observes his own self."

"Outer Vision means the body merges with nature, controlling the power of heaven and earth, comparable to the Grandmaster of Heaven-Man Unity in martial arts. Cultivating to this stage, if one maintains it, one's lifespan can reach 200 years!"

"200 years?!" Tai Yuan couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. "In that case, are those Daoist seniors still living in the world?"

Ling Feng Zi shook his head and said, "This... this master also doesn't know. Perhaps they still exist, or perhaps they have ascended. Since Duke Wen Cheng severed the 99 Dragon Veins, the path of cultivation has indeed become more arduous. This master previously thought that Dragon Veins and Dragon Acupoints were merely matters of geomancy and earth energy, but now it seems the mysteries within are truly indescribable..."

Tai Yuan, hearing this, also recalled some legends from his previous life.

Duke Wen Cheng was Liu Bowen. Legend has it that he severed the connections between heaven and earth, cutting off all the Dragon Veins under heaven, thereby ensuring the continuous prosperity of the Great Ming dynasty.

Before that, Daoist masters appeared in continuous succession, such as Zhongli Quan, Lü Chunyang, Wang Chongyang, Zhang Ziyang, Bai Yuqian, and others. However, after True Man Sanfeng, no true Daoist Grandmaster has emerged in the world.

Was there a connection between these two events?

Tai Yuan had doubts in his heart.

Although he could not yet uncover the truth at this moment, this doubt had already sown a seed of curiosity in his heart.

"Honored Master, what about after Outer Vision? What kind of scene is that?" Tai Yuan suppressed his curiosity and continued to ask.

"If a cultivator can advance further, it is the so-called Human Immortal Great Dao, which is also the Terrestrial Immortal realm commonly spoken of by people. Replenishing qi and blood, restoring the Qian Body, then obtaining external elixirs, forming the Inner Elixir, one can be called a Human Immortal."

Ling Feng Zi narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression filled with fascination.

"It is also said that a Human Immortal is the most fundamental existence among the Five Immortals. A cultivator, if he does not awaken to the Great Dao, but attains one method within the Dao, one art within the method, and with firm resolve and unwavering commitment, cultivates it throughout his life, without circulating qi, but comprehending union and harmony, solidifying his physical form, then the eight evils of change cannot harm him. With much peace and little illness, this is called a Human Immortal..."

Tai Yuan listened, mesmerized, and couldn't help but ask, "Honored Master, what powers does that Human Immortal possess? This disciple is truly itching with curiosity; I hope Honored Master will enlighten me."

Ling Feng Zi smiled faintly and said, "According to ancient records, this Human Immortal refers to a person whose physical body is firm and who lives long in the world. In Daoist alchemy, it refers to the stage of Refining Essence into Qi."

"In our Daoist school, 'Qi' refers to Pre-natal Primordial Qi, which is fundamentally different from Post-natal Qi and needs to be discussed separately."

As Ling Feng Zi spoke, he drew a dividing line in the air with his hand to distinguish them.

"The 'Supreme Jade Emperor's Heart Seal Profound Scripture' begins by pointing out: The three treasures of man are Primordial Essence, Primordial Qi, and Primordial Spirit. 'Qi' is one of the three transitional treasures. The so-called Pre-natal Primordial Qi is the source of life. Health preservationists say 'when qi gathers, one lives; when qi disperses, one dies,' referring to this Pre-natal Primordial Qi."

Ling Feng Zi explained while gesturing with his hands the states of qi gathering and qi dispersing.

"In the Foundation Establishment and body nurturing stages, the completeness of Essence, Qi, and Spirit we speak of does not refer to sensory Essence, respiratory Qi, and thinking Spirit, but rather Primordial Essence, Primordial Qi, and Primordial Spirit. Primordial Essence gives rise to sensory Essence, Primordial Qi generates respiratory Qi, and Primordial Spirit governs thinking Spirit."

Tai Yuan listened intently and asked, "Honored Master, how does one truly Refine Essence into Qi?"

Ling Feng Zi slowly said, "Refining Essence into Qi is the fundamental root of cultivation. It requires starting with a tranquil mind..."