Mortal Bones

Chapter 13: Listening to the Sutra Lecture, First Glimpse into the Path of Cultivation

“No need for formalities.”

To Xu Taiping’s surprise, the mirror spirit actually responded to him, albeit in a rigid, icy tone.

“Profound Mirror, this old man is ready.”

Right at that moment, a deeply authoritative voice resonated from within the bronze mirror.

Xu Taiping immediately fixed his gaze upon it.

The reflection of his own face dissolved. In a heartbeat, the mirror shifted to reveal a mist-shrouded, ethereal mountain peak. Atop the summit, the faint silhouette of an elder bearing the transcendent demeanor of an immortal could be seen.

“Perfected Lord Ziyang, three hundred and ninety-six disciples are in attendance. Among them, two hundred and eighteen are new initiates, and two hundred possess no cultivation base.”

The mirror spirit’s voice echoed outwards.

As it spoke, the image steadily magnified until Xu Taiping could clearly see Perfected Lord Ziyang seated cross-legged upon a stone dais.

“Four hundred is sufficient. Admit no others.”

Perfected Lord Ziyang’s eyes remained half-closed as his lips parted lightly.

“Understood.”

The mirror spirit replied coldly.

“So Perfected Lord Ziyang caps the attendance for his sutra lectures. Good thing I arrived early.”

Hearing this exchange, Xu Taiping secretly rejoiced.

“Whether this is your first time hearing this old man expound upon the Remnant Glow Sutra, or you have heard it countless times, I shall treat all equally and begin from the very first word.”

After a brief pause, Perfected Lord Ziyang’s voice washed over them once more.

Realizing the lecture had officially commenced, Xu Taiping straightened his posture, his unblinking eyes glued to the bronze mirror.

“Many of you lacked any foundation before entering the sect. Therefore, before we delve into the Remnant Glow Sutra, this old man will first explain the true meaning of cultivation, and the nature of realms.”

“Cultivation is, essentially, using body-tempering arts to forge the physical vessel, and door-opening arts to refine essence into Qi. Our Qingxuan Sect has always prioritized the latter.”

“Only by nurturing a breath of innate True Qi can one manifest spells and divine abilities, extend one’s mortal lifespan, and ultimately glimpse the path of Ascension to prove the Dao and attain immortality.”

“The Remnant Glow Sutra I will expound upon today is one of the foundational door-opening mantras of our sect.”

Hearing this, Xu Taiping nodded subtly.

The Perfected Lord’s words mirrored the opening passages of the sutra. It was the only section he had actually comprehended; the subsequent cultivation methods had left his head spinning.

“Now that we have defined cultivation, we shall discuss the cultivation realms.”

“Simply put, these realms mark the distinct stages of your journey.”

“Within the cultivation world, we generally divide this path into five major realms, determined by raw power and longevity.”

“From weakest to strongest, the first is the Door Opening Realm, sometimes referred to as the Entering the Sea Realm. Here, one has merely stepped onto the path. With vitality and blood far surpassing a mortal peer, your lifespan can reach two sexagenary cycles—over one hundred and twenty years.”

Xu Taiping’s eyelids twitched involuntarily.

To think that the Door Opening Realm his grandfather used to speak of with such reverence was actually the absolute lowest rung of the cultivation world.

Shock aside, a wave of relief washed over him. Had the Door Opening Realm been the second or third stage, breaking through within half a year would have been impossible, virtually guaranteeing his forged immortal registry would be exposed.

He banished these thoughts almost instantly, refocusing his mind on the lecture.

“The second realm is the Nether Gazing Realm, extending the lifespan to three sexagenary cycles. Only upon reaching this stage can one truly be called a cultivator. Over the years, at least sixty percent of the disciples this old man has encountered have remained trapped here—some even being direct disciples of the Seven Peaks.”

“The third is the Profound Comprehension Realm. Breaking through grants a lifespan of six sexagenary cycles. At this stage, one is revered as a Perfected Lord and granted their own Daoist sanctuary within Yunlu Mountain.”

“As for the fourth and fifth realms, you need not trouble yourselves with them yet. Do not aim for the heavens when you have yet to learn to walk.”

Perfected Lord Ziyang accepted a cup of tea from an attending disciple and took a slow sip, allowing the weight of his words to settle over his audience.

“Breaking through to Profound Comprehension is that difficult? No wonder Perfected Lord Ziyang is revered as an Elder.”

Xu Taiping marveled inwardly.

“I wonder what realm Fairy Lingyue has reached.”

Curiosity regarding her cultivation level suddenly bloomed in his heart.

“Very well. Next, this old man shall break down the Remnant Glow Sutra in detail.”

Perfected Lord Ziyang’s voice snapped Xu Taiping out of his wandering thoughts.

Referencing the sutra scroll, the elder began to systematically unravel the core profundities of the cultivation method for his audience.

Having already scrutinized the text beforehand, Xu Taiping found it remarkably easy to follow. Expressions of sudden enlightenment frequently flashed across his face. When the elder touched upon particularly profound truths, he couldn’t help but gesture in quiet excitement, feeling the tangled knots of his previous confusion being deftly untied.

He might lack a Spirit Bone, but Xu Taiping had possessed a heaven-defying talent for reading since childhood. When it came to pure comprehension of cultivation techniques, he wasn’t just on par with the Spirit Bone disciples—he vastly outstripped them.

Case in point: while he found the lecture utterly spellbinding, eighty percent of the disciples glaring into their own bronze mirrors were practically tearing their hair out in sheer, agonizing confusion.

And Perfected Lord Ziyang saw every single bit of it.

Save for a select few, the vast majority—Xu Taiping included—were entirely unaware that a massive bronze mirror stood directly before the Perfected Lord.

Within that towering glass, the faces of all three hundred-plus attending disciples were clearly projected.

…

“Profound Mirror, who brought Xu Taiping of the Green Bamboo Residence into the Qingxuan Sect?”

Perfected Lord Ziyang suddenly asked once the lecture concluded.

“Xu Taiping was initially selected by the Spirit Bone Stele and slated for the Seventh Peak. However, during the final aptitude test, the Black Dragon Elder determined he possessed a mere White Bone, rendering him unqualified. He was subsequently placed at the foot of the mountain to cultivate independently, awaiting the Seven Peaks selection in three years’ time.”

The mirror spirit reported.

“What a pity.”

Perfected Lord Ziyang shook his head, a trace of helplessness in his sigh.

He had plainly seen the boy’s monstrous comprehension and had even entertained the thought of taking him on as a direct disciple. To think he was cursed with a White Bone.

“A White Bone… no matter how peerless one’s comprehension may be, it is ultimately futile. Not everyone can be Su Chan.”

Perfected Lord Ziyang let out a long sigh.

“Perfected Lord, it would be wise to speak the name ‘Su Chan’ less frequently. The Headmaster will be greatly displeased if word reaches him.”

The Profound Mirror interjected with a cold reminder.