Chapter 39: Xiaochun goes down the mountain, the curtain opens
The world of Zhuxian.

Due to Zhang Xiaochun's extraordinary talent, Tian Buyi taught him all the Tai Chi Xuanqing Dao at an early stage and allowed Zhang Xiaochun to practice it on his own.

It can be said that what limits Zhang Xiaochun now is the limit of his body's endurance, rather than the speed at which he comprehends the skills. He needs time to slowly transition and use spiritual energy to improve his body. It cannot be done all at once.

Just like a wooden barrel, its capacity is often determined by the shortest piece of wood, and this is the case with Zhang Xiaochun.

For those who practice Taoism, health is the most important thing.

If one's body is not in good health, even if there is a supreme method, it will be difficult to practice. Qingyun Sect originated from Taoism and attaches great importance to health preservation and physical fitness. When Taoism is practiced in depth, the body becomes even more important.

For example, the secret of controlling thunder with the magic sword requires one to use oneself as the guide, assisted by the magic weapon and sharp blade, to draw down the nine-day divine thunder and the magnificent divine power.

But the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder is so powerful that once ordinary people come into contact with it, they will be turned into ashes immediately. Although the caster has practiced very deeply, if he is in poor health, he will be killed by the divine thunder first. How can he still claim to be invincible?
This is why Dazhufeng requires people to go up the mountain to cut black bamboo in the first three years.

However, Zhang Xiaochun didn't cut down a single black bamboo. With the help of the divine power from heaven, he only needed to circulate his spiritual power to temper his body to strengthen his body. He didn't need any external means to help.

Even with the restrictions, after a few years, he was able to enter the Shangqing realm.

This year, Zhang Xiaochun was already twelve years old.

The boy has just grown up, wearing a moon-white Taoist robe that shines brightly with silver. His posture is as straight as a crane, and he has an unruly temperament and is full of youthful spirit.

It is like a standing orchid, or a natural beauty standing proudly in the snow. With a pair of sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, it is extremely sharp. Looking into its eyes seems to pierce straight into the soul, making people afraid.

Zhang Xiaochun came out of his retreat in Taiji Cave in the back mountain.

Arriving at the Jingjing Hall in the main hall of Dazhu Peak, he bowed to Tian Buyi and said, "Master!"

"Well, Lao Ba, did you gain a lot from your retreat this time?" Tian Buyi patted his shoulder and asked with concern.

Zhang Xiaochun smiled and nodded, without any intention of hiding anything, and said with a little pride: "Disciple has already broken through to the Upper Purity Realm!"

"What! Shangqing Realm?!"

Tian Buyi screamed and almost fell off the chair because his body, which was even fatter than a few years ago, was so heavy.

I have to say that Xiaofan's cooking skills are really good. He managed to feed Tian Buyi until he became fatter, almost into a round cube.

When Tian Buyi suddenly heard the news, he was a little bit unbelieving for a moment. He immediately grabbed Zhang Xiaochun's wrist and injected a stream of spiritual energy into it to investigate.

But who would have thought that as soon as the spiritual energy entered Zhang Xiaochun's body, it was dissipated by an even more powerful and pure spiritual energy.

Although Tian Buyi was unsure of Zhang Xiaochun's exact realm for the moment, there was no doubt that his disciple was in the Shangqing realm.

He immediately smiled and said:
"Hahaha! Great! Lao Ba, you're really doing great! Our Dazhu Peak has great potential for prosperity. When the Seven Clans Martial Competition comes, I'll see what Cangsong and the others will say!"

The corners of Tian Buyi's round face were almost stretched to his ears.

"Master, I wonder how my brother is doing?"

When Tian Buyi heard Zhang Xiaochun asking about Zhang Xiaofan, his face couldn't help but darken. They were obviously brothers, so how come their cultivation aptitudes were so different!
After several years of hard work, Zhang Xiaofan had barely cultivated to the second level of the Jade Purity Realm of the Tai Chi Xuanqing Dao. This aptitude was truly difficult to cultivate, but nothing in the world was perfect, and he was already content to have a disciple as talented as Zhang Xiaochun.

Tian Buyi sighed and said helplessly: "Old Seven, you know that I am indeed a little dull, but fortunately, I have your mistress's daily supervision, so I have made some achievements."

Zhang Xiaochun understood what was going on as soon as he heard it. Zhang Xiaofan is a fellow Buddhist and Taoist practitioner.

Among them, the Tai Chi Xuanqing Dao Qi training requires opening the seven pores of the whole body to draw the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the body and flow along the meridians, so as to train and stabilize the body's vitality and internal meridians;
Mahavairocana Prajna, however, requires entering into a state of nirvana, closing off all thoughts, actions and consciousness, regarding one's own body as a world, seeing one's own nature alone, and using the true essence of one's heart to strengthen the foundation and cultivate the essence.

The two methods are completely opposite. When one has made some progress in practicing Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao, the pores of the body begin to open and the spiritual energy enters the body. However, the next step is to practice Mahabrahma Prajna to forcibly close all the pores and enter the state of Nirvana.

All the previous efforts were almost wasted.

Adding one and subtracting one is equivalent to doing useless work, but fortunately, the foundation of practicing both Buddhism and Taoism is very solid, and the future path will be smoother.

A few years ago, Zhang Xiaochun took the Blood-sucking Pearl from Zhang Xiaofan's arms and the Soul-catching Rod from the valley in the back mountain.

Because he was still young at the time, Tian Buyi was afraid that Zhang Xiaochun was inexperienced and immature, and would be harmed by the evil cult monsters. For various reasons, he did not agree to let his beloved disciple Zhang Xiaochun go down the mountain to gain experience.

He also intended to pass down his Red Flame Immortal Sword, which showed that he truly regarded Zhang Xiaochun as his successor.

However, Zhang Xiaochun sternly rejected it.

He also said that he wanted to refine a magic sword of his own, preferably a Nine Heavens Divine Weapon.

Seeing his disciple so ambitious, Tian Buyi didn't say much, but nodded with satisfaction and promised that when Zhang Xiaochun grew up a little, he would let him go down the mountain to find his own magic weapon.

Now that Zhang Xiaochun has entered the Shangqing Realm, it is time for him to go out and gain experience.

Zhang Xiaochun pleaded, "Master, I am now in the Upper Purity Realm and can protect myself when I am outside. The Seven Clans Martial Arts Competition is approaching. Could you please let me go down the mountain to look for a magic weapon?"

Tian Buyi thought for a moment, looked at Zhang Xiaochun who had a determined look, and finally tried to persuade him:

"I know you are arrogant and look down upon ordinary magic weapons. You insist on refining a Nine Heavens Magical Weapon yourself. But a Nine Heavens Magical Weapon is not that easy to refine. Even the entire Qingyun Sect only has a few of them."

"If you ask me, Lao Ba, you can just use my Scarlet Flame Immortal Sword. If that doesn't work, your master's wife has a Moxue Sword..."

Before Tian Buyi could finish, Zhang Xiaochun said, "Master, I have made up my mind. Please help me!"

"Ugh!"

Tian Buyi sighed: "Okay, your sixth brother just came down the mountain not long ago. If you come out earlier, maybe he can go with you, and then he will take care of you on the way."

"When you go out, be careful. They say a poor family makes a rich road. Take these things with you..."

Tian Buyi gave Zhang Xiaochun many instructions and even used his small treasury to privately sponsor some things for him, such as elixirs and silver. The treatment he received was much better than that provided by Du Bishu.

It seems that he is really worried about letting his precious baby go down the mountain.

Zhang Xiaochun said goodbye to everyone, and then, riding a bamboo sword made of black bamboo, he left the territory of Qingyun Sect.

This trip can be described as a dragon swimming in the ocean.

The curtain will officially open on the various realms where the several avatars are located!

(End of this chapter)