The Mirror Legacy

Chapter 8: Reception Method

The Profound Pearl Sacrificial Spirit Spell was much more extensive than the Supreme Yin Breathing Meridian Nourishment Sutra. It primarily detailed the use of the mirror to harness Supreme Yin moonlight energy and condense the profound pearl talisman seed.

This talisman seed, when implanted in another person’s dantian, could aid their cultivation. Upon their successful cultivation or demise, it could nourish them, furthering their practice of the Supreme Yin Profound Light...

Included in it was a Reception Method, guiding the recipient in drawing the Profound Pearl Talisman Seed out from the mirror and nurturing it within their dantian.

Lu Jiangxian paused, feeling a sense of unease about the Profound Pearl Sacrificial Spirit Spell. It seemed almost sinister, like one of those demonic arts he had read in books before.

After careful consideration and thorough reading, he confirmed that the Profound Pearl Talisman Seed was not only harmless to its recipients but also offered significant benefits.

Profound Pearl Sacrificial Spirit Spell was an inherent spell the mirror had awakened to. The number of Profound Pearl Talisman Seeds he could condense was limited by the strength of his divine sense. Currently, he could sustain only six seeds.

Reflecting on this, Lu Jiangxian swept his divine sense through the Li Family’s residence, noting the many changes.

“What a transformation!”

During his three years in the mirror, the Li Family had constructed a pond, expanded their compound, and flourished! Li Changhu had married and grown a beard, stepping up as the new head of the family.

Using his spell, he scanned the Li Family but found none with a “spiritual orifice” necessary for immortality. Although he had already expected this, he was still a little disappointed.

It seemed that, barring an unlikely event, no member of the Li Family would achieve immortality. Their fates were tied to the mortal world, with lifespans not exceeding seventy years.

Observing the Li Family, Lu Jiangxian sighed deeply and activated the spell.

Li Chejing, with keen eyes, was the first to notice a change and called out, “Father, look!”

The other brothers of the Li Family also promptly gathered around.

Li Mutian focused intently on the mirror. A white light flashed across its surface, and a tiny script appeared. He patted Li Chejing’s shoulder and instructed, “Bring me cloth and ink!”

The brothers quickly went off to gather the required materials.

The Li Family’s foresight in building a study proved useful. It was well-stocked with the four treasures of the study, which Master Han had donated to them. Otherwise, they would have had to travel to the village entrance for these supplies.

Li Changhu quickly fetched the cloth while Li Tongya brought a wooden table and ink. Fortunately, Li Chejing, who was by the mirror, had already memorized the earlier script that had appeared and vanished.

Among the brothers, Li Chejing was the youngest but also the most well-read. Therefore, Li Mutian entrusted him with transcribing the small characters that appeared.

The transcription of the Reception Method was a lengthy process. Li Chejing wrote diligently for as long as it took for an incense stick to burn until his wrist ached. Then, Li Tongya took over, while the others watched carefully to ensure accuracy.

The task took two hours to complete, with the brothers alternating in their efforts.

Eager to guarantee accuracy, Lu Jiangxian allowed the script to manifest three times. This included detailed annotations of Daoist jargons, along with diagrams of qi circulation and meridian paths.

Only after watching the brothers carefully verify each detail did he gradually retract the light.

“The Reception Method,” Li Xiangping read aloud from the cloth, his voice steady.

“In the initial phase of the first cycle, the Profound Pearl True Elixir gracefully descends into the heart’s network. This marks the positioning of the Elixir Cavity within the central palace. Following the elixir’s descent, one must hold their breath nine times, completing one cycle. Repeat across nine cycles, nine times each, a total of eighty-one times. This is referred to as the nine heavenly cycles...”

“This is an immortal spell!” Li Changhu exclaimed, both surprised and elated, barely resisting the urge to embrace the mirror and kiss it.

The brothers passed the cloth around, reading it thoroughly and silently, committing the notes to memory.

Li Xiangping’s gaze then fell on a few final sentences.

“To complete the reception, choose days such as Jiazi year, Gengshen year, the year of your birth sign, the three yuan festivals, the eighth solar terms, or the first and last day of the lunar months. These are auspicious times when Yang dispels Yin.”

“Perform the ritual under the moon’s glow, burn incense, and take a purifying bath. Bow deeply to invoke, saying, ‘As a disciple from a certain family, I respectfully request the Profound Light. I dedicate myself to pursuing the Dao and my destiny rests in your hands. When the time comes, I will remain true to my oath. With this talisman burned, I express my gratitude to Supreme Yin’. After this, swallow air thrice.”

“When the time comes, I will not fail to uphold my promise. With this talisman burned, I express my gratitude to Supreme Yin,” he repeated softly to himself.

Li Mutian watched the young man intently, then gently stroked his head and spoke calmly, “Obey your fate and dedicate yourself to the Dao Path.”

————

In the early morning, slender wisps of smoke rose from the village rooftops, mingling with the mist in the air.

“Uncle Li, you seem to be in a good mood today. What’s the occasion?” People working in the field greeted Li Mutian with a smile as they saw him walking past the field.

Looking down, Li Mutian recognized his nephew, Ye Chengfu. The boy’s innocent, honest appearance matched his pleasant manner of speaking.

“Just happy to see the green shoots thriving in the field!” Li Mutian responded with a laugh.

Lijing Village was dominated by four major families—Ye, Tian, Li, and Liu. The Ye Family, making up over thirty percent of the village’s population, was the largest. United, they were a force to be reckoned with.

“Oh, they were blessed by Brother Changhu’s good fortune!” Ye Chengfu respectfully replied, leaning on his hoe.

“You really have a way with words, young man!”

Li Mutian knew the comment referred to Li Changhu’s recent wedding. The bride from the Ren Family was both charming and well-mannered, a perfect match for Li Changhu.

Li Mutian was thinking of letting his daughter-in-law in on the secret after she gave birth to an heir. After all, keeping too much under wraps might raise suspicions since they were living under the same roof. Besides, he knew his daughter-in-law could keep secrets.

“Tongya is reluctant to marry, and Xiangping is of age too,” Li Mutian mused, stroking his beard.

Tian Yun, the daughter of my good friend, would be a good match for Xiangping, considering their similar ages. I’ll ask Xiangping about it when I get back. Perhaps it won’t be too long before I’m bringing a proposal with a swan goose over to them, he thought with a smile.

In the courtyard, Li Tongya and his brothers were diligently studying the Reception Method. Li Changhu, having spent the morning patrolling in the fields, hurried back to join them.

Li Mutian, feeling the weight of his years, preferred to leave the immortal spell to the younger generation and focus on worldly matters instead.

After all, someone had to oversee the fields. Besides, it was wise to keep an eye out for any unscrupulous individuals who might attempt to sneak a peek into their household.

Li Mutian was in a good mood today. He sat on the ridge, engaging in a leisurely chat with the village elders.

————

Meanwhile, in the Li Residence...

Lu Jiangxian focused his divine sense on the three individuals—Li Tongya and two others, who were sitting cross-legged with their eyes closed. Faint white halos at the tops of their heads became visible.

Li Chejing’s halo was the most prominent, extending about eight cun and shining brightly. Li Tongya and Li Xiangping’s halos measured six cun and five cun respectively, while Li Changhu’s was only three cun[1].

The size of these halos, appearing upon first practicing the Reception Method, indicated the level of compatibility between the individual and the Profound Pearl Talisman Seed. A halo of one chi[2] signified a match as perfect as someone born with a spiritual orifice.

Li Chejing’s eight-cun halo suggested he could achieve up to eighty percent of the cultivation speed of a person with a natural spiritual orifice. In contrast, Li Changhu’s three-cun halo meant his cultivation speed was limited to just thirty percent of that potential.

Essentially, Li Changhu’s rate of cultivation was significantly slower. He might devote an entire day to cultivation, yet attain less progress than those who dedicated merely eight hours to their training.

1. Cun is Chinese inches, so one cun = 3.333 cm. ☜

2. Chi is Chinese feet, so one chi = 33.333 cm. ☜