Entering Level 2

After entering the first level, Liu Jin was assigned to a small hut on the east side of the Taoist temple. The hut was small, with a bed, a table, and a chair. Opening the window revealed a view of the bamboo forest behind the mountain. Every day, he would get up at dawn to do morning prayers with his fellow disciples, and then study theory with Zuo Ruotong alone.

"The Threefold Reversal of Life is not just a technique, but a complete philosophy of cultivation." Zuo Ruotong sat in the lecture hall of the Taoist temple, with three human meridian diagrams spread out in front of him. "The first level, Qi Transformation of the Skin, is to allow the mortal body to directly contact the Qi between heaven and earth. The skin is the first barrier of the physical body, and also the first obstacle. Only by removing this obstacle can you begin to truly 'breathe' the Qi of heaven and earth."

Liu Jin memorized every single word.

"The second stage of Qi transformation of muscles and bones involves gradually transforming the meridians and bones into a Qi state. This stage is the most dangerous—the meridians are the channels through which Qi flows. You are modifying the channels themselves, and if you are not careful, the Qi will go astray, causing irreversible damage."

"What about the third level?" Liu Jin asked.

Zuo Ruotong remained silent for a while.

"The third stage of Qi transformation is the complete separation from the physical body. At this stage, you no longer need to breathe, no longer need to eat, and no longer experience birth, aging, sickness, and death. But similarly, you are no longer human."

These words weighed heavily on Liu Jin's mind.

"Sect Leader," he began, "you said there's no turning back after the Triple Rebirth. Have you ever regretted it?"

Zuo Ruotong did not answer.

It wasn't that he didn't want to answer. Rather, his silence itself was an answer—that pause contained so much that it couldn't be summed up by "regret" or "no regret."

Outside the lecture hall, the bamboo grove rustled. Zuo Ruotong got up and walked to the window, her back to Liu Jin.

"What I regret isn't choosing this path. It's that some people weren't able to stay with me until the end." He turned around and looked at Liu Jin again. "The purpose of cultivation is more important than cultivation itself. You once said you wanted to become an immortal—is that thought still there?"

"exist."

"Then keep going. Take it with you, and go all the way."

In the days that followed, Liu Jin's life settled into a fixed rhythm. He would listen to Zuo Ruotong's lectures in the morning, operate the automatic cultivation device to reverse the three stages of life in the afternoon, and study books to supplement his theoretical knowledge in the evening.

He memorized all the classic texts that Zuo Ruotong had made him memorize: the pathways of meridians, the locations of acupoints, the laws governing the flow of Qi, and the physical changes at each stage of the three stages of reverse rebirth. The automatic cultivation device wouldn't teach these things for him; he had to do it himself.

Every month, Zuo Ruotong would check on his progress. The check included not only his cultivation level but also his theoretical knowledge. Sometimes it was a casual question, and sometimes he would ask him to recite a passage of scripture in its entirety.

"Cultivation is not about rushing." After one inspection, Zuo Ruotong suddenly said, "Have you ever seen someone rushing so fast that they eventually die of exhaustion halfway through the journey?"

"I've met him," Liu Jin said.

"Then don't be that person."

"Yes."

In the sixth month, Liu Jin's first level of rebirth had reached perfection.

His skin became completely translucent when he was practicing his internal energy, and one could vaguely see the flowing Qi beneath. When he stopped practicing, it completely retracted, making him appear no different from an ordinary person. Zuo Ruotong said that this state of being able to control his internal and external energy at will was a fundamental prerequisite for breaking through to the second level.

In the eighth month, Liu Jin began his attempt to break through to the second level.

This time, even Zuo Ruotong couldn't sit still.

"Too fast." He pressed down on Liu Jin's shoulder. "You completed the first stage in less than two months. Under normal circumstances, it would take at least three more years to refine it."

"Master," Liu Jin said, "I feel I can do it. It's not impulsive; I genuinely feel the opportunity has arrived."

Zuo Ruotong stared at him for a long time, so long that Liu Jin thought he would refuse. But in the end, he let go.

"At most half an hour each day. I'll be there to watch. Once—"

"Stop immediately if anything seems amiss. This disciple understands."

Liu Jin almost fainted during his first attempt to break through to the second level.

It doesn't hurt. But it's harder to endure than pain.

If the first sensation is like "ants crawling under the skin," the second is like "bones being disassembled and reassembled one by one." The automatic cultivation device precisely guides the flow of Qi, starting from the right index finger and gradually penetrating into the gaps between the finger bones and muscles.

The moment every inch of muscle and every bone is transformed by Qi, a strange sense of emptiness arises—as if the body no longer belongs to oneself, but has become a warm, luminous cloud.

Zuo Ruotong sat beside him, silent, intently watching Liu Jin's condition. His fingers remained in a probing position, ready to intervene at any moment.

but no.

The automatic cultivation device operated with the precision of a clock. The Qi transformation route followed the cultivation method's instructions flawlessly. Half an hour later, Liu Jin stopped automatically, his body drenched in sweat, but unharmed.

Zuo Ruotong remained silent for a long time before saying something.

"I'm a little unsure how to teach you."

Liu Jin, panting, grinned and said, "The sect leader still needs to teach. I'm still far from good enough."

Zuo Ruotong looked at him and finally smiled. It wasn't a gentle smile, but a smile that carried a hint of helplessness and a touch of expectation.

"Then keep learning."

The last day of the tenth month.

Liu Jin sat in meditation in front of the stone wall behind the Taoist temple. The late autumn sun had lost its warmth, and the mountain breeze carried a chill through the bamboo forest. He closed his eyes and circulated the Reverse Life Triple Technique, his Qi flowing through his body along a fixed route, everything as usual.

Then suddenly the index finger of my right hand changed.

It's not that the color turns white—that's the first characteristic. Rather, the entire finger transforms from the inside out into a warm, luminous mass of energy. Through the translucent surface, you can see that the finger bones and muscles no longer have a clear boundary; they have merged into one, like a small, lit wick.

The second stage of entry. Qi transforms into flesh and blood, starting with a single finger.

Liu Jin opened his eyes and looked down at his right index finger. He tried to bend it—he could bend it, but it didn't feel like bending a finger; it felt more like manipulating a shaped mass of Qi. There was no resistance from the joints, no pulling from the muscles, only a direct resonance between his intention and the Qi.

He picked up a pebble and applied slight pressure with his fingertips. The pebble didn't break; instead, it was firmly held in his grasp by the wisp of energy.

Footsteps sounded behind me.

Zuo Ruotong appeared at the edge of the bamboo grove, holding a pot of tea, and seemed to have been standing there for a while. He walked over and pinched Liu Jin's glowing index finger with two fingers. Not to probe, but to pinch directly—like pinching a freshly baked sweet potato, or like pinching a jellyfish just pulled from the river.

"The skin is warm, but there are no bones or tendons inside." Zuo Ruotong withdrew her hand, her expression calm, but there was a barely perceptible flicker in her eyes. "The second stage of entry begins with a single finger. Ten months."

When he read out the time, there was an indescribable complexity in his tone.

"Master," Liu Jin asked, "how long will it take to complete the second stage?"

"It depends on the person. Some people stay stuck at this initial stage their whole lives. Others—" He looked at Liu Jin, "maybe not long from here."

Liu Jin nodded.

"I've already taught you about the second danger."

"If the Qi goes astray, it can cause muscle atrophy in mild cases and severe rupture of the meridians in severe cases."

"It's not just about memorizing," Zuo Ruotong said, "it's about being afraid. Fear isn't cowardice, it's caution. Those who cultivate the Threefold Reversal of Life fear not the mediocre talent, but being too bold. Bold people die quickly."

He paused, then suddenly changed the subject.

"A new disciple has arrived at the lower academy. He will come down the mountain tomorrow; go and meet him."