My Path of Cultivation

A thought arises, and the mind becomes still. Disputes are of no concern, the self and others are forgotten, all evil ceases, the eight winds are motionless, and purity is the foundation.

"Boom…"

The flood from the cave behind us surged forward like a wild beast, rushing toward me and Cao Kui. The fearful expressions of my classmates and the two teachers flashed through my mind. At this moment, however, I felt strangely calm.

Only one thought occupied my mind: to get out of the cave and to higher ground as quickly as possible.

The stillness of my heart allowed the energy in my body to flow more naturally through my meridians. Sensing the urgency of the flood behind us, I realized that time was running out. Without hesitation, I mustered all my strength and hurled Cao Kui forward to a higher ground about ten meters ahead.

A thought arises, and the mind becomes still. Disputes are of no concern, the self and others are forgotten, all evil ceases.

In an instant, I gathered my focus, merging mind and body into one, fully channeling my energy. Several illusory figures appeared in front of me, below where I had thrown Cao Kui, and I caught him with ease, gently lowering him to the ground by absorbing the force of his fall.

Cao Kui appeared disoriented, dazed and confused. Meanwhile, the other students and teachers stood frozen, their eyes and mouths wide open in disbelief.

We had finally escaped. I suddenly felt drained and collapsed to the ground. Looking back, I saw that the flood from the cave had been successfully avoided by both Cao Kui and me. The torrent, mixed with rocks and mud, rushed into the creek in the middle of the canyon and slowly subsided.

"Wow…! You're a superhero!"

"So amazing!"

"…"

Only then did the others react, rushing over to us, their exclamations filling the air.

I couldn't help but smile wryly. To save this fool Cao Kui, I had no choice but to reveal some of my abilities. I thought about it for a moment and figured I'd just make up some excuse about having practiced martial arts since I was young.

I was utterly exhausted, and Cao Kui seemed to be just as weak, sitting beside me. I was drained, while he was probably just scared stiff, haha.

I closed my eyes and pretended to be completely worn out, not wanting to say anything. The students around me continued to marvel, but I ignored them. My cousin came over and asked, "Bro, are you okay?"

"Bro?" This was the first time my cousin had called me "bro" in front of everyone. Not easy, huh? When did this kid change his mind? Ah, young people… especially brothers, they never hold grudges for long. Regardless, I was genuinely touched by his concern.

The others gasped in surprise, likely not expecting us to be brothers.

Haha! I felt good, so I joked with my cousin, "You know my skills, right? This little thing? No big deal."

"Wow! Zhang San Tong, you and Zhang Fu Hong are brothers? I can't believe it!"

"So cool! San Tong, your kung fu is so amazing! I didn't know you could do all that!"

"…"

The classmates chattered excitedly, still in awe of what had just happened. From shouting "Be careful!" by the creek to running to Cao Kui's side, dragging him away, and then throwing him to higher ground when the flood came… It all seemed like a long time, but in reality, it all happened in a few breaths. Even I was a little surprised at how it all turned out.

I was too weak to continue standing, and my cousin helped me up, guiding me back to the camp. The attention of the classmates shifted to the sword in Cao Kui's hand. It was a one-foot-long sword with dragon carvings on its surface. Although the sword had a bit of mud on it, there was no sign of rust. The material was a mystery, and the handle and guard formed an entire dragon, perfectly crafted.

Each student took a turn holding the sword, but none of them could pull out the blade, which was quite odd.

Accompanied by Cheng Fan, Cao Kui walked over to me, still holding the sword, and said, "San Tong, this sword is for you. A sword should go to a hero, and it seems only fitting that it should be yours."

What a guy. Looking into his eyes, I understood that he was thanking me for saving him earlier. But instead of expressing his gratitude directly, he just said he was giving me the sword. That was very much to my liking. Without hesitation, I said, "Haha! I used to play with swords when I was a kid. Not really into them now. You should keep it. Maybe it's an antique, and when you make a fortune, don't forget to treat me to a big meal! Haha!"

"No, this sword must be yours."

Cao Kui insisted, placing the sword into my hand and patting me on the shoulder, his eyes full of gratitude.

I was stunned. This guy was really generous.

I reluctantly asked, "Alright, the sword is mine now, but can I give it away?"

Cao Kui shot me a cool look and replied, "Of course!"

Haha! Honestly, even though I liked the sword, I had no intention of keeping it. Glancing at my cousin, I handed the sword to him and said, "Here, bro, this is for you. Haha!"

I had recovered some of my strength after being drained earlier. Ignoring my cousin's and everyone's wide-eyed expressions, I laughed and pushed him aside, turning to walk toward the camp. Since Zhang Fu Hong was my cousin, and he had called me "bro" in front of everyone today, I decided to give him the sword. It wasn't a big deal, and I was happy to do it.

Back in my tent, I lay on my cooling mat, reflecting on what I had done today. I wouldn't call it an act of heroism; I wasn't that noble. My actions were simply driven by my heart.

Then I thought, as a Cultivator, what was my true heart?

Cultivation begins with the heart, and the heart is the foundation of the spirit. The spirit is one of the three treasures of cultivation. People say cultivation begins with the heart, but I'm still not entirely clear on what my true heart is.

One saying goes: "People know the heart of the heart, but do not know the reason for the heart."

Another says: "The Dao cannot be seen, but the heart is clear. The heart cannot be measured, but the Dao is guarded."

And yet another: "The Supreme Taoist mind is still, moving without disturbance. The flowing water and the reflected moon are like my heart... The Dao is of the heart, embracing all things."

I pondered a pile of phrases about cultivating the heart, but I felt somewhat confused...

Forget it, I thought. Other people's hearts are not mine to understand. I seek the Great Dao, cultivate body and heart. I cultivate my body and seek my true heart, that is enough. Why bother with the vague terms in those ancient books?

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The energy I had exhausted earlier began to gradually restore itself through the Xuanhuang Banner. Suddenly, I remembered the little bird in my pocket. I reached in and found it still there, and when I pulled it out, I saw that it had fallen asleep... What the heck!

After today's events, I suddenly realized that my martial arts practice, combined with cultivation, had made significant progress. Cultivation really is amazing!

Now, in the middle stage of refining essence into Qi, my dantian is full of energy like stone, my movements are light, and when I cultivate, my heavenly energy flows smoothly. My heart and aura are gradually changing for the better.

I couldn't help but sigh again—cultivation really is wonderful! Haha!