Free Web NovelChapter 336: Chapter 242: Discourse on the 5 Elements, Convinced in Heart and Mind (Part 2)
Yu Changqing, the most indignant of the group, was the first to speak up.
"I am willing to sever a lifetime of my blessings to make amends!"
Fu Lizi sighed to himself. Junior Brother Yu, who was normally mature and steady, was being excessively rash today. It seemed his Dao Foundation had truly been damaged.
The burning of his Jia Wood had made his True Qi agitated, affecting Yu Changqing’s very temperament.
"Good!"
Jiang Yi had cast his line for a willing fish to bite, and this one was more than enough. He readily agreed.
He cupped his hands in a salute to True Monarch Guangzhao Jinghai, who was observing from the sidelines.
"I ask the True Monarch to oversee the test."
True Monarch Guangzhao Jinghai sat high upon a cloud, a faint smile on his lips. His hand formed a seal as if plucking a flower, and one by one, lotus blossoms bloomed outward, transforming into a small, limpid sub-realm.
"Daoist, please enter."
Fu Lizi’s eyebrows shot up. He recognized the True Monarch’s technique—this was the [Skandha-Consciousness Heaven].
The so-called Skandha-Consciousness is the very essence of the mind, encompassing the roots of the six senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and intent.
’If Daoist Jiang enters, his every thought and intention will be laid bare; he won’t be able to fake a thing. Is the True Monarch going to make him personally demonstrate the permutations of the Five Elements within the [Skandha-Consciousness Heaven]?’
Jiang Yi lowered his gaze, seemingly in deep thought, while his hand in his sleeve clutched several First Grade Spiritual Objects.
"True Monarch, you are only testing my Dao Wisdom, and not my Cultivation?"
True Monarch Guangzhao Jinghai nodded.
"Since I am to be the arbiter, I must be impartial. You have not yet achieved Flying Foundation Establishment, Daoist. Why would I deliberately make things difficult for you?"
Jiang Yi asked again:
"With no restriction on my methods?"
True Monarch Guangzhao Jinghai replied:
"Naturally."
Having received his confirmation, Jiang Yi immediately rode a beam of Profound Light and flew into the [Skandha-Consciousness Heaven].
Seeing this, Yu Changqing couldn’t help but sneer.
"The interplay of the Five Elements is a fundamental of cultivation. Daoist Jiang is merely in the Qi Cultivation Realm, yet he dares to speak so arrogantly, as if he can debate the Dao with us!"
He gave a bow to True Monarch Guangzhao Jinghai before following close behind, entering the [Skandha-Consciousness Heaven].
Jiang Yi stood within the sky of the realm, his wide sleeves fluttering, the very picture of confidence.
If this were a contest of Cultivation, a hundred of him would still be no match for the Taifu Sect’s True Inheritance disciples.
But the two words "Dao Wisdom" were all about understanding.
Day and night, he pleaded with the Celestial Book, comprehending Techniques and even True Skills, and on top of that, he constantly pondered the Five Element transformations of his supreme True Qi.
’Clever words are useless. The only real proof is demonstrating the Dao with True Qi.’
Jiang Yi was very confident. Even if they all came at him at once, he could handle them with ease.
"The Five Elements are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. They generate and restrict one another in an endless cycle, forming the very pivot of the Great Dao between heaven and earth. Whether a Cultivator is performing Foundation Establishment or verifying their path to the Dao, they can never stray from this principle."
"Since you all wish to test these principles of the Dao, I shall first speak on the fundamentals of the generation and restriction of the Five Elements, then demonstrate it with my True Qi. If I misspeak in any way, please feel free to correct me."
Yu Changqing scoffed at his words. Composed and unhurried, he waited for the "profound dissertation" from this Daoist.
Jiang Yi ignored him and began to speak slowly.
"The generation cycle of the Five Elements is: Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, and Earth generates Metal."
"Metal’s qi condenses into dew, becoming water; water’s qi nourishes, cultivating wood; wood’s qi burns, creating fire; when fire’s qi is extinguished, it becomes earth; and earth’s qi consolidates, producing metal. This is a natural principle of heaven and earth, and it is how a Cultivator forges their Dao Foundation and stabilizes their very core."
He paused for a moment, his expression serene.
"However, the restriction cycle of the Five Elements is: Metal restricts Wood, Wood restricts Earth, Earth restricts Water, Water restricts Fire, and Fire restricts Metal."
"Metal can sever wood; wood can break apart earth; earth can dam water; water can extinguish fire; and fire can melt metal. This is the path of checks and balances. In Magical Combat and when wielding Magical Treasures, a Cultivator must skillfully apply this principle to gain advantages, avoid harm, and ultimately defeat their foe."
"What a load of nonsense!"
Yu Changqing couldn’t help but interrupt.
"These are just platitudes! Even a Qi Cultivation disciple from a Branch Sect could tell you all that!"
Jiang Yi wasn’t annoyed and just smiled faintly.
"The basics may be shallow, but they hide profound mysteries. You all seem to understand the generation and restriction of the Five Elements, but in reality, you may not have truly grasped the principle that ’within generation there is restriction, and within restriction there is generation’."
"For example, Wood restricts Earth, yet Wood depends on Earth to grow—without earth, wood cannot flourish. Earth restricts Water, yet Earth depends on Water for its vitality—without water, earth becomes parched."
"If one only understands restriction but not generation, their Dao Foundation will become lopsided. If one only understands generation but not restriction, their foundation will be hollow and unstable."
As soon as these words were spoken, the True Inheritance disciples of the Taifu Sect were all taken aback.
Yu Changqing’s brow furrowed slightly. Though he remained defiant on the surface, he was secretly pondering. ’I cultivate the Wood Virtue, prioritizing Jia Wood above all else. I’ve been single-mindedly nourishing my wood qi, neglecting the checks and balances of the restriction cycle.’
’Could my earlier defeat in Magical Combat against Feng Yuan be related to this?’
Fu Lizi asked loudly:
"A magnificent treatise on the Dao, every word a pearl of wisdom! Dare I ask the Daoist to give a demonstration, so that we may witness these transformations with our own eyes?"
Jiang Yi smiled faintly. ’Revealing my abilities before a crowd like this really does fit the concept of Shao Yang.’
Although he only cultivated fire-based techniques and hadn’t mastered the other four elements, within the [Skandha-Consciousness Heaven], a single thought could bring about ten thousand transformations.
He pointed a finger, and metal qi stirred slightly. The surrounding water flow suddenly gathered, condensing into a single, crystal-clear dewdrop that clung to the metal qi.
"Metal generates Water. Only when metal qi condenses and restrains itself can it draw out water qi. This is the subtlety of the generation cycle."
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the mid-air. They saw Jiang Yi move his fingertip again, and the dewdrop fell, landing on a wisp of greenish-blue wood qi that had appeared from thin air.
The wood qi instantly stretched out, its branches and buds stirring, and it transformed into a tiny spirit-wood tree in mid-air.
"Water generates Wood. Water qi nourishes, allowing wood qi to grow. This is the principle of ’borrowing momentum to nourish qi’ in cultivation."
"For example, a Cultivator of the Water Virtue will often use metal qi to condense their True Qi, then use water qi to nourish wood, thereby stabilizing their Dao Foundation."
Next, Jiang Yi condensed a thread of crimson fire qi on his fingertip and touched it to the spirit-wood. The spirit-wood instantly burst into flame. The fire grew stronger, but it was not fierce or scorching. Instead, it slowly coalesced into a dense, earth-yellow ball of qi.
"Wood generates Fire, and Fire generates Earth. If the fire is not scorching, the earth will not be seared. If the earth is not thin, the fire will not be extinguished. This is ’generation with restraint.’ A Cultivator of the Fire Virtue must progress step-by-step like this, and not be hasty for success."
This was also the Foundation Establishment path that Jiang Yi had planned for himself.
Once he established the Fire Virtue, he would cultivate the Wood Virtue, then acquire the Water and Earth Virtues, and finally complete the cycle with the Metal Virtue.
