I forge immortality with spiritual treasures.

Chapter 20 Commanding the Wind and Controlling Qi
It's unclear why Li Xuanying chose such a steep and precipitous mountain.

Upon reaching the summit, one is greeted by a vast expanse of cool-toned clouds. Only in the distance can one discern the outlines of a few solitary peaks, appearing and disappearing amidst the sea of ​​clouds at night.

After a while, the moon set, the stars dimmed, and the world was shrouded in a hazy mist, which only accentuated the loneliness.

But in this silence, Ying Chan felt somewhat at ease.

He followed Li Xuanying's example and found a flat, open space, sat down cross-legged, and the two of them did not talk much. They quickly entered a meditative state and began to breathe in each other's breaths.

Before long, the sun rose, dispelling the darkness of night.

Endless golden light spread across the sky, dyeing the sea of ​​clouds into rosy hues, instantly transforming the silence of the mountaintop into a magnificent spectacle of rising clouds and rosy hues.

Unfortunately, Ying Chanjing was in meditation and had no time to witness it.

At the very moment of sunrise, he clearly felt a warm energy being drawn to him as he circulated the One Yuan Qi Absorption Technique.

It was as if a ray of sunlight pierced through his fontanelle, illuminating his entire body, instantly placing him in a warm ocean.

Soon, half an hour had passed.

As the 'purple aura' gathered through the Qi-gathering method gradually thinned, Ying Chan felt a sense of loss arise spontaneously.

But he quickly regained his composure, focused his mind, and began to circulate his internal energy again.

The familiar feeling rose again, but no longer from the outside in. Instead, it surged out along with his accumulated spiritual energy and vital energy, and was transformed into magical power through the circulation of Qi throughout the body.

The three empty orifices gradually filled up.

Ying Chan soon discovered that, with the refinement of the purple energy, his magical power seemed to have gained some vitality, and as the magical power flowed into the three mystic apertures, the apertures also expanded slightly.

This change, though subtle, is incredibly real.

No wonder cultivating by absorbing purple energy is considered the most orthodox way of cultivation in Taoism.

Before we knew it, the sun was at its zenith.

Ying Chan finished his Qi Refining session, thinking that Li Xuanying should have been waiting for him for a long time.

To my surprise, when I opened my eyes, he was still in meditation.

We should wait and see.

He pulled a thin book from his pocket and began to flip through it with great interest.

Ying Chan has been carrying a Taoist book with him wherever he goes lately, and it has come in handy now.

But to his surprise, even after reading the Taoist text twice, Li Xuanying still hadn't regressed.

The place where he meditated was a huge rock, facing the surging sea of ​​clouds, and he remained motionless, truly like a stone statue.

Ying Chan shook his head, realizing that he would hardly gain anything new from reading the Taoist book in his hand again today, so he simply put it back in his pocket.

He wasn't an unsettled person, but waiting idly was rather boring. After thinking for a moment, he reached for his waist and pulled out a small porcelain bottle.

Inside was the Flying Elixir that Li Zhuo had given him.

"Controlling the wind and qi, moving freely..."

Ying Chan had studied a wind-summoning technique, but it was a very basic skill; it could summon wind, but not control it.

That's why he was so interested in the Flying Elixir, wanting to try out what it truly felt like to control the wind and qi, and perhaps, through it, gain some enlightenment.

Ying Chan poured the Flying Elixir into his hand, but seeing that he could not discern any mystery, he raised his head and swallowed it.

The elixir entered his stomach and seemed to instantly transform into a clear stream, circulating through his body before quickly settling at a certain point.

Subsequently, Ying Chan naturally felt a strange sensation, as if he could mobilize this clear stream and use it to accomplish something.

A thought flashed through his mind—

A gentle breeze blew in, lifting a few strands of hair that had fallen to his temples.

"Controlling the wind and manipulating qi... so this is what it feels like?"

Ying Chan seemed to be deep in thought, then raised his hand as if making a gesture in the air. Suddenly, a wind seemed to rise in the sea of ​​clouds, and wisps of cloud-like mist were swept up by the wind, flowing in, swirling around Ying Chan, then around his fingertips, before finally scattering away.

The novelty of mastering this power filled Ying Chan with wonder.

He enthusiastically began to try it.

Right above this sea of ​​clouds, the invisible and formless force of wind also has a medium to reveal its form.

Then he saw thick clouds rising and falling with his every thought, sometimes gathering, sometimes dispersing, sometimes swirling, and sometimes even changing shape...

Ying Chan suddenly had another thought: "The carving of the heart is the carving of magic. At this moment, I am riding the wind and shaping the clouds. Isn't that also a kind of carving?"

Upon realizing this, the clouds immediately began to change according to Ying Chan's thoughts.

The clouds gathered and gradually condensed into a ball, then extended in two directions, and soon a huge pillar took shape above the sea of ​​clouds.

Still not satisfied, Ying Chan began to carve dragons and phoenixes on the pillars.

But at this point, the outcome began to deviate from his expectations.

Because the wind is constantly moving, it cannot be 'fixed' and it is difficult to shape it into very fine forms.

Moreover, Ying Chan's control was not as precise as he had imagined.

Many people can imagine exquisite scenes in their minds, but very few can translate them into paintings, and even fewer can translate them into sculptures.

Without prolonged practice, or even innate talent, it is difficult to bring to life the vision in one's mind.

This is why weapon crafting begins with learning carving.

Of course, for cultivators with refined minds, learning to carve is not difficult, but when it comes to magical power, it is still a considerable challenge.

Ying Chan had anticipated that things wouldn't be that simple, so he wasn't discouraged.

He abandoned the idea of ​​directly carving dragons and phoenixes, and instead sculpted a long, coiled body on the pillar, gradually adding scales, claws, and whiskers...

One must proceed step by step, and sometimes one cannot control oneself, which may lead to the loss of all previous efforts, and Ying Chan will have to start all over again.

Gradually, the pillar in the clouds became more detailed, and sometimes, due to the movement of the wind, the dragon's whiskers and mane on it would flutter, as if it had come to life.

Ying Chan was having so much fun that he didn't even realize he was consuming the spiritual energy of the Flying Elixir.

Therefore, for a moment, the airflow could no longer be restrained.

That exquisitely crafted and magnificent dragon-carved pillar suddenly crumbled and scattered in all directions with the wind...

Ying Chan was stunned.

It wasn't that half a day's hard work had been in vain, but rather that at that moment, witnessing the fleeting glory dissipate, a sudden flash of inspiration crossed his mind.

He seemed to have grasped what the wind was.

Wind is the flow of energy between heaven and earth, the breath of heaven and earth.

Ying Chan raised his hand and made a hand seal, using the 'Wind Summoning Technique' he had learned, but this time, the way he channeled his magical power was no longer the same.

"Wind...come!"

The clouds dispersed and dissipated with the wind, gradually merging back into the sea of ​​clouds, seemingly never having changed.

Then, following Ying Chan's words, a sudden surge of energy erupted!
A dragon leaped out of the sea, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws!
Its scales, claws, and whiskers are no longer as exquisite as before, but its cloud-like aura flows with the wind, appearing lifelike. As it glides through the air, its agility is vividly portrayed.

"When did you learn the art of riding the wind, senior brother? It's truly exquisite."

Just then, a voice suddenly came from behind. Ying Chan turned around and saw that Li Xuanying had come out of meditation and was full of energy.

As Li Xuanying spoke, Yunlong suddenly dissipated again. It wasn't that Ying Chan was distracted by turning his head, but rather that his magical power was too shallow, and it was almost exhausted in just a short while.

Ying Chan didn't care, but laughed heartily and replied, "I just suddenly realized something."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanying was taken aback...

(End of this chapter)