241: Chapter 240: Tongling Cave Heaven 241: Chapter 240: Tongling Cave Heaven After Nan Guang Daoist left, Rao Zongzhi and his companion had no choice but to help Hou Niao catch up on lessons.
There was no helping it; this fellow was sorely lacking in both the theoretical and basic knowledge of cultivation.
They could understand that climbing from Energy Induction to Bridge Connection in just under four years was proof of his talent, but his rapid advancement and focus on combat meant that he lacked depth in other areas and had a narrow range of knowledge.
“Tongling Cave Heaven is one of the many Cave Heavens in the Jinxiu cultivation circle…”
Cave Heaven is a magical spatial phenomenon; in Daoism, it is referred to as the dwelling place of immortals, suggesting a world within a cave.
The “Heaven and Earth Palace Map” says, “The ten great Cave Heavens are located among the famous mountains on the great earth, where celestial beings sent by the heavens govern.”
Apart from dividing the universe into thirty-six layers and endless outer space, the Cultivation World also detailed various spaces connected to the Jinxiu Continent.
These are the Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands.
The so-called Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands mainly refer to the sacred spaces within Great Heaven for cultivation.
These regions include Cave Heavens, Blessed Lands, Jingzhi, Water Palaces, Divine Mountains, Islands, etc., specifically the ten great Cave Heavens, thirty-six small Cave Heavens, seventy-two Blessed Lands, eighteen Water Palaces, five oceanic townships, twenty-four administrative regions, thirty-six Jing dwellings, and ten continents with three islands in endless void.
Cave Heavens do not exist in reality, yet they are closely related to it.
Theoretically, anyone can visit Cave Heavens, but the key to unlocking the path there is not something everyone can do; their spatial position is both infinite and unique.
Generally, whoever controls the keys to these pathways owns the Cave Heaven.
In Jinxiu Continent, not every Daoist tradition owns a Cave Heaven, but those that do are considered powerful, possessing extraordinary heritage, and form the foundation of a Sect.
In the Southwest region, not many Daoist traditions are known to own Cave Heavens: Wu Sect, Quanzhen Sect, Buddhist Sect, Taihao, complete and Anhe…, and this was also a significant reason why Wu Sect wanted to fully integrate with Anhe Daoist.
The nature of each Cave Heaven varies, and different Sects keep their secrets very closely, rarely revealing them to outsiders or even recording them in texts.
For instance, Hou Niao, who had been in the Sect for three or four years, knew nothing about the Cave Heaven owned by the Quanzhen Sect.
Of course, his background played a part as an outsider and wild cultivator with no connections, family, or mentors to guide him, and his tendency to make enemies.
The Tongling Cave Heaven of Anhe Daoist is one of the rare Cave Heavens known for its reputation, which relates to both the philosophy of Anhe Daoist and the nature of Tongling Cave Heaven itself.
An important function of Tongling Cave Heaven is to help junior cultivators perceive the changes in nature, the passage of time and the relationship between humans and nature.
As the targeted group belongs to a lower tier, it’s difficult to keep it a secret.
Other Cave Heavens cater to higher levels, such as those suitable for the Tongtian Realm or even exclusively for those above Golden Core; fewer people have access, all real cultivation seeds, and thus, the circulation of certain knowledge isn’t as widespread.
Unless you’re in the loop, you’ll hardly hear of such legends.
This particular Tongling Cave Heaven is very important for Anhe Daoist because its function suits the low-rank disciples, owning it increases the disciples’ success rate, and it essentially forms the cornerstone of that Daoist tradition.
In the past, such opportunities were exclusively for Anhe Daoist disciples.
Each year, many cultivators reached the Bridge Connection Realm, and the accumulation over three years, coupled with elders from previous years, made each chance to enter the Cave Heaven fiercely contested, often leading to brutal fights.
How could they possibly offer such an opportunity to outsiders?
But times had changed.
It was clear that although Anhe Daoist remained an independent tradition, it was on the decline.
Lacking strong cohesion, things were fine under normal circumstances, but true challenges left them at a loss.
In turbulent times, governing by non-action was not a good strategy; the mundane world might thrive on inaction, but a Daoist tradition had to be proactive.
Luo Linwang looked hopeful, “There’s also a rumor that the so-called Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands are actually projections of the outer universe in Jinxiu, so every Cave Heaven we go to has a real source, it’s just unknown which world’s projection Tongling Cave Heaven is, or our own Quanzhen Sect’s Cave Heaven.”
Rao Zongzhi shook his head, “It’s just a rumor after all, with no source and unable to be verified, and not to be completely trusted; in the end, these mysteries are what we will explore in the future, provided we can go that far!”
“Thinking about it now only confuses people; the real issue is to make good use of this Cave Heaven.”
The two bowed to Hou Niao as a gesture of thanks, as it was clear that Anhe Daoist had invited them primarily because of Hou Niao, who, being from Anhe and having made significant contributions in the southwestern debates, stood out uniquely.
Hou Niao rolled his eyes, “So hypocritical, why can’t you be more practical and turn your gratitude into Spirit Stones?”
Rao Zongzhi spoke earnestly, “I thought that would be an insult to you.”
Luo Linwang shrugged, “I’m out of money!
Besides, I believe that such an opportunity can’t be bought with Spirit Stones.”
In the following days, the three continued to shop, or more accurately, browse, as their wealth was not sufficient to do as they pleased in such a bustling market.
During this process, Hou Niao, through constant learning and reference, gained a preliminary understanding of the application of external objects in the Upper Realm Tongxuan process.
In his four years of cultivation, his reliance on external objects was almost nonexistent, not because he had a bias in cultivation practices, but due to a combination of factors: constant punishments, lack of business acumen, no supplementary skills, and the existence of the Purple Mansion Vortex repelling the power of elixirs, leading to his current near immunity to external objects.
He did not believe his situation would continue indefinitely; possibly, Tongxuan was just a hurdle.
Once past this threshold, he feared he might fall into the endless pursuit of resources like everyone else, which was also part of cultivation.
With the elixirs and lung remedies settled, what remained was the most important Bridge Connection, something that could not be bought in the market but was a cue between man and nature.
What it was exactly, each cultivator had to seek out for themselves.
In the Jinxiu Continent’s Cultivation World, the first discovery of every cultivator in their Purple Mansion would be a plant, indescribable in shape, and what you perceive might depend on what you hold in your heart.
What’s crucial is how the cultivator finds this subtle connection, which was why Rao Zongzhi and Luo Linwang had been hesitant to ascend to the Upper Realm; they weren’t fully confident about this connection.
Thus, when cultivators reach this stage, the most important thing is to look around, to witness the majestic mountains and rivers of Jinxiu, to let the scenery move into the heart and achieve this crucial step.
Some people walk their entire lives without finding such a moment, simply having no fate with the Path.
Hou Niao collected many odd and assorted books to make up for his lacking cultivation philosophy; he had realized that the Purple Mansion Vortex was just an anomaly, perhaps more helpful in combat, but for cultivation beyond a certain level, he needed to follow the footsteps of his predecessors.