The cultivation of Daoist skills is divided into four realms.

As long as one is deeply accomplished in meditation, completing the critical hundred-day fetal retention period, and advancing to the third level, where the spirit roams and the mind converges.

At that time, one can return to the innate origin, cleanse the mortal vessel, perfect the crucible, allowing the divine soul to take form, perceive the boundless void, and seize the circulation spiritual mechanism.

The current five standing Daoist sects remain proudly in the Red County Divine Land, commanding the Prefecture City, and are honored as holy lands.

They look down on heterodox loose cultivators, considering them as flawed inheritors, like stray dogs whose ancestor halls have been broken.

Their pride lies in the "Mountain Gate".

This is the fundamental source of arrogance for the disciples of the Daoist sects.

Before the decline of the path, anyone establishing a sect would first open a great mountain gate, recruiting disciples.

Therefore, the mountain gate holds two meanings.

One is the gate to the mundane world.

Guided by a mentor to enter, one forsakes all worldly ties and peacefully comprehends the Daoist path.

The meaning is equivalent to "leaving home" in the Buddhist sect.

Leaving home to cultivate is easy, like sailing in the sea; cultivating at home is hard, like navigating a boat on land.

Thus, a great virtuous monk once said, the myriad worldly distractions are numerous, residing at home is stifling, like a prison, all worries arise from this.

Only by abandoning all prior worldly entanglements and following a mentor into the mountain gate, registering as a disciple, can one truly commit to the path of eternal life.

The second is the gate to the void.

Throughout history, those ancestors who transcended the barrier between life and death, becoming ghost immortals.

Each time they approached the end of their life, they would return their lifelong cultivation to the void, evolving the inner scenic land.

Or sealing it as a sword tomb, a grinding blade hall, a river and lake water mansion, or a fire sea buddha cave, among others.

Future recognized true inheritors could comprehend the true essence of their ancestors from this, seizing the quintessential Daoist skills.

It is precisely because the mountain gate remains that every great Daoist sect can continuously cultivate outstanding talents, ensuring an unbroken legacy, with the incense continuum.

This is a supreme privilege that heterodox loose cultivators lack and envy to the point of red eyes.

"There's a master?"

Bai Qi felt a stir in his mind, immediately reacting, unlike his brother Bai Ming, who was dazed and wandering like a sleepwalker.

The "Yellow Springs Subduing Jiao Sutra" he practiced was excellent at eradicating distractions and repelling external demons.

A vast mind sea barely manifested a touch of green brilliance, which condensed into a crystal-clear thought that shook instantly.

Like stirring up turbulent waves, it swept it all away in a few surges.

"A true master of Daoist skills! Actually able to unknowingly entangle my and my brother's spirit into the boundless void... Without reaching the third realm of Daoist skill, where the spirit roams and the mind converges, theoretically, it's impossible to sense the void's existence, let alone inhale and exhale the spiritual mechanism!"

Bai Qi concentrated and solidified his thoughts, his mind suddenly steady, as if his heavenly eyes opened, clearly illuminating that gradually fading thread of green brilliance, vaguely peering at a towering willow tree.

"Does my brother know a godparent, the Lady Willow God of the five hundred li mountain path? If she's an acquaintance, then that's easier."

Bai Qi was slightly surprised, and the tension in his mind slightly relaxed.

Firstly, what Ninghai Zen said, that Lady Willow God was a rightful god of incense protecting the water and land, certainly not a scheming character.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to get along harmoniously with his own mentor.

Secondly, through the Qi Observation Technique taught by Qi Yan, it was visible that Lady Willow God's aura was pure and long-lasting.

In a remote place like Black River County, it's truly rare.

One must know, below the five hundred li mountain path, villages and hamlets abound, all worshiping the "Mountain Spirit".

Such as the Mountain Monarch and Fox King, on one hand, consuming the incense and mixed air, on the other hand, feeding on human flesh and blood, eventually falling into a turbid tide, becoming demons.

"Without malice, could it be that this Lady Willow God has an extraordinary background, opening an inner scenic land within the boundless void?"

Bai Qi purposely opened all the ear and eye apertures in his mind, one to listen to shapes, the other to discern good and evil, and found nothing unusual.

"Let's follow my brother for a trip, with the protection of Cross-Sea Incense, even if my thoughts aren't firm and my Daoist skills not deep enough, I can hold on for a while."

He shifted his thoughts, allowing that green brilliance to envelop him, suddenly slipping into the formless, intangible vast void.

...

...

"Huh? Black River County really hides talents, besides that scoundrel Ninghai Zen, there's also an unknown master of Daoist skills.

The incense aura is so strong, a divine person?"

Qiu Changtian rode a donkey leaving Black River County Town, traveling a rugged path, planning to find a heavily evil qi location to rest.

This true heir of the Taoist sect suddenly raised his head, the Void Candle Breath Dharma Eye flickered like stars, capturing a wisp of green brilliance.

"In Ninghai Zen's territory, no one should be causing trouble, I don't need to meddle.

Let him remember to help me find that spiritually sensitive child, wonder if this fellow took it to heart.

With a destiny of extreme gold and vigorous fire, and black water surging, regardless, the little one I've taken a fancy to definitely has potential in cultivating the path."

Qiu Changtian grumbled, making the donkey under him feel annoyed:

"Master, what's the benefit of becoming your apprentice, besides a flashy but useless title of an Observatory Tower disciple? Every day, braving the wind and dew, sleeping in old burial grounds, lying on coffin boards, sneaking offerings meant for the ancestors? Truly suffering another lifetime of hardships!"

Qiu Changtian gave a hard slap, making the donkey's head droop down:

"You ingrate, siding with outsiders! Mocking me! Your master is a true heir of the Taoist sect; just by apprenticing under me, entering the Observatory Tower, you'll be in the inner sect!

Being born as a direct line of the Eight Pillars of the Realm isn't much better, some with lesser connections can't even enter the inner sect, staying in the outer sect for a full two and a half years, doing enough chores of drawing lots, divination, and calculation, before moving up.