The night deepened, the moon hanging amidst sparse tung trees.
Li Chixi suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze burning as he looked beside him. His father, Li Gengye, sat upright on a wooden chair, holding the old cloth scroll that recorded the Guidance Technique. He read it carefully while sipping tea in a leisurely manner.
"Father, I have long since memorized that mantra backwards over these past two months." Li Chixi took a deep breath, his tone unable to hide his excitement. "Today coincides with the Start of Summer solar term. It is a perfect opportunity; your son wishes to give it a try."
"Go ahead."
Li Gengye put down his teacup and nodded slightly, his voice steady and gentle.
Li Chixi was overjoyed. His three older brothers nearby also looked expectant and hurriedly got up to help. They bustled about, burning incense, washing their hands, and setting up an altar table in the center of the courtyard.
Li Gengye looked solemn as he brought the ancient mirror out from a hidden place and placed it on a dragon-carved mirror stand he had hand-carved a few days earlier. Nine sticks of clear incense were lit before the table, and seasonal fruits were arranged to show sincerity.
Inside the mirror, Lu Chenyuan watched this scene, feeling a mix of amusement and helplessness. The pomp of burning incense and offering fruits made it seem as if they were worshipping his long-departed soul.
Before the table, Li Chixi straightened his clothes and performed the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows. Then, kneeling and bowing with his head lowered and eyes cast down, he recited loudly and respectfully:
"Disciple of the Li clan, Li Chixi, respectfully welcomes the Mystic Radiance Wondrous Dharma. May the Siming calm the spirit; I take refuge in the Great Dao."
"I shall cultivate diligently, failing not the covenant, following the registers to return to truth, my body returning to the Supreme Yin."
As the words fell, Li Chixi emptied his mind. Following the guidance of the mantra, he circulated his energy for a full cycle, repeatedly ingesting the Qi of Natural Supreme Harmony.
Simultaneously, Lu Chenyuan moved his mind. The originally silent surface of the mirror suddenly rippled with layers of waves, flowing with light and color, undulating like water.
"It moved! It really moved!"
Li Gengye and the others were greatly energized at the sight, staring unblinkingly at the table.
They saw the gray-green ancient mirror emit a low hum. Immediately after, a white pearl suddenly leaped up from the mirror's surface. The pearl was round, smooth, and spotless, flashing with a white radiance that instantly bathed the entire courtyard in a pale light, so bright that the people could barely open their eyes.
Li Chixi felt a loud "boom" in his mind, which went blank. Then, a majestic and heavy voice, sounding like a divine intent from ancient times, suddenly emerged:
"Now, a member of the Li clan has cleansed his distracting thoughts, avoided faults, and severed the source of evil. I hereby bestow the Mystic Radiance Wondrous Dharma to assist him in opening his Dao career, shedding the mortal to enter the sage. From beginning to end, one must first receive the precept registers before verifying the True Dao. I bestow one scroll of the Scripture of Mystic Yin Reincarnation and one Golden Light Mantra."
Li Chixi hurriedly scrambled up from the ground and sat cross-legged. The white pearl drew an arc in the air and submerged directly into his Upper Dantian. His whole body shook violently, instantly submerged by the complex information rushing into his mind.
After the white pearl transmitted the mantra, it turned gently within the Upper Dantian, traveled along the meridians, and finally settled stably into the Qihai acupoint of the Lower Dantian.
Li Gengye and the others watched the Mystic Pearl Spirit Seed disappear into the top of Li Chixi's head; their hearts were in their throats. Nervous yet expectant, they watched anxiously over Li Chixi as he sat cross-legged in meditation, guarding him until dawn.
When the waning moon sank in the west and the rising sun appeared in the east, Li Chixi finally trembled all over and slowly opened his eyes. What met his gaze was a circle of anxious and concerned faces; his father and brothers' eyes were full of worry.
"Father! Brothers! I have obtained the Mystic Pearl Spirit Seed. Now I can be considered to have stepped into the gate of immortal cultivation!" Li Chixi excitedly leaped up, threw himself at his father, and hugged Li Gengye tightly.
Li Gengye happily hugged his son and spun him around. Li Tongyan and the others also let out long sighs of relief, their faces showing ecstasy.
"I obtained a mantra called the Scripture of Mystic Yin Reincarnation."
Li Chixi spoke, intending to recite the outline of the mantra. But who would have thought that the white pearl in his Qihai acupoint would give a little jump? He instantly felt as if his throat was pinched; he could not make a sound, only opening his mouth to make "yi yi ya ya" noises.
He was terrified, subconsciously covering his mouth. After catching his breath, he tentatively called out:
"Father?"
Seeing that he could speak again, Li Chixi breathed a sigh of relief. Not giving up, he tried to silently recite the outline of the mantra again, only to find that no matter how he recited it in his heart, the text could not form, as if it were restricted.
"This immortal method cannot be written or spoken; it is truly miraculous." Li Chixi's expression changed slightly, revealing a trace of awkwardness.
"There is no need to panic."
Li Changhe smiled and patted his younger brother's head. He watched as his father respectfully carried the ancient mirror on the table back to a hidden place, then said:
"When the Summer Solstice arrives, we brothers will perform the invocation together."
"Big Brother." Li Chixi interrupted him, speaking with some hesitation. "This Spirit Seed... there seem to be only six of them."
"Only six?" Li Tongyan, who was holding the Guidance Technique and studying it carefully, looked up at him upon hearing this and asked in puzzlement.
"After obtaining this Mystic Pearl Spirit Seed, many cognitions appeared hazily in my mind—things like the six stages of cultivation, fetal breath and turning wheels. It seems this ancient mirror can only produce six Spirit Seeds." Li Chixi stated frankly.
Li Yunping nodded and comforted him, "Such divine objects that seize the creation of heaven and earth are inherently scarce. It is normal for the quantity to be limited."
Eldest Brother Li Changhe yawned, waved his hand, and said to his younger brothers:
"Go back to sleep. We've watched all night and are tired."
"You're just afraid your sister-in-law will worry!" Li Yunping laughed and teased.
"You little brat!" Li Changhe wasn't annoyed. He pointed generously at Li Yunping, then lowered his voice and said:
"I think Tian Wan is quite nice."
"Big Brother, stop playing matchmaker