Volume 1: The True Dragon of Purple Void, Chapter 16: The Black Turtle and the White Crane

Such a level of cultivation could be said to place him among those of He Chan and the Mad Scholar. Among those who practice cultivation in the world, few can reach such a state. The descendants of the Dragon Realm truly are extraordinary—this disciple was indeed a good choice. Thus, the Yunmen lineage can continue, and the master’s spirit in heaven can rest in peace.

Still, this was an opportunity to teach this reckless boy a lesson. He was truly as bold as a newborn calf unafraid of death. So the master said, “Tianyu, do you realize how dangerous what just happened was? If it weren’t for the Dragon Realm within you, which helped you merge the scattered energies at that critical moment, you would have long gone mad and died with severed meridians! If your great master and that Mad Scholar found out, they would surely tear me apart alive! Our Yunmen practice emphasizes adapting to circumstances and understanding the ways of heaven. Although cultivation isn’t bound by form—just act on what comes to mind—we must still exercise caution and plan before acting. Impulsiveness is not the right way to conduct oneself…”

After all, Chu Tianyu was still young. He looked ashamed and fell silent. Seeing that his explanation was sufficient and his purpose achieved, Xianyun then said, “Tianyu, just now, your master sensed two streams of celestial energy, but they disappeared soon after. I guess they are those two black and white energy veins in the shape of a turtle and a crane you mentioned—likely the guardians of these spiritual fruits. As you said, these two energies, along with the Dragon Realm energy within you, are all forms of celestial energy. However, their quality is far inferior. Moreover, these celestial energies strengthen themselves by absorbing and merging with each other. It must be these energies that triggered the power of the Dragon Realm within you, causing the dragon head to devour things as you described. By the way, Tianyu, did you see where they retreated to?”

Chu Tianyu thought carefully before pointing to a crack behind the tree and saying, “Second master, it’s over there.”

Xianyun went to the spot Tianyu indicated, examined it carefully, then carefully took out several utensils from his bag and arranged them according to the directions of heaven and earth…

After everything was ready, he took out a dark iron shovel and dug with full concentration. In no time, he unearthed a black-and-white stone about two inches square. Upon closer inspection, he saw a black turtle and a white crane on it—the black turtle raised its head as if sucking in energy from the sky, while the white crane spread its wings as if ready to fly upward. The shapes were vivid and lifelike, especially the turtle’s shell, which was dark and rich in color, and the crane’s tail, which was white and translucent—likely the essence of their vital forces.

Xianyun carefully lifted it out, attached talismans before removing the formation. Just as he was about to examine it closely, the black and white lights in the stone surged violently. Suddenly, the two beams of light burned through Xianyun’s talismans and shot toward Tianyu. Huan, who was watching nearby, was caught off guard by this sudden change. In a daze, he subconsciously raised his palms to block them, releasing a powerful internal force. Instead of being hindered, the black and white beams accelerated even more, splitting left and right before slipping into the meridians within Tianyu’s body and moving at high speed as if guided by a target.

Tianyu was shocked. Just as he tried to gather energy to block them, he felt his dragon core tremble as if sensing something. In no time, the two streams of black and white energy converged beside the dragon core, transforming into two small black and white pills, about one-tenth the size of the dragon core. They began rotating around it along a fixed path.

Tianyu quickly informed his master of what was happening inside his body. Xianyun was also astonished and frowned in deep thought. Tianyu did not disturb him but sat down quietly, breathing in and out to sense this new energy and see if it had any effect on the black and white energies. After several cycles, however, he saw no reaction but gained a deeper understanding of the new energy within him. So, he used the same technique he had used to subdue the villain before, pointing at a small tree on a distant cliff. Suddenly, strong winds arose, with a whooshing sound that completely suppressed the harsh mountain winds. The beam shot out almost instantly, creating a loud “boom” as debris and dust flew everywhere, leaving a large hole.

Xianyun was also startled. Seeing what had happened, he asked, “Tianyu, how many levels of energy did you use just now?”

Tianyu touched his head and said, “I can’t remember. I just followed what the master taught me last time—pointed casually… I didn’t expect it to shoot out so quickly. There was no time to control it at all!”

Xianyun thought for a moment, glanced around, and said, “Tianyu, can you see the mountain peak across there? Use your full strength, with the same finger strength you used just now…”

……

On their way down the mountain, Xianyun and Tianyu walked while chatting.

“Second master, does that mean from now on, as long as I think about whether to use force or gentleness, I can control the strength freely?”

“Your energy has just begun to form, so you definitely can’t control it yet. But it’s okay. As long as we practice diligently, it won’t be long before we can wield it as easily as extending our arms!”

“Then, Master, why did I feel like I couldn’t fully utilize my energy just now?”
“Hmm, that indicates your cultivation has temporarily reached a bottleneck, a barrier before a breakthrough—what we practitioners call reaching a certain level or stage in a certain divine skill…”
“Oh, Master. So does this count as a divine skill? And what level am I at right now?”
“Hehe, of course it does, and it’s even the most powerful divine skill. Well, although your energy combines the Buddhist and Taoist energies of Master Bu Zen and Master, it’s mainly the Purple Void Dragon Domain within you that’s key. So I think we should call it Purple Void Dragon Energy. As for exactly which level you’re at, even I don’t know. Consider starting from level one for now. As for how many times you can break through and reach what level, I’m afraid only you can find the answer!”
“Then, Master, how should Tianyu cultivate? Should I follow Master’s Zen technique or Second Master’s Xuanqing True Energy method?”
“Hehe, Tianyu, don’t worry about that. Your cultivation has already far surpassed the highest levels of these two techniques. It’s like clothes made for children—how could adults wear them? The energy within you now is like a treasure trove, an immense treasure house. You can navigate it however you want; the only difference lies in the methods, but the essence remains unchanged!”
Seeing Tianyu still a bit confused, Xianyun chuckled and continued, “Let me put it this way, Master: Energy resides within the body, not in its application. If you use Master’s method, you’ll be practicing the authentic Shaolin techniques. If you use Second Master’s Xuanqing True Energy, then you’ll be a direct disciple of our Yunmen sect. And if Third Master teaches you later, you’ll be able to use the purest techniques of the Xuanji Sect…”
“Oh, Second Master. Tianyu understands now. What Master means is that the energy within the body is the origin, and all other cultivation methods are just ways to acquire and strengthen this origin. As for applying it, the methods vary, so as long as you grasp the origin, you can adapt the rest flexibly, right?”
Xianyun smiled broadly and said, “Hehe, that’s exactly it. Our little Tianyu is getting smarter and smarter…”

Suddenly, Xianyun seemed to remember something and said, “By the way, Tianyu, from now on when you practice cultivating energy, whether using your palms or finger strength, never act recklessly. Make sure to pay attention to any plants, animals, and especially whether your master is nearby. Understand?” As he spoke, Xianyun recalled how Tianyu had flattened that mountain shaped like an rhinoceros gazing at the moon with just a flick of his finger. Aside from another beautiful sight disappearing from the world, he could still not shake the shock in his heart. If it had been him who did it, it could still be explained, but the fact that such power came from a mere thirteen-year-old child was beyond comprehension!
“Mm, okay, Second Master. Tianyu will remember…” Tianyu replied at the same time.
…