Chapter 9: Dao Arts
Chapter 9: Dao Arts
“Dao Arts are the principles of cosmic changes, the marvelous essence of all natural things…”
As the Old Man lectured, Zuo Qingcang gradually understood that the so-called Dao Arts of this world differed fundamentally from those he knew in his previous life.
They more closely resembled a body of knowledge summarizing the rules of the world. One could call them the science of this world, but due to different environments and human physiology, Dao Arts appeared far more mysterious and eerie.
It was said that in ancient times, every person possessed extraordinary powers. Each individual born had innate abilities like swallowing fire and water, or summoning wind and rain. It was an age when ordinary men could become gods or demons; even a minor battle among a dozen people could shake rivers and seas and alter landscapes.
“What a pity, such days are gone forever. As time passed and the environment changed, the Spiritual Power between heaven and earth gradually thinned. Humanity lost their powers and grew weaker over generations.”
Halfway through, the Old Man suddenly chuckled: “But some wise men refused to settle. They fought against losing their strength. Through countless sacrifices and efforts, they finally uncovered the mystery behind the powers, developing methods for humans to regain them via cultivation. And these methods became the Dao Arts.”
“The source of Dao Arts lies in Spiritual Power. All beings carry spirit at birth; everything in this world continuously emits Spiritual Power. Dao Arts teach humans to absorb this energy and unleash extraordinary power.”
“However, while all things possess spirit, not every type of Spiritual Power is easy to absorb. Most Dao Arts gather Spiritual Power through forces like light, fire, or electricity. The organs in the human body capable of absorbing Spiritual Power are called the Life Groves.”
“Due to the dwindling heavenly Spiritual Power, human Life Groves gradually weakened and finally lost their function. The first step in Dao Arts training is to cultivate these Life Groves.”
Zuo Qingcang continued laying bricks while listening to the Old Man’s explanation. Hearing this description of Spiritual Power and Life Groves, thoughts sparked in his mind.
He wasn’t a native of Great Qi; he came from a modern world of thriving science and technology. So upon hearing the principles of Dao Arts, he couldn’t help but analyze it scientifically. Especially when he heard that all things endlessly emit Spiritual Power, he thought of radiation.
‘Everything in nature, above absolute zero in temperature, continuously transfers heat outward through electromagnetic waves and particles. This energy transfer is called radiation.’
This description of Spiritual Power strikingly resembled radiation. If it truly is radiation, then Life Groves might be organs specially evolved to absorb it. But environmental shifts caused their decline. Could reversing this degradation be the primary goal of the first stage of Dao Arts cultivation?
Though scientific theories about Dao Arts formed in his mind, Zuo Qingcang naturally kept them to himself—they were just speculations. To truly confirm the nature of Dao Arts, he would need deep study and various tests with instruments.
“Unfortunately, while Dao Arts can reawaken Life Groves, fewer and fewer people possess them. For most common folk today, Life Groves have vanished completely.”
Unaware of Zuo Qingcang’s thoughts, the Old Man continued: “In the ancient Age of Gods and Demons, humans possessed 1,024 recorded types of Life Groves. Most people were born with over ten Life Groves.
But by the medieval period, though Dao Arts flourished and sects ruled the Central Plains, Life Groves withered and powers vanished from common knowledge. Only about 400 types were recorded. People were generally born without any Life Groves. Possessing seven or eight already marked a rare Dao Arts genius.
Later, when Western Wei first unified the Central Plains, the major sects documented only 200-some Life Groves. Someone born with two or three Life Groves was considered an uncommon talent.”
Zuo Qingcang nodded for him to continue.
“Life Groves serve as the wellspring for wielding Spiritual Power. Different Life Groves require different cultivation methods to forge unique powers and Dao Arts. But it always begins with sensing the Life Grove, activating it, and finally igniting it. Only after cultivating the Life Grove to its peak can one proceed to later stages: Cultivating the Heavenly Palace, Forging the Star River, Building the Golden Bridge, and so forth.”
“Refining the Life Grove, Cultivating the Heavenly Palace, Forging the Star River, Building the Golden Bridge?” Zuo Qingcang nodded. “So the core foundation of Dao Arts is absorbing Spiritual Power through Life Groves, then using Spiritual Power as fuel to execute Dao Arts?”
“Exactly! But before reaching the ‘Leakless’ Realm within the Life Grove, the Spiritual Power in the human body is too weak. All Dao Arts need amplification through existing forces to manifest. Only after achieving the Leakless Realm through refining the Life Grove can one cast Dao Arts without external aid.”
Zuo Qingcang asked, “Like the blink-and-summon-fire trick you showed earlier, done with no external fuel, right?”
The Old Man lowered his head sheepishly. “Embarrassing. I began studying Dao Arts at age five. After decades… now I’ve barely touched the Leakless Realm. Truly shameful before my ancestors.”
“Time isn’t for self-pity,” Zuo Qingcang cut in. “Meaning: strong enough Spiritual Power allows castings without materials? And when too weak, real-world materials support the Dao Arts?”
“Precisely. If Spiritual Power is a flame, Dao Arts materials are the barrel of oil dumped onto it—making the flame roar and amplifying the Spiritual Power’s effect. Hence, beyond personal cultivation, a Taoist Priest needs deep knowledge, mastering material properties reliably to execute spells effectively.”
“Even after reaching Leakless or higher stages, enabling material-free castings, using materials wisely, employing tactics, or harnessing weather and terrain—all can massively boost a Dao Art’s power.”
A thought struck Zuo Qingcang: “Is this tomb also running on Spiritual Power? If we cut its supply, could we destroy the grand formation?”
“No! Ordinary mortal bodies can only sip the faintest wisps of Spiritual Power over time. But something as profound as the Displacing Stars Array taps the colossal forces of things like the Sun or the earth itself. This grand tomb? It borrows energy from undersea volcanoes. Tapping such power demands immeasurable cultivation and immense knowledge. So long as the Displacing Stars Array operates, every step is carefully calculated! If we damage it blindly…” The Old Man shuddered. “Earthquakes or volcanic eruptions could follow, killing us instantly. Far deadlier than opening any coffin.”
“Understood.” Casually, Zuo Qingcang added, “By the way, have you heard of a Dao Arts manual called The Sacred Fire Treatise?”
“The Sacred Fire Treatise?” The Old Man shook his head, expression blank. “Never heard of it.”
“Like that, huh?” Zuo Qingcang thought, ‘So items in that bundle might be Dao Arts components… yet he hasn’t heard of it…’
“In any case, you can use this time to study Dao Arts and relevant knowledge. It’ll be crucial for escape. Also, train in Martial Arts. Helps you run faster when the time comes…”
“Dao Arts and Martial Arts can’t be mastered overnight, can they?” Zuo Qingcang sounded skeptical. From Liu Zhicheng’s memories practicing in the Northern Garrison Army in his mind, Martial Arts seemed similar to modern fighting techniques, not particularly appealing. Dao Arts, combining elements of the paranormal with chemistry and physics, intrigued him more. But mastering it still took time. Worse, he didn’t even know if he (or Liu Zhicheng’s body) possessed Life Groves.
“Heheh, you’ll see soon. Though utterly trapped here, this place offers unique advantages for practicing Dao Arts and Martial Arts. All you need… is to have a Life Grove.”
The Old Man trailed off, noticing Zuo Qingcang hadn’t reacted. Puzzled, his jaw nearly dropped as he saw Zuo Qingcang suddenly freeze, eyes wide and fixed behind the Old Man. The Old Man’s face turned pale. “Hey, don’t frighten me like that! Nothing… bad’s behind me… is it?”
“Nothing bad.” Just as the Old Man started relaxing, Zuo Qingcang continued: “But haven’t you noticed? That sound down below… it’s growing louder.”
He referred to the click… click… click… sound—the very noise that first alerted him to the underground Tomb Robber’s Tunnel. Earlier, both guessed it might be flowing water, falling rocks, or some mechanism at work.
But now, with Zuo Qingcang’s cue, the Old Man’s heart jumped upon listening closely. “You’re right… it does seem louder.”
“Something’s down there.” Zuo Qingcang’s face hardened. “Not sure what, but it’s getting closer.” He moved toward the tunnel entrance. Barely one meter wide and pitch black, nothing was visible inside.
“Help me seal this tunnel back up!” Hearing the clicks quicken and grow nearer, Zuo Qingcang yelled sharply at the Old Man.
Startled for just a heartbeat, the Old Man raced over. Both frantically shoved the bricks Zuo Qingcang had earlier pried loose back into the wall. Terrified, the Old Man asked between gasps, “Could this tunnel reach… the main burial chamber? Something… crawling up?”
“With nerves like that, how’d you survive down here?” Zuo Qingcang snapped back, hands still moving. “Unclear which hole leads outside versus downward. Maybe just an animal wandered in.”
“JUST SEAL IT!”
Working frantically, they pressed bricks back into place. Once resealed, the clicking seemed noticeably softer.
The Old Man started exhaled relief. But Zuo Qingcang was already moving, straight toward a nearby bronze statue.
“What’re you doing?”
“Who knows if something’s really trying to crawl up?” Shoving at the figure, Zuo Qingcang commanded, “Help me shove this thing over the blocked entrance—double layer.”
The life-sized statue depicted an armored warrior. As both pushed against the heavy bronze, a sudden rapid CLICK-CLICK-CLICK! erupted directly beneath their feet—faster, louder, urgently rising.
“What’s that?!”
“PUSH FASTER!”
The sound became thunderous taps, rapid-fire and deafening—something hammering violently from below, rapidly gaining force! Barely an inch before the statue covered the bricked exit—WHAM! A black brick was thrust out from below, revealing a dark, bottomless hole.