Chapter 2: There was a primordial thing, born before Heaven and Earth

Old Madam Cui looked at Jiang Youling, who had nowhere to hide and wore an embarrassed expression, her face remaining stern. "Youling, do you know what 'Purple Mansion' (Zifu) and 'Jade Abyss' (Yuyan) mean?"

Jiang Youling’s face flushed, but her words were clear.

"The *Shangqing Scripture* records: 'The Purple Mansion is the琼阙 (jade palace) of the Nine Heavens, the place where the Heavenly Emperor governs.' Thus, it is rumored that the Purple Mansion is the dwelling of immortals.

The Jade Abyss is another name for the Jade Pool, the celestial pond where the immortals hold their banquets.

However, in the *Taixuan Ancient Formula*, 'Purple Mansion' and 'Jade Abyss' do not refer to the dwellings of immortals or celestial ponds."

Hearing this, Old Madam Cui’s brows twitched slightly. "Then tell me, how should they be interpreted?"

Jiang Youling let out a soft breath and answered slowly.

"The Purple Mansion is the Upper Dantian, also known as the Mud Pill (Niwan), the residence of the soul. It is located three inches inward from the center of the eyebrows, at the intersection of the Yintang and Baihui acupoints.

The Jade Abyss is the Lower Dantian, commonly known as the Sea of Qi, the place where essence is stored and spirit is nurtured. It is located three inches below the navel, between the Qihai and Guanyuan acupoints."

Old Madam Cui did not say a word upon hearing this, but her daughter, Chen Ling, looked at this stepdaughter of hers with newfound respect.

She had heard her husband, Jiang Mingyu, mention before that Youling was quite intelligent.

She had originally been skeptical, thinking it was merely a father’s doting heart, but today she realized that for a girl to memorize so much knowledge just by eavesdropping, she truly deserved the word "intelligent."

She looked at her own daughter, Chen Yu, who was the same age as Jiang Youling. Chen Yu was staring at Jiang Youling with shining eyes, full of reverence, looking as if she wanted to cheer for her.

Chen Ling retracted her gaze expressionlessly, feeling it was too painful to watch.

The hall was silent. Just as Jiang Youling was feeling anxious, worried that she had brought trouble upon her father, she heard Old Madam Cui ask

"Can you recite the *Taixuan Ancient Formula*?"

Seeing Jiang Youling nod, she softened her expression. "Recite it for me to hear."

"The vast Taixuan, source of the ancient past. Before the primordial chaos, the Great Dao existed first. Clouds rise in the Purple Mansion, the moon shines on the Jade Abyss. Stars shift and things change, a thousand years in a single thought. The faint traces of immortals, riding the wind and controlling the void. Swords ring in the nine heavens, rising like rosy clouds to the celestial path. The furnace fire is cold, the true talisman characters are solitary. Who can prove the profound realm? Taiyi returns to nothingness. The green phoenix cries in the night, the white crane sleeps in the mist. Dusty kalpas rotate, the seas change into mulberry fields. Where is the limit of seeking the Dao? At the peak of Taixuan. Once the profound mystery is broken, one is a true immortal."

The *Taixuan Ancient Formula* was only ninety-six characters long and not difficult to memorize.

Jiang Youling had already recited it silently in her heart hundreds of times. At this moment, she recited it slowly, feeling as if it were second nature, without a single moment of hesitation.

Old Madam Cui became a bit more patient.

"The vast Taixuan, source of the ancient past—tell me, how do you interpret the two words 'Taixuan'?"

Jiang Youling pondered for a moment. "The *Tao Te Ching* says: 'There is a thing formed from chaos, born before heaven and earth. Silent and void, it stands alone and does not change, revolving everywhere without peril, it can be the mother of heaven and earth. I do not know its name, so I force a name upon it: Dao.'

These two words, 'Taixuan,' are not the name of a sect, but the substance of the Great Dao."

The others looked on, and a hint of admiration appeared in Old Madam Cui's eyes.

"What about the lines 'Before the primordial chaos, the Great Dao existed first'? How does it relate to the *Qingjing Scripture*'s 'The Great Dao is formless, giving birth to heaven and earth'?"

Jiang Youling thought for a moment and continued, "This line means the Dao of Taixuan existed before the opening of chaos; the Great Dao existed before heaven and earth.

The 'formless' mentioned in the *Qingjing Scripture* corresponds to the state of 'before the primordial chaos.' Both refer to the void nature of the Dao's substance."

"Then what about 'The furnace fire is cold, the true talisman characters are solitary'? Does it mean the Daoist arts are withering and the path to immortality is severed?"

"Not so. The cold fire implies that the timing is complete, and the solitary talisman implies that all methods return to one.

The *Wuzhen Pian* says, 'Seek the image within the trance, seek the true essence within the darkness.' At this time, one does not cling to the timing or obsess over talismans, and only then can one see one's original face."

"Good!"

Even the usually strict Old Madam Cui couldn't help but clap and praise her after hearing these answers.

While admiring her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.

Why wasn't this Jiang Youling her own granddaughter?

If she were her own granddaughter, with her personal guidance and medicinal baths, she would surely be able to pass the entrance exam for the Taixuan Sect within three to five years.

Old Madam Cui felt even more regretful, and her gaze toward Jiang Youling softened with pity.

"From now on, you sit next to Yu-jie'er. If you want to study, do it openly."

Jiang Youling was overjoyed. "Thank you, Grandmother!"

With Jiang Youling as a comparison, Old Madam Cui became even more disappointed in her own "rotten wood."

"If you can't even learn the *Taixuan Ancient Formula* well, how can you talk about seeking the Dao? Especially you—Rui-ge'er! I punish you to copy the *Taixuan Ancient Formula* one hundred times! Yu-jie'er, you started late, so copy it thirty times!"

Old Madam Cui rubbed her temples in annoyance. After ordering the others to continue reviewing, she turned and went back into her room.

After Old Madam Cui left, the atmosphere relaxed.

Uncle Chen Yong was the first to put down his book, his posture slumping as he complained in a low voice.

"Mother is truly obsessed. We are mortals, yet she insists on forcing us to enter the immortal gate. What is so good about being a servant to immortals?

In my opinion, it would be better to hurry up and have a few more children. If we're lucky enough to give birth to one with spiritual roots, that would be what brings glory to the family!"

Chen Ling frowned in displeasure and said coldly.

"Those with spiritual roots are one in a hundred. Is it something you or I can just produce at will? The grand examination is imminent; I hope you will study diligently, Big Brother, and not let Mother's painstaking efforts go to waste."

Chen Yong sighed helplessly.

"It is precisely because I cannot bear to waste Mother's efforts that I don't want to take this damn immortal disciple exam.

You know as well as I do that I was never cut out for studying since I was a child, yet Mother keeps me constrained... and those medicinal baths, I don't know how many spirit stones have been wasted!

That child Youling has some talent, but unfortunately, she isn't a member of our Chen family! She doesn't even have the qualifications to participate in the assessment."

Chen Ling fell silent as well.

Over the years, Mother had been headstrong, supporting her and her brother single-handedly, hoping they could pass into the Taixuan Sect.

But after taking the exam over a dozen times, they couldn't even pass the first round—the written test.

The monthly medicinal baths had long since emptied the family coffers.

The Chen family had gone from a well-off household to a well-known poor family and a laughingstock in the area.

After her nephew turned fifteen, there was one more person for Mother to support.

Yu-jie'er was also fifteen this year, and judging by Mother's intentions, she seemed determined to grit her teeth and support her too.

But Yu-jie'er was also not cut out for studying...

Mother was already seventy-five years old. She truly couldn't bear to see her work so hard to maintain the household and support the whole family.

As she was thinking, she heard Yu-jie'er say, "Youling, help me look at this part: 'Heaven gives birth, heaven kills, this is the principle of the Dao.' Since life and death are the principles of the Great Dao, why do we still cultivate the Dao to seek longevity?"

Chen Ling subconsciously held her breath, listening to the young girl's answer.

"Longevity is not defying heaven; it is precisely 'using the mechanism of theft in reverse.' It is like guarding the roots during the cycle of the four seasons—spring birth, summer growth, autumn harvest, winter storage. Knowing the constant is not perilous; it is also the way of deep roots and firm foundations for long-lasting vision."

Just as Chen Ling was savoring the true meaning of these words, she heard her daughter mutter, "It's so hard, I don't understand."

Anger flared in her heart, and she scolded, "If you don't understand, then study more and memorize more! Have you finished copying the poem Grandmother told you to? You spend all day with Ling-jie'er, why don't you have even half of her intelligence?"

Chen Yu was startled and buried her head in her book, not daring to speak again.

Jiang Youling also lowered her head, trying to minimize her presence.

"What a pity, sigh! Why must you have the surname Jiang? If only you were surnamed Chen, how good that would be."

Chen Yong whispered, "But the matter of status isn't entirely without a solution. Since you've entered our Chen family, as long as we open the ancestral hall..."

(End of chapter)