Chapter 25 Encountering the Mysterious

Once mastered, the Golden Body Technique elevates one's physical condition to extraordinary levels, enhancing resilience against impacts, making one impervious to blades, and ultimately leading to an indestructible body—an extraordinary feat in the eyes of ordinary people. Wang Xuan immersed himself in practice, repeating the movements in the meditative realm, where time felt exceptionally prolonged.

In this tranquil state, he could reflect calmly and adjust his martial postures with precision, correcting any flaws effortlessly. While practicing the Golden Body Technique, he remained in an elevated state, observing himself with a clear mind. "The highest level of meditation, entering the realm of tranquility, is where my spirit resides, performing the Golden Body Technique," he mused, aware that this silence felt akin to an empty universe, a uniquely special domain.

Although his true self could not manifest here, this training seemed to feedback positively into his physical form. Wang Xuan felt a growing synchronization between his inner calm and the external movements of his body, which performed the Golden Body Technique with increasing accuracy, albeit slowly, as if it were imprinting itself upon his flesh.

In this absolute calmness, he contemplated the implications of such a meditative state: minutes outside might equate to years here. Yet, would he truly be able to translate these results back into the physical world? His spirit could likely carry these insights, but could his body keep pace with such transformation?

He recognized a peculiar aspect; while observing himself in this realm, he perceived that his outer body continued to practice, flawlessly executing the Golden Body Technique—was it merely subconscious impulse driving him? His heightened awareness led him to realize he was missing something crucial.

As days passed in this meditative space, fatigue began to creep in. "Wasn't the highest form of meditation supposed to allow one to remain here for years?" He frowned, puzzled by his growing exhaustion, noticing his movements slowing, signaling impending flaws. 

"It's not supposed to be like this," he murmured, and suddenly clarity struck him. He understood that he could only enter this realm through the activation of the root methods contained within the Pre-Qin bamboo slips. With this realization, he adjusted his approach, reigniting his spirit by invoking these foundational techniques.

Instantly, everything changed. His spirit revitalized, fatigue dissipated, and his perception heightened significantly. He realized he was drawing in a mysterious substance scattered throughout this tranquil space. "I've summoned a form of mysterious essence!" he discerned, recognizing it as an inexplicable force enriching his spiritual state.

As time flowed, he sensed not only his spirit thriving but also an alteration in his physical form, subtly attuned to the beneficial influence of this essence. He recognized that this realm was akin to the Daoist Inner Landscape—a sacred space characterized by absolute tranquility, where beneficial substances could be drawn in.

"This Inner Landscape is the foundation of old techniques!" he concluded, reinforcing the idea that to master these ancient practices, one must first enter this elevated state to access the mysterious materials. The lack of successors who could reach this state over the centuries had led to the decline of these old arts, leaving later practitioners unable to rival the ancients.

In this sacred space, he experienced the profound connection between meditation and physical cultivation, realizing he could indeed absorb the fruits of his training into the physical world. As the mysterious essence filled this space, he shifted back to practicing the Golden Body Technique, observing remarkable improvements.

Over the next two years, he perfected the second layer of the Golden Body Technique, noticing significant changes in his physical body, shedding old limitations. He also ventured into training the body techniques inscribed on golden sheets, a legacy from the founder of Daoism, Zhang Daoling. However, he quickly discerned the dangers of these techniques, realizing they could harm his internal organs, requiring him to tread carefully.

"Before, I was ignorant and fearless," he reflected, acknowledging the near-missteps he had avoided. Recognizing that the Golden Body Technique could only be fully mastered within this Inner Landscape, he focused on the initial diagrams, taking his time to achieve mastery without unnecessary harm.

As the years passed in this tranquil space, he cultivated the Golden Body Technique to its third layer, feeling a surge of insight that his highest meditation was drawing to a close. The tranquility began to dissolve, giving way to sounds: his heartbeat, the rustling of leaves outside, and distant traffic.

As he returned to the real world, he immediately felt the changes in his body—a shedding of limitations, a new form that was both radiant and resilient. His physical prowess had notably increased; in reality, he had achieved the third layer of the Golden Body Technique in mere minutes while five years had passed in the Inner Landscape.