I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World

Chapter 26: Chapter 17: [Revised] Yuebai’s Diary

[Year of the Rat, October 22, Drizzle]

After reading the ”Five Flavors Collection,” I also decided to record my daily life, lest in the future when my name, Jiang Yuebai, is renowned across the land, there are no stories to pass down.

The book isn’t read well, so I’ll record it in plain words for now, and when I’m full of knowledge, I’ll go back and refine it.

The year and month don’t matter much, the national title of Yun Country isn’t nice, and Wuwei Mountain Man didn’t write year and month either, indicating it’s not important.

The Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth Four Cultivation Techniques have already started, progress is okay.

But before fully mastering the Five Techniques, my cultivation cannot improve, so I might lag behind a bit.

Grandpa also stuffed the remaining four Daoist Techniques all at once, so much to learn, why are there only twelve hours in a day?

Grandpa’s teachings: ”He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened. He who conquers others has strength; he who conquers himself is strong!”

[Year of the Rat, October 23, Clear]

Reading in the Library, attending classes in the Dharma Hall.

Sneaking a burlap sack to the woods, continuing practice in Huaxi Valley!

In a great mood today, boating down Ten Mile Slope, greeting the Lantern Monster.

Grandpa’s teachings: ”Aim high and achieve middle, aim middle and achieve low, aim low and surely fail.”

I’ve decided, Lu Nanzhi is the target I must surpass!

[Year of the Rat, October 24, Strong Winds]

Last night, Lu Nanzhi broke through to the fourth layer of Qi Cultivation, and I feel grandpa is right, one shouldn’t aim too high and should be practical.

Now Xie Jingshan is my target, come next spring, I, Jiang Yuebai, will defeat Xie Jingshan!

Reading too much of the collection makes me feel like I want to ride a horse and roam the world with a sword.

Starting tomorrow, I’ll recite ”Grass and Wood Collection” and ”Marvels Record,” and practice Cloud Seal and Turtle Shell Script mustn’t stop.

Talisman painting is the lowest cost and easiest to learn among the Six Arts of Cultivation, and talismans are the source of all techniques. From talismans to arrays, it will make learning other things easier in the future.

Grandpa’s teachings: ”Accumulate earth and it becomes a mountain, accumulate water and it becomes an ocean.”

[Year of the Rat, October 25, Clear again]

”Water Element Skill” has been entered, starting to practice ’Cloud Rain Technique.’

The key points of the hand techniques for the five Daoist techniques are, Sharpness Technique lies in speed, Cloud Rain Technique in softness, Red Flame Technique in fierceness, Earth-Shaking Technique in steadiness, Grass and Wood Technique in stability.

Record this to prevent forgetting.

Practicing hand techniques in still water feels insufficient, so I added some mud to make it into mud paste, feeling slick in my hands and with great resistance. I feel like I’m getting close to grasping its rhythm.

Lv Ying saw me playing with mud, told me not to be selfish, and to paste the cracks in her house’s courtyard wall too.

Winter is coming, those courtyard wall cracks need to be sealed to prevent drafts.

Sister Song Pei’er praised my work and gave me a basket of eggs laid by a colorful brocade hen, suggesting I give them to grandpa to nourish him.

Grandpa’s teachings: ”Do not receive rewards without merit, do not receive favor without virtue.”

Note: I returned the eggs.

[Year of the Rat, October 26, Still Clear]

Today in class, I ran into Lin Suwan. She told everyone I was a maid from her house, said I was light-fingered, and said I was a fledgling oriole from a brothel.

Everyone was gossiping behind my back, Lv Ying told me not to mind them, what they say and laugh won’t make me weigh any less.

Rather than getting angry, it’s better to cultivate well, so that in the future Lin Suwan will have to call me senior sister when we meet.

For the first time, I feel Lv Ying has some wisdom.

Not really angry, just annoyed that I forgot the burlap sack, must remember it tomorrow.

However, I’ve used that burlap sack so many times, why has no one checked? Did she not report, or does no one care about her?

Looks like her old ancestor falls short of my grandpa!

Grandpa was called by Jia Wei to help work, didn’t even eat, no teachings today.

[October 27, Studying, practice, handwriting, burlap sack, slaying Lantern Monster]

[October 28, Studying, practice, handwriting, burlap sack, slaying Lantern Monster]

[October 29, Studying, practice, handwriting, slaying Lantern Monster, I want to eat scallion oil meat pie]

[Year of the Rat, October 30, Frost]

The burlap sack is torn, need to buy a new one, seem like I killed all the Lantern Monsters, grandpa said to lay off for a few days so they can recover.

My Sharpness Technique has broken through one layer to the second layer, the technique speed improved from five breaths to four breaths, the sharpness is as solid as an embroidery needle, penetrating bricks and stones, can sustain for three breaths.

Still far from grandpa’s one-breath technique forming, his sharpness like a nail, able to pierce through even a magic artifact.

From the second to third layer, I calculated, now if I focus entirely I can activate it ten times a day, so it would take a hundred days.

Calculating from this, from the third to fourth layer it might take a thousand days?

Once cultivation improves, spiritual energy increases, each day I must practice a few more times to shorten the time.

Grandpa said, techniques basically peak at five layers, after the second layer’s peak, a barrier presents itself with each breakthrough, requiring insight.

Song Pei’er hasn’t been able to breakthrough the third layer because she lacks insight.

I’m not worried about lacking insight, I’m curious about what it’s like to cultivate techniques to the peak of five levels.

Grandpa said it’s too difficult, and for low-level techniques, no one would waste effort reaching the top level.

I want to give it a try.

Elder Lii says I’m smart, I can definitely do it.

Speaking of this, I realized I’ve been targeted.

Lu Nanzhi and Xie Jingshan always appear when Elder Lii is teaching, and they’re constantly watching me.

I arrive early to read books before class, they also arrive early to read books, after class I linger to savor the teachings, and they don’t leave either. I go to the Library, they also go to the Library, whatever book I read, they replicate.

They must be trying to catch my faults and suppress me, it’s outrageous!

Now I’m just shy of entering the Water Element Skill, then I can fully learn the Five Elements Returning to Truth Skill, and strive to improve my cultivation.

I, Jiang Yuebai, won’t stoop to fight with a female, I’ll let Lu Nanzhi go for now, I must first put Xie Jingshan into the sack to strike fear!

Grandpa’s motto: Revenge is never too late for a gentleman, for a petty person it’s from dawn till dusk (the latter half is crossed out).

Note: I am a petty person, not a petty person!

[Year of the Rat, November 1st, cloudy]

Today, before Elder Lii’s class, Lin Suwan incited an Outer Sect disciple to bully us servant female cultivators.

Lv Ying protected me and got injured. I was about to act, when Xie Jingshan used a head-sized fireball to blow up the old tree in the Dharma Hall. That Outer Sect disciple wet his pants, Lin Suwan fainted from fright.

I believe I must have wrongly accused Xie Jingshan before; he isn’t targeting me. He was punished to reflect in Yinfeng Creek, I shouldn’t add insult to injury.

Defeat him next time, maybe wait till next spring.

Also, Lv Ying said Xie Jingshan might have taken a liking to her, hence the heroic rescue.

I think... as long as Lv Ying is happy.

Feeling gloomy today, I’m going to Ten Miles Slope to have a chat with the Lantern Monster.

Grandpa has been called by Jia Wei for work again, no motto, just coughs.

Note: When will I be able to work on the ground, to help share some load with Grandpa?

[November 2nd, memorize texts, attend class, practice techniques, write characters, sack the Lantern Monster]

[November 3rd, memorize texts, attend class, practice techniques, write characters, sack the Lantern Monster]

[November 4th, memorize texts, attend class, practice techniques, the Lantern Monster is gone again, I want to eat osmanthus wine rice balls]

[Year of the Rat, November 5th, strong wind]

Today we have good news, Ancient Spring Master and Master Yuu Qiuqi returned victorious from subduing the Drought Demon, the sect celebrated by ringing the bell, the whole sect rejoices.

The eatery rewarded each servant disciple a bun, made with Spiritual Grain flour, stuffed with beast meat, delicious!

Those beasts were hunted by Master Yuu on the way, Master Yuu truly is beautiful, kind-hearted, and strong in martial arts.

I told Grandpa, in the future I want to be like Master Yuu, succeed in cultivation and slay all demons in the world, benefiting all.

The calamity of Jiang Family Village shall never happen again!

Grandpa’s motto: If you don’t climb a high mountain, you won’t know how tall the sky is; if you don’t approach a deep creek, you won’t know how thick the earth is.

Note: Today’s motto feels somewhat odd, I always feel like Grandpa is scolding me.

[Year of the Rat, November 6th, light snow]

Yesterday brought joy, today brings mourning, I finally understood what Grandpa’s words meant yesterday.

Among the five who went with Master Yuu and Ancient Spring Master, only Master Yuu and Ancient Spring Master returned.

Ancient Spring Master was seriously injured, yesterday they reported joy to avoid dampening the sect disciples’ spirits, today they buried the deceased disciples in Yinfeng Creek behind Meteor Valley.

I can’t go to Meteor Valley, I can only go to the Ten Miles Slope at night, burning yellow paper for them, thanking them for avenging my parents and brother.

If there is reincarnation in the Underworld, may their heroic souls return in the days of spring’s blossom.

Also, I suddenly started to wonder, since traveling from Heavenly Interence Sect to Lin’an County to exterminate the Drought Demon only takes a dozen days, why did the Drought Demon plague Lin’an County for three years?

Above Golden Core Masters are Nascent Soul True Monarchs, why not send Nascent Soul True Monarchs to exterminate, instead of sending Foundation Establishment disciples to die?

I asked Grandpa, Grandpa only said I’m immature in the Dao, once I reach Foundation Establishment, I’ll naturally understand.

Grandpa’s motto: The ignorant are fearless, the lawless have no heaven.

Note: The ”law” here, is it the laws of the Cultivation Realm or the Heavenly Dao laws?

[Year of the Rat, November 7th, heavy snow]

Midnight temperature dropped suddenly, too cold to sit and cultivate, it felt like being invaded by the Yin Qi of the Ghost Lamp.

The snow is unusually heavy, and earlier than previous years.

All five Dao magical techniques are learned, but the Grand Circulation runs unevenly.

After class yesterday, I consulted Elder Lii, I’ve understood eighty percent of the Five Elements Rotation, Elder Lii advised me to try setting up the Five Elements Wheel Bridge in a place abundant in spiritual energy.

Because this pertains to the enlightenment of the Dao, during the initial enlightenment, one would receive Heavenly Dao’s favor, spiritual energy would flood into the body, skyrocketing cultivation.

Grandpa also said, initially linking the Grand Circulation in the Five Elements Returning to Truth Skill costs a lot of Five Element Spiritual Energy, he wants to take me to the Cultivation Room for seclusion, with a rental fee of three Low-Grade Spirit Stones per day.

One Low-Grade Spirit Stone could buy three meat meals at the eatery, or purchase ten pounds of Spirit Rice enough to eat for twenty days.

Grandpa must be mad, I’m definitely not going to the Cultivation Room!

No motto today, not listening, not listening, a donkey’s chant.

Attachment: crooked donkey diagram

[Year of the Rat, November 8th, heavy snow]

The Cultivation Room is so comfortable～