Eventually a cultivator will reach a point where they can no longer advance in their cultivation. This is called a bottleneck, and happens for the same reason that one may rapidly increase their stamina by running, but eventually will see little improvement; there is only so much your body can learn from repeating the same actions. Once you become competent at something, progress will slow.
For that reason one should learn a variety of techniques. While qi can be manipulated in many ways, such as using techniques, formations, arrays, talismans, prayers, and relics, most of these are limited, either in the training potential they offer or who can use them. Techniques, however, can be used by anyone, though some techniques require specific spiritual roots. There are many techniques, however, which all cultivators can learn, as they can use any spiritual root or even the neutral qi in the environment.
The first series of techniques one should learn are the Advancement techniques. These allow one to modify themselves so that they are better able to use qi and have more qi. Each of these allows the cultivator to advance from one cultivation level to the next. The author is currently in the sixth level, and knows of two more levels above that level, but many sects and other groups have their own methods of advancing in the higher levels. The writer does not wish to upset them, as they will oppose the spread of this book, which can be extremely useful to all with spiritual roots, so they will only describe the methods for advancing to the first three levels. If one wishes to advance to the fourth or higher level, it is advised that one seek out the other advancement techniques from cultivators of that or a higher level.
In the beginning, the level of all who cultivate is the mortal level, which can be called level zero. While the people at this level have qi within their bodies, from the air they breath, the food they eat, and the water they drink, it is a very small amount, and having a body full of qi can only grant them what a healthy diet and exercise can grant them. To develop further, one must improve the ability of qi to travel through their body. This is accomplished by growing a network of pathways in the body which can carry qi, called meridians.
One need not create an entirely new set of pathways, however. Within the body there are already two such pathways. The first is the blood vessels, which carry the energy in the food a person eats and the air a person breathes throughout the body so that all of the body may benefit. The second is the nerves, which carry the energy of the mind throughout the body so that one may control their body. To convert one of these into meridians, one merely needs to focus on the source of that energy and give it qi. The source of the energy in food is the stomach and the source of the energy in the air is the lungs, but the heart mediates that energy, and by focusing on it one need not split their focus to both of the others, or try to give both of them equal amounts of qi by focusing on one at a time. The source of the energy of the mind is the brain. With enough qi being focused on one of those, the energy pathway it governs will be enhanced to carry qi as well, and once it has completely stabilized, one has entered the first level.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
To advance from the first to the second level, once the meridians are fully adapted to carrying qi and can carry their maximum amount, one must create a reservoir of qi along the path of the meridians, beside its nexus. This reservoir can then hold liquid qi, just as a normal reservoir holds liquid water, and the streams within the body, the meridians, can then carry the liquid qi through the body to enhance it further. To accomplish this, one needs to focus qi into one of the three nexus points in the body, the center of the forehead, the center of the chest, or the center of the bowels. While the bowels lack an energy web, and therefore could not be used for the creation of meridians, they tie strongly enough into the other two that they possess a nexus point which is just behind the naval in most people.
Once sufficient qi is focused and compressed in that area, a reservoir, called a dantian, will form there. The other two locations will also form a minor dantian, which only hold liquid qi. It will gather qi from the body any time more qi is brought into the body than is needed to fill it, and will turn this qi into a liquid, much like a lid can condense the steam from a cooking pot. It will then use this liquid qi to grow in size, allowing it to hold more qi.
To advance to level three, once the dantian can grow in size no more, one must spread the liquid qi throughout their body. By willing it into the meridians, they can start carrying it throughout the body, and by having it leave the safe channels of the meridians, one can cause it to overflow into their body. The body can not handle the liquid qi, however, and will be injured by this. Cultivation, however, will have greatly improved the body’s ability to heal. Much like the damage caused by using ones muscles causes muscle damage or using ones hands too much causes skin damage on the palms, this will injure the body, but all of those will eventually heal, making the person stronger. Eventually the body will be able to handle the liquid qi, and at that time one will reach the end of the third level.
