Charlie wade was still immersed in the marvel of the seals. Only when he heard her voice did he open his eyes. Seeing Grace Lowes kneeling before him in tears, he knew she had also gained the benefit and smiled. “There is no need to thank me. Perhaps this is an opportunity granted to us all by the Buddhist gate.”
At that moment Song Rife also opened her eyes. Trembling with excitement, she came forward and knelt beside Grace Lowes.
She was about to voice her own gratitude when Charlie wade raised a hand to stop her and said, “The aurora has vanished and dawn is almost here. We must return before the sky brightens fully, then enter closed-door meditation to study these seals properly. If the aurora appears again tonight, we shall come once more!”
The two women nodded vigorously. Such a world-shaking discovery filled their hearts with ecstatic joy. They could hardly wait to calm their minds and repeatedly practise this set of seals.
Seeing how delighted all three looked, Lin Wan’er could not resist stepping forward to ask Charlie wade, “Young Master, what harvest did last night’s seals bring?”
Charlie wade answered honestly, “This set is completely different from the previous one. The last set drained every drop of spiritual energy from my body, but this one actually generates additional spiritual energy. I believe these seals are the foundation of Buddhist cultivation.”
Lin Wan’er exclaimed in surprise, “They can generate extra spiritual energy? Doesn’t that make them similar to the breathing and circulation methods of cultivators?”
Charlie wade replied with absolute certainty, “These hand seals are stronger and far better suited to the present age than ordinary breathing methods. Breathing techniques absorb and refine the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, continually purifying it within the body. Once there is no more spiritual energy between heaven and earth, those breathing methods lose their greatest value. Nowadays their only remaining function is to purify the spiritual energy converted from pills. Without pills or a sufficient external source of spiritual energy, they become exceedingly useless.”
He continued with a sigh, “Buddhist hand seals are different. As long as you complete a full cycle, spiritual energy is produced from nothing. I cannot comprehend where this spiritual energy comes from, yet it truly exists.”
Grace Lowes nodded and added, “That spiritual energy really does seem to appear from nowhere. It is truly miraculous…”
Lin Wan’er thought for a moment, then smiled. “In that case, perhaps the underlying logic of Buddhist seals is more complex and tends toward some form of energy conversion. It is like cutting magnetic field lines to generate electricity. A hand-cranked generator will produce current as long as you keep turning it. If you do not understand the principle, it certainly seems magical, but in essence it converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.”
Charlie wade’s eyes lit up. He exclaimed, “What Miss Lin says makes perfect sense. Breathing techniques are like step-up circuits that raise voltage to high or even ultra-high levels, but fundamentally they can only increase voltage; they cannot generate additional electricity. In fact, there is some loss during the process. The moment the input electricity at the front end runs short, everything grinds to a halt. Buddhist hand seals, however, are more like a hand-cranked generator. Although the power output is tiny, the key is that it can keep producing electricity. If one persists, the accumulated electricity will grow stronger and stronger. Combine it with breathing techniques to continuously step up and store that trickle of energy, and you create a self-sustaining internal cycle that requires no external driving force. Compared to previous cultivation methods, this is a qualitative leap!”
Having said that, he sighed again with a hint of regret. “It is just that the amount of spiritual energy these seals produce is truly pitiful. If one relies on this method, the cultivation process will be stretched out enormously. A single closed-door session would last at least several months, possibly even years…”
Lin Wan’er smiled beside him and said, “Young Master need not sigh. Every cultivation method progresses step by step. Behind this set of hand seals there must be even more profound and powerful ones. All the Young Master has to do is practise diligently and wait patiently.”
