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Eat before feeling fully hungry, and stop eating before feeling fully full. Take leisurely walks, ensuring the abdomen remains empty. Whenever the abdomen is empty, immediately enter a state of meditation (Ding). This applies regardless of day or night; sitting or lying down, be at ease. The key lies in restraining the body, making it still as a wooden puppet, while constantly thinking to oneself: "This body of mine, if it moves even slightly, not even as much as a hair's breadth, will fall into hell." It must be executed with the strictness of Shang Yang's laws and Sun Wu's military orders. One must act decisively, preferring death over violation. Additionally, using words from Buddhism and Laozi, gaze at the tip of the nose, counting breaths in and out. The breath should be continuous and seemingly present yet absent, used without excessive effort. Counting up to several hundred, the mind becomes silent, and the body stands firm like a rock. Equal to the void, no need for suppression or control, it naturally remains motionless. Counting up to several thousand, or if unable to count further, there is a method called "Following" (Sui). Follow the breath as it exits, and follow it as it enters, continuing this practice. Until one breath naturally stops, neither exiting nor entering. If one feels the breath dispersing like clouds and mist through eighty-four thousand pores, then since beginningless time, all diseases are naturally eliminated, and all obstacles naturally vanish. Naturally attaining clarity and enlightenment, like a blind person suddenly gaining sight, why would one need others to point out the path? Thus, the old man says it all comes down to this.

Zheng Zichan said: "Fire is fierce, so people fear it; water is weak, so people play with it." Yi Feng discussed the Six Emotions and Twelve Pitch-pipes. In his discussion on water and fire, he stated: "The emotion of the North is 'Hao' (Love/Desire). Hao leads to greed and cruelty. The emotion of the South is 'E' (Hatred/Aversion). E leads to integrity and righteousness. Because of integrity and righteousness, one becomes a gentleman; because of greed and cruelty, one becomes a petty person." I have studied both their teachings and offer an explanation: Fire is fierce, Water is weak. Fierceness generates righteousness, weakness generates evil. Fire corresponds to the Heart, Water to the Kidney. Therefore, among the Five Viscera, the Heart is righteous, and the Kidney is evil. The Kidney is never free from evil; even the Kidney of the supremely wise is evil. However, the supremely wise do not indulge because the function of the Heart is upright, and the Kidney obeys its command. The Heart is never unrighteous; even the Heart of the utterly foolish is upright. Yet the utterly foolish indulge because the Heart does not exercise its function, and the Kidney takes charge. Understanding this, one can understand the theories of Lead (Qian), Mercury (Gong), Dragon, and Tiger. What is Lead? Any movement of Qi is called Lead, whether advancing or retreating, exhaling or inhaling, grasping or striking. All animals possess Lead. The Lung actually manages the intake and output of Qi. The Lung belongs to Metal and represents the White Tiger, hence it is called Lead, also known as Tiger. What is Mercury? Any fluid is called Mercury, including saliva, pus, blood, essence, sweat, urine, and feces; anything moist is Mercury. The Liver actually stores these substances. The Liver belongs to Wood and represents the Green Dragon, hence it is called Mercury, also known as Dragon. Ancient perfected beings discussing Internal Alchemy said: "The art of reversing the Five Elements: The Dragon emerges from within Fire. The Five Elements do not proceed in order; the Tiger is born from within Water." No one in the world understands this theory. When the Five Elements proceed in their natural order, the Dragon emerges from Water, and the Tiger from Fire; this is the path of death. When the Heart does not exercise its function and the Kidney takes charge, external seduction by sounds and colors triggers internal emission of lust and evil. The essence of Ren and Gui (Water) flows downward into humanity, leading to decay; this is Mercury and the Dragon emerging from Water. Joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness all originate from the Heart. Joy brings disturbance, anger brings beating, sorrow brings wailing, and happiness brings dancing. The Heart moves internally, and Qi responds externally; this is Lead and the Tiger emerging from Fire. Mercury and the Dragon emerge from Water; Lead and the Tiger emerge from Fire. Can anyone emerge from Fire, emerge from Water, and then return? Thus, it is said that this is the path of death. Perfected beings teach reverse practice: the Dragon emerges from Fire, and the Tiger from Water. What is the reasoning? Confucius said: "Let thoughts be without evil." Any thought is considered evil, but no thought makes one like wood or stone. Who can make thoughts non-evil while having them, and non-stagnant while having none? There must be a "thought of no-thought." This thought of no-thought is upright and solemn, as if facing a ruler or teacher, never allowing a single moment of laxity. Yet ultimately, there is nothing to think of, like turtle hair or rabbit horns. This is not artificially created emptiness, but the original nature being empty; this is called Precepts (Jie). Precepts generate Concentration (Ding); when concentrated, breathing naturally stops. When breathing stops, Heart Fire no longer flares upward. In the *I Ching*, this corresponds to the Li Trigram. Li means adhering; it must adhere to something and never stands alone. Mercury (Water) is its consort. Since it does not flare upward, it follows its consort. When Water and Fire combine, the essence of Ren and Gui flows upward into the brain and overflows into the Primordial Essence. If nasal fluid flows, Tianyi generates Water. Human form initially originates from Water, so Water is the first of the Five Elements. From warm air arises Fire, so Fire is second. After birth, bones form, so Wood is third. Bones become hard; hardness and strength belong to Metal, so Metal is fourth. After bones are hard, flesh grows; Earth represents flesh, so Earth is fifth. While in the womb, the infant breathes when the mother breathes in and out, with mouth and nose closed, connected via the umbilicus. Thus, the umbilicus is the root of life. Mercury and the Dragon emerge from Fire, flow to the brain, overflow into the Primordial Essence, and must return to the root. Heart Fire does not flare upward but follows its consort, so Fire resides at the root. Thus, the essence of Ren and Gui, empowered by Fire, becomes increasingly hard, reaching the limbs and permeating the skin and muscles, becoming stronger daily. At its extreme, it forms a Diamond Body. This is Lead and the Tiger emerging from Water. When Dragon and Tiger generate each other, Internal Alchemy is achieved. Thus, proceeding forward leads to human existence; reversing leads to the Dao. Although Dao is the end, it can also serve as the technique for immortality.