Steve Jobs left after only a week of study because his Apple company truly couldn't do without him. However, he had to admit that despite inexplicably gaining an elder martial brother thirty years his senior, the Heavenly Master's Manor had its merits.
For instance, under Zhang Jintao's full guidance, Jobs had mastered the cultivation methods of the Zheng Yi sect. He also received a scripture from Zhang Jintao called the "Tai Xuan Bu Tian Jing," which detailed various Taoist methods for mending the heavens.
Of course, "mending the heavens" didn't mean plugging a literal hole in the sky like Nuwa. It referred to helping the human body return to its innate state.
According to Zhang Jintao's teachings, Jobs learned that to achieve immortality, one must first restore the human body to its innate condition, then nurture the primordial spirit, and finally attain immortality.
Cultivation primarily involved refining one's primordial spirit. In Western terms, this would be called the soul. In truth, primordial spirit and soul weren't the same, but it was sufficient to understand it that way, especially since this was just to complete Boss Huang's task.
However, this was not enough. To become an immortal, one also needed to return the physical body to its innate state. The innate state was akin to the fetus within the mother's womb.
Zhang Jintao explained to Jobs that when a person is in the womb, they are in the most perfect state. All vital essence is locked deep within the body. At this stage, age doesn't increase, and vitality doesn't decrease. Barring any congenital deficiencies, it's the perfect condition, equivalent to the "innate Taoist fetus" in Taoist theory.
Yet, everyone must eventually leave the womb. Once the infant leaves the mother's body and is exposed to the air, losing the mother's protection, the innate essence within the body begins to dissipate. Even a brief contact with air causes the body to immediately lose its innate Taoist fetus state and become an ordinary human.
Simultaneously, life's clock begins to tick. As the innate vital energy continuously depletes, a person's lifespan also diminishes, eventually leading to natural death and becoming a corpse.
The physical cultivation in Taoism aims to replenish the body's lost innate essences, akin to returning to the state of being within the womb. This is why descriptions of immortals often mention them having hair like the elderly yet appearing youthful, with skin as tender as an infant's. Their physical bodies have essentially reverted to an infant's state, although what has already grown cannot be reversed.
This "Tai Xuan Bu Tian Jing" is a scripture used by the Zheng Yi sect to help the human body return to its innate state. However, even with such a scripture, success remains exceedingly rare, as many of the required materials are no longer obtainable. Examples include thousand-year-old Tianshan snow lotus, thousand-year-old ginseng, ten-thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum, and even things like dragon's blood or phoenix claws—these are simply impossible to find, let alone use for mending the heavens.
Nevertheless, some of the more basic principles were still useful. What Jobs learned at least allowed him to survive beyond 2005.
"Ah!" Jobs was stunned when he heard this from his cheap master. Zhang Jintao then stated expressionlessly, "You have retained lochia accumulating within your body, which has now blocked your vital life force. You have already narrowly escaped death once this year, but the condition has become irreversible. You will certainly die this year!"
Hearing this, Jobs's legs trembled. This was why he had traveled all the way to China, enduring hardship, and even apprenticed himself to this Chinese man whom he didn't particularly respect.
Simply put, he was afraid of death and didn't want to die. However, his private physician had explicitly informed him that his pancreas was in an irreversible state, with at most six months of life remaining. Unless there was a major scientific breakthrough, he could begin preparing his affairs.
This plunged Jobs into despair, and Taoism became his only lifeline.
"Master, I don't want to die! Master, save me!" Jobs knelt before Li Jintao, pleading in anguish.
"Alas, my foolish child, since I have accepted you as my disciple, I cannot stand by and watch you die. Otherwise, why would I have given you this secret scripture, the 'Tai Xuan Bu Tian Jing'!" Li Jintao sighed, then helped Jobs up. "This 'Tai Xuan Bu Tian Jing' contains three elixir formulas that I have specifically marked. You must adhere to them strictly in your daily life and schedule. If you can survive this year, you will gain at least another seven years of life!"
"Seven years!" Jobs's heart warmed. Although seven years later he would only be in his early sixties, a far too early age given his wealth, for someone already handed a death sentence, gaining an extra seven years felt like a windfall.
"In addition," Li Jintao continued, "I have also divined a fortune for you and discovered that you will experience a happy event this year!"
"Divined? A happy event?" Jobs was momentarily confused. Li Jintao then explained the meaning of divination in English. In fact, Li Jintao understood English, as he had almost gone abroad himself, but it hadn't worked out.
"Master, what happy event?" Jobs asked softly.
"I cannot ascertain the details clearly. Do you have an institution related to medical research?" Li Jintao inquired.
"Yes! I do have such an institution!" Jobs's heart tightened. His investment in this institution was top-secret news, known to very few in the industry. How could his cheap master know about it? Could he truly predict the future?
"Master, are you suggesting that I should stop taking the medications and treatments from this medical institution and instead follow the 'Tai Xuan Bu Tian Jing' you've given me for my life and treatment?" Jobs asked respectfully. However, he had also resolved that if this cheap master dared to ask him to abandon modern medicine for treatment, he would leave immediately and sever all ties.
Although Jobs was now desperate and grasping at straws, his intelligence had not diminished. He wouldn't do something foolish like rejecting all modern medical treatments just because he thought he had acquired some mysterious methods. These Chinese methods were, at best, auxiliary tools for him.
In fact, he wouldn't use the 'Tai Xuan Bu Tian Jing' immediately after taking it back. He intended to hand over the various elixirs recorded within to his own research institutions for thorough study, only proceeding after confirming they were completely safe.
Just as Jobs harbored disrespectful thoughts, he heard his cheap master say, "Not at all. You can continue with your Western medical treatments. While the 'Tai Xuan Bu Tian Jing' can help you extend your life by seven years, it is a gradual method. It is not as urgent as your Western medicine!"
"In fact, the 'Tai Xuan Bu Tian Jing' cannot help you overcome the death tribulation after six months. You will still die. However, Western medicine is your only possible path to survival!" Li Jintao said frankly. "I only want to tell you that your medical institution should have a breakthrough within the next year, which could save you from this death tribulation. But whether that breakthrough arrives before the death tribulation does depends entirely on your fate!"
"Master, save me!" Jobs's expression shifted slightly. Recalling his master's mention of divination, he immediately clasped his master's leg and cried out.
"Foolish child! Foolish child!" Li Jintao embraced Jobs helplessly, then suddenly coughed up some blood.
"Master!" Jobs stared at Li Jintao in shock. How could the harmonious parent-child moment suddenly turn into coughing blood?
"It's nothing. Stealing heavenly secrets is an act against nature, and it's only right that I receive a slight punishment," Li Jintao offered a kind smile, then continued, "Don't worry, I have already performed a ritual for you. I will expedite the arrival of this opportunity. However, there are also things you need to do!"
"What things? Your disciple will surely accomplish them!" Jobs said quickly.
"It's nothing major. Our Taoist school emphasizes acting on behalf of Heaven, reducing excess to supplement deficiency, and accumulating merit. When you return, remember to perform good deeds daily. Never commit evil. The more good deeds you do, the higher your chances of overcoming the death tribulation will be!" Li Jintao stated.
"Then, Master, what constitutes a good deed?" Jobs asked curiously.
"If you believe an action benefits Heaven and Earth, and benefits the common people, then it is a good deed, and you should do it. I don't know the specifics, so you'll have to figure it out yourself!" Li Jintao smiled. Jobs also smiled, then with a glint in his eye, he said, "Master, your disciple sees that the sect's facilities are old and dilapidated. If I donate funds for their renovation, would that also be a good deed?"
"You, my disciple..." Li Jintao paused, then laughed heartily. "If you believe it is a good deed, then do it generously. There's no need to ask me!"
"Master, aren't you going to be humble?" Jobs suddenly asked again.
"Why should I be humble? This Heavenly Master's Manor is indeed old and dilapidated. If you can renovate it, you will benefit hundreds of our fellow disciples in the Heavenly Master lineage. Isn't that a good deed? To refuse your donation for the sake of so-called humility and reputation would be true hypocrisy, something I disdain!"
"But remember, you must not force anything, lest it bring endless misfortune!" Li Jintao finished, then urged Jobs to leave.
However, after Jobs departed, this Heavenly Master Zhang went into a small room and met Boss Huang.
"Seen him off?" Boss Huang asked with a smile.
"He's been seen off, and I've said what you asked me to," Li Jintao replied, hesitating, then asked, "Chairman Huang, is what you've said all true? What if this Jobs really dies this year, or if there's no death tribulation this year? What will we do? I've already made all these grand pronouncements!"
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. Otherwise, how could I continue playing with Apple?" Huang He said gleefully, rubbing his nose.