Dai Qianfan devised a rigorous schedule for the five core disciplines: "Mountain," "Medicine," "Destiny," "Physiognomy," and "Divination."
"Mountain," the essential path to immortality and the most critical of all subjects, was a curriculum Dai Qianfan insisted on teaching personally. The day began at the Hour of the Rabbit (5:00–7:00 AM); Daiyue had only half an incense stick’s time to wash and dress before being plunged into an intense schedule of study. "Mountain" encompassed three branches: the Classics (studying works like the *Laozi* and *Zhuangzi* to cultivate the mind), Health Preservation (breathing exercises and alchemy to pursue longevity), and Esoteric Practice (incantations and martial arts, aiming to harmonize body, mind, and spirit).
Once the Hour of the Dragon (7:00–9:00 AM) passed, Daiyue moved on to "Medicine." Her instructor was Hao Huitian, a famous "Saintly Physician" from Qixian State, renowned in the mortal world as a "Divine Immortal with the Hands of Spring." Each day, Daiyue would bob her head as she memorized thick medical tomes like the *Huangdi Neijing*, the *Shanghan Zabing Lun*, the *Jingui Yaolue*, and the *Wenbing Tiaobian*, learning the intricacies of medicinal formulas, acupuncture, and spiritual healing.
Chapter 23