Chapter 22: The Master of the Temple Talks about Swords
Chapter 22: The Master of the Temple Talks about Swords
As the uncles and aunts made a noise, the whole town was in an uproar.
Zhangxiang Town is a well-known wealthy town, and is adjacent to Baoguan, but it has not produced an immortal for many years, so it is always short of people. Fortunately, last year, the young master of the Cheng family entered the immortal mountain, and the people in the town felt more glorious.
As for the fact that the Cheng family was not from here but moved here 20 years ago, no one dared to mention it. Zhangxiang Town was originally a town with mixed surnames, so what was wrong with having one more surname Cheng?
Old Master Cheng is a scholar with great merit in educating people, Cheng and Zhu are well-known for their virtues, and Young Master Cheng is even more of a descendant of an immortal. These were all written into the "Zhangxiang Town Chronicle" by the head of the village himself! Who dares to gossip about them?
Now that the immortal has returned to his hometown, there will naturally be a grand celebration.
Yunqi couldn't stop him, and he couldn't explain to them that he was just a small follower in the Qi Refining Stage who had not yet opened a mansion.
The first few aunts who entered Yunqi's yard were very sharp-eyed and could tell at once that there was no dust in the house. But it had only been a short time since Yunqi pushed the door open and they came in, so how could it be clean?
This must be the place where immortals live, and the filth will naturally disappear.
When the news of this miracle spread quietly, the banquet became bigger and bigger. Everyone insisted that the cloud stay in the town for a while longer and not rush back to the mountain, so that the town could also be more blessed with fairy air.
Yunqi didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but still agreed to stay for a few more days.
The continuous rain could not dampen the enthusiasm of the neighbors. They pulled cloth to build sheds, gathered firewood to heat the stove, slaughtered chickens and sheep, and brought pots of wine. It was so lively!
Yunqi got drunk that night.
----
Day two.
The world is a place of gentleness and tenderness, which can wear on one's mind.
It was the first time in many years that Yunqi woke up late and slept particularly soundly in her own bed.
I got up and went to the yard. The rain had stopped and a rainbow appeared in the sky. It was really a blessing from God.
As usual, I continued to practice the Yunqi exercises, and then continued to breathe in and out and visualize.
After calming down, Yunqi carried a large bamboo basket on his back, took some paper candles and offerings, and walked into the mountains.
When I arrived at the grave of my ancestors, there were no weeds or rocks in front of the grave. It seemed that it was well taken care of by the neighbors. I believe it will be taken better care of in the future.
The clouds wiped the stone tablet, added a new handful of soil, placed offerings on it, and talked for a while.
Afterwards, the clouds went deeper into the mountains and after a few leaps, the human figure disappeared.
It was afternoon when we returned to the town and Yunqi's backpack was already full.
He set up a big pot in the yard, politely declined the help of the aunts, and started to boil the herbs.
When the neighbors heard that Yunqi was going to make medicine for the townspeople, they all started to tremble.
There were a few who kept their composure and quietly spread the news, telling the heads of each family.
Soon the whole town became quiet, and any dog that barked in front of someone's door would be hit with a stick.
Those who were not at home were all waiting with their hands rubbed in joy. Those who were at home with relatives or friends at the moment, although their hearts were beating wildly, they still suppressed their emotions and pretended that nothing had happened, but they still unconsciously lowered their voices.
The head of the village has already spread the word that if anyone leaks this news to outsiders, his family will no longer be able to stay in this town.
Neighbors are also divided into close and distant relatives. Look, the dozen or so households in Qingwa Lane have doorplates with immortal carvings of peace and safety. Although they were made by the immortals before they became immortals, they must have spiritual power, and other people are very envious.
But today is different. The young master said that every family has elixirs. This is a great blessing and the news must not be leaked.
Zhangxiang Town is called a town, but in fact it is just a village. It only became rich because it is backed by Yulin Temple and has the reputation of Sanqing Fairy Mountain. It relied on ancestral property and ancestral incense-making craftsmanship. Brick houses were built and stone roads were repaired, and the village was changed into a town. In fact, the people are still the same, and it is instinctive for them to stick together and face the outside world.
Everyone waited until the next day, and all the relatives and friends were sent away one after another by the host with excuses given.
It was probably noon. The sunny sky after the summer rain was particularly bright and the weather suddenly became hot. Everyone was waiting anxiously, and the door to the Cheng family's yard was finally opened.
Yunqi held up a sackcloth bag and handed it to Uncle Wang who was waiting outside the door.
"It's not a panacea, it's just a pill to replenish qi and cure diseases. If you really have an acute disease and the doctor can't help, you can take it and try. Uncle Wang, please distribute it to everyone. If there are too many, you can collect them together or give more to the elderly and the weak. I won't take care of it."
Uncle Wang took the sack with trembling hands, and without even waiting for Yunqi to react, he knelt down and kowtowed.
Yunqi hurriedly pulled the man up and said it was not necessary.
Seeing Uncle Wang taking the sack with many thanks, Yunqi felt embarrassed. The pills in the sack were grayish white. If he sold them in the alchemy shop in the mountains, he would probably be beaten to death. But his alchemy skills were just so-so. He could make pills with a big pot, so what else was there to be dissatisfied with?
Now that the owner is back, no one dares to enter the yard casually, and no one knows that the big bag in Yunqi's house has deflated by half.
----
Day three.
The clouds rose early in the morning, and the sky was still hazy. With the remaining starlight, the young man walked slowly towards the Yulin Temple.
At this time, in the view:
"Master, do you still want to practice swordsmanship today?"
A little Taoist boy came to Taoist Master Zhenwei's room with a sword in his arms.
The little Taoist boy was very puzzled. In his short memory, the master of the temple had never practiced sword, but only breathing exercises and boxing. Why did he suddenly think of practicing sword?
It was after he parted with his handsome brother the day before yesterday that he wanted to find a sword. He got up early the next morning to practice swordplay in the square in front of the temple gate, which excited the pilgrims and lay Buddhists who came to burn incense. The old temple master practiced for more than an hour in front of everyone. He didn't know that the temple master was in such good health. The lay Buddhists even called the temple master a god.
"practice!"
The old abbot pushed open the door and strode towards the front yard, moving as fast as a shooting star. He didn't look like a centenarian at all.
There are a lot of people in the temple today. One reason is that the continuous rain has finally stopped and people want to go out. The other reason is that the old abbot danced with the sword for more than an hour yesterday, and when the news spread, everyone wanted to come and see.
As soon as Taoist Master Zhenwei came out of the backyard, he saw the crowds of people in the temple. His face froze. He immediately stopped, tiptoed to the back window and took a quick look. He didn't see the person he wanted to see, so he whispered to Tong'er, "We will practice in the backyard today. Tong'er will watch in the front yard. If anyone comes to look for me, just say I'm not here. But if someone who calls himself Cheng Yunqi comes to look for me, you can bring him over."
"Is it the handsome brother you sent out that day?"
The little Taoist boy looked up and asked.
"You are clever."
The old abbot patted the boy's head and said with a smile.
The Taoist boy looked at the old abbot and said yes, but his black eyes rolled around and he wondered if the abbot practiced sword just for that handsome brother?
Fortunately, the clouds did not keep the boy waiting for long. When the sun just shone on the Taoist temple, the clouds also slowly came to the temple. Looking at the bustling people in the Taoist temple, he couldn't help but sigh that the Yu Lin Temple was still so prosperous.
As soon as he entered the temple, a delicate and graceful Taoist child ran over.
Yunqi looked at him in confusion.
The boy waved his hand, signaling Yunqi to come over and listen.
Yunqi was curious and lowered his head to listen.
"Are you here to see the master?"
Yunqi nodded.
"Then follow me." The little Taoist boy tugged at his robe, motioning him to follow.
In this way, Yunqi followed the Taoist boy through the crowded crowd and came to the backyard.
The backyard is the daily residence of the Taoists in the temple, and pilgrims do not come in. At this time during the day, there are many people in the temple, and the Taoists are busy in the front yard. The backyard is empty and there are not many people.
"Whoa!"
The sounds of breaking through the air attracted the attention of the clouds.
The boy took the cloud with him.
Behind a strange rock, Taoist Master Zhenwei was seen dancing with a sword. He wore a wide robe with big sleeves, his hair and beard were like waterfalls, and he moved like a dragon or a crane. The old man was definitely not pretending. Although Yunqi was also a layman, he could see that the sword in the master's hand was as fast as the wind and as powerful as thunder, and the sound of the sword was incessant.
"Good swordsmanship!"
The clouds praised.
"The master of the temple is for..."
"The guests have arrived, boy, please leave!"
The old abbot suddenly stopped his sword and interrupted the boy before he could finish his words.
The Taoist child hummed a tune softly and ran away to play.
"The clouds are coming."
The old abbot smiled at Yunqi and said.
Yunqi bowed, "I didn't know that the master was still practicing swordsmanship."
The master of the temple coughed lightly. Laying the groundwork was not his strong point, so he simply got straight to the point. "Yesterday I heard you say that you also like swordsmanship, but because practicing swordsmanship is time-consuming and material-consuming, you have to give it up. Is that so?"
Yunqi nodded. It was true. He hated his brother Bingkun. Before leaving the sect, he laughed at him for aspiring to be a swordsman but not having a sword.
"Do you know anything about swordsmanship?"
"I just know a little bit. In the sect, Toujian Mountain mainly practices flying swordsmanship and magic swordsmanship, while Mingjing Stone Forest mainly practices physical swordsmanship and practices the stepping swordsmanship to match it."
The old master nodded, "Which sword technique do you like?"
Yunqi smiled and said, "It is said that practicing swordsmanship is expensive, but among the three, flying swords and magic swords are the most expensive, so I have not come into contact with them much on a daily basis. Although physical swordsmanship is better, the cheapest hundred-refined iron sword in the sect is not cheap either, and I don't have one either. I just cut bamboo into swords and practiced some physical swordsmanship. I haven't mastered any of the three, so if the temple master asked me which swordsmanship I like, I really can't answer."
When the temple master heard Yunqi say that practicing physical sword was not as expensive as practicing flying sword or magic sword, he shook his head slightly, and then laughed when he heard the rest.
"I have been obsessed with swords all my life. Although I haven't achieved anything special in this life, I have been working in the sect for decades. Are you willing to listen to me?"
Yunqi was naturally willing. The old abbot's words were not false. After all, he was a man who had practiced in the mountains for decades, and he was more skilled in swordsmanship than in Qi training. It was more than enough for him to give guidance to a layman like himself. There was no such good opportunity in the sect as everyone was very busy.
"Flying swords, magic swords, and physical swords all have their own merits. I was first recorded in Toujian Mountain, but later I became more interested in physical swordsmanship."
The old abbot first confessed to Yunqi his favorite swordsmanship.
"Flying swords have become the most famous in recent years. To be honest, it is a trend set by several families in West Shu."
Taoist Master Zhenwei mentioned Western Shu, which was the place he heard most after Yunqi entered the mountain.
"The Emei, Qingcheng, Qingyang, and Heming sects in Western Shu are all large sects that practice flying swords. They mainly practice flying swords and use the Yuanshen Dao to match them. With a thought, the flying swords can fly into the air and take people's heads thousands of miles away. It is really amazing.
"The flying sword is a great weapon for killing. Its essence lies in the two words 'fast' and 'sharp'. If you want it to be fast, you must use strong mental power to urge it. If you want it to be sharp, its quality must be excellent. It must also be tempered and honed from time to time. How to sharpen it? There are two ways. One is to rely on external objects, such as sword-raising gourds, sword-sharpening stones, and wind holes. Which of these things doesn't cost money? Another way is to rely on human power, raise it in the lung orifice, or in the purple palace, and temper it with the essence and blood of the lung orifice or mental power.
"Here is where the difference comes in. In Toujian Mountain, we advocate that material nourishment is the main thing, and human nourishment is secondary. As I said before, refining Qi is the foundation, and inner elixir is the great way. How can we feed things with our own bodies? Even if we want to nourish with our own bodies, there are many rules. For example, we cannot open the Gold Palace to nourish the flying sword alone. We must open a Fire Palace or an Earth Palace to suppress the gold nature before we can nourish the sword. And sharpening the sword with mental power is something that is only allowed in the second realm.
"The Shushan Sword School is completely different. They regard the body as the sword tool and the soul as the true spirit. They only cultivate the lungs as the sword bag. From the beginning of their practice, they aim to use the soul to control the sword and ascend to heaven."
At this point, Taoist Master Zhenwei chuckled and said, "I remember my teacher said at the time that those people in Shushan are impatient and hate evil, to put it nicely, and to put it bluntly, they have damaged their brains through sword practice."
The clouds also laughed.
"But they were able to make a name for themselves in the land of demons in the West, so they must have some skills. They use their thoughts to urge the swords and sharpen the swords, but isn't this also sharpening the thoughts with the swords? They attach their thoughts to the swords, and over time, the swords naturally have the edge of the sword. They call this sword intent.
"When you travel and meet the people there, you will naturally feel it. You don't need to draw your sword. They just stand there quietly, and there will be a sword intent in the air, which makes people feel uneasy."
Yunqi nodded secretly. This time he went to the Southern Wilderness, which was actually very close to Western Shu.
“In fact, the magic sword is the oldest school of thought. It is a precious weapon used by practitioners to perform magic. The magic sword is the medium that connects the magic power of the human body with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It can also be called a talisman sword. Therefore, the lowest magic sword must be made of five elements of refined gold.
"I think the essence of the magic sword lies in the two words 'warm' and 'hold'. Warm means to nurture, and it needs to be cleansed and irrigated with magic power every day. Hold means to bless, which is to engrave talismans on the sword. If you have any insights in your daily life, you can write them on the sword. If the magic sword does not move, it is fine. If it moves, the magic power will pour out like a river or sea, commanding the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and doing the things of gods and ghosts.
"It is said that the flying sword can take the head of a person from a thousand miles away, and the magic sword is almost the same. When the sword is swung, the magic power bursts out like the sun, cutting through the clouds and breaking the mountains. They call this sword energy.
“So the most important thing about a magic sword is the time spent on polishing it and the sword master’s understanding. Only after a long time can its power be seen.
"The most famous magic sword is naturally the Tianshi Sword of the Tianshi Mansion in Longhu Mountain. It is an eight thousand year old magic sword, blessed by successive generations of Tianshi. I don't think anyone would be willing to give it a try, not even the immortals."
The Tianshi Mansion has a profound foundation, and Yunqi was secretly amazed.
The old Taoist paused, and then said: "The body sword is a sword worn on the body, something outside the body, a pure sharp weapon. Some people also say that it is a sword used by ordinary people, but the old Taoist disagrees.
"The physical sword is a sword of combat, and its essence lies in the two words 'courage' and 'change'.
"What is courage? It means to move forward courageously, to face death and survive. When practicing swordsmanship, the difference between advance and retreat is only a matter of inches, life and death is only a matter of inches, and wherever you land, everyone will be your enemy.
"What is change? Everything changes in an instant. The sword is like an antelope hanging its horns, nowhere to be found and impossible to defend against. Whether it is a flying sword coming from the sky or a magic sword opening and closing, it always loses the change. But holding the sword, the sword moves with the heart, and the enemy will never know where the next sword will fall.
"This is still about the art of the hands. In swordplay, both hands and feet are important, and footwork is the finishing touch.
"The physical sword technique must be matched with the stepping technique. When you take a step, the stars turn and the constellations shift, which is change. When you thrust the sword out, you chase the stars and the moon, which is courage.
“When the sword has courage and flexibility, it becomes momentum. Once you have momentum, the enemy will never be able to defeat you.
"The best swordsmanship is recognized by everyone as the Hengshan lineage of the Sword Sect. When the sword is out, the stars appear. In the past, the master of Hengshan went out with a sword, went into the southern wilderness alone, and wiped out countless demon caves. Some people praised him as: "One step can travel three thousand miles, and one sword can defeat a million masters." How is this swordsmanship inferior to the flying sword? Who dares to say that it is a mortal sword?"
At this point, the old abbot could not help himself and slammed the table.
When Yunqi heard the discussion about the three swords, his mind was shaken. He asked himself honestly and he really didn't know who was better and who was worse.
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(End of this chapter)