Chapter 100: The Lands Below Our Feet
When the bamboo hat man released the handle of the bamboo blade and instead patted his shoulder, the handsome man who had just walked a circle around the gates of hell did not feel relieved but instead became even more terrified. The smug smile that had been on his face as he pointed and gestured at the world was completely gone. He stood motionless, his voice hoarse as he said, "Senior, today's misunderstanding was my impudence."
In truth, since this man of unknown origin could appear beside him without a trace and easily pierce through his heart meridian with an ordinary bamboo blade, the handsome man was certain beyond any doubt that he was no match for this person. Perhaps only when he became the true deity of Qidun Mountain would he have the confidence to contend with him. So a thorny question was now before him: should he stand straight and take the beating, or tough it out and fight?
Actually, the moment the man's palm left the hilt, the ordinary bamboo blade had already lost its deterrent power. As a deity, even if he was only a lowly earth god, in the bureaucratic system of the secular dynasty, he was nothing more than a petty clerk without official rank. But a deity was still a deity. For instance, his golden body, steeped in countless incense offerings, could rival the physique of a seventh-tier martial artist, especially since there was no such thing as a fatal weak point. So even if the bamboo blade had pierced through his back and heart, it was still no big deal. Yet the more nonchalant the bamboo hat man named A Liang acted, the more uneasy he became.
He still remembered when those two terrestrial immortals had visited this mountain and used their supreme divine powers to destroy his divine position and golden body. At that time, their demeanor had been equally effortless, even far more so than any move they made while playing Go against each other.
After A Liang had drawn his blade, he resumed his cynical demeanor. He took down the small gourd at his waist, shook it gently, and the aroma of wine wafted in all directions. A Liang took a swig of the strong liquor, then walked in circles around this handsome young earth god, smacking his lips. "You're pretty good at putting on a show. Of course, that white python isn't bad either. Together with that violent black serpent, you cooperated flawlessly. But the way you revealed your true feelings after you thought you'd succeeded—that suited my taste more. Three bursts of laughter, very impressive. I liked it."
The black serpent and white python had long since opened their spiritual intelligence and understood human nature. Almost at the same time the bamboo hat man spoke cheerfully to the young man, they hastily retreated. The black serpent quickly dispersed its massive body from the wall and withdrew to one edge of the stone platform at the mountain peak. The white python, missing one wing, twisted backward and obediently coiled by the cliff's edge. Both lowered their heads, meek and docile, extraordinarily tame.
This time, it was no act. The scales covering their enormous bodies trembled slightly, an instinctive reaction.
They didn't even dare to look directly at the bamboo hat man.
A Liang's single bamboo blade had settled everything.
When the young earth god heard the bamboo hat man's teasing, his face was full of embarrassment. "Senior A Liang is joking."
A Liang's smile faded. "Joking?"
The handsome and charming young earth god seemed to sense something ominous, probably thinking the bamboo hat man had a capricious nature and was about to kill him. Frantically, he used a divine ability of a mountain and river deity. His body softened like yellow mud and melted away, the ground beneath him churning into mud. In the blink of an eye, the earth god vanished, and the muddy ground instantly returned to normal.
Earth-shrinking—both Daoist and military schools had similar techniques.
Without the support of its owner's body, the green bamboo blade fell.
A Liang reached out and caught the bamboo blade. He found the little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket and the other two staring at him with wide eyes.
A Liang quickly straightened up, not putting the bamboo blade back into its sheath. Instead, he planted the tip into the ground, striking a dashing pose of looking up at the sky.
The bamboo hat man muttered under his breath, "Praise me. Flatter me. My two greatest virtues are that I love accepting criticism—criticize me, and I'll beat you to death—and that I can withstand others' praise, no matter how outrageous or sappy."
Li Huai was the first to speak. The child trotted over to A Liang, looked him up and down, and said, "A Liang, you're so late. Were you taking a dump? Lazy people have plenty of shit and piss, you know. If you'd come any later, there'd be no one to nag you, no one to take a piss with you. Then would you miss me?"
A Liang, who had been struggling to maintain a lofty demeanor, instantly broke character. He said angrily, "I miss your mother and your sister, but not an ungrateful little brat like you."
Li Huai, for once, didn't retort. He lowered his head, his expression somewhat gloomy.
A Liang sighed and patted the child's head. "You're not dead, so why the long face? Alright, alright..."
Li Huai immediately looked up with a grin. "A Liang, teach me some invincible martial arts, will you?"
A Liang laughed. "Can you endure hardship?"
The child shook his head seriously. "Of course not. Don't you have some kind of effortless martial art that can make me invincible?"
A Liang's mouth twitched. "What do you think?"
Li Huai pouted, glancing sideways at the bamboo hat man. "A Liang, you've disappointed me."
Li Baoping, carrying her small bookcase on her back, smiled at A Liang and then ran over to see Chen Ping'an.
Lin Shouyi came before A Liang, looking somewhat puzzled but not asking any questions. A Liang nodded at the boy, indicating they would talk privately.
Zhu He, drenched in blood, sat cross-legged. It looked frightening, but his soul and essence hadn't been harmed. The man wiped the blood off his face, grinning broadly. He felt exhilarated, truly exhilarated. Never in his life had he been so thoroughly satisfied. It was as if all the pent-up frustrations in his heart had been swept away by this great battle. His mind was clear, his muscles and bones relaxed.
Zhu Lu rushed to Zhu He's side, crouched down, her face still streaked with tears. Zhu He waved his hand and laughed loudly, "Daughter, after a great disaster comes great fortune. This is a good thing, a tremendous good thing! I feel like I've grasped a thread of opportunity to break through. Several key acupoints that were stagnant now show signs of new vitality sprouting. Don't underestimate this small sign. For someone like me, whose martial path had been cut off, this is a great blessing!"
Zhu Lu looked both doubtful and worried. "Dad, don't rush to talk. Be careful not to strain your wounds."
Zhu He chuckled even more. He rested his hands on his knees, his face glowing, full of energy. "What's a little injury? If I could have held on for another quarter of an hour or so, I might have put one foot into the threshold of the sixth realm. Of course, that's assuming I didn't die under that beast's jaws."
As he spoke, Zhu He looked toward the bamboo hat man and gave a thumbs-up. "Senior A Liang, when we get to Red Candle Town, I'll buy you some of that newly brewed Apricot Blossom Spring wine!"
A Liang, with his back to Zhu He, raised an arm and waved, saying something that killed the mood. "Old Zhu, a great favor doesn't need words of thanks. Just remember it in your heart. Saying it out loud makes it seem insincere."
On Chen Ping'an's side, he took the small porcelain bottle that Li Baoping handed him. It was the exclusive secret recipe of the Yang Family Shop, used simply to endure pain. He had used it once before, in the small town's Immortal Grave, after a brutal fight with Ma Kuxuan that nearly ended in life or death. If A Liang hadn't arrived in time, this small bottle would have been necessary. Now it wasn't needed. Though Chen Ping'an's whole body ached, it wasn't bad enough to warrant using it. Old Man Yang had made it very clear: medicine is three parts poison. If you can avoid it, do so. Especially after starting martial arts training, abusing so-called miraculous pills and elixirs would, in the long run, be like undermining your own foundation.
Li Baoping looked at her little uncle with his pale face. The keen-hearted girl noticed that his left hand, holding the firewood knife, was trembling uncontrollably.
Chen Ping'an comforted her softly, "It's nothing serious. My body has been temporarily knocked back to its original state, but that's not without benefit. If I'm not mistaken, the gains in the future will be even greater."
Li Baoping nodded vigorously, without a shred of doubt, because her little uncle had said he would never lie to her.
A Liang looked around, surveying the black serpent and white python respectively. After a moment's thought, he subtly increased the pressure, driving the tip of the bamboo blade an inch deeper into the ground, almost imperceptibly.
The young earth god, who had fled back to his cave dwelling in despair, felt as if a thunderbolt had struck his head, blood splattering everywhere. He was scared out of his wits. After moving a few steps back, he looked up and saw only a small section of the green blade tip in the air, nothing else. This handsome young man, who usually carried himself with the air of a scion of a powerful clan, gritted his teeth and stamped his foot.
The next moment, his figure emerged from the stone platform of Qidun Mountain like a spring shoot breaking through the soil. One hand pressing on his wound, he looked up at the unfathomable bamboo hat man with a mournful face, almost kneeling to beg for mercy. He pleaded bitterly, "I beg of you, Immortal, please stop tormenting me!"
When the young earth god returned, the girl Zhu Lu was startled. Somehow, her emotions exploded instantly. She stood up and shouted at A Liang, "Kill them!"
A Liang turned around with a smile and looked at the girl with the twisted face. "Why should I kill them? I have no grudge against them, no enmity."
The girl's delicate and pretty face contorted even more. She pointed a finger at the bamboo hat man from a distance. "No grudge?! Those two beasts were about to eat us! And that earth god of Qidun Mountain is the mastermind behind it all!"
A Liang pretended to understand. He glanced at the anxious young earth god, then at the black serpent and white python. "You want to eat me? You? Or you?"
The earth god of Qidun Mountain and the two snakes that hadn't yet taken human form naturally shook their heads desperately.
The girl trembled with rage, her voice choked with tears. "My father almost died! We all almost died!"
Her eyes blurred with tears as she looked at the utterly strange bamboo hat man. "You clearly have the power to rid the people of these pests, so why don't you? Two evil beasts and one who uses his position for personal gain, not protecting travelers but conspiring to harm them instead. You, A Liang, why can't you kill them?"
A Liang was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Ha ha, your tone sounds like you're my unbetrothed wife. No, no, actually I prefer women a bit older, with fully developed figures..."
As he spoke, A Liang pulled the bamboo blade out of the ground, sheathed it, and made a round, plump gesture with his hands, grinning slyly. "I like this kind."
The girl was stunned for a moment, then shrieked, "You're impossible!"
Zhu He struggled to his feet and patted his daughter's shoulder. "Don't be rude, and don't act on impulse. Leave everything to Senior A Liang to handle."
Zhu Lu suddenly turned her head, looking into the distance, her face full of grievance and anger.
A Liang looked at Chen Ping'an. The boy nodded. "A Liang, you decide."
A Liang drawled, "Alright, I'll have the final say. As the old saying goes, leave some leeway when dealing with others, and you'll have an easier time meeting again. As sons and daughters of the martial world, we should be magnanimous..."
The young earth god nodded vigorously.
The two mountain-like snakes on the stone platform also lowered their heads slightly.
A Liang suddenly changed his tune. "But since you've given me such a fright, it's only reasonable to offer some compensation."
The young earth god felt like crying but had no tears.
This Immortal A Liang—the one whose courage was almost scared out of him was standing right opposite you.
A Liang thought for a moment, then put his arm around the earth god's shoulder. The awkward part was that one man was short while the other was tall and elegant. Fortunately, the latter took the hint and quickly bent over, so A Liang didn't have to stand on tiptoe to drape his arm over him. A Liang pulled him aside and whispered, while the earth god kept nodding like a chicken pecking at rice, not daring to say a word of refusal.
In the end, he seemed shocked by A Liang's simple request. The young earth god, who had been afraid he'd lose a layer of skin, was both surprised and suspicious.
A Liang waved his hand impatiently. "Scram before I change my mind."
After that, the young earth god communicated with the snakes using a strange technique akin to lip reading, then quickly burrowed away. The white python carefully swayed and slinked forward, picking up the broken wing that had fallen on the stone platform with its mouth. It tried its best to avoid the group, and together with the black serpent, left the mountain peak. Before leaving, they faced the bamboo hat man—who for one moment had nearly made their snake gall bladders burst—and slowly lowered their two massive heads until they touched the ground, showing submission and feigned weakness to A Liang.
In the twilight, after a sudden and dangerous battle, Zhu He called Chen Ping'an to a stream near the stone platform to wash their wounds. The girl Zhu Lu followed silently.
One big and one small crouched by the water, washing the blood off their faces and clothes. Zhu He seemed to want to say something but held back. Chen Ping'an, noticing the girl sitting alone on a stone by the stream far away, said he would go back first. Zhu He nodded and didn't stop him. After Chen Ping'an left, Zhu He stood up, went to sit beside his daughter, and said gently, "Why didn't you even say sorry?"
The girl took off her boots and long socks, revealing her fair, tender feet. When she heard her father's somewhat reproachful words, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and said indignantly, "Dad, what do you mean?"
Zhu He looked into her eyes—eyes so beautiful, just like her mother's. The harsh words on the tip of his tongue paused for a moment. He sighed and spoke calmly, "Earlier, Chen Ping'an stopped you from destroying the 'Yue' character, and it turned out he was right."
Zhu Lu hugged her knees and looked at the flowing stream, snorting. "You're not his father, so of course Chen Ping'an wasn't worried. At that moment, how could I care about that? What if he was wrong? Was I supposed to just watch you die there?"
Zhu He said nothing.
She turned her head, her eyes red. "Dad, if I hadn't done something then, would I still be your daughter?"
Zhu He swallowed some hurtful words, forcing them back into his stomach.
He had wanted to say that as a martial artist at the peak of the second realm, she shouldn't have lost her fighting spirit so easily in the face of a strong enemy.
But these words, if spoken to a fellow martial artist, would have been fine.
However, he was also her father, so those words couldn't be said. At least not at this moment; he would have to wait for a more suitable time.
But deep down, Zhu He felt something was off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Seeing a glimmer of hope on his martial path again, the man felt an inexplicable pang of guilt and sorrow. He thought to himself, if only her mother were still alive.
On the mountain path leading to the stone platform, the boy walked slowly alone. The setting sun cast his thin shadow long.
At the mountain top, Li Baoping was tidying up the belongings in her small bookcase. Li Huai crouched nearby, watching, and blurted out inexplicably, "Li Baoping, I'm going to get a small bookcase soon too, right?"
Li Baoping shot him a sharp glare. "Even if you do, you can't call my little uncle 'little uncle'!"
Li Huai asked, "Why not?"
Li Baoping raised a fist threateningly and squinted. "Is that enough?"
Li Huai gulped and muttered, "What's so great about calling him 'little uncle'? I don't care anyway. It would just lower my generation."
Li Huai patted his butt and stood up. After walking a distance, he turned around and grinned. "Li Baoping, what if I end up calling Chen Ping'an 'brother' in the future? What would you call me then?"
Li Baoping chuckled, stood up, and twisted her wrist.
Li Huai panicked. "Li Baoping, can't you ever reason without using your fists? Can't we just talk? We're scholars. Scholars should..."
Before he could finish, Li Baoping stepped forward, ready to teach him a lesson.
Li Huai, quick-witted, stood his ground and said earnestly, "Li Baoping, aren't you afraid your little uncle might think you're a spoiled, unreasonable young lady? What if he doesn't like you then? Who would you cry to? Don't say I didn't warn you. This is what they call 'forewarned is forearmed'!"
Li Baoping stopped, frowning.
Li Huai patted his chest. "Don't worry. Among the three of us, Chen Ping'an likes you the best. Just don't end up like that Zhu Lu."
Li Baoping smiled, returned to her original spot, and continued arranging her small bookcase.
Li Huai swaggered away, looking smug. "A wise man has a plan. He can govern the country and pacify the world. From now on, I'm no longer afraid of Li Baoping."
Li Huai was so delighted he wanted to share his joy with his brother A Liang. He bellowed, "A Liang? A Liang, get out here!"
The child looked around and saw A Liang and Lin Shouyi together somewhere. Li Huai was about to run over when he suddenly stopped. That spot on the stone platform by the cliff was where the white python had appeared earlier. Li Huai shuddered, hesitated, then turned and ran to crouch beside Li Baoping, searching for Chen Ping'an.
Thinking of that figure resolutely leaping toward the white python, Li Huai was lost in thought. This mischievous, clever child instinctively felt that Li Baoping's little uncle was reliable—far more so than that Zhu Lu.
At the cliff's edge, A Liang and the boy Lin Shouyi sat gazing at the distant mountains and rivers. Lin Shouyi took a gulp of the strong liquor, then handed the gourd back to A Liang.
Lin Shouyi sat upright, a stark contrast to A Liang's slouch. The boy asked softly, "A Liang, is the wine in this gourd something special?"
A Liang hummed in agreement.
Lin Shouyi asked curiously, "How special? I only know that after drinking it, my body feels much better."
A Liang shook the small gourd and revealed the secret. "Just by shaking out a little bit of its vapor, it scared away those humanoid monsters on the Iron Talisman River. How's that for impressive? Of course, normally when you pull out the stopper, even with the best nose, you can only smell the aroma."
Lin Shouyi was even more intrigued. "Then why did you let that earth god and the two snakes go?"
A Liang adjusted his bamboo hat and smiled. "A mountain earth god has a protective talisman. Killing him isn't hard, but it would bring a lot of trouble afterward, and I hate trouble right now. Besides, they have a life-and-death feud with you, not with me. Now that none of you have lost anything, and Zhu He has even gained a lot, why go for total annihilation?"
A Liang paused for a moment. "Someone did lose something, but I don't think he cares much. That's just how he is—his way of calculating gains and losses is different from others."
Lin Shouyi said, "You mean Chen Ping'an? He was obviously hurt more than Zhu He, but he hid it well."
A Liang made no comment.
Lin Shouyi continued, "Zhu Lu was eager to save her father, so she wasn't wrong. But she was wrong in that..."
A Liang waved his hand, cutting off the boy's conclusion. "Don't gossip about people behind their backs. Justice lies in people's hearts."
Lin Shouyi hummed in agreement and indeed said no more.
A gentle breeze brushed his face. A Liang drank slowly, speaking leisurely. "Lin Shouyi, you're smart. You're the first smart person to realize I'm worth making friends with. Don't rush—I'm not belittling you. On the contrary, on the path of cultivation, some have spiritual roots, like Li Baoping; some have fortune, like Li Huai; and some have insight, like you. These are all good things. Qi Jingchun has always had good judgment. Otherwise..."
Lin Shouyi pricked up his ears.
A Liang grinned. "How else could he have a friend like me?"
Lin Shouyi smiled knowingly. This man never missed an opportunity to brag. He was used to it.
But the mature-minded boy was increasingly certain of one thing.
A Liang's boasts always sounded far-fetched, but that was because no one, including himself, truly knew how formidable this guy was.
"Facing wine, I sing a song. How long can life last? Like morning dew, it's gone before we know." A Liang took a hefty swig, looking up at the night sky, reciting softly, "And there is the blue scholar's robe, my heart aches for him... How can there be such moving words in this world?"
A Liang shook his head to dispel the melancholy, smiled wryly, and pointed at the rolling mountains. "In some people's eyes, the human world is like a hanging Milky Way."
Lin Shouyi asked a profoundly meaningful question. "A Liang, among those 'some people,' are you included?"
A Liang shook his head. "Not yet. I don't really like being that kind of person."
A Liang let out a soft breath, stopped drinking, propped his chin on one hand, and looked into the distance. "In the past, there was an old gentleman with a stubborn temper, who had disciples all over the world. Among his proud students, Qi Jingchun had the best calligraphy, Cui Chan was the best at Go, and one other had the strongest swordsmanship."
Lin Shouyi suppressed a smile, turned to look at the side of the bamboo hat man's face, and asked, "Was that strongest swordsman named A Liang?"
A Liang burst out laughing. "That person is certainly not me. How could it be me?"
Lin Shouyi was slightly taken aback by the incorrect guess.
Then the man said, "But that person's swordsmanship was taught by me."
Though the boy was utterly stunned, he believed it without hesitation.
A Liang turned around. "If I said Qi Jingchun's calligraphy was also taught by me, would you believe it?"
The boy, sitting upright, answered without a second thought. "I'd rather die than believe that!"
A Liang patted the boy on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Lin Shouyi, you're indeed smart. So tomorrow, you don't get any wine."
The usually stoic and cold boy grinned, though still silent and restrained.
A Liang sighed. "Heaven and earth are the inn for all things. Scholars sure know how to talk."
Lin Shouyi suddenly asked a strange question. "A Liang, did Chen Ping'an disappoint you?"
The bamboo hat man's expression remained calm. "Let's wait and see."
---
Late into the night, by the campfire in the small hours, Chen Ping'an took turns guarding with Zhu He as usual, while weaving straw sandals.
For some reason, Zhu He stood up and came over to the boy. Chen Ping'an was a bit surprised. Zhu He reached out to warm himself by the fire, the flames illuminating his rugged face. He turned and smiled. "You've found that energy, haven't you? A dragon-like energy, sinking and wandering, right?"
Chen Ping'an nodded and sat up straight. This was exactly what puzzled him the most.
Zhu He didn't hide any secrets. He explained slowly, "This means you've entered the Mud Embryo realm. Don't underestimate this first hurdle. Whether you can practice martial arts depends on whether you can generate, find, and control this breath. As the saying goes, 'People compete for a breath, Buddhas receive a stick of incense.' It's roughly the same. Your body is still like an unfinished clay Buddha, but once you have this breath, you've entered the hall. After that, everything is possible. No matter how beautiful the scenery is at the peak of the martial path, without this crucial small step, it's all empty talk."
Zhu He studied the boy and said appreciatively, "Your physical foundation is well-tempered. No—it's very well-tempered, not inferior to those sons and daughters of powerful families raised on medicinal baths. I don't know what you've been through, but I can roughly determine that you've already reached the second realm after Mud Embryo: the Wood Fetus realm. Although it doesn't quite make sense that you haven't yet settled that energy into a dwelling acupoint, your physique and meridians are indeed those of the second realm, though far from its peak."
Chen Ping'an held his breath and listened intently to these priceless martial arts insights.
The man, hailed as an "enlightened teacher" by the Li family's old ancestor, continued, "The Wood Fetus realm is interesting. Its achievement doesn't depend on talent or bone structure; it's just one word: endurance. A Liang explained the Great Li Post Road to you earlier, right?"
Chen Ping'an nodded and asked, "Is that related to martial arts?"
Zhu He added some firewood to the pit and tried to explain the originally obscure and difficult points of martial arts in the simplest terms. "Our body's meridians are like post roads. To allow chariots and horses to pass, you have to cut through mountains and build bridges across waters bit by bit. Some people are lazy and can't endure hardship, so they carve out narrow paths and build single-plank bridges. That might work, and you can still advance in martial arts, but the higher you go, the more limitations you'll face. It's a simple truth: when experts clash, it's like two countries at war—it depends on which side's troops and horses can be faster. Even if you have a vast army, if the roads are narrow and difficult, how can you deploy your forces smoothly?"
Chen Ping'an suddenly understood. "That makes sense!"
"So this realm is also called the Mountain-Opening realm. It tests your endurance the most. Practicing martial arts requires hard work and perseverance. This is why haughty qi refiners look down on martial artists as a low-class trade. The reason is largely this. At this stage, martial artists cannot afford any laziness. They're like farmers—if they want a harvest, they can only work hard."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "I can endure hardship. I'm not much worse than others."
Zhu He was speechless. He thought to himself, if you, Chen Ping'an, are only "not bad," then where does that leave me?
Zhu He's expression turned solemn. "But remember: at this realm, diligence is good, but you can't stay too long. Why do Daoists advocate simplicity? It's because the innate true qi will gradually dissipate as you age, or become polluted by various impurities in the world, like dirty qi or yin sha qi. This is like literati who love tea. When planting tea trees, the most important thing is to avoid overgrown weeds. It's the same principle."
"Generally speaking, before the age of sixteen, or at most eighteen, you should try to break through into the third realm, the Mercury realm, making your qi and blood stronger and thicker like mercury. At the same time, your body will become lighter, while your bones become tougher. Your qi and blood are like soldiers under a general's command; you need a fierce, elite army, not a makeshift troupe or an embroidered pillow. Can you understand that?"
The boy, wearing straw sandals, looked down at the sandals he was weaving and said sheepishly, "I understand."
Zhu He couldn't help but laugh softly. "The peak of the second realm allows your skin and muscle texture to become refined, like a qi refiner's magic treasure engraved with runes and talismans. Combined with the opening of meridians, the path of martial arts broadens further. As for the peak of the third realm, the Mercury realm, it's crucial. You need to undergo a tribulation. Martial arts manuals often call it 'The Clay Buddha Crossing a River.' The specific details are profound and intangible, so it's hard for me to elaborate. Everyone has their own way; perhaps my experience might lead you astray."
Chen Ping'an silently memorized every word.
Zhu He said gravely, "The first three realms are about body training, which is relatively concrete. The next three realms are more abstract, focusing on soul, courage, and spirit, proceeding step by step."
Then Zhu He fell into contemplation. Today's battle had benefited him greatly. He needed to settle those fleeting inspirations.
Chen Ping'an didn't dare disturb him and began to digest Zhu He's profound and easily understood golden words.
It was a long time before Zhu He came back to his senses. He smiled. "The three realms of qi refinement require a natural progression. Once you reach that threshold, you'll have an epiphany naturally. Guidance from others is minimal. Real guidance is never about grand principles; it only happens when you truly reach the door yourself, and someone from afar can explain the reasons. The martial artist's path of refining qi is almost completely opposite to that of a qi refiner who cultivates both spirit and body. You'll understand later."
Zhu He finished with a radiant expression. "Although it might seem like overhasty teaching, I can't help wanting to tell you about the scenery at the top of the legendary final three realms. That way, if you ever run into glib qi refiners, you'll know how to refute them. The seventh realm of spirit refinement, the Golden Body realm, is a true 'minor master' realm. Its peak practitioners can even cultivate the so-called Adamantine Indestructible Body of Buddhism or the 'Stainless Crystal' and Golden Immortal body of Taoism. There are also methods for martial artists to use inducement, hireling, or supplication to enhance their physique, making it indestructible."
"The eighth realm, the Feather Transformation realm! Martial artists can already hover in the air and fly with the wind. Hence it's also called the 'Distant Travel realm.' Distant travel, distant travel—who says we martial artists are crude? I think 'distant travel' has a lot of lingering charm!"
"The final realm is the ninth realm, the Mountain Summit realm. It's like us standing at the highest point of Qidun Mountain: 'When I reach the top, I see all other mountains at a glance.' Martial artists at this realm are revered as 'Ultimate Realm Masters,' meaning the martial path beneath their feet has reached its end!"
Zhu He stood up as he spoke, pacing slowly around the campfire, his expression excited, his fists clenched. He declared loudly, "Though it's too much to say they can move mountains and overturn seas, they can indeed crack city walls with a punch and split rivers with a palm. Their whole body is filled with mighty true qi, making them immune to all evil and sending thousands of troops fleeing. Their physical strength is formidable, surpassing even the Buddhist Arhat's body. Once a qi refiner is closed in on—within ten zhang—unless they have a superior protective magic treasure or higher, they are dead for sure!"
Zhu He's eyes burned with passion, his blood hot. He looked down at the boy. "Imagine, once you reach the Ultimate Realm, you can look down upon thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, standing above immortals and despising princes. That is what a true man should be!"
Chen Ping'an felt a bit awkward and didn't know how to respond. His mind was full of practicing the stake-walking and the Sword Forge more often, so he could maybe reach the third realm in his lifetime. He hadn't thought that far ahead. After all, just the promise he made to Miss Ning to throw a million punches already seemed very difficult.
When Zhu He left, he was still in high spirits.
The boy continued weaving straw sandals.
At daybreak, as A Liang got up with a yawn, he saw the boy standing at the cliff's edge, still practicing that monotonous six-step stake-walking, facing the mountain wind, drenched in sweat.
A figure rushed past A Liang in a whoosh and soon stood beside the boy, accompanying her little uncle in boxing.
A Liang took a sip of wine, tucked away the small gourd, and trotted over to join the fun.
Soon, the girl's scolding voice was heard. "A Liang, your posture is wrong! Your arm is crooked on this punch."
"A Liang, your stride is too big. Pull it back a bit. Really, I'm not lying. Look at my little uncle—how steady he is."
"A Liang, if you keep this distracted, I'm going to get really mad!"
The bamboo hat man was finally frustrated. He said resentfully, "Baoping, after that soul-stirring, peak battle yesterday, didn't you realize I'm a true peerless swordsman?"
The girl in the red cotton-padded jacket earnestly practiced the six-step stake-walking and nodded. "I know that. But your boxing really isn't good. Master Qi said everyone has their specialty. A Liang, don't feel embarrassed. Take it slow. I promise I won't say anything."
A Liang strode away, muttering defiantly, "No more boxing, no more boxing!"
He suddenly turned around and saw the girl throwing him a sly, cute glance.
A Liang made a funny face at her.
The girl ignored him.
The boy in straw sandals smiled slightly.
A Liang watched the boy and girl boxing from a distance, feeling happy, and he also smiled.
The mountain breeze was gentle, and the morning sun was rising.