Chapter 192: The Divine Touch of the Brush
(Although I've taken quite a few days off this month, I've still written over 170,000 words, so I'll give myself a little praise. But more than anything, I need to thank everyone for your patience. You are the best readers. This isn't just empty flattery; it's from the heart.)
The two of them walked up to the second floor of the bamboo building, climbing higher to gaze into the distance.
Young Cui Ci and the two little creatures were downstairs, staring each other down.
Li Xisheng asked, "Do you know the meaning behind Blessings Prosperity Street and Peach Leaf Lane?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. All he knew was that the people who lived there were rich, very rich. Blue stone paths, stone lions, even the painted door gods seemed more imposing.
Li Xisheng lifted the peachwood talisman in his hand. "Blessings Prosperity is a homophone for 'talisman script.' Actually, 'blessings' represents the character for 'talisman,' and Peach Leaf Lane reverses the order of 'peachwood talisman.'"
Chen Ping'an had a sudden realization.
"This is a major stroke of fortune for the town. Compared to the Five Elements treasures like the golden carp, this peachwood talisman might be even more valuable, or at least not inferior."
Li Xisheng spoke unhurriedly. "At the end of the year, I had a strange dream. I vaguely remember seeing many people and events, but I forgot everything after waking up. It was like I played a game of chess with someone. The only thing I remembered was the secret of the peachwood talisman. The twists and turns were so profound and mysterious that I can't explain them in detail."
Li Xisheng pointed toward the bamboo building. "I was originally going to hang this peachwood talisman on the door of the bamboo building. It would ward off all evil and be impervious to all spells. That might sound a bit exaggerated, but it could indeed make this already extraordinary bamboo building even more indestructible. Moreover, hanging the talisman for a long time could nurture all kinds of strange spiritual plants and herbs…"
At this point, Li Xisheng smiled and teased, "Chen Ping'an, you really don't want it? This is your only chance. Once we leave this village, there won't be another shop like this."
Chen Ping'an said without hesitation, "Since it's so good, Brother Li, you should keep it for yourself. Aren't you about to go on a long journey? I've just been outside once, and it's full of all kinds of strange and dangerous things. You definitely need a magical artifact to protect yourself."
Li Xisheng squinted and asked a question, "Do you think I lack magical artifacts?"
Chen Ping'an was startled for a moment, remembering the scene at Mud Vase Alley where Li Xisheng fought the sword cultivator Cao Jun. But a flash of inspiration struck him, recalling a saying from a book. "Never too much!"
Li Xisheng had no choice but to put away the peachwood talisman and rehang it at his waist, saying regretfully, "It would have looked really good hanging on the door of the bamboo building."
Li Xisheng even turned his head to look at the bamboo door behind him. "It would have been a perfect match here."
It was actually a bit childish.
So Chen Ping'an wanted to laugh but didn't dare, so he had to suppress it.
Before, because Li Xisheng was Li Baoping's older brother, Chen Ping'an had felt an immediate urge to get close to him. After a few interactions, Chen Ping'an grew to like this scholar more and more. It wasn't because Li Xisheng possessed a belly full of righteous spirit, nor was it because, as a mere beginner Qi refiner, he could fight Cao Jun to a standstill. Rather, it was the little ways this man interacted with the world that made people feel comfortable.
Like Ah Liang and a swordsman. Like Master Qi and a scholar.
Even though Ah Liang never once mentioned his sword, and Master Qi never once lectured Chen Ping'an on the great principles from books, Chen Ping'an still felt they were the best swordsman and the most learned scholar.
Deep down, Chen Ping'an hoped to become someone like them, but he never talked about these private thoughts with anyone, for fear of being seen as overestimating himself.
Li Xisheng suddenly made up his mind. "No, no, I really can't feel at ease. I can't just leave like this!"
Chen Ping'an was about to speak.
Li Xisheng suddenly reached out and placed his hand on Chen Ping'an's shoulder, his expression serious. "Chen Ping'an, let me say one more thing. When dealing with others in the future, never use your own code of conduct as a standard for everyone. For example, you think refusing the peachwood talisman is only natural, because you're considering it for my sake, and so your conscience is clear. Right? Yes, that's right. But you need to know that in this world, the same ingredients make a hundred different people. Once your own conscience is clear, you should also take a step further and think about how to make the people around you feel just as at ease."
Li Xisheng patted Chen Ping'an's shoulder. "Just consider this me forcing my will on you. Don't overthink it. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't even bother saying this. But you, Chen Ping'an, are different. I think you're already good, and you can be even better. Sometimes, you can even make the people around you feel ashamed of their own inadequacies. Do you understand?"
Chen Ping'an looked completely lost.
Am I really that good?
Li Xisheng burst into hearty laughter. He walked over to the railing and waved at his bookboy downstairs. "Cui Ci, bring the luggage up. I need it now."
"Coming right up, master. Wait for me."
The handsome boy, whose features were as exquisite as porcelain, quickly ran upstairs and skillfully untied the bundle on his back. Inside was a scholar's indispensable travel case filled with a complete set of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. They were all old items, without any ostentatious air of wealth.
Li Xisheng took out a brush, one that seemed specially made for writing small regular script or small seal script, slightly delicate. The upper half of the brush handle was engraved with four characters: "Wind and Snow Small Awl." The handle was made of bamboo, but passed down through generations and accumulated over a long period, it gave off a smooth, round, vermilion luster. What was even stranger was the tip: hard bristles of a light gold color, as straight and sharp as an awl.
When Li Xisheng picked up the brush, Chen Ping'an leaned in for a closer look and noticed that on the lower half of the handle were four tiny characters, easy to miss.
"The divine touch of the brush."
Li Xisheng obviously saw that Chen Ping'an had spotted those four characters. He lifted the brush slightly and explained with a smile, "Reading a book a hundred times reveals its meaning. After breaking through ten thousand volumes, your writing flows as if touched by the divine. There's a similar saying for you when you practice fist techniques: 'Without the spirit, the fist is not marvelous.' It sounds abstract, but it's not at all. It all comes down to one word: diligence. Practice makes perfect, perfection births subtlety, progress step by step, and then you understand. Once you understand one method, that one method leads to the understanding of all methods, and all methods are achieved."
At that moment, Cui Ci had a flash of inspiration, as if he had grasped something important. He scratched his head and ears impatiently.
The pink-skirted little girl, who had been well-read since childhood, felt dazed, as if she had drunk a jar of old wine and was tipsy.
Only the green-clothed boy, sitting on the railing picking his nose, seemed indifferent. Only after seeing the strange reactions of the other two did he start to look confused.
Chen Ping'an didn't feel much, but silently memorized these principles.
Li Xisheng gently breathed on the brush tip. The golden hard bristles seemed to become moist and warm at that moment. Although the sharpness remained, the tip as sharp as a knife or awl now possessed spiritual energy.
Li Xisheng smiled. "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Since you won't accept the peachwood talisman, I have to show you some of my true skills. I, Li Xisheng, have studied books but haven't yet achieved great learning. However, I consider myself quite skilled at seal carving and talisman drawing. Today, I will write characters and draw talismans on the bamboo planks of this building. Don't worry, after I'm done, not a single visible character will remain, so it won't ruin the overall aesthetics of the bamboo building. But one day in the future, some images might appear. When that happens, don't be surprised. Today, I'll mainly teach you about drawing talismans. You don't need to rush. I'll write slowly, and you can contemplate slowly. Only when you feel you've grasped the meaning will I put down the brush."
Chen Ping'an said humbly, "I'm a bit slow, Brother Li. You'd better prepare yourself mentally."
Li Xisheng took a light step forward, facing the bamboo building as if facing a wall. One hand behind his back, the other holding the brush, he searched for a place to begin writing and said with a smile, "If being kind to others is being slow, and if being diligent and tenacious is being slow, then it means there's something wrong with our world. Chen Ping'an, I hope you continue to hold on to this 'slowness.'"
Chen Ping'an scratched his head. He had been used to being scolded by Old Man Yao since he was a child. He was used to seeing other people's brilliant lives. Hearing Li Xisheng praise him like this today made him feel quite uncomfortable.
Li Xisheng thought for a moment, then turned his head and said, "In the art of drawing talismans, the Daoist talisman lineage is always held in the highest regard. But actually, when we draw talismans, we don't need to be too constrained by Daoist factions. The ultimate truths of the world all fall under the principle of 'turning the rotten into the miraculous.' It's just like you practicing your fist techniques…"
At this point, Li Xisheng smiled knowingly. "That's quite beautiful."
A young man practicing fist techniques, looking at the mountains when there are mountains, observing the water when there is water.
Li Xisheng felt there was no more poetic painting in the world than this.
Li Xisheng shook his head gently, held his breath, composed himself, and said solemnly, "Drawing talismans requires talisman paper. Talisman paper can be anything in the world, but for now, you still need to follow the proper steps and honestly draw on paper. Later, I will give you a large stack of good-quality talisman paper and an introductory talisman manual. For now, you don't need to worry about the cost of buying talisman paper. But once you've used it up, you'll have to start worrying about the expenses yourself. That can't be helped. One of the difficulties of cultivation is that it consumes a lot of wealth. For sword cultivators, it's tempering their flying swords; for talisman masters, it's the constant consumption of talisman paper. It's absolutely necessary."
"A wisp of true Qi, channeled into the brush tip, then completed in one go. Like a lotus root broken but its fibers still connected. The character can be cut off, but its spirit and meaning cannot be broken. They must echo each other from afar, like two great mountain peaks calling out to each other, certain to produce a response."
"Chen Ping'an, watch carefully."
Li Xisheng suddenly switched the 'Wind and Snow Small Awl' brush to his other hand. With his now free hand, he wiped it on his sleeve. After doing that, he switched the brush back and said to Chen Ping'an with a smile, "I learned this from you. For certain things, one must have reverence. Before, I wasn't as good as you in this regard. I see your virtue and strive to equal it."
The first time they met outside the Li family mansion on Blessings Prosperity Street, before Chen Ping'an took the book from Li Xisheng's hand, he had first put down his clay pot. He wiped his hands before daring to receive the book.
Chen Ping'an never imagined that such an unintentional gesture would be taken so seriously by Li Xisheng.
Li Xisheng finally began to draw the talisman. But in truth, it looked more like a scholar writing characters seriously.
"From the tower, watch the sun rise over the sea."
Li Xisheng's calligraphy style was very upright and balanced. But compared to the "insipid and tasteless" characters on Daoist Lu Chen's few medicinal prescriptions, it was similar in form but not in spirit.
But Chen Ping'an couldn't explain why. It was just an indescribable, wonderful feeling.
After that, Li Xisheng wrote one sentence after another that he considered "beautiful"—poetry, the teachings of sages, the core essence of Daoist classics and the hundred schools of thought.
Li Xisheng would stand on tiptoe to write high up, bend down to write low down, shift his position again and again, and repeatedly breathe on the brush to moisten the tip. When he was writing with vigorous abandon, he would even have his bookboy Cui Ci bring a bamboo chair from downstairs. He would stand on the chair and write with unrestrained joy, or simply sit on the ground and write with wild and untrammeled fluency.
He wrote: "Afraid to speak loudly, for fear of startling the heavenly beings." He wrote: "Defeating bandits in the mountains is easy; defeating the bandit in one's heart is hard."
He wrote: "Man is an unawakened Buddha; Buddha is an awakened man." He wrote: "With a creak of the oar, the mountains and rivers turn green." He also wrote: "The Way of the Master is nothing but loyalty and forbearance."
Li Xisheng continued writing, tirelessly, without getting bored, until Chen Ping'an said, "I understand."
Each character was written quickly, and after it was finished, the golden light on the bamboo wall would dissipate. But the meaning lingered, continuous and unending.
The green-clothed boy had jumped down from the railing and whispered to the pink-skirted girl, "What's he writing?"
The pink-skirted girl lowered her voice. "I can read the characters, but I can't understand the meaning… It's too big."
The green-clothed boy laughed. "You're just dumb."
Cui Ci turned his head wide-eyed and scolded, "Don't disturb my master while he's writing!"
The green-clothed boy curled his lips. "This is my house. If you keep chattering, watch out—I'll have you pack your bags and get lost."
Cui Ci said indignantly, "You don't recognize a treasure when you see one. You're wasting my master's good intentions."
The green-clothed boy crossed his arms, leaned against the railing, and sneered, "What's it to you? Only my master has the right to lecture me about these things."
Li Xisheng wrote, and Chen Ping'an watched the characters. They were oblivious to the trivial noise behind them.
The sky had darkened. Li Xisheng stood at the very end of the corridor. He stopped writing and asked with a smile, "How is it?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head with a wry smile.
Li Xisheng said gently, "It's okay. Let's go downstairs."
So the group went down to the first floor of the bamboo building. The pink-skirted girl and boy Cui Ci helped by holding candles, illuminating the characters by their light.
The green-clothed boy kept muttering complaints, but he still watched quite seriously, his eyes fixed on the writing.
"The Master standing by the river said, 'Thus it flows on, day and night without ceasing.'"
That was exactly how it was today.
The hand of Cui Ci, holding the candle, suddenly trembled violently. The candle had burned down and was now burning his fingers.
The handsome boy silently replaced it with a new candle.
When Li Xisheng wrote the four characters "Burn the talisman, break the seal," Chen Ping'an suddenly blurted out, "That's wrong."
Li Xisheng stopped writing, turned his head to look at the boy, and laughed heartily. "Then you've got it!"
The scholar in Confucian robes was slightly pale, his face full of exhaustion, but his spirit was radiant.
Li Xisheng took a deep breath, stretched his arms, and handed the brush to the boy. "Chen Ping'an, 'Wind and Snow Small Awl' is yours now. I believe you won't disgrace it."
It was only then that Chen Ping'an remembered the crux of the problem. "I can't cultivate. I can't become a Qi refiner. Drawing talismans requires spiritual Qi. How can I write a single spiritual talisman?"
Li Xisheng smiled, revealing a heavenly secret, and slowly explained, "The talisman manual I'll give you later contains many types of talismans, but none of them are of too high a rank. So many talismans don't require much spiritual Qi. However, they do have certain requirements for your Qi Mansion. Drawing talismans is like a martial art practice that takes an unconventional path. Martial artists also have True Qi. But precisely because it is completely opposite to the foundation of Qi refinement for cultivators, each talisman becomes a brief test, a close-quarters engagement on a battlefield. When two meet on a narrow path, the brave one wins. You must finish writing a talisman at the fastest speed with the steadiest condensation of Qi. Otherwise, even if you're just a little short, you still won't be able to complete the talisman. As long as you persevere, over time, dripping water will wear through stone. Drawing talismans is not just about drawing talismans. It will imperceptibly help you temper your physical body and hone your spirit."
Chen Ping'an took the brush and nodded. "Understood!"
The night was deep.
Li Xisheng turned his head to look at the mountains beyond. "After this parting…"
Li Xisheng didn't finish his thought. He dispelled the slight melancholy in his heart and said with a smile, "I already wanted to go out and see the world. It's just a little earlier than planned. Not bad."
After that, Li Xisheng didn't choose to stay on Down-and-Out Mountain. Instead, he took young Cui Ci and descended the mountain together in the night.
The scholar didn't even agree to let Chen Ping'an see him off to the foot of the mountain.
Chen Ping'an stood outside the bamboo building, feeling a sense of loss.
The green-clothed boy grinned and said, "Master, this guy is really good. High Daoist skill, good character, loyal to his friends. I like him! He's qualified to be my brother."
Chen Ping'an said irritably, "You're willing, but is he?"
The green-clothed boy wore a look of obvious certainty on his face. He said arrogantly, "Who in this world wouldn't be willing to be my brother? Would he be stupid?"
Chen Ping'an replied with a smile, "I don't know if he's stupid or not, but I know whether you are."
The green-clothed boy laughed triumphantly. "Master, I am, of course, exceptionally clever."
The pink-skirted girl looked at her companion with some pity. She used to think he was ruthless and violent in his actions, but now she suddenly felt he was actually quite foolish.
The green-clothed boy keenly noticed her gaze and shouted, "Stupid girl, not convinced? Let's settle this one-on-one!"
The pink-skirted girl hid behind Chen Ping'an.
She wasn't stupid.
***
Under the hazy moonlight, Li Xisheng led the young boy slowly down the mountain. After leaving the borders of Down-and-Out Mountain, he stopped by a mountain stream to cup some water to wash his face, helping to clear his mind. After all, writing each stroke with such intense concentration was extremely draining on mental energy.
Li Xisheng looked up and saw an old man standing on the opposite bank of the stream, puffing heavily on a long-stemmed pipe.
Li Xisheng stood up and bowed. "Li Xisheng greets Elder Yang."
The old man nonchalantly sidestepped, avoiding the young scholar's bow.
Only after Li Xisheng straightened up did Old Man Yao from the medicine shop speak. "I need you to perform a divination for Chen Ping'an. Can you do it?"
Li Xisheng didn't hesitate for a moment. He nodded. "Of course, no problem."
Old Man Yao grunted. "Afterward, I will naturally repay you."
Li Xisheng said nothing to this and directly gave the answer. "Advance straight on the Great Dao. If there are mountains, open them; if there is water, cross it. It is suitable to travel far and swiftly. Good fortune lies in the south."
Old Man Yao laughed. "I trust you."
Although Li Xisheng had his doubts, he didn't ask any questions.
Old Man Yao glanced at the peachwood talisman at the young scholar's waist. A complex look flashed in his eyes, and then his figure vanished like smoke and mist. It turned out the old man was just a wisp of purple smoke.
The two continued on their way.
Cui Ci asked, "Master, if you're going on a long journey, can you take me along?"
Li Xisheng smiled. "Sure."
The boy was stunned. "Ah?"
He had originally thought that getting his master to agree to this would be harder than climbing to the heavens. Who would have thought it would be easier than coming down the mountain?
Li Xisheng said softly, "Because someone wants you to follow me. And as for me, I don't see anything wrong with that."
The boy was silent for a long time. He lowered his head, his emotions somewhat dejected. "Master, I want to know where I came from."
Li Xisheng sighed. "That's not easy. Why don't you first figure out where you're going?"
The boy suddenly cheered up. "Where else can I go? I'll just follow wherever Master goes! Wherever Master goes, I'll go!"
Li Xisheng smiled without speaking.
The moon was bright, the stars were few. His spirit was refreshed. He had met a gentleman. Once again, it was beautiful.
The boy clearly sensed his master's mood and became happy as well. His steps down the mountain were light and filled with joy.
***
In the span of a single night, Down-and-Out Mountain had been pressed down, slowly sinking by a full foot.
Wei Po had been on a nearby mountain peak the whole time, watching as Down-and-Out Mountain descended inch by inch.
So the true characters of this world were this heavy.
Wei Po smiled. "Impressive. Really impressive. Even I'm starting to get curious, Li Xisheng. Just who are you? Are you truly unrelated to that Chen-family Catalpa Tree? Then who could you possibly be?"
As day and night alternated, Wei Po couldn't help but look again toward the bamboo building.
One complemented the other perfectly, like the sun and moon shining together.
***
Outside the bamboo building, since no one felt like sleeping, Chen Ping'an and the other two sat side by side on bamboo chairs, waiting together for dawn to break.
Chen Ping'an suddenly asked the green-clothed boy, "A common snake-gall stone, traded to you for ten thousand taels of silver. Is that too expensive?"
The green-clothed boy looked completely dumbfounded.
Chen Ping'an asked nervously, "Too expensive?"
The green-clothed boy jumped up. "Only ten thousand taels? Master, are you insulting me?!"
Chen Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief. "Then, eleven thousand taels?"
The green-clothed boy said angrily, "Master, if you keep this up, I'm going to run away from home!"
Chen Ping'an knew he wasn't serious. He asked out of curiosity, "What kind of money do cultivators on the mountain use for their transactions?"
The green-clothed boy snickered. "Master, wait. Let me show you the kind of money the immortals on the mountain use. I have a deep family fortune!"
The green-clothed boy waved his sleeve. Inside his dimensional storage artifact, there was a great secret. With a clatter, it rained down. The ground was piled high with sparkling jade stones, all carved into the shape of copper coins. There were roughly three types, each of different sizes.
He crouched down on the ground and began to explain to Chen Ping'an the origin of each type of jade, as well as their respective values.
This was real immortal money!
The miser Chen Ping'an quickly got off his chair and crouched beside the mountain of money, listening attentively to the green-clothed boy's detailed explanation.
Finally, Chen Ping'an suddenly blurted out a sentence. "I want to give Treasure Record Mountain to Miss Ruan. Do you two think that's appropriate?"
The pink-skirted girl blinked her eyes, at a loss for what to do.
The green-clothed boy fell to his knees with a thud. "Master, aren't you heartbroken? You must hold back, hold back! I beg you, Elder Master, please don't be impulsive! Miss Xiu Xiu is the best girl in the world; I won't deny that at all. But she hasn't married into the family yet!"
Chen Ping'an didn't bother with the nonsense about marriage. He just shook his head and said, "I'm not heartbroken."
The green-clothed boy wailed and howled, "But I am heartbroken!"