Chapter 295: Gazing into the Distance
The autumn sun was gentle. Lu Tai sat alone in the courtyard today, silently composing a chess manual, while Chen Ping'an practiced the "Sword Classic Proper" beside him.
Ever since Lu Tai had detected the probing by the Flying Eagle Fort disciples last time, the Flying Eagle Fort had not made any further covert offenses.
Taking advantage of a pause when Chen Ping'an stopped his sword stance, Lu Tai suddenly asked, "Chen Ping'an, how about I teach you to play Go?"
Chen Ping'an was still twisting his wrist, searching for the most suitable and smooth grip for the sword to counter changes in technique. To deliver a fast sword strike, one had to constantly seek change in the finer details—this was the same principle as the highly skilled "jump-cut" technique in ceramics. At a glance, it seemed "motionless," but in truth it was not.
Hearing Lu Tai's suggestion, he shook his head and said, "Forget it. I've learned before, but I'm no good at it. When I first traveled, I saw masters playing Go, and I still prefer watching others play."
Lin Shouyi, Xie Xie, Yu Lu, the young National Teacher who had changed his name to Cui Dongshan—each one had deeper Go skills than the last. Chen Ping'an often watched their games, but he couldn't even tell whether a move was good or bad, near or far, deep or shallow, so he admitted to himself that he had no talent for Go.
However, just as watching Lu Tai brew tea was a pleasing sight, on the road to Great Sui, watching Lin Shouyi and Xie Xie play Go had also filled Chen Ping'an with admiration.
The state of "sitting in forgetfulness" that the players entered during a match on the board seemed wonderful to Chen Ping'an.
Lu Tai didn't press the issue. He smiled and asked, "Do you know what the highest realm of Go is?"
Chen Ping'an naturally didn't know.
Lu Tai picked up a stone and placed it, his gaze intense. "No one in front of you."
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, then nodded. "Mm."
This time it was Lu Tai's turn to be surprised. He looked up, squinting sideways at Chen Ping'an. "You really understand that?"
Chen Ping'an walked slowly around the courtyard, sinking his energy into his dantian, letting his fist intent spread. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, but it had already reached the realm of "deep water without sound." He smiled. "There's a person's sword, and also the old man who helped me forge my martial arts foundation through the three realms—his fist feels the same way. It's like what you said, 'No one in front of you.'"
Lu Tai's expression flickered.
Even though Lu Tai had seen too many wonders and beautiful sights—bronze bells and cauldrons, exalted nobles, feathered fans and scholar's headwraps, feasting on clouds and drinking dew—
Watching Chen Ping'an practice his fist was still a pleasure.
But Lu Tai felt that Chen Ping'an could do even better.
He stood up and took a deep breath.
Then, from his nostrils and ears, four strands of white vapor slowly drifted out, yet they neither dispersed nor vanished, hanging like four slender white pythons above his face.
Chen Ping'an was puzzled, not knowing what Lu Tai intended by this.
Lu Tai walked to the center of the courtyard and said slowly, "Pure martial artists cultivate qi, and qi refiners also nourish and refine qi, breathing and exhaling. None can escape the word 'qi.' When qi is as thin as a gossamer thread, for ordinary mortals it describes someone on the verge of death, but for sword cultivators, it presents a different scene."
Lu Tai slowly exhaled a breath. The qi condensed into a thread and eventually transformed into a miniature flying sword in front of him. Lu Tai gently blew on it.
Chen Ping'an's heartstrings tightened. He quickly turned his head aside as a streak of white light shot past his ear at lightning speed. That extremely slender white light then darted furiously around the entire courtyard, continuously pulling out long-lasting streams of flowing radiance, weaving the courtyard into a cage of sword qi—a thunder pool filled with sharp, fierce sword energy.
Lu Tai stamped his foot, and the vision instantly dissipated.
Lu Tai smiled and said, "Although I'm not a pure martial artist, I still understand the principle. You, Chen Ping'an, practice your fist like a madman. You've repeated even the most ordinary fist frame a million times, so your fist intent is naturally perfect. But you don't truly grasp its inner meaning."
Lu Tai faced Chen Ping'an, one hand behind his back, the other extended with palm open. "The true mystery of the fist frames in this world—besides strengthening bones, sinews, and qi and blood, and nourishing the soul and spirit—lies in a kind of true qi that 'does not borrow from heaven and earth's power but instead commands heaven and earth.' The seamless connection is for one purpose: to deliver a punch so fast it defies all reason!"
Lu Tai thrust out a straight punch. A booming sound rang out as fist energy exploded, accompanied by the tearing sound of silk.
Lu Tai threw another punch, slightly angled, sliding and gliding. The final point of the punch was still the original position, but the momentum was silent and soundless. Yet where his fist touched the air, the flow of qi shattered, and the force was astounding.
Lu Tai explained, "These two punches used the same amount of strength and spirit intent. A straight, unadorned punch seems like the shortest path, but it's like crossing mountains and rivers. The fastest way is to find the mountain path and go with the current. If you go straight through, you actually travel slower. The true ultimate realm of martial arts in legend is the Tenth Realm. Above that is the Martial God Realm—that's the heavenly scenery that even qi refiners envy and fear."
Lu Tai withdrew his fist, sighed, and looked up at the sky, his gaze distant. "Chaos has already arisen in the world, Chen Ping'an. You must survive. If you can hold out until the end, that is..."
Blood seeped from the corner of Lu Tai's mouth, but he continued, "You must survive. Hold fast to a certain place. Don't let the great tide sweep you away. Be the pillar that stands firm in the midst of the torrent. When the time comes, heaven and earth will join their strength with you. Chen Ping'an, don't strive for temporary gains or losses. I believe you will go further than that Cao Ci. You will rebuild the Longevity Bridge and become a Great Sword Immortal..."
Heaven's secrets must not be leaked.
For ordinary qi refiners, this might be a joke they casually toss around.
But the Yin-Yang School was different.
Those skilled in divination, fortune-telling, and astrology often did not die of old age. Even if they occasionally did, they couldn't hope to bless their descendants. Sometimes they might even borrow from future generations, causing ancestral virtue to fail and harm their posterity.
Chen Ping'an already sensed something was wrong. He said softly but firmly, "Lu Tai, that's enough!"
Lu Tai nodded, wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, and sat back down at the stone table. He smiled brightly. "Since I've found this place and located the Upper Sun Terrace at Flying Eagle Fort, you'll need to continue your travels alone from now on."
Chen Ping'an sat beside him and nodded. "Once matters here are settled, I'll head north on my own. Don't worry about me."
Lu Tai asked, "Any plans?"
"Of course there are."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "In the near term, I want to find an ancient battlefield site and seek out those lingering souls and heroic spirits that haven't dissipated after death. I'll temper my three souls and solidify the foundation of the Fourth Martial Realm. In the long term, after returning home, I'll continue learning fist techniques from the old man. If I take steady steps, the chances of breaking into the Seventh Realm will be greater."
Lu Tai nodded. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. This bit of heavenly backlash is just a daily meal for a Lu Clan descendant."
After confirming that Lu Tai wasn't just putting up a brave front, Chen Ping'an relaxed. He clasped his hands behind his head and said leisurely, "There's also something I thought about before but never had time to do. I want to pave a road for my hometown, with a rest pavilion every three or five li. No matter how much it costs, I won't mind."
Lu Tai rolled his eyes. "Just a road. It won't cost that much money."
No wonder this guy's two lifebound flying swords were called "Needlepoint" and "Awn"—he was born to quarrel and compete over every little thing.
Chen Ping'an didn't argue with him. He continued, "When I get home, I'll try to personally manage the two shops on Dragon-Riding Lane. As long as they can make money—even if it's just a few coppers a day—that's fine."
"And then there are the Immortal Graves and those broken divine statues. Although I did a little work on my last trip home—built many shelters and repaired some—it's still not enough. I need to properly re-gild their statues."
"Is that why you bought those books on statue crafting?"
"Mm. I need to know as many taboos and rules as possible, so I don't do good deeds that turn into bad ones."
Lu Tai laughed. "You're really busy."
Chen Ping'an kept his gaze fixed into the distance. "If you're willing to hear more, I can talk about farther plans."
"Go ahead. If it's so boring it dirties my ears, I'll just plunge my head into the well to wash it out."
Chen Ping'an ignored his sarcasm. "I want to build more structures on Luopo Mountain in my hometown, besides the bamboo house. From the foot of the mountain... no, from halfway up, all the way to the summit. I want those roof tiles, dripstones, flying eaves, caissons, and mortise-and-tenon joints you talked about—all of them."
As he said this, Chen Ping'an stretched out one hand and made a vigorous upward gesture.
Lu Tai rolled his eyes again. "What terrifying ambition."
Chen Ping'an felt a bit deflated.
Lu Tai quickly raised both hands. "Alright, alright, go on. I won't make fun of you anymore."
Only then did Chen Ping'an continue. "I want to buy a huge collection of books—works from the three teachings' sages, the hundred schools of thought, and the writings of ancient worthies. I need a fair number of each. Before the Li Zhu Cave Heaven shattered, in a market alley like my Mud Vase Alley, a single book was so hard to come by—you can't imagine. It was harder than finding a silver coin."
"I want to fill the big and small buildings on the mountain with many spiritual tools and treasures. I'll also collect specialties from every nation and place in the world—things like the Jinxiu Carpet and the Cockfighting Cup from the Colorful Garment Kingdom. I'll raise some lively, cute little spirits, like the ones that help people with makeup, or tiny creatures that stand on bonsai branches, bow with clasped hands, and open the door to greet guests. Strange flowers and rare plants, lofty mountains and flowing waters, pavilions and towers, dense forests and bamboo groves. Every day, cloud seas like rivers of mountain mist will surge past the mountainside..."
"Li Baoping and Li Huai can study there in peace. Lin Shouyi can devote himself to the Dao. Yu Lu can reach the peak of martial arts and consult the old man surnamed Cui about fist techniques and combat. Xie Xie can... be free from Cui Dongshan's bullying there. The azure-robed boy and the pink-skirted girl can cultivate when they want and slack off when they want. A girl named Ruan Xiu can come visit my home often, and I can entertain her with pastries made in my own shop..."
"On the first and fifteenth of every month, many commoners will come to the mountain god temple on Luopo Mountain to burn incense. I want to widen the sacred path up the mountain, paved with the same bluestones as Fortune Street and Peach Leaf Alley, so there's no mud on their shoes even when it rains. I'll prepare many straw rain capes and bamboo hats at the temple, so if a sudden rain catches them, the people can borrow them to go down the mountain and return them on their next incense visit."
"No matter what happens in the world, how people live below the mountain, or how it is on other mountains, I just hope that where I am, everyone loves each other and lives each day with peace of mind. I hope that I and the people around me won't ever feel as helpless as we did when Liu Xianyang was in trouble—that when we have reason on our side and others refuse to listen, we can make them listen. Whether it's by fists or by swords..."
Lu Tai listened quietly the whole time.
It was as if he could see Chen Ping'an building his own snowman in the middle of summer.