Chapter 979: Teaching Fists and Refilling Cups
At the hour of the Mao, the sky was barely light, the mountains were shrouded in mist, the air was fresh and clear, morning dew condensed on the flowers and leaves, round and full, swaying gently, as if wanting to speak but too shy.
Chen Ping'an held a cotton cloth bundle under his arm, chose a small path leading to the back mountain, and walked alone, his heart relaxed and joyful.
Stopping in his tracks, Chen Ping'an turned his head to look. After a moment, he saw a stooped old man walking quickly towards him, holding a flower branch in his hand. If such a thing were done by an ordinary person, or by the Sword Immortal Mi, it would be considered romantic. But for this old cook before him, it seemed a bit like an old man without shame.
Zhu Lian clenched one fist against his abdomen, held the flower branch behind his back as if holding a sword, and bellowed with a laugh, "The early bird doesn't catch the worm as well as catching it at the right time. I've run into you, Young Master."
The young master always did things with such quiet thunder and lightning speed.
Just yesterday he said he would teach fists to Cao Yin and Cao Yang, and here he was early this morning.
People often mistakenly believe that traveling the world is merely a matter of walking on two legs, a wanderer leaving home, traversing thousands of mountains and rivers.
But that's not the case. Every time a thought arises in the mind and leads to the accomplishment of something, it is itself a journey of the heart.
Chen Ping'an stood by the roadside with his hands in his sleeves, waiting for Zhu Lian to catch up. They walked side by side, and he asked, "So Zhao Shuxia and Zhao Denggao no longer need to block those outside visitors?"
Both were surnamed Zhao—one was Chen Ping'an's direct disciple in martial arts, and the other was the eldest disciple of the blind Taoist Jia Sheng. They seemed to get along well due to similar temperaments and backgrounds. Zhao Shuxia and Zhao Denggao often talked together. Along with Zhou Junchen, Tian Jiuer, and Cui Huasheng from the two shops on Qilong Lane, they formed a small faction. But compared to the Bamboo Tower lineage of Luopo Mountain, they weren't very noticeable.
Zhu Lian nodded. "The government has quietly spread the news, forbidding outsiders from approaching Luopo Mountain without permission. Our Chuzhou region has always been strict in examining travel permits. Over time, this has helped block many wandering cultivators and martial artists who came seeking fame. They didn't dare complain. After adapting over the past few years, the Great Li court's rules have truly sunk deep into people's hearts. After all, monuments are still erected at the peaks of various immortal mansions and sects—this is no joke."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Indeed, the government's words carry more weight."
Zhu Lian said, "I doubt this was the idea of Prefect Wu Yuan, let alone the county magistrates of Baoxi or Longquan. Officialdom is full of concerns about overdoing things. Perhaps it was..."
Zhu Lian raised the flower branch and pointed to the sky.
It was the will of the Great Li Emperor.
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Without a doubt, it was an edict from Song He to Wu Yuan."
Zhu Lian smiled. "That was thoughtful."
Then Zhu Lian asked curiously, "Since the Emperor is so sincere, even personally attending the wedding banquet and inviting you in person, why didn't you accept the position of National Teacher for the Great Li Song clan? Are there any concerns?"
Whether for public or private reasons, whether rationally or emotionally, it seemed only natural for the young master to succeed Cui Chan as the Great Li National Teacher. A union beneficial to both sides was beyond doubt. Of course, if he accepted, the young master would have to divert his attention to many worldly affairs. After all, the Great Li court wasn't a small state—it occupied half of Baoping Continent. Knowing the young master's character and temper as well as he did, Zhu Lian was certain that if he truly agreed to "enter officialdom," for at least a Jiazi cycle, he would expend a great deal of mental energy and effort between the Great Li capital and the secondary capital of Luojing. At the same time, the one who would benefit the most would naturally be the Great Li Emperor Song He. If the young master became National Teacher, it would mean that unless the Emperor willingly abdicated and passed the throne to his brother, Prince Luo Wang Song Mu would have no chance of advancing further.
Chen Ping'an nodded. "There are many concerns."
Zhu Lian didn't press for details. "Then take your time and wait and see."
Glancing at the cloth bundle under the young master's arm, Zhu Lian asked with a smile, "Is that a gift for the pair of twins?"
Chen Ping'an explained, "It's some rare books for Cao Yin. Qing Tong from the Demon-Suppressing Tower is now a nominal guest elder of the Green Ping Sword Sect. She previously sent many valuable rare books to Xiandu Mountain, so I picked out some handwritten copies that are considered lost elsewhere."
Zhu Lian smiled and asked, "Young master, how many rare books did you leave for Xiandu Mountain?"
Chen Ping'an patted the old cook's shoulder. "One must be generous in life and act with magnanimity. Hmm, that's what I told that proud student of mine. Dong Shan heard it and even asked an extra question: should he bring more rare books back to Luopo Mountain? Since the student is polite to the teacher, why should the teacher be polite to the student?"
Zhu Lian suppressed a laugh. "Sect Master Cui still respects the teacher very much in front of you."
Chen Ping'an said, "I've already formed a rough framework regarding Nuan Shu's 'drowning incident.' Last night, I took the initiative to discuss it with Nuan Shu, but she still didn't agree. She doesn't want me to be distracted by these matters. Nuan Shu is just too considerate—how could I bear to say a harsh word to her? Hah, if it were Chen Lingjun, I'd have already pressed her head to the ground."
Zhu Lian burst out laughing. This was probably the difference between raising a daughter and raising a son?
Zhu Lian barely managed to suppress his laughter, nodded, and said seriously, "To be honest, Nuan Shu's difficulty in breaking through her realm is indeed much greater than Chen Lingjun's. It involves the ethereal matter of literary fortune, which can only be encountered, not sought. Little Nuan Shu hates troubling others the most—how could she possibly agree to something like this?"
Chen Ping'an said, "So besides some arrangements on my side, I also need some external items. I plan to buy a pot of three-thousand-year-old literary fortune calamus from Mount Jiuyi. Coincidentally, the deity of Mount Jiuyi has personally invited Madam Tuo Yan to visit there. Sword Immortal Shao Yanyan will definitely accompany Madam Tuo Yan. There are only a few pots of calamus of this age, and they are the deity's prized possessions. It's normal that he's unwilling to sell. It won't be easy, but no matter what, I must get it. Everything can be negotiated, but since it concerns Nuan Shu's Dao, it's a different matter. If Shao Yanyan can't reach an agreement with Mount Jiuyi, then later when Liu Jinglong and I travel to Zhongtu Shenzhou, I'll definitely make a trip to Mount Jiuyi myself."
Saying this, Chen Ping'an twisted his wrist and said with a chuckle, "Don't force me to take it as I leave and throw down money and run."
Currently, Wei Wenlong, the head of the Luopo Mountain treasury and the god of wealth, was still at the Golden Core realm.
Wei Wenlong was the direct disciple of Sword Immortal Shao Yanyan. They had never reunited since parting at Daoxuan Mountain's Chunfan Studio.
Chen Ping'an thought about inviting Sword Immortal Shao to Luopo Mountain first.
Zhu Lian suddenly said, "Since you're going to act as a mediator between Aunt Feng and the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land, you'll need to give her that colored rope knot. I'll trouble you, young master, when you next travel to the Blessed Land, to help me verify something. The spirit books say that the flower temple's Si Fanwei are in charge of flower blights and fragrances. Are these blessed land immortal officials all women, or are there also male immortals? I also beg you to pay attention..."
Chen Ping'an agreed with a smile.
Zhu Lian said, "Sect Master Cui previously gave Cao Yin three Daoist technique secret manuals, corresponding to Cao Yin's Observation Sea realm, Dragon Gate realm, and how to break through the Dragon Gate bottleneck to form a Golden Core. Just Cui's personal annotations amounted to over six thousand characters. From this, it's clear that Sect Master Cui is a true master of construction, with divine craftsmanship, able to use Cao Yin's small human world as a foundation to build a grand structure."
"Pei Qian and Sui Youbian also taught fists to the young girl Cao Yang a few times during the time they cultivated by the sword-worshiping platform."
The young man Cao Yin, styled Feng Sheng, was a sword cultivator at the Observation Sea bottleneck. The young girl Cao Yang, whose nickname was Wu Tong, was a peak Fourth Realm martial artist.
Back then, when Zhengyang Mountain held its sect celebration, as the most important guest, Cao Ping chose to leave early. This Inspector had released a very obvious signal to the guests from various peaks—it wasn't even a hint, but a clear statement: Zhengyang Mountain's relationship with the Great Li court was merely ordinary.
Thus, if the Great Li had to choose between Luopo Mountain and Zhengyang Mountain, Inspector Cao had already helped provide the answer.
Through Guan Yiran's introduction, Chen Ping'an and the Supreme Pillar Cao clan had secretly reached a three-hundred-year covenant. Any cultivation prodigies or martial geniuses born into the Cao clan could be sent to Luopo Mountain for training. In fact, if the Cao clan asked, Chen Ping'an could even recommend them to sects on other continents. At that time, the Cao clan members only needed to bring a letter of recommendation from Chen Ping'an—for example, to Taihui Sword Sect in Beiju Continent or Longxiang Sword Sect in Nanposuo Continent. Now, several more options had emerged, including Pushan Yuncao Hall on Tongye Continent, the Chongxuan Bureau's Xiaoyao Palace in the Dayuan Dynasty on Beiju Continent, or even Qing Tong's Demon-Suppressing Tower. Therefore, Chen Ping'an planned to have Cao Yin communicate with the clan leader Cao Ping.
Cao Ping must have left a contact channel for Cao Yin. It wasn't necessarily that Cao Ping valued this collateral branch descendant so much—even if Cao Yin was a sword cultivator prodigy, to Cao Ping, who had already reached the pinnacle of martial officialdom in the Great Li court, it wasn't a big deal. However, since he had chosen Cao Yin to cultivate at Luopo Mountain, it meant that Cao Yin's branch of the Cao clan, as long as Cao Yin achieved something at Luopo Mountain, would inevitably rise in status within the Supreme Pillar Cao clan.
A towering tree—some originally thick branches would rot and fall in the wind and rain, while some slender branches would gradually grow into thick trunks, extending more branches and lush green leaves for future generations to enjoy shade. That was the blessing of ancestral protection.
Chen Ping'an and Zhu Lian arrived at the back mountain residence. The main gate was already open, and the courtyard was filled with flashing blade light.
Cao Yang was practicing a rolling blade technique inherited from the Cao family, derived from battlefield combat, in the courtyard set up as a training ground. The girl's forehead hair was stuck to her skin in strands by sweat.
Stopping at the entrance, Zhu Lian whispered with a smile, "The little girl is too competitive. No matter what stance or weapon she learns, she always turns it into a blade technique. It's like she's facing an enemy and aiming to kill."
Chen Ping'an said, "Without a competitive heart, why learn martial arts at all?"
According to Zhu Lian, the biggest difference between martial arts and immortal cultivation was that for the same talent, qi refiners could enjoy blessings all the way, breaking through smoothly. A few flashes of inspiration would send them soaring on clouds, their realms climbing rapidly. Martial artists were different—they didn't have such a good fate. In fact, the more talented they were, the more they had to endure hardship. Otherwise, if they broke through too quickly, running up the mountain without spending much time on each step, their foundation would be unstable. Their realm might be real, but it would be like an embroidered pillow.
When Cao Yang saw the two figures at the entrance, she immediately sheathed her blade.
The girl looked panicked, not knowing what to do.
Old Mr. Zhu was a frequent visitor to the residence and was kind and approachable, so she wasn't unfamiliar with him and felt a sense of closeness.
But that green-robed figure truly made Cao Yang extremely nervous. First, since arriving at Luopo Mountain, she had only met Chen Ping'an once. Second, among the cultivators in the world, a Golden Core cultivator could be called a Sword Immortal, but there were very few Peak martial artists in the world. For example, on Aiai Continent, where martial fortune was scarce, there was only one person, Pei Axiang of Thunder God Temple.
Moreover, this seemingly gentle and warm-eyed young mountain lord had personally taught a Peak Grandmaster as his first disciple.
He had also been to the Sword Qi Great Wall, where sword cultivators were as numerous as clouds, serving as the last Hidden Officer, guarding the city wall alone for many years before returning...
Each one, each piece, for Cao Yang, was something done by someone from the heavens.
So in terms of reverence, facing Chen Ping'an, who possessed countless identities, Cao Yang certainly had more than her master Cao Yin.
At this moment, the girl's state of mind was like a young child loudly reciting textbooks, suddenly discovering a Confucian sage who had thoroughly comprehended heaven and man standing at the door.
A martial artist who had not yet entered the hall meeting a Peak Grandmaster who had already reached the summit and ascended to heaven would naturally regard him as a deity.
Zhu Lian wasn't surprised by the girl's nervousness; it was perfectly normal.
Chen Ping'an had once looked at others like this.
Now others looked at him the same way.
It was like the winding paths and repeated hills on the journey of life—I and others serve as each other's scenery.
Chen Ping'an stepped over the threshold and said with a smile, "Cao Yang, just now when you sheathed your blade, the way you gathered your pure true qi seemed to have many flaws. Starting from Hegu, passing through Pianli and Quchi, to... the speed was too slow. Moreover, when the qi reached Tianfu, you should have paused slightly to nourish the skin, flesh, blood, and bones more. It needs to have a flowing-water-around-mountain lingering momentum. Then from Lingfu to Lingxu, to Futu, Liangqiu, and Xiajuxu, you need to gather momentum in one go, turning into a waterfall's straight plunge. The qi should flow as fast as possible, creating an image of a flood dragon crashing into a deep pool, splashing thousands of layers of water. When it falls on the Dazhong acupoint, it should sound like thunder, penetrating straight to Yongquan. Therefore, by solely pursuing a steady stance and deliberately gathering the qi into a thin line, you abandoned the true meaning of this fist technique, which is naturally wrong. It seems steady, but the meaning is lost. It's like seeking stability within stability, too rigid. If you follow my suggestion and let the true qi converge into Yongquan acupoint, like beating a drum with a fist, making the blood and qi surge in Yongquan, like a stone falling into a lake's center, causing vast waves—don't be afraid of this 'chaos.' This is precisely the meaning of a martial artist tempering their body. It also aligns with your Cao family's martial heart method. Then, by taking advantage of this seemingly chaotic qi and surging waves, creating a mist-like scene, you can gather your mind and quickly raise a mouthful of pure true qi, switching from expansion to contraction. It's like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate, layer by layer ascending. When it reaches Guanyuan, it turns to the back's Sidu area. Let the true qi pause briefly like a coiled dragon, then integrate the blade technique into the Cao family's heart method. Drive the true qi like a dragon rolling along a wall, like charging through a battlefield, building up momentum before release. Then, like iron cavalry rushing out of the pass, at this point you need to flexibly apply the blade technique manual. Imagine the high-low transfer as front-back transformation. Visualize one person holding a blade as ten thousand cavalry carving through plain ground. Charge to Yang, follow Shendao, pass through Fengfu like knocking at a door, ascend heights as if walking on flat ground, and finally return the qi to Shenting."
Cao Yang was dumbfounded, fine sweat oozing from her forehead, as if it were more tiring than practicing the blade.
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Didn't remember? Then I'll say it again."
Chen Ping'an repeated it once more. Cao Yang held her breath and focused, remembering every word without error.
Chen Ping'an stood still and said with a smile, "I'll demonstrate once more, slowing down the flow of true qi. Your current realm is insufficient to investigate my true qi flow, so just watch for the meaning. It's like how outsiders look at authentic calligraphy or paintings—they can't really explain it, but they can sense whether it's good or bad. Later, when you go down the mountain to train, you'll also watch others throw punches. It's the same: first see the meaning, then think about it."
As he spoke, Chen Ping'an extended one hand as if holding a blade, then shifted a step, exactly matching Cao Yang's previous blade-sheathing posture, with every detail perfectly replicated.
Cao Yin had also come out of the house and stood under the eaves of the corridor, not daring to disturb Lord Chen teaching Cao Yang.
Zhu Lian quietly approached Cao Yin, crouched on the steps, and said with a light laugh, "Don't blindly imitate this, kid. This is a route our mountain lord specifically designed for Cao Yang. The direction and pace of a martial artist's true qi flow are extremely particular. Cao Yang can immediately apply it, but if you copy it, you'll only get qi deviations everywhere, inadvertently harming your internal organs and suffering the consequences."
Cao Yin smiled sheepishly. No wonder when he tried to circulate qi according to Lord Chen's "guidance technique" just now, he immediately felt suffocated.
Zhu Lian laughed. "If you truly want to learn fists, you can ask our mountain lord yourself."
"Seek the root and don't worry about the branches; a group of demons can't confuse the true teaching. When our mountain lord teaches people fists, it's a rare opportunity—more precious than gold. Cao Yin, you might give it a try. 'First to the water, first to the moon,' after all."
Cao Yin shook his head. "Too much to chew; it's hard to cultivate both qi and martial arts. I dare not make such an unreasonable request and waste Lord Chen's precious time."
Looking at the green-robed man's calm demeanor, then at Cao Yang's face full of surprise and enlightenment, and finally seeing Lord Chen nod slightly as if approving of Cao Yang's practice, the young man thought to himself: this was probably what they called a master's bearing.
Chen Ping'an said with a smile, "Just talking and listening is useless. Practicing stances quietly and putting in hard work to temper your body and master techniques is like an old scholar's empty lectures in his study—you won't see real skill. Without a lot of sparring and actual combat, even if you've learned thousands of clever fist techniques, they're still flowery and superficial. Encountering a martial artist of the same realm who has few techniques but can fuse two or three fist principles into true meaning, you'll easily be knocked down in a few punches. Cao Yang, how about we have a go?"
Cao Yang's face flushed bright red.
She really didn't dare.
Zhu Lian whispered teasingly, "Girls are thin-skinned after all. If it were Bai Xuan, he'd already be bounding over energetically, yelling and throwing punches at our mountain lord."
Cao Yin sent a voice transmission: "Cao Yang respects Lord Chen the most. Whenever she talks about him, she becomes a different person."
Zhu Lian also transmitted: "Don't worry, Cao Yang only respects our mountain lord—it's not about romantic love. The person in her heart this year is still the same as last year's old face."
Cao Yin hadn't even thought about that direction, but the old cook's comment made the boy's face turn red instantly.
Chen Ping'an gently tossed the cloth bundle under his arm to Zhu Lian, then reached out and grabbed a wooden spear from the weapon rack in the training ground.
His fingertips twitched slightly, spinning the spear in his palm a few times like a dragon rolling along a wall, then he suddenly gripped it tight. The spear tip buzzed with a dragon-like cry.
Wearing a long green robe and cloth shoes, Chen Ping'an stood in the center of the courtyard holding the wooden spear. "Let me take this opportunity to see what your Cao family martial artists' foundation truly is."
His implication was clear: it didn't matter if Cao Yang lost, but she must not disgrace the Cao family's blade techniques.
"Sparring within the same realm."
Chen Ping'an said, "When martial artists exchange fists, there is no high or low status, only high or low technique. No age, only depth of meaning. Cao Yang, if you're worried about hurting me, by all means hold back. I'll naturally thank you for your kindness in this sparring."
The girl was speechless.
Cao Yin, watching from under the eaves, felt that the green-robed man before him was very different from the Lord Chen who had kindly chatted with them outside the bamboo tower last time—like two different people.
Zhu Lian smiled knowingly.
The martial artist who came down from the second floor of the bamboo tower to teach fists and feed moves always spoke like this. A few words often carried more weight than fists.
Chen Ping'an narrowed his eyes, as if about to step forward with the wooden spear.
In an instant, Cao Yang retreated a step, lowering her head and crouching, staring intently at the man whose aura had transformed entirely, like a towering green mountain.
Her instinct told her that if he threw a single move, she would die—and in a frustrating way where she wouldn't even know how she died.
But Chen Ping'an still stood there. "Retreat? Where can you retreat to? Why not stand against the wall? Or just crash through the wall, turning retreat into escape, swinging your blade randomly a few times in the process? At least you could say you exchanged moves with me. It would be something to boast about."
Even as he said this, Chen Ping'an knew that Cao Yang's retreat step wasn't bad. It showed that her spiritual awareness was extremely sharp. This was an instinct born from a martial artist's fist intent taking hold, helping a pure martial artist subconsciously seek benefit and avoid harm. But that wasn't enough. In Chen Ping'an's view, she was still abandoning the root for the branches.
His words were actually quite restrained.
If it were Senior Cui from the bamboo tower, he would have said: "When facing an enemy, you retreat! You dare to retreat, and your intent retreats even further! If this is how you learn fists, picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons, then don't learn at all. Starve to death. Why learn fists? Go beg on the streets, holding a broken bowl and kowtowing to everyone. At most, you'll acknowledge a few more ancestors of other surnames. What's there to be ashamed of? When you visit the graves to pay respects, you can take credit, saying you found some extra relatives for your ancestors. How filial..."
Cao Yang gritted her teeth and took a step forward. Instead of charging in a straight line, she moved like a light swallow, darting sideways like a dragonfly skimming water. Her pure true qi circulated rapidly, and in an instant, she was even faster, arriving at Chen Ping'an's flank. The girl's blade-holding posture was the renowned "Heavy Snow Dragging the Spear" technique from the Cao family blade arts. The Cao family blade techniques originated from the battlefield, drawing on the strengths of many schools, tempered through countless battles. They weren't limited to the blade itself. She twisted her wrist, and the blade light flashed like snow, chopping sideways at the man.
"What use is ferocity alone? Wasting your energy for nothing."
Without any visible movement, the wooden spear had already struck Cao Yang's forehead. The girl's head jerked violently, and she flew backward. A red, swollen lump rapidly formed on her forehead. Cao Yang slapped the ground with her palm, spun her body, and stabbed the blade tip into the ground several times, sending sparks flying. She forcibly corrected her stance and circled around the green-robed figure in a wide arc, then delivered an upward slash. Before the blade tip could reach the green robe, the wooden spear moved faster, bypassing the blade with a bang, directly hitting Cao Yang's shoulder. The impact sent her spinning in place. By the time she regained her senses, the wooden spear's tip was already pressed against her throat.
"When facing a strong opponent, if your mind is unstable and you only rely on reckless courage, did you anticipate losing before you even struck? Were you just seeking a quick death?"
Chen Ping'an withdrew the wooden spear. "Again."
No matter how Cao Yang attacked, she could never get close to that green robe. Each time, the distance between them was exactly the length of the wooden spear.
At one point, Chen Ping'an swept the wooden spear horizontally, slamming it into the girl's waist. Cao Yang was lifted into the air, her body curving like a bow. Then he struck her chest with the wooden shaft, slamming her into the wall. The girl twisted in midair like a nimble cat, bending her knees slightly as she stepped on the wall, then rebounded toward the green-robed man who was strolling casually. He seemed too lazy to even use the spear. He simply raised a hand, two fingers together, "lightly" pushing aside the blade tip, then delivered an elbow strike that left Cao Yang's face bloodied as she collapsed to the ground. He thrust the spear into the ground and tilted it upward, sending the girl spinning through the air, unable to gather pure true qi. She crashed heavily into the weapon rack with a clatter, spitting blood. She supported herself with one hand, staggering to her feet, her eyes resolute, though the arm holding the blade trembled uncontrollably. At the same time, Cao Yang began to shift her stance, always facing the man who was slowly approaching her.
Chen Ping'an gave an almost imperceptible nod. The old cook was right—the girl could endure hardship, and she learned quickly. Right now, even Cao Yang probably didn't realize she had already used the true qi circulation route he had taught her earlier.
This was talent. The master leads the disciple in, but cultivation is personal. With persistence, over time, the disciple may not be inferior to the master.
Chen Ping'an walked slowly, not fast, and said, "In life, building up qi is the hardest, but losing it is easy. Learning martial arts—the ultimate study—is still about being a person."
"The kind of person you are determines the kind of fist techniques you can develop, and what principles you can fuse into your fist arts. Cao Yang, aside from practicing martial arts, have you thought about why you want to learn fists, what fists you want to learn, and what kind of person you are?"
Cao Yang was stunned.
Then she heard Chen Ping'an laugh. "Facing a strong enemy, and you still dare to be distracted?"
With a bang, the girl hit the wall, slumping to the ground. She supported herself with the blade, trying to stand several times in vain, then finally pointed her toes heavily on the ground, leaning against the wall as she slowly rose.
Cao Yang's vision blurred, and she instinctively turned her head. The sound of the wall breaking came from beside her ear. If she hadn't dodged, the wooden spear would have pierced her head on the spot.
Zhu Lian smiled, comforting the young man beside him. "Don't worry. Every move our mountain lord makes is measured, and he's always studying Cao Yang. If teaching fists only stopped at techniques and principles, then he'd be wasting his time. Since you're an outsider, you don't realize it, but Cao Yang's real trial right now is that her instincts have been deliberately guided by our mountain lord. She's convinced that one wrong move will damage her foundation and disrupt her martial path. Only then is it true sparring. Otherwise, it's just feeding moves lightly. As our mountain lord said, the meaning is too small. In the end, deep down, Cao Yang will think she can't lose, but in reality, while outsiders see a one-sided victory, for Cao Yang, it's a matter of life and death."
"A martial artist's fist path is our life's journey. Every step is solid, never missing. If you want sweetness after bitterness, you have to endure more bitterness. Trivial details like true qi circulation routes can be taught and learned, but to pursue purity in both thought and fist intent, you can only endure more and more hardship. In each moment, you can't even have the thought of sweetness after bitterness."
Zhu Lian chuckled. "I expect the young master will add more fuel to the fire."
Sure enough, Chen Ping'an didn't pull out the wooden spear embedded in the wall. "Cao Yang, rest for a moment. I suppose you're unconvinced, thinking I only learned fists early and have a higher realm, so I can talk big and empty principles, looking down on you. That's using the Dao to overwhelm technique. So, I'll suppress my realm to the Third Realm and spar with you, using only the basic moves of the Mountain-Shaking Fist. Let's see how many moves you can last."
Unless he was teaching Pei Qian fists, even on the Immortal Descendant Peak, feeding moves to Ye Yunyun until she finally broke through to the Peak's Qi Vigor layer—Chen Ping'an didn't find it difficult.
Truly... he had taken in such a good disciple that it was harder for the master to teach fists than to practice himself.
After that, Chen Ping'an, using the Third Realm, once again beat Cao Yang until she had no means to resist.
Finally, the girl knelt on one knee, supporting herself with the blade. Cao Yang shook her head, still dizzy, her vision blurry. Her face was covered in blood, dripping drop by drop onto the ground.
Cao Yin sent a voice transmission: "Mr. Zhu, will Cao Yang be alright?"
In fact, this question was inappropriate, as it could be seen as questioning Lord Chen's teaching methods. If taken more seriously, it might even doubt Lord Chen's intentions.
But the young man couldn't help it.
Zhu Lian rubbed his hands and smiled. "Our mountain lord's strikes aren't light, but they're not heavy either. Everything is within Cao Yang's ability to bear."
Cao Ping, as the current clan leader of the Supreme Pillar Cao family, had some insight after all, knowing to send Cao Yin and Cao Yang to Luopo Mountain.
From today onward, this pair of young people, whose hearts had not yet been tainted by the mundane world, had truly entered the young master's sight. Hmph, the young master would definitely visit often in the future.
To be honest, if the young master had returned to Luopo Mountain any later, Zhu Lian would have gone to Xiandu Mountain to snatch them away. He was afraid that the big white goose might do something underhanded, deliberately binding the young master with personal ties.
If Cui Dongshan's well-calculated scheme succeeded, that would be terrible. Was the young master the mountain lord of Luopo Mountain or the mountain lord of Xiandu Mountain?
When Cao Yang staggered to her feet, Chen Ping'an said, "Now watch carefully. I'll only demonstrate once. You learn as much as you can. This set of fist techniques comes from the Ye family of Pushan Yuncao Hall on Tongye Continent, derived from their ancestral six immortal paintings, named: Watching the Waterfall, Performing a Sacrificial Ceremony, Beating and Pounding Silk, Carving a Zither, A Scholar Walking and Reciting, and Scooping the Moon with a Bamboo Basket. All Yuncao Hall martial arts originate from these paintings. By the time they reached the current hall master Ye Yunyun, they had evolved into over sixty stances and fist techniques. Since ancient times, there's been a saying: 'Stances come from the paintings, fists go into the paintings.' Of these, over forty can be shown to outsiders. Outsiders can learn fists without restrictions."
Cao Yang nodded, raised her hand to wipe her face, and opened her eyes wide, afraid of missing any move.
Then Chen Ping'an deliberately slowed down and demonstrated over forty stances and fist techniques for Cao Yang, while also pointing out the true qi routes corresponding to different stances in detail.
The threshold for learning martial arts wasn't as high as becoming a qi refiner and ascending the mountain to cultivate, but it wasn't just a matter of throwing a few fist manuals at someone. The key was that to become a true pure martial artist, not just a empty-shelf martial artist in the martial world, the ability to condense a mouthful of pure true qi was the difference between heaven and earth. And the ability to truly integrate that qi with fist techniques was the difference between clouds and mud.
Chen Ping'an stopped at the last stance and asked with a smile, "Remembered it all?"
Cao Yang took a deep breath. "All of it!"
Zhu Lian had just stood up when he crouched back down.
Because he saw that the young master wasn't done. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves and said seriously, "I'll teach you another set of fists. The stances and techniques have no names—they come from the Sword Qi Great Wall. She was a female Grandmaster, and an elder of mine."
The young master might call many mountain cultivators "senior" as a matter of courtesy when away from home.
But those he sincerely regarded as elders were few.
Chen Ping'an finished a complete set of fists. As if afraid Cao Yang might not remember, he demonstrated again, even more slowly.
His body frame and footwork were very restrained, but his punches were extremely fast, with no hint of femininity. Cao Yang could tell that this set of fists was most suitable for female martial artists.
Chen Ping'an withdrew his fists and said with a smile, "Regarding the two previous sparring sessions, you need to have two thoughts. Losing today is inevitable—don't overthink it. Winning in the future is also possible—you need to reflect more."
"Cao Yang, I won't bother with other martial artists. Everyone has their own fate and circumstances. But since you've come to Luopo Mountain to practice martial arts, I must remind you: only when you first learn fists with the intention of saving your own life can you qualify to deliver a winning strike or kill others."
Cao Yang clasped her fists and said hoarsely, "This junior humbly receives your instruction!"
Today, Lord Chen had fed her moves in two sessions, a treatment generally reserved only for direct disciples.
Face-to-face instruction, secret transmission of the heart seal—this was true personal transmission!
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Quickly wipe the blood off your face. It's quite frightening in broad daylight."
Cao Yang immediately excused herself and went to the living quarters in the back of the residence.
Cao Yin sighed inwardly. Indeed, Lord Chen, once he stopped teaching fists, was the familiar Lord Chen again.
Zhu Lian had already gone to pick up the wooden spear and straighten the weapon rack.
Cao Yang quickly returned, and the group sat in the main hall's side room, drinking tea and chatting. They didn't need Cao Yang to serve as a maid; Zhu Lian handled everything himself. Besides, the tea leaves were he himself had roasted.
Chen Ping'an seemed addicted to teaching fists, as if he had gained some confidence as a teacher from Cao Yang. Halfway through his tea, he took a scroll from his sleeve and spread it on the desk. He called the boy and girl over to admire this authentic work by the head of the Zhao clan of Tianshui. It was a genuine long scroll, far exceeding the desk's length—fully three zhang long. Chen Ping'an and Zhu Lian had to stand on both sides, holding the jade rollers. Even so, Cao Yin and Cao Yang couldn't see the entire piece.
One character per line, the characters were very large. The opening line read: "In the sixth year of the Yuanjia reign, in a bitterly cold land, floodwaters slightly abated. Saw a green-robed figure poling a solitary boat, drifting gracefully across the river." The closing eight characters were: "A smile crossing the river, returning at night by candlelight."
The characters were like long spears and halberds, imposing and majestic, practically aggressive as they leaped off the page.
Chen Ping'an explained, "Cao Yang, fist intent doesn't only come from practicing stances day after day, year after year. The truly great fists in the world must come from outside the fist manuals. The former teaches us to build a solid martial foundation, while the latter teaches us to stand alone in our martial path. Like this calligraphy—it has both form and spirit. A literatus or calligraphy master might look at its brush intent, at most copying it as a model. But as martial artists, we can see more meaning, even create our own fist techniques. After some time, I'll teach you that fist, and you'll see I'm not lying."
Zhu Lian helped roll up the scroll. Chen Ping'an said solemnly, "Aside from principles, I also wanted to show off my collection to you."
The boy and girl exchanged glances.
Zhu Lian tied the scroll's cord and gently handed it back to Chen Ping'an. "Having a rich collection isn't difficult—just need some money in the pocket. But having a collection that's exquisite and beautiful, surpassing one's peers, leaving others in the dust, really tests the collector's discerning eye."
Chen Ping'an smiled and put it back into his natural treasure space. The old cook's flattery was indeed true.
After all, when Pei Qian was little, she had privately complained to Old Wei, saying with a worried look: "The old cook's bootlicking skills are impossible to learn."
Old Wei nodded. "Some people's signature skills are innate, not man-made."
Finally, Wei Xian added, "For example, your ability to read people's expressions, and my capacity for alcohol."
They all sat down again. Chen Ping'an planned to finish his cup of tea and leave. He asked, "Cao Yin, have you encountered any difficulties in your cultivation?"
"Not at the moment," Cao Yin shook his head. With the three secret manuals from Immortal Master Cui to guide the way, even a slow-witted qi refiner could progress step by step.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "If you ever have any problems that you can't figure out no matter how hard you think, ask Cui Dongshan. Though I am also a sword cultivator, when it comes to teaching and explaining in this area, I'm far inferior to Cui Dongshan. When the time comes, you can go directly to the sword room on Jise Peak and send a flying sword message to Xiandu Mountain on Tongye Continent. Don't worry about troubling Cui Dongshan—I'll let him know in advance. So if you don't ask, you'll be wasting the opportunity."
Cao Yin stood up and bowed in thanks. Cao Yang followed suit, clasping her fists.
Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, then prepared to leave. But Cao Yin took the initiative to ask, "Lord Chen, could I share some of my cultivation insights and ask you about one thing?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Of course."
Zhu Lian had already refilled their tea.
Cao Yin said, "Lord Chen, I think that a qi refiner's cultivation, and even a martial artist's fist practice, is essentially a series of mathematical problem-solving."
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "How so? The Dao is like a virtual mansion, principles like its pillars. Give me an example."
Cao Yin gave an example of breaking down a martial artist's body tempering into specific areas: skin, flesh, tendons, and bones. This showed that Cao Yin, though a sword cultivator prodigy, wasn't overly concerned about his own cultivation. The boy cared deeply about Cao Yang's martial path.
Zhu Lian smiled without saying anything.
A childhood sweetheart pair often ended up as strangers in the future.
It was just that the boy read too quickly.
The girl liked to fold the corners of the pages she read.
Chen Ping'an listened carefully and nodded with approval. "That's a very good example."
Cao Yin looked a bit shy. "Maybe only people of mediocre talent would break it down like this."
Chen Ping'an was about to praise the boy again, saying that his idea coincided with his own.
But Cao Yin's next remark made Lord Chen swallow the words that had come to his lips.
In fact, Cao Yin's insight was not wrong. It could even be said to be a very insightful cultivation realization.
Naturally, Cao Yin was a genius. At such a young age, he was already at the bottleneck of the Observation Sea realm as a qi refiner, and also a sword cultivator.
But the problem was that there existed in the world a very small group of geniuses among geniuses, like Ning Yao, Cao Ci, Pei Qian, and Chai Wu—they all belonged to this category.
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Are you familiar with Buddhist scriptures?"
Cao Yin replied, "I've read some, but not much."
Chen Ping'an then asked a question. "What do you think of the difference between the sudden enlightenment and gradual cultivation schools of Zen Buddhism?"
Cao Yin felt a bit nervous. This question involved a major schism in Buddhism—how could he dare to speak recklessly? Moreover, he had never thought deeply about it.
Chen Ping'an asked again, "Then let me ask you: can one truly attain Buddhahood instantly? After sudden enlightenment, how do you stabilize yourself in the realm of that enlightenment?"
Cao Yin seemed to grasp something, but it was as if the words in his heart had become enemies blocking his true expression.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Take your time thinking."
He took a sip of tea. "What was the question you wanted to ask?"
Cao Yin gathered his courage and said, "Lord Chen, what is your daily schedule like? Could you elaborate? I want to copy it, even if I can only grasp a fraction of its true meaning."
Seeing others' lives was like looking at a geographical map—famous mountains and rivers were marked, but they always seemed unrelated.
But if given a chance to get close to those "famous mountains and rivers," the scenery would be different. It was like standing far away on a clear day and looking at Luopo Mountain—it didn't seem tall.
The closer you got to the mountain, the taller it appeared. When you reached the foot, you'd find it towering into the clouds.
But once inside the mountain, inside Luopo Mountain itself, it seemed like another scene entirely.
Zhu Lian was startled and quickly coughed to remind the boy that this question was inappropriate.
Chen Ping'an shook his head with a smile. "I can certainly tell you, but you can't imitate it. The path of cultivation has too many specifics—different for each person, each time, each place. Different sects and master-disciple lineages have different Dao techniques. Breathing and exhalation methods vary widely. Different lifebound objects, changes in yin and yang of day and night, fire and water cultivation methods—they all require vastly different schedules and practice sites."
Thus, in the mountains, finding a wise teacher who could help with bottlenecks and obstacles was extremely difficult. That's why there was a saying: "Choosing a master is like reincarnation."
It could save many detours and unnecessary suffering. It was commonly said that wandering cultivators had tenacious wills—do you think they chose that willingly?
Although he told the boy outright that he couldn't imitate it, Chen Ping'an still thought seriously. His opening remarks made Zhu Lian feel that today's trip was already worthwhile.
"When I was young and left home, I mostly traveled in a hurry. At that time, I practiced stances and fists incessantly to keep myself alive. I punched as I walked, adjusting my breathing with every step. Whenever I rested, I practiced the Mountain-Shaking Fist's sword-forge stance. Before lying down to sleep, I practiced the thousand-autumn sleeping stance, trying to let fist intent cover my body, the more the better. Ten thousand punches, tens of thousands, a hundred thousand, a million. I just believed that if fist intent covered the body, the spirit would inhabit it. At that time, I had no choice but to believe, just like in calligraphy—having ghosts and spirits under the wrist to help, a wild fantasy. Whenever I had free time, I read some books and made excerpts, firmly believing that a good memory is worse than a bad pen. The second time I went to the Sword Qi Great Wall, in the summer palace there, I didn't have many opportunities to settle down and cultivate. The only time that truly matched the typical cultivator's routine was perhaps recently, when I was in a Daoist site on Xiandu Mountain on Tongye Continent. That's why I said you can't imitate my cultivation schedule. But to put it another way, if you break down cultivation into the smallest components—breathing, walking, sleeping—I think there's no problem. In the end, it comes down to: no fixed method, yet all methods are within one method."
Cao Yin's face lit up. "I understand!"
At certain stages of cultivation, qi refiners would find themselves with nothing to do.
Now, the boy felt there were many things he could do.
Cao Yang, being a girl and meticulous, noticed something strange. Lord Chen was already a great Sword Immortal who had attained the Dao, so why did he seem to have white hair?
Zhu Lian sat quietly to the side, watching the young mountain lord speaking gently to the boy. What kind of woman wouldn't be moved by such a person?
Chen Ping'an smiled. "In the future, if you have similar questions, ask more. Even if I don't come here, come find me yourself."
Zhu Lian murmured softly, "So Buddhist principles are just ordinary words."
Chen Ping'an pretended not to hear. He stood up and left the boy with three sentences.
"Confucius said, 'At fifteen, I set my heart on learning.'"
"Good music without excess, a good scholar rests content."
"How can a young man not drink wine?"
The first sentence, Cao Yin understood, was Lord Chen's expectation of him. The second was also advice not to be too fixated on breaking through realms—truly golden words of wisdom.
But the third sentence left the boy stunned, unsure how to respond.
As they walked out of the residence together, Cao Yin's face was full of longing and anticipation. He summoned the courage to ask, "Lord Chen, have you ever seen the Supreme Sage Confucius?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "I have."
Cao Yin was speechless for a moment, staring at the back of the green-robed Sword Immortal. The boy's heart raced, unable to calm down for a long time.
Zhu Lian lingered for a moment, then patted the boy on the shoulder and said with a chuckle, "In a few years, someone will ask, 'Sword Immortal Cao, have you ever met Mr. Chen?'"
Cao Yin suddenly burst into laughter. The girl beside him also smiled like a blooming flower.
"Next time we come, we need to drink."
Zhu Lian put his hands behind his back, hunched over, and quickly caught up to his young master.
Cao Yang whispered, "Mr. Zhu must have many stories from the martial world before he came up the mountain, right?"
Cao Yin nodded vigorously. Definitely.
Chen Ping'an slowed his pace, waiting for Zhu Lian to catch up.
"Young master, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."
"Then don't."
"Earlier, watching you teach fists so smoothly, I had some thoughts."
"Feeling itchy? Come on, let's have a go."
The young mountain lord of Luopo Mountain and Luopo Mountain's old cook.
On the mountain path, their punches were astonishingly fast—one leaping, the other dodging...
Romantic sons of the rivers and lakes grow old. From youth to old age, the cup has never been empty, because after finishing the wine in the cup, they use stories to refill it.