Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

"Enough! Calm down, all of you!"

Master Chu slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair, his voice booming like a bell, silencing the noise in the hall. He said, “The truth is still uncertain. I asked Feng Ping, and he insisted that Zhang Mazi is definitely Zhang Zhiwei, and could not possibly be Wugensheng, the leader of Quanxing. I believe Feng Ping’s judgment, and I also believe that our choice this time was not wrong.”

"Does the sect leader mean that all of this was orchestrated by the young celestial master himself?" an elder asked.

Master Chu was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "It's not impossible... Quanxing is a garbage can, it can hold all sorts of filth. Which sect in the martial world dares to say they've never done something like that?"

The elders fell silent. Although they were from a prestigious and upright family and acted with integrity, who could say that they had never had any dark thoughts?

"Sect Master, I'd like to hear what Feng Ping has to say. Please call Feng Ping in," an elder said.

Master Chu said, "That little beast Fengping has already left the sect. When he left, he left me a letter saying that he would thoroughly investigate the truth of this matter."

"Actually, I don't think the truth of this matter is that important. Whether it's the leader of Quanxing Sect or the Little Celestial Master, let's not talk about it anymore. The matter has ended with Zhang Mazi's death. Continuing to dig deeper will only make things worse."

"The most urgent task right now is for us to discuss the sect's funding issues."

"Should we find a few more sugar daddies?" someone suggested.

The elder in charge of finances at Huode Sect said, "The client isn't stupid. This time, Fengping and Yanyang not only failed to protect Luo Xinian, but those brats also distributed Luo Xinian's land to those tenants. We've already broken our promise. Unless we try to rob them like Zhang Mazi, we won't be able to get any money."

“This is exactly what I wanted,” Master Chu said. “This incident has reminded me that the more money we accept, the more karma we are involved in. This also makes us, at times, tools for aiding and abetting evil, which goes against the teachings of our Huode Sect.”

"Therefore, in the name of the sect leader, I would like to remind you that before accepting certain money or doing certain things, you need to carefully consider the source of the money, so as not to tarnish the reputation of our Huode Sect."

“In the past, I didn’t interfere much with these kinds of things. If you accepted and used them, I couldn’t say they didn’t count. But now that we’ve severed ties with these patrons, we shouldn’t get involved with them anymore.”

Master Chu's voice suddenly turned serious: "As a cultivator, if you can't even guarantee your own and your sect's living expenses and need others' charity, then what kind of cultivation are you?!"

"It's because there's too much money like this that the disciples in the sect lack some necessary experience, and they've become a bit arrogant, corrupting the atmosphere within the sect. From now on, I will carry out a thorough overhaul of the entire sect."

……

……

At the same time, Zhang Zhiwei was teaching his apprentices.

Before going to Chongqing, on a whim, he gave a few lessons to the young disciples who came to the Celestial Master's Mansion to receive their ordination, enabling them to obtain Qi and also teaching them a Bagua Palm technique.

He also told these ordained students that he would accept the winner of the ordination ceremony as his disciple.

The winner of that ordination ceremony was Fang Qianhe, who was naturally assigned to his apprenticeship.

However, because Zhang Zhiwei was busy with the final stages of the "Zhang Mazi" project and the construction of the air-raid shelter in Chongqing during that period, he did not immediately begin teaching Fang Qianhe.

As a result, while the other newly recruited disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion had been practicing with their respective masters for some time, Fang Qianhe was still practicing the Baguazhang set that Zhang Zhiwei had initially taught him day after day.

Now that Zhang Zhiwei has temporarily finished his work, he finally has some free time and naturally wants to put teaching his apprentices on the agenda.

The master-disciple relationship must not be abandoned. On a clear morning, in the main hall of the Celestial Master's Mansion, in front of Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing and a group of senior uncles and elders, Fang Qianhe, dressed in a brand-new Taoist robe, respectfully performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony and offered tea to his apprentice.

Zhang Zhiwei sat in the armchair, accepting the bow calmly and drinking the tea. From that moment on, their relationship was settled.

In order to better tailor teaching to individual students, Zhang Zhiwei called Fang Qianhe to the back of Longhu Mountain alone.

The back mountain is serene and secluded, with ancient trees reaching for the sky, where only birdsong and the sound of the wind can be heard.

"Master!" Fang Qianhe stood respectfully in front of Zhang Zhiwei, his expression a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

"Show me the Baguazhang you've practiced over the past six months," Zhang Zhiwei said calmly, standing with his hands behind his back.

"Yes!"

Fang Qianhe took a deep breath, held his breath and focused his mind. Then, with a swift movement, he unleashed a set of Baguazhang.

His footwork was as light as wading through mud, yet as steady as a mountain. His palms moved alternately and rapidly, like a dragon soaring through the clouds. The wind from his palms whistled, creating a breeze around him, and his clothes fluttered in the wind.

His movements are fluid and coherent, with the yin and yang shifting freely. Each move not only resembles the form but also captures the spirit. In particular, the connection between single and double palm changes is as smooth as flowing water, clearly demonstrating that he has deeply grasped the essence of Baguazhang's "walking, turning, twisting and flipping".

He executed a set of palm techniques with fluid grace, combining strength and gentleness. When he finished, his breathing was steady and his expression remained unchanged.

Zhang Zhiwei nodded in satisfaction, thinking to himself: As expected of the first place winner of the ordination ceremony, his talent is indeed remarkable. He had only taught this Baguazhang for less than ten days, and this kid, after half a year apart, had already mastered it to perfection. Leaving aside physical training, his Baguazhang skills alone were already comparable to those of martial arts masters who had practiced for many years.

“Not bad,” Zhang Zhiwei praised. “However, today we won’t be talking about Baguazhang, but about the fundamentals of cultivating life and nature. Sit down and listen to my lecture.”

Upon hearing this, Fang Qianhe immediately composed himself, obediently sat cross-legged on the grass in front of Zhang Zhiwei, and pricked up his ears.

Zhang Zhiwei said, "Taoism teaches that the body has three front gates and three back gates. The three front gates are from top to bottom: the Yintang between the eyebrows, the Tanzhong between the breasts, and the lower Dantian below the navel. These are the three front gates."

"Then there are three more checkpoints. The first is the coccyx on the back, and the other two are the spine and the occipital bone."

“Before you were ordained, I gave you a few lessons and helped you obtain Qi. You should understand what I mean. The key to obtaining Qi is passing the last three tests.”

“At that time, in order to help you obtain Qi, I used two methods for you.”

"One type is born with abundant energy and a strong will; with a little effort, they can break through in a flash." "The other type is born with insufficient energy and cannot pass through in a flash; they can only pass through one level at a time, like an animal pulling its blood and qi up a hill; the method I give for this type is three-stage effort."

"The flow of Qi from the coccyx to the Jiaji acupoint must be slow and gentle, like a sheep pulling a cart, hence the name 'sheep cart'."

"From the Jiaji acupoint to the Yuzhen acupoint, one must run with great strides, as swiftly as a deer pulling a cart, hence the name 'Deer Cart'."

"From the Yuzhen acupoint to the Niwan Palace, one must exert great force and rush forward, like an ox pulling a cart, hence the name 'ox cart'."

Zhang Zhiwei looked at Fang Qianhe: "I remember, you were the former."

Fang Qianhe nodded like a chicken pecking at rice: "Yes, Master, when you patted my back, I suddenly jolted, like I was shaking off my pee, and then I got Qi."

"Shaking off your pee?" Zhang Zhiwei paused, then laughed, "That's a good analogy; it's exactly the feeling of shaking off your pee."

Fang Qianhe said, "But Master, I have passed through the three gates and obtained Qi. During this time, I have been circulating Qi through the three gates, but I feel that my improvement is not significant. In fact, I have a feeling that the only improvement I have is... through practicing Baguazhang."

Zhang Zhiwei said, "Your innate constitution is full of potential. As long as you have the right method, you can pass these three tests in a flash. Naturally, the improvement it brings to you will be minimal. In fact, these three tests are just an entry point. Some people are even born with the ability to pass them. It's nothing special. If you don't cultivate other methods, it can only be said to have the effect of strengthening your body. It doesn't even count as entering the circle or being considered an extraordinary person."

“Although the improvement in these three stages is small, they are the foundation of cultivation and are very important. Think carefully, where is the Jiaji stage among the three stages?” Zhang Zhiwei asked.

Fang Qianhe pondered for a moment, then pointed to his body and said, "Starting from the anus, this bone structure is like an abacus, one after another, above the seventh vertebra."

Zhang Zhiwei nodded and said, "This place is the spine, and the five internal organs are attached to the spine. So although the three back gates are called three gates, they are actually not just three gates. They are connected to each subsequent gate."

"Therefore, you can't just know that Qi has passed through these three gates. You also need to understand the hidden gates below these three gates, which are the hidden acupoints."

"Only when you have a good understanding of yourself can you be at ease and skillful in the cultivation of your life. If you obtain Qi in a muddled way and cultivate in a muddled way, you will be in a hurry and stumble."

Fang Qianhe quickly asked, "How can I sense the acupoints below the three gates?"

“The simplest and most direct method is definitely introspection,” Zhang Zhiwei said.

Fang Qianhe's expression froze for a moment, and he said awkwardly, "I'm afraid this is a realm that only people with extremely high cultivation can reach!"

“Yes.” Zhang Zhiwei nodded and said, “Only those who have broken through the void in the human body can see it, and there are not many people in the entire Longhu Mountain who have reached this level. You may be able to do it in the future, but it is too early now.”

Fang Qianhe was very surprised to hear Zhang Zhiwei's words. His master actually thought he could reach such a level.
Zhang Zhiwei ignored Fang Qianhe's expression and continued, "The most convenient method is definitely to look at medical books, which contain the locations of many major acupoints on the human body. However, this method is not always accurate. Even two leaves are not exactly the same, let alone people. There are also differences between acupoints."

"Therefore, this can only be used as a reference and cannot be copied. If you want to truly understand the various details of your own life, there is no shortcut. You can only use the most basic method to feel it yourself."

“Master, although I’m not particularly smart and don’t have anything particularly noteworthy about me, I do have one strength: I can persevere in doing something.” Fang Qianhe quickly said.

Zhang Zhiwei nodded and said, "I can see that. I've been out of the mountains for so long, and you've been patient enough to only practice the Baguazhang that I taught you back then, without practicing any other methods. That's very rare."

The Taoist priests of Longhu Mountain don't teach their disciples in a very private way. If it's not something confidential, sometimes some junior Taoist priests will listen in.

During this time, Fang Qianhe stayed at Longhu Mountain and must have listened in on the proceedings. If he wanted to learn, he could access other methods, such as the Golden Light Mantra or the Dragon Tiger Inner Alchemy Technique.

But he didn't. He continued to practice Baguazhang, waiting for Zhang Zhiwei to return and teach him. In any case, this composure is commendable.

"it's actually really easy."

Zhang Zhiwei said, "I've been thinking about some things. If you look at tortoises, cranes, and white cranes, they are all long-lived animals, and their necks are very long."

"When white cranes sleep, they curl their necks up and tuck their noses into their buttocks, so they breathe through their own bodies."

“Turtles can take deep breaths. I have personally caught turtles and observed them. Larger turtles take fewer breaths, while smaller turtles take more. They will slowly stretch out their heads and legs. If it is very quiet around you, you can hear them inhaling. After inhaling, they will retract their heads and stay still for two hours. This breath is called ‘breath control’.”

"So let's follow the example of the tortoise and crane, relax, and I'll guide you through the movements."

As he spoke, Zhang Zhiwei stood up, walked to Fang Qianhe, gently pressed his back, and made him slowly bend over, his spine curving, trying to make a posture similar to that of a tortoise and crane curling up, guiding him to adjust his breathing.

While instructing him on the movements, Zhang Zhiwei said:
"Try to make your breath deep and long, imagine the flow of energy in your body, and carefully experience the subtle sensations in every joint, muscle and even deeper."

"Historical records describe Zhang Sanfeng as having large ears, round eyes, a beard like a halberd, and a tortoise-shaped back and crane-like posture. This is related to this action, which is in accordance with the principles of Taoism. What do you think?"

"Master...I...I feel a little uncomfortable." Fang Qianhe felt extremely awkward in this position, his back and waist ached, and he had difficulty breathing.

"It's right to feel uncomfortable. The weak are the opposite of the Tao. This is what Lao Tzu said in the Tao Te Ching: the use of the Tao for the weak. In simple terms, it is the darkness before dawn."

"When you are cultivating your mind and body, if you feel unwell, it is not necessarily because you have gone astray. It means that there was already a problem inside your body and it is helping you to recover."

"But you have to learn to distinguish whether you have truly achieved the required level of spiritual cultivation or have gone astray."

"Some people, when faced with this situation, cannot discern the truth and are so frightened that they dare not continue their practice, becoming hesitant. This is what the *Cantongqi* refers to as 'providing evidence to demonstrate effectiveness and verifying divine judgment.'"

"I can only give you pointers on these basic principles of cultivation. In the future, you will have to learn to discern the specific situations you encounter. Of course, if you cannot discern them, you can come and ask me for guidance. Do not cultivate recklessly. If you go astray in your practice and suffer a qi deviation, it could cost you your life."

Zhang Zhiwei's words were not alarmist. Why is there such a great risk in the cultivation of the Sanyi Sect? Why does it require the Left Sect Master to teach them step by step?
It is precisely because the overall foundation of the Sanyi Sect disciples is not solid that, apart from the Left Sect Leader, no one else can judge whether they have reached the required level of cultivation or have gone astray in this situation. As a result, they often ruin themselves through cultivation.

Even the left-hand gatekeeper made a mistake during his training back then.

This is the greatest role a master plays on the path of cultivation. (End of Chapter)