Under One Person: Starting from the Inheritance of Gods

Chapter 378 At the crossroads of life, some people always seem to choose the thorns.

Fan Xian sat cross-legged on the couch, spreading the Nine Yang Divine Skill in front of his knees. He took a deep breath, and the domineering true energy in his body surged like an angry dragon, rampaging through his meridians. Each circulation brought a tearing pain.

"Let him be strong, the breeze still caresses the mountain ridge..."

"Let him be as arrogant as he wants, the bright moon still shines over the great river..."

He chanted the Nine Yang Manual in a low voice, trying to guide the violent true energy, but the domineering true energy was unruly, like a wild horse raising its hooves, refusing to be restrained by the reins.

Fan Xian's expression turned solemn as he murmured, "According to the description of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, there are three essential requirements to master it!"

"The first method is breathing exercises: inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth; the breath should be continuous, deep, long, and even; like the opening and closing of a lotus flower, or the rising and falling of the tide."

"The second is guiding the body: the limbs and bones are as deep as the ocean; the twelve meridians are unobstructed and smooth; movement is as swift as a startled swan, stillness is as majestic as a mountain."

"The third visualization: the dantian is like the sun, its light shining everywhere; all meridians transform into rainbows, connecting the three jiaos; the Buddha contemplates the sacred mountain, the Dao guards the Yellow Court."

“Take the meaning of not clinging to appearances and remaining unmoved in the Diamond Sutra. Greed, anger, and ignorance are all caused by the fire of heat; the great sun sits and shines, destroying all delusion.”

"Shaoyang is the pivot, Taiyang is the opening; Yangming governs the closing, the three yangs are in harmony. Water and fire complement each other, dragon and tiger meet; therefore, Shaoyin kidney water is needed to nourish Li fire heart."

"When the mind is agitated, it is like standing under the sun. As the saying goes, yin cannot produce, and yang cannot grow. That is why we need to mend the sky and bathe the sun."

"Qi rises from the dantian, follows the Ren and Du meridians; passes the coccyx, ascends to the Yuzhen point, connects to the Baihui point, and descends to the Chonglou point."

"The cycle repeats endlessly, like a ring without end; the true qi is abundant and disperses into the eight extraordinary meridians; all the limbs and bones are nourished by it, and strength is generated with every movement."

"Break free from the distinctions of self and others, and you will see the true Yang; your body is like a crystal pagoda, your mind like a Mani jewel. Neither hard nor soft, neither moving nor still; within the great treasury of light, there is a Vajra body."

Fan Xian closed his eyes and focused his mind, slowly adjusting his breathing according to the instructions in the Nine Yang Divine Skill.

Breathing in and out like a tide, guiding the breath like a rainbow, long and deep through the nose, drawing in the energy of heaven and earth into the body, which is actually residual radiation from heaven and earth; slowly exhaling turbid air, expelling impurities from the body.

The domineering true energy, which was originally as wild and unruly as a galloping horse, now seemed to be guided by an invisible rope, gradually flowing along the meridians and no longer charging recklessly.

Immediately afterwards, Fan Xian visualized his dantian as a great sun, intense yet not scorching, gently nourishing his meridians. When his domineering true energy encountered this light, it melted away like ice and snow, and the malevolent energy gradually dissipated, transforming into another kind of supreme yang true energy, like a trickle of water, extremely hot yet cold, flowing into his entire body.

With the Shaoyang, Taiyang, and Yangming meridians connected, the flow of true qi is no longer obstructed.

The originally fierce and domineering true energy has now merged with the Nine Yang internal force, combining strength with gentleness, and gentleness with strength, like a surging river, endlessly flowing.

The Nine Yang True Qi is like a spring breeze and rain, gentle yet resilient, quietly seeping into every crevice of the meridians, gradually enveloping and taming that tyrannical power.

The two streams of internal energy clashed within Fan Xian's body, causing veins to bulge on his forehead and cold sweat to pour down his face.

The domineering true energy roared like a raging dragon, trying to tear apart the shackles of the Nine Yangs; but the Nine Yangs true energy was like an endless ocean, no matter how it churned, it always kept it trapped within, preventing it from running rampant.

"Let him be strong, the breeze still caresses the mountain; let him be fierce, the moon still shines over the great river; let him be ruthless, let him be evil, I have enough true energy."

The Nine Yang Divine Skill is a cultivation of both body and mind. Although it is named Nine Yang, it was actually derived from the Nine Yin Manual by the Drunken Monk and carries a hint of gentleness.

"I see!"

Fan Xian suddenly realized something and chose to grit his teeth and persevere. He focused his mind on his dantian, and gradually, the violent energy of the domineering true qi was worn down by the gentle power of the Nine Yang. It no longer charged recklessly, but flowed slowly through his meridians under the guidance of the Nine Yang.

The principle of "hardness cannot last, softness cannot be maintained" is the essence of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, which is to overcome hardness with softness and transform domineering into harmony.

"boom--!"

His internal energy suddenly flowed freely, like a rainbow piercing the sun, without any obstruction. Fan Xian suddenly opened his eyes, golden light swirling in them. He pressed his palm down, and there was a scorching heat energy that condensed and did not dissipate, causing the air to distort slightly.

The domineering true energy was eventually tamed.

Rank 8, achieved!

"The Nine Yangs have just appeared, like the rising sun; the true energy flows endlessly; on my first attempt at cultivating this Nine Yang Divine Skill, I have already achieved minor success!"

Fan Xian was quite surprised to feel the Nine Yang True Qi flowing continuously within him, and he could also sense that the Nine Yang Divine Skill's enhancement to him was far more than that.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking, and felt completely relaxed, refreshed, and with his meridians flowing smoothly. As he sat up in bed, his spine seemed to have a sense of being able to stand tall and upright.

"Legend has it that when the Buddha was first born, he pointed one finger to the sky and one finger to the earth, took seven steps, looked around and said: 'I alone am the most honored in heaven and on earth.'"

"I never expected that mastering the Nine Yang Divine Skill would give people such a misconception. My strength has increased by at least twice as much as before. I wonder how it compares to the strength of other experts in the same level of external martial arts?"

In the original novel, Fan Xian's initial rank was the seventh-rank level of true qi, but his control ability was only that of the third-rank. In other words, although he was nominally a seventh-rank master, his skill was largely unrealistic.

When his true energy is out of control, even a master of the fifth or sixth rank can kill him.

But now, thanks to the Nine Yang Divine Skill, Fan Xian has tamed and completely mastered his domineering true energy, and even soared to the top of the eighth rank in one go, only one step away from breaking through to the ninth rank.

The special true qi of the eighth rank is comparable to that of the ninth rank. Coupled with the unique true qi control of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, which is as easy as using one's own arm, it can even transform into qi energy to counterattack the opponent. Furthermore, with the endless vitality of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, most ninth-rank martial artists probably wouldn't fare well against Fan Xian.

But that's understandable, considering that the martial arts rules in the world of Joy of Life have only been around for a few years.

How can it be compared to those worlds that have cultivated martial arts rules for thousands of years?
Using scientific calculations to deduce martial arts cultivation methods may seem incredibly sophisticated, but in reality, it loses its potential.

Humans are most special because of their boundless imagination and creativity. Unfortunately, the artificial intelligence in the temple does not understand these things. Although the cultivation techniques flowing out of the temple have raised the upper limit of this world to the Grandmaster level, the conditions for becoming a Grandmaster are so demanding that they are beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Simply put, it is accidental and not universal.

Only Ye Liuyun possessed extraordinary comprehension, creating the Flowing Cloud Scattered Hand and reaching the Grandmaster realm. If others wanted to learn the Flowing Cloud Scattered Hand and reach the Grandmaster realm, their chances would be extremely slim.

However, the Nine Yang Divine Skill is different. As long as Fan Xian cultivates step by step, he will eventually be able to reach this level.

"I wonder what that person's purpose is?"

Fan Xian looked at the Nine Yang Divine Skill booklet in his hand. After carefully memorizing it completely, he destroyed it. He naturally knew how precious such a divine skill was.

Keeping the secret manual in your hands is ultimately not safe; it's best to memorize it.

Fan Xian looked out the window and saw the faint morning light. Unbeknownst to him, he had been cultivating all night. Now he couldn't care less about catching up on sleep or washing up.

He climbed over the wall and left the Fan residence, then went to the general store to find Wu Zhu, full of questions.

He wanted to find out exactly how his mother died.

-----

A moment later, in the general store.

After sensing the different true energy within Fan Xian's body, Wu Zhu remained calm, only raising his head to ask, "You've broken through?" Fan Xian nodded, "Yesterday I met someone who gave me a cultivation manual, and after practicing it, I broke through."

"Yes, it's good that you've made a breakthrough."

Wu Zhu continued weaving bamboo baskets without stopping, and even though he was blindfolded, his steps were perfectly correct.

Fan Xian felt as if his strong desire to share had been choked back. He took a stool and sat down in front of Wu Zhu, asking, "Uncle Wu Zhu, aren't you going to ask me who I met and what kind of cultivation technique they were practicing?"

Wu Zhu's tone was calm and even: "If you want to say it, you will say it yourself."

Fan Xian, feeling awkward, stopped being coy and said directly, "Uncle Wu Zhu, I wonder if you've ever heard of the Nine Yang Divine Skill? I feel it's much more powerful than the Overbearing True Qi I practiced before."

Wu Zhu paused for a rare moment, tilting his head: "Nine Yang Divine Skill, it seems to be Miss... no, I have no memory of that, I can't remember."

Fan Xian chuckled self-deprecatingly: "How could you know? This is a fictional martial arts technique, but it just happened to become real yesterday."

The person I met yesterday said that this era is the future. Although I somewhat believe it, I still have some doubts.

Instead of dwelling on that topic, Fan Xian asked, "Uncle Wuzhu, can you tell me how my mother died?"

Wu Zhu remained silent for a long time before saying, "The cripple said this is not something you should know right now."

Fan Xian frowned: "Who is the cripple?"

"A cripple is a cripple, but Miss likes to call him sister." Wu Zhu didn't intend to hide this from Fan Xian.

"sisters?!"

"It's a woman?" Fan Xian asked, somewhat surprised.

"No, he's a man... I guess I should count!"

Out of meticulousness, Wu Zhu added a sentence at the end.

Fan Xian felt like complaining after hearing this. "Can't you even tell the difference between men and women?"

Fan Xian naturally knew Wu Zhu's stubbornness. Since he chose not to let him know, there must be a reason for it. However, Fan Xian could ask other questions to deduce the situation.

"Then, Uncle Wuzhu, could you tell me about what happened on the day my mother died?" Fan Xian asked, with a hint of probing.

Although he knew this was cruel for Uncle Wuzhu, requiring him to recall that point in time, Fan Xian had no choice but to harden his heart in order to understand the whole story.

Wu Zhu hesitated for a moment, as if Chen Pingping hadn't mentioned these things, so he told Fan Xian. His tone was slow, and finally, there were fluctuations in his voice.

“At that time, there were many people who came to kill Miss. I was sent away, and when I came back, Miss was almost dead. Blood… Miss’s blood…”

Wu Zhu's expression seemed to become very agitated, filled with panic and helplessness, as if he had returned to that day. He stood up, and the bamboo strip in his hand snapped in two.

"Everyone in the city must kill her!"

With this statement, Fan Xian finally obtained a useful piece of information.

Does "the whole city" refer to Kyoto?
From the moment his adoptive mother, Ye Qingmei, erected that monument, he was destined to be an enemy of the powerful families and nobles in that city, and even the imperial power.

Fan Xian was well aware of this.

Those who seek to promote equality are destined to stand in opposition to everyone else. There has never been absolute equality in the world, only relative equality, and this has always been the case throughout history.

She wished everyone could be like a dragon, but if the day truly came when everyone could be like a dragon, where would the royal family, noble families, and powerful nobles be placed?
Fan Xian's throat tightened several times, but he ultimately didn't utter the words. He could only think to himself, "My mother is really... courting death!"

After a long while, Wu Zhu finally calmed down: "Miss risked her life to give birth to you and asked me to take you with me. Then I killed many people until I met the lame man who had rushed back. He asked me to take you to Danzhou and hand you over to the old lady to raise."

This seems to be the whole story.

A woman who dared to challenge the rules of the world was killed by the existing rules and was not tolerated by the world.

Sad?
maybe!
"The cripple said he avenged the young lady, but he doesn't trust the people in that city. Perhaps there are people hiding even deeper, but the cripple hasn't found them yet."

"So, if you're going back to Kyoto, I'll go with you!"

The boy in black picked up his iron cudgel, just as he had once sworn to protect Ye Qingmei, to protect Fan Xian.

Fan Xian patted Wu Zhu on the shoulder, gesturing for him to sit down, and sighed deeply in his heart.

He couldn't imagine what kind of person his mother was, that she could make such a bold statement in an ancient dynasty, or perhaps...

Fan Xian had a vague suspicion in his heart.

Since I've already encountered someone who seems to be from the modern world, could my mother also be from the modern world?
After all, only modern people would have such thoughts that are so different from those of the times.

That makes sense.

Why did that person approach me? Perhaps it was because of my identity as a modern person, or perhaps it was because of my mother, Ye Qingmei.

Could this person have known their mother before?
Various speculations intertwined and converged in Fan Xian's mind, like a huge mystery that finally revealed a crack, offering hope of being solved.

Fan Xian was very clever; he figured out what would happen next based on just this little clue.

He left.

As always, he sat at the main gate of the Fan residence, waiting for the red-armored knight.

Unlike the original story, Fan Xian began to devote all his energy to cultivation. No matter what awaited him on the road ahead, that city, that capital, was like a place with its gaping maw, ready to devour him.

All he can do now is desperately strengthen himself, perhaps for self-preservation, or perhaps for his dream of a life of luxury and leisure with beautiful wives and concubines.

Or perhaps, he also harbored the thought of avenging his mother, Ye Qingmei.

That's hard to say.

One must be strong to forge iron; one need no whip to spur one on. But if he chooses to avenge Ye Qingmei, he may be facing the entire Qing Kingdom.

is it hard?

It's difficult, but even more difficult for Fan Xian, who still harbors thoughts of wealth and leisure!
It's like standing at a crossroads in life, with thorns everywhere you look.

(End of this chapter)