Start practicing from Mr. Fox

Chapter 11: Xuanshan Strange Stories

The fox had not come yet, so Chen Ji asked about the cultivation again.

Miss Bai asked him to read a book on breathing exercises, but he forgot to ask which one he should read first.

Senior Huai is guarding here, so he should know about it.

"I never understood."

Senior Huai said frankly.

"How did Senior Huai practice?"

"I don't remember it clearly. It seemed like I was standing there alive. After a long time, I suddenly became conscious. After that, I absorbed the moonlight every night. After a long time, I seemed to hear people calling me a tree demon. After a long time, I became Senior Huai."

"So there's no other way to practice now?"

"Of course there is none."

Senior Huai shook his head.

"At first I didn't know there were any techniques, but later I heard other monsters mention it and wanted to find one too. Unfortunately I couldn't find any suitable techniques for tree monsters to practice. Later I got used to it and slowly realized that practicing is also a form of cultivation."

After saying that, he looked at Chen Ji.

"Just listen to what I'm saying. You're a human, not a tree. If there's a useful cultivation method, use it. It's always better than trying to figure it out on your own."

"I understand. Thank you, Senior Huai."

"Go ahead. Fox will take some time to arrive. Go and look at the technique first."

"Alright."

Chen Ji said goodbye to Senior Huai and went to the library to choose a martial arts technique.

He saw a lot of martial arts that day, but Chen Ji was not familiar with the practice methods, so he had to carefully distinguish them.

The first things he took out were "The Diagram of Qi Circulation in Longevity Exercises" and "The General Method of Qi Circulation in Mysterious Water".

I didn't read the text carefully before, I just glanced at it quickly. Now I look at it carefully, I find that there is an outline and introduction, and it is not that difficult to understand.

"It turns out that I can understand these techniques."

Chen Ji pondered inwardly as he flipped through the pages.

The longevity exercise is a set of health-preserving exercises that achieves the effect of regulating qi and nourishing the body through movements coordinated with breathing, and can prolong life. It is also noted at the end that it comes from a martial arts family in Cangzhou Prefecture and is a version copied by Fox.

Looking at the Xuanshui Jue again, it seems to be a real practice method.

Practitioners were required to contemplate the Mysterious Water Diagram, imagining their own blood transforming into Mysterious Water. Upon successful visualization, the Mysterious Water would enter their bodies, energizing their blood. This would improve their physical fitness from the inside out, and allow them to truly embark on the path of cultivation...

There is also a note at the end, which says that it was found by a fox in an abandoned Taoist temple, hidden in the sealed area of the eaves. It also states that there is only this general method, and no visualization diagram.

The origins of various subsequent exercises are also different.

Some were given by friends, some were exchanged with monsters, and some were bought in the monster market. They all have a traceable origin.

Chen Ji was speechless.

I finally understand where Fox gets so many cultivation methods.

But new problems also arise.

Among these techniques, there are indeed a few that can be practiced seriously, but they are missing something crucial.

For example, the Xuanshui Diagram needed for the Xuanshui Jue visualization, the secret treasure formula needed for the Five Organs Fu Gong, and the Gangfeng Leijing needed for the Fenglei Husha Fist...

After reading it all, Chen Ji could only sigh that he had strayed into a treasure trove and returned empty-handed.

There is no single method that can be practiced.

"Why does Mr. Chen look so sad?"

Chen Ji put back his skills and suddenly heard a voice in his ears. It was Mr. Su coming.

"Is it about practicing the technique?"

Mr. Su noticed Chen Ji's actions and guessed.

"Indeed, I saw a lonely soul last night and wanted to learn a few cultivation techniques to keep myself safe, but I couldn't find anyone to practice with."

"You can see ghosts and gods. Do you have the ability to see ghosts and gods?"

"No."

Chen Ji repeated the reasons he had given to Miss Bai before.

"What a strange man!"

Mr. Su also sighed.

"If people knew about your situation, it would definitely be written into a strange novel."

“It’s actually already written in.”

Chen Ji complained in his heart.

"With a damaged soul, it's true that I can't practice these techniques. But Miss Bai told you about the breathing method, and I remember there's a book that records it."

"Which one?"

"Let me think about it?"

Mr. Su floated slowly in the air and checked the bookshelf, repeating it several times and muttering to himself.

"Strange! It was clearly placed here, how come it's gone?"

"I remembered!"

"Mr. Chen, when you were sorting the bookshelf with Fox, did you see a book called 'Xuanshan Strange Tales'?"

"Yes, I put it here."

Chen Ji nodded calmly in response.

Of course he had an impression of this book. When he was organizing it, it was next to "Yiwenlu" and he paid special attention to it.

Hearing it now, it feels like yesterday.

Chen Ji found "Xuanshan Strange Stories" and gave it to Mr. Su.

"Even if you give it to me, I can't read it. Look it up yourself. I remember it was written in this book."

Mr. Su said helplessly. "Have you read this book, sir?"

"Of course, I have plenty of time after becoming a ghost, so I've naturally read all the books here."

"How does the gentleman turn the pages of the book?"

Chen Ji thought about the scene he saw that day. It was clearly Bai Qi who helped turn the pages of the book. How could Mr. Su, a ghost, also turn the pages of the book?
"Ghosts can move the wind, so they can certainly turn pages of books."

"Then why do we need Fox to turn pages in the class?"

"It's tiring. I need to sleep longer to nourish my soul. I'm not a human being, so why work so hard?"

"understood."

Chen Ji smiled as he flipped through the book, feeling that this was indeed a way to be lazy.

While reading, I asked Mr. Su what the difference was between Confucianism and Taoism.

"In fact, all things return to one. Practicing cultivation is cultivation, and so is studying the words of the sages. Who can say that the words of the sages are not Confucian cultivation?"

Mr. Su said slowly.

"The words of the sages, the Confucian methods!"

Chen Ji's eyes trembled, and he suddenly understood what Miss Bai meant yesterday about one method being able to understand all methods and exercises. He felt as if he understood a lot more.

"It's really amazing!"

"It's here, it's here!"

Chen Ji subconsciously flipped through the book in his hand, and Mr. Su hurriedly stopped him.

Chen Ji stopped what he was doing and looked down.

The book is indeed a strange story, telling the story of a scholar who visited Xuanshan at night and met a ghost, a Taoist priest and a demon in his dream, discussing law.

This includes breathing techniques.

The demon said that breathing is breathing the moonlight, absorbing it during the day, refining it during the day, and settling it day and night, which is the practice in itself.

The ghost said that breathing is breathing in evil spirits, and finding a battlefield or a burial ground is also a form of practice.

Tao said they were all wrong.

People breathe in evil spirits, and demons breathe in the essence of the sun. They can practice cultivation, but the damage will be greater than the improvement, so it is meaningless.

The ghost demon then asked the Taoist what breathing method was.

Taoism says that breathing is breathing the energy of yin and yang and heaven and earth. The purple air when the sun rises is cultivation. The rotation of the five elements in the mountains and the five internal organs in the abdomen is cultivation. The bright moon in the sky absorbing the moonlight is also cultivation.

Breathing is the instinct of all things in the world. These can be practiced, but it is best to find one that suits you and does not harm your body.

The demon was horrified and decided to take the Taoist as his teacher to learn the real breathing method.

After hearing this, the scholar wrote it all down and attached it to the article.

Because it was obtained in Xuanshan’s dream, it is called Xuanshan Dream Method.

Chen Ji looked back and saw that this method was divided into the chapters on observing qi and breathing.

Wangqi teaches people how to feel the nature and detect the free pure air, evil air, human energy, demonic energy, and the five elements' energy between heaven and earth.

Breathing teaches how to breathe these breaths to strengthen oneself, and even mentions the function of using breathing techniques to nourish the soul.

"How, is it possible to understand?"

Mr. Su asked from the side.

"I understand now. It's indeed an excellent breathing method. Thank you, Mr. Su. I'll try it after today's class."

Chen Ji put down the book and bowed to express his gratitude.

"It's okay, I didn't write it. I just happened to see it and it's useful."

"Mr. Su, I have something else to talk to you about."

Chen Ji repeated the plan he had just told Bai Qi.

Mr. Su had a serious expression and frowned in deep thought.

"Five days off? Isn't that too..."

"Too tired? Then we can change it to one day off every four days."

"No, when I was young, I only rested once every six days while studying. Fox is not enough. If you want to enter the fox school, you should be more diligent. It's better to rest once every seven days!"

Chen Ji was stunned.

He thought Mr. Su thought he was too radical, but he didn't expect that he was still conservative.

After thinking about it, I still feel that it is not appropriate.

"I'm afraid the foxes won't be able to adapt. It would be better if they rest for five days so they can practice their magic. I also need to help them practice their transformation."

"Oh? How can you help?"

"Go down the mountain to see people."

"I see."

Mr. Su nodded, already understanding Chen Ji's plan.

"Miss Bai is very busy, and Senior Huai is unable to move. If Mr. Chen could take the fox with him, that would be great."

"But it's dangerous to go down the mountain. You only have the Yin-Yang Eyes, which is useless. You need to have some cultivation before you can go."

"nature."

Chen Ji nodded.

Mr. Su was about to leave, but then he came back.

"Just now you asked me what the difference is between Confucianism and Taoism. I can demonstrate it to you."

“How do I demonstrate?”

“The sage said, ‘To learn and to practice it from time to time, is that not a pleasure?’”