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Chapter 152 Please Teach Me, Senior Brother
Wang Xi picked up another card to examine it.

Its specific information is as follows:

"Peach Blossom Mountain Travel Guide (Skill Card)"

"Quality: Green One Star (Upgradable)"

"Master Chu was skilled in calligraphy and practiced Taoism. At the age of forty-nine, he achieved the Five Qi Returning to the Origin, and three flowers appeared on his head."

In my sleep, I dreamt of Peach Blossom Mountain, entered a cave, and saw fertile fields and beautiful ponds, with crisscrossing paths. The men and women there were all exceptionally strong, young and old alike, and their strength surpassed that of ordinary martial arts masters.

Upon inquiry, they learned they were people from a blessed land, who had lived there for a thousand years. Awakening, they searched for the path again, but could not find it; only the memory of the blood-red peach petals before the cave and the lingering, strange fragrance remained.

"This essay was written by Master Chu, recording his dream travelogue, calligraphy, internal energy cultivation methods and insights."

"After use, you will master this technique. Through continuous practice, you can nourish your internal organs, refine your essence, energy, and spirit, and increase your calligraphy skills and internal strength. Each use will consume a certain amount of physical strength and energy."

This is an internal martial art that uses calligraphy as its outer form and mental cultivation as its core essence.

Wang Xi said secretly.

The travelogue describes a dream journey through Peach Blossom Mountain... Does the Mystic Realm truly contain blessed lands and grottoes?

This has many similarities to the strange tale of the fisherman from Wuling who accidentally stumbled into the Peach Blossom Spring in his memory.

It's just that in Master Chu's dream, any one of the villagers in Peach Blossom Spring was stronger than a martial arts master, which is quite amazing.

Master Chu himself was not skilled in martial arts; he only practiced internal martial arts and even reached the highest level of internal martial arts, "Five Qi Gathering at the Origin and Three Flowers Gathering at the Top."

The five qi refer to heart qi, liver qi, kidney qi, lung qi, and spleen qi. The five organs correspond to the five elements: heart belongs to fire, liver to wood, kidney to water, lung to metal, and spleen to earth.

Nourish the five elements, harmonize with nature, and finally settle them in the dantian, which is called "Chaoyuan".

The Three Flowers, also known as the Three Splendors of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, refer to the sublimation of these three subtle energies in the human body. Ultimately, they converge at the Mysterious Pass, the Niwan Palace, where the Heavenly Terrace shines brightly, as if radiant.

"At this stage, essence, energy, and spirit merge into Qi, and the master of internal martial arts possesses extraordinary power."

Wang Xi pondered the information flow on the "Peach Blossom Mountain Travelogue" and murmured softly.

“The nine true beings of Niwan all have their own chambers, and Qi is the boat and raft of the Dao.”

The cultivation system in the Mystic Realm was quite different from the martial arts novels he was familiar with. It didn't even emphasize meridians or the circulation of Qi; everything seemed unfamiliar.

The external techniques refine muscles, bones, and skin, opening up the limbs and head to the tail, aligning the nine palaces and two principles, wielding the strength of "nine oxen and two tigers." Blood is like mercury syrup, the strength to lift a thousand pounds, and impervious to weapons, resembling a humanoid weapon.

The internal cultivation method nourishes the internal organs, integrates essence, energy, and spirit, and controls the five elements and three flowers, thus mastering the "primordial energy." It achieves unity with nature, generates wind from all the orifices, allows one to walk on water without sinking, and enables one to fast for seven days without feeling hungry.

Regardless of whether one cultivates internally or externally, anyone who reaches the highest level can be called a master.

If one cultivates both, one becomes a grandmaster!
"The 'Nine Rhymes of the Pear Garden' is clearly an external martial arts technique. Having reached its peak, I've essentially unlocked the Nine Palaces. What's missing now, the Two Elements?"

Wang Xi pondered.

"The 'Peach Blossom Mountain Travel Manual' is an internal martial arts technique that can help me nourish my internal organs and reach the highest realm of the Five Elements and Three Flowers."

Do not know why.

A picture suddenly popped into Wang Xi's mind—

"Liu Li!"

"What are you doing, Master?"

"Monster, I need you to help me practice!"

Having said that, Wang Xi grabbed the cat and placed it on his head in an instant. He completed the feat on the spot, the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top of His Head.

...

...

Wang Xi couldn't wait to begin his first internal energy cultivation practice.

It is not meditation or breathing exercises.

Instead, he would stay up late studying.

He found a writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone in the side room, carefully ground the ink at the table opposite the bed, and began using the "Peach Blossom Mountain Travel Notes".

Immediately, Wang Xi felt himself enter a mysterious and magical state.

Be single-minded and focused.

He took down a purple bamboo wolf hair brush, dipped it in ink, picked up the brush, and began writing with a side stroke.

rustle--

"Before the Supreme Purity Purple Cloud Void Emperor, the Supreme Great Dao Jade Morning Lord... In the Yellow Court, a man in scarlet robes stands, with a magnificent flute covering the two doors."

"In the ninth year of Yongsheng, the year of Gengchen, at the beginning of late spring, we gathered at the Orchid Pavilion in the shade of Peach Blossom Mountain, having nothing to do..."

"In the third year of the reign of Emperor Zhaohui, I went to the capital and returned by crossing the Luo River. The ancients said that the goddess of this river was named Mi Fei..."

Wang Xi used the reign title of the old dynasty, Da Lu, to write a wildly concocted version of the "Huang Ting Jing" in regular script, then wrote the "Lanting Xu" in running script, and finally completed the "Luoshen Fu" in cursive script.

He had never felt such joy in writing.

As I write, each stroke contains the truth of spiritual practice, and my internal organs regulate themselves in the process, causing a warm sensation in my abdomen.

Even breathing became slow and long.

Wang Xi stopped writing at the fourth watch of the night (around 1-3 AM).

There were seven or eight rolls of Xuan paper spread out on the table in front of him, covered with dense ink writing in regular, running, and cursive scripts. The various techniques and brushstrokes were still immature and a bit stiff, but they far exceeded Wang Xiyuan's original level.

As he closed his eyes and began to contemplate, information flowed from his mind:

"Peach Blossom Mountain Travel Guide (Skill Card/Green One-Star): 3/200"

One training session increased my experience points by 3.

Is it because I possess the "Mountains and Rivers in One Brushstroke" technique, or do I inherently possess a certain talent for calligraphy, thus aligning with this method?

Wang Xi couldn't help but speculate.

'Hmm... perhaps it's also due to my strong physique. With the Nine Palaces unblocked and my essence abundant, cultivating internal energy is twice as effective with half the effort.'

'Find an opportunity to ask the peddler what conditions must be met to become a monk.'

...

...

The next morning.

"Senior brother, did you write all of this?" Huo Qiao'er stood by the table, holding up a modified version of "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion," her eyes filled with amazement.

She looked exceptionally radiant today, with a touch of rouge on her cheeks and lips given to her by her senior brother, truly embodying the phrase "her face and the peach blossoms reflected each other's redness."

"Yes, I wrote it down casually last night."

Wang Xi ate the breakfast his junior sister had brought in and smiled.

"Qiao'er looks exceptionally beautiful today, so beautiful that I can hardly eat my breakfast."

Huo Qiao'er blushed and stammered, unable to utter a word.

She turned her head, forcing her attention to the calligraphy copybook. Having practiced calligraphy and martial arts with her senior brother since childhood, she knew his calligraphy level very well, which was barely legible... but the calligraphy copybooks on the table were truly stunning.

"Senior brother, are you practicing calligraphy in secret, hiding from me?"

Huo Qiao'er asked curiously.

Her gaze shifted to Zhang Fuyun, who was standing to the side in a daze. "Junior brother, what do you think of my calligraphy?"

"Ah..." Zhang Fuyun seemed to wake from a dream, then glanced at the table, forced a smile, and said, "It has the demeanor of a master. My uncles and aunts can't write such good characters."

"Fuyun, what's wrong?"

Wang Xi keenly noticed his junior brother's unusual behavior and said softly.

"Has something happened at home?"

"Senior brother..."

Zhang Fuyun's eyes dimmed, and he lowered his head.

He hesitated for a moment before listlessly saying:
"Last night our house was burgled, and my grandmother was so frightened that she fell seriously ill. Alas, misfortunes never come singly... This morning, Miss Zhao's fifth daughter sent another letter, using the excuse of breaking off the engagement. I inquired about it privately, and it seems she said..."

Zhang Fuyun looked aggrieved and sad, clenching her fists.

"They say Miss Zhao disliked my weak nature, but I'm just a pretty face born into the Zhang family, a complete airhead."

"That Miss Zhao went too far! How could she criticize you like that!"

Huo Qiao'er said indignantly.

“A real man has nothing to worry about when he is not married. Junior brother, you don’t need to worry about this. You will definitely find a more virtuous and well-educated wife than her in the future.”

As she spoke, she patted Zhang Fuyun on the shoulder in the manner of a senior. But the latter only forced a smile and softly echoed her.

Clearly, it did not serve as a comforting message.

Wang Xi glanced at the five ancient bronze coins hanging from Zhang Fuyun's waist and muttered to himself:
'The peddler's "five-coin duck" is supposed to increase luck, so why did it bring Zhang Fuyun bad luck instead...?'

Soon, Wang Xi realized something.

Maybe that's what a simp is.

Even good luck avoids them; when a lucky star comes, they have to spit on it before running away.

“Fu Yun said, ‘An ancient poem says, ‘A fair maiden is sought after by a gentleman.’ A gentleman seeking a woman should be like ‘A dignified young man, alas, a unicorn!’—first, one must become a man like a unicorn himself before a fair maiden can win his heart.”

Wang Xi put down the bowl of porridge and said slowly:
“Miss Zhao said you were weak and incompetent, and you became so dejected. Doesn’t that just confirm her judgment?”

Zhang Fuyun raised his head and stared blankly at his senior brother.

He opened his mouth, then said dejectedly:
"Then what should I do to become the kind of man my senior brother spoke of, like a unicorn? To earn Miss Zhao Wu's high regard for me!"

"There are so many women in the world, why hang yourself on one tree?"

Wang Xi chewed on a steamed bun and spoke eloquently:

"Have you read 'The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art'?"

"I've read it, but I'm not very good at math..."

Zhang Fuyun looked embarrassed.

"But senior brother, what does this have to do with gentlemen and ladies?"

"Pursuing a woman is like solving arithmetic. This is the first key to teaching you: equivalent exchange."

Without even looking up, Wang Xi blurted out, "If you are merely an appendage of the Zhang family, you are nothing more than a gilded exterior concealing a rotten core. How can you expect a woman to 'be suitable for her home'?"

Zhang Fuyun seemed to understand but not quite, and asked again:

"Senior brother, are there any other key techniques?"

“Of course.” Wang Xi held up two fingers. “Secondly, the framework is conserved. Just like the calligraphy copybook in Qiao’er’s hand, the central stroke should be like drawing in sand with a cone; too tight and it becomes stiff, too loose and it becomes scattered. You can be gentle with women, but you must not lose your own opinions and must have your own bottom line and principles.”

Huo Qiao'er and Zhang Fuyun were both taken aback.

Then I saw my senior brother hold up three fingers and say leisurely:

"Thirdly, and finally, is the key point. There is an old saying: 'A scholar will die for one who understands him, and a woman will adorn herself for one who appreciates her.' But nowadays, men should understand the principle that 'only by pleasing oneself can one please others.'"

After finishing the last mouthful of porridge, he wiped his mouth and said:
"Fuyun, from today onwards, you should use the time you would spend trying to please Miss Zhao Wu to hone your martial arts skills and study to cultivate your character."

"Believe in the laws of fate. The woman who is truly your match will surely be met on your journey, not something you will deliberately search for around a remote corner."

"Your senior brother won't harm you."

"Brother!"

Deeply moved, Zhang Fuyun took two steps forward, about to kneel down. But then he saw his senior brother Xizhi raise his hand and a gust of wind lift him up.

"What are you doing, junior brother?"

"Please teach me, brother!"

Zhang Fuyun bowed respectfully, his expression one of excitement.

"Whether it's martial arts, calligraphy, or the philosophy of life, I also want to become a Qilin man like my senior brother!"

"..."

Huo Qiao'er stood there, stunned.

Her beautiful eyes darted around as she stared intently at her senior brother.

A man of Qilin?

That was indeed how her senior brother was in her heart.

It seems that Junior Brother Fuyun has a long road ahead of him.

(End of this chapter)