Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 156 A thirteen-year-old Grandmaster?
"Have I entered the path?"

As the first rays of dawn pierced the sky, a silver-haired girl slowly opened her eyes on an open space on the border between Qin and Han.

She looked at her hands with some disbelief, feeling the two distinct yet surprisingly harmonious internal energies within her body, and murmured softly.

Beside her was a young man, whose aura was even more ethereal, as if he could ride the wind and disappear at any moment.

The silver-haired girl turned around and looked over. Sensing the boy's aura, her excited expression gradually faded, and her eyes became quite complicated.

She was never the only one who made progress.

These two were none other than Xiu Yuan and Xiao Meng, the two little ones who left Tianzong and went to Wei Kingdom.

Recalling some of the things Bei Mingzi had told her, Xiaomeng felt even more moved.

Now that she has truly mastered the two martial arts techniques, "Ten Thousand Rivers Autumn Water" and "Heart Like Still Water," she feels even more keenly the unfathomable depth of that young man.

Only by venturing out can one truly appreciate the vastness of the world, rather than being like a frog at the bottom of a well looking at the moon and thinking it's only that big.

On the other side, the boy slowly opened his eyes, feeling the warmth on the back of his left hand. He looked at the girl beside him with a hint of surprise.

Back when Xiu Yuan was in the Zhao Kingdom, a similar phenomenon occurred when he interacted with the dancing girl. At that time, he was unsure why the small porcelain pillow had mutated. Now that the small porcelain pillow has mutated again, he has a vague guess in his mind.

Perhaps the realm above Grandmaster, namely Great Grandmaster, is not the end of cultivation.

What is the Dao?

Xiu Yuan slowly raised his hand, and a burst of energy appeared. It then split into three elements: water, fire, and ice, which chased and swirled in his hand, making Xiao Meng pause in surprise.

"Senior brother?"

Xiaomeng stood aside, a divine light flashing deep in her eyes. She had also heard what Xiuyuan had said. This was a question that her master, Master Beimingzi, had asked her back then, and she had answered it. However, she believed that there was no standard answer to this question.

All things in heaven and earth are the Dao. Every person, every event, even every choice and every encounter is within the Dao, just as the Daoist patriarch Lao Tzu said: "There is something undifferentiated and complete, which existed before heaven and earth. Silent and empty, it stands alone and unchanging, ever-present and inexhaustible. It can be regarded as the mother of all things under heaven. I do not know its name, so I call it Dao, and I give it the name Great."

As Xiu Yuan looked at the object in his hand, Daoist principles naturally flowed across the surface of his heart.

"To blend with the light and the dust, to be so clear that it seems to exist, this is the ability born after mastering the art of blending with the light and the dust. Heaven and earth are me, and I am heaven and earth. Since I can enter the void and merge with heaven and earth, I can naturally also manipulate such a small thing."

Xiaomeng's pupils suddenly contracted.

The ultimate achievement of blending in with the world?

This is such a niche term; at least she had never heard anyone mention it in the Heavenly Sect.

And this answer was clearly beyond her expectations. At least her master, Bei Mingzi, had not anticipated such a situation. He had been in seclusion for more than half a year, and he had not yet mastered the Ten Thousand Autumn Waters and the Heart Like Still Waters. Yet his senior brother had actually mastered the Heavenly Sect's supreme mental cultivation method, Harmony with the World. This speed was even more terrifying than when he had cultivated the Ten Thousand Autumn Waters and the Heart Like Still Waters.

"I have heard that life is finite, but the Way is infinite. Now it seems perfectly normal."

After a long silence, the girl finally spoke up, saying, "If Master knew about Senior Brother's progress in cultivation, he would probably be very surprised."

Xiu Yuan shook his head, slowly clenched his fist, and the three strange phenomena gradually dissipated.

"master??"

"Junior sister, do you know Master's current cultivation level?"

Xiu Yuan gazed leisurely towards the east, where the morning light was rising, bringing with it vibrant life.

Xiaomeng shook her head. With her current level of cultivation, she couldn't sense the depth of her master, Beimingzi. Just like her own cultivation of the Myriad Rivers Autumn Water and the Heart Like Still Water, she hadn't realized the terror of the young man beside her before she had truly mastered them.

"Does Senior Brother know?"

Xiu Yuan put his hands behind his back and gently shook his head.

"I'm not entirely sure. I can only guess at some things. His cultivation level should be above the Grandmaster level, but I can't be sure of the specific level."

Upon hearing this, Xiaomeng tightened her grip on her small hand. The Grandmaster realm was the highest realm she had ever heard of. As for anything higher, she had never seen it in any ancient texts, nor had she heard of it from any other disciple in the sect.

She had always thought that Bei Mingzi was also a Grandmaster, only slightly stronger than Chi Songzi! But she never expected that there was a realm above the Grandmaster.

"A realm beyond Grandmaster?"

Xiu Yuan nodded.

"In terms of cultivation, there is actually no division of realms. The realms of acquired, innate, and grandmaster in the martial arts world are only defined by the progress of internal energy. When a person opens up the Ren and Du meridians and circulates internal energy in the Great Circulation, he is in the innate realm. Most of the later realms also come from this. However, the strength of a person's combat power is not entirely determined by the realm. It also includes various moves, other methods, mentality and other factors."

Xiaomeng frowned; this answer was clearly somewhat unexpected.

"Dividing cultivation levels by the strength of internal energy?"

Xiu Yuan withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the little girl beside him.

"Generally speaking, the stronger one's internal energy, the longer one can support powerful moves, and the greater the destructive power they cause. In the absence of a more reasonable standard, such a classification is meaningful."

"Then what is your current cultivation level, Senior Brother?"

Xiaomeng's eyes flickered slightly, and she spoke again.

Upon hearing this question, Xiu Yuan smiled and shook his head.

"do not know."

Xiaomeng was taken aback. She knew the boy beside her to some extent and didn't think he was the kind of person who would deliberately tease her.

"have no idea??"

Then her gaze became more suspicious, and her expression turned somewhat strange.

Xiu Yuan narrowed his eyes and explained, "When I left the mountain last year, I had already mastered the two internal cultivation techniques I practiced, namely Autumn Waters of Ten Thousand Rivers and Still Water of the Heart. Then I merged them to form a new technique. At that time, I think I should have already entered the Grandmaster realm."

At this point, Xiu Yuan couldn't help but add in his mind that it wasn't even the initial stage of the Grandmaster realm, but rather the later stage.

"During my trip to South Korea, I comprehended the principle of 'harmony between light and dust,' and my internal strength increased several times over. I also mastered several supernatural abilities, making me vastly different from when I left the mountain. However, I cannot be certain that I have reached the level of a Grandmaster or higher. After all, I have never seen anyone above the Grandmaster level make a move, and without specific references, it is difficult to make a certainty."

Hearing these words, the little girl standing to the side couldn't help but twitch her eyes twice. She felt that Xiu Yuan was showing off, but the other party's tone didn't seem to be like that.

"So, how do you think your combat strength differs from Senior Brother Chishongzi's?"

After a moment of silence, Xiu Yuan pinched his chin and said uncertainly, "Taking on three or five shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Chisongzi has been a Grandmaster for many years, and his mental cultivation is also quite good, approaching the unity of heaven and man. Such combat power should be comparable to, or even better than, the top-level assassins of Luo Wang.

Back in South Korea, he could easily handle two top-tier assassins from the Luo Wang organization, Yan Ri and Hei Bai Xuan Jian. Against Chi Song Zi, who was of similar strength, he should be able to take on three or five of them without injury.

Upon hearing this, Xiaomeng was speechless for a moment. To think that Chisongzi could defeat three or five Chisongzi was such an exaggerated display of power that she didn't know what to say. After all, Chisongzi was the leader of the Heavenly Sect, with extremely high cultivation and combat strength. He had won several times in the Mysterious Platform Sword Observation Competition between the Heavenly and Human Sects and was already showing the makings of a great master.

As fellow Grandmasters, most people would be no match for this Heavenly Sect Leader, and Xiaomeng was certain of that.

"It's time for us to set off."

After a while, Xiu Yuan reached out and the wooden sword that had been placed aside flew back into his hand, which he then carried on his back.

Xiaomeng moved with light steps, her figure shrinking as if she were an inch away from the earth, and arrived beside him.

Seeing the girl's move, Xiu Yuan smiled and shook his head.

"Although this is more in line with the demeanor of a master, I do not recommend traveling at this speed. With your current internal strength, you cannot sustain it."

Having already experienced several long-distance trips, Xiu Yuan usually looked down on such flashy methods. While showing off in front of others might be nice, it could be counterproductive for traveling. After all, this journey was not just thirty or fifty miles. He estimated that even if he traveled at full speed, it would take him three to five days to reach his destination.

Xiaomeng tilted her head and thought for a while. She seemed to accept Xiuyuan's suggestion and gave up on that approach, slowly following behind him.

"I've never asked where in Wei my junior sister comes from."

As the two walked along the official road, Xiu Yuan asked a question.

"Wei Kingdom, Guancheng, Chenjia Village."

Xiaomeng's tone became somewhat somber. In fact, her experience was similar to Xiuyuan's. That fire burned her village to the ground, and her relatives and friends all died in that disaster.

So whenever she talks about her hometown, this girl feels particularly lost.

"Chenjia Village?"

Xiu Yuan paused slightly, then looked at the girl beside him with considerable surprise.

Chenjiacun, that is his original surname. Xiuyuan is his given name, and his surname is also Chen.

His full name is Chen Xiuyuan.

When he spoke of the name Xiuyuan, his gaze became more wistful. When his parents gave him this name, it might have been by chance or for other reasons, but for him, these two words brought him an incredible opportunity.

"what happened?"

Seemingly noticing something unusual about the boy beside her, Xiaomeng was taken aback.

The word "fate" is truly mysterious.

Xiu Yuan smiled and shook his head, simply saying without further explanation, "Do you still remember the way home?"

Xiaomeng nodded. For a wanderer who has left home, the way home is probably never forgotten.

"Last time, you came home with me, this time I'll come home with you, so we're even."

Upon hearing the name Chenjia Village, Xiu Yuan felt a strange unease, and his tone softened.

Xiaomeng looked at the boy in front of her, a strange look flashing in her eyes. The boy seemed to be the same boy she had met before. Although people always say that time changes everything and people change, this person seemed to have never changed.

"Cultivating affinity."

"Ok?"

Hearing the words in his ear, Xiu Yuan hummed in response.

Has anyone ever told you that you're actually quite popular with girls?

The boy standing in front couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this. Just before, this girl had said that he wasn't popular with girls! How could things have changed so quickly?

However, he clearly didn't take these words to heart, or rather, he didn't care at all.

But when this was mentioned, the girl changed, and a hint of melancholy suddenly appeared in her eyes.

Compared to men who use sweet talk, such a young man would probably be more attractive to outstanding girls. The girl at the foot of Mount Taiyi has probably already fallen for him, hasn't she? Although she is still young, a girl can know whether she likes someone or not at a very young age.

But then, the girl seemed to remember something, and a smile appeared on her lips. No matter what those girls from outside were like, they were ultimately different from her. Bei Mingzi would not accept them, so it seemed that only she could call him senior brother.

Another day has passed in the blink of an eye, and night has once again enveloped the sky. The sky seems particularly lively tonight, as the moon is absent, so the stars are twinkling.

On a cliff, a young couple sat back to back, looking up at the starry sky.

“In my Xinzhai, I saw some records that five hundred years ago, the Yin-Yang School broke away from Taoism due to differences in their pursuit of the concept of the ‘limit of heaven and man’, and took a different path, forming their own school.”

“The path of cultivation has also been reclassified into levels. After entering a certain stage, one will study astrology, which is known as the law of astrology.”

"They believe that the movement of stars contains the way of destiny, reveals the changes of heaven and earth, the vicissitudes of life, and can even predict the future."

The girl's words rang out leisurely, and after a long while, the boy gently shook his head.

The theory of astrology isn't entirely without merit, but he didn't believe in it to a great extent. With such a special existence as him, would the course of the world still be the same as before?

"The Yin-Yang School takes an unorthodox approach, pursuing the ultimate harmony between heaven and man. While this idea is not wrong, in my opinion, it is somewhat eager for quick success."

"The Way of Heaven and Earth is vast and infinitely profound. Even with my current level of understanding, I have only scratched the surface of its vastness. Those people of the Yin-Yang School..."

As he finished speaking, a deeper look appeared in Xiu Yuan's eyes.

From a third-party perspective, with the help of the porcelain pillow, his comprehension is incredibly advanced, surpassing even the geniuses of this world. However, even he himself dares not say that he can reach the limit of the Celestial Realm in a short period of time, let alone the people of the Yin-Yang School.

"Actually, being slow isn't always a bad thing."

This is Xiuyuan's answer to Xiaomeng.

Xiaomeng was somewhat surprised to hear this.

Then the boy's words came over.

"When a person does things carefully and slowly enough, the probability of making a mistake becomes very small. And when a person does something many times, the result will undergo a qualitative change."

"Just like climbing a mountain, some people are in a hurry and climb quickly, but they ignore other things on the mountain and are often prone to going astray, so they have to start over. Others take one step at a time, constantly strengthening their foundation, observing carefully and not missing any details, and their speed will get faster and faster."

"Because it is slow, it is fast. Just as the Tao Te Ching says, 'He who stands on tiptoe cannot stand firm, and he who takes long strides cannot walk far.' It also says that less is more, and more leads to confusion. It is the same principle."

In the end, the boy brought up his own story again.

"When I first comprehended the Dao by observing the water of the Jade Liquid River, it was a result of my accumulated knowledge and experience, which led to my sudden rise to the top. My junior sister has already seen all of this and is sure to know that this is not an exaggeration."

The girl nodded.

"Is the Yin-Yang School's approach wrong?"

After a while, the boy gently shook his head again.

"There is no right or wrong in this matter, only good or better. Pursuing power is not wrong in this era. The Yin-Yang School takes an unorthodox approach, which can obtain great power in a short period of time to protect itself, so it is naturally good."

"But there are countless methods, but only one Tao. The smoother the path ahead, the more difficult the path behind becomes. Just like Taoism, the path ahead is slow, but once one enters the Tao, one will inevitably be unstoppable and will soon surpass the Yin-Yang School."

"In this regard, I think the elders of the Taoist Heavenly Sect should be very clear that once one becomes a Grandmaster, the future of the Taoist Grandmaster realm is far superior to that of the Yin-Yang School Grandmaster realm."

"This is the fundamental reason why the Yin-Yang School has such a severe power stratification. Even those geniuses who cultivate Yin-Yang techniques find it extremely difficult to cross that later threshold."

There's always a reason for this. As the leader of the Human Sect, Xiaoyaozi, said, "There is only one Tao, but countless methods. In the end, all paths lead to the same destination. If you walk smoothly on the path ahead, you will have to pay a corresponding price later on, and often that price will be painful."

Almost no one can endure starting off smoothly only to stagnate later, while someone who starts off facing immense difficulties and has their mindset tempered will not easily give up, even when encountering problems later on. This is another key difference between the two.

"Is it possible for the Yin-Yang School to be unable to attain enlightenment?"

Seemingly having discerned something, the girl asked again.

The boy looked up at the night sky, where the twinkling stars resembled pearls adorning the long river of time, recording countless stories of the past.

"Attaining the Dao is not an easy thing, even for us Daoists, and the same goes for the other schools of thought. It's just that for the Yin-Yang School, the process is more difficult, but that doesn't mean that the Yin-Yang School cannot attain the Dao."

"As far as I know, the leader of the Yin-Yang School is called Donghuang Taiyi. His level of cultivation is probably comparable to that of my master. As for the others in the Yin-Yang School, their future is bleak and they have little chance of transcending the current situation."

Xiaomeng nodded thoughtfully and murmured softly, "Donghuang Taiyi?"

She was quite interested in this person who could rival Bei Mingzi, but when she thought of the young man beside her, she seemed to think that it was nothing special.

Judging from Xiu Yuan's description, his realm is likely close to that of Bei Mingzi. Such talent and cultivation have surpassed those old guys. In this light, it seems that the whole world can be seen by this young man.

Meanwhile, on Mount Taiyi, the Heavenly Sect Leader Chisongzi and the Human Sect Leader Xiaoyaozi once again arrived at the small courtyard at the foot of Mount Taiyi.

They all showed interest when they saw the two items the girl handed them.

As the leaders of the two sects, they not only possess profound cultivation but also have extremely sharp vision. The matter of refined salt can amass wealth from all over the world, making it a veritable treasure trove.

As for paper, that's even more enviable.

The debates among the various schools of thought during the centuries are largely due to the fact that their ideas are not accepted by outsiders, as well as the inconvenience of knowledge circulation. However, once paper is introduced, this phenomenon will likely change dramatically.

If one of them can use paper to spread their ideas, they will surely gain a head start in the future.

“Qingxu is a disciple of my Heavenly Sect, and these two items should belong to my Heavenly Sect.”

Chisongzi was not polite at all.

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyaozi stroked his beard and smiled.

“Brother Chisongzi, you are mistaken. It is true that Qingxu is a disciple of the Heavenly Sect, but he is also a disciple of the Daoist sect. Moreover, Uncle Beimingzi has already given instructions on this matter, asking our two sects to work together to handle it. Therefore, we must not allow one sect to dominate.”

“If such a thing were to flow into the Seven Kingdoms, it would surely cause a bloodbath. At that time, the Heavenly Sect alone would be unable to handle those who were secretly watching. I think it would be better for the two sects to share it equally, so that our Human Sect can also contribute.”

Upon hearing this, Chisongzi was momentarily furious.

"Equal distribution?? Junior Brother Xiaoyaozi really dares to say that!"

"Aren't you afraid that when Junior Brother Qingxu returns, he'll come to the Human Sect and demand an explanation from you?"

Regarding the ownership of this matter, Chisongzi and Xiaoyaozi had been arguing for a whole day, and today was the second day. Faced with such a thing, neither of them wanted to give in.

If it were just gold and silver, Chisongzi might not care much about them, but these two items had a huge impact on the sect. As the leaders of the sect, the two naturally engaged in a heated debate.

"What realm is Junior Brother Qingxu at now?"

Upon hearing Chisongzi mention Qingxu, Xiaoyaozi couldn't help but ask another question.

Chisongzi chuckled.

"Qingxu is the personal disciple of Uncle-Master Beimingzi. Last year, he had already mastered both the Autumn Waters of Ten Thousand Rivers and the Still Waters of the Heart techniques. What level do you think he is at?"

Xiaoyaozi was taken aback by this answer.

The two techniques, "Ten Thousand Rivers Autumn Water" and "Heart Like Still Water," are both extremely powerful techniques within the Heavenly Sect. Mastering just one technique is enough for a person to advance to the Grandmaster realm. Now that the opponent has mastered both techniques, he is guaranteed to reach the Grandmaster realm at the very least.

Xiaoyaozi didn't have much of an impression of this Qingxu. He only remembered that he was a boy, a somewhat strange boy. According to the disciples in the sect, he seemed to like to stay in the Jade Liquid River to watch the water in his early years.

"May I ask, senior brother, how old is junior brother Qingxu this year?"

"If I'm not mistaken, he should be in his teens."

"."

"A thirteen-year-old Grandmaster?!"

(End of this chapter)