Sword drawn from the constellations, poison as its edge.

Chapter 11 Teaching the Dharma
Although Jiang Mingzhe did not forget to flatter, he was extremely focused, as if listening to a client's needs, carefully noting down every word Ding Chunqiu said.

Fortunately, as a modern visitor, having been tempered by more than ten years of exam-oriented education and subjected to the baptism of massive information flow, Jiang Mingzhe's learning and comprehension abilities far surpass those of the vast majority of people in this era. According to Ding Chunqiu's understanding, he should be considered "exceptionally perceptive".

Ding Chunqiu continued to explain the martial arts philosophy of the Xingxiu School: "The essence of martial arts lies in these three things: 'power, technique, and poison.' Among them, internal strength is the foundation, and techniques are the branches and leaves. If the foundation is solid, the branches and leaves will naturally flourish. For example, if you had as much internal strength as your master, every punch and kick you threw would have immense power. However, the key to practicing internal strength is perseverance..."

He extended his left hand, his thumb and little finger tightly curled against his palm, while the middle three fingers were slightly bent and extended. He made a half-hearted grabbing motion, which was not particularly swift or powerful, but a loud hissing sound filled the air.

Jiang Mingzhe looked on with envy, while Ding Chunqiu said smugly, "This claw strike, with over sixty years of skill, who could withstand it? But you are just beginning to learn, without this extraordinary skill. Do you think the enemy would wait for you to practice for decades?"

As he spoke, he made several strange movements with his left hand in succession: coiling, wrapping, flicking, and pecking. It was clearly a human arm, but when it was in motion, it seemed to be a lifelike giant centipede, full of ferocious and savage energy.

"Mastering techniques can compensate for deficiencies in skill. What are techniques? Techniques are methods, and numbers are variations. Methods are ways to protect oneself and defend against enemies, while variations are adaptable changes based on the situation. Methods are not rigid rules; flexibility leads to understanding. Variations are not random changes; they follow rules. How can one master techniques? One word: practice! Practice hard, practice fiercely, practice to the point of exhaustion, until the techniques are ingrained in your flesh and bones, becoming an instinctive reaction. How can one adapt? One word: enlightenment! Enlighten the purpose of creating techniques, understand the vitality of all things, and comprehend the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, the changing seasons, and the interaction of yin and yang."

Ding Chunqiu spoke eloquently, and Jiang Mingzhe listened with nodding approval, feeling a sense of fulfillment akin to the saying, "If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening."

He grew up in poverty, but was sensible at a young age. He always thought about working hard to give his family a better life. So he studied hard in school and worked hard after leaving school. Every step he took was heavy but steady.

But deep down, how could one not have youthful fantasies? Fantasizing about becoming a knight-errant, a hero, possessing superhuman strength, and easily winning the crown of glory.

He just doesn't indulge in fantasies. He might occasionally daydream to give his weary and mundane life a mental spa treatment, but he'll immediately pick himself up and continue studying or working hard.

At this moment, listening to Ding Chunqiu expound the profound principles of martial arts and watching him casually demonstrate one after another of unimaginable and fierce martial arts moves, Jiang Mingzhe's long-hidden passion finally burst forth, and he wished he could immediately master invincible kung fu.

Ding Chunqiu was very satisfied to see that Jiang Mingzhe was completely absorbed in his teaching, and he became even more enthusiastic about it.

"If you master a technique to its highest level and wield a sharp weapon, you can defeat your enemy even without any internal energy. This means that whether you have high internal strength or exquisite techniques, you can generally roam the martial world freely. But is that enough? Of course not. What if you have high internal strength but encounter someone with even higher strength? What if you have exquisite techniques but encounter someone with even more exquisite techniques? What if you encounter someone with both high internal strength and exquisite techniques?"

He posed several questions in succession and answered them himself: "If it were an ordinary sect, there would be no way to do anything but to practice hard. But since I have founded a sect, how could I be like those foolish sects? Therefore, the word 'poison' that I proposed has come in very handy. My disciple, you see, although the poisonous snake is small, it can kill a giant elephant. Centipedes and spiders are inconspicuous, but even lions and tigers have to avoid their sharp edge. This is the power of poison!"

As he spoke, Ding Chunqiu moved his left hand, his three fingers curled up, and the tips of his fingers faintly glowed with green light. With a hiss, he made a grabbing motion, and Jiang Mingzhe immediately smelled a fishy stench, felt nauseous and dizzy, and couldn't help but stagger.

Ding Chunqiu chuckled, waved his feather fan, and an indescribable strange smell wafted out. Jiang Mingzhe took a breath and immediately felt refreshed, as if his mind had been washed by clear water. There was no discomfort at all. He couldn't help but sincerely praise, "Master's divine skill is truly miraculous!"

Ding Chunqiu chuckled smugly and said, "The word 'poison' encompasses everything. If used wisely, it can kill enemies and defend oneself, prolong life, and increase one's power! I have studied it for decades, and I feel I have only just begun to understand it. If you can learn even a little bit, it will be enough to benefit you for a lifetime." Jiang Mingzhe thought to himself that his concept of poison was no longer just poison, but also included some of the effects of medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine says that medicine is three parts poison, but Ding Chunqiu had a different perspective, making it "three parts poison and three parts medicine."

For a moment, I felt a genuine admiration for Ding Chunqiu's technical development capabilities.

He sincerely praised, "It's not that I, your disciple, am speaking like this just because I am a disciple of the Xingxiu Sect. If we talk about the path of martial arts, there is still Bodhidharma who can be compared with you, Master. In the path of poison martial arts, only you can be called an unparalleled master who is unprecedented and shines through the ages."

Ding Chunqiu was delighted, shaking his head and saying, "A peerless grandmaster? Hmm, that's not an exaggeration..."

He then nodded repeatedly: "Your mouth isn't just covered in honey, it's like mead, otherwise how could you speak so intoxicatingly? Hahaha, disciple, let me ask you, is using poison to hurt someone despicable and vile?"

"Of course not!" Jiang Mingzhe's eyes widened, his expression indignant: "How could Master have such a thought? Some people kill with knives, some people kill with hidden weapons, and we kill with poison. They are all killing, so why distinguish between them? If we really want to differentiate, in my opinion, the one who kills more people and kills them faster is the one who is superior."

“Moreover, to put it more broadly,” Jiang Mingzhe continued, “literati kill with their pens, the wealthy kill with their money, and officials kill with their power. We kill with poison, which is even more upright than theirs. Besides, when we collect poison, don’t we take risks? When we refine poison, isn’t that a skill? We put in the effort and bear the danger, so killing with poison is only natural.”

"Excellent, wonderful!" Ding Chunqiu laughed loudly, pointing at Jiang Mingzhe and saying, "As expected of a disciple from the land of sages, you are so young, yet your insight surpasses that of countless ordinary people in the world. It is truly the right decision for me to take you as my disciple."

He had previously jokingly said that Jiang Mingzhe was a confidant, and now he truly felt that Jiang Mingzhe was indeed a confidant. Overwhelmed with emotion, he reached into his robes and pulled out a small silk bundle: "Here, don't tell anyone else, not even Azi. You are allowed to make a copy and then return it to me."

Jiang Mingzhe quickly took it, and seeing Ding Chunqiu's signal for him to open it, he untied the package and found another booklet. Its material was neither paper nor silk, and even with Jiang Mingzhe's knowledge from the future, he could not tell what material it was. The cover was simple and unadorned, with a few words written in the upper right corner: "The Secret Record of the Starry Sky Immortal's Poison Refining".

He exclaimed in surprise, "Oh dear, Master, isn't this far too precious?"

Overjoyed, he thought that his wish had come true. He had thought that it would be a while before he could learn the poison technique, but Ding Chunqiu was so happy that he passed on the secret manual now. Ding Chunqiu was really good at dealing with people!

With a look of smug satisfaction on his face, Ding Chunqiu waved his sleeve and said, "No matter how amazing your skills are, if there is no one to inherit them, you will eventually remain unknown. You have extraordinary comprehension. If you can go further than your master in the art of poison, I will be truly gratified."

He spoke grandly, but inwardly he was secretly pleased, thinking to himself: This secret record has two volumes. The first volume was written fifteen years ago, and although it is a rare treasure, without my recent work on the second volume, even a genius would only be broad in knowledge but not in depth. Hehe, this kid's vision and mind are far superior to ordinary people, and his mind works quickly. After studying the first volume, he might be able to develop some new ideas in the details, which would be perfect for me to learn from. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
The more he thought about it, the happier he became. He laughed and said, "Keep this secret manual safe. I have just given a general overview of our sect's principles. Now, I will teach you the moves of the Three Yin Centipede Claw."

After saying this, he stood up, tucked the feather fan into his lower back, extended three fingers from each hand, bent his knees and arched his back, and assumed a fighting stance.

(End of this chapter)