Legend of Zhan Zhao

Chapter 2 Six Lines Formless Sword Qi
"This young hero is incredibly skilled!"

"Is our temple about to have another renowned 'burdened monk'?"

Master Jiewen's words greatly inspired Dinghai.

Unlike ordinary Buddhist temples that live deep in the mountains and forests and practice austerity and cultivation.

Located in the most prosperous area of ​​the inner city of the capital, Daxiangguo Temple is not only a place of great religious significance, but also has deep connections with both the martial arts world and the imperial court.

Entangled in worldly affairs, burdened by worldly responsibilities, one can never find peace and tranquility.

After suffering several significant losses, a group emerged within the temple – “monks burdened with negative karma”.

Most of these monks did not grow up in the temple. Instead, they were already famous figures in the martial arts world who, due to their sins or enlightenment, entered the Buddhist order and were taken in by the Daxiangguo Temple to resolve worldly troubles.

The temple reciprocated in kind, providing generous support in terms of martial arts resources and social status.

Zhan Zhao is young, but he is no ordinary person. He clearly has the potential to become a "monk burdened with karmic debts". No wonder his master brought him back and his master was eager to take him into the temple.

After being fed by his master, Dinghai hurriedly left Guanyin Temple and excitedly returned to his previous room, calling out, "Junior Uncle!"

Zhan Zhao was making the bed. Once he entered the sect, he wouldn't live here anymore. Hearing this, he was a little surprised: "Uncle-Master?"

A smile appeared on Dinghai Yuanyuan's face: "Our Great Xiangguo Temple was named by Emperor Ruizong of the Former Tang Dynasty. After suffering many calamities, it was revived in this dynasty and opened a hall for the country. The seniority is 'Only Transmitting the Dharma Seal, Correctly Understanding and Harmonizing, Upholding the Precepts and Meditation, and Forever Continuing the Ancestors.' After Young Hero Zhan enters the temple, he can naturally become a disciple of the Grandmaster. This humble monk will naturally call him Junior Uncle!"

"Don't! Don't!"

Zhan Zhao's expression changed slightly, and he refused decisively: "I am young and inexperienced, how can I be ranked in the Jie generation? I should be ranked in the Ding generation. I should be calling him Senior Brother Dinghai."

It's good to have generational names!
Dinghai, listen to that, what an imposing Buddhist name.

Conversely, those with the character "戒" in their name face risks.

"Junior Uncle! You're too modest!"

Dinghai Dasheng has a good impression of him.

He could have been a senior member, but he chose to be a junior member of the same generation as them. And his martial arts skills are so amazing. He's such a good person!
He became even more enthusiastic: "Junior Uncle, are you settling in well since arriving in the capital?"

Zhan Zhao continued to correct him: "I'm quite used to it. I'm from Yujie Village, Wujin County, Changzhou Prefecture. The climate in Jiangnan is not much different from that in the Central Plains, so I'm used to it."

Dinghai asked, partly out of curiosity and partly to build rapport: "My nephew grew up in a temple and has never seen the scenery of Jiangnan. Are there any interesting stories about it?"

Zhan Zhao said, "There's nothing new in the village, just reading and writing, practicing martial arts. After leaving the village, I heard that the owner of Yunqi Manor is celebrating his birthday and has invited many guests. He is a famous hero from Jiangnan, and I thought I'd go and join in the fun."

"Junior Uncle, was the birthday banquet lively?"

"Junior brother... never mind! It's quite a spectacle!"

Zhan Zhao finally gave up and began to describe his early travels in the martial arts world:
"Yunqi Mountain Villa is nestled against rolling hills and faces a tranquil lake bay, as a poem praises it—"

"To the west, verdant mountains whisper through the forest; to the east, a clear mirror reflects the lake, connecting to Taihu Lake. Winding corridors and flying bridges embrace the misty rain, and the fragrance of flowers in all four seasons paints a picturesque scene."

"Even in the water towns of Jiangnan, there are few places with such beautiful scenery!"

Zhan Zhao's existence was not a case of soul possession, but rather a reincarnation, with mysteries surrounding his birth and the events surrounding his gestation.

He had strange dreams since he was a child. The memories in his dreams were like a thick layer of ice, blurry and unclear, and he would forget most of them after waking up.

As one grows older, dreams become clearer and memories become more vivid.

Finally, on New Year's Eve last year, I fully remembered my past life.

Memories of two lifetimes, merging and connecting.

That's the case.

I can't stay in my hometown any longer; I have to go out and make my way in the world!
The first stop turned out to be the scene of the disappearance and murder.

The martial world is indeed dangerous.

"Yunqi Manor is a place of unparalleled beauty, and the birthday banquet of the great hero of Jiangnan has brought together celebrities from all walks of life."

"Unfortunately, what should have been a lively celebration turned into two major incidents."

"First, this Master Yun disappeared in full view of everyone on his birthday."

"A Zhong Kui scroll was also found at the scene. When the scroll was unfurled, the previously imposing heroes of the martial arts world were terrified and scattered in all directions!"

At this point, Zhan Zhao said in a deep voice, "Back then, I heard some people shouting that this was the 'Zhong Kui catching ghosts' that had been prophesied long ago?"

"What ghosts are there in this world? Demons and monsters all arise from the heart! They vanish into the netherworld, their forms hard to find; fortune and longevity are never mutually exclusive. Zhong Kui, sword in hand, startles the demons and monsters; the five ghosts are vanquished, revealing the clear sky..."

Dinghai repeated, "These words were spread by 'Baiyulou.' At first, no one paid attention, but with the disappearances at birthday banquets and celebrations, and the appearance of Zhong Kui paintings, panic spread throughout the land." Zhan Zhao frowned: "Baiyulou?"

Dinghai, thinking he was unaware, explained, "This is an extremely mysterious organization in the martial arts world. Their whereabouts are unpredictable, and their members are unknown. They only occasionally display the most amazing skills and techniques in the martial arts world for the world to see."

"Ah."

Zhan Zhao actually knew.

What are these things, like the "Hundred Weapons Ranking" or the "Dragon and Tiger Prodigies List"? These are what people in the martial arts world fight for; they value fame and reputation above all else.

This "White Jade Pavilion" is a special entity that only ranks the world's most powerful martial arts techniques, without involving the specific ranking of masters.

Furthermore, they are divided into seven categories based on swords, knives, spears, clubs, fists, palms, esoteric arts, lightness skills, and mental techniques, each with its own list.

Not limited to the Song Dynasty, but also including the Liao, Western Xia, Dali, and Tubo dynasties, all the martial arts masters of the world can be included on the list.

Dinghai continued, "Yunqi Manor is involved with a unique skill ranked fifth on the Sword Dao Ranking—the Six-Line Formless Sword Qi!"

"Twenty years ago, four swordsmen were renowned throughout the world, known as 'Heavenly Immortals, Unrivaled in Swordsmanship.' Among them, the 'Immortal Swordsman' Yun Qingxiao's ultimate technique was 'Six-Line Formless Sword Qi'..."

"Yun Qingxiao had no children and did not take any disciples. The only one who could possibly inherit his swordsmanship was his nephew Yun Heming, who is now the master of Yunqi Manor and a great hero of Jiangnan."

Zhan Zhao blinked: "But when that Master Yun celebrated his birthday, he practiced martial arts and used the 'Cloud Crane Ascending to Immortality Sword Style,' which was not the 'Six Lines Formless Sword Qi.' Why is that?"

"Not surprisingly."

Dinghai said, "Those unparalleled martial arts techniques are indeed incredibly powerful, but they are not something that ordinary people can master."

"Unless one is exceptionally talented and has extraordinary physical constitution, forced training may do more harm than good."

"Bai Yulou once said that it is the strong who create martial arts, not the other way around."

“Back then, ‘Immortal Swordsman’ Yun Qingxiao roamed the world, and his ‘Six-Line Formless Sword Qi’ ranked third on the sword ranking. In the past twenty years, two more peerless sword techniques have been created, pushing him from third to fifth.”

"But the 'Six Lines Formless Sword Qi' is still an unparalleled skill. Yun Heming may have to learn this sword technique, but it's hard to say how much he can master. It would be better to use his own preferred 'Yunhe Ascending to Immortality Sword Stance'..."

Zhan Zhao nodded: "That makes sense."

Dinghai was pleased to have received the expert's approval. Seeing that the expert was ready, he asked, "Junior Uncle, shall we go to the backyard?"

"Let's go!"

Zhan Zhao picked up his sword, slung his bundle over his shoulder, and followed his older, enthusiastic junior apprentice outside.

As the two walked and talked, a scholar approached and called out from afar, "I have mistakenly entered the backyard. Xiangguo Temple is too big, and I don't know how to get back! Oh dear, my wife is waiting for me outside the temple. I hope the young monk can guide me!"

"Don't be anxious, benefactor!"

Dinghai, unsuspecting, was about to step forward when Zhan Zhao glanced at him and lightly tapped the scabbard with the thumb of his sword.

The sword's edge suddenly appeared an inch.

Almost simultaneously, the scholar took two steps forward, brushing past Dinghai, and his five fingers, hidden in his long sleeves, emerged like eagle claws, reaching out towards Zhan Zhao.

However, before the other party could get close, they felt a gentle breeze, like a north wind sweeping through the branches, and the hair-binding cloth on their heads suddenly broke.

A strand of hair, drifting in the wind, landed before my eyes.

The cool touch of a strand of hair against the tip of his nose caused the scholar to abruptly stop his grabbing motion. He chuckled dryly and said, "I've remembered my way! Farewell!"

After saying that, he lowered his head and quickly left.

Dinghai also possessed martial arts skills, but his experience in the martial world was clearly too shallow. Only after watching the other party's disheveled figure disappear did he realize: "This benefactor just attacked Junior Uncle?"

"The people from the Six Doors are just unwilling to give up."

Zhan Zhao sheathed his sword, a calm smile on his face, thinking to himself, "Such blatant hostility, and he thinks he can evade the Six-Line Sword Qi's lock-on?"

In fact, there was another reason why he chose Yunqi Manor when he first entered the martial arts world, besides the fact that it happened to be his birthday.

It was only after hearing that Yun Heming, the "Great Hero of Jiangnan," had inherited the unique skill left behind by "Immortal Swordsman," one of the four great swordsmen of that time, the Six-Line Formless Sword Qi.

Skillful.

He studied the principles of the I Ching and its hexagrams from a young age, and after seven years of hard work and dedication, the swordsmanship he mastered seemed to be called...

The six lines formless sword energy!

(End of this chapter)