With virtue

The old Taoist continued wielding his sword, without any particular technique or amazing routine.

However, the speed increased, and the transitions between various basic sword techniques became more fluid and natural. As the pace shifted from slow to fast, the atmosphere subtly changed.

The sword light changed from slow to fast, and a layer of shimmering white light spread across the ground, expanding outward layer by layer, as if mercury were spreading in the courtyard.

On an autumn night, the Milky Way seemed to pour down, cascading into the Jade Emperor's Sword Pool, filling the entire courtyard with sword light.

The old Taoist priest kept wielding his sword, creating sword wind and sword light, but no sword shadow could be seen. He spun around in circles, as if illuminated by a shadowless lamp, and even the old Taoist priest's own shadow disappeared.

A dazzling sword light, and the shadows vanished.

Even so, his steps only circled around, without taking a single step. It seemed as if sword light was flying everywhere and his figure was spinning around, but upon closer inspection, he never left the small area under his feet.

Looking at the sword tip again, it seems to be writing dragon and phoenix seal script, jade slips and golden books, the profound words of the Three Realms, and red and jade characters in the air.

However, it seemed that something was still missing. The word always collapsed just as it was about to be completed, and the sword light then scattered, turning into starlight all over the courtyard.

Zhao Yunshu seemed to realize that she was dreaming.

This feeling was very clear, without the usual drowsiness of dreaming; it was extremely lucid.

However, he seemed unable to control his body in the dream. He wanted to call out "Master," or at least "Old Man" or "Old Man," but in the dream, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't do anything; he could only watch. The swordsmanship had evolved from simple to complex, from its initial crudeness to its exquisite beauty, yet it hadn't strayed from its previous form. Therefore, each move was so familiar. The sword light flashed, the sword movements were graceful, the footwork was agile, and the sword tassel swayed, outlining countless variations. But none of the variations were unexpected, because if you broke down these routines, they were all the basic movements he had practiced.

However, one move after another, somehow it all changed qualitatively, like drops of water becoming a river, rivers flowing into the sea, and finally an ordinary drop of water becoming a vast ocean.

There were no many new elements, no strange new methods; everything had been handed over to the young Taoist priest over the past twelve years.

It turns out that all those clumsy things that had been taught him to practice repeatedly over the past twelve years were the entirety of this sword technique.

As Zhao Yunshu watched, she felt a moment of sudden realization.

But in that instant, he suddenly felt his feet slip and his whole body lose its support, falling into some unknown darkness.

The sudden fall startled the young Taoist priest awake, and he sat up abruptly in bed.

Looking up, I saw that the sky outside was already showing the faint signs of dawn, so I guessed I must have slept until the next day.

After the young Taoist priest sat up, he was stunned for a moment, and then just sat there in a daze on the bed.

The dream was so vivid that even though he didn't try to comprehend the visualization method as if he were facing a ghost general, in fact... he didn't even consider the old Taoist's visualization method as an object of any kind of 'contemplation'.

But now, his mind is filled with the sword technique from that dream.

His foundation was already solid enough. All he lacked was this one glance.

He sat there blankly for a while before letting out a deep sigh and collapsing back onto the bed.

He crossed his arms, crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and made gurgling sounds in his throat. Then he suddenly stood up and cursed, "Old man, you keep everything a secret. You even try to act like a master in your dreams."

It's so frustrating no matter how I think about it, like I'm just missing that one spark of inspiration!

"Never mind, let's look at something else first to distract ourselves."

He simply stopped thinking about it, took out the yellow book, and looked at another page.

This page belongs to Yuan Zhisheng.

I didn't watch it yesterday, but I'll take a look today to cheer myself up.

In the painting, a white ape is swinging its sword amidst a sea of ​​clouds. It holds the sword with one claw and grips vines with its feet. The mountain wind and rain surround it, and the sea of ​​mist covers half of its body, but its pair of golden eyes are bright and eye-catching.

The brushstrokes are much clearer than when they first appeared.

The painting is also very detailed. Although it is not on the same level as the visualization painting, it is still very realistic.

The first update is on suduɡu.cc, with no typos. If you don't see the ".cc" suffix in the address, you'll be taken to the first update site. The small print next to the image reads:

Yuan Zhisheng

Yuan Zhisheng was a rare white ape from the mountains.

It was originally a wild ape in the mountains. All its kind were black, but it was pure white, without a single other color on its body. Therefore, it did not belong to the group and often wandered around Tiangong Temple. Wu Daozi's painting "Pei Min's Sword Dance" was painted here. The ape watched it day and night. After watching for a long time, it suddenly understood and comprehended the principles of swordsmanship. Afterward, it gained wisdom and suddenly woke up as if from a dream.

Although there were no swords in the mountains, he practiced against the wall day and night with tree branches as his sword, without ceasing in the cold or heat. After more than ten years, he had achieved a minor mastery of swordsmanship, and could summon mountain monkeys and move across the cliffs as if walking on flat ground.

Ten years later, he was seen by the villagers and became a legend. His fame spread, attracting many onlookers and even dignitaries. He was captured by the Wang family of Sichuan and taken into their household. Seeing that his swordsmanship was spiritual and extraordinary, unlike that of an ordinary beast, they treated him as a guest, gave him the surname Yuan, and named him Zhisheng. He studied swordsmanship under the head of the Wang family for three years, mastering all the secrets. He then incorporated his own understanding of the ape-shaped sword style, thus creating his own unique style. His swordsmanship was light, agile, and ever-changing. His movements were like a startled ape leaping across a ravine, and his retreats were like a lazy monkey returning to the mountain. He drew his momentum from the mountains and forests and transformed his form into the wind and clouds. Ordinary swordsmen, even if they practiced swordsmanship for a lifetime, could not even come close to his level.

He was arrogant and fond of cleanliness, and disliked talking to vulgar people. However, he was deeply grateful and valued his promises. He would do his best to fulfill any entrustment. He was especially skilled in swordsmanship and the art of lightness. In addition to swordsmanship, he was also proficient in obtaining medicine. He always carried several pills with him. These pills were made by him in the form of an ape, gathering herbs in famous mountains, and using the name of the Wang family to ask famous scholars to refine them. They were priceless and could not be exchanged for gold or jade.

It has three abilities.

The first is "swordsmanship". Its swordsmanship is based on the ape form and incorporates the spirit of Pei Min's sword dance. Therefore, it is light and unpredictable, appearing and disappearing like flying. Like an ape throwing stones, it can throw a sword to take people out from a hundred paces away. The sword is like a shooting star. If it hits, it will immediately return. It is also good at leaping and has excellent body movements. It is a natural advantage. It can use the vines of the mountains and forests and the pine branches of the cliffs to fly up and down. If it is in the mountains and forests, its swordsmanship will be three times more powerful.

The second is "The Wise Ape's Eyes". Yuan Zhisheng was well-versed in pharmacology and could enter the mountains to collect herbs in the form of an ape. He could know the nature of the herbs by sight and the age of the herbs by smell. He collected herbs in the deep mountains with greater efficiency than thousands of people. He once collected herbs in various places and entrusted them to a master, who made two pills.

The third is the "Wisdom Sword View". The method of observation is that he gained spiritual insight by observing Pei Min's sword dance picture. He can observe sword techniques in his mind. He can practice swordsmanship in his mind with his eyes closed, and he can predict the enemy's sword path in advance with his eyes open, as if he can foresee the future. Therefore, he never rests and practices swordsmanship for nine hours a day.

After reading Yuan Zhisheng's work, he closed the book and pondered for a moment. Sure enough, this ape was indeed formidable; besides its swordsmanship, it also possessed the ability to gather herbs.

The elixir he consumed before was made by collecting a bunch of good herbs and having someone refine it. It really is a money tree! No wonder it seems to have plenty of money. With this ability, it's guaranteed to be rich.

After reading the page about the white ape, Zhao Yunshu sighed.

It's such a pity... that Taoist Anhe died while still alive, so he couldn't be recorded in the Yellow Book. Even if he were killed, we still wouldn't know his background or origins.

However, upon reflection, I realized that the other party's physical body had already been destroyed by me, and the next time we met, it would surely become a ghost.

If we kill him again then, we might be able to identify his background using the yellow book.

After reading all this, Zhao Yunshu got up again.

Take out the paper and pen I picked up yesterday.

He tentatively used the pen and paper to draw a Yellow God amulet.

Wow! It's so smooth and easy to use. These expensive things are definitely worth it. If you can't afford them, that's your problem.

After finishing drawing a protective talisman, the young Taoist priest stood up. Having done so many chores, he had finally calmed down.

As dawn broke outside the window, the faint sounds of roosters crowing from Dingzhou City could be heard in the distance. Although I had slept well and felt much better, my stomach was rumbling.

He went out of the room to get something to eat. His dry rations had all been soaked in water, and so had his paper, pens, cinnabar, and other supplies. Luckily, he had some new food to replenish his supplies.

So I need to go buy some food.

However, when I got up and went out of the room, I saw several fried dough sticks, a bowl of meat porridge, and a bowl of herbal soup on the table in the hall outside. It seemed that honey had been added to them, and I could smell a sweet aroma.

They're all still hot.

Zhao Yunshu knew that someone must have come, but it didn't matter.

He went straight up and started eating.

I'm going to eat, eat, eat, eat!

The young Taoist priest gulped down the meat porridge in two bites at a time, then ate the herbal soup with fried dough sticks. Although the taste was a bit strange, he was indeed extremely hungry and ate it all up.

However, the meat porridge and fried dough were both high in calories and easy to absorb. The soup was probably made with herbs that replenish qi and blood. After eating it, my stomach felt warm and my qi and blood improved. My face also became rosy and had a healthy glow.

After eating hot food, and with the lingering effects of the elixir, I felt my energy return.

Since that was the case, he stood up and stood in the open space of the room. He didn't rush to practice his swordplay, but instead closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. The image of the old Taoist priest dancing with a sword from his dream reappeared before his eyes.

Although I did many miscellaneous tasks to distract myself, the impression was actually more profound after I finished eating, reading, drawing talismans, and doing everything else.

That sword technique...

I can't forget it; it's etched into my very bones.

Has he been practicing for twelve years without anyone noticing?

Although I had no conscious effort to fully grasp the concepts, looking back now, it seems I've practiced them quite thoroughly.

So he followed his instincts and started to try it.

Now, my mind is finally calmer.

Yes, all those things I just did were actually just to calm my mind, just for the present moment.

The young Taoist priest wasn't the type to meditate and calm his mind. To calm down, he always needed to do something or eat something. The more focused he was, the more agitated he became. Only by distracting himself could he truly calm down.

At that moment, he felt that he was in the right state.

He began to wield his sword. Logically speaking, since he hadn't carefully used the visualization method to contemplate the image and absorb its meaning, he shouldn't have known the information within it.

But at this moment, none of those things matter anymore.

He drew his sword from its sheath and gently pushed it forward, using the same starting stance he knew best.

Rapier.

Then comes the sword strike, the sword parry, the sword flick, the sword tap, and the wrist flourish.

These are all the most basic formulas.

When he practiced at this moment, it was no different from his usual practice. In fact, the young Taoist did not deliberately recall the sword moves in his dream. He simply danced naturally, relying on the movements that his body had memorized over the past twelve years of sword practice.

It's still the same basic sword technique, but the way I use it today is completely different from before.

Before, when I practiced these moves, I didn't feel anything special, but today, it's as if there's an invisible line between my body and the sword.

Then, this thread not only connects to oneself, but also to the external environment.

The body is one end of the thread, passing through the sword and then connecting to the outside world.

The external world is like this thread; when the outside world moves, it's as if this thread is gently pulled, and the body naturally moves. Without any extra movements, it connects the thousands of movements practiced over twelve years into a unified whole. This room is only a small space, yet it is filled with furnishings. However, guided by this thread, a set of sword dances is performed smoothly and effortlessly, without any sense of unease, and without touching anything.

Yes, everything is natural, just like water. Whether in the past or present, it always flows the same way because there is a rule here. The sword also follows this rule. Just as water has its path, the sword naturally develops its own path.

Although things have changed over time, the underlying principles remain the same.

Like an axle moving its hub, the Dao gives birth to all things.

The principles of Yin and Yang are manifested in the four seasons.

They are divided into five elements, each in its proper place.

Yin and Yang are in perfect harmony, and all things follow their constant course.

Ultimately, it all comes down to inaction.

The sword light danced and moved around the room, constantly waving, leaping, and soaring, leaving no shadows around it; it seemed as if all the shadows of things had vanished.

Yet it never touches anything, like air.

The Way is within it, yet no one knows its location.

Even the withered branches and fallen leaves in the corner, and even the potted plants that were still alive, were not touched by the sword wind and remained completely unmoved. Because it was so natural, it seemed that it could continue to spread even without intervention, not fast, but continuous, with one sword strike not ending before the next one was already underway.

Life is endless and continuous.

After completing the entire sword routine, he slowly sheathed his sword, his aura calm and even his forehead was free of sweat.

Practicing this sword technique doesn't even require much physical exertion, because everything is done in a 'natural' state with minimal effort.

Breaking nature requires extra effort, while following nature naturally saves effort.

There were no special postures for exerting force; everything was just in the most natural state of the body.

Many sword techniques or martial arts, in pursuit of power, demand unusual methods of exertion and require training different muscle groups, but this sword technique seems to be completely different.

The muscles it uses are actually the same muscles needed for daily walking, sitting, and lying down.

Zhao Yunshu stopped, stood with his sword in hand, and remained silent for a long while before gently exhaling a long breath.

He still couldn't quite explain what made this sword technique so remarkable, but... it was his master's sword technique.

That's settled then.

However, at that moment, applause rang out from outside. "Excellent swordsmanship, no wonder Anhe fell into your hands." A voice came from outside.

Zhao Yunshu thought to himself, "An He's defeat has absolutely nothing to do with this swordsmanship."

It didn't matter anyway; he wasn't going to explain. He just looked at the newcomer.

The newcomer was a martial artist dressed in black, who appeared to be around forty years old. He was wiry and strong, with broad shoulders and a straight back.

Zhao Yunshu cupped his hands in greeting to the man: "You flatter me. May I ask who you are, sir?"

"My surname is Zhou, and my given name is Yi. I work as a guard for the Wang family. My young master sent me to check on the Taoist priest. He said that if the Taoist priest wakes up, please come with me." The black-clad martial artist spoke in a calm and concise voice, his words as simple and straightforward as the state he was in, making him seem like a person who was consistent inside and out.

Zhao Yunshu sheathed his sword, casually hanging it at his waist, and cupped his hands, saying, "Then I thank Mr. Zhou for preparing the food for me. By the way, where is Young Master Wang now? And what brings you here?"

Zhou Yi didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Young Master knows about what happened yesterday, so he made some preparations at the inn where the pipa player was. He said he had a few things to discuss with the Taoist priest. As for what they are, I'm just a guide, so I don't know. When we get there, Young Master will tell you in detail."

He spoke frankly and calmly, as if he were not faking it.

Zhao Yunshu thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Then I'll trouble Mr. Zhou to lead the way."

As you walk along, you'll see a two-story wooden building ahead, with a wine flag hanging on top.

It was still Liu Qimei's inn. The young Taoist priest suddenly felt like laughing.

This young master Wang never seems to know how to pick a different place. Last time he had a mutton feast here, and this time he's drinking here again. It's as if this is the only place in Dingzhou City that can satisfy his palate.

Just then, he saw someone lean out of the upstairs window, waving at him. The voice was familiar: "Little Taoist! Over here, come up quickly!"

Zhao Yunshu looked up and saw that it was indeed Young Master Wang, who had changed his clothes and looked like a wealthy and leisurely man.