Chapter 2

Xiao Yi lay on his back, watching the moon gradually move overhead. He sat up, stretched, and felt a bit dispirited. It was time to practice the Xuan Yuan Jue.

Xiao Yi is thirteen years old this year. Since he was five, his master had taught him this *Xuan Yuan Jue* in a vague and uncomprehending manner. At the beginning of his practice, his master had warned him to persist and practice diligently. His master also said that this was a tradition of the Xuan Yuan Temple, and only the abbot and his disciples could learn the *Xuan Yuan Jue*. Although he practiced diligently without interruption, he did not find anything extraordinary about this technique. However, Xiao Yi still followed his master's instructions and continued to practice until today.

Eight years, eight years! His master often said, "Persistence is the key to the great path!" Xiao Yi shook his head. The great path might be out of reach, but he had indeed been persistent, and that was something to be proud of!

Every night before going to bed, practicing the Xuan Yuan Jue was a must-do task for him.

Following the breathing techniques taught by his master, Xiao Yi sat quietly for a moment, then placed his hands in front of his abdomen, forming a hand seal, and began to practice the technique.

"… Wood and metal combine, water rises and fire subsides. Gracefully dwelling in the world, one must hold the Yin Fu to the end …"

Xiao Yi silently recited the incantation. The *Xuan Yuan Jue* has over a thousand characters, which he had memorized thoroughly. The incantation was difficult and obscure. When he asked his master, Qingyunzi, he also did not understand it well, and he had been reciting it all his life in a vague manner. According to the tradition, this was the only way to achieve immortality and was a required practice for the disciples of the Xuan Yuan Temple. There was no choice but to continue memorizing it!

For eight years, day after day, year after year, he persisted without giving up. Xiao Yi did not feel any sense of floating or other differences, but he rarely got sick. Although he looked thin and weak, he knew he had the strength to lift two or three hundred pounds with his arms. Among children his age, that was quite a bit of strength!

He wondered if this had anything to do with his meditation! Perhaps it was because he was bathed in medicinal soup by his master when he was young!

From his master, Xiao Yi also learned a set of Xuan Yuan Sword Techniques and some light body training methods. He thought his martial arts were pretty good!

His master also had an old book about talismans. It was full of obscure and difficult incantations and drawings, which served as Xiao Yi's early learning material. Other children learned from books like *Thousand Character Classic* and *Explanations of Chinese Characters*, but poor Xiao Yi had to deal with these cryptic symbols from the moment he learned to read.

When Xiao Yi felt tired, his master would scold him, saying that these were the personal items passed down by the ancestors and the symbols of the abbot. In other words, Qingyunzi already regarded Xiao Yi as the 21st abbot of the Xuan Yuan Temple.

For his master and the future of the Xuan Yuan Temple, Xiao Yi learned all the incantations and drawing methods in the Xuan Yuan talismans and naturally learned to read and write. Under the earnest care of Qingyunzi, he became a little Taoist.

The Xuan Yuan talismans were also a means of livelihood for the master and disciple. Qingyunzi was often invited to draw talismans for exorcism and blessings, and although it was unknown whether they were effective, Xiao Yi believed in their power when he saw his master's calm and confident demeanor while drawing them.

The Xuan Yuan talismans were one of the symbols of the abbot of the Xuan Yuan Temple. The other was a jade pendant that his master never took off, which he had shown Xiao Yi many times, making it clear that it would be his treasure in the future. This seemed to be a kind of encouragement! Every time Qingyunzi showed it to Xiao Yi, it seemed to give both of them infinite hope, a belief in achieving immortality!

Perhaps out of appreciation for his master's painstaking efforts, the sensible Xiao Yi often showed his filial side. Although he did not understand why his master was so persistent, he remembered his master's earnest teachings. However, when he looked at the jade pendant with cloud patterns and the characters "Xuan Yuan," he still had doubts. He was worried that after his master was gone, what would be the meaning of being a solitary abbot?

Perhaps because of the simple life of the master and disciple, the leisurely life on the top of the Immortal Peak, the various things they had seen in the secular world, or because he only had his master as a family member, Xiao Yi's personality was lively yet calm, intelligent yet cunning, with a hint of maturity.

Xiao Yi recited the Xuan Yuan Jue and practiced the technique, but as usual, he felt no change in his body. He looked up at the sky, estimating that it was past the hour of Xu, and then jumped off the ox-shaped rock. Under the moonlight, he moved like a monkey, quietly slipping back to the Xuan Yuan Temple and then tiptoed towards the main hall.

His master was still snoring lightly, with the single-layered robe he was wearing slipping off to the ground. Xiao Yi quietly put the robe back on his master, made a funny face, and turned to walk towards his room. Behind him, Qingyunzi opened his eyes, looked at Xiao Yi's departing figure, and a faint smile appeared on his old face. He closed his eyes again and continued to snore.

The main hall of the Xuan Yuan Temple had three rooms, divided into inner and outer chambers. The outer chamber was in the center, with the statue of the ancestor, and the inner chamber had three rooms for the abbot's living quarters. Currently, the master and disciple were so poor that Qingyunzi could rest anywhere in the main hall when he was drunk. Xiao Yi was already used to this.

Outside the main hall, there was a well-preserved room in the west wing, which was the kitchen. In the east wing, there were two rooms, one of which was Xiao Yi's living quarters.

Xiao Yi returned to his small room and struck a flint to light the oil lamp. The lamp oil was made from the fat of badgers from the back mountain, provided by the hunter Uncle Lu. The wick was made from the wick grass from the back mountain, and the combination made a smokeless and bright lamp. The room was small, with only a wooden bed against the east wall, a bamboo mat, a bamboo pillow, and a thin quilt. Next to the bed was a wooden box, and on the south wall, a sword named Qingyun, given to Xiao Yi by his master, hung prominently. This sword had accompanied Qingyunzi for decades and was used by Xiao Yi for practice. When they went out, the old Taoist looked odd carrying a sword, so Xiao Yi carried it, giving him the appearance of a Taoist child.

Taking off his shoes and outer clothes and throwing them on the wooden box, Xiao Yi lay down. Perhaps he would go down the mountain tomorrow to see if Uncle Lu had any good food. His master's wine was almost gone, and he might go to the Taiping Town, ten miles away, to buy some more. After thinking about it for a while, he became drowsy, pulled the quilt over himself, and fell asleep.

The next day, when the sky was still dim, Xiao Yi was still in his dream when he heard a familiar voice.

"Xiao Yi! It's time to practice the sword!"

"I know, Master!"

Hearing his master's voice, Xiao Yi responded, rubbed his sleepy eyes, and quickly got up. He put on his clothes, took the sword from the wall, and saw that the oil lamp was still flickering. He quickly blew it out and yawned as he walked out of the room.

"You lazy boy, you always wake up late when I call you. Remember, diligence is the foundation of life, and martial arts practice cannot be neglected for even a day."

Xiao Yi came to the courtyard and saw his master standing there, looking refreshed, with his long beard fluttering, exuding a dignified and ethereal aura. However, his master put on a stern face, which did not make Xiao Yi feel afraid but rather more affectionate.

He rubbed his eyes again and smiled, "With Master here, how could I be lazy!"

"Hmph! You're being slick, asking for a beating!" Qingyunzi scolded, but his expression softened.

"Practice the sword techniques!"

"Disciple obeys!"

Xiao Yi immediately straightened up and bowed.

During the teaching, both master and disciple were solemn, showing respect for the tradition of the school.

In the morning light, Xiao Yi removed the scabbard, held the sword in his right hand, and lightly touched the hilt with his left hand, performing the opening gesture to salute his master. Then, the courtyard was filled with the flash of the sword.

Xiao Yi had been practicing this set of sword techniques for seven or eight years. The first three moves of the *Xuan Yuan Sword Techniques* were defensive. The middle five moves were a combination of defense and attack. The last five moves were said to be immortal sword techniques, but no one had ever successfully practiced them.

From the first move "No Wind," to the second move "No Water," the third move "No Peak," the fourth move "White Ape Leaping Over the Stream," the fifth move "Rhinoceros Looking at the Moon," the sixth move "Strange Python Turning Over," the seventh move "Mighty Dragon Entering the Sea," and the eighth move "Milky Way Inverted," Xiao Yi's sword techniques were smooth and continuous. He then proudly sheathed his sword and stepped out of the circle.

Qingyunzi stroked his beard, nodded slightly, and then said in a serious tone, "The *Xuan Yuan Sword Techniques* have thirteen moves, created by the founder of the Xuan Yuan Temple. The sword techniques are powerful and unique, and are not easily passed on. Each move has five to nine variations, and you have practiced these eight moves quite well. However, to truly master the sword, one must achieve the unity of body and sword, sword and spirit, and ultimately, the unity of man and sword. This requires hard work. In martial arts, it is said that it takes a hundred days to master a staff, a thousand days to master a saber, and ten thousand days to master a sword, which makes sense. For our *Xuan Yuan Sword Techniques*, hard work alone is not enough; the incantations are also necessary to complement the techniques. Unfortunately, no one in a thousand years has been able to understand the secrets of the *Xuan Yuan Jue*, making our *Xuan Yuan Sword Techniques* superficial, like a fierce beast without a soul, only a terrifying appearance. My master, your great-grandmaster, seeing the decline of the temple, combined secular martial arts techniques to create an internal cultivation method to enhance the *Xuan Yuan Sword Techniques*. I intended to pass it on to you, but …"

Hearing this, Xiao Yi's proud expression turned to curiosity, "But what, Master?"

Qingyunzi sighed and said, "The *Xuan Yuan Sword Techniques* are a set of immortal sword techniques passed down by the founder, accompanied by the *Xuan Yuan Jue*. It is said that they can control the sword to attack enemies from a thousand miles away. According to the tradition, the last five moves can only be performed with the *Xuan Yuan Jue*. Therefore, not only you, but also the disciples of the Xuan Yuan Temple, including me, can only memorize the sword techniques. Even the internal cultivation method created by your great-grandmaster, Taizhenzi, cannot make them work."

"Master! Are the *Xuan Yuan Sword Techniques* really immortal sword techniques?"

Blinking his eyes, Xiao Yi looked doubtful. It was no wonder he was full of questions. His master had mentioned the origin of the Xuan Yuan Temple and the immortals many times, but he had always thought that immortals were too abstract and did not believe in them. Now, his master was saying that the sword techniques he practiced every day were actually immortal techniques, and the current state of the Xuan Yuan Temple …

As if reading Xiao Yi's thoughts, Qingyunzi continued, "So what if they are immortal sword techniques? Even if you had immortal treasures, could you use them? When the temple was weak, the sword techniques were coveted by martial artists and spread. Without the corresponding techniques, the sword techniques were just a facade and gradually lost their importance. My master, Taizhenzi, spent thirty years creating an internal cultivation method to give the *Xuan Yuan Sword Techniques* a fraction of their power."

Hearing this, Xiao Yi's head drooped in disappointment. What good was a fraction of the power? It couldn't compare to the experts in the martial world!

"Hmph, don't underestimate these sword techniques. Even a fraction of their original power is not to be underestimated by the secular martial world."

Seeing Xiao Yi's distracted look, Qingyunzi's face turned angry, and he scolded in a stern voice.

Master is angry! Xiao Yi quickly handed the sword to his left hand, scratched his head, and smiled, "Master, you are right! Don't worry, I will practice these sword techniques well and achieve one-tenth of their power. No! Master, I will achieve the full power of the sword techniques."

"Brat, I'll be satisfied if you achieve one-tenth of the power."

Qingyunzi's face softened, and he said in a gentle tone, "This is also one of the reasons I haven't taught you other techniques. I only wanted you to practice the *Xuan Yuan Jue* and hoped you would make progress, but after all these years, it seems …"

Seeing his master's disappointed look, Xiao Yi bowed his head and murmured, "It's all because I am not capable. Eight years have passed, and I still haven't made any progress with the *Xuan Yuan Jue*."

After saying this, he walked closer, tugged at his master's sleeve, and looked up at his master's shoulder with a determined expression, "Master, I will always be by your side and will eventually show you that I can master the incantation."

Sigh! Perhaps he was too stubborn. Why impose his lifelong obsession and disappointment on such a young child? Seeing the initial signs of heroism in his disciple's young face, Qingyunzi lovingly patted Xiao Yi's head and smiled gently, "Silly child, I am almost a hundred years old. You are young, how can you stay with me forever?"

"Master will live forever."

"Ha ha ha!"

"A hundred years of life is a matter of fate, and all the troubles of life are just a dream! I have sought the Dao all my life, but unfortunately, I lacked the opportunity. However, I have lived a carefree life, and in my old age, I have Xiao Yi to keep me company. What a joy!"

The carefree and unrestrained laughter echoed in the morning light of the Xuan Yuan Temple.

"Xiao Yi, tidy up and come with me down the mountain. The Wu family in Taiping Town is celebrating the birth of their granddaughter today, and we will go to have a cup of water wine."

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