Chapter 12

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After the Start of Winter, the weather turned cold very quickly, especially in deep mountains like Wudang. Although it wasn't cold enough to freeze one's breath, it was still enough to make ordinary people shiver.

The bamboo pavilion of the Taoist monk Jingdu was very elegant, even featuring carvings of the Great Emperor of Taoism on the bamboo, accompanied by a dragon and a tortoise, with intricate details that were breathtaking.

"Indeed, one cannot judge a person by their appearance. Jingdu looks rough, but he is a refined person with a wealth of knowledge."

Sū Qignian thought this, confirming his previous guess, and unknowingly arrived at the steps.

The lights in the bamboo pavilion had not yet been extinguished, and a long-burning lamp, fueled by incense oil used in rituals and mixed with hundreds-of-years-old agarwood powder, stood at the door. The faint scent of agarwood could calm the mind.

Sū Qignian's heart was tense, and his not yet fully recovered spiritual energy enveloped the area around him, not missing a single breeze or rustle of grass.

Creak!

At this moment, the bamboo door opened, and a servant Taoist monk walked out, holding a gourd filled with incense oil to refill the long-burning lamp at the door.

"It's you!"

The servant Taoist monk, who was in his thirties and had a short beard, looked at Sū Qignian and said, "You've come to deliver the herbs? Hmm? It's full!"

Noticing the basket of herbs in front of Sū Qignian, the servant Taoist monk was initially slightly surprised, then showed a few odd expressions and said, "Follow me."

Carrying the basket of herbs into the bamboo pavilion, Sū Qignian saw piles of herbs stacked like small mountains in the corner, all neatly categorized without any mixing.

In addition, there were several large bookshelves, filled with classics of Confucianism, history, philosophy, and literature, with various editions. There were very few Taoist or Buddhist scriptures. Taoist monk Jingdu stood in front of the bookshelves, flipping through a wooden-block-printed copy of the "Book of Rites."

Sū Qignian's nostrils twitched, and he saw a large pot on a nearby rack, simmering over a stove. The rich aroma emanating from the pot was familiar—it was the scent of demon tiger meat.

The servant Taoist monk began to sort through the herbs in Sū Qignian's basket, occasionally showing a look of surprise. Many of the herbs Sū Qignian had collected were over ten years old, surpassing those collected by many who had been in Xiaoyao Valley for years.

However, he didn't say much. Before reaching the Foundation Establishment stage and becoming a Wudang outer court disciple, no Wudang person could interact with those in Xiaoyao Valley, except for the overseers.

Wudang knew that even condemned prisoners had various connections and potential influences. To avoid entanglements with the political world, Wudang had abolished several servant Taoist monks who had colluded with prisoners in Xiaoyao Valley. Therefore, the current generation of servant Taoist monks dared not overstep their bounds.

Taoist monk Jingdu seemed to ignore Sū Qignian's presence, and the servant Taoist monk quickly finished sorting the herbs. He then took a large bowl of simmering, well-cooked demon tiger meat from beside the pot, the broth white and fragrant, enough to match two previous meals.

"Thank you."

Taking the earthen bowl, Sū Qignian turned to leave.

"Sū Qignian."

Taoist monk Jingdu, who had been engrossed in his book, finally turned around. The servant Taoist monk's eyes flashed, then quickly returned to normal, giving Jingdu a meaningful look but saying nothing.

"Greetings, Overseer."

Sū Qignian bowed, appearing relaxed but with his spiritual energy at its peak, ready to use the Soul Seizing Technique at any moment.

"You come from a family of scholars, and I assume you have read the Four Books and Five Classics. How much do you understand?"

Taoist monk Jingdu's words not only stunned Sū Qignian but also the servant Taoist monk, who had been clenching his fists in his sleeves, now relaxed them.

"I have read the Four Books and Five Classics since childhood. While I may not have fully grasped them, I believe I understand a third of their meanings."

After a moment of surprise, Sū Qignian relaxed slightly and answered respectfully, though he didn't understand Taoist monk Jingdu's intentions.

"Good." Taoist monk Jingdu nodded, then raised the "Book of Rites" in his hand. "I have been reading the 'Book of Rites' recently, pondering the true meaning of Confucianism. Tell me, what are the Eight Aims?"

Without hesitation, Sū Qignian replied, "Investigating things, acquiring knowledge, sincerity, rectifying the mind, cultivating oneself, regulating the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world."

"What are the Six Steps?"

"Stopping, settling, calming, stabilizing, contemplating, and attaining."

"In the 'Great Learning,' it says that the way of the Great Learning lies in illuminating virtue, in loving the people, and in reaching the highest good. How should scholars illuminate virtue, love the people, and achieve the highest good?"

Sū Qignian was somewhat surprised. Taoist monk Jingdu was clearly not a novice in the 'Book of Rites' and had a deep understanding of it. However, he didn't hesitate, thinking for a moment before answering, "To illuminate virtue, we scholars must have a clear heart. Only by renewing ourselves can we truly love the people. A ruler should be benevolent, a minister respectful, a son filial, a father kind, and a person should be trustworthy in their dealings with others, to reach the highest good."

"Not bad, not bad."

Taoist monk Jingdu raised an eyebrow, his eyes bright, then glanced at the piles of herbs in the corner. "You have collected a significant amount of winter lotus roots over ten years old, equivalent to the harvest of two ordinary people. Therefore, if you have any questions about martial arts practice, you can come here for guidance before the third watch of the morning."

"Thank you, Overseer!"

Sū Qignian was taken aback and quickly bowed in gratitude. Having someone guide him was a completely different situation from being on his own. Even in the capital Chang'an, noble families had dedicated martial arts instructors to guide their children after they reached a certain age.

Even with his developed spiritual energy and keen insight, Sū Qignian believed that with guidance from a master like Taoist monk Jingdu, who had cultivated internal true qi, he would understand the fourth level of the "Turtle and Snake Technique" much faster.

"Go."

Waving his hand, Taoist monk Jingdu turned back to the bookshelf, placing the "Book of Rites" back and picking up a wooden-block-printed copy of the "I Ching" to read.

...

Back in his thatched hut, Sū Qignian put down the empty basket and took out the earthen bowl filled with demon tiger meat and broth. His stomach rumbled, urging him to eat and replenish his blood and qi to recover his spent spiritual energy.

Sū Qignian picked up the earthen bowl, then gently put it down, his eyes narrowing. "Something's not right, it's too strange! Why would Taoist monk Jingdu test my knowledge for no reason? If the quality of the herbs exceeded the standard, he could have simply rewarded me. Why did he point it out in detail? What's wrong?"

In his spiritual palace, his spiritual energy circulated as Sū Qignian carefully recalled every detail of his time in the bamboo pavilion.

"Questioning me about the 'Book of Rites,' why did he specifically ask about the Eight Aims, which seem simple but have been interpreted differently throughout history? Usually, it's said that a gentleman should investigate things, acquire knowledge, be sincere, rectify the mind, cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world, being consistent inside and out, not deceiving oneself, and being sincere in heart... Wait! Sincerity!"

Suddenly, Sū Qignian's eyes sharpened. "The 'Great Learning' in the 'Book of Rites' says, 'To be sincere in one's intentions means not to deceive oneself. As one hates a bad smell, as one loves a beautiful color, this is called self-humility. Therefore, a gentleman must be cautious when alone.'"

"The Eight Aims, a gentleman must be cautious when alone!"

This was what Taoist monk Jingdu truly wanted to tell him!

Looking at the bowl of demon tiger meat and broth on the table, Sū Qignian's gaze became extremely serious. "Why must a gentleman be cautious when alone? The 'Great Learning' explains that a small person, when alone, does evil without restraint; when they see a gentleman, they hide their evil and pretend to be good. People see through one's true nature as clearly as seeing their liver and lungs, so a gentleman must be cautious when alone."

"It's him!"

Sū Qignian's muscles tensed, and his face showed anger. Recalling the subtle details, he became even more certain.

Picking up the earthen bowl again, Sū Qignian brought it to his nose and sniffed lightly. His spiritual energy enveloped the bowl, and after a few breaths, he indeed detected a faint, almost imperceptible odor.

"Even Wudang's Xiaoyao Valley has been infiltrated, making the servant Taoist monk take such a risk. What a vast web, what a grand scheme! They want to cut the roots?"

Sū Qignian's body exuded a killing aura, his eyes becoming more piercing than ever. However, he quickly regained his composure and coldly smiled. "Since that's the case, I'll let you have your way. Let's see who will end up losing everything in this game of chess." (Please give daily recommendations and support by adding to your collection! Thank you for your support. Regarding questions in the book review section, I will read them, but I may not have time to answer all of them, as the beginning of a new book is the hardest to write. Of course, some questions will be answered naturally as you continue reading.)