Chapter 41

(Second update sent ahead, please give recommendations and add to favorites. The first update of tomorrow will be at midnight. It's Monday again, the first Monday of the new year, please give your strong support with recommendations.)

A young Taoist priest, carrying a four-foot-long sword on his back, stood tall and slender with a square face and bright eyes, as if he could see through all evil in the world.

This gaze seemed to penetrate all illusions.

This gaze seemed to purify all evil thoughts in Su Qinen's heart, like two blazing suns, pure and righteous.

However, Su Qinen's heart was open and honest. He had read books and understood righteousness, always feeling that his heart was upright and fearless of ghosts and gods. Now, the young Taoist priest looked at him this way, as if he suspected that there might be evil in his heart. How could he lower his head? His spine was straight, his eyes bright and steady, and he met the young Taoist priest's gaze without yielding.

After ten breaths.

"Interesting, follow me."

The young Taoist priest's gaze softened, and he nodded. He seemed somewhat reserved, not good with words, and his expression was stiff. Without waiting for Su Qinen, he turned and left.

Su Qinen glanced at Qing Yu, noticing a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, a look of helplessness. In front of him stood a stunningly beautiful female Taoist, about twenty years old, carrying a three-foot-seven-inch long sword. She was tall and graceful, with a slender figure, and her eyes were like jade marrow nurtured in autumn water for a thousand years, clear and moist.

Seemingly sensing Qing Yu's disdain, the female Taoist coldly snorted, and a chill instantly swept over ten feet of ground.

Sigh!

Su Qinen was also affected, drawing a sharp breath, feeling as if he had fallen into a cold cellar, half of his body almost frozen stiff.

Chime!

A flash of green sword light vanished, and Su Qinen's mental energy dared not leave his ancestral temple. He sensed a sharp and fierce edge, and he had no doubt that if his mental energy left his body, it would be immediately shredded by this sword edge.

The coldness came and went quickly, the sword light fleeting. When Su Qinen looked again, he hurriedly followed the young Taoist priest's back.

In front of the Qingyang Hall.

Qing Yu was furious, glaring at the stunningly beautiful female Taoist not far away. He was left with only a white inner garment, his outer Taoist robe torn into hundreds of strips.

Looking at the Qingyang Hall, he saw that Ji Yuan Zhenren had disappeared, and Su Qinen had already left with the young Taoist priest, leaving only a vague silhouette. Facing the stunningly beautiful female Taoist alone, Qing Yu suddenly had a foreboding feeling.

...

Su Qinen followed the young Taoist priest's steps, leaving the Qingyang Palace, and walked up the winding mountain path into the dense white mist.

Until later, the mountain path ended, and the young Taoist priest climbed the steep mountain wall, using only his feet to jump, yet very steadily. Even with the slightest protrusion of rock, he could easily use it for leverage, his precise control of force making Su Qinen feel inferior.

However, he also did his best, the first level of the "Mihun Dafa" running to its limit, his mental energy extending outward, his body moving as he wished, only occasionally using his hands for leverage, barely keeping up with the young Taoist priest's pace.

After an incense stick's time.

Passing through the last layer of thin mountain mist, a warm and dazzling green-golden sunlight shone down, and the two had reached the summit.

The green-golden sun was now within reach, and Su Qinen felt a strong sense of life energy.

Clang!

A sword cry, and Su Qinen looked down to see a four-foot-long green iron sword planted in the ground, still humming.

"The I Ching says: 'The superior man restrains evil and promotes good, following the will of heaven and fulfilling his destiny.' I will teach you the 'Xiuming Dao.'"

"Xiuming Dao"!

A first-class sword technique that made the Qingyang Peak famous in the past, unique among the various schools of Wudang, which valued sword techniques. It was said that when mastered to its peak, it was no less powerful than ordinary top-tier martial arts.

"Why me?" Su Qinen asked, looking up.

"The sword chose you, not me," the young Taoist priest said indifferently, his voice dry, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

Su Qinen was taken aback and fell silent, not quite understanding, but soon felt relieved. To inherit a technique like the "Xiuming Dao" was already a great fortune for him.

Throughout the world, how many martial arts sects and families were there, and how many people could inherit a first-class martial art? Even the children of officials in the capital Chang'an could only enter the imperial academy after passing the martial examinations, and even then, first-class martial arts were not immediately available. They had to go through many reviews and evaluations by scholars and professors, and only after passing various tests could they be admitted and taught the best techniques.

For the next half an hour, the young Taoist priest orally transmitted a heart method of over two thousand words to Su Qinen. This was the unique true qi heart method of the "Xiuming Dao," though not as top-tier as the "Qingyang Jing" that guarded the Qingyang Peak, it was still one of the best first-class heart methods.

A profound and extensive true qi heart method, without a name, integrated with the "Xiuming Dao," was memorized by Su Qinen.

Of course, he could not practice this true qi heart method now, needing to wait until the "Guishen Gong" was perfected, successfully laying the foundation, opening the dantian, and cultivating internal true qi.

After Su Qinen memorized the heart method, the young Taoist priest began to demonstrate the sword technique. He drew the four-foot-long sword from his back, the slender blade pointing at the sun. His arm was steady, his gaze straight, and he chopped down firmly and resolutely, despite the blinding sunlight.

His movements were not fast, and he continued to chop at the sun, one after another, until the thirty-sixth chop, when he sheathed the sword and said, "I have only practiced up to the thirty-sixth chop. The 'Xiuming Dao' when fully mastered should have forty-nine chops."

It seemed as if he had just recited a scripture, and his tone gradually became smoother, but his expression remained indifferent, as if it was his nature.

This is the "Xiuming Dao"?

Su Qinen's gaze was somewhat strange. From beginning to end, he saw the young Taoist priest holding the sword and chopping down, which was clearly the basic sword technique he had learned long ago.

In the Han Dynasty, how many martial artists did not know a few basic sword techniques? Even those who practiced fist techniques had to be familiar with the most basic sword and knife moves. These basics were essential for laying the foundation.

"Every half month, I will wait here to test your sword technique."

The young Taoist priest said again, this time turning and descending the peak, disappearing into the thick mountain mist without waiting for Su Qinen.

His mouth twitched slightly, and Su Qinen was speechless. He had seen the young Taoist priest fight Ji Yuan Zhenren, with such fierce sword techniques that even without using true qi, he had no confidence in blocking them.

Testing every half month? Su Qinen suddenly felt the young Taoist priest was unreliable.

"The sages say, to transmit the way, to teach, to resolve doubts, and finally to enlighten the mind and achieve unity of knowledge and action..."

Su Qinen muttered, then fell silent. Complaining was useless; he could only rely on himself.

He pulled the green iron sword from the ground, weighed it in his hand, and was somewhat surprised. Looking closely at the blade, he saw natural cloud and water patterns intertwined. This seemingly unremarkable green iron sword had been folded and forged dozens or even hundreds of times, weighing over a hundred pounds.

He pulled a hair and blew it onto the blade, and it snapped instantly.

"Indeed, this is a hair-cutting sharp blade," Su Qinen said, drawing a breath. "Among all weapons, those that can cut hair, leave no trace, communicate with the spirit, and even have a soul, are the highest. Even the most basic hair-cutting sharp blades require a master craftsman with excellent skills to forge. An ordinary craftsman might not master the secret of forging even after a lifetime of effort."

"Beyond hair-cutting, there are traceless treasures, spirit-communicating divine weapons, and even legendary soul weapons, said to transform into human form and walk the world, punishing evil and promoting good. But I doubt their existence, as spirit-communicating weapons are already rare, and transforming into human form is more like a myth."

Holding the green iron sword, Su Qinen calmed his mind, dispelling all杂念, and soon his heart was as still as water.

Recalling the young Taoist priest's sword technique, his expression, gaze, and footwork, Su Qinen looked up. On the Qingyang Peak, the green-golden light was very blinding, and in just a few breaths, his eyes were filled with halos and illusions.

In an instant, Su Qinen realized that the young Taoist priest's sword technique was not as simple as he had imagined. (Second update sent ahead, please give recommendations and add to favorites. The first update of tomorrow will be at midnight. It's Monday again, the first Monday of the new year, please give your strong support with recommendations.)