Chapter 4: Shadows in the Heart Make It Difficult to Attain Calmness

On the surface, Qin Zhiyong appears to be focused, but in reality, his mind is filled with many distractions

Moreover, given that the situation has come to this point, what is the use of complaining? It would be better to work harder, cultivate oneself, and explore knowledge

"The moon is so round and bright tonight," Qin Zhiyong said softly. "I wonder how Mom and Dad are doing? Fortunately, there is an older brother at home. Even if I am not by their side, there will be an older brother to take care of them in their old age."

The more one stands still and fixes the body, the more distracting thoughts arise. When the body and mind cannot achieve harmony, only through personal experience can one truly understand the pain involved

With a jade-inlaid gold head raised, she fixed her gaze on Qin Zhiyong's eyes and said, "If no one intends to harm me, I certainly would not take the initiative to kill."

Qin Zhiyong lay on the bed, gazing absentmindedly at the round moon outside the window

Jin Xiangyu once again grabbed a piece of meat and put it into his mouth

Whenever Qin Zhiyong saw meat, he would think of human flesh. Even when he was helping Diao Buyu to cut meat, scenes of the golden-inlaid jade murder would involuntarily flash through his mind

Yet his heart cannot find peace

Stepping out of the guest room, Qin Zhiyong climbed up to the rooftop via the ladder. He saw Jin Xiangyu sitting alone on the roof, with a wine jar and wine bowl beside him, as well as a large plate of meat.

Qin Zhiyong understood what Jin Xiangyu regretted; it was nothing more than the belief that he was getting old and would no longer achieve anything in martial arts. However, Qin Zhiyong did not complain or feel regret. He believed that as long as his mind could reach a state of meditation and achieve a unity of body and mind, the situation would surely improve

Qin Zhiyong was previously puzzled about where the supplies in the inn came from. Now he finally understands. It turns out they were provided by this Lord Qian, which makes sense.

"Qin Zhiyong, come up to the rooftop and drink with me," the voice of the landlady echoed in Qin Zhiyong's ears

Qin Zhiyong inquired: "When you practice internal martial arts and meditate, how do you enter a state of stillness? When I lie in bed or stand in a horse stance, as long as my body is still, my mind is constantly filled with distracting thoughts. My heart cannot settle down at all. Without a settled heart, it is impossible to achieve a unity of body and mind, and the effectiveness of my martial arts practice is minimal."

Standing in a horse stance, feeling restless during sleep meditation

Qin Zhiyong harbored no malicious thoughts; compared to those in the martial world who would draw their swords for a mere trifling benefit, he was a hundred times stronger.

Qin Zhiyong took a sip of wine, his brows slightly furrowing; the taste of the wine was indeed unpleasant, too spicy.

To subdue the heart and calm the restless mind is no easy task

It remains the same when boxing

In the matter of self-cultivation and inner peace, gold inlaid with jade cannot assist Qin Zhiyong; he can only rely on himself

Qin Zhiyong sat down beside her

Qin Zhiyong remarked: "One's own heart is still not sufficiently upright. When the heart harbors resentment, it cannot be just; when there is fear, it cannot be just; when there is a desire for pleasure, it cannot be just; when there are worries and troubles, it cannot be just. The lord Qian Zong can take my life at any moment; under such circumstances, it is utterly impossible to maintain a demeanor that is neither servile nor arrogant."

Jin Xiangyu poured a bowl of wine for Qin Zhiyong

Various strange thoughts keep emerging in his mind, completely beyond the control of Qin Zhiyong

Qin Zhiyong nodded in agreement with Jin Xiangyu's words

Qin Zhiyong stood up and said, "Madam Boss, it is late at night. I should return to my room to rest"

Jin Xiangyu smiled and said, "What kind of man doesn't drink? The shopkeeper and Diao Buyu are both heavy drinkers, they cannot be happy without wine. Come, let us eat and chat at the same time"

However, Qin Zhiyong did not find his words amusing at all. Because what he said was the truth from his heart

Lord Qian said to Jin Xiangyu: "I have brought you some supplies. Enough for the inn for a month. Let your staff bring them in."

Qin Zhiyong gritted his teeth and said with a glare.

Jin Xiangyu guessed Qin Zhiyong's thoughts and said: "I began practicing martial arts at the age of 7, developed internal strength by 13, and killed for the first time at 16. At that time, I was just like you, vomiting for several days and feeling nauseous at the sight of flesh. Later, as I killed more, I gradually became accustomed to it. Now, if you were to send me to a graveyard for a good sleep, I could sleep soundly. No one is born with a liking for killing. It is this damned world that forces us into it. When faced with villains, one can only strike hard; otherwise, it would be me, Jin Xiangyu, who ends up dead. To survive in the martial world, one must be ruthless and cannot afford the slightest mercy. Even the best of friends must be treated with caution."

Jin Xiangyu said happily: "Shopkeeper, Diao Buyu, you all hurry up and bring the goods in."

Qin Zhiyong nodded, then turned and descended from the rooftop

The taste is quite good

Qin Zhiyong grabbed a few pieces of meat and put them into his mouth

After conversing with Jin Xiangyu for over an hour, I finished the meat on my plate and drank the last bit of wine from my bowl

Jin Xiangyu continued, "I have never entered a state of meditation. I believe that in the martial world, there are very few who can truly achieve meditation. To enter meditation... even those eminent monks and scholars might find it difficult. As for us ordinary people, it is even more out of the question"

Qin Zhiyong said: "Madam Boss... in the future... could you please refrain from killing? Even without the sanctions of the imperial law, if one kills too many people, one will eventually become a devil oneself"

Jin Xiangyu said: "Today is the fifteenth, the night is so beautiful, wouldn't it be a pity to go to bed early? Come, drink with me."

For the sake of profit, for the sake of women, for the sake of power, the act of friends and relatives stabbing each other in the back is not uncommon for Jin Xiangyu. It is almost impossible for her to unconditionally trust anyone.

Qin Zhiyong does not seem like a martial artist, and Lord Qian did not take him seriously. Upon encountering a stranger, Lord Qian merely asked a casual question.

Qin Zhiyong had just swallowed the meat, his face flushed red, and he nearly vomited it back up

Any normal person would prefer to associate with Qin Zhiyong rather than befriending those murderous thugs

Since arriving at the Dragon Gate Inn, Qin Zhiyong has not eaten meat.

Jin Xiangyu said: "Go ahead. Talking with you makes me feel much better. Qin Zhiyong, thank you"

He has always been restraining himself

Lord Qian not only possesses power but is also a master of martial arts. Qin Zhiyong aspires to maintain a calm demeanor in his presence, neither servile nor arrogant, but he is still far from achieving this.

In the realm of chivalry, a single disagreement can lead to drawing swords, resulting in bloodshed within five paces. While this may appear to be bold and spirited, it is, in essence, merely the reckless behavior of murderous thugs

Every beginning is difficult. Everything has its first time

Night

The characters created by ancient people and the words formed from them all carry profound meanings. A careful appreciation reveals their vast depth and complexity

Although I do not agree with Qin Zhiyong's ideas, Jin Xiangyu is very fond of people like Qin Zhiyong

Jin Xiangyu laughed heartily upon seeing Qin Zhiyong's embarrassed expression: "Of course it tastes good. That kid Diao Buyu's culinary skills are the best in our inn. Rest assured, it's not human flesh. Although I run an illicit establishment, I still couldn't bring myself to eat human flesh myself."

He said: "No matter what kind of world we live in, we should always have hope in our hearts. The presence of evil people can be infuriating, but I believe that there are certainly more good people in the world than bad ones. If we live our entire lives in worry and fear, constantly fearing that someone will harm us, then it would be better to be dead, as it is too painful."

Jin Xiangyu patted Qin Zhiyong's shoulder and said: "My young master Qin, you truly are a person who studies the teachings of the sages. You should go take the imperial examination, become a top scholar, marry a beautiful young lady, and live a good life. The world of rivers and lakes is not suitable for you. If you have such thoughts and venture into the world, I fear you may end up as a corpse in the wilderness."

A glint of cunning flashed in the jade-inlaid eyes as he said, "How does human flesh taste? Is it not much more delicious than lamb?"

Qin Zhiyong said: "Madam Boss, I have a question I would like to ask."

Qin Zhiyong's psychological quality is still inadequate

Sleeping and eating are the two most important things in life

There are no chopsticks. Qin Zhiyong, learning from Jin Xiangyu, directly used his hands to grab the meat. He placed a piece of meat into his mouth and held his breath as he began to chew.

Qin Zhiyong took a deep breath and said: "Alright. I will eat."

Tomorrow morning, I still need to wake up early to study, practice, and work

It turns out today is the fifteenth

As long as one overcomes psychological barriers, consuming meat is not an issue

Upon hearing Qin Zhiyong's words, Jin Xiangyu was taken aback, and then burst into hearty laughter, even laughing to the point of tears

Meat has already become a psychological shadow for Qin Zhiyong. Even though he knows very well that what is on the plate is not human flesh

The mind is restless and the heart is unsettled

You speak

After Lord Qian left, Qin Zhiyong felt a sense of relief.

Jade inlaid with gold picked up a piece of meat and threw it into his mouth: "Eating meat, of course. How can one just drink wine without eating meat?"

Qin Zhiyong has read the Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism, and his mindset has undergone some changes

In the days that followed, Qin Zhiyong practiced martial arts with even greater diligence

Intention is like a raging monkey, like a runaway wild horse

After washing up, just as Qin Zhiyong lay down on the bed, he heard the melodious singing of Jin Xiangyu

She said, "Are you really planning to never eat meat for the rest of your life and only eat vegetables?"

By accomplishing these two tasks, one can live a long life free from illness and disaster, easily reaching the age of one hundred. Qin Zhiyong closed his eyes, intending to sleep

Qin Zhiyong took the wine bowl and said, "Madam Boss, I do not drink alcohol"

Jin Xiangyu nodded and said: "That's right, meat is still necessary. If you are practicing martial arts and only eat vegetarian food, your body will not be able to withstand it"

Jin Xiangyu looked at Qin Zhiyong in surprise and said, "No wonder you are a scholar. With knowledge, you are indeed different. Without a master to teach you martial arts, relying on the boxing manual and basic internal skills, you can understand the principle of the unity of body and mind. Truly remarkable. A person like you is an extraordinary talent in martial arts with astonishing insight in the Jianghu. What a pity, what a pity."

There are no channels for sourcing goods. It is simply impossible to open a store in the desert Gobi, even if there is a water source nearby

No wonder the moon is so round and so bright

Qin Zhiyong was taken aback, and the little sleepiness he had just felt was instantly driven away, causing his thoughts to become clear.

Qin Zhiyong followed the innkeeper and Diao Buyu out of the inn to move things

In the dead of night, Jin Xiangyu sang alone on the rooftop. It is evident that she is also a person with a story.