Chapter Nine, the lingering spirits by the shores of Daming Lake
Thinking of this, You Fang settled his mind and quietly said, "Farewell, old senior!" He slowed his pace to begin appreciating the scenery of the lake and mountains. Although both are lakes with lotus flowers, the landscape of Daming Lake is naturally incomparable to the small Lotus Pool Park in Cangzhou. The willows on the shore provide shade, with pavilions scattered throughout, while light boats drift on the lake, occasionally accompanied by flying waterfowl. The distant mountains cast reflections that shift between fragmented and cohesive. A gentle breeze sweeps across the sunlit water surface, bringing a refreshing warmth, making it impossible for any haunting to occur at this moment and place.
Daming Lake, along with Baotu Spring and Qianfo Mountain, is renowned as the three major scenic spots of Jinan. It is a famous tourist attraction, and Jinan is known as the City of Springs. This lake is formed by the convergence of numerous spring outlets, covering an area of nearly 700 acres. Surrounded by weeping willows and three sides of green mountains, the lake's azure waves ripple with layers of lotus leaves. Despite years of severe drought, it remains unflooded, and no traces of snakes can be found around the lake. The chorus of frogs is absent in the lake, making it a unique and beautiful feng shui treasure in the city of Jinan.
That night, Youfang had a sound sleep without any nightmares. The next morning, at dawn, he packed his belongings and left Cangzhou, taking a tourist bus. This was a two-day tour to "Spring City Jinan" organized by a local travel agency, and Youfang had joined it at the last minute, with the departure point located near the Cangzhou Hotel.
In addition, there was another sound, resembling weeping and lamentation, both soft and sobbing, precisely the song sung by the strange woman in the dream just now. At this moment, Youfang was very clear-headed, able to distinguish between the internal and external differences; the distinction between being disturbed by the magical realm and being submerged in it lay here. This sound seemed to come from within the room, or more accurately, from the backpack in the wardrobe, which contained an ancient sword stored in a wooden box.
The sound carried on the wind, and Youfang couldn't help but chuckle. At that moment, he heard someone beside him say lightly, "Is it really that funny? How could I, an old man with books, not find it amusing?"
It is indeed strange that the meaning of the words written on paper is not entirely clear, yet through the method of silent recitation taught by the eccentric old man Liu Li, it becomes naturally comprehensible after repeated chanting. This passage is quite straightforward; it is normal for Youfang, having read numerous ancient texts on feng shui, to understand it. Although he does not vocalize, he recites it clearly in his mind, with the syllables flowing smoothly and naturally, resonating with a powerful rhythm akin to the echo of rolling thunder.
Upon hearing this sound, Youfang's legs went weak; had it not been for the railing, he would have nearly fallen headlong into the lake. He turned to take a glance, and indeed, it was that persistent old man Liu Li, who had somehow already taken his place in the small Canglang Pavilion.
The traveler, indifferent to notions of good and bad, began to silently recite the scriptures as the illusion unfolded: "When the practitioner becomes aware of the demonic occurrences, they should immediately dispel them. There are two methods of dispelling: the first is to cultivate stillness to dispel them. When one perceives all external demonic realms, they should recognize them as illusory, remaining neither anxious nor fearful, neither grasping nor rejecting, avoiding false distinctions, and calming the mind in tranquility; they will naturally cease. The second is to cultivate insight to dispel them. If one sees the various demonic realms as described above, they should not depart from stillness but should instead turn their gaze back to the mind that perceives, not focusing on the location of the disturbance, and questioning what it is that causes distress. In this manner of observation, they will soon cease... When one perceives all external demonic realms, they should recognize them as illusory, remaining neither anxious nor fearful, neither grasping nor rejecting, avoiding false distinctions, and calming the mind in tranquility; they will naturally cease. The second is to cultivate insight to dispel them. If one sees the various demonic realms as described above, they should not depart from stillness but should instead turn their gaze back to the mind that perceives, not focusing on the location of the disturbance, and questioning what it is that causes distress. In this manner of observation, they will soon cease..."
The person in the mirror would not answer, and Youfang continued to speak to himself: "What is there to be afraid of? People have already been killed, why worry about nightmares? ... ... Where are your feet?" How ridiculous that I would ask such a thing!" Thinking of this, the person in the mirror revealed a smile, and Youfang's mood lightened considerably as he dried his face and returned to the room
You Fang got off the bus but did not go to the restroom. Looking around, he noticed that no one was paying attention to him, so he quietly slipped away from the tour group. He hailed a taxi on the road near a library and left. In Jinan, he casually pointed to a place for the driver to stop. There were several bus stop signs along the roadside, and many people were waiting for their buses. You Fang stood among them, appearing completely unconcerned.
He decided to no longer evade and once again confront the so-called injuries of the primordial spirit and the deep-seated fears within his heart. This time, instead of sitting cross-legged on the bed, he focused his mind and practiced breathing while pacing back and forth in the room. The method of concentrating the mind and entering a meditative state does not necessarily require sitting; deep practice can be achieved through walking, sitting, or lying down. The internal cultivation of the mind can indeed be practiced through standing postures, and standing postures do not imply complete stillness. For instance, at this moment, Youfang is practicing stepping while standing.
The journey of Youfang is quite similar to that of Emperor Qianlong in the past. Departing from Beijing and heading south, he tasted the roasted donkey meat in Cangzhou, and at this moment, he has slipped to the shores of Daming Lake. Of course, he did not see Xia Yuhua; he only beheld a lake of azure water and blooming lotus flowers. It was a sunny day, with light clouds in the high sky, the sunlight bright yet not glaring. The park at Daming Lake was bustling with many visitors, coming and going in a lively manner
At this moment, Youfang was still unaware that the method taught by Liu Li was called "Xiao Lei Yin Chanting." Not everyone experiences the sensation of thunder rolling through their internal organs and muscles while practicing; only those like Youfang, who have reached a certain level in internal martial arts, can do so. Merely reciting silently does not yield such an experience.
The space in the room is limited, and I walk back and forth, turning every five steps, regulating my breath to focus my mind, dismissing distracting thoughts and shutting out external influences. At the peak of stillness, strange phenomena indeed arise, just as last night; I hear the sounds of rustling and clattering from all directions, alternating and rising and falling. Before my eyes, I vaguely see a bottomless black hole... Within the hole, there are faint yet clear wails and sinister laughter; I catch a whiff of gunpowder and the stench of blood in my breath, which not only emanates from the hole but also saturates my entire body...
You Fang leaped onto the bus just as the doors were about to close, startling the driver, with no one following behind. After the bus traveled a few blocks, the announcement sounded again: "Next stop, Daming Lake." Many passengers stood up and moved toward the door, and quite a few got off at this stop. You Fang also blended in with the crowd and got off the bus.
Daming Lake has been famous since ancient times, but many young people have heard of it primarily because of a television series. A few years ago, the renowned screenwriter Qiong Yao produced a drama titled "My Fair Princess," which narrates the story of Emperor Qianlong's journey south, leaving behind tales of romance. It features a famous line: "Your Majesty, do you still remember the summer rain lotus by Daming Lake from those years?"
It was only then that he remembered having heard this sound during the day, when he was overwhelmed by the oppressive aura in front of the iron lion and heard the wailing sound emitted by the ancient sword behind him, which was exactly the same as the singing of the woman in his dream. On a positive note, Youfang had acquired a new "ability" that he had not possessed before: the ability to hear the voice of the ancient sword; on a negative note, the troubles that plagued Youfang had increased by one more, as he was inexplicably entangled by the singing of the "female ghost" from his dream.
Several buses came and went, but You Fang did not board any of them. Instead, he carefully observed the people around him. There was indeed something amiss; it appeared that they were not specifically targeting You Fang, but rather were plainclothes police officers from the anti-pickpocketing unit. Unfortunately, it seemed that one of them had noticed You Fang.
At a crowded and noisy bus station, how can one distinguish between a thief and ordinary passengers waiting for the bus? Ordinary individuals should focus their attention on the bus approaching from a distance, while pickpockets tend to observe the people waiting nearby, gravitating towards areas with larger crowds. Moreover, someone who appears somewhat "abnormal" may stand for a long time without looking at the bus, only paying attention to the people around them, which indeed resembles the behavior of a thief.
Not far away, a group of young men and women were laughing and joking. A girl, in a coy voice, recited the line: "Your Majesty, do you still remember Xia Yuhua by the Daming Lake?" A young man beside her shouted towards the lake, "I have arrived, Xia Yuhua, where are you?"
The tour group set off in the early morning, and everyone was drowsy along the way. The tour guide also dozed off with his eyes closed. After getting on the bus, he had carefully observed all the people on board and found nothing suspicious. The tour bus passed through Texas, exited Hebei, and entered Shandong. It made a temporary stop at a gas station on the outskirts of Jinan, where the tour guide called everyone to get off for a convenience break
Youfang enjoys this place; he does not hide in less crowded areas but rather moves towards the crowds, swimming through the park like a wandering fish, having circled most of it. He has not noticed anyone following him; it is merely out of habitual caution. Having crossed provinces from Cangzhou to Jinan, he has now navigated through this bustling scenic area for quite some time, not believing that anyone could still find him. Unless a satellite tracking device were installed on him, it would be impossible.
As he walked, he arrived at the small Canglang Pavilion surrounded by lotus leaves by the lake. On the double columns of the welcoming corridor hung a couplet: "Four sides of lotus flowers, three sides of willows, half the city is mountains, half the city is lake." Such excellent calligraphy, such beautiful verses! You Fang nodded in appreciation and entered the pavilion, leaning on the railing to gaze into the distance, as if his mind also expanded along with his view. Since that fateful night of murder, it was the first time You Fang felt such a relaxed and cheerful sensation.
The echoes in my mind rolled on, gradually suppressing the various illusions of the magical realm, scattering and driving them away. The method taught by the strange old man proved effective; in the end, the sound of chanting seemed to merge with the internal strength of the stepping post and the rotation of the books, flowing vigorously through my organs and bones. In my early years, I heard my third uncle mention that when practiced to a profound level, internal martial arts could produce the thunderous sounds of tigers and leopards; what then could this chanting sound be? It does not seem to resemble a martial arts mental technique. In my early years, I heard my third uncle mention that when practiced to a profound level, internal martial arts could produce the thunderous sounds of tigers and leopards; what then could this chanting sound be? It does not seem to resemble a martial arts mental technique.
The eight major sects of the martial world encountered the Six Doors of the Public Security Bureau, and one must lower their stance by three points initially. You Fang did not wish to attract any inexplicable trouble at this moment. It seems that caution was still insufficient, nearly leading others to suspect him of theft. At this time, a vehicle pulled up, marked K109 Air-conditioned Route. The vehicle was not very crowded, and no one was boarding, indicating that it was certainly not a preferred route for pickpockets.
You Fang patted his wildly beating chest and rubbed his temples; tonight's condition was even worse than last night, making it nearly impossible to sleep. He went to the bathroom to wash his face, supporting himself on the marble sink as he looked at his reflection in the mirror, and asked himself: "Why is this happening? Is there a great fear deep within? What exactly are you afraid of?"
A middle-aged man stood at a distance, neither too far nor too close, glancing at the passerby with the corner of his eye. He appeared indifferent, yet there was an underlying intensity in his demeanor, his focus unwavering for even a moment. Not only was he observing the passerby, but there was also a man and a woman on the street exchanging glances, seemingly oblivious to the cars, only scrutinizing those waiting for transport. The middle-aged man was also paying attention to them; judging by his demeanor, he was likely an undercover police officer engaged in anti-pickpocketing efforts.
After an entire hour of stepping through the walking piles, You Fang finally concluded his practice. He sensed the intricacies within; the recitation of the thunder sound had not completely healed the injuries to his primordial spirit, but it served to suppress and dispel them during meditation. To achieve a full recovery, a period of practice would still be necessary. The weeping sound seemed to persist, only audible in a state of tranquility. While silently reciting the thunder sound could not make it disappear, it allowed You Fang to free himself from its torment.