Chapter 009: Danpai Swordsmanship
This is the content mentioned in Huangfu Ming's letter, but for Fu Shuo, dealing with a landowner is as difficult as ascending to the heavens. Should one really surrender without a fight? That landowner is certainly not a benevolent person; even if one were to truly surrender, it is likely that the outcome would not be favorable. Moreover, for those who cultivate the Dao, they must forge ahead through thorns and brambles, going against the current; how can there be any reasoning for surrendering without resistance?
The sword and the art are interconnected. Zhang Xu observed Gongsun Danniang dance with a sword and thus comprehended the principles of grass script, becoming a master of the grass script. The techniques of swordsmanship and calligraphy are indeed related, and this is not mere rhetoric! Fu Xue practiced calligraphy for over ten years, yet his achievements were not particularly high, and he was criticized for being overly mechanical; no matter how beautiful his writing was, he was merely a copyist at best! To write, one must invest their own spirit; only then can it be called calligraphy.
This is the foundational practice of the Human Yuan Golden Elixir, as well as the foundational practice of the Heavenly Yuan Divine Elixir. The human body can harbor viruses, and physiological diseases can manifest psychologically; therefore, the essence of the foundational practice lies in the purity of both body and mind. Being free from illness and pain is referred to as "body purity." Having no excessive desires is termed "mind purity." While this may sound simple, it is challenging to implement. However, even before the transcendence, Fu had already passed this threshold.
Simultaneously, one must continuously eliminate distractions during practice to deepen the state of tranquility, while also cultivating one's moral character, constantly clearing away personal karmic obstacles and cleansing the dust from the soul. The purer one becomes, the smoother the process of achieving the golden elixir. This is akin to constructing a tall building on a solid foundation; the stronger the foundation, the higher the building can be erected.
The scholar wields the sword with great skill! Occasionally, passersby who witness this do not dare to interrupt, but in their hearts, they all praise the scholar for being truly well-rounded, as the way he dances with the sword is so beautiful, it is almost akin to a dance. Truly, he is an excellent scholar
Practicing the Celestial Origin Divine Pill in isolation is exceedingly difficult, and the results are slow to manifest. Therefore, one must cultivate both the Celestial Origin Divine Pill and the Human Origin Golden Pill together. Unfortunately, although I possess information on the Earth Origin Spirit Pill, I lack the experience to successfully refine a qualified pill from those materials
Mother Fu was beaming with joy, yet her mouth continued to nag: "You are already a scholar now, you should have some decorum while eating. Why do you behave so rudely, without any proper manners!" Although she said this, seeing her son eat so heartily made her very happy. The Huangfu family had sent a large sum of money, enough for the family to spend for several years. However, this money could not be spent recklessly; it needed to be saved for when her son went to the capital to take the examination.
After the meal, Mother Fu happily cleared away the dishes. A gentleman keeps his distance from the kitchen; such tasks are not to be undertaken by Fu, a scholar, as it is also a matter of propriety
He slowly unfolded a sheet of white paper and began to write. Writing is like practicing swordsmanship; the meaning lies in the pen's movement. He prepared the ink, his actions slow and steady, precise and methodical, not a single drop spilled outside the inkstone. His heart also calmed down along with the motion of grinding the ink. This is the result of over a decade of diligent practice in calligraphy, having been taught from a young age that writing requires a tranquil mind, free from thoughts and desires, using the process of grinding ink to thoroughly calm the inner self. Just as one lights incense and cleanses their hands before playing the piano, it is a ritual for adjusting one's mindset. This is the result of over a decade of diligent practice in calligraphy, having been taught from a young age that writing requires a tranquil mind, free from thoughts and desires, using the process of grinding ink to thoroughly calm the inner self. Just as one lights incense and cleanses their hands before playing the piano, it is a ritual for adjusting one's mindset
It turns out to be truly so; the ancestors of the Fu family had a profound intention, indeed integrating swordsmanship and calligraphy into one. Each stroke of the sword is executed as if writing, exuding a sense of dragon soaring and phoenix dancing, with an intoxicating feel of ink flowing freely, as if dragons and snakes are flying across the rough paper! The feet naturally move, the body and sword are in unison, truly a delightful experience
According to the requirements for entering the realm of the human primordial golden elixir, Fu has now reached a stage where he eliminates his own illness, unblocks the meridians throughout his body, and accumulates internal energy. This stage is indeed the foundational practice for all beginners. "To begin with the initial phase, one generally seeks to cultivate a tranquil heart and a minimalistic desire, first closing off the external three treasures, and nurturing the internal three treasures." The "external three treasures" refer to the mouth, ears, and eyes, while the "internal three treasures" refer to essence, energy, and spirit.
Between breaths, it becomes dense and intricate, silent yet exceedingly prolonged. Such a state is something he has achieved only after years of arduous effort in the original world. It seems that this world is indeed conducive to the cultivation of the Dao
When night fell, Fu Shuo sat with his sword in hand, feeling that practicing alchemy tonight would be much easier.
Once the sword dance was completed, it was as if a large character had been inscribed. Fu Shuo, drenched in sweat, wore heavy clothing, yet his expression was one of great joy. Not only had he gained insight into the swordsmanship today, but even his calligraphy had acquired a certain spirit. Who would dare to say in the future that Fu Shuo is only fit to be a mere copyist?
After Fu finished speaking, he felt a sense of clarity and joy throughout his body. Returning to the table in his thatched cottage, he looked at the character "sword" that he had written. It truly resembled a sharp sword being drawn from its sheath, its edge fully revealed! He thought to himself: "If I were to establish a foundation in the Dao of Alchemy and then practice this sword technique, I cannot imagine what kind of power it would possess. A mere land deity, at most, I could simply slay with a single sword strike!"
In his previous life, he had never grasped this level, even though he understood all the principles. However, today he was filled with emotion and picked up his brush to write the character "sword". He felt a sense of exhilaration, as the strokes danced like the shadows of a sword, as if wielding a blade. Once he finished writing the character, Fu Shuo threw down his brush and laughed heartily, expressing immense joy: "So that's how it is! So that's how it is!"
The Great Dan and the Dragon, the harmony of water and fire. Since the founding of the Dan Dao school by the two masters, Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin, the original world has coexisted alongside the talismanic school. Although this is also due to the decline of Daoist practices and the lack of sanctity among deities in the original world, it is evident how remarkable this Dan Ding school truly is
He abandoned his pen and paper, leaped up, and jumped out of the window, still holding his treasured sword. In an instant, the shadows of the sword danced wildly, moving up and down. The strokes represented techniques, gathering strength in motion and unleashing power in stillness, defeating the enemy invisibly. There were rises and falls in horizontal movements, and ascents and descents in vertical ones. There were extensions and contractions horizontally, and variations in weight vertically. The lengths of the downstrokes and the slants, the openings and closings of the inner and outer forms. Vertical movements advanced while horizontal ones retreated, transforming into characters. Vertical thrusts shot straight out, while horizontal cuts provided self-rescue. The principles of literature and martial arts are one; what more could one seek!
Once Mother Fu had walked away, Fu's expression gradually darkened, far from the joy he had displayed when she was present. This time, under no circumstances, could he allow that land to harm his parents.
The land deity was originally just a minor spirit, slightly stronger than some malevolent ghosts, capable at most of commanding three to five souls, making it relatively easy to deal with. However, the land deity is an officially appointed spirit, belonging to the underworld officials dispatched by the City God. If the land deity were truly killed, it would undoubtedly provoke the City God, and this would escalate the situation significantly
Fu Shuo's mouth and eyes are lightly closed, his head and body are upright, with a retracted chest and a sunken abdomen. The information from his previous life is extremely advanced; apart from resources and spiritual energy for cultivation, almost everything else has been disclosed and studied. This includes the stages of cultivation and the relationship between divine beings, among other topics, which have all been researched, yet due to limitations, no one has been able to achieve success. Fortunately, Fu Shuo's phone does not contain much else, but it does store a considerable amount of various materials. In the world of the end of the Dharma, it is not that there is no Dharma, but rather that there is no achievement.