Chapter 7

"By unconventional means," said the wooden deity with a sigh reminiscent of chanting scriptures, "Xiao Jun, you truly have become a remarkable person"

What kind of aspirations are these, playing with toads while the world is filled with flying birds and roaming beasts?

After resting with closed eyes for more than an hour, the master appeared spirited and said: "For every stillness, there should be a corresponding movement. Disciples, come out of the pavilion with me—oh, Cheng Qian, call your senior brother."

The master did not show any leniency this time, raising his hand to strike him on the top of the head with a wooden sword—this action was indeed much more agile than before.

As soon as Young Master Yan lifted his eyelids, the attendant beside him hurriedly brought over a bamboo-woven beauty couch. Without any hesitation, he lay down on it, brazenly closing his eyes in front of his master, dozing off amidst the thunderous silence of "tranquility".

Cheng Qian listened for a while, only to feel a buzzing in his ears, which made him anxious—worried that his master would suffocate him.

Han Yuan was already overjoyed, and Cheng Qian found it quite difficult to comprehend. The wooden sword was even more absurd than the street performers he had seen at the village entrance, yet he did not dare to laugh recklessly, for he noticed that his senior brothers were also not laughing—if the eldest brother was busy tidying his hair and could not lean forward and backward in laughter, then the second brother, who had a fondness for toads, provided some reference value.

The master lifted his foot and took a step forward, bending down and drawing the wooden sword horizontally with a trembling motion, gradually approaching the sparrow perched on the wooden stake

The master said: "You lead the junior disciples in practicing the hand techniques and the first form, and upon your return, I will guide you in the second form"

Cheng Qian : `` ... ... ''

Han Yuan whispered to Cheng Qian in a trembling voice: "If he continues reading, I will wet myself."

Li Yun, however, felt no shame at all; after finishing this verse, he leisurely turned around and made a face at his two dumbfounded junior brothers.

Oh, it's done. Yan Zhengming no longer cared about Cheng Qian, yawned while covering his mouth with his hand, and then sat still in his place, waiting for the maid Xiaoyu to comb his hair

One could only see the wooden deity, with his slender arms and legs, slowly making his way to the center of the small courtyard, resembling a wooden stick from which clothes were hung

The previously calm little sparrow could not withstand this shock and immediately flapped its wings and soared into the sky

Muzhuan Road: "Expand it, according to the painting—Li Jun!"

The "Qingjing Jing" is not the "Taishang Laojun's Discourse on the Constantly Tranquil Classic," but rather a piece of nonsensical rambling that may have been composed by the master himself, with content that is exceedingly obscure.

The little sparrow, audacious and fearless, remained motionless with its pair of small, black bean-like eyes fixed on the approaching wooden sword

The senior master is the treasure of the sect; he demands respect, and Cheng Qian does not dare to refuse.

Others have probably long since become accustomed to this; the senior brother is openly dozing off, while the second senior brother has, in a very short time, perfectly struck up a connection with the freshly minted little junior brother. At the same time, he has not given up on Cheng Qian, casting his flirtatious glances indiscriminately in all directions.

Li Jun smiled as he crumpled the Xuan paper on his desk into a ball, then dripped a few drops of divine water onto it. Before long, the water quickly seeped into the paper, and in the blink of an eye, the paper ball transformed into a genuine toad.

His nascent dream of summoning the wind and calling the rain was shattered just like that amidst the "clang clang—clang clang" of the "sword light and shadow"

Han Yuan asked with great anticipation the question that Cheng Qian wanted to ask but felt too shy to voice: "Master, are you going to teach us swordsmanship? When can we wield a sword?"

Li Jun noticed that Cheng Qian was ignoring him, and with a quick thought, he devised a plan. He stealthily pulled out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve, waved it under Han Yuan's nose, and whispered, "Do you know what this is?"

Li Jun proudly said: "This is the Golden Frog Divine Water that I made"

Cheng Qian's shoulder was patted rudely by someone, and his senior brother, who was all show and no substance, took the initiative to speak to him

I wonder if the master has already calculated this situation; his battered old plate and a few rusty coins might be of use, as he seems to have been prepared for this all along

That is the vigor of youth, unstoppable and fierce

Han Yuan took it and opened it, immediately overwhelmed by a wave of foul odor that made him feel dizzy and unsteady on his feet, and even Cheng Qian behind him was unfortunately affected

Just moments ago, Li Jun, who could hardly sit still as if there were nails in his backside, was now not only devoid of laughter but also displayed a somewhat focused expression on his face, which seemed to harbor ill intentions, as he intently watched his master perform movements akin to a shaman's dance.

Cheng Qian observed for a while and discovered that his monster senior brother actually had some merits—such as not snoring while sleeping

Before Cheng Qian and Han Yuan could regain their senses, they saw their second senior brother with a stern expression, his energy concentrated in his dantian, shouting each word emphatically: "Fuyiao Wooden Sword Technique! Strengthens the body and promotes health! Unblocks the meridians and invigorates the blood! Live as if one were a celestial being!"

With his eyelids drooping, Master Mu Chun walked onto the stage, ignoring the turbulent undercurrents among the four bear disciples below. He spoke in a half-hearted manner: "Today, during the morning class, all disciples shall recite the 'Sutra of Purity' together with me."

Then, Yan Zhengming asked gently, "By the way, what is your name again?"

Mu Chun: "No rush, there is a wooden sword."

Before he could fully express his astonishment and emotions, Li Jun had already complied with the instructions, standing firm with a wooden sword in hand. With a swift and agile initial stance, he exuded a sense of youthful ambition that was truly remarkable. This spirit and vitality were, of course, incomparable to that of the lethargic middle-aged masters. The young man, named like a green bamboo and possessing a physique akin to it, wore a rather unserious expression. The wooden sword in his hand sliced through the air with a sound reminiscent of wind splitting, its momentum radiating a sharpness that seemed unstoppable.

Master Brother said: "Hey, child, move a little over there and make some space for me."

Han Yuan covered his nose and returned the "holy foot-washing water," suppressing the foul odor as he asked, "What is this used for?"

Li Jun raised her eyes to meet Cheng Qian's gaze, and immediately, with a mischievous smile, she poked the frog on the table with her pen, pointing at Cheng Qian and said: "Go find him"

Young Master Yan, who had not fully awakened, appeared to be in a much better mood. His pair of peach blossom eyes seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mist, and his gaze towards Cheng Qian had softened considerably.

Unfortunately, he does not resemble the great roc spreading its wings; instead, he somewhat resembles a rooster crowing

Han Yuan covered his mouth, his face turned red from holding back.

This is truly the quietest swordsmanship in the world. One can only see the wooden sword passing by, as if it were non-existent, not even stirring a single breeze. It is exceedingly gentle; by the time the sword tip slowly makes a complete circle, even a snail could have crawled to the top of the tree

Among the four present, only Cheng Qian was relatively tolerant towards his master. His tolerance and harshness were distinctly different, yet both were consistent and meticulous. In this chaotic environment, Cheng Qian remained steadfast, sitting motionless in place to ensure that his master would not be left to perform a solo act, and he followed along, reciting the first day's "routine morning lesson" from beginning to end.

After speaking, he flapped his arms in front of the attentive disciples, adopting a soft and gentle starting posture, practicing each move one by one. While practicing, he also murmured: "Fuyou - Wooden Sword Technique - Strengthening the Body - Enhancing Health - Promoting Circulation - Revitalizing Blood - Living Long - Competing with Immortals"

When Cheng Qian was filled with thoughts of humans and demons, there was a moment when he suspected that this flamboyant senior brother might be a colorful pheasant spirit with a tail adorned in vibrant hues. However, upon witnessing the current scene, he dismissed this conjecture—after all, even if it were a true pheasant, with such daily grooming, it would surely end up with a bald tail and a bare bottom, resembling a two-legged monster.

Compared to the legendary "flying on clouds and riding mist" of the Fourteen Prefectures, it is likely that even this would be relegated to a lower rank

In the blink of an eye, the young swordsman became a seller of powerful pills

Yet the hair on the head of the senior brother is still growing robustly, not yet having transformed into a feather duster, indicating that he may be some kind of even more extraordinary creature

Cheng Qian

Cheng Qian sat upright and pretended not to recognize him

Han Yuan, due to his inability to read, even fell behind in copying the steps of the door regulations. Upon hearing this, he immediately presented his get-out-of-jail-free card with a shameless grin, and complained, "Master, I still cannot read."

The master recited the first round in a voice as delicate as a wisp of silk, then slowly picked up the teacup in front of him to moisten his throat. Cheng Qian hurriedly brushed off the goosebumps all over his body, waiting to hear his lofty discourse on flying through the heavens and escaping to the earth. To his despair, he heard the master, in that voice that sent shivers down one's spine, drag out the words: "Alright, recite it again."

In the courtyard, a young acolyte approached and presented a wooden sword to the master with both hands

After having slept soundly for two rounds, the senior brother seemed to have had enough rest. He opened his eyes and stared blankly at Cheng Qian for a while before taking a deep breath, sitting up, and weakly waving his hand, saying, "I understand, you all go ahead first."

Mu Chun boldly warned: "Little beast, do not block the way, beware that my wooden sword may take your life!"

What does transcending tribulation and ascending to immortality amount to

Second Master stepped forward

The master thoroughly demonstrated the first form of the Fuyiao wooden sword, ultimately pausing in a posture resembling a golden rooster standing on one leg, with arms outstretched. Holding the wooden sword, he extended his slender neck, adopting a stance as if gazing far into the distance, and said, "This is the first form of my Fuyiao wooden sword, a journey of a thousand miles!"

The master's "exquisite and unparalleled" swordsmanship quickly attracted a sparrow to perch on a nearby wooden post, pausing to watch

Startled by the unexpected disaster, Cheng Qian paused upon hearing the words, turning his head to glance at the young man in white. Gritting his teeth, he extended a finger and tentatively poked him on the shoulder, feeling a mix of trepidation and anxiety as he thought to himself: "This is what my master instructed me to call you, so please get up and do not cause any trouble for me."

The Master Mu Chuan angrily said: "What have I told you? Calm down and focus! You are being restless! What are you laughing at? This is unacceptable! Copy the "Qingjing Jing" five times tonight and bring it to me tomorrow for review"

After finishing such a long sentence, he finally lowered the wooden sword in his hand to the feet of the sparrow. Upon hearing this menacing warning, the little sparrow calmly lifted one leg and took a step to the side, completely stepping over the "Sharp Sword" of the Fuyiao Sect, watching the gentle sword shadow drift away with composure.

It was approximately to express tranquility that when Master Mu Chun recited this piece, each character had to be elongated to the length of two characters. As he dragged it out too long, he inevitably found himself somewhat lacking in strength, thus the final tones of each sentence quivered in a wavering manner, resembling a mad and eccentric old performer with a thin mouth.

Oh. Yan Zhengming nodded indifferently. Compared to the unabashed disdain he showed when looking at Li Jun, and compared to his behavior of covering his face with a fan in front of Han Yuan, his treatment of Cheng Qian could be considered quite polite.

Cheng Qian, during the intervals of reciting scriptures with his master, scoffed with a divided mind, "Isn't this just the foot-washing water of the golden toad?"

Li Jun had no choice but to pinch his throat in front of the eunuch's grand hall, spending nearly an hour reciting that short passage of the Quiet Sutra over and over again. Only then did his master finally show mercy and call for a stop, bringing this lengthy ordeal to a temporary conclusion

Li Jun stuck out her tongue

The wooden sword is simple and ancient, almost embodying a certain heavy stillness. In the hearts of the young boys, ... the mystical alchemy, the esoteric scriptures, the calculations of past and present lives by pointing at the stars, and even the various supernatural abilities to carve genuine talismans ... none of these hold as much allure as the two words "sword control".

Cheng Qianxin said: "I heard that he has been practicing for over a year and has only learned the second form. Could it be that he has been practicing the rooster's crow for an entire year?"

Cheng Qian : `` ... ... ''

Suddenly, both Cheng Qian and Han Yuan felt a jolt of spirit. They had grown up listening to stories of immortals riding the wind and wielding swords. Although Cheng Qian had suffered greatly from the poison of sage books, he was still just a little boy. Even though he did not admit it, deep down, he still yearned for the powers that could summon clouds and rain as described in those legends

Accompanied by the captivating commentary of the master "Strengthening the Body and Competing with Immortals", the effect is truly impressive

Cheng Qian suddenly understood why the senior brother looked at the second brother with the gaze of someone observing a pile of excrement

The master said: "Since this is the case, you may lead the junior disciples in reading the scriptures."

The frog croaked "quack" and hurried towards Cheng Qian, but halfway there, it was caught by a thin, withered hand—Master had somehow strolled up close. The frog transformed back into a ball of paper in his hand