Chapter 10

Cheng Qian was highly perceptive; without waiting for his master to speak, he had already taken a step back on his own accord. At the same time, he felt an indescribable current swirling around him for a moment, and then, as if rivers were flowing into the sea, it returned to the senior brother.

The Master of the Wood Cabbage lowered his head, looking at him kindly, and asked in return: "Is there a difference between attaining enlightenment and dying"

This shout, sounding like a saw cutting through wood, left Yan Zhengming utterly impressed: "Master, how could I possibly be restless!"

Mu Chun lifted her eyelids and said calmly: "It is only when the heart is not at peace that it is disturbed by external matters, that one becomes concerned about sandalwood and hibiscus scents. How about this: do not treat your third junior brother as an incense burner. To assist you in your cultivation, I shall move to your gentle abode today and recite scriptures for you throughout the night, shall I?"

As for Cheng Qian, he completely regarded his junior disciple as a mangy dog with questionable intelligence, feeling that all emotions of love, hatred, and grievances towards this person were a waste of feelings, and thus he picked up his teacup with indifference

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

Of course, they are all dead

Han Yuan glanced at him twice more, and considering the earlier favor of a bag of pine nut candy, he gradually lost his temper. He felt a mix of pity, akin to "mourning for the unfortunate and angering at the unambitious," along with a sense of superiority reminiscent of a wild dog over a house cat. He shook his head and sighed at Cheng Qian once again, saying, "Children raised at home are all made of porcelain"

The master did not even lift his eyelids and said: "Disciple, your heart is not at peace. I will recite a passage from the Sutra of Tranquility to clear your mind."

A slightly hoarse voice erupted in his ear: "Concentrate, draw the breath into the sea, the great says to depart, to depart is to be distant, to be distant is to return, circling and returning, this is the use of the infinite"

Master Mu Chuan had no choice but to forcibly separate the two individuals, instructing the Taoist disciple to take Cheng Qian, who had worked up a sweat practicing swordsmanship, down to bathe and change clothes. He then concentrated his efforts on dealing with his rather difficult first disciple, humming as he began to recite the "Classic of Purity and Tranquility" once more

After speaking, he took a few steps back to the main seat of the preaching hall, sat down heavily, and looked at the meditating Yan Zhengming with a somewhat worried expression. Cheng Qian heard him muttering: "Why is he meditating at this time? What a time to choose, where will we have dinner?"

Cheng Qian indeed cannot, but that does not mean others cannot

Xiao Jiaohua took advantage of the time spent on aimless chatter to finish the snacks brought back by Cheng Qian, and finally ceased the meaningless conversation to address the main topic

The Master of the Wood Cabbage originally envisioned a beautiful outcome—although the eldest disciple is open-minded, he has a restless temperament; the youngest disciple, while capable of focusing and calming his mind, tends to be overly stubborn. If these two young ones could complement each other, it would be ideal.

Han Yuan waved his hand and said, "What love is, is what it is. In any case, I am going to the mountain cave. Are you coming or not?"

Just as the master was reciting the name of Yan Zhengming to the point of unbearable pain, Cheng Qian returned. Yan Zhengming, who was already suffering from a headache, finally found an opportunity to pick a fight. He slightly sniffed and indignantly said: "Are you using sandalwood to incense his clothes? What kind of problem is this? Is he going to become a monk tomorrow?"

Mu Chun invited Cheng Qian to sit on the ground with him, and like Grandpa Han from the neighboring village, he affectionately offered Cheng Qian a piece of meat. He then pulled over a piece of paper, the origin of which was unknown, that had been used for copying scriptures, and placed it on the table where the talismans were being inscribed, advising, "Eat more, grow taller—come on, spit the bones on this."

Mu Chun Zhen Ren said: "Oh, that is my ancestral lineage."

Yan Zhengming had no choice but to sit down in silence, inhaling the scent of sandalwood that seemed to him like the stench of rotten wood. He angrily picked up a small knife and began to carve vertical lines into the wood as if whipping a corpse.

Yan Zhengming: "... ..."

After reciting the scriptures, practice with the wooden sword

That was his first encounter with the oppressive secret realm of this world. Cheng Qian did not know what Yan Zhengming felt at that moment, but he heard a vague voice. At that time, the setting sun had sunk behind the Fuyiao Mountain, and the mountain, filled with spiritual energy, was permeated with a certain echo that seemed to be on the verge of speaking yet held back. Countless people gathered, producing countless voices. Cheng Qian suddenly felt a strange sensation, as if that fleeting moment was a whispering exchange between a distant past and a blurred future, separated by years. He desperately tried to listen clearly, but those voices slipped away like quicksand in the passage of time, lightly casting him aside.

Cheng Qian: "Adhering to established conventions."

Unfortunately, it seems that there hasn't been enough time to mediate, and the two are about to get into a fight.

He had just returned to Qing'an Residence when Han Yuan followed closely behind. As soon as Han Yuan entered, he was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise. After that, he casually took the snacks that Cheng Qian had left in the courtyard, and after savoring them with much appreciation, he said with crumbs of snacks flying from his mouth: "What’s the point of hanging around with Senior Brother all day? It would be better for you to come with us every day. Second Senior Brother has taught me several moves, and I am almost done learning the first one."

This tranquility made Young Master Yan feel a tinge of awkward boredom. Helplessly, he sat back down in front of the hourglass, idly lost in thought for a while, and resignedly picked up the carving knife again to engage in the monotonous practice.

Note: "The great says to depart, departing means to be distant, being distant means to return" "The five colors blind the eyes, the five sounds deafen the ears, the five flavors make the mouth dull" — Tao Te Ching

The dinner was moved to the "Teaching and Enlightening" hall, amidst scattered talismans and scriptures, where a roasted chicken lay prominently, surrounded by a pile of side dishes, as well as a senior brother who was in a meditative state, oblivious to the world.

Cheng Qian was almost insane

Cheng Qian said: "Of course there is a distinction; attaining the Dao and ascending to heaven is precisely the meaning of immortality"

Han Yuan had a late-night snack at Cheng Qian's place. Although he did not manage to persuade him, it was not entirely without gain. The courteous Cheng Qian, who was known for his porcelain craftsmanship, politely escorted Han Yuan to the door and watched him leave, waiting to see the outcome for this gullible fool

In the afternoon at the preaching hall, Cheng Qian had already sensed the spiritual essence and hidden mysteries of the mountain. At the same time, he understood what Li Jun was thinking; Li Jun was certainly curious about what lay within the mountain cave on the first and fifteenth days of the month, yet he was unwilling to take the risk of violating the rules himself. It was likely that he had long been planning to find a scapegoat for himself.

The master does not even know where he found so many scriptures, reciting one volume a day, almost without repetition. After finishing the Taoist scriptures, he recites Buddhist scriptures, and after completing the Buddhist scriptures, he recites his own compiled texts. The content is fantastical and unrestrained, never limited by sectarian boundaries, to the extent that it often contradicts itself

Cheng Qian was taken aback

This time, he surprisingly did not cause any trouble until the hourglass on the table suddenly made a soft sound. It was only then that Yan Zhengming abruptly came to his senses, realizing that the time for his talisman for the day had unexpectedly come to an end

Cheng Qian spread his face, which was a picture of "loyalty and honesty," evenly before Han Yuan and said, "I wouldn't dare."

Han Yuan found this junior brother, who was even younger than himself, somewhat unreasonable, and thus, with a sense of superiority, admonished him: "What is the use of adhering to the rules? I have truly never seen anyone as stubborn as you. Haven't you heard what the second senior brother said? Without a sense of energy, even if you learn the entire set of sword techniques, you will just be performing tricks. Taking it step by step, how long will that take? One cannot be too rigid in following... following that whatever." I have truly never seen anyone as stubborn as you. Haven't you heard what the second senior brother said? Without a sense of energy, even if you learn the entire set of sword techniques, you will just be performing tricks. Taking it step by step, how long will that take? One cannot be too rigid in following... following that whatever.

Yan Zhengming shouted at the Taoist boy: "Change it to hibiscus—"

The Taoist boy was submissive and did not dare to say that it was Cheng Qian's own willingness

Cheng Qian widened his eyes: "Shouldn't he have ascended to immortality?"

The voice of the wooden deity beside grew increasingly louder: "--- Therefore, the heavens are clear and the earth is murky ... ... "

Xianglu Cheng Qian silently sat down to continue his studies, feeling as if a frizzy big rabbit was sitting beside him

Cheng Qian silently picked up the rice bowl, feeling that it would be difficult for him to have any reverence for this preaching hall in the future

In the afternoon, Yan Zhengming was confined in the chapel, carving wood under a gloomy sky. Cheng Qian was either studying nearby or helping his master trim the plants. It seemed that the master intended to make up for the affection that Yan Zhengming had missed in his childhood, always leaving him some snacks that children find interesting. Moreover, when Yan Zhengming was deeply resentful while carving wood, the master would specifically instruct Cheng Qian to take a break and tell him a few strange and unusual folk tales.

"The five colors can blind the eyes, the five sounds can deafen the ears, and the five flavors can dull the palate." The voice of Master Mu Chuan seemed to solidify into a line, piercing directly into Cheng Qian's ears, "The more you see, hear, think, and contemplate, what freedom are you still cultivating? Wake up!"

Yan Zhengming, unable to endure any longer, threw the carving knife onto the table and exclaimed, "Master, what are you doing?"

Without a moment's hesitation, he flatly refused. Han Yuan was initially disappointed, but then felt a hint of disdain—such simple-minded, physically strong boys typically look down on someone like Cheng Qian, who is so "submissive" and only knows how to follow the rules like a "well-behaved" child

Yan Zhengming sometimes feels that this little fellow is merely vying for attention, yet it cannot be denied that with Cheng Qian nearby, he is able to sit for a while, influenced by his proximity to the red.

Suddenly, a hand grasped his shoulder, and Cheng Qian seemed to awaken from a bizarre nightmare, jolting awake and turning around to see Master Mu Chun.

The wooden camellia deity was momentarily taken aback, and then as if amused, did not respond directly, but instead said: "You... a little bean, talking about life and death, you will understand these matters when you grow up"

Yan Zhengming was secretly feeling frustrated, and he was also clamoring for some snacks. After eating, he felt a bit choked, so he had no choice but to stand up and walk back and forth several times in the middle of the pavilion

The sound of "waking up" struck like a bolt from the blue, and Cheng Qian's mind buzzed with a single thought. When he opened his eyes again, the senior brother was still sitting in the same place, seemingly in a meditative state, while a pile of haphazardly carved wood lay scattered on the table.

The master's recitation of the scriptures perfectly illustrated what it means to be "distracting to the senses"; with the appearance of a weasel and the voice of a drake, he successfully rendered the hourglass on the table motionless, leaving his foremost disciple in a state of agitation, nearly driven to the brink of violence.

After the meal, Mu Chuan decided to stay behind to guard the senior brother and instructed the Taoist priest to prepare half a pound of snacks for Cheng Qian, in case he got hungry in the middle of the night. This day happened to be the fifteenth, a day traditionally forbidden for entering the mountain cave. However, Mu Chuan did not give Cheng Qian any additional warnings, seemingly confident that he would obediently copy the sect rules at night and would not cause any trouble.

In the pavilion, the atmosphere was so tranquil that it felt almost stagnant, with the old and the young present, and even the young Taoist priests standing by could not help but hold their breath and focus intently.

In the coming days, it will be like this: early in the morning, four individuals will listen to the master recite scriptures with a sense of disillusionment.

Cheng Qian began to realize the benefits of being with his senior brother—clear distinctions emerged.

For such goodwill, Cheng Qian is truly grateful yet feels unworthy; he really does not wish to associate with someone like Han Yuan, who he considers to be the dregs of society.

Mu Chuan looked down at him from a height, and Cheng Qian suddenly realized that his face felt slightly cool. He reached up to wipe it and discovered that he had been crying profusely without even realizing when it had started.

Cheng Qian, in a daze, had his hair ruffled by Master Mu Chuan, and asked, "Master, I just heard someone speaking..."

He burped, sat up straight, and said in a lowered voice: "Do you still remember what Second Master said about... the mountain cave?"

Cheng Qian had anticipated this turn of events, so he responded calmly: "Junior brother, that would be against the sect rules—since you have already learned all the sword techniques of our school, do you recognize all the characters in the sect rules?"

This old yellow weasel is addicted to chanting scriptures, and he absolutely follows through on this matter. Is there any chance of survival after being subjected to a whole night of his chanting?

Soon, he realized that no one was paying attention to him. The master sat cross-legged on the mat, eyes focused on his nose, nose on his mouth, sitting motionless in meditation, while still muttering words, persistently immersed in the scripture from earlier. Meanwhile, the newcomer was writing his inferior characters as if embroidering, not once lifting his head.

Cheng Qian dodged the pastry crumbs that fell like heavy snow and silently watched his foolish junior disciple, thinking to himself, having just mastered the first move, in a couple of days, he would surely be able to ascend to the heavens

Yan Zhengming shamelessly pretended to have mastered the first three forms, and without seeking a deep understanding, began to learn the fourth form from his master. Li Jun, having learned new sword techniques, also restrained himself somewhat, no longer spending all day on the mountain teasing cats and dogs. There was no need to mention Cheng Qian, but only Han Yuan continued to steadfastly hold back the entire group, carelessly wreaking havoc on the bird nests near the preaching hall.

The master said that Han Yuan is restless and irritable, but it is unclear who is truly restless and irritable. At least Han Yuan is only restless with himself, whereas this person, on the other hand, has to bring disaster to everyone around him.

What will happen if one violates the rules? Cheng Qian thought casually, "Will there be a caning? A slap on the palm? Copying scriptures—if it's just copying scriptures, then it's not a big deal.

"Raised at home," Han Yuan said, chewing on his teeth, casting a somewhat displeased glance at Cheng Qian.

Han Yuan pointed at Cheng Qian's small courtyard and said, "Your place is too shabby, only slightly better than Master’s. Tomorrow, take a look at my courtyard; mine is ten times bigger than yours, and there’s a large pond in the back where you can swim in the summer—do you know how to swim? Alas, forget it, you kids raised at home are all too afraid to go out, let alone swim. In the future, I will take you; I guarantee that by the end of summer, you will become a fish in the waves."

The Master of the Wood Cabbage said: "My sect's heritage has lasted for over a thousand years; what is so remarkable about having a group of ancestors?"

Where are they now

On one hand, he felt embarrassed, and on the other hand, he was perplexed, so he could only look at his master in confusion

On this day, the hourglass had run dry, and Yan Zhengming's hand holding the carving knife still felt a bit numb. He stood there in a daze, just moments ago, he sensed a certain almost mystical force arising from the friction between the carving knife and the wood.

However, he did not expect that until the next day, Han Yuan still had not returned

Cheng Qian, when he takes things seriously, is truly capable of "not being disturbed by external matters." He meticulously compared the door rules from his memory with the wooden board and diligently began to write the blind post. Soon, he became immersed in the joy of writing, and the lingering scent of sandalwood around him seemed to help calm his mind. Gradually, he forgot his elder brother, who lacked focus, to the side.