Chapter 7: Is it a Dream or the Sea of Souls

Visualizing the boxing stance embodies a fierce spirit

Please demonstrate the soaring strike technique for me once again

Zong Tu collected his excited emotions and slowly said

Chen Xun recalled the Earth far away across the starry sky, feeling a sense of melancholy in his heart, and said:

After repeatedly examining the bamboo slips, I ultimately found a discussion regarding the practice of martial arts secret fists and entering the realm of visualization with form in a dialogue between the Qingmu Daoist and a cultivator from Yunzhou named Lanshan

As Chen Xun's mind relaxed, the powerful sensation in his arms also dissipated, and soon he felt a soreness and numbness in his arms, as if the energy and blood throughout his body had been drained in that brief moment

This pond is truly too shallow for you, O python

There is no need for deliberate visualization; the energy and blood of the hundred bones will naturally release countless subtle divine essences, coalescing into human-shaped light and shadow above the sea of souls

Zong Tu, suppressing his astonishment, regarded Chen Xun with the gaze one might reserve for a rare and exquisite treasure, and softly sighed

Upon seeing Grandfather Zongtu enter, Chen Xun, who was troubled by not being able to find someone to answer his questions, shared with Grandfather Zongtu all of his experiences from that night

In the small characters of the skill formula, the figure resembling a person spreading their wings, although its features are vague, conveys a sense of soaring and striking. This feeling is profoundly mysterious, making it difficult to articulate.

Chen Xun scratched his head and thought for a long time, yet he could not find a solution

Chen Xun still did not understand what it meant to be meticulous

The visualization of martial stances is not merely a simple act of imagining figures in one's mind, but rather an endeavor to immerse one's thoughts into the depths of the spirit and consciousness, thereby etching the stances into existence. The major sects across the Cloud Continent refer to this as "visualization with form," which bears a remarkable similarity to the enlightenment of the barbaric soul.

Is the space where the human-shaped light and shadow manifest, along with the books, the mysterious sea of consciousness?

The murky triangular old eyes of Zongtu were almost obscured by the wrinkles in the eye sockets. Upon hearing Chen Xun speak of these matters, they suddenly became bright. He hurriedly closed the drafty wooden door and asked Chen Xun to demonstrate the first move of the Great Peng Secret Fist for him.

Chen Xun was at a loss for words upon seeing that Grandpa Zongtu was so agitated. He did not find it particularly remarkable; after all, it was just that he had successfully learned the first move of the Dapeng Secret Fist overnight. Was such an exaggerated reaction really necessary

At this moment, the sky had completely darkened, and Chen Xun lit his homemade oil lamp

The Dapeng Secret Fist is a set of five illustrated diagrams depicting the postures of the fist, with each diagram representing a distinct posture

The sensation of the body and mind being in harmony, and the profound stillness entering into tranquility, is indeed quite strange

Perhaps after a night of excessive energy expenditure, feeling at ease while sleeping in his humble shelter, Chen Xun quickly fell into a deep sleep

Even in the village, despite the ancestral clan emblem, one cannot recognize the characters of Yunzhou

Incredible! Truly incredible! Zongtu could not contain the shock in his heart, filled with astonishment, and then murmured to himself, as if falling into an indescribable madness, "How fortunate I am to witness in my lifetime a person who has achieved such meticulousness overnight..."

Chen Xun recalled that he had experienced this feeling before when he was dragging the black-scaled cunning creature back. At that time, he also felt a sudden release of tension, only to find that the rope had suddenly become several hundred pounds heavier, almost pulling him into the water.

Chen Xun stood up, imitating the figure in the diagram, extending his arms to perform the action of a roc striking.

What is subtlety

The Sea of Consciousness, Chen Xun speculated, might refer to a person's subconscious.

Chen and the book examined five images, all of which were similar. He then settled down, sitting cross-legged on the ground, and visualized the portraits in his mind according to the general meaning described in the techniques.

Chen Xun felt a tremendous upheaval within, with countless questions arising that needed to be digested one by one. More importantly, he had to remember this sensation of unity between body and mind, a profound stillness that led to tranquility.

Although Aoki Daoren did not ascend to the Heavenly Barbarian realm, he had already reached the pinnacle of the Ninefold Barbarian Martial Arts thirty years ago. His innate talent far surpasses that of other Barbarians, and in terms of insight, even his grandfather is not comparable to him. What Aoki said about the awakening of the Barbarian Soul bears a striking resemblance to the secret techniques of visualization in Yunzhou, which should indeed be quite reasonable.

The body and intention are in harmony, and the intention and heart are in unity

Zong Tu let out a gentle sigh, his face appearing more wrinkled than at any other moment, seemingly lamenting that a prodigy like Chen Xun was not a disciple of the Wumang. However, he also understood that if Chen Xun were to be kept in Wumang, it would actually be a waste of his talents

In profound stillness, the mind enters the sea of consciousness

... ...

How can one enter a state of profound stillness and tranquility

However, the painting skills of the Qing Shan Daoist are indeed exquisite

In that moment, the sensation of his thoughts extending infinitely along his arms gave him a profound and mysterious insight

... ...

"How is it that you haven't slept all night?" Zong Tu pushed the door open and saw Chen Xun standing in the shed like a dazed bear.

At this moment, Chen Xun realized that he had not actually fallen into a dream, but had inadvertently entered a state of unity of body and mind, immersed in profound stillness, where he etched the first form of the Great Peng Secret Fist into the sea of his spirit and consciousness

In simpler terms, it refers to the engraving of thoughts.

In a ceramic bowl the size of a palm, filled with the fat of wild beasts, a dried grass wick slightly protrudes. The flickering light, akin to the size of a bean sprout, dances in the shelter, casting the shadow of Chen Xun's slender figure on the drafty wooden wall, swaying unsteadily.

The true Great Roc Secret Fist, First Move

He is not only able to perceive the indescribable artistic conception of soaring and striking, but he can also clearly sense the changes in the flow of qi and blood within his body, as well as the entanglement of muscles and tendons.

Two years ago, when Zong Sang brought you back to the village, I already recognized your extraordinary nature, but I never expected you to defy the heavens to such an extent. It is a pity that you are not a disciple of the Black Python; although you are currently in distress, you will ultimately have to leave the Black Python, just as an eagle returns to the vast sky

This is the true unity of body and mind

All major sects in Yunzhou possess the secret techniques of visualization, yet the Qingmu Daoist did not provide a detailed introduction to the methods in the remnants of the silk scrolls. It merely states, "In extreme stillness, enter tranquility; when the mind enters the sea of consciousness, myriad forms arise," leaving Chen Xun truly at a loss.

The feeling is so intense, profound, and clear that even when he awakens from the dream, that clarity, as tangible as something held in hand, is deeply etched in his mind, indelible.

Upon seeing this, Chen Xun was once again at a loss.

In the next moment, Chen Xun felt an overwhelming certainty in his heart

"Intricacy is merely a term used in the village; it represents a realm of martial arts cultivation, which should correspond to what the silk manuscripts describe as the unity of body and intention, and the unity of intention and heart"

It is likely that the Qingmu Daoist is concerned about the inability to accurately translate the功诀 into the barbarian language. The small characters on the rope in the atlas are all Yunzhou characters that Chen Xun does not recognize, which are somewhat similar to the Western barbarian script, but are much more complex than the illustrations in the book. Many characters can only be guessed and inferred for their general meaning.

Chen Xun did not know what it meant to achieve unity of body and mind, but he ultimately found a way to begin. He thought that Zong Ya and the others had long practiced the barbaric martial arts before they attained enlightenment of the barbaric spirit, which could also be considered a method of martial cultivation

At this moment, the python was merely an inconspicuous branch among the countless tribes of Tushan, truly lacking the ability to allow Chen Xun to shine as he should. After a brief pause, it spoke again

The reason the subconscious is termed "sub" is that it exists in a manner that ordinary means cannot perceive. How then can thoughts enter it?

Chen Xun thought about the soul festival that would be held in the village at night, and could only set aside his practice of boxing for the time being. He carefully stored away the five boxing manuals and a black python pill, then lay down on the animal skin mattress and closed his eyes to rest

Ah Xun does not know where his hometown is, the python is Ah Xun's home, and Grandpa and Zongya are Ah Xun's relatives

This mysterious space is indeed within his body, undoubtedly the sea of consciousness.

Chen Xun did not entangle himself in where these feelings came from; he simply extended his arms in response to the insights given to him by the figure in his dreams. In that moment of thought, as he extended his arms, he experienced a clarity that permeated his entire being, seeping into his bones, skin, and flesh. Suddenly, he felt an infinite power coursing through his arms, as if all the potential within him had been activated at that very moment

Chen Xun felt an overwhelming surge of strength in his arms, believing that if he were to throw a punch, he could surely reduce this humble shack to rubble

Chen Xun carefully peeled the first image from the silk book, spreading it under the lamp, and saw that it was densely filled with tiny characters written in a fine script.

As the excitement of the grandfather's ancestral portrait gradually subsided, Chen Xun inquired:

Both individuals believe that the Martial Arts Secret Fist subtly aligns with the essence of the Dao, representing a manifestation of the natural order of heaven and earth. Through prolonged practice, when the body aligns with intention and intention aligns with the heart, the spirit and consciousness will naturally open, allowing entry into the realm of visualization with form.

It is said that when a person reaches a state of extreme stillness and tranquility, the mind can naturally enter the subconscious, allowing one to imprint the movements of martial arts into the spirit and visualize them with form

Chen Xun, disregarding his fatigue, extended his thoughts and then stretched out his arms

After much turmoil, the bright morning light seeps through the cracks in the wall, and I never expected the night to pass so quickly

This time, while executing the soaring strike, in addition to the extension of his thoughts, he could even more clearly perceive the circulation of vital energy and blood in his arms, as well as the relaxation and flexibility of his muscles and tendons

Chen Xun's heart lake seemed to be stirred by a raging wind, with waves surging violently

Meanwhile, the mind naturally enters that profound and mysterious space

Trapped in this confined space, Chen Xun had long grown accustomed to a life of desolation and monotony. Such a simple action, he repeated thousands of times, yet he did not find it tedious or uninteresting

Chen Xun suddenly awoke, that fleeting moment just now felt like a dream, or perhaps it can only be explained as a "dream" to describe the instant when the human-shaped light and shadow appeared.

Is this the "Xiangji Force"?

At the very moment he fell into a deep sleep, his spiritual consciousness suddenly opened up, and countless minute glimmers of light were released from within his body. In the blink of an eye, a humanoid light shadow the size of a cocoon coalesced above his spiritual consciousness, as if a golden roc was spreading its wings and soaring through the sky

Although he can roughly grasp the general meaning through guesswork, any slight misunderstanding of the techniques could lead him astray. How can he continue to practice the Secret Fist of the Great Roc with the Five Forces?