“My sword crossed the nine fields, my crown touched the clear cosmos; walking on the world alone, the four seas know me as a hero. Great, great, great, just wonderful. The four seas know me as a hero–who under the heavens can be worthy enough to be called a hero?”
Hearing the four-sentence poem, Bai Ziyue was pleasantly surprised. He kept appreciating the poem, feeling an unending sense of loftiness and ambition.
This mysterious young man, one of the Eight Demonic Immortals Under Heaven, stood up, laughed three times and said, “Bottoms up! Bottoms up! This poem… It really gets me. Meeting a true soulmate in this vast, wide world… How precious.”
While speaking, Bai Ziyue handed Hong Yi the wine gourd.
Hong Yi drank three times straight from the gourd, and he still wanted more. He felt warmth as he drank it, and his body felt so light that it was almost as if he was floating on air. However, his mind was getting clearer, not at all intoxicated.
That was good wine.
Hong Yi was feeling very good internally, simply because Mr. Bai had come.
If Mr. Bai had not shown up, the foxes would have been killed.
“Walking on the world alone, the four seas know me as a hero.”
After Hong Yi had his fill, Bai Ziyue took the gourd from him and chugged some more. With every chug, he chanted a line of poetry. It was like poems were the perfect dish to pair with wine
“Saints of the past drank wine while reading history books. Now today Hong Yi, your poem has the same effect. I haven’t been so carefree in a long while!”
After having over a dozen drinks, Bai Ziyue got a little tipsy. He started singing again, “drink my wine… have good breath and never cough. See the emperor and I never bow…”
“What kind of song is that?” Hong Yi asked.
“A drinking song I wrote.” Bai Ziyue laughed.
“Such a teenager! Young and wild and free! So uninhibited!”
Bai Ziyue’s temperament and posture were free and uninhibited, yet still collected and controlled. Hong Yi thought about his theurgy and couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.
“Mr. Bai, you are named as one of the Eight Demonic Immortals Under Heaven. Could you please tell me what a Demonic Immortal is?” Hong Yi asked.
He had been reading the Martial Scripture and the Dao Scripture for a few days now. He knew that when the spirit reached the level of Reincarnation, one could be called a Spiritual Immortal, and that when one trained to the Yang God level, one can be called an immortal. As for Demonic Immortal, though, he still hadn’t heard.
“Please, call me ‘Ziyue’. ‘Mr. Bai’ makes it sound like you see me as an outsider. You are worthy enough to be my soulmate just because of this poem.” Bai Ziyue had another sip. His face flushed, but his eyes still projected a warm glow like jade. “Demonic Immortals are also Spiritual Immortals, just not originated from humans. I hid in the mountains, practiced for sixty years and became a Spiritual Immortal. Then I reincarnated into a fetus of a human. Now I am currently fifteen years old. I wonder how old you are.”
“So Ziyue, you are fifteen. I am fifteen as well. I read the Dao Scripture, and it said that there were demons or ghosts who forcefully snatched someone else’s body and destroyed their souls. Ziyue, you reincarnated into a fetus. That is very noble of you,” Hong Yi said.
When animals gain spirituality, their souls leave the body and work their way up to Spiritual Immortals, and they can reincarnate into a human body. They can even reincarnate into a live person, destroy their spirit and snatch the shell.
The same applies to humans that practice spiritual cultivation. After their bodies decayed, they can leave the restrictions of their bodies and snatch others’ flesh and body.
“No, It’s not noble at all. In order to reincarnate into a live person and steal their body, you must first slowly whittle the other person’s soul down with yours. It harms your soul without any gain. Not to mention that an adult’s body is already fully shaped, and incapable of further improvement. It is impossible to shape the body or practice martial arts as It wishes. But a fetus is different, it is afterall just a ball of pure flesh, with no souls whatsoever. A fetus becomes a baby only after it starts to have thoughts, and gains consciousness. A baby can count as a person only when it is born,” Bai Ziyue said.
“So it’s like this.”
Hong Yi finally understood, but he was still confused about something. “Do people specializing in spiritual cultivation need to train in martial arts as well?”
“The word ‘life’ consists of two parts: the virtual ‘character’ and its ‘physical presence’. One of the most common mistakes in cultivation is focusing on only the ‘character’–spiritual cultivation,–and completely abandoning physical practice. Focusing on only the soul is not enough to get you to cross the ocean of bitterness to the other shore,” Bai Ziyue said, “The spirit and the body always work together. If you only talk about spirituality and not the physical, simply put it is not enough.”
“No wonder! Archery has always been part of scholarly education to strengthen the body. So that’s the reason why.” Hong Yi said.
“Well, it’s probably still not enough even if you’re good at both.” Bai Ziyue shook his head.
“Huh?” Hong Yi was confused.
“Don’t ask me, I have no idea. I am only at the level of Spiritual Immortal. I haven’t even attempted tribulation by thunder yet. My body is also only at the level of Martial Saint, not at all Corporeal Immortal. I came to the Jade Capital today, seeking an answer.” Bai Ziyue said.
“Seeking an answer to what question?”
“I heard that Da Chan Temple has three volumes of sutras. One is called the Past Mituo Sutra, one is Present Rulai Sutra, one is Future Wusheng Sutra. The sutra of the past is one of the best classics for cultivating the spirit. The sutra of the present is one of the best classics for martial arts. As for the sutra of the future, I haven’t heard much about it. I also heard that, in order to reach the other shore, all of the three books need to be practiced at the same time. Now that the Temple is crushed, the three sutras are nowhere to be seen. Maybe in the imperial library, I don’t know. I’ve come here to the Jade Capital, looking for them.”
“The Past Mituo Sutra, the Present Rulai Sutra, and the Future Wusheng Sutra.”
Hong Yi’s eyes widened at the mention of the names of the three sutras.
He had heard these names in Li Yan’s Grass Hall Records. It had been written like this, “Da Chan Temple has three classics, called the Past, the Present and the Future, corresponding with the three biggest achievements of scholars, Morality, Merit and Ideology. It’s a pity that I haven’t been able to read them. It’s really a pity, really a pity.”
However that was it. Nothing else was in that book.
“He is truly deserving of the title Demonic Immortal. He speaks candidly, unlike a human. If he were human, would he have just told me about his secret intentions just like that?”
Hearing Bai Ziyue’s candidness, Hong Yi finally understood the phrase “there is nothing that cannot be told to others.” Bai Ziyue has a very high level of charisma appreciated by orthodox scholars. At that moment he felt even closer to Bai Ziyue.
“Ziyue is also an expert in martial arts. He has even reached the level of Martial Saint. I should probably ask for some instructions from him.” Hong Yi was thinking.
The Great Qian Dynasty has a very strict and detailed system of classifying physical prowess. Martial Student, Martial Apprentice, Martial Warrior, Martial Master, Innate, Grand Master, Martial Saint. Despite the detailed classification, there were mostly just martial warriors and martial masters in the military. Even soldiers that have worked on their inner organs, and reached the innate level, are rare, not to mention Grand Masters and Martial Saints.
As for Corporeal Immortals, no one has even heard of a single one.
“I have familiarized myself with the Martial Scripture and the Dao Scripture and I really want to study cultivation on my own, but it is so hard to get a handle of it without any instructions. I am lucky enough to have met you today, Ziyue. I am going to be shameless and ask you for some instructions.” Hong Yi said this to Bai Ziyue.
“Hong Yi, you want to practice martial arts?” Bai Ziyue looked at Hong Yi, and then at the Martial Scripture on the table. “A lot of the details of this book have been deleted. The stuff recorded in here is also kind of coarse and simple. Your flesh is flabby, and you have no experience at all. It will be hard to achieve a lot in a short time.”
“Well, one step at a time.” Hong Yi smiled.
“The first step to martial arts, is training the flesh, tendons, and skin. The Martial Hall classifies anyone who has reached the realm of training their skin to be Warriors. That realm is comparable to a scholar becoming a candidate of the Imperial Examination. In the army, the Martial Warrior realm is enough to allow one to lead a group of a hundred people” Bai Ziyue said. He seemed very familiar with the Great Qian’s military system.
In the Great Qian’s military, a group of five soldiers was called a Wu, and its leader was called the Head of Wu. A group of one hundred soldiers was a Du, and its leader was called the Head of Du. A group of five hundred soldiers was called a Ying, and its leader was called the Battalion Commander. A thousand soldiers formed an army, and its leader was called the General.Ten thousand soldiers made a Tong, and its leader was called a Marshall.
The military system was much more rigid than the government’s. Everything was based on the person’s military and physical prowess.
“The best methods for cultivating the flesh, tendon, and skin should be the Demonic Bull Strengthening Technique and Demonic Tiger Bone Training Fist Technique of the Da Chan Temple. After that, the outer work of your body is done, which is the Master level. As for innate, you need various breathing techniques to train your internal organs. We will get to those later. I will teach you Demonic Bull Strengthening Technique for now.”
“My sword crossed the nine fields, my crown touched the clear cosmos; walking on the world alone, the four seas know me as a hero. Great, great, great, just wonderful. The four seas know me as a hero–who under the heavens can be worthy enough to be called a hero?”
Hearing the four-sentence poem, Bai Ziyue was pleasantly surprised. He kept appreciating the poem, feeling an unending sense of loftiness and ambition.
This mysterious young man, one of the Eight Demonic Immortals Under Heaven, stood up, laughed three times and said, “Bottoms up! Bottoms up! This poem… It really gets me. Meeting a true soulmate in this vast, wide world… How precious.”
While speaking, Bai Ziyue handed Hong Yi the wine gourd.
Hong Yi drank three times straight from the gourd, and he still wanted more. He felt warmth as he drank it, and his body felt so light that it was almost as if he was floating on air. However, his mind was getting clearer, not at all intoxicated.
That was good wine.
Hong Yi was feeling very good internally, simply because Mr. Bai had come.
If Mr. Bai had not shown up, the foxes would have been killed.
“Walking on the world alone, the four seas know me as a hero.”
After Hong Yi had his fill, Bai Ziyue took the gourd from him and chugged some more. With every chug, he chanted a line of poetry. It was like poems were the perfect dish to pair with wine
“Saints of the past drank wine while reading history books. Now today Hong Yi, your poem has the same effect. I haven’t been so carefree in a long while!”
After having over a dozen drinks, Bai Ziyue got a little tipsy. He started singing again, “drink my wine… have good breath and never cough. See the emperor and I never bow…”
“What kind of song is that?” Hong Yi asked.
“A drinking song I wrote.” Bai Ziyue laughed.
“Such a teenager! Young and wild and free! So uninhibited!”
Bai Ziyue’s temperament and posture were free and uninhibited, yet still collected and controlled. Hong Yi thought about his theurgy and couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.
“Mr. Bai, you are named as one of the Eight Demonic Immortals Under Heaven. Could you please tell me what a Demonic Immortal is?” Hong Yi asked.
He had been reading the Martial Scripture and the Dao Scripture for a few days now. He knew that when the spirit reached the level of Reincarnation, one could be called a Spiritual Immortal, and that when one trained to the Yang God level, one can be called an immortal. As for Demonic Immortal, though, he still hadn’t heard.
“Please, call me ‘Ziyue’. ‘Mr. Bai’ makes it sound like you see me as an outsider. You are worthy enough to be my soulmate just because of this poem.” Bai Ziyue had another sip. His face flushed, but his eyes still projected a warm glow like jade. “Demonic Immortals are also Spiritual Immortals, just not originated from humans. I hid in the mountains, practiced for sixty years and became a Spiritual Immortal. Then I reincarnated into a fetus of a human. Now I am currently fifteen years old. I wonder how old you are.”
“So Ziyue, you are fifteen. I am fifteen as well. I read the Dao Scripture, and it said that there were demons or ghosts who forcefully snatched someone else’s body and destroyed their souls. Ziyue, you reincarnated into a fetus. That is very noble of you,” Hong Yi said.
When animals gain spirituality, their souls leave the body and work their way up to Spiritual Immortals, and they can reincarnate into a human body. They can even reincarnate into a live person, destroy their spirit and snatch the shell.
The same applies to humans that practice spiritual cultivation. After their bodies decayed, they can leave the restrictions of their bodies and snatch others’ flesh and body.
“No, It’s not noble at all. In order to reincarnate into a live person and steal their body, you must first slowly whittle the other person’s soul down with yours. It harms your soul without any gain. Not to mention that an adult’s body is already fully shaped, and incapable of further improvement. It is impossible to shape the body or practice martial arts as It wishes. But a fetus is different, it is afterall just a ball of pure flesh, with no souls whatsoever. A fetus becomes a baby only after it starts to have thoughts, and gains consciousness. A baby can count as a person only when it is born,” Bai Ziyue said.
“So it’s like this.”
Hong Yi finally understood, but he was still confused about something. “Do people specializing in spiritual cultivation need to train in martial arts as well?”
“The word ‘life’ consists of two parts: the virtual ‘character’ and its ‘physical presence’. One of the most common mistakes in cultivation is focusing on only the ‘character’–spiritual cultivation,–and completely abandoning physical practice. Focusing on only the soul is not enough to get you to cross the ocean of bitterness to the other shore,” Bai Ziyue said, “The spirit and the body always work together. If you only talk about spirituality and not the physical, simply put it is not enough.”
“No wonder! Archery has always been part of scholarly education to strengthen the body. So that’s the reason why.” Hong Yi said.
“Well, it’s probably still not enough even if you’re good at both.” Bai Ziyue shook his head.
“Huh?” Hong Yi was confused.
“Don’t ask me, I have no idea. I am only at the level of Spiritual Immortal. I haven’t even attempted tribulation by thunder yet. My body is also only at the level of Martial Saint, not at all Corporeal Immortal. I came to the Jade Capital today, seeking an answer.” Bai Ziyue said.
“Seeking an answer to what question?”
“I heard that Da Chan Temple has three volumes of sutras. One is called the Past Mituo Sutra, one is Present Rulai Sutra, one is Future Wusheng Sutra. The sutra of the past is one of the best classics for cultivating the spirit. The sutra of the present is one of the best classics for martial arts. As for the sutra of the future, I haven’t heard much about it. I also heard that, in order to reach the other shore, all of the three books need to be practiced at the same time. Now that the Temple is crushed, the three sutras are nowhere to be seen. Maybe in the imperial library, I don’t know. I’ve come here to the Jade Capital, looking for them.”
“The Past Mituo Sutra, the Present Rulai Sutra, and the Future Wusheng Sutra.”
Hong Yi’s eyes widened at the mention of the names of the three sutras.
He had heard these names in Li Yan’s Grass Hall Records. It had been written like this, “Da Chan Temple has three classics, called the Past, the Present and the Future, corresponding with the three biggest achievements of scholars, Morality, Merit and Ideology. It’s a pity that I haven’t been able to read them. It’s really a pity, really a pity.”
However that was it. Nothing else was in that book.
“He is truly deserving of the title Demonic Immortal. He speaks candidly, unlike a human. If he were human, would he have just told me about his secret intentions just like that?”
Hearing Bai Ziyue’s candidness, Hong Yi finally understood the phrase “there is nothing that cannot be told to others.” Bai Ziyue has a very high level of charisma appreciated by orthodox scholars. At that moment he felt even closer to Bai Ziyue.
“Ziyue is also an expert in martial arts. He has even reached the level of Martial Saint. I should probably ask for some instructions from him.” Hong Yi was thinking.
The Great Qian Dynasty has a very strict and detailed system of classifying physical prowess. Martial Student, Martial Apprentice, Martial Warrior, Martial Master, Innate, Grand Master, Martial Saint. Despite the detailed classification, there were mostly just martial warriors and martial masters in the military. Even soldiers that have worked on their inner organs, and reached the innate level, are rare, not to mention Grand Masters and Martial Saints.
As for Corporeal Immortals, no one has even heard of a single one.
“I have familiarized myself with the Martial Scripture and the Dao Scripture and I really want to study cultivation on my own, but it is so hard to get a handle of it without any instructions. I am lucky enough to have met you today, Ziyue. I am going to be shameless and ask you for some instructions.” Hong Yi said this to Bai Ziyue.
“Hong Yi, you want to practice martial arts?” Bai Ziyue looked at Hong Yi, and then at the Martial Scripture on the table. “A lot of the details of this book have been deleted. The stuff recorded in here is also kind of coarse and simple. Your flesh is flabby, and you have no experience at all. It will be hard to achieve a lot in a short time.”
“Well, one step at a time.” Hong Yi smiled.
“The first step to martial arts, is training the flesh, tendons, and skin. The Martial Hall classifies anyone who has reached the realm of training their skin to be Warriors. That realm is comparable to a scholar becoming a candidate of the Imperial Examination. In the army, the Martial Warrior realm is enough to allow one to lead a group of a hundred people” Bai Ziyue said. He seemed very familiar with the Great Qian’s military system.
In the Great Qian’s military, a group of five soldiers was called a Wu, and its leader was called the Head of Wu. A group of one hundred soldiers was a Du, and its leader was called the Head of Du. A group of five hundred soldiers was called a Ying, and its leader was called the Battalion Commander. A thousand soldiers formed an army, and its leader was called the General.Ten thousand soldiers made a Tong, and its leader was called a Marshall.
The military system was much more rigid than the government’s. Everything was based on the person’s military and physical prowess.
“The best methods for cultivating the flesh, tendon, and skin should be the Demonic Bull Strengthening Technique and Demonic Tiger Bone Training Fist Technique of the Da Chan Temple. After that, the outer work of your body is done, which is the Master level. As for innate, you need various breathing techniques to train your internal organs. We will get to those later. I will teach you Demonic Bull Strengthening Technique for now.”
