Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 74 The Legacy of Cao Cao
It has been ten days since Old Master Ren came back to life.

Wolonggang, Wuzhuang Temple.

On the green-tiled eaves of the Taoist temple, Zhou Yi lay horizontally in the mountain breeze, reading the bamboo scroll of "Ode to the Wind".

"The jujube tree attracts nests, and the empty hole lets in the wind. Since what they rely on is such, the wind's influence is different?"

The meaning of this statement is not difficult to understand:
'The crooked and forked branches of the trifoliate orange tree easily attract birds to nest, and the wind can blow through the hollows.'

The elegance and refinement of the Wei and Jin dynasties were also reflected in swordsmanship.

This Wind God Shadowless Sword is indeed related to the "Ode to the Wind".

It's not about the form of sword moves, but about the spirit and essence of the sword.

If a sword has form but lacks spirit, its power is like withered branches and fallen leaves—it has the form but cannot achieve true mastery.

I lightly tapped the bamboo slips against my palm, and suddenly remembered the Heavenly Sword of Lingnan.

The martial arts of the Song Clan leader seem to be related to the "Nine Songs" and "Heavenly Questions" in the Chu Ci, which are famous works by Qu Yuan.

Both the Xie family's ancestors and the Song family's ancestors can be traced back to Xie An, hence their martial arts origins are similar.

Thinking of the power of the Heavenly Blade, he couldn't help but take out the sword manual from his bosom.

"If it shares the same origin as the Heavenly Blade martial arts, this manual is probably more profound than I imagined."

"I have never studied advanced sword techniques, so it's normal that my eyesight is not good enough."

Thinking of this, Zhou Yi unfolded the score and examined it closely.

The ink marks on the score are vigorous, and the notes are not complicated.

One is the meridian chart, which requires mastering the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian.

Secondly, various techniques are used to refine the form of the sword and express its power.

As for the third one, it is rather elusive and difficult to predict, like the divine journey of Jingyun, which requires the attainment of a state of perfect harmony between spirit and energy.

This Jueyin Pericardium Meridian runs through nine acupoints. This sword technique is very strange. It does not distinguish between primary and secondary points, but instead aims to cultivate all nine ordinary acupoints into energy channels.

The further back the energy channels of a single meridian open, the more effort is required.

Therefore, this method can be described as domineering.

"If all nine orifices are complete, setting aside sword techniques and moves, wouldn't one be able to unleash nine swords?"

Zhou Yi's mind wandered:

"The Nine Swords of Chu Ci and Han Fu, could they correspond to the Nine Heavenly Questions Blades of the Song Clan Chief?"

Feeling a little excited at the thought of being tricked by Tian Dao, I carefully observed the sword techniques.

He has now completed most of the practice of the sixth of the twelve primary meridians, the "Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian".

Although he was itching to try out the effects of "Wind God Without Shadow," he was unwilling to give up halfway.

I decided to wait until I had mastered the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming before practicing the seventh of the twelve regular meridians, the Pericardium Meridian of Hand Jueyin.

but
It's okay to have some fun.

Zhou Yi leaped into the courtyard, wielding Zhanlu sword in a stance, executing the first move of the sword technique, "Green Duckweed on the River."

The Ode to the Wind states: "The wind arises from the earth, originating from the tip of a green duckweed."

Where does the wind come from?

The wind arises on the earth, rising from among the leaves of the duckweed.

This technique creates a gust of wind on flat ground, stirring the duckweed on the riverbank. The sword strike comes suddenly, then brushes past a leaf, appearing and disappearing in an instant.

Although Zhou Yi had some understanding, he had only just begun to grasp the basics and could not fully express the true meaning.

Therefore, when the moves are executed, they always lack a certain charm.

but,

After practicing the first technique of the sword for an hour, he had a significant feeling.

This is a fast sword.

My heart skipped a beat; this path was exactly what I was looking for.

The Western Turkic Cloud Commander's lightness skill was unparalleled in the northern desert, and he also possessed the "Radiant Sun Blade Technique," which perfectly complemented his peerless lightness skill.

This sword technique is incredibly swift; with just a breath of true energy, one can unleash ten strikes.

Therefore, it can be inferred that the Divine Wanderer of Startling Clouds and the Shadowless Sword of the Wind God are a perfect match.

After all, it has been verified by a master.

Feeling exhilarated, Zhou Yi practiced until his clothes were soaked with sweat before he was willing to stop.
As dusk fell, an old farmer came to the Wuzhuang Temple, carrying a hoe and a gourd, and knocked on the door.

"What? Master Ya has gone on a pilgrimage?"

"Yes."

Do you know when he will return?

"Yeah, he probably won't be back for a long time."

The old farmer was very disappointed: "It's a pity he didn't get to drink my mulberry wine." Zhou Yi laughed: "Master Crow looks quite fierce, and his temper seems bad too. Why does it seem like you're reluctant to part with him, old man?"

The old farmer clicked his tongue: "What you said is true. Master Ya has a terrible temper, worse than a stone in a latrine. I don't like him that much either."

"However, the people on and around Wolong Mountain remember his kindness."

"When petty thieves and robbers cause trouble, he is usually the one who drives them away."

As he said this, a hint of worry crept into his voice.

It seems that things haven't been so peaceful since Master Crow left.

Zhou Yi tentatively asked, "If there are bandits or thieves, will Chief Yang of Nanyang City take care of them?"

“As long as someone reports it, Yang Dalong will take care of it. But this place is still a bit far from the city, so it's not as quick as Master Ya’s actions. He stays here year-round and is more effective than that clay mountain god.”

"By the way, who is this young Taoist priest?"

The old farmer then asked, "Judging from your age, could you perhaps be a disciple of Master Ya?"

"no no"

Zhou Yilang laughed: "I consider myself an equal to Master Ya."

The old farmer looked him up and down and guessed, "Your seniority is so high? Either you're lying, or your teacher or elder is of a higher generation."

He seemed to have something else to do. After speaking, he glanced at Wuzhuang Temple, stopped talking to Zhou Yi, and turned to leave.

Suddenly,

A voice, clearer and more melodious than that of the raven, pierced the wind and echoed in my ears.

"Old man, remember this: if you encounter any bullies or bandits in the future, you can come up the mountain to find me."

“I am indeed of the same generation as that Taoist priest, Crow.”

The old farmer's worry faded slightly, and he couldn't help but stop walking.

Turning back to look at the young Taoist priest standing with his hands behind his back at the foot of Wuzhuang Temple, he was wearing a light smile and exuded a dignified air.

"Ho ho ho"

The old farmer chuckled dryly a few times and then shook his head.
"With your fair and delicate skin, thieves won't be afraid of you. They'll just think you're a fat sheep. When the Taoist priest patrols at night, he only needs to put on a gloomy face, and the scoundrels will be scared out of their wits."

"However, young Taoist priest, you are very kind-hearted. Here, this wine is for you to drink."

He tossed the wine gourd over, and Zhou Yi caught it.

The old farmer then asked Zhou Yi what his name was.

After Zhou Yi announced his name as "Yi Daoren," he didn't give Zhou Yi a chance to speak, humming some unknown mountain tune, and turned to go down the mountain.

Zhou Yi touched his face.

Indeed, when it comes to appearance, he can't compare to the Crow Taoist.

This isn't the first time they've come to our door.

The Crow Taoist was unknown in the county town, but in the vicinity of Wolonggang, he was truly like the "Crow Mountain God".

Zhou Yi then found the wooden sign that read, "This humble Taoist is traveling and not at home; guests are welcome to come."

Only then did I realize why the last character "便" was written crookedly.

I imagine that when writing this character, the Daoist Crow must have been experiencing a great deal of emotional turmoil.

This word holds something he finds hard to part with in Wolonggang.

In contrast, he had an unwavering pursuit of martial arts.

It was Zhou Yi's arrival that put Crow Taoist at ease, allowing him to leave in peace.
That's why he was so enthusiastic.

The more Zhou Yi got to know him, the more she felt he was a true friend.

He truly deserves to be called a Taoist who cultivates "qi observation" and studies the "Qingjing Miaojing" (Classic of Purity and Tranquility).

but
Just three days later, Zhou Yi's understanding of the Crow Taoist was overturned.
That noon, he was tidying up the Taoist temple, putting away incense, candles, whisks, and other miscellaneous items.

Suddenly, a special visitor arrived gracefully—

She was a village woman carrying a vegetable basket. She was middle-aged, but with makeup on her face, she still had a charming appearance.

Upon hearing that Master Crow was traveling, he covered his face with a sorrowful expression and descended the mountain.

"Uncle Xie, who is this woman?"

Xie Jiyou was used to it: "She is a widow from Baihe Village at the foot of the mountain."

Zhou Yi asked in a daze, "Did Daoist Ya's departure from this temple have anything to do with her?"

Old Xie chuckled and said, "That's naturally related."

In other words, the relationship between these two people is ambiguous.

In an instant, Zhou Yi's idealized view of the Crow Taoist shattered completely.
It's unclear whether he embodies the elegance of the Wei and Jin dynasties or the spirit of Cao Cao.
……

(End of this chapter)