Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 80 Heaven and earth may be vast, but I am the greatest! (Thanks to the generous patron who slaughtered the pig!)
At the end of the Xu hour (7-9 PM), the joyous banquet ended.

Zhou Yi arranged for someone to take Old Xie home. He rarely encountered such a lively scene, and he drank a few more cups with Old Dan, who was a big drinker.

"Senior brother, what should we do with the corpses we brought back from the village?"

Xia Shu tugged at Zhou Yi's sleeve and pointed to the backyard.

The mad monk had been thoroughly searched, but not a single clue was found.

Zhou Yi thought of Master Sanchi.

Xin Chan Bu Mie has helped him several times, all in times of crisis.

Out of consideration for him, his body should be properly disposed of.

Moreover, this monk did not do it out of his own volition.

"Let's choose a place to bury him."

Just then, another fierce roar came from the backyard.

Zhou Yi led the two children past the Laozi statue hall and saw Shan Xiongxin using hemp rope to tie up another living mad monk.

"That's weird, where does this guy get such strength!"

Feng Si and Zhang San each grabbed a section of the broken rope, which had five strands, but they broke it in one go!
“Don’t rush to tie the rope,” Zhou Yi stepped forward, “first lift up his shirt.”

"I'll grab him!" Shan Xiongxin channeled his inner energy into his hands, which, like a giant iron clamp, firmly locked the mad monk's collarbone.

Dou Kui pulled aside his gray monk's robe.

The mad monk bared his chest and exposed his belly, revealing a convulsing mass on his chest that throbbed and pounded, an eerie sight, like another heart.

The spasm is located at the Tanzhong acupoint.

The so-called "qi sinking to the dantian and gathering in the chest" is a very common internal martial arts method of circulating qi.

Zhou Yi, however, noticed something amiss.

He reached out and touched the mad monk's navel seven inches above it, then channeled a stream of true energy into his xiphoid process.

Martial arts practitioners rarely expose their own acupoints to the true energy of others unless they are facing their own brothers or siblings, as this is not only extremely dangerous but also exposes their secrets.

Masters of internal martial arts can determine the depth of an opponent's skill level simply by examining their pulse points.

Whether it's an ordinary acupoint or a vital energy point, it can't be hidden from those who know their stuff.

The mad monk's Jiuwei acupoint did not emit any qi, so it was undoubtedly an ordinary acupoint. Zhou Yi's true qi traveled upwards and was suddenly swallowed up by the Tanzhong acupoint!
This is the Qi aperture.

You can breathe in and out through the gaps in the wind!
Those who are skilled enough to cultivate their Qi points are all exceptional individuals.

Zhou Yi, however, had a feeling.

It seems that the mad monk did not open this acupoint in the chest himself.

Instead, it was broken open directly by violent means.

Therefore, his breathing was forced and unnatural, with his air gaps wide open and closed.

The spirit resides within the orifices; when the spirit is clouded, wisdom is clouded, the light of intelligence is obscured, and inner demons arise in abundance.

Although Zhou Yi's true energy was not innate, it was extremely unique.

After the mad monk absorbed this true energy into his chest, the spasmodic pulsation became noticeably smaller.

With a thought, Zhou Yi poured in more true energy.

Shan Xiongxin exclaimed, "He doesn't seem to be struggling anymore."

"Did Senior Brother cure his madness?" Yan Qiu muttered.

Xia Shu, with her sharp eyes, said, "Am I seeing things? His eyes seem to be spitting blood."

"Have it?"

Yan Qiu leaned closer: "There really is!"

He saw it too.
As Zhou Yi injected his true energy, the spiderweb-like blood vessels in the mad monk's eyes gradually faded, disappearing like wisps of thin gauze.

It is both eerie and quite magnificent.

The bloodshot color faded from the mad monk's eyes, and his fierce gaze disappeared.

then
The ink on his face dissipated in wisps of black mist.

In an instant, he transformed into the same person he had been when he was burning incense and chanting Buddhist prayers in the temple that day.

It even displayed a rare and precious appearance, as if it had seen through everything.

As far as the eye can see, things with form become formless.

He looks to be no older than thirty, making it hard to believe he possesses such a profound understanding of Buddhism.

Or perhaps this state of being only exists for a fleeting moment.

Shan Xiongxin loosened his grip slightly, and the monk swayed slightly but remained as steady as a pine tree, pressing his palms together in a deep Buddhist salute.

"Thank you, benefactor. This humble monk has been ignorant for a long time and has finally been liberated."

He speaks clearly, just like a normal person.

"Master, do you know who plotted against you?"

The monk closed his eyes and sighed softly: "I don't know either. I am the cook at Anshan Temple outside Sheqi City. That day, I was preparing soup in the kitchen when everything went black and I lost consciousness."

"Then I had a nightmare in which I heard ghostly voices and saw four red-haired Yama kings throwing me into a pot full of flames and roasting me repeatedly."

"I felt immense pain, and then I was in a daze until I finally woke up at this moment."

Zhou Yi pressed further, "Master, have you ever been clear-headed for even a moment?"

"Have."

The monk said, "Before I had my nightmare, I heard someone mention the Black Stone Mortuary. In the nightmare, in the flaming furnace, a Yama with eyes blazing with ghostly fire mocked me."

"The dregs of the Daoist path."

"All that was left was the sound of savage laughter, nothing else."

The monk clasped his hands together, his eyes growing faint, and bowed to Zhou Yi once more, saying, "This is all I know. Thank you for your help, benefactor."

"master."

Shan Xiongxin held the monk under his armpits with both hands to check his pulse.

"died."

He felt from the pulse point down to the Tanzhong acupoint: "What kind of evil magic is this?"

The monk's fierce expression faded, and his face became serene.

“That’s not even the weirdest thing,” Zhou Yi said calmly. “A few days ago I met an old man named Ren who jumped right out of his coffin.”

Yan Qiu let out a strange cry: "Ah!"

Xia Shu asked curiously, "Senior brother, how high did Grandpa Ren jump?"

“Very high,” Zhou Yi said, stroking his chin. “A government official named Awei in the city was chased by him and had to run around using his light-footed skills.”

After trying to relax and crack a joke, the two children became fascinated by the strange incident.

Shan Xiongxin couldn't understand: "Could there really be some mountain demons or ghosts?"

“No,” Zhou Yi said. “It’s the old monster from the Demonic Sect who is practicing evil arts. The symptoms of these monks are similar to those of demonic possession, and their bodies have been infused with evil true energy.”

"From Old Master Ren to this monk, it's clear that these old monsters' demonic skills are improving day by day. They are currently searching for Taoist practitioners, so we must keep a low profile and absolutely not publicize our rituals."

Shan Xiongxin said cautiously, "Then we must also be wary of them coming to our door."

Zhou Yi breathed a sigh of relief: "They've already come, so I've managed to get away with it for now. These old monsters think too highly of themselves, but as long as we do as I say, we should be safe in the short term."

"These two monks wear the same style of robes, so they are probably from Anshan Temple. The abbot of that temple died tragically, and all the monks disappeared. They will probably all end up like this, half-human and half-ghost."

Zhou Yi had many more things to say, but stopped herself in time:
"You've had a long day, take a rest first, we'll arrange the details tomorrow."

"Alright."

Shan Xiongxin looked down at the monk on the ground: "I'll bury this one first; he's a pitiful man too."

Zhou Yi gave the two young Taoist boys a few instructions and then returned alone to the main hall with the Laozi statue.

He sat cross-legged on the prayer mat, the monk's dying words still echoing in his ears.

Blackstone Mortuary is right next to Nanyang.

I saw the "Four Yama Kings" in my dream.

Could it be
The Blackstone Mortuary is hiding four strange old men?!

Could it be that these four old artists, who are the secret masters of the four major evil sects, are all in Nanyang?

Does Yang Dalongtou know about this?
However, these four people have always been at odds, so how could they possibly cooperate sincerely?

"Hey Laozi, can you give me an answer?"

Zhou Yi looked up at Laozi's benevolent face, when suddenly he heard light footsteps. The two young Taoist boys, who should have gone to bed, had returned.

The two men, carrying scriptures, crept up to them.

Stealing a glance at his senior brother's expression, and seeing that he had no intention of driving him away, he sat down next to Zhou Yi on either side.

Zhou Yi glanced at Xia Shu, then at Yan Qiu. The two young Taoist disciples hadn't grown up; they still looked like children.

He had many plans in mind, but he didn't mention them.

The three of them sat together, as if it were a scene from the old days at Fuzishan.

However, the young Taoist novices no longer held the "Disaster Relief Talisman," but instead devoted themselves to studying Taoist classics.

This is the treasure left behind by Master Jiao Wuzi.

Seeing the two engrossed in their scriptures, Zhou Yi smiled slightly and took out the "Laozi Xiang'er Commentary".

but
He did not recite scriptures, but instead chanted leisurely:

"It's only been seven days since spring, and I've already been away from home for two years. I return after the wild geese have flown away, and my thoughts begin to bloom before the flowers."

Upon hearing this poem, Xia Shu and Yan Qiu both raised their heads.

The two couldn't help but think of Mount Fuzi, where their senior brother had been reclining on a bamboo couch, and they had been listening to his lamentations about spring and autumn.

Thinking back on it now, I feel both amused and a lump in my throat.

"Senior brother~!"

The two men each took one arm of Zhou Yi, one on the left and one on the right.

Yan Qiu said with a hint of sadness, "I really want to go back to Fuzi Mountain."

Xia Shu then made a wish, seemingly with a touch of sadness: "Is there still a chance to go back?"

Zhou Yi said, "Wolong Mountain can also be Fuzi Mountain. Wherever we are, that's Fuzi Mountain. Right?"

"Ok!"

After a moment of silence, the two spoke in unison.

"Senior brother, is it possible for you to teach us the martial arts now?"

Their eyes were burning with anticipation.

Zhou Yi put on a stern face: "This question shows that you are not cultivating your character enough, and you still need to study the classics more carefully."

Yan Qiu gave an "oh," and Xia Shu, still clinging to hope, glanced at her senior brother one more time with longing eyes.

It seems she wants him to change his mind.

Zhou Yi suddenly smiled:
"Be patient. Just like the Taoist names you chose for yourselves, gentle breeze and bright moon are things that last forever in this world, and they have a sense of eternity. Your mind should be like that too."

“To hastily impart the techniques would be to disgrace this title.”

"Furthermore, if you develop internal strength now, you might miss out on something."

Although the two had doubts, they simply agreed with what was said.

They studied together by candlelight until late at night, when Zhou Yi sent the two young Taoist boys to sleep.

At three-quarters past midnight, all noises ceased inside the Wuzhuang Temple.

The grass and trees on the hillside are shrouded in moonlight, their branches dripping with night dew, and the sound of the wind is barely audible.

Zhou Yi wasn't asleep; instead, he pulled out a crumpled piece of oil paper.

Inside was a diagram of qigong exercises.

It was the same one that was obtained from the stone tablet in the Emperor's tomb that day.

Since it involves such an unparalleled skill as the "Demon Seed Technique of the Dao Heart," Zhou Yi would naturally study it.

This exercise diagram is quite complex, as it includes both the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin, one of the twelve primary meridians, and the Qi circulation of the Ren Meridian.

At first, Zhou Yi couldn't figure out how to perfectly connect the true qi in the two meridians.

So there has been no progress.

To this day
While exploring the monk's acupoints, they unexpectedly discovered the secrets of the old monster's methods.

He had a faint inspiration.

One of them is the "Tianchi" acupoint in the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin.

The Heavenly Pool originates from the Kidney Water, which is also the Heart Meridian; therefore, the Heart and Kidneys interact, and Yin and Yang harmonize.

The key to connecting the Ren and Tan meridians lies at the Tanzhong acupoint.

The old monster must know more about the Dao Heart and the Demon Seed than he does. The Tanzhong acupoint is used to gather Qi. This time, the true Qi was drawn into the monk's Tanzhong acupoint with each breath. How could Zhou Yi forget this?

Time flies, and an hour has passed in the blink of an eye.

It was late at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM).

Zhou Yi took a light step and lightly leaped, his toes barely touching the eaves, without making a sound like a scathing blow.

A firefly perched on a roof ornament was startled, leaving a green trail about ten feet long before disappearing into the darkness.

The moon hangs high in the sky, illuminating the hills like a white silk cloth.

Zhou Yi sat cross-legged, gazing at the dark place under the moonlight.

At this moment, he sat cross-legged, channeling the true energy from his Tianchi acupoint to the Ren meridian, recalling the incomplete Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique.

Qi follows the flow of energy!

In an instant, a terrifying nightmare was born in my mind!
This is the inner demon that martial arts practitioners fear most.

Zhou Yi embodies three major methods for cultivating the mind: the human world, the undying Zen of the heart, and the Great Yu's plan.

He confronted his inner demons.

The surrounding area was completely silent, with only the moon and mountains reflecting each other. People and their shadows were both still, as if time had frozen at this moment, forever trapped between light and shadow.

At that moment, he seemed to merge with the still night.

But only for a moment, however
In that instant, his true energy from Tianchi was successfully drawn into the "Shanzhong" acupoint.

Although the Tanzhong acupoint is not yet open, it still experiences a brief burst of Qi!
That one move is enough!
Overjoyed, but this emotional fluctuation immediately caused the terrifying nightmare to strike again!
His face turned red in an instant, and he almost vomited blood.

He quickly calmed himself down and began meditating.

It wasn't until the end of the Chou hour (1-3 AM) that I resumed my practice, successfully connecting the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian to the Ren Meridian!

This is the reverse entry of the twelve meridians into the Ren and Du meridians, which is three or four levels more difficult than practicing them in the forward direction.

For Zhou Yi, the greatest function of the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian is to use its subtle true energy to practice the Wind God Shadowless Sword.

At this moment, the meridian was still circulating, and in a strange way.

Zhou Yifu's spirit is truly moving.

He leaped to the gate of the Taoist temple, drew his sword, and practiced "Green Apples on the River" again.

The Wind God Shadowless Sword has undergone a tremendous change.

He was activated by a certain chapter of the Dao Heart Demon Seed, and his sword became tainted with demonic energy.

In an instant, Zhanlu turned pitch black, its blade flashing with a sinister light, the sword shadow hidden in the darkness!
A demonic wind swirled, its killing intent chilling!
Zhou Yi's "Surprising Cloud Divine Travel" is interspersed among the eerie sword moves filled with demonic energy. If he had the cultivation of a grandmaster, and was also dressed in a black robe...

With just this one sword strike, onlookers would cry out, "Demon General!"

Even if the Queen of the Underworld were to arrive, his identity could not be denied.

After all, this is the most profound and supreme volume among the four great books, "The Heavenly Demon Strategy".

So what if you've only scratched the surface?

Even the Empress Dowager said that his bloodline was pure.

Zhou Yi stopped practicing and changed his sword technique again, this time using only Xuanmen True Qi in combination with the Wind God Shadowless Primal Method.

The same sword move, but this time it was ethereal and agile, difficult to catch.

That is the elegance that the martial arts masters of the Wei and Jin dynasties bestowed upon swordsmanship, a style that is both elegant and refined, with the sword in the wind and the poem in the sword.

Riverbank Green Water, Di Hua Ye Zhen, Riding High City, Leaving the Palace Through the Door
but
Zhou Yi was startled to realize that this Dao Heart Seed Demon was extremely strange.

While he was wielding the sword, I tried to pull him into the Tanzhong acupoint.

Then, his Xuanmen skills turned into demonic skills.

snort!
As Zhou Yi unleashed his sword strike, the black aura on Zhanlu completely dissipated.

The abnormal symptoms in his body suddenly subsided.

Even the nightmares brought by the demonic seed in his Dao heart could not have any effect on his spiritual platform.

Tempt me?
Zhou Yi gave a cold, arrogant smile.

Am I one of those old monsters who have lost their minds?
Zhou Yi held his sword horizontally, the Zhanlu sword gleaming with a crystalline moonlight, its surface flowing like water:

"What demon? What path?"

"The essence of the Laozi Xiang'er Commentary is that whatever Laozi desires you to be, you must be that!"

"I am the greatest in the world!"

……

(End of this chapter)