Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

Little Nianba clutched her water pouch, following closely behind the three Taoist priests, her steps light yet wary. When they passed the traps outside the cave, she quickly stopped and whispered a warning.

"Master, there's a pit ahead. Follow my footprints and don't touch the ropes."

Li Zhichang and Xia Zhicheng exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with approval, and followed her footprints to avoid the pits and knots.

The sharpened sticks were hidden under the withered leaves, and the knots of rope were concealed in the grass. If she hadn't warned them, they could easily have been caught off guard and fallen into a trap. Qiu Chuji stroked his long beard, his gaze lingering on the little wilted child for a moment, a hint of gentleness appearing in his eyes.

The cave was dimly lit, and Su Yan remained unconscious. The iron sword leaned against the stone wall, the bloodstains on its blade already congealed. Xiao Nian'erba rushed to Su Yan's side and gently nudged him.

"Yan-ge'er, the Taoist priest is here, he can save you."

Qiu Chuji stepped forward, bent down and placed his hand on Su Yan's wrist, his fingertips slightly moving with internal energy, his brows furrowing slightly.

"The external injuries are severe, the internal energy is exhausted, and the blood and qi are flowing in reverse, but fortunately the heart meridian is intact."

He took out a porcelain bottle from his bag, poured out a brown pill, and Li Zhichang handed him some water. Xia Zhicheng then unwrapped the bandage on Su Yan's back, revealing a deep, bone-revealing knife wound. He sprinkled on a special wound medicine from the Quanzhen School and rewrapped it with clean cloth strips.

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, and a warm current flowed down Su Yan's throat. Qiu Chuji then placed his palms on Su Yan's back, slowly channeling his true energy to regulate the disordered blood and qi.

Su Yan frowned unconsciously, and a trace of color gradually returned to his pale face. The wound on his back stopped bleeding.

As Xia Zhicheng was tidying up the bandages, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of the corner of the token peeking out from Su Yan's bosom. He reached out and took it out, and saw that the front was engraved with the two characters "Quanzhen" and the back with "Changchun." He exclaimed in surprise.

"Master, this is our Quanzhen Sect's token!"

Qiu Chuji withdrew his hand, his gaze falling on the token, and asked.

"Young ladies, where did you obtain this token?"

The little boy clutched the hem of his clothes and answered softly.

"It was left by Yan Ge'er's father. He said that with the token, one could go to Zhongnan Mountain. We came from Taiyuan Prefecture, and Yan Ge'er wanted to take me to Chongyang Palace to join the Quanzhen Sect."

That's all she knew; she couldn't say anything more.

Qiu Chuji nodded and returned the token to Xiao Nian'erba.

"It's fate that we've met; please accept this."

Li Zhichang explained to Xiao Nianba with a smile:

"This is my master's Taoist name, Changchunzi, engraved on it."

Qiu Chuji then asked them more questions about what they had seen and heard along the way.

About half an hour later, Su Yan's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.

As my vision cleared, the first thing I saw was Xiao Nianba's concerned face. Then, I looked up and saw three figures dressed in Taoist robes, especially the elderly man in the middle with a long beard and deep eyes, who had an extraordinary air about him.

He struggled to sit up, but the movement aggravated his wound, causing him to gasp in pain.

"Yan-ge'er!"

Little Nianba quickly helped him up.

Su Yan waved his hand, his gaze falling on the three people, Qiu Chuji and the others. Then he saw the token being held in Xiao Nianba's hand, and he instantly realized what was happening. He struggled to get off the bed and kneel down.

"Junior Su Yan greets the Daoist Master!"

"No need for formalities, your injuries haven't healed yet."

Qiu Chuji raised his hand to stop him, his voice calm.

"I am Qiu Chuji of the Quanzhen School, and these two are my disciples, Li Zhichang and Xia Zhicheng."

Su Yan's pupils shrank sharply. He hadn't expected it to be Qiu Chuji, one of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen! Ignoring his injuries, he insisted on bowing respectfully.

"I have long admired Master Qiu's name, but I never expected to see your esteemed presence here."

His tone was respectful yet composed, without the slightest hint of flattery.

Qiu Chuji looked at him and asked.

"If you went to Zhongnan Mountain with the token, why are you severely injured and unconscious here?"

Su Yan then briefly explained the reason: They set off from Taiyuan Prefecture, escorting Xiao Nian'erba on their journey. On the way, they encountered Jin soldiers plundering villages. After rescuing them, they were chased and killed. After a fierce battle, they finally escaped into a cave.

He didn't embellish the story, but simply stated the facts, his tone softening when he mentioned Xiao Nianba.

"She was all alone and helpless. If she had stayed in Taiyuan, things would have been easier, but she certainly wouldn't have survived more than three days on her own. Since she collapsed at my doorstep, it must be fate, and I naturally cannot abandon her."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhichang praised him.

"Brother Su, it is truly rare to find someone so young with such a chivalrous heart."

Xia Zhicheng nodded as well.

"Those Jin soldiers are brutal and inhumane. Brother Su's rescue is truly heroic!"

Qiu Chuji stroked his long beard, a look of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"In chaotic times, everyone is in danger, yet you protected a vulnerable woman without flinching from weapons; your character is commendable. Judging from your aura, your external martial arts foundation is solid, but you lack internal energy for nourishment. Fighting like this is tantamount to risking your life."

Su Yan said frankly.

"What I have learned is the family's swordsmanship. My lightness skills and fist techniques were all obtained from bandits I robbed. I have never practiced internal energy cultivation."

As he spoke, he subconsciously opened the panel, only to find that his skills remained unchanged and his cultivation level was still that of a third-rate martial artist, except that the health and mana section displayed "weak".

Host: Su Yan

Age: 16

Martial arts:

Rank E - Su Family Sword Technique (Perfect, 1/500) [Consumable -30%, Armor Penetration +30%, Pressure +40%]

Rank E - Leap Technique (Perfect, 486/500) [Consumer Cost -30%, Agility +40%, Evasion +40%]

Rank E - Monument Smasher (Mastery, 147/400) [Consumable Cost -25%, Critical Hit +30%, Fist Power +25%]

Realm: Third-rate martial artist (weak qi and blood).

Qiu Chuji nodded upon hearing this.

"Only by mastering external skills can one cultivate internal strength, which shows that you have good aptitude and a resilient and unperturbed character, free from greed and anger. Here's what I'll do: I'll teach you a set of basic breathing techniques from our sect. Although it's not the core method of our sect, it can strengthen your foundation, nourish your qi and blood, and make up for your lack of internal strength."

Qiu Chuji stroked his beard and looked at the iron sword beside him.

"I will teach you another move of the Quanzhen Sword Technique, which has seven moves. It emphasizes balance and tranquility, complementing your powerful Su Family Sword Technique."

He paused, his gaze sharp.

"If you can master these seven sword techniques and enter the realm of internal energy cultivation within a month through breathing exercises, I will make an exception and accept you as my disciple, making you a third-generation disciple."

Su Yan was overjoyed.

He had asked his senior uncle Song Zhifang, and he learned that this token could only make him a nominal disciple, a very peripheral disciple. Even if he could become a core disciple, he would only be a fourth-generation disciple, far from being a third-generation disciple.

Ignoring his injuries, he struggled to get out of bed and knelt deeply before Qiu Chuji.

"Disciple Su Yan thanks Daoist Master for imparting his skills! I will certainly not disappoint Daoist Master's expectations!"

His voice was strong and clear, and his eyes were full of determination. This was the closest he had ever come to his goal: not only could he join the Quanzhen Sect, but he could also learn real internal energy and swordsmanship.

Little Nianba also knelt down and kowtowed.

"Thank you, Taoist priest, for saving Yan-ge'er! Thank you, Taoist priest, for passing on your skills!"

Qiu Chuji helped the two up and recited the incantations of breathing techniques and the key points of swordsmanship. Li Zhichang supplemented the explanations from the side, while Xia Zhicheng drew sword move diagrams on the ground with a twig. Su Yan concentrated on memorizing them, engraving every word in his mind, not daring to miss the slightest detail.

Host: Su Yan

Age: 16

Internal strength:

Level C - Basic Breathing Techniques (Beginner, 0/50)

Martial arts:

Rank E - Su Family Sword Technique (Perfect, 1/500) [Consumable -30%, Armor Penetration +30%, Pressure +40%]

Rank E - Leap Technique (Perfect, 486/500) [Consumer Cost -30%, Agility +40%, Evasion +40%]

Rank E - Monument Smasher (Mastery, 147/400) [Consumable Cost -25%, Critical Hit +30%, Fist Power +25%]

Grade C (Incomplete) - Quanzhen Swordplay (Unskilled, 0/50).

Realm: Third-rate martial artist (weak blood and qi, 13%).

After learning the Quanzhen Sect's mental cultivation method, the interface changed drastically, with an additional section for internal energy cultivation methods added, and the progress of internal energy was also marked after the realm.

It's just unclear whether the incomplete version of the Quanzhen Swordplay is C-level or the complete version is C-level. Also, the proficiency level for the unlearned version is much higher than before. Previously, the unlearned version of an E-level martial art required 10 repetitions, but the unlearned version of a C-level martial art requires 50 repetitions.

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the cave, accompanied by rough neighing.

"The bastard who killed my brother is inside! Search him! Tear him to pieces!"

Xia Zhicheng raised an eyebrow.

"They're remnants of the Jin army; they've probably called for reinforcements."

"Master, I've gone to take care of them!"

Li Zhichang stood up, drew his long sword from his waist, and his eyes were calm.

Qiu Chuji nodded.

"Go quickly and return quickly"

The two quickly walked out of the cave. Before long, the sounds of metal clashing and screams could be heard outside. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Li Zhichang and Xia Zhicheng returned, their longswords stained with a little blood, their expressions indifferent.

"Reporting to Master, there were twenty Jin soldiers in total. The leader was a Jin commander of a thousand men, who was the elder brother of the centurion from before. They have all been killed, and none of them survived."

Su Yan was deeply shocked.

Li Zhichang and Xia Zhicheng are names rarely heard in the original work, and their martial arts skills are even more mediocre. It is unexpected that they were able to deal with the Jin army with ease.

This was the strength of the Quanzhen Sect disciples, far more effortless than his life-or-death struggle, which further strengthened his resolve to cultivate.

Qiu Chuji looked at the determination in his eyes and nodded in satisfaction.

"We cannot stay here any longer. Although your injuries are all superficial, you still need to rest and recuperate. We still need to go to Qingfeng Town, where a plague is raging and they urgently need our help, Zhichang."

Li Zhichang hurriedly stepped forward.

"Disciple is here."

"You are responsible for bringing him back to the Quanzhen Sect, and then come find us."

Qiu Chuji pointed to Su Yan.

"As for this young lady, let's arrange for her to stay with us for now. We'll make further plans after we return in a month and complete the assessment, okay?"

Li Zhichang clasped his hands in a salute while holding his sword.

"Your disciple obeys!"

Su Yan knelt down again.

"Many thanks to Patriarch Changchun."

After resting briefly, Qiu Chuji and Xia Zhicheng headed to the town they were going to.

Little Nianba watched the two figures leave, then looked at Su Yan with joy on her face.

"Yan-ge'er, we can go to Zhongnan Mountain now!"

Su Yan patted her head, his eyes resolute.