Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

Qiu Chuji and Xia Zhicheng disappeared at the edge of the forest, and the solemn atmosphere in the cave eased slightly. Li Zhichang sheathed his longsword, his face less reserved and more gentle, and smiled at Su Yan.

"Junior Brother Su, please don't be so formal. We'll be traveling together for the next few days. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have about cultivation."

Su Yan was overjoyed upon hearing this. He had been worried about not having anyone to guide him in learning the breathing techniques and swordsmanship he had just learned. He immediately cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother Li. I do have many questions." He slowly sat down, leaning against the stone wall. Little Nian'erba sat obediently to the side, holding a water bag and occasionally handing water to the two of them, his eyes full of reassurance.

"Senior brother, when I practice this Quanzhen Basic Breathing Technique, I always feel my breath is stagnant. I wonder where I'm going wrong?"

Su Yan asked first, while concentrating on recalling the breathing techniques and subconsciously adjusting her breathing according to Li Zhichang's instructions.

Li Zhichang leaned down to observe his breathing and offered gentle advice.

"The essence of breathing exercises lies in naturalness. You were used to brute force when practicing external martial arts, so you need to calm your mind and let your breath flow slowly along your meridians, rather than forcibly pushing it."

He extended his finger and lightly tapped Su Yan's wrist pulse point.

"Feel this point; when you reach this point, slow down your breath by three seconds, and wait until your Qi and blood are balanced before moving it downwards."

Su Yan adjusted as instructed, and felt the faint warm current in his dantian gradually become smoother, while the proficiency level on the panel quietly increased.

[Level C - Basic True Breathing Technique (Beginner, 12/50)]

"Thank you for your guidance, senior brother!"

A glint flashed in Su Yan's eyes, and she asked again.

"And how do you connect the seven moves of the Quanzhen Swordplay without making them feel awkward?"

Li Zhichang picked up a tree branch and began to demonstrate it on the ground, clearly dissecting each move.

"The first move, 'White Clouds Emerging from the Mountain,' requires lightness and agility, while the second move, 'White Rainbow Piercing the Sun,' requires power and ferocity. When connecting the moves, you need to use the momentum from the first move, sink your waist, drop your horse, and exert force in the process..."

As he spoke and demonstrated, Su Yan focused intently on memorizing, his fingers unconsciously following along with the gestures, and the swordsmanship proficiency on the panel increased accordingly.

【Grade C (Incomplete) - Quanzhen Swordplay (Unskilled, 18/50)】

As the conversation became more animated, Su Yan casually asked a question.

"Senior brother, I've heard that the Quanzhen Sect has many martial arts techniques. Besides the basic breathing exercises and the Quanzhen swordplay, what other techniques are there?"

Li Zhichang replied with a smile.

"My teachings in martial arts do indeed have a long and rich history. As for internal energy cultivation, the basic breathing techniques you are currently practicing are mostly taught to nominal disciples and miscellaneous disciples. If you can become a core disciple, you can cultivate the Quanzhen Heart Sutra, which is the fundamental mental cultivation method I teach. It can nourish internal energy and stabilize one's realm. Above that, there are the Hunyuan Gong, Zixia Gong, and Jin Guan Yu Suo Jue, all of which are top-tier internal energy cultivation methods. However, one must meet the cultivation standards and be examined by six senior uncles and elder brothers to confirm that one's temperament and aptitude are sufficient before one can switch to this method."

"In terms of swordsmanship, besides this basic Quanzhen swordsmanship, there is also 'One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones,' where the sword splits into three shadows, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion; and 'Mutual Destruction Swordsmanship,' all of which are desperate fighting methods, rarely learned by disciples in the sect, as they are swordsmanships that injure the enemy a thousand while injuring yourself eight hundred. As for fist and palm skills, there is 'Treading on Frost and Breaking Ice Palm Technique,' which is gentle and dense; 'Three Flowers Gathering at the Top Palm,' which is fierce and powerful; and 'Haotian Palm,' which is expansive and contains Taoist mysteries."

Li Zhichang paused, then added.

"However, these profound martial arts techniques cannot be learned by anyone other than core disciples. Moreover, after entering the sect, one must strictly abide by the sect rules: abstain from alcohol and sex, refrain from killing, and focus on cultivation. There are also monthly assessments. If one is negligent or violates the rules, the punishment will be either being sent to a secluded place for meditation or, in severe cases, having one's martial arts skills abolished and being expelled from the sect."

Su Yan noted everything down, and his path became clearer in his mind. The proficiency level of the breathing technique on the panel increased by several points.

[Level C - Basic True Breathing Technique (Beginner, 25/50)]

He then asked about the essentials of meditation and breath regulation, as well as the distribution of meridians in the human body. Li Zhichang patiently answered his questions and even showed him a simple meridian chart that he carried with him.

Su Yan then realized that he had relied entirely on brute force to practice external martial arts in the past, and did not even know the basics of recognizing acupoints and pulses. Now that he had made up for these basics, he felt that the flow of qi in his body was becoming smoother.

Little Nianba listened quietly to the two of them, occasionally refilling their water bottles. His eyes were full of admiration for Su Yan, and he secretly wrote down words like "don't kill" and "follow the rules," thinking that he shouldn't cause trouble for Yan-ge'er in the future.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Su Yan's energy and blood had recovered to 30%. Although the wound on her back still ached slightly, it no longer affected her mobility.

Li Zhichang took out a spare blue Taoist robe and handed it to Su Yan.

"Put these on. A Quanzhen Taoist robe will help you avoid some trouble in this area."

Su Yan took the Taoist robe and put it on. Although it was a bit loose, it exuded a sense of tranquility. Xiao Nian'erba helped him tie the belt and whispered something.

"Yan-ge looks really good in this."

After the three of them finished packing, they set off for Zhongnan Mountain.

Li Zhichang, dressed in a Taoist robe, walked at the front, with Su Yan carrying Xiao Nianba on his back, following closely behind. Their movements, aided by the practice of the Leaping Technique, were even more agile than usual. Along the way, they encountered several patrols of Jin soldiers, who, upon seeing Li Zhichang's Taoist robe from afar, actually went around him.

The Quanzhen Sect was quite famous in the north, and even the dying Jin army was unwilling to provoke them easily.

Throughout the journey, Su Yan seized every opportunity to cultivate. During the day, while traveling, he silently recited the incantation of breathing techniques, coordinating his breath with his steps; at night, when camping, he practiced the Quanzhen Swordplay under the guidance of Li Zhichang, refining the details of each move, and occasionally asking for advice on the fundamental principles of fist and palm techniques.

Xiao Nianba was responsible for starting the fire, keeping watch at night, polishing Su Yan's iron sword until it shone, and occasionally imitating Su Yan's meditation. Although he didn't know how to practice breathing exercises, he was still able to calm his mind.

Su Yan's panel data is updating rapidly.

Host: Su Yan

Age: 16

Internal strength:

Level C - Complete Authentic Basic Breathing Techniques (Beginner, 68/200).

Martial arts:

Rank E - Su Family Sword Technique (Perfect, 12/500) [Consumable -30%, Armor Penetration +30%, Pressure +40%]

Rank E - Leap Technique (Perfect, 492/500) [Consumer Cost -30%, Agility +40%, Evasion +40%]

Rank E - Monument Smasher (Mastery, 163/400) [Consumable Cost -25%, Critical Hit +30%, Fist Power +25%]

Grade C (Incomplete) - Quanzhen Swordplay (Beginner, 95/200).

Realm: Third-rate martial artist (full of Qi and blood, 23%).

He not only completed the basics of acupoint identification and meridian circulation, but also successfully entered the Quanzhen basic breathing technique. His internal strength gradually condensed, and he also broke through to the entry level of Quanzhen swordsmanship. His sword moves became more and more seamless, complementing the fierceness of the Su family swordsmanship.

Li Zhichang observed this and secretly praised him, occasionally pointing out the Taoist mysteries in his swordplay, which gave him a deeper understanding of "moderation and harmony".

They traveled day and night, avoiding towns and taking only mountain trails, without encountering any obstacles.

What used to take more than a month to complete was accomplished in less than five days with Li Zhichang's guidance and the protection of his Taoist robe, allowing them to see the outline of Zhongnan Mountain in the distance.

That afternoon, the misty mountains came into view, with the main peak towering into the clouds. At the foot of the mountain, a cluster of buildings with blue bricks and gray tiles could be vaguely seen, which was the gate of Chongyang Palace.

From afar, the mountain gate appears ancient and solemn, with the three large characters "Chongyang Palace" carved on the stone plaque, exuding a sense of weight and tranquility that has endured the test of time.

Su Yan stopped, carrying Xiao Nianba on her back, standing at the foot of the mountain, gazing at the familiar yet unfamiliar cluster of buildings, her heart filled with mixed emotions. From the destruction of her family in Taiyuan Prefecture, to her bloody escape, experiencing life-and-death battles, she had finally arrived at her destination.

Little Nianba hugged his neck tightly, pressed her little face against his back, and looked at the mountain gate with eyes full of longing.

"Yan-ge'er, we've arrived."

Su Yan took a deep breath, her eyes resolute.

"arrive"

Li Zhichang stood to the side and smiled.

"Let's go. I'll take you to see the elders of the sect and complete the initiation procedures. From now on, you must devote yourself to cultivation in Chongyang Palace and not fail Master Qiu's expectations."