Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

"When finishing the Cloud Hands posture, your breath should be deep and steady, so as not to lose your momentum."

Su Yan lay back in the chair, offering his advice without even raising his head.

Upon hearing this, Su Ye slightly turned his wrist, and the longsword was smoothly returned to his side, his aura calm and even.

She turned to look at Su Yan, her cold eyes melting away like they were bathed in warm sunshine. She quickly walked to Su Yan's side and handed him a cup of warm tea.

"Yan-ge'er, how was your practice today?"

This was a scene rarely seen by the disciples of Chongyang Palace. Su Ye, who was cold and aloof to others and never smiled, would only show such a gentle demeanor to Su Yan. Occasionally, a faint smile would flash in her eyes at Su Yan's praise, like ice and snow melting away, so stunning that people dared not look directly at her.

Su Yan took the teacup, her fingertips touching the warm cup, a hint of warmth flashing in her eyes.

"You've improved very quickly. Now you can hold your own against Hao Datong and Uncle-Master Sun Bu'er for over a hundred moves."

He had always been puzzled. It was understandable that he could make rapid progress with the help of the panel, but Su Ye could reach such a level in four years without the panel. It was simply unbelievable. He could only attribute it to the girl's exceptional talent.

"If we were to truly compete, among the Seven Masters, aside from the three first-rate experts Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and Wang Chuyi, you might not necessarily lose to your other three senior uncles."

Su Yan looked at her, her tone serious.

This is not flattery, but a judgment based on the two's daily sparring. Su Ye's sword is fast, ruthless, and accurate, with an extremely strong killing intent, and it can often achieve unexpected victories in actual combat.

Su Ye nodded slightly, without saying much, and simply picked up her longsword again and returned to the courtyard to continue practicing her swordsmanship.

Sunlight shone on her, and as the sword flashed, her cold and aloof temperament became even more pronounced, like a plum blossom standing proudly in the cold wind.

The disciples of the Quanzhen Sect had long since figured out the temperaments of these two.

New disciples are always repeatedly admonished by senior disciples.

"Don't mess with Senior Brother Su in the library, or Senior Sister Su Ye beside him!"

"Don't go near the library unless absolutely necessary, take a detour!"

"Senior Brother Su may seem gentle, but if you cross his line, no one can save you; and Senior Sister Su is even worse—her sword is so fast it can cut through the wind, and her killing intent can freeze people to death!"

As a result, the area around the library became a "forbidden zone" of Chongyang Palace.

When the disciples passed by, they would subconsciously slow their pace and go around them from a distance. Even if they had urgent business to attend to, they dared not glance at Su Ye practicing his sword in the courtyard, let alone disturb Su Yan who was reading a book on the recliner.

Occasionally, some unruly new disciples would peek out curiously, only to be met with a cold glance from Su Ye, which would send chills down their spines. They would hurriedly lower their heads and walk away, no longer daring to show the slightest curiosity.

Some say Su Yan is a "reclusive master" with unfathomable strength.

Some say he's a "martial arts fanatic who has changed his nature," and has become indifferent to victory and defeat.

Some say he was studying advanced martial arts and didn't want to be disturbed.

There are many different opinions, but no one dares to verify them; they can only respect them from afar.

Su Yan was aware of his disciples' apprehension, but he didn't care.

He lay back in his chair, flipping through the "Huang Ting Jing" in his hands, but his mind was already planning his future. He was already a first-class martial artist, and only needed to open up the six extraordinary meridians to become a top-class one.

The Nine Yin Manual still needs refinement, and the Quanzhen Manual is almost complete; although I am only proficient in the Mountain, Medicine, Fate, Physiognomy and Divination, I can already handle many unexpected situations.

"It's not too late to make plans after breaking through to the top-tier level and opening up the six extraordinary meridians."

Su Yan thought to himself.

"By then, even if we encounter traps and mechanisms in ancient tombs, we will have enough confidence to deal with them."

Beside him, Su Ye's swordplay became increasingly fierce, with killing intent and sword intent intertwined. However, as he approached Su Yan, he subtly restrained himself, afraid of disturbing Su Yan's reading.

Su Yan looked up at her, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

During his four years of seclusion, he not only improved his strength, but also watched Su Ye grow from a little girl who needed protection into a capable female warrior.

This companionship and growth brought him more peace of mind than any breakthrough in martial arts.

As the sun set, its afterglow filtered through the leaves and cast long shadows across the small courtyard of the library. Su Yan closed his book, stood up, and walked to Su Ye's side.

"That's enough training for today, time to head to the dining hall."

As soon as Su Yan finished speaking and stood up, his aura suddenly changed.

His figure seemed to blend into the afterglow of the setting sun and the thin mist in the forest, appearing and disappearing, each step he took landing precisely in a specific location that was difficult to discern with the naked eye.

Those were the eight nodes of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams: Rest, Life, Injury, Blockage, View, Death, Shock, and Open, subtly echoing the bluestone slabs beneath his feet, the surrounding vegetation, and the distant mountains. To onlookers, he was merely walking slowly, yet he exuded an indescribable sense of ethereal beauty, as if each step was grounded in the flow of the universe's energy, even the surrounding wind seemed to slow its pace.

Su Yan glanced down at the wild grass at her feet. Dewdrops on the leaves slid down the veins, refracting tiny sparkles in the sunlight.

In his eyes, this inconspicuous weed is not only a plant, but also a carrier of feng shui energy.

The veins of the leaves subtly correspond to the patterns of the earth's veins, the rhythm of the falling dewdrops echoes the changing air currents in the mountains, and even the soil clinging to the grass leaves carries a faint trace of the earth's spiritual energy.

These are the insights gained from four years of studying the five arts of metaphysics.

Mountain arts allow him to perceive the flow of environmental energy. The withering and flourishing of plants, the arrangement of rocks, and the strength of the wind all convey information to him. Physiognomy allows him to capture the essence of things from the smallest details. Even the veins of a fallen leaf contain the trajectory of its growth cycle. Divination allows him to predict the trend of changes in energy, ensuring that every step he takes is at the point that best aligns with the laws of heaven and earth.

"Yan-ge'er?"

Su Ye sheathed his longsword and looked at Su Yan's figure, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Yan-ge'er has improved again.

She could feel that Su Yan's aura blended perfectly with the surrounding environment. Even though he was standing right next to her, it was as if she was looking through a thin layer of rain and mist, making it difficult to see him clearly. Even his gentle aura carried a kind of tranquility that resonated with heaven and earth.

Su Yan turned her head to look, her smile gentle, but her steps did not stop.

Let's go.

He continued forward, his mind involuntarily deducing the way the Five Arts and martial arts could be integrated.

Now that he is proficient in all five arts, he can clearly sense the flow of Qi in the human body. If he fights with someone, the opponent's internal energy circulation in their dantian, the direction of their blood and Qi, and even their next attack intentions will be transmitted through changes in Qi.

Just like when he fought Zhao Zhijing, if he used the Five Arts to comprehend, he could predict the landing point of Zhao Zhijing's Golden Goose Skill in advance. Following the gaps in the flow of Qi, he could use the Snake Walking and Fox Turning Technique to shuttle through the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams phases. No matter how fast the opponent was, he could avoid the attack as if he were walking in a garden. He could even use the Qi to pull himself up and stand in front of his opponent without using weapons to block.

The boost from this insight is phenomenal, but it also comes at a considerable cost.

To connect with the energy of heaven and earth requires a great deal of mental effort. One's brow will feel slightly tight, as if invisible threads are pulling at one's mental energy. At the same time, the consumption of internal energy will also increase exponentially. The speed of the Quanzhen Heart Sutra's circulation simply cannot keep up with the consumption of energy resonance. Often, after maintaining this for half an hour, one will feel weak all over and have an empty dantian.

"This state can only be used as a trump card."

Su Yan understood. He always acted cautiously and would never overexert himself for a temporary advantage, because in this chaotic world, having reserves was essential to deal with unknown dangers.

Su Yan looked up at the Chongyang Palace in the distance. The layout of the palace was in line with the principles of feng shui. The angle of the eaves and the arrangement of the beams and pillars were all guiding the convergence of the energy of heaven and earth. It could be said that it seized the creation of heaven and earth. This was exactly what the mountain arts called "gathering wind and accumulating energy".

Every time I see it, I can't help but marvel at the extraordinary talent of Master Chongyang. According to the elders in Chongyang Palace, all the buildings were constructed according to Master Chongyang's wishes. Now it seems that he must have reached an extremely high level in feng shui.

At least with his current skill level, he can't reach that level yet.

"The Five Arts are not only supplementary, but also an extension of martial arts."

Su Yan sighed inwardly.

Mountain arts can help him leverage external forces, physiognomy can help him recognize people, destiny arts can help him avoid dangers, divination can help him predict the future, and medicine can help him strengthen his foundation. These five arts complement martial arts, allowing him to reach even greater heights.

The deeper his understanding became, the more he came to appreciate the truth that "the universe possesses great beauty but remains silent."

Every flower, every blade of grass, every tree embodies the laws of heaven and earth; every word, every action, every thought influences the flow of vital energy. To fully master this power, one needs not only to master the five arts but also to break through one's own spiritual realm.

The transformation of an innate martial artist's internal energy from illusory to real may be the key to breaking this shackle.

It's not too late to make plans after he breaks through to the top level. Perhaps there's a place that can help him quickly break through to the top level. It's time for him to go out and explore.

But before that, we need to get rid of some rats, lest we come back to find our home gone.