Sun and Moon in Adoration

"Master!" Liu Yunshen looked up in delighted surprise. The black-robed Daoist smiled broadly. "My disciple is becoming more and more handsome!"

"Master, this disciple has many doubts. Why does this broken sword..." Liu Yunshen handed over the treasured sword. Without even looking at it, the old Daoist pushed it back. "Silly disciple, you do not even know this? A sword is an instrument of slaughter. Since this fire poker can absorb demonic qi, it can turn it into killing intent. Killing intent is the qi of Western refined metal. Understand?"

Liu Yunshen seemed to understand, yet not quite. He smiled bitterly. "This disciple is slow-witted..."

"Ah, you are stupid to death! Let me explain the principles of the Five Elements transforming into the Eight Trigrams, and then into the sixty-four hexagrams!" Whether Liu Yunshen could understand or not, the old Daoist launched into a profound discourse on the Book of Changes, rambling backward and forward in a muddled order. He spoke for the time it took to eat a meal, spittle flying and yellow teeth dancing wildly.

Liu Yunshen did not interrupt, but listened respectfully.

At the end, the old Daoist suddenly grinned. "How much did you comprehend, disciple?"

Liu Yunshen shook his head helplessly. "This disciple does not understand. Master mentioned the Zhen Hexagram twice. The first time, you said, 'When thunder comes, trembling and trembling; afterward, laughing and chatting.' The second time, you said, 'Zhen is water.' The later line statements seemed to have confused it with the Kan Hexagram?"

Please provide the Chinese-English text you want revised.

The black-robed Daoist was inwardly shocked. I spoke for half an hour, deliberately muddling the line statements, yet he remembered every word without missing a single one!

"Master, this disciple encountered a senior today. The swordsmanship he used seemed..." Standing atop the tree, Liu Yunshen imitated two moves. They were precisely the Five Hells Heart-Eating Sword used by Jie Xiao. His Sword Qi gathered without being released, for Liu Yunshen had not received the true transmission of its mnemonic formula.

The strange Daoist remained cheerfully composed. Just as he was about to make up some nonsense, his face suddenly hardened, and he feigned anger. "Fine! Disciple, you have clearly already taken a master, yet you deceived me?"

Liu Yunshen let out a long sigh, his face flushing with shame.

"I will give you three sentences to explain yourself. Once you are finished, the bond between master and disciple will be severed, and I shall cripple your cultivation!" The old Daoist seized Liu Yunshen's wrist, killing intent chilling and fierce. Like a giant towering over an ant, he allowed no resistance!!

Yet Liu Yunshen did not defend himself. He knelt and kowtowed. "Senior is right to reprimand me! This junior is willing to accept punishment!"

The old Daoist gave a sinister chuckle. "I told you to explain yourself. Why are you silent? Do you think that by pretending to be weak and pitiful, I will soften my heart?"

"If this junior is innocent, then Senior has already formed a fixed judgment. What use would a thousand words serve? If this boy truly deceived Senior, then even if Senior did not ask, how could I hide it from Heaven?"

"You do not hate me?" The old Daoist's voice sank low.

Liu Yunshen raised his head toward the old Daoist. There was not the slightest resentment in his eyes. Then he lowered his head again. "Without Senior, this boy would have died countless times over! As people say, 'A cup of rice earns gratitude, a bushel earns enmity.' Yet this boy does not dare forget his roots!"

The black-robed Daoist stared at Liu Yunshen in silence for a long while.

"Senior?" Liu Yunshen lifted his head slightly. To his surprise, the old Daoist wore a solemn expression, his eyes brimming with deep emotion, as though he had found family lost for many years. Yet he forced himself to restrain it, both hands gripping the hem of his Daoist robe tightly.

"Hmph! You deceived this old Daoist. What should be done? Say it yourself!" The old Daoist wiped his face, reverting once more to his ever-changing manner of laughter, scolding, and rage.

"I... Once my worldly affairs are settled, this boy is willing to serve Senior as a slave for twenty years!"

"Good! You said that yourself!" The old Daoist giggled, then suddenly froze. "That will not do. I have already taught you my skills. Twenty years is far too much of a loss. You must add another three months, at the very least!"

Liu Yunshen smiled bitterly. "This disciple obeys Senior..."

"You still call me Senior?" The strange Daoist pulled a stern face. Liu Yunshen was overjoyed. "Thank you, Master!"

"My disciple truly possesses the heart of an innocent child. Since that is so, I shall teach you the remaining tenth of the footwork as well. Watch carefully!" Before Liu Yunshen could rejoice, the old Daoist uncharacteristically turned solemn. "Disciple, when this footwork is paired with swordsmanship, it becomes an exceedingly formidable sword formation. I feel that this art is exceptionally suited to your fate!"

"Really?" Liu Yunshen was ecstatic.

"But this sword formation possesses fierce and unyielding killing intent. Unless driven to the last extremity, you must never use it lightly! When facing those of profound cultivation, you must conceal your abilities all the more!"

"This disciple will remember!" Liu Yunshen kowtowed.

The strange Daoist picked up the rusty iron sword and rose. From his robes, he took out eight yellow beans—yet in an instant, two vanished!

Liu Yunshen was utterly astonished. "What was that?"

The six yellow beans transformed into Daoists. Together with the strange Daoist, they revolved and moved around the North Star. In an instant, Heaven and Earth darkened. Seven clusters of starlight rose from the treetops, the handle of the Dipper pointing straight toward the northern celestial pole!

Liu Yunshen was deeply shaken by the imposing aura of one man forming a formation. His double pupils opened as he silently memorized the kaleidoscopic, intricate transformations!

"Disciple, give it a try!" The strange Daoist withdrew his move and tossed the rusty iron sword to his disciple.

Liu Yunshen caught the sword and immediately stepped out according to the old Daoist's footwork. After seven steps, seven rays of light faintly appeared! Liu Yunshen was too stunned for words. "The complete footwork has only a few slight changes, yet its power has increased by so much!"

"Disciple, do not let your mind wander! This formation is tremendously powerful. If handled improperly, it may cause backlash!"

"Yes!"

The strange Daoist urgently warned him. Liu Yunshen drew a deep breath, raised his sword, and turned with the Dipper's handle. The twin aspects of cold and heat had already become quite distinct! Yet the pill power in his dantian was instantly depleted by a full thirty percent!

"Disciple, use only thirty percent of your strength to test the move!" the strange Daoist reminded him again. Liu Yunshen slowly exhaled, greatly reining in the sword's power. The changes of spring and autumn appeared as well—spring dew and autumn frost, arising in accordance with their seasons!

In but a moment, the sword technique was complete! Liu Yunshen withdrew his stance. "Master, this sword formation contains ten thousand transformations and requires the mind to serve several purposes at once. For now, this disciple can only perform it to this extent."

The old Daoist smiled. "When facing enemies, aside from using pill power, you may try drawing upon that 'sun'!"

Liu Yunshen was delighted. "Master knows of this? That sun, exactly..."

"Shh!" The old Daoist glanced below. Lei Zhaoye slowly awakened, astonished by the dense and abundant moonlight around him. Looking up at the tree, he exclaimed happily, "Brother Liu, are you practicing?"

"Ah! I..." Liu Yunshen turned his head, only to find that the strange Daoist, so unpredictable in laughter and temper, had vanished once again!

Lei Zhaoye leaped to the top of the tree, unable to contain his delight.

"Brother Lei, do not mention this to outsiders!" Liu Yunshen reminded him with a smile.

Lei Zhaoye nodded solemnly.

Early the next morning, Gong Liefeng stretched lazily. Using only thirty percent of his strength when he spread his arms, he accidentally brushed against the tree trunk beside him. With a thunderous boom, the large tree, over a foot in diameter, snapped at once!

"Eh! After just one night of sleep, could my strength have greatly improved?" Gong Liefeng laughed loudly. Cai Yuelin thrust out with his sword, and his Sword Qi surged more than a zhang away!

Cao Langao tested her moves in turn, delight appearing in her eyes as well!

"Brother Liu, Brother Lei! This place is truly a blessed cave and sacred land! In a single night, I have risen to the ninth rank! Breaking through to become a Second Realm expert is just around the corner! Hahaha!" Gong Liefeng laughed excitedly.

"I too..." Cai Yuelin and Cao Langao sheathed their swords and looked ahead. "Brother Lei, Brother Liu, the two of you must have gained much as well! Come! Let us compare swordsmanship!"

Cai Yuelin was eager to try. Lei Zhaoye and Liu Yunshen exchanged mysterious smiles with the others.

Within the Han Court, Yang Qingchan had risen long ago. With her eyes closed and a smile on her lips, she relished once more the heroic sight of Liu Yunshen wielding his sword to slay demons yesterday. Her heart pounded, her breath quickened, and her cheeks flushed crimson. Yet she could not help worrying faintly. My younger sister is also a beauty capable of toppling a kingdom. I wonder whether Senior Brother will change his heart!

"Who is changing their heart?"

"Ah! Mother! Why are you... Ah!" Only then did Yang Qingchan realize that the Empress Mother was sitting beside her. So embarrassed that her face turned scarlet, she pulled the fine quilt over her head and neck.

Empress Yang covered her mouth and laughed. "It is already past the third quarter of the Mao hour. My child, hurry and get up!"

"I will not! I will not! I simply will not!"

"Ah, I had originally wanted to see whether your father had found that young man. If he were recruited into our Great Han Empire..." Empress Yang pretended to rise. Yang Qingchan was startled and sprang from beneath the quilt. Barefoot, she grabbed Empress Yang's hand. "Mother, Father saw through me..."

"You! Yesterday, the moment you saw that young man from afar atop the city wall, you looked as though your soul had flown away. Who could fail to notice?" Empress Yang lightly tapped her daughter's delicate cheek, as soft as if it could break beneath a puff of air.

"Then Father..." Yang Qingchan fiddled with the corner of her clothes and tilted her head to steal a look at her mother's expression. Empress Yang looked troubled. "This matter is somewhat difficult!"

Yang Qingchan's eyes reddened with tears. Grasping her treasured sword, she flopped onto the couch and acted coquettishly. "If Father is unwilling, then tomorrow your daughter will sneak out of the palace to find him!"

Empress Yang reached out and held her daughter's cheek, but Yu Wan turned her head away again and stubbornly said, "In this life, I will marry no one but him!"

"Mother never said she would forbid it. Why are you in such a hurry, my child?" Empress Yang burst out laughing.

Yang Qingchan was overjoyed and embraced her mother. "Mother, truly?"

"Of course it is true! Look at you, you mad girl—crying one moment and laughing the next!" Empress Yang smiled as she wiped away her daughter's tears. "Come, accompany Mother for a walk to clear our minds."

Just as the two headed toward Jianzhang Palace, the Han Emperor was discussing matters in secret with a group of trusted confidants, his expression dark. Shangguan Hui, gravely wounded yet still alive, stood conspicuously among them.