Observing Others, Observing Oneself

After Zhang Yu rode away from the encampment, he quickly sensed someone pursuing him from behind. Though the pursuer was on foot, his swift run was not the least bit slower than Zhang Yu's galloping horse, and he was even closing the distance bit by bit.

Zhang Yu made a rough estimate. If this continued and nothing much changed, the man would catch up to him in about one xia.

A clash between them would be unavoidable then. If he wanted to retreat safely, he had to find a way to deal with this man.

But before that, he needed to get as far from the Ji River as possible, lest the man had accomplices.

When they had split up and fled earlier, he had deliberately chosen to head east. This was not the route back to Ruiguang, but the direction of the Peace Mountains.

When he had first retreated, he had seen how unhurried the other party was and guessed that people had likely been lying in ambush along the northern route home. By heading this way, with open wilderness ahead, he could naturally avoid interception.

He adjusted his breathing and slowly brought himself into order. This battle had to be fought. With the Xia Sword in hand and his swordsmanship, even if the opponent possessed the protection of a Heartlight Seal, he could still break through it if he seized the right opportunity.

But that was only an advantage he possessed himself. Before a battle, one had to know oneself, but also find a way to know one's enemy.

He did not yet know the other man's background or what methods he possessed, so it was necessary to test him.

He reached out and pulled the saddlebag from behind the horse to the front. From it, he took out a crossbow and a bound leather quiver containing five exquisitely made, sharp bolts with a dark black sheen.

The laborers had placed these in the bag. They were standard equipment on every horse, originally intended to make it easier for them to hunt the wild beasts roaming the wasteland. But they were equally useful against people, and in some circumstances, even more useful than firearms.

He surveyed his surroundings. They had not yet reached the relatively level open wilderness; the terrain here still rose and fell somewhat, offering a little cover, which was just right for him to strike.

So he held the crossbow, set the string, and quietly waited for an opportunity. But just as he rounded an earthen mound and prepared to test a shot the next moment, he suddenly discovered that the person pursuing him had not followed. Instead, he had gone in another direction.

Zhang Yu was mildly surprised, but after a turn of thought, he vaguely guessed the reason. He reset the bowstring, put the crossbow back into the bag, and seized the chance to spur his horse onward.

He rode through the night, only stopping beside a stream at daybreak. He then took out a handful of specially prepared beans from the feedbag and fed them to the horse. These could quickly restore its strength and replenish its expenditure.

After feeding it, he let the horse drink while he went to an open patch of ground. He took out the bone whistle Tao Dingfu had given him and flicked it into the sky. At once, it let out a piercing shriek. When it took a long while to fall back down, he caught it in one grasp.

After waiting for a while, there seemed to be the sound of wind drifting past behind him.

Sensing something, he turned around and saw Tao Dingfu standing there with his sword in hand. "Junior Brother, did you seek me because you wished to ask me to do something?"

Zhang Yu asked, "Was it Senior Brother Tao who led that man away just now?"

Tao Dingfu smiled. "Just a few small tricks. I can fool him for a while, but by noon at the latest, he will catch up again."

Zhang Yu clasped his hands and bowed. "Many thanks, Senior Brother."

Tao Dingfu waved a hand. "I still need you to help me find a cultivation method. I would not want you to be killed by that man already. But..." His expression turned solemn. "I will only intervene this once. Junior Brother, you should know that we True Cultivators usually avoid involving ourselves in matters between Mystic Cultivators. What I did just now was already an exception."

Zhang Yu did indeed have some understanding of this.

When he had cultivated under that Old Cultivator teacher, he had once heard a fellow disciple mention that there seemed to be some agreement between True Cultivators and Mystic Cultivators. Thus, True Cultivators generally would not appear where Mystic Cultivators were, nor would they clash with them unless offended. So even if he asked Tao Dingfu to fulfill his promise and deal with those cultivators practicing the Turbid Canon, this man would certainly refuse.

But there were many ways to do things. Being unable to act directly did not mean Tao Dingfu could not offer him help elsewhere. After considering it briefly, he asked, "Senior Brother, can you tell what methods the Mystic Cultivator pursuing me possesses?"

Tao Dingfu said in a joking tone, "If Junior Brother wishes to know, how about counting this as one matter I have promised you?"

Zhang Yu nodded. "If Senior Brother considers that more appropriate, then there is no harm in it."

"No need." Tao Dingfu raised the hand holding his sword and waved it, decisively rejecting his own suggestion. "I was merely joking. I will simply tell Junior Brother what I know."

Zhang Yu glanced at him. Seeing the faint gravity in his expression, he turned the matter over in his mind and guessed some of Tao Dingfu's thoughts.

Old Cultivators spoke of both opportunity and tempering. Tao Dingfu's search for his cultivation method was itself a trial of self. The weightier the promise he made and the greater the price he paid, the more likely he was to find that opportunity.

If a promise was fulfilled too easily, it would be insincerity toward his own heart and insincerity toward cultivation.

Of course, that was only the view of Old Cultivators. Those who practiced the New Method did not hold such beliefs and had never put faith in them. Even among Old Cultivators, each person viewed different matters in entirely different ways, so it could not be generalized.

But Zhang Yu knew that such conduct involved not only the karmic ties and causes upheld by Old Cultivators, but also the Dao-heart his teacher had repeatedly spoken of. It could be seen as a process of self-affirmation and self-cultivation, and so it held some truth in certain respects.

After thinking for a moment, Tao Dingfu said, "I have not had contact with that man either, so I do not know much about him specifically. But I can offer Junior Brother a few suggestions. Whether Mystic Cultivator or True Cultivator, when fighting an enemy, the most important thing is 'observing others.' You must remember this."

Zhang Yu seemed thoughtful. "Observing others..."

"'Observing others' is not only for before engagement. It is equally needed during battle. If you learn to observe others and apply it properly, you will stand in an undefeated position."

Tao Dingfu smiled. "There are countless people in this world. Each has strengths, each has weaknesses. Sometimes, you do not need to know how strong your opponent is. You only need to know how weak he is."

Having said this, he stopped speaking.

Zhang Yu considered it. Had anyone else heard those words, they would likely have found them baffling, feeling as if nothing had really been said.

But that was the way Old Cultivators spoke.

They would not explain everything clearly to you. You had to comprehend everything yourself, and how much you comprehended was your own affair.

He had long grown accustomed to this. Yet to him, Tao Dingfu's few words had already expressed enough, and even hinted at some extremely important information. So he clasped his hands and bowed. "Many thanks, Senior Brother."

Tao Dingfu waved his hand casually.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Yu asked, "Senior Brother, do you know what became of those Profound Residence fellow disciples of mine who escaped?"

Tao Dingfu said, "I do not know about the others, but your Senior Brother Cai—the one called Cai Weng—is very likely in league with the people pursuing you."

No surprise showed on Zhang Yu's face. In a calm tone, he said, "I guessed as much. When Senior Brother Cai told us to leave and stepped forward to stop them himself, he appeared impassioned and righteous on the surface, but his emotions were steady. He did not truly possess the resolve to fight to the death."

Tao Dingfu looked at him and suddenly smiled.

Seeing him smile, Zhang Yu raised his head and gave him an inquiring look.

"It is nothing." Tao Dingfu smiled again. "Junior Brother, you are still so calm and wise. I remember when you first came under Teacher's guidance—you were only twelve then, were you not? You were already just like this."

Zhang Yu said blandly, "Senior Brother is mistaken. I was never able to become Teacher's disciple. Teacher would not acknowledge me as his disciple either. At most, I was only a student."

Tao Dingfu raised his head and gazed into the sky, sighing. "The same is true for me. Teacher has yet to find a true disciple. I originally thought it would be you, Junior Brother, but I did not expect that you too would ultimately fail Teacher's test of transmission."

Zhang Yu walked over to the horse, gently patted it, then swung himself into the saddle.

Tao Dingfu looked toward him and said seriously, "Junior Brother, do you truly not need help? I can use a technique to lend you a hand and send you as far from here as possible. By the time that man catches up, perhaps you will have reached a safer place."

Zhang Yu said, "There is no need. Thank you, Senior Brother, but I will settle this matter myself." He clasped his hands and bowed from horseback, then spurred his horse eastward again. After traveling some distance, he turned his head for a glance. Behind him lay only open wilderness; Tao Dingfu's figure had already vanished without a trace.