"": 200,
"": "",
"": "The temple was small and dilapidated, with talismans pasted up in many places and images resembling the Mountain God Statue painted on its walls.
The whole place felt quiet. Once someone entered, it was as though the temple became utterly deserted, without another human sound.
Luo Bin lingered for a long time, still wavering, hesitating, thinking.
Should I go back first and return fully prepared?
Or should I investigate now and find out what I can?
I absolutely must not expose myself at this critical moment, or I'll ruin this heaven-sent opportunity.
Soon, Luo Bin made up his mind.
He scrutinized the tree trunk before him, using its bark, resin, and the dryness of the soil to distinguish the four cardinal directions. From those, he calculated the positions of the eight trigrams. This was the five elements and eight directions, the most basic foundation of the Primordial Sixteen Trigrams.
Then he fixed his gaze on the little temple again and continued his calculations, using it as his central point.
He outlined an image in his mind: the temple below, the pattern of the Luo Compass above, with the five elements and eight directions clearly revealed.
Luo Bin silently recited, Qian, heaven, rests above; earth and north lie below. All things return to earth. Kun stores within cellars. Gen faces the lake trigram; mountains conceal the breath of lakes.
Kan conceals without form; Zhen gathers strength within concealment.
The passage Luo Bin was silently reciting concerned the trigram configurations for concealing one's presence within the primordial eight trigrams.
Although his inheritance was the Primordial Sixteen Trigrams, his studies had begun with the five elements and eight directions, building his foundation little by little. Thus, he understood that the eight trigrams had primordial and acquired arrangements.
Still,