Yunqi put away the seal paste, sending it into his newly acquired Cave Stone with a thought.
As for the golden seal, he fastened its ribbon directly to his belt.
Now he wore a sword on his left and a ribbon-hung seal on his right.
Yunqi had not brought along the jade pendant issued by his sect, which still held the aura of his blood essence. He had left it in Bingchen Courtyard on Little Ten Thousand Mountain.
Yunqi was rather moved. These gifts of metal and stone could hardly be called anything but lavish.
After a moment's thought, he said, "Nanjing."
"I'm here, benefactor. Do you have any instructions?"
"You haven't opened your inner abode yet, have you?"
"I'm ashamed to say I haven't."
"Of the five elements, I know metal is your foundation. Apart from metal, do you have any preferences?"
"The kan-li path points straight to yin and yang and is also the essence of inner alchemy. I've long aspired to follow it."
"Mm." Yunqi thought for a moment. "In that case, I've comprehended a mantra rooted in fire that also complements metal. Would you like to learn it?"
Jiang Nanjing stared at Yunqi, rooted to the spot once again.
"Does your sect perhaps have rules against it?" Yunqi asked, then shook his head. "Then let's leave it at that. It's just that your gifts are so generous, yet I haven't a penny to offer in return. I'm truly ashamed."
Coming to his senses, Jiang Nanjing hastily shook his head. "No, no! I was merely taken by surprise."
"Oh! Good, then. Would you like to learn it?"
Yunqi asked.
Jiang Nanjing nodded repeatedly. "It would be my great good fortune to hear a wondrous art of your exalted sect! But mantras are difficult and profound. I fear I may fail to grasp its meaning and waste your efforts, benefactor."
Yunqi smiled at that and shook his head. "You're celebrating a little too soon. This mantra is something I comprehended myself, not a wondrous art of my sect."
Jiang Nanjing froze again. At this cultivation realm, at this age, he could comprehend a mantra of his own?
Yet Yunqi misunderstood him again and gave an awkward smile. Indeed, it was only to be expected that someone might not want to learn a mantra he had devised at his age and cultivation realm. Never mind whether it would work-even if it did, how powerful could it be?
"It's fine if you don't want to learn it. Haha, we can talk about it another day."
Yunqi took the initiative to say so.
Jiang Nanjing snapped back to his senses, almost frantic enough to cry. "No! No! I was merely astounded by your talent, benefactor! I want to learn!"
Jiang Nanjing would never forget how, just yesterday, his benefactor had toyed with the Thin Daoist using only a few mantras. Besides, who in the cultivation world did not know that mantra arts were the fundamental arts closest to the Great Dao?
It was just that mantras were far too difficult. They had to be passed on by word of mouth or bestowed through direct transmission. Without an accomplished teacher, their many crucial subtleties were impossible to grasp!
Precisely because mantras were so difficult to teach and spread, magical treasures and talismans had become the mainstay of magical combat. After all, wielding magical treasures required no incantations, while using talismans only required chanting to the talismans themselves rather than directly commanding the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The difference in difficulty was enormous.
Even in the Golden Aspect Sect, there were few mantras that directly commanded the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. That was why the sect relied more heavily on magical treasures and the art of music derived from mantras.
More importantly, Jiang Nanjing had seen and heard it for himself yesterday: every mantra his benefactor had chanted consisted of a single character!
The simpler a mantra, the harder it was, and the closer it came to the Dao.
Generally, mantras required invoking a deity's name and offering prayers before one could borrow divine might to command the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Thirteen-character and nine-character mantras were the most common. Five-character mantras were rare, and single-character mantras were rarer still.
The world had long agreed that anyone skilled in single-character mantras possessed extraordinary gifts and a natural affinity with the Dao.
Jiang Nanjing had always felt that the Thin Daoist's decision to flee yesterday had not been solely because his elders had arrived. Fear of his benefactor might well have played a part.
Seeing that Nanjing wanted to learn, Yunqi smiled. "Good, then I'll teach you. This mantra of mine is called the Great Sun Radiance Mantra. Though rooted in fire, its intent can be traced back to the great sun itself. It draws upon the illuminating power of yang fire, so it should complement your metal aspect."
As Yunqi said this, he recalled yesterday's dazzling golden light.
Jiang Nanjing nodded repeatedly as he listened.
Yunqi led Nanjing out of the house, and they sat down on the wooden walkway outside the courtyard. He explained patiently, "This spell of mine has two uses. I originally comprehended it for inner sight. In magical combat, it can also unleash brilliant light to obscure sight and hearing, or sweep away sinister forces-just like what you did yesterday."
Yunqi pointed at Jiang Nanjing's lung aperture and added with a smile, "Of course, it isn't as powerful as yours."
Jiang Nanjing was astonished yet again. It granted inner sight within the body and could be used in combat outside it-what sort of mantra was this? What extraordinary talent must his benefactor possess to comprehend such a mantra himself?
"The methods for inner sight and outward casting use different hand seals. I'll teach you the outward casting method first. It's closer to your own Dao path and the intent embodied in your magical treasure, so it should be easier to grasp."
Jiang Nanjing nodded in agreement.
"Raise your right hand level with your chest, palm facing left. Press your thumb against your middle finger, curl your ring finger and little finger along with your middle finger, and straighten your index finger.
"Point forward.
"Yes, use a little more force. Hold it taut.
"Not like that. Your thumb, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger should form a loose grip.
"Not like that. Keep your palm properly aligned and your index finger straight. Don't overextend it-going too far is no better than falling short.
"Look, like this.
"...
"That's right."
Yunqi blinked, a little surprised. How could someone get even a hand seal wrong? Hadn't he already held his own hand right in front of him?
Jiang Nanjing seemed quite pleased with his learning speed and gazed at Yunqi with burning eyes.
Yunqi averted his gaze and took a deep breath. "Hold that gesture. I'll teach you, and you repeat after me."
Jiang Nanjing pressed his lips together and nodded firmly.
"Zhao!"
Yunqi formed the hand seal with his right hand and uttered a single syllable.
Immediately, brilliant light burst from his right fingertip.
A single-character mantra!
Jiang Nanjing struggled to contain his excitement and repeated the syllable. "Zhao!"
Nothing happened.
He looked at Yunqi.
"Voice the sound, and make it sharp and quick."
Yunqi reminded him.
"Zhao!"
Jiang Nanjing chanted it again. Nothing happened.
"Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then flick it away quickly."
Yunqi offered another reminder.
"Zhao!"
Jiang Nanjing chanted it yet again. Nothing happened.
Yunqi scratched his forehead.
After some thought, he said, "Close your eyes, raise your head, and look straight at the sun."
Jiang Nanjing did as instructed.
"Is everything you see scarlet now?"
Jiang Nanjing immediately nodded.
"Good. Now imagine that scarlet expanse as a sea of fire. Then visualize a great sun rising from its fiery bath. Chant again!"
"Zhao!"
Jiang Nanjing chanted it yet again. Nothing happened.
Yunqi scratched his forehead a little harder. "Let me think. Give me a moment to think."
"Oh."
Jiang Nanjing answered, his face looking as though the sun had reddened it.
"Try this. Repeat after me again."
After quite a while, Yunqi seemed to have thought of a method.
Jiang Nanjing hastily nodded.
"Misty Veil Shrouds the Sun, Mao Lodge Decree, Zhao!"
Dazzling auspicious radiance streamed from Yunqi's fingertip.
"Misty Veil Shrouds the Sun, Mao Lodge Decree, Zhao!"
Nothing happened at Jiang Nanjing's fingertip.
Yunqi found this rather agonizing.
At noon, servants came to the retreat to invite Yunqi and Jiang Nanjing to a banquet. Jiang Yanxing and Jiang Yuexing had arranged a grand feast today to formally express their gratitude.
But when the servants reached the courtyard gate, they saw their honored guest and young master sitting cross-legged at the entrance, making gestures with their hands and chanting words. They seemed to be cultivating.
Not daring to disturb them, the servants turned back to the banquet to report to the head of the family and the second master.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yanxing and Jiang Yuexing were still talking in the banquet hall.
"What's going on? It's time already. Why hasn't Nanjing brought our honored guest over? Has he forgotten?"
Jiang Yuexing said.
Jiang Yanxing replied, "It's fine. I've already sent someone to invite them. They should be on their way."
Just then, servants returned to report what they had seen and heard at the retreat's entrance.
"You mean they were chanting and forming hand seals, with Young Friend Cheng teaching and Nanjing learning?"
Jiang Yanxing asked in surprise.
The servants nodded, saying only that this was what it had sounded like.
Jiang Yanxing and Jiang Yuexing exchanged a glance, then immediately rose and hurried toward Wind Lotus Retreat.
The two practically flew there, their feet barely touching the ground.
They stopped a hundred or so paces from the retreat and listened quietly for a while. Then Jiang Yanxing and Jiang Yuexing slowly backed away, while Jiang Yanxing ordered,
"Unless the young master leaves of his own accord, no one is to come within eight hundred paces of the retreat. No-everyone, everyone is to stay as far from the retreat as possible!"
Here is the second chapter.
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