The turmoil in the South China Sea gradually subsided. Although the international warrant for his arrest had not been withdrawn,
few forces still dared to truly track down the whereabouts of that "Shura Qing."
Li Qingshan withdrew his incomparably sharp presence and the intent that pierced the void.
Like an ancient sword returned to its original simplicity, he slipped quietly back into his sheath,
returning to City C, where every story had begun.
He changed into ordinary sportswear and rented a modest courtyard in an inconspicuous part of the old city.
He spent his days reading, buying groceries, and taking walks, seemingly no more than a rather quiet young man,
fully blending into the everyday bustle of the city.
Early in the morning, the thin mist had yet to disperse.
People's Park was already dotted with figures. Elderly people out for their morning exercise jogged, practiced sword forms, or performed gentle Taiji.
Li Qingshan mingled among them, practicing the most basic Baguazhang one form at a time.
His movements were slow, gentle, and rounded, with no sign of Jin bursting forth from his body,
and not a trace of bloody killing intent. His mind was as still as water, blending perfectly with the park's peaceful atmosphere.
To anyone watching, he was merely a handsome young man fond of traditional martial arts for health.
No one would ever connect him to the "Shura" who had stirred up a storm of blood in the international underworld
and struck terror into countless powerful figures at the mere mention of his name.
Yet amid this tranquility, Li Qingshan's gaze would occasionally drift toward a corner of the park.
There, a boy of about sixteen or seventeen was practicing his fist techniques with single-minded focus.
The boy's face still bore traces of youth, but his eyes were focused and resolute. He strove to make every movement precise.
Sweat soaked his clothes, and his breathing was heavy. Clearly, he was training extremely hard.
To Li Qingshan's eyes, however, his movements were inevitably awkward and stiff.
His exertion of force was uneven, and he had yet to grasp the essence of the art.
"Wang Chao."
Li Qingshan silently repeated the name to himself.
He naturally recognized the boy as Tang Zichen's newly accepted disciple,
the one who, in the original course of fate, would break through again and again with a world-shocking bearing,
ultimately reaching the realm of "breaking the void and seeing the gods, indestructible,"
and becoming the undisputed protagonist favored by the fortune of the age.
For now, the boy was still a piece of unpolished jade,
his Manifest Jin not yet unified.
Li Qingshan walked over slowly. When the boy finished a set and paused to regulate his breathing and recover his strength,
he spoke softly, his voice calm yet reaching straight into the other's mind:
"Relax the shoulders, sink the elbows, and let Qi settle in the dantian.
Force rises from the feet,
is governed by the waist,
and travels through the fingers.
When intent arrives, Qi arrives, and force arrives. Only when all three become one
is Jin unified."
His words seemed to carry a peculiar magic. Though he made no movement,
the correct path and intent of exerting force appeared clearly in Wang Chao's mind in an instant.
His body shifted slightly of its own accord,
and an unprecedented feeling of smoothness and strength welled up within him!
Wang Chao spun around, surprise, doubt, and delight mingling on his face.
He saw a young man a few years older than himself, with a gentle and composed bearing.
"You... who are you?"
Wang Chao asked in confusion. He was certain he had never seen this person in the park before.
Li Qingshan smiled faintly, like a passing spring breeze.
"Just a passerby who also practices martial arts. I saw how seriously you were training and couldn't help saying a few words. Don't mind me."
With that, he said no more. He turned and walked slowly away, soon disappearing into the crowd of people exercising.
Wang Chao stood rooted to the spot, turning those few words and that wondrous sensation in his body over and over in his mind.
The problem that had troubled him for days seemed to resolve itself naturally.
He looked toward the place where Li Qingshan had disappeared and scratched his head.
He could only feel that this "passerby" was truly unfathomable.
A few days later, at dusk, the setting sun dyed the sky a warm orange-red.
Li Qingshan was sitting quietly in the little courtyard he rented,
his mind faintly resonating with the breathing of an old locust tree in the yard,
as he sensed the subtle rhythms of vegetation flourishing and withering.
Suddenly, he sensed something and slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was clear and calm as he looked toward the courtyard gate.
Creak.
With a soft sound, someone gently pushed open the old wooden gate.
A slender figure stood quietly outside.
She wore a simple, elegant white outfit, her black hair cascading like a waterfall, her face breathtakingly beautiful.
Her presence seemed to have merged with all of heaven, earth, and nature, without distinction.
Who else could it be but Tang Zichen?
She looked at Li Qingshan in the courtyard and smiled sweetly,
the light of wisdom that saw through worldly affairs shining in her eyes. Her tone held a touch of familiarity and teasing.
"It's been a long time, Li Qingshan. Or should I call you 'Shura Qing' now?
I hear you've caused quite a commotion out there over the past six months,
turning the whole international world upside down."
Hearing this, Li Qingshan chuckled and shook his head, rising to greet her.
"Your information is as good as ever, Sister Chen.
I merely cleared away some trash polluting the world while I was at it. It was nothing important."
The two smiled at each other, an unspoken understanding flowing between them.
Though they had not met for a long time, at their level, their minds and intent had long transcended the ordinary.
Each could clearly sense the unfathomable progress in the other's cultivation.
Tang Zichen's bearing had grown ever more ethereal and elusive.
Clearly, she had consolidated and deepened her realm of "the way of utmost sincerity grants foreknowledge."
Her mind was keen to the utmost, allowing her to seek good fortune, avoid disaster, and sense the hidden threads of fate.
Li Qingshan, meanwhile, had become even more completely restrained.
Not a hint of sharpness showed about him; he seemed a truly ordinary person.
But when Tang Zichen regarded him with her spiritual senses, she felt as though a vast starry sky lay within him,
profound and boundless, or like a dormant volcano containing immense power enough to remake heaven and earth.
That was the supreme manifestation of truly "breaking the void and seeing the gods, indestructible":
a flawless body, control down to the finest detail, and a return to original simplicity.
Night deepened, and moonlight spilled like liquid silver across the quiet little courtyard.
The two sat facing each other at a stone table, with a pot of clear tea and two cups. The drifting fragrance of tea mingled with the night mist.
"After seeing the gods and becoming indestructible, where does the path lead?"
Tang Zichen took a small sip of tea and asked the question that had troubled countless martial arts predecessors and that she herself was exploring.
Her realm of foreknowledge placed greater emphasis on temperament and spirit, so her knowledge of the mysteries of bodily immortality was somewhat less.
Li Qingshan pondered for a moment, gathering his words.
"As I see it, seeing the gods means seeing the gods within oneself, understanding the mysteries of the billions of acupoints in the body, and attaining a body without leakage, immortal.
"But perhaps that isn't the end.
"After oneself, perhaps one should see the gods of heaven and earth and comprehend the great Dao governing the universe, even resonate with heaven and earth and coexist with all things."
He explained in detail what he had understood after his breakthrough.
"More importantly, there's the transformation of Qi and blood and spirit.
"When Qi and blood are condensed, they become heavy as molten mercury, and immense strength arises naturally as they circulate.
"When the spirit is condensed, it becomes clear as crystal, reflecting both within and without and perceiving the finest details.
"As I see it, the mind is the key to the path ahead."
Tang Zichen listened with rapt attention, her beautiful eyes lighting up again and again.
The subtleties of cultivation Li Qingshan spoke of were a great complement to her own knowledge and a source of inspiration.
She offered her own insights from time to time, drawing especially on the spiritual aspects of "the way of utmost sincerity" to compare and corroborate their understanding.
Though their paths differed somewhat as they discussed the Dao, different roads led to the same destination, and both felt they had benefited greatly.
"That Crystal Meditation Method of yours-I passed it on to the boy Wang Chao on your behalf,"
Tang Zichen suddenly said, a glint of mischief in her eyes.
"But I only taught him the most basic part, to help him focus his mind, calm his thoughts, and lay a foundation.
"Naturally, you'll have to teach him the deeper visualization and circulation, and the methods of tempering the spirit, yourself."
Hearing this, Li Qingshan couldn't help shaking his head and laughing.
"Oh, Sister Chen, you..."
The next morning, Wang Chao came to the park as usual, only to be told by Tang Zichen to go to a certain courtyard.
He went there, puzzled, and pushed open the gate.
The first thing he saw was the beautiful face of his teacher, Tang Zichen, smiling at him.
Then his gaze fell on another young man in the courtyard,
and he froze. It was the very "passerby" who had given him pointers in the park that morning!
"Wang Chao, come here."
Tang Zichen beckoned him over.
"This is Li Qingshan. You can call him... hmm, call him senior brother.
"Even I am not quite his equal in martial arts cultivation and accomplishment."
Wang Chao's eyes widened, disbelief written all over his face.
In his eyes, Tang Zichen was already a figure like an immortal walking the earth.
Yet this young man, who looked only a few years older than him,
could make Sister Chen say she was "not quite his equal"?
Senior brother? Is he Sister Chen's disciple too?
But he knew his teacher never joked, so he suppressed the storm raging in his heart and respectfully cupped his fists in greeting.
"Wang Chao greets you, Senior Brother Li."
Li Qingshan calmly accepted his greeting and said evenly,
"No need for formalities.
"Since you've called me senior brother, I'll take a look at your training."
Without further pleasantries, he had Wang Chao demonstrate his fist techniques.
Wang Chao focused his mind and went through the techniques Tang Zichen had taught him, as well as those he practiced hard every day, one by one.
Li Qingshan watched quietly, offering pointers from time to time.
His guidance often struck the nail on the head, going straight to the most crucial errors and shortcomings.
At times, he even stepped forward and lightly placed his fingers on Wang Chao's joints or waist and hips, applying a little force
to let him instantly experience the correct way to circulate Jin.
This hands-on instruction was ten or a hundred times more profound than explanation alone.
Wang Chao was exceptionally gifted. Often, a single hint was enough for him to understand, and he corrected himself immediately.
His fist techniques grew visibly smoother and more fluid, his Jin began to unify, and his Manifest Jin grew increasingly concentrated.
Afterward, Li Qingshan began teaching him the complete Crystal Visualization Method.
He held two fingers together like a sword, spiritual power intensely concentrated at their tips.
A faint image of a flawless, transparent crystal slowly rotating in the air actually emerged from his visualization,
giving off a cool, tranquil presence of insight.
"Visualizing this crystal isn't about creating an illusion.
"It is a means of clearing the mind and reflecting one's distracting thoughts, ultimately understanding the mind, seeing one's true nature, and perceiving reality."
Li Qingshan's voice carried a power that reached straight into the heart.
"In martial cultivation, techniques for killing are merely secondary means of self-protection.
"Training the body is important, but cultivating the mind is important too.
"If the heart is not upright and intent is not pure, no matter how great one's strength, it is a tree without roots, and one will ultimately stray from the path."
Climbing the ladder of life's evolution and understanding the true essence of oneself and the universe were what mattered.
Wang Chao held his breath and focused, striving to memorize every detail of the crystal and the feeling of visualizing it.
His mind felt calmer and more focused than ever before, and many questions that had troubled him while practicing seemed to have answers at last.
"All right."
Tang Zichen watched from the side. Suddenly, she smiled and teased Wang Chao,
"He's taught you so much of the real thing. Isn't calling him senior brother only fair?"
Wang Chao's face reddened slightly. He looked at his teacher's playful smile,
then at Li Qingshan's calm face. A little embarrassed, he nevertheless bowed again in all sincerity and spoke more loudly:
"Thank you for your guidance, senior brother!"
Seeing Tang Zichen's rarely displayed mischievous streak, Li Qingshan couldn't help laughing. He shook his head and accepted Wang Chao's bow.
For the next few days, Li Qingshan stayed in the small courtyard in City C.
Each day, he drank tea and discussed the Dao with Tang Zichen, sharing insights into cultivation, and occasionally gave Wang Chao pointers on martial arts.
The relationship among the three was peculiar yet harmonious:
Tang Zichen was the revered teacher who had first introduced Wang Chao to martial arts, like a sister and a mother to him;
she was also the one who had guided Li Qingshan onto the path of martial arts, like a teacher and an elder sister to him;
Li Qingshan, meanwhile, had become Wang Chao's "senior brother" and an important guide on his path of cultivation.
Wang Chao's progress could be said to span a thousand miles in a day. With two of the world's foremost masters taking turns guiding him,
his foundation grew incomparably solid, and his prospects were limitless.
Yet the time to part was bound to come.
One day, Li Qingshan felt a stir in his heart.
He clearly sensed the summons from the stone gate, reaching across time and space. His time to return was near.
"Are you leaving?"
Tang Zichen seemed to have sensed it already. She asked softly.
Her path of utmost sincerity allowed her to foresee fortune and misfortune, making her especially sensitive to such unseen changes.
"Yes. It's time."
Li Qingshan nodded, his gaze calm.
"Sister Chen, the path of martial arts is long. We each have our own karmic ties and our own journeys.
"To have met in this world was already a matter of fate."
Tang Zichen smiled radiantly, beautiful enough to topple kingdoms and cities.
"I look forward to the next time we meet. By then, I imagine you'll have found the path you spoke of, to 'see the gods and spirits of heaven and earth.'"
Li Qingshan smiled too.
Before leaving, Li Qingshan gave Wang Chao one last lesson.
He taught him a more systematic foundation-building method that incorporated some of his own insights, and solemnly cautioned him:
"Wang Chao, remember.
"The essence of strength lies not in a love of fighting and violence, still less in a desire to compete and win.
"Cultivating martial arts is about surpassing yourself, clearing your heart to see your true nature, and seeking the truths of life and the universe.
"I hope you'll always keep the heart of a newborn child, never lose your true heart to strength, and follow the right path."
Although Wang Chao could not yet fully understand the weight of those words,
he could still feel the sincerity and expectation in them. He nodded solemnly.
"I'll remember your words, senior brother! I'll practice diligently and won't let you or teacher down!"
After leaving City C, Li Qingshan did not return immediately. Instead, he began a true journey through the mortal world.
He laid down every halo and all his power, becoming like the most ordinary traveler.
With a simple pack on his back, he traveled the length and breadth of the land.
On the bustling streets of great cities,
he watched vendors hawking their wares,
watched the endless streams of traffic, and felt the clamor of the mortal world;
and in the fields of tranquil villages,
he watched farmers labor,
watched waves of rice roll across the fields, and experienced the work of sowing and reaping;
outside the windows of ancient schools,
he listened to children reading aloud and felt the passing down of civilization;
atop famous mountains overlooking great rivers,
he quietly watched the sunrise over seas of clouds, contemplating nature's immense power and the wonders of creation.
He saw the joys of human life, and he saw the sorrows and hardships of the world.
All those ordinary scenes of life, all the varied faces of humanity, became opportunities for him to comprehend the Great Dao and temper his state of mind.
He was undergoing a different kind of "cultivation,"
thoroughly integrating the vast power and realm he had attained after reaching See the Gods, Indestructible into this ordinary mortal world,
seeking a state of mind that was complete and harmonious.
He did not know how many days had passed.
At last, Li Qingshan came to a riverside park in Binhai City.
He chose a secluded corner and sat cross-legged facing the shimmering river. Once seated, he remained there for three days.
Throughout those three days, he did not move a muscle, as though he had turned into a stone statue by the river.
Every experience he had undergone in this world over the past two years, like a film playing at high speed,
flashed one by one through his crystal-clear mind, which reflected all things, down to the finest detail, with nothing left out:
from the bewilderment and excitement of first attaining Manifest Jin,
to the hardship and joy of breaking through to Transformation Jin;
from first testing his edge in Jinmen,
to facing the cruelty of the Golden Club overseas and his fury, delivering judgment with thunderous means;
from testing and confirming his martial arts in confrontations with Ba Liming and the leader GOD,
to Ultimate Sublimation amid the storm over the South China Sea, finally breaking the void and seeing the divine treasures within his body;
then returning to City C, seeing Tang Zichen again, and guiding Wang Chao,
and that final journey of ten thousand miles through the mortal world.
Countless experiences and a thousand insights ultimately became a light, untroubled chuckle that dispersed into the breeze over the river.
"Only by tempering the heart in the mortal world can one attain completeness.
"See oneself, see heaven and earth, and in the end, one must see all living beings."
Li Qingshan murmured softly to himself, the divine light in his eyes clear and harmonious, without the slightest doubt or hindrance remaining.
Building on Primordial Breathing, his state of mind gained a further measure of openness and clarity.
His connection to the stone gate had grown as clear as could be. The moment of return was at hand.
His figure gradually grew indistinct and transparent in the fading light of the setting sun, as if his whole being were merging into the world around him,
becoming one with the gentle breeze, the flowing water, and the light of the setting sun.
Just before he vanished completely, he gazed into the distance in the direction of City C.
A gentle, heartfelt smile touched the corners of his lips.
"Sister Chen, Wang Chao, our ties here have come to an end for now. If fate permits, we'll meet again."