Vertical and Horizontal Simple Seal, entering and leaving the pass

"Half my life I've been adrift like a tumbleweed, this year I dreamt of Badong."

Chu Tianshu reviewed the compiled text in the courtyard, reading it aloud softly.

"Having traversed countless perilous places, my path winds through a thousand peaks and a hundred cliffs..."

This poem, both real and illusory, uses the metaphor of mountains and rivers to recount the perils encountered in half a lifetime.

Chu Tianshu, however, read with a serene expression, a smile playing on his lips, as if he longed to travel with the ancient sages.

"That's it, that's the taste."

Lu Shuangyan clapped her hands and said, "That's exactly how I felt at the time!"

"Perilous, adrift, thrilling, and serene."

Lu Shuangyan was reminiscing about that period of time again.

He wasn't born with first-rate swordsmanship, nor was he born with the courage to roam the martial world.

Some things, if you don't think about them normally, once you do, they can feel endless and indescribable.

Chu Tianshu draped the book over his chest and smiled casually.

"My ambition came a little late, but it has finally caught up with me."

Lu Shuangyan was taken aback. "Is this your own feeling?"

Chu Tianshu nodded and said, "This is an idea I had just come up with a few months ago."

Having witnessed countless instances of old men indulging in youthful exuberance, how could I, a true youth myself, possibly be outdone by them?

Lu Shuangyan said slowly, "I was inspired by the mountains and rivers and by my enemies, while you seem to have been inspired by a kind elder. In that case, you are much luckier than me."

Chu Tianshu looked at the book in his hand again and sighed, "But our handwriting is just as ugly."

Chu Tianshu had practiced calligraphy with a fountain pen, but his skill with a brush pen was lacking.

Lu Shuangyan's handwriting is even more crooked and uneven in size.

Chu Tianshu doesn't usually care about how well he writes, as long as the meaning is legible.

However, every line of this collection of poems and essays is imbued with associations and carries a deeper meaning.

The poor handwriting is a minor flaw and something that catches the eye.

Of course, the most important thing is to have a comparison.

This book is a compilation of papers written by three different people, and one of them has such beautiful handwriting that he surpasses the other two.

Xiahou Feishan picked up his teacup, tapped the lid lightly twice, stirred the tea leaves, and took a slow sip.

A gentle mountain breeze carries the delicate aroma of tea, exuding the air of a master.

Chu Tianshu clicked his tongue and said, "Brother Xiahou, why don't you help us copy the entire book?"

Xiahou Feishan calmly replied, "I refuse."

Chu Tianshu: "Oh--"

"I didn't just refuse randomly; I have a legitimate reason."

Xiahou Feishan said seriously, "You clearly said at the beginning that you wanted him to give his thoughts on the Thirteen Death-Claiming Swords."

"But after truly organizing my thoughts and experiences, I discovered that it contained many clues related to the Fourteen Swords, and even some that slightly exceeded my expectations of the Fourteen Swords."

Lu Shuangyan said helplessly, "Although sword techniques have a sequence, the understanding and perception of the human heart cannot be so orderly."

He could say that he expressed all his thoughts on creating this strategy.

Xiahou Feishan, "Anyway, I'm having some indigestion right now. You'll have to wait for me to calm down. If I have to copy it all over again now, I'm afraid I'll get too caught up in it and start wildly slashing with my sword."

"Alright, here's the Secret Incantations of Vertical and Horizontal. You guys keep an eye on it for now. I'll go back to my room and get something."

Chu Tianshu took out a book and tossed it onto the table.

That was a secret manual he had memorized a while ago, not just one copy, but also several simplified copies, which he gave to the monks who had returned to secular life to read.

Lay disciples of the Southern Shaolin Temple do not read Buddhist scriptures.

However, the martial monks still needed to read some Buddhist scriptures. After returning to secular life, they often felt confused when they spent their days with the local militia.

Chu Tianshu gave them the "Secret Incantations of Vertical and Horizontal," giving them the opportunity to explore other realms of thought and resolve their past confusion.

The founder of the Secret Incantations of Vertical and Horizontal was Wang Yangming from another world, who was proficient in Confucianism, I Ching, and the Book of Changes, but was not limited to these things.

His ideas have been truly tested in the secular world, and they still offer many useful insights here.

Chu Tianshu returned to his room, rummaged around on the bed for a bit, and found the manuscript he had compiled about "Refining Spirit into Qi".

Having gained a complete understanding of the Death-Claiming Sword Technique, he finally had a clear idea of how to transform Mind Power into internal strength.

"It seems to exist yet not exist, lingering endlessly, its meaning about to fade, yet its essence already arises..."

Chu Tianshu sat at the table, picked up a brush, licked the ink, and after a moment's thought, quickly began to write.

"With a spirit that is dead, one's spirit lives on; the living dead walk among a thousand peaks and a hundred cliffs, becoming purer with each step, their hearts free of hindrance, and thus without fear."

"As one navigates perilous situations with ease, a sense of heroism gradually arises; as one calms the mind and regulates the meridians, internal energy gradually strengthens..."

The process of Mind Power gradually declining and deteriorating from the brain is the most difficult and dangerous.

Like the plank roads of thousands of famous peaks, where there is only a narrow path underfoot, there is the terrifying prospect of being crushed to pieces.

One cannot force oneself to remain calm; one must first be cautious and vigilant.

The content also incorporates some of Chu Tianshu's understanding of "Lesser Yang Blood River Chariot".

After leaving the Great Tang world, the cultivation of the Blood River Chariot remained at the Deer Chariot, with difficult progress.

However, some of the content regarding nourishing the mind and soul is a universal principle.

After finishing writing, Chu Tianshu read it through once, and it was quite fluent.

There were only a few instances where the wording felt inadequate.

He picked up his pen and erased it, revised it twice, thought about it, and realized that individual words were indeed more powerful.

But after reading it all, it wasn't as good as the original sentence, so after thinking it over, I changed it back to the original.

The first half contains the complete content of the Secret Incantations of Vertical and Horizontal," while the second half is closely connected, adding the key points of Refining Spirit into Qi into qi.

Chu Tianshu closed his eyes and recalled the events, then summoned his token and successfully accessed the Zongheng edition of the cultivation technique materials.

"Good!"

Chu Tianshu thought to himself, "Could this be considered my first time creating a new cultivation technique? However, if I were to use it for plagiarism checking, the amount of reliance on predecessors would be far too high."

"Never mind, let's use it first."

He exhaled a breath of stale air, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"Token, give me the deduction."

[... Deduction complete.]

The creators of "Vertical and Horizontal Simple Seal" hoped that by using a grid of four vertical and five horizontal lines, they could observe the changes in all things.

Now, we simplify the complex, focusing solely on the flow and transformation of vital energy. With focused and profound understanding, we can transform the very concept of life into the vital energy of life.

Upon reaching the pinnacle, their spirits intertwined, and their remote perceptions remained constant.

Although the quality of the Essence-Devouring Ghost was good enough for one simulation, the total amount was still insufficient.

In terms of content, the changes in "Vertical and Horizontal Simple Seal" compared to the previous combined edition are not significant.

However, Chu Tianshu's main purpose in this deduction was to obtain the feeling of being guided by a famous teacher that he had in mind.

The first half of the bound volume, the content of "The Secret Incantations of Vertical and Horizontal," finally also received this guidance.

When he first began cultivating his Mind Power, he followed many of the steps in the annotations, but now he feels that there are errors and omissions in them, and he has found that his understanding is flawed.

"Yes, Brother Lu, Xiahou, protect me!"

Chu Tianshu closed his eyes for a long time, then let out a low nasal sound, and his body suddenly floated backward.

Without moving the table and chairs, the person had already slipped out and floated onto the bed.

He sat cross-legged, his hands clasped together as if plucking flowers, his thumbs and middle fingers interlocked, the rest of his fingers loose and natural, the backs of his hands resting on his knees.

Upon hearing this, Lu Shuangyan and Xiahou Feishan each stood up and took a few steps toward his door.

The first time you transform thought into energy, you must be most careful.

The two initially thought that Chu Tianshu had some understanding of swordsmanship.

But I saw his hands in front of his chest, like a seal, like a lotus, like fire, like a bottle.

Sometimes the hands are like spires, placed together on the forehead; sometimes they are reversed and placed together on the lower abdomen.

Call!!

A gentle breeze suddenly arose outside, sometimes strong, sometimes weak, blowing all of it from the yard into the house.

As if drawn by a current, dozens or even hundreds of leaves from the sapling flew into the room.

Chu Tianshu pressed his right hand, fingers together, against his chest, and raised his left hand forward.

The leaves of other trees fluttered and scattered in fright.

Only four tender leaves landed right in front of his palm, hovering without falling.

The leaf stalks overlap at one point, and the four leaves, shaped like a windmill, gradually begin to rotate.

The leaf, driven by a colorless and invisible force, spun for a full quarter of an hour without stopping.

After a quarter of an hour, what emanated from his palm was no longer an invisible force, but a pale blue light.

After Chu Tianshu successfully converted his Mind Power into internal energy, it flowed into his meridians.

The subsequent operational route will follow the "Sky-Spanning Divine Art" directly.

The internal energy derived from refining essence into qi and Refining Spirit into Qi into qi is combined.

Although the purity could not be improved further, the attributes were expanded.

Chu Tianshu opened his eyes, couldn't help but laugh, brought his left palm close to his face, and blew on it.

Four leaves swirled out, creating a strong gust of wind.

Whoosh--

The leaves that had just been drawn into the room were scattered on the tables, chairs, and floor.

As soon as the wind blew, it blew all the leaves outside.

The doors and windows rattled, and Lu Shuangyan and Xiahou's clothes were blown like flags and their hair was fluttering.

"This..."

Xiahou Feishan asked in surprise, "Can a single breath of internal energy produce such a wind?"

It wouldn't be surprising if the palm strike had such power, but this was just a breath he blew out.

Lu Shuangyan was even more perceptive. "This wind seems to have the effect of relieving fatigue and calming the mind."

"This should have been calculated using arithmetic."

Chu Tianshu walked out of the door, and with a wave of his hand, the four leaves returned to his hand.

The two swordsmen's expressions became even more peculiar.

Those four leaves had just flown onto the courtyard wall. If Chu Tianshu wanted to use his internal energy to pull them back, his palm strike would probably have to span most of the courtyard.

But with just this wave of his hand, nothing else was affected.

To cast a spell, one must generate Mind Power from the brain, which then takes effect through multiple steps.

The source of Chu Tianshu's current ability to use this spell-like power is his internal energy.

The effects of minor spells are readily available, without requiring the brain to process complex or cumbersome tasks.

"Spells?"

Xiahou Feishan leaned closer, "There really is magic! By the way, you're Zongheng the Strategists, so is there anything else mysterious about you?"

Just as Chu Tianshu was about to speak, he suddenly heard a long howl coming from the front mountain.

"Layman Tian has quelled the coastal pirate threat, a truly gratifying achievement. Flowing Cloud Manor sends its congratulations with courtesy."

"The Lord of the Prefecture has instructed that on the first day of next month, he invites the Layman Tian to meet him on Kangshan Island in Poyang Lake."

The sound was already drifting away as soon as it began to rise.

The messenger clearly spoke as he left.

Chu Tianshu and his two companions passed through many courtyards and arrived in front of the main hall.

The monks had already brought up a large group of people, about fifty or sixty in total, all of them strong, dark-skinned Great Han and women.

Miaofan, whose injuries had just healed, stood in front of the hall with Miaokong, Miaoyin, and others.

"Layman Tian!"

Everyone greeted Chu Tianshu, Miaofan said in a deep voice, "These people are the... gifts sent by the Flowing Cloud Manor."

Chu Tianshu glanced at them and immediately guessed. "People from Fire God Gully."

"Yes."

Miaofan handed over a letter, "Flowing Cloud Manor once captured over a hundred craftsmen from Fire God Gully; this is half of them."

Without the complete set of secret techniques, these people were unable to replicate the craftsmanship of the Divine Fire Gun, and it remained unusable in the Flowing Cloud Manor.

However, the southern forces are currently dismantling the craftsmanship of the Divine Fire Gun and using it in different workshops.

Once these skilled craftsmen from Fire God Gully are dispatched in different categories, with experienced craftsmen mentoring new ones, the craftsmen's skills will grow exponentially.

Flowing Cloud Manor must have known this, yet they still sent these people back.

"Old Xu and his fellow villagers still have quite a few alive; they'll definitely be very happy."

Chu Tianshu took the letter, glanced at it, and smiled.

Miaofan asked, "Could it be that they want to use this as an excuse to negotiate peace?"

"Peace talks?"

Chu Tianshu said, "The letter certainly sounds nice, but after hearing so many rumors about that manor lord, he should have seen all the things I've done."

Even Heaven wouldn't believe this will be a feast.

Lu Shuangyan pondered, "Should we challenge him to a duel? There's only a little over half a month left until the first day of next month. Is he confident that he can master the Fifteenth Sword before then?"

Chu Tianshu also fell into thought.

A moment later, he suddenly came to his senses and realized that the surroundings were unusually quiet.

Looking around, everyone's face showed a thoughtful expression.

Their jurisdictions differed, and their interactions with the Flowing Cloud Manor were vastly different.

But this letter, along with the presence of over fifty craftsmen, was enough to stir up much thought among them.

Even the most carefree Lu Shuangyan would be drawn to words like "challenge" and "swordsmanship."

Hmm.

Chu Tianshu suddenly smiled, "Brother Lu, the curved swords from beyond the pass are famous, but they are resold by the Flowing Cloud Manor because their forgers were outdone by the Flowing Cloud Manor Master."

"Do you know where the largest producer of these scimitars lives?"

Lu Shuangyan didn't know why he suddenly asked this.

"That must be the leader of the Demonic Sect."

Xiahou Feishan replied, "My family knows about several important branches within their sect, but the main headquarters hasn't sent anyone to investigate."

Lu Shuangyan raised an eyebrow. "You mean, the Demonic Sect Leader will go to the Flowing Cloud Manor?"

"Maybe, but that's not important."

Chu Tianshu already had a plan in mind, and said leisurely, "I mean, I should also take a long trip."

Now that their influence has expanded and their reputation extends far beyond just this one temple.

Chu Tianshu didn't intend to remain a local strongman forever.

If Flowing Cloud Manor gave them this half-month to distract the enemy and give their allies time, then this was intended to do so.

Then let's see if your friend keeps their promise.

"I've heard that for the past three hundred years, the Demonic Sect has frequently threatened to invade the pass."

"In the martial arts world, the resistance is always fierce, and it's only with great difficulty that they manage to retreat."

Chu Tianshu shook his head and said, "I'll voluntarily come out of seclusion this time. Would you two like to come along?"

(End of this chapter)