Two Dharma Lineages, and How to Use a Renowned Teacher's Peaches and Plums

Nighttime, in the inn next to the fur market at Denglai Mountain Market.

A stocky man, still carrying the scent of wild animal fur, closed his room door, then peered out from behind the crack for a moment before walking to the window and surveying the surroundings.

Make sure there are no people hiding under the beams or under the bed, and no talismans or strange objects that could be used for eavesdropping or spying.

Then, he lit a candle and placed it on the table, rolled onto the bed, pulled the covers over his head, and pulled a crystal token out from under the covers.

This token is crystal clear, like pure water frozen into ice, and is no more than half the size of a palm.

The figure in front is a Yaksha demon with spiky, snake-like hair, bulging eyes, and a sword in its mouth. It has one leg raised, holds a steel fork, and is in a dancing pose.

At the center of the reverse side is an intricate lotus pattern, surrounded by floating flame patterns.

The man, lying in bed, pressed the lotus flower with the pad of his right thumb and silently chanted a mantra. After chanting half of it, he switched to his left thumb and finished chanting the second half.

This person was a spy from Celebration of the Sage Temple.

Denglai Mountain Market for Hundred Li, surrounded by hilly terrain, and was frequently visited by caravans, ships, and people from all walks of life.

If one or two spies from the outside wanted to infiltrate, they would have too many options and would be extremely difficult to detect.

This spy, after Grand Matriarch Gao arrived with the gifts, took another route and infiltrated the fur market.

At this moment, the darkness in the bed was dispelled by the CD player.

The crystal token, seemingly filled with liquid gold, rises from the bottom, turning half of it yellow in the end, dazzling and beautiful.

"Half a division, which is six hours."

The man thought to himself, "That King Yama Chu is really getting more and more obsessed with the research on the ' Bronze Longevity Immortal '."

Celebration of the Sage Temple did not conceal any evil magic on the Bronze Longevity Immortal, lest it backfire and arouse suspicion.

However, when this treasure fell into their hands, it was studied thoroughly.

The Qi of the Bronze Longevity Immortal is catalyzed, and the internal meridian structure is reorganized into a new meridian diagram. When the details are displayed, it emits a kind of fluctuation.

Celebration of the Sage Temple has its own set of ritual implements specifically used to detect the existence of such subtle fluctuations from a distance.

The crystal token symbolizes the total time of day.

If the holder wants to know how long the Bronze Longevity Immortal has been activated within a day, they only need to recite the incantation and perform the ritual at night to check.

When Bronze Longevity Immortal first arrived at Chu Tianshu Manor, he seemed to be on guard, and he didn't spend too much time studying in a day.

But over the past month or so...

The duration of time that Bronze Longevity Immortal was being stimulated each day was clearly increasing steadily.

In the last few days, it has been consistently more than six hours a day.

The scout felt a little smug, but more than that, he felt a sense of relief at not having to face the dark clouds directly.

In the battle, Chu Tianshu annihilated three Attaining the Dao masters, and the title of Yama (King of Hell) spread like wildfire.

Since the scout was a member of Celebration of the Sage Temple, he had even more faith in the existence of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Yama, the King of Hell. The thought of coming here to gather information made him feel uneasy.

Since Chu Tianshu is engrossed in the research of the "Bronze Longevity Immortal," the possibility of these spies being caught is extremely slim.

My heart, which had been adrift and lost, can finally find some peace.

In fact, besides this spy, Celebration of the Sage Temple also sent other people.

Besides Celebration of the Sage Temple, there are many other spies who are actively active now.

Chu Tianshu occupied Shen Minglai's manor, so it naturally became the most noteworthy place.

They kept track of everything happening inside and outside Pengcheng Tavern, as well as along most of the surrounding street.

The tavern street has been booming lately, almost entirely because Rogue Person stop here to rest.

It was also because Chu Tianshu's manor posted notices recruiting retainers.

In just over a month, I heard that more than two thousand people have passed the test and been recruited into the village.

There are still quite a few independent travelers from all over the world who are heading here after hearing the news.

It is common for newly emerging masters in the martial arts world to recruit retainers.

Retainers are different from disciples. Joining the manor doesn't necessarily mean receiving advanced martial arts instruction, but at least they'll get some pointers, and they'll at least have a powerful backer.

For many seasoned Rogue Person who still harbor resentment, this is a rare opportunity.

Moreover, this manor lord is probably the strongest manor lord in the world, and he's on track to become a powerful figure in the martial arts world.

Many people are willing to travel long distances to come and give it a try.

The test set by Chu Tianshu wasn't too demanding, but it was quite comprehensive, and included some seemingly absurd questionnaires.

That's all the wisdom from our hometown. You can use the questionnaire answers to test whether there are any obvious psychological problems.

However, this setup cannot completely screen out a person's character; it can only be considered a rough screening.

Therefore, the people now housed in the manor, even if they are not a mixed bag of good and bad, are at least from all walks of life with very different personalities.

Spies from all sides noticed this, but didn't see anything wrong with it.

Newly emerging masters should naturally act this way: magnanimous and tolerant, their power will grow rapidly.

If one were to be like the Yellow Mountain Ancestor, carefully selecting disciples and then worrying about their future prospects and calculating how many resources they would receive, it would be a mistake.

Even though it was the mighty Flying Smoke Divine Spear, one of the Six Patriarchs of the Southern Dynasty, and had been passed down through generations of disciples, its influence had not really extended beyond the county where Yellow Mountain was located.

Moreover, according to what their spies heard, Chu Tianshu was not entirely tolerant of the newly recruited retainers.

He also used several instances to establish his authority.

Furthermore, it is said that whenever Chu Tianshu instructed his disciples in martial arts, he would remain behind a screen in a small pavilion on the lake.

The retainers practiced their kung fu on the shore, each receiving instruction.

His voice could only be heard faintly, but he was rarely seen.

This reserved attitude, which prevents casual intimacy, is clearly setting rules for all retainers.

The spies gathered information and analyzed it every day, sending messages back and receiving new instructions.

What are the backgrounds and past deeds of the newly arrived wandering Rogue Person? Will they be valued after joining the manor? Do they have any grudges against our family?

Is it possible that they could be recruited as new undercover agents to help provide intelligence about the village in the future? These are all things that the spies need to do.

Therefore, they also failed to notice some ordinary people who were simply not worthy of the attention of the major sects and high-ranking families.

The bright moon hangs high in the sky.

In the deep valley.

In the past month, a large number of poisonous vines and weeds have been cleared from the valley.

Relying on those towering ancient trees, they quickly built new, simple houses, each housing ten disciples.

The original village was located in a higher and drier area. The villagers of the past had their own wisdom and knew that there would be fewer snakes, insects, and rodents in such places.

Chu Tianshu stood on a horizontal branch of the pine tree demon, which gave him a clear view of all the newly built houses.

Although it was already night, it wasn't time to rest yet.

Thousands of people were active there, diligently practicing their skills and swordsmanship.

So many people...

Lu Yuande, standing under the tree, was still somewhat puzzled. "Wouldn't the spies from all sides have noticed that so many people are missing from Denglai Mountain Market?"

Chu Tianshu smiled slightly.

"These people are either orphans wandering around aimlessly, or, if they don't die in a few years, they'll become idle laborers. They are the largest and most inconspicuous Denglai Mountain Market."

"Or perhaps, these are properties established here by prominent families like the Xiao and Hou."

Chu Tianshu thought for a moment and found a specific example.

"For example, the total annual revenue of the Xiao Clan's quarry has actually exceeded the total wages paid to all the craftsmen by more than thirty times."

"I will pay all the artisans three times their normal wage for hard labor."

"Then, in each industry, have everyone elect someone they trust and who is well-liked as their deputy, and another shrewd person who is already familiar with how the industry works as the head."

"This hierarchical system replaced the original levels of managers."

Lu Yuande understood immediately and laughed, "To outsiders, this is just you consolidating power, cultivating confidants, winning people's hearts, and turning various businesses into your own. It's perfectly normal."

"In reality, from these huge changes in numbers, you could easily extract a portion of people and send them into the valley without them even noticing?"

Chu Tianshu said gently, "Not bad."

"Moreover, those artisans also had children of school age at home."

"Their wages have increased significantly, and after receiving their paychecks, they rush out to buy food—the most normal thing for ordinary people to do."

"In reality, some of these grains and miscellaneous items were taken into the valley by their children to supply the needs of everyone practicing martial arts."

Lu Yuande clicked his tongue in amazement.

Every day when everyone cooks, they still use the smokeless stove method taught by Chu Tianshu. From outside the valley, you can't see any smoke from the cooking fires of the thousands of people living here.

Chu Tianshu looked down into the valley, his mind racing as he planned out the steps he would take to build his power.

He actually doesn't go to the resort very often.

Most of the time, those hiding behind the screen are bronze figures controlled by the Weapon Soul.

Those wandering Rogue Person already possessed a certain foundation in martial arts, but the bronze statue only taught them the basics.

For them, improving their basic skills is something they feel they are making progress on every day and that will benefit them in the future, but it won't lead to an immediate increase in their destructive power.

In contrast, these disciples were in the valley.

When they first started, they learned only the Thirteen Death-Claiming Swords.

These people have clean backgrounds, their families work as laborers and farmers, and they have experience of living at the bottom of society, making it easier for them to evoke sympathy for ordinary people.

Chu Tianshu has put more thought into these people, and they will surely become outstanding figures in terms of combat power among their peers in the future.

Once the two forces are in sync, those Rogue Person who are of good character and conduct will also be able to receive instruction in more advanced martial arts techniques.

This is the tone that Chu Tianshu set for his sect.

"The bronze statues are meant to mislead the outside world, while I mainly focus on operations here. With this two-pronged approach, progress in all aspects is going fairly smoothly..."

Chu Tianshu stood on the tree, his mind gradually becoming clear.

From the sense of fulfillment and joy that comes from developing a large and thriving business, a leisurely and comfortable state of mind naturally follows.

"Drifting Tumbleweed Under Heaven Peaches and Plums Diagram, his students spread knowledge, impart skills, resolve doubts, and aid in self-cultivation..."

This effect has been incorporated into the current "The Mountain Hermit's Sun-Boiling True Scripture".

Chu Tianshu has been training more disciples recently, and he is beginning to feel the effects of this.

He initially thought that this effect might be somewhat similar to the incense and faith of the Kṣitigarbha Temple Busan. However, since it was about imparting knowledge and resolving doubts, the feedback he received from his disciples would definitely be purer than that of the incense at the Kṣitigarbha Temple.

Now that he truly understands the feeling of focusing on cultivation, he finds it's not quite like that.

The Drifting Tumbleweed Under Heaven Peaches and Plums Diagram, without any intention of collecting from others.

It's more like cultivating a "Renowned Teacher Persona".

Like a tuft of fluff, it has a lot of downy hairs, which makes it easy to ride the wind.

If we compare the status of a renowned teacher to a drifting tumbleweed, then each additional person they teach and instruct has an impact on that person's career.

This invisible influence is like a new wisp of down growing from within oneself.

Ordinary people are unaware of this influence and do not know how to maintain or care for it; the downy hair will soon disappear on its own.

However, those who cultivate the Drifting Tumbleweed Under Heaven Peaches and Plums Diagram and attain mastery are able to preserve these "downy feathers."

The more downy the feathers, the easier it is to ride the wind, and the stronger the interaction with the wind.

This is why one can absorb more of the primordial energy of heaven and earth by utilizing the Renowned Teacher Persona, thus aiding in cultivation.

Collecting thoughts is the most straightforward form of exchange; neither the thoughts of the collector nor those being collected undergo any more subtle changes.

If the rewards one receives far exceed the rewards one gives, it only proves that one has absorbed the strength of others. One will always be troubled by impurities, and it will also have an adverse effect on the development of one's disciples.

The Renowned Teacher Persona is essentially achieved through the process of imparting knowledge and skills, in which the power originating from oneself is guided, transformed, maintained, and evolved.

To make one's own "life" form more mysterious, without affecting one's disciples.

However, this second path is far more elusive than the idea of gathering, and its average difficulty of entry is significantly higher.

"However, once you enter this path, the vastness and purity it brings are incomparable to the first."

Chu Tianshu gazed intently at the bright moon in the sky, his right hand outstretched as if to lift a veil of light, holding up the moonlight.

He was already capable of using the stimulation of the Moon Turbidity to cause his physical body to generate various medicinal properties, harmonize and resolve them, and remain uncontaminated.

With the help of Renowned Teacher Persona, he felt he could use the power of the Moon Turbidity as a large dose of the main medicine.

All the medicinal properties generated by the body itself are merely auxiliary medicines, but they can harmonize and make the medicinal power of the "main medicine" more smoothly transformed into something beneficial to the body.

Lu Yuande lay on the wicker chair under the tree, watching quietly.

In his eyes, Chu Tianshu was completely bathed in a distinct layer of moonlight.

The long, drawn-out sound of the wind, accompanied by the moonlight and cloud shadows, moved with perfect balance.

It was as if every pore of this person was thirsting for moonlight.

"Can moonlight also be used in medicine...?"

Several thoughts flashed through Lu Yuande's mind.

"The essence of the sun and moon, this is also called the Internal Elixir."

"Ultimately, is the Internal Elixir something created within the human body, or is it about treating the human being as a elixir within the universe?"

"Riding the sun, moon, fire, and fire, borrowing the winds from the east, west, south, and north, I float freely in all directions, without flaw or imperfection..."

Lu Yuande suddenly took a deep breath and exhaled a very long one.

Purple qi, accompanied by silver light, rose from his mouth, absorbed the moonlight in the air, and then quickly receded like a lingzhi mushroom.

Chu Tianshu had already sensed something and turned his gaze to the area under the tree.

Lu Yuande's face turned bright red, and then his face turned bluish-purple, with different colored spots of light shining through his forehead, cheeks, chin, and other parts of his body.

The colored light continues to shift and flow, with the size of the light spots changing individually.

"Old Lu, you're being a bit too reckless..."

Chu Tianshu knew that Lu Yuande's cultivation of internal energy was only one step away from completion, and he was already able to sense the essence of heaven and earth.

If he is truly determined, he has already reached a point where he can attempt a breakthrough; however, the likelihood of failure is very high.

There is a big difference between being able to perceive and being able to absorb.

But just now, the old Daoist actually managed to steal a wisp of Moon Turbidity power while Chu Tianshu was breathing in and out the moonlight.

This means he has successfully absorbed a force of heaven and earth.

However, the difficulty of digesting this energy is even more outrageous than that of normal natural energy.

Chu Tianshu watched closely, ready to act immediately if Lu Yuande showed any signs of self-destruction, using his profound internal energy to subdue Lu Yuande completely.

To everyone's surprise, Lu Yuande held back for a full quarter of an hour, his face still flickering like a disco ball. The situation didn't look good, but he didn't explode.

"Huh?"

Chu Tianshu's heart skipped a beat. "Fellow Daoist Tree, sprinkle him with some truffles."

Another pine branch peeked out and shook above Lu Yuande.

Fine dewdrops drifted down and fell into the old Daoist's body.

The old Daoist closed his eyes, the light on his face gradually faded, and he slowly exhaled a puff of white smoke.

"You actually refined that Moon Turbidity power?"

Chu Tianshu's eyes lit up. "But you don't seem to have broken through."

"My limbs were severely injured, and my meridians were chronically damaged; in the end, I was still just a hair's breadth short."

Lu Yuande opened his eyes, genuinely delighted, "But I'm much more confident about trying again next time."

"Moreover, having grasped the principles of using moonlight in medicine and the alternation of the gentle and fierce fires in the process, many difficult and challenging points in the transition from Dao-Seeking Shennong to the method of Internal Elixir have been resolved."

Chu Tianshu was also pleasantly surprised. "Oh?"

Simplifying the "Mountain Hermit's Sun-Boiling True Scripture" is a huge project, and even now, he still doesn't have much of a clue.

If Lu Yuande truly manages to improve the situation from third-rate to first-rate from another angle, thus countering the problem of moonlight pollution...

That also saved Chu Tianshu a very tedious task.

Lu Yuande opened his mouth to speak, but felt that he had a thousand words to say, and couldn't help but say, "Speaking it out loud feels too chaotic."

"My left hand is now mobile. Let me organize and categorize it with pen and ink before we discuss it in detail!"

As he spoke, his aura shifted, and he and his chair were propelled forward, landing ten feet away before taking flight again.

Chu Tianshu was happy to see him rush back to his residence, his energy more vigorous than ever before.

"Ha!"

As soon as the laughter rang out, a slight tremor, like the tip of a needle, came from Chu Tianshu's sleeve.

"Is it over at the tavern?"

Chu Tianshu had some guesses in his heart, condensed a ball of emerald green water and gave it to the pine tree to absorb, then strolled leisurely and left the valley.

Pengcheng Tavern is still open.

The moonlight and lamplight overlapped at the lintel, creating the brightest light.

When Chu Tianshu arrived, he could already hear gurgling sounds coming from the lobby, with people gulping down alcohol.

Upon entering, they found the old scholar indeed holding a small cup, tasting wine, at the table.

But the person drinking so heartily still looked like a teenager from the side.

His hair was bound with an iron crown, his robe was loose, and the fabric at his shoulders, elbows, and sleeves was all wrinkled. He wasn't drinking wine, but was just carrying a large teapot.

There were still many meat bones on the table that had just been gnawed clean.

Looks like they ate too much meat; they need some water to change things up.

"That feels so good!"

The young man turned around, stood up, patted his stomach, and laughed, "Is this Brother Chu? I'm Xiao Liang, please have a seat."

Chu Tianshu cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency's name is renowned far and wide."

"Oh dear, let's skip the formalities; they sound really awkward."

Xiao Liang put down the teapot, then picked up the wine pot and poured himself a bowl.

"When we contacted each other before, I said I would come to see you soon, but I broke my promise and delayed for more than a month. I'll have to drink a bowl of wine as punishment."

After Xiao Liang finished speaking, he drank the wine down in one gulp.

Looking at his behavior, Chu Tianshu deeply felt that he didn't want to be punished with wine; he simply hadn't had enough tea earlier.

Whether drinking tea or wine, Xiao Liang did not have the habit of letting water drip from his mouth, unlike most chivalrous heroes in the martial arts world.

He truly gulped down every single drop of the liquor, swallowing it all.

"When the Marquis contacted us for the second time, he mentioned that he had encountered an urgent matter and would need to postpone our meeting for a few days."

Chu Tianshu sat down at the table, somewhat curious as well.

"But what urgent matter could possibly be so pressing that it could delay the world's number one swordsman for over a month?"

Xiao Liang put down his wine bowl, remained silent for a moment, and looked somewhat lonely.

"Because Old Huang disappeared from his secluded retreat."

(End of this chapter)