Volume One: The Dragon Rises from the Wild Chapter Nineteen: Master
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Night had fallen.
Under the moonlight, Bai Zhi arrived at yet another mountain cave.
On either side of the cave, ancient pines stood in resolute vigor, strange stones vied in beauty, and clouds and mist curled about. Scattered stone tables and benches lent a touch of leisurely charm to this tranquil place.
Bai Zhi paused briefly and called softly, “Master!”
A moment later, a voice answered from within the cave—
“Oh, come in!”
Bai Zhi lifted her foot and walked toward the cave.
Inside, darkness prevailed—one could not see one’s hand before one’s face. But as Bai Zhi stepped in, the surroundings suddenly brightened. A lamp with neither oil nor wick emitted a glow akin to candlelight. The cave was furnished with stone desks, stone benches, iron cauldrons, and jars and crocks, all permeated by a potent medicinal scent.
Bai Zhi walked to the open space in the center of the cave and slowly knelt.
Not far ahead, in another stone alcove, sat a woman clad in Daoist robes, her temples streaked with gray, wrinkles lining her face, eyes cast down, bearing an austere expression.
Bai Zhi glanced up, then bowed her head and said, “Master, as you foretold, Yu Ye has swallowed… the beast pill. Unable to withstand the force of the pill’s essence, he already shows signs of poisoning. I took it upon myself to use wild ginseng to purge the poison and prolong his life.”
The woman seemed not to hear, her demeanor unchanged.
Bai Zhi continued, “Through investigation, I learned that more than thirty people died in the Yu family village. This calamity was wrought by Brother Chenqi’s collusion with Beiqi Mountain. Afterwards, he killed Gu Mu; right and wrong are now without proof, as the dead cannot testify. Perhaps Brother feared your reproach and has yet to return to the sect. That became my excuse to keep Yu Ye here. He’s obedient, but ignorant and vexing—likely unfit for greater purpose…”
The woman suddenly spoke in a quiet, lingering tone, “Bai Zhi, how many years have you been with me?”
Bai Zhi replied without hesitation, “I met you at age six, Master. Fourteen years have passed since then.”
The woman nodded silently.
Bai Zhi respectfully added, “Thanks to your careful guidance, I awakened my innate spiritual root at ten, and last year reached the third layer of Qi Refining. Yet I am not as advanced as Brother’s fourth layer realm. I resolve to practice diligently, lest I fail your teachings!”
The woman finally opened her eyes and spoke slowly, her voice tinged with reminiscence: “That year, as I passed through Bai family village, I met you at the entrance. You were but a little girl then—clever, lively, endearing. Your family wished you to pursue the Dao, so I took you up Mount Xuanhuang.” At this, her words grew somewhat desolate: “The little girl of yesteryear is now a Daoist adept at the third layer of Qi Refining, while I have grown old and feeble—my days, I fear, are numbered.”
Bai Zhi’s eyes reddened and she comforted, “Do not worry, Master. Surely you will succeed in establishing your foundation!”
The woman’s face darkened and she rebuked, “I am not dead yet, and you mourn already?”
Bai Zhi bowed low, not daring to speak.
“I have told you: those who pursue the Dao must never be swayed by emotion. Otherwise, their hearts waver, and demons seize upon it. Have you forgotten?”
After venting her anger, the woman spoke anxiously: “Alas, whether I can establish my foundation this time depends on your aid in refining the external elixir. How can you be indecisive? How am I to be at ease?”
Bai Zhi hurriedly replied, “I will give my utmost!”
The woman’s expression softened and she instructed: “I have been secluded, busy refining pills, which has drained my energy. I need time to recuperate. Three months from now, I will reopen the furnace—life or death, success or failure, all hang in the balance. As for what you must do, I need not instruct you, do I?”
Bai Zhi said, “I understand!”
The woman waved her hand, weary, “Go now.”
As Bai Zhi rose to leave, she could not help but ask, “Brother…”
The woman closed her eyes, impatient, “I know.”
Bai Zhi dared not argue and withdrew silently.
…
Wild ginseng was truly unpalatable.
Awakening at dawn, Yu Ye felt parched, his mouth bitter, stomach burning, and somewhat nauseated. He drank a few mouthfuls from the mountain stream, which brought slight relief.
Mountain hunters occasionally found wild ginseng, but always traded it in Lingjiao Town for hunting knives, crossbows, salt, ironware—none would dare savor its taste, much less use it as food and waste its value.
But the Daoists of Spirit Mountain were different. They could use dried fruits and bamboo shoots for sustenance, but even precious wild ginseng was consumed as a meal. Yet it tasted bitter and unpleasant, and did little to fill the belly.
Rubbing his stomach, Yu Ye paced the cave, and as his gaze swept about, he slowly halted.
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By where he slept lay a bamboo staff.
Yu Ye walked over and picked it up.
The staff was about five or six feet long, thumb-thick, mottled yellow and stained. Nothing about it seemed extraordinary.
This had once belonged to Uncle Qiu, lost in the wilds, now found again. Should he thank Miss Bai for its return?
Hmph—if she hadn’t secretly stalked and ambushed him, how would Yu Ye have become a captive of Mount Xuanhuang?
Yet, as she claimed, the staff was made of golden bamboo, a rare material from the southern marshes—tough as metal, light as rotten wood. She also said she knew Uncle Qiu’s origins.
Whether she lied, time would tell.
“Ding, ding—”
He tapped the staff with his finger, producing a pleasant sound; with a casual swing, it whistled lightly in the air.
“Bang, bang—”
Yu Ye was still brandishing the staff when behind him came the sound of the stone door opening and closing.
It was Gu Yu, holding a bamboo box.
“Oh, it’s been two days—what good food have you brought?” Yu Ye set the staff down and went to greet him.
Gu Yu, absent his usual smile, silently opened the bamboo box.
Yu Ye exclaimed in surprise, “Wild ginseng, astragalus, white atractylodes—what’s this?”
Inside was a small pile of herbs, some familiar, some not.
Gu Yu nodded, indicating, “Polygonatum, qiong flower, cloud fungus, ground cherry—all rare herbs for replenishing qi and nourishing vitality. Eat them.”
“No sickness or injury—why take medicine?” Yu Ye protested, stepping back and eyeing Gu Yu suspiciously, “What’s wrong with you?”
Since Gu Yu appeared, he hadn’t smiled. Now, still with a solemn face, he said, “Senior Sister Bai instructed: Yu Ye’s external wounds have healed, but internal troubles remain, needing strong medicine for recovery. If he won’t take his medicine, or leaves even a single herb, I’ll be held responsible.”
“What did you say?” Yu Ye was incredulous.
Last night, Bai Zhi grabbed his wrist to check his injuries. She knew of the flood dragon poison within him? Yet even potent medicine could not cure it. And if he must take medicine, shouldn’t it be brewed, not chewed raw? Why punish Gu Yu—what had he to do with it?
Gu Yu plopped down, placed the box before him, pouted in grievance, “Senior Sister said, only by ensuring you take your medicine on time can she forgive my offense of breaking the mouth precept, and let me stay here to keep you company, so long as you’re happy.”
“Oh…” Yu Ye cocked his head in thought, curious, “What is breaking the mouth precept?”
Gu Yu complained, “You’re an outsider—I shouldn’t discuss Daoist matters with you, or I’d violate the prohibition on careless speech. I just can’t help being talkative!”
“No wonder you were gone two days—that explains it!” Yu Ye realized, “So if I take the medicine, you escape punishment and needn’t worry about the mouth precept?”
Gu Yu nodded silently.
“Ah, you broke the precept for me—I can’t let you suffer for it!” Yu Ye, feeling righteous, lifted his Daoist robe and sat nearby. He reached for a piece of polygonatum and popped it in his mouth, tasting as he spoke, “Hmm, this is better than wild ginseng. Want some? No, I’ll eat it myself.”
Moments later, the box was empty.
Yu Ye no longer felt at ease. He scrambled to the pool and gulped several mouthfuls of stream water, still retching dryly. After some time, he finally recovered, rubbed his stomach, and approached Gu Yu. “How am I meant to be happy? Teach me the Daoist arts!”
At last, a smile appeared on Gu Yu’s face. “Daoist arts aren’t taught to outsiders—I dare not transmit them privately. But…” He jumped up, pulled Yu Ye to the cave mouth, and pointed below, “The senior brothers practice lightness techniques and defensive arts—these are entry-level Daoist skills. If you observe daily and happen to grasp something, it’s pure luck. The seniors won’t object.”
Looking out the cave, Yu Ye saw several disciples of Mount Xuanhuang—some jumping and dodging with agile movements, others practicing fists and kicks with vigorous force.
Yu Ye watched, excited and eager.
Gu Yu pointed out, “That’s the lightness technique, derived from ancient Daoist arts. Master it well, and you can cross mountains and valleys as though treading flat ground, run like a swift steed. Enhanced with spiritual power, it’s even more formidable.”
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“What is spiritual power?”
“It’s the transformation of the world’s spiritual energy into true force within the dantian, wielded with incantations and secret techniques—it can command spirits, fly swords, accomplish anything!”
“Have you cultivated spiritual power? Show me!”
“Heh, that’s only the ability of Qi Refining experts at the innate level!”
“What is an innate Qi Refining expert?”
“An expert who channels qi into the body. The realm is ninefold; at the fifth layer, one can wield flying swords and take lives from afar as easily as picking something from a bag. Postnatal experts may have opened the gates and drawn in energy, but cannot refine qi into the body, nor wield spiritual power—they lack this skill.”
“What realms have Bai Zhi and Chenqi reached?”
“Well… third layer, fourth layer, I think. I’m not sure!”
“And that’s the defensive art?”
“Yes, defensive arts are divided into sword and fist techniques, both inherited from Mount Xuanhuang. See that senior brother—he’s practicing the Xuanhuang Sword Method. That senior sister’s sword technique was created by Master Hong Gu. The two are yin and yang, hard and soft…”
“Hong Gu?”
“Hush—that’s Master’s name, don’t be disrespectful!”
“Oh, tell me about the fist arts.”
“Fist arts borrow the force of tigers and leopards, train the bones and sinews—a method for tempering the body.”
“You practice sword and fist arts here—I can watch closely and ask advice, how about it?”
“No, no, I have things to do. I’ll come back this afternoon!”
When it came to the arts of Mount Xuanhuang, Gu Yu was encyclopedic and eloquent, but when asked to demonstrate, he shook his head and refused, found an excuse, and hurried out of the cave.
Yu Ye didn’t mind, continuing to observe the lightness technique, sword, and fist arts. Half an hour later, the disciples dispersed. Alone in the cave, he paced, practicing punches and kicks.
As for the fist arts, if one only sought to mimic the form, they weren’t hard to imitate.
Yet what truly interested him were the lightness technique and the Xuanhuang Sword Method.
The lightness technique looked simple but was profoundly deep. Repeated attempts left him stumbling and tripping, nearly falling several times.
As for the Xuanhuang Sword Method, he hadn’t the slightest clue.
Well, one must not be impatient, nor easily give up.
Yu Ye picked up the bamboo staff and kept imitating sword moves. Then he switched to punches and kicks, leaping and jumping, busying himself merrily.
In the afternoon, Gu Yu indeed returned. He brought a pile of dried fruits and a small bottle. The fruits were for sustenance; the pills in the bottle were for consolidating and nourishing his vitality.
Yu Ye didn’t ask much, simply swallowed two pills.
Gu Yu was envious—he said the pills were rare, even disciples of Mount Xuanhuang seldom saw them.
Yu Ye was unconcerned, asking Gu Yu to instruct him in the lightness, sword, and fist arts. Gu Yu still shook his head and refused, saying he was an outer disciple—even though he practiced various arts, he had not truly grasped their essence. Yu Ye would not relent, taking the chance to ask every question he could.
What is an outer disciple?
Those personally instructed in Daoist arts by Master are inner disciples; those taught by senior brothers and sisters are outer disciples.
What is breath regulation?
Breath regulation means breathing—exhaling and inhaling, expelling the old and drawing in the new. Walking, moving, standing, lying—all can involve breath regulation. Its true methods are not told to outsiders.
Yu Ye knew Mount Xuanhuang had many rules and didn’t wish to trouble Gu Yu further, so they ate fruit and chatted about interesting stories.
“I know your name is Yu Ye, but not whence you came. Xingyuan Valley? I’ve heard it’s a thousand miles from Mount Xuanhuang. You’re a hunter—teach me a few tricks someday, and I’ll hunt some mountain deer for my parents. Where am I from? Right at the foot of Mount Xuanhuang—I’ve long brought vegetables and grain up the mountain, got to know the seniors, and joined the Daoist sect to learn some skills. Are there many people on the mountain? Not many—twenty or thirty, at most. Tell me about Yu family village in Xingyuan Valley—oh, your face looks bad, forget it, better to talk about myself…”
Gu Yu grew up in the mountains, never traveled far. After joining Mount Xuanhuang, he was further isolated, knowing only his seniors, with no one to chat with. Now that Yu Ye was on the mountain, he was naturally delighted to have company. He knew nothing of the disputes between Yu Ye, Chenqi, and Bai Zhi, nor did he care—he simply wanted to be happy.
Every day, he brought herbs and pills. After Yu Ye took them, they watched Yu Ye imitate the lightness and defensive arts, or sat together talking about everything and nothing…