Chapter 37: Old Bull and Young Grass

For ordinary people, Mount Lantuo held two powerful allurements: the promise of instant enlightenment and the practice of dual cultivation between men and women. Whether these claims were true was a mystery. Because people lived so far from Mount Lantuo, distortions and misinformation were inevitable in the dissemination of teachings, blurring the true facts. Furthermore, Mount Lantuo itself never offered any explanations or refutations, leaving these claims as intriguing unsolved mysteries. Xu Fengnian, for his part, rather supported Mount Lantuo's silence, believing it better to leave room for imagination than to explain everything definitively.

Xu Fengnian first went to the third floor of the martial arts library, where he found the old Nine-Dou-Mi Daoist, Wei Baoxiang, who guarded the pavilion. This floor housed a collection of regularly updated biographical records. Xu Fengnian began by finding the Buddhist section. Among more than twenty Buddhist sects, large and small, Mount Lantuo held the top position in Esoteric Buddhism. Therefore, the first volume was dedicated to the Esoteric sect. Xu Fengnian easily located the Esoteric Master, whose lengthy titles included 'Great Compassionate Dharma King' and 'Bodhisattva of Successor'. From the description, her status seemed nearly equal to that of the two senior monks ranked above her.

Born into a royal family in Central India, she began traveling with eminent monks from a young age, visiting over ten countries and translating countless scriptures, most notably 'Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana'. Historical records indicate that, in addition to studying the Great Perfection teachings under the royal lineage of Jixiangzi, she also traveled to the Central Plains to learn astronomy and calendrical calculations. Her interactions with the Five Houses and Seven Schools of Central Plains Buddhism showed that she was by no means confined to a single perspective.

The biographical record included a vivid, lifelike portrait of the female Bodhisattva in her youth, depicting her as truly radiant and captivating. After exchanging this secret record with the old Daoist Wei, Xu Fengnian sighed, 'Forty-two... that's a bit old.'

Still sighing, Xu Fengnian exited the Listening Tide Pavilion. Qingniao was respectfully waiting on the terrace, dressed in a green robe. To the Prince, this head maid seemed to lack only a fine sword; her bearing and elegance were beyond compare to any female martial artist outside the palace. Upon seeing Xu Fengnian, she spoke softly and respectfully, 'The monk is at the palace gates.'

Xu Fengnian walked towards the pavilion in the middle of the lake and said with a smile, 'Bring him here; I want to meet this Esoteric monk. Also, have the servants prepare some vegetarian food. No unauthorized personnel are allowed near this side of the lake.'

While waiting, Xu Fengnian closed his eyes and concentrated. He first reviewed the secret intelligence about Mount Lantuo that the palace's covert agents had gathered. Despite Mount Lantuo having only two or three hundred residents, it was home to numerous factions, each with thousands of followers. For example, the Red Sect of Esoteric Buddhism, to which Monk Longshou belonged, had only three representatives on Mount Lantuo itself, yet boasted millions of adherents outside the mountain.

His mind eventually settled on the image of the female Esoteric Master. Xu Fengnian shook his head, momentarily putting that matter aside. Now that he had descended the mountain, he needed to start planning carefully for himself. The martial arts library was static, but people were dynamic. He aimed to emulate 'White Fox Face' by thoroughly studying all martial arts manuals. He wasn't afraid of biting off more than he could chew, knowing that the more attack patterns he understood for future opponents, the greater his chances of survival. This was akin to how beginner Go players often had to memorize joseki; when it came to tactical patterns, the more, the better. Xu Fengnian wouldn't claim exceptional insight, but his memory was indeed unparalleled, even by his second sister, Xu Weixiong. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to play imaginary Go games with Li Yishan without pieces or a board.

Xu Fengnian murmured to himself, 'It's unrealistic to read every book in the martial arts library like 'White Fox Face,' but it wouldn't be difficult for him to select two or three books for me daily. Someday, I'll read all the gate-guarding secret manuals of every sect in the world. When I descended the mountain, the one riding the ox sent a message to Grandmaster Wang Chonglou: the Great Yellow Court qi is dormant within my body. To fully integrate it, I need to cultivate all three Yellow Courts by myself, which requires a few items from Dragon Tiger Mountain. Borrow them? They are all secret teachings never passed on, so borrowing is unlikely. Steal them? With my current blade techniques, that would be difficult. Seize them? Without six or seven thousand elite Beiliang cavalry, there's no way to storm these two Buddhist and Daoist holy lands. To level them, I'd need at least thirteen or fourteen thousand. Before I ascended Wudang, I thought a mere ten thousand cavalry could crush the entire martial arts world repeatedly. I underestimated the heroes of the world. Even for Xu Xiao, without an imperial decree from the capital, deploying more than five hundred troops outside Liang Province would be considered rebellion.'

If Jiang Ni were by his side, hearing such wild talk linking cavalry with the martial arts world, she would most likely have an uncontrollable urge to jab the Prince with her divine talisman.

Hongshu, elegant and curvaceous, brought over some exquisite vegetarian dishes. The lakeside area was already deserted; no matter how outrageous the Prince's words were, within the palace, they held more sway than an imperial edict.

Xu Fengnian, feeling no suspicion towards this maid who had grown up with him, mused aloud, 'It's time to cultivate my own faction. Without a reliable core group, how can I venture into the martial arts world? Should I find an opportunity to talk openly with Xu Xiao?'

Led by Qingniao, the Mount Lantuo monk Longshou arrived in the pavilion. Xu Fengnian gestured for the monk to help himself. The monk, dressed in large kasaya robes, did not hesitate, but he only picked a small amount of food, chewing it exceptionally slowly and meticulously. It was barely enough to fill his teeth, let alone satisfy his hunger. This aspect alone of Esoteric cultivation was incredibly arduous. In the fourteen small and large states of the Western Regions, all other schools of thought were rejected in favor of Esoteric Buddhism, which comprised the Red, Yellow, and White sects. Back when the Nine Kingdoms of the Central Plains were embroiled in war, the root cause was the verbal disputes of the Confucian scholars from Shangyin Academy. In the Western Regions, it was a 'Three Kingdoms' drama among the Red, Yellow, and White sects, like a battle among deities. The Yellow and White sects had always been powerful, while the Red Sect adhered more to ancient traditions, meticulously following the teachings of the Nine Vehicles and Three Divisions. Their core focus was the cultivation of the Great Perfection. Monk Longshou's master was the first female Dharma King in Esoteric history to be established by breaking tradition. No matter how high their status, the consorts could fundamentally not compare to her.

Xu Fengnian got straight to the point: 'Does Master Liuzhu wish to dual cultivate with me?'

Monk Longshou remained calm and nodded. The monk's expression was unreadable when speaking of dual cultivation, yet it was the Prince, a man known for his romantic escapades, who felt utterly bewildered. Even Hongshu and Qingniao exchanged glances, their faces showing disbelief.

Xu Fengnian asked in confusion, 'Do all Esoteric Masters believe that without practicing male-female dual cultivation, one cannot achieve the Dharmakaya Buddha or Sambhogakaya Buddha?'

The middle-aged monk, clad in a large red kasaya, maintained his impassive expression and replied matter-of-factly, 'Only those who have transcended desire may cultivate Anuttarayoga (Supreme Yoga). Anuttarayoga is meant for those with the highest spiritual capacity.'

Xu Fengnian felt a headache coming on. He asked, 'Why me?'

The monk shook his head, clearly indicating that he himself did not know the details.

In that case, Xu Fengnian would have to be insane to go to Mount Lantuo. Forty-two years old, while a mere fleeting moment for a Bodhisattva, was indeed not young for a living human woman. No matter how well preserved, she was not someone Xu Fengnian could accept.

That was secondary. The struggle among the Red, Yellow, and White sects of Esoteric Buddhism had intensified in recent years. If the secret record stated that dual cultivation would bring Great Perfection to Master Liuzhu, would the powerful White and Yellow sects foolishly allow the Red Sect to gain such immense merit that would electrify the Western Regions? Xu Fengnian might be flayed and dismembered by the monks before even reaching Mount Lantuo. It was known that some Esoteric sects used skulls with their tops removed as implements for exorcism and summoning spirits. Human bone kasayas and human skin hand drums were also frequently mentioned in historical records, sounding horrifying. While Bodhisattva Liuzhu was indeed very powerful, revered as a Root Master, and Red Sect followers firmly believed she was an embodiment of the three Vajras (body, speech, and mind) of Amitabha Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva, and the 'six pearls' were rumored to refer to her six transformed manifestations—such as Guanzizai Master, Lotus King Master, and Wrathful Vajra Master—sounding invincible, no matter how formidable she was, wasn't she still respectfully trailing behind a few old monks on Mount Lantuo, essentially playing a subordinate role?

Xu Fengnian did not trust the Red Sect, which was struggling for survival in the shadow of the Yellow and White sects. Besides fearing death, he did not want Mount Lantuo and the female Dharma King to disrupt his nascent plans.

Refusing to go at all costs was one thing; unnecessarily antagonizing the Esoteric Red Sect was another. It would be best to try and negotiate, especially since the monks from Mount Lantuo were all valuable resources. Xu Fengnian forced a smile and explained, 'I'm temporarily unavailable.'

The monk, still with his usual bluntness, replied, 'This humble monk can wait.'

Xu Fengnian asked curiously, 'How long can you wait?'

The monk slowly replied, 'Thirty-one more years.'

Xu Fengnian nearly spat blood.

Such perverse patience. He decided it would be best to avoid dealing with Mount Lantuo in the future. If someone held a grudge, he'd never have peace for the rest of his life.

Monk Longshou, seemingly willing to wait until Xu Fengnian's children grew up, did not remain at the palace but also did not leave the city. Given Beiliang's tolerant and benevolent treatment of monks, this eccentric monk from Mount Lantuo would likely not starve.

Sitting in the pavilion, Xu Fengnian muttered, 'Baffling.'

Hongshu teased, 'Your Highness, why not just agree to the Esoteric Master?'

Xu Fengnian sighed, tilting his head back. 'A forty-two-year-old spinster! Even if that old cow wants to eat young grass, this isn't the way to do it!'

Hongshu sat beside the Prince, her slender fingers expertly kneading his muscles. She smiled charmingly and teased, 'Perhaps that female Bodhisattva possesses arts to preserve her youth.'

Xu Fengnian glared at her.

Qingniao stated calmly, 'Today is 'game day.''

Xu Fengnian's spirits lifted. 'Are there big fish on the hook?'

Qingniao replied calmly, 'Two groups of unknown martial artists have gathered in the city. A few of their leaders possess third-rank martial prowess.'

Xu Fengnian said regretfully, 'They would have been big fish before, but now this Prince has seen too much of the world. Oh well, it's better than nothing.'

Hongshu smiled faintly.

From childhood, this Prince had an endless stream of playful ideas, likely a result of Grand Commander Xu Xiao's lax discipline or perhaps deliberate indulgence, as there were no signs of restraint. In fact, over the past decade or so, Grand Commander Xu Xiao had only given two instructions. One was that Xu Fengnian was not allowed to touch a blade for ten years. After that, he never truly taught Xu Fengnian how to behave or conduct himself. Whether it was being a profligate wastrel or an idle loafer, these were all paths Xu Fengnian had figured out for himself. The national scholar Li Yuanying didn't concern himself with trivial matters, and when his second sister, Xu Weixiong, was home, there was someone to keep the Prince in check. But once she left for Shangyin Academy to study, Xu Fengnian became like an untamed horse, doing as he pleased: flirting endlessly, spending vast sums on poetry and literature, keeping vicious servants and retainers, and setting dogs on his enemies, enjoying himself immensely. It was no wonder that scholars who had left Liang Province and achieved success would curse this Prince, calling him ignorant and utterly despicable.

Xu Fengnian said with a beaming smile, 'Pass down the order: tonight, we won't play the 'lax outside, tight inside' trick. Let them all in at once. Since this group of hooked fish and shrimp snuck into the city while Xu Xiao is away, they're likely coming for me. I'll wait for them right here. Qingniao, please summon one swordsman and one blade master from the manor. I want to observe the techniques these desperate individuals use when cornered; they are the most agile and far more beneficial than the rigid text in secret manuals.'

Qingniao quietly departed. She handled all matters, big or small, flawlessly.

Hongshu reached out a slender, delicate index finger, wanting to touch the crimson mark between Xu Fengnian's eyebrows.

Xu Fengnian caught her audacious finger and smiled, 'Are you rebelling?'

Hongshu playfully pouted, 'Just one touch.'

Xu Fengnian shook his head.

Hongshu's eyes were filled with a hint of sorrow.

Xu Fengnian didn't indulge in pity for her. He composed himself, frowned with a bitter expression, and said, 'My second sister is coming; the palace is about to experience a storm.'

My QT room is now open. Fenghuo Xizhu Hou Official QT Room Number [1655].

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