Chapter 79: Right Bodhisattva Left Vajra

"If you encounter a prince, stop. Kill only if absolutely necessary." This was the first piece of strategic advice given by Li Yishan, the National Scholar.

Xu Fengnian actually had no intention of fighting the Green Goat Palace to the death. Wu Lingsu had been ennobled as a prince; killing him would mean not only Xu Fengnian, the Crown Prince, but even Xu Xiao himself would be summoned to the capital to face the Emperor's wrath. Xu Fengnian had self-deprecatingly called himself a "rat everyone wanted to beat but no one dared to touch." Then Xu Xiao was probably a "tiger everyone wanted to beat, but few dared to even shout at." Aunt Zhao once said that a tiger, upon waking from its slumber, would kill. However, without the 300,000 cavalry of Northern Liang, Xu Fengnian was still very worried that Xu Xiao would suffer, especially in the capital, where he was surrounded by enemies. Could Xu Xiao manage? Not only was Gu Jiantang, a famous Spring and Autumn general with countless old grudges, waiting there to take advantage, but there was also Zhang Julu, who had entered the cabinet as a minister. This Chief Grand Secretary Zhang, whom political rivals accused of being dictatorial, had formed an enmity with Xu Xiao during the Liaodong campaign. His old hatred stemmed from the fact that his esteemed teacher, Grand Tutor Zhou, had died of depression because of Grand Marshal Xu. Among the entire imperial court, which of those high-ranking officials and powerful families, intermarried with former aristocratic clans, had not grown weary of their relatives' incessant complaints and grievances?

A toothless, clawless, aging tiger, entering a cage alone, could it still kill?

Xu Fengnian handed the red box containing the Great Liang Dragon Sparrow Sword to Qing Niao, who placed it in the carriage along with three precious secret manuals from the Green Goat Palace. Sitting on his horse, he glanced back at the sight of the flying eaves of the Taoist temple on Green Goat Peak, his face expressionless. He then told Yu Youwei, who was reluctant to part with Que'er: "After you've seen Que'er and Little Shanzha back, don't ride a horse anymore. Stay in the carriage."

Yu Youwei looked distraught and pleaded with him. She looked at the innocent Que'er, then back at the Crown Prince, but Xu Fengnian merely shook his head, his heart seemingly made of stone.

Leaving Green Goat Peak, Xu Fengnian had Little Shanzha ride with Lu Qiantang and Que'er on Shu Xiu's horse. Xu Fengnian, leading his horse, looked up at the two children with moist eyes and smiled, saying: "I won't see you off. Please bid farewell on my behalf to Old Man Meng, Liu the Reed Pole, Kong the Lame, and those other old fellows. I've already told the 'immortals' of Green Goat Palace that if you ever struggle to make ends meet, you can buy on credit from them, and it will all be charged to my account. But don't expect to have lavish feasts every day, or I won't pay your bills. If Que'er gets kidnapped to be a Taoist nun then, I won't be responsible."

Que'er started crying. Xu Fengnian took a few steps closer and saw the girl clutching a leaf tightly in her hand, probably intending to whistle that little folk rhyme for him. Xu Fengnian smiled without a word, pushed his nose up with a finger, and made a pig-face grimace at her, which was utterly unbecoming of a Crown Prince or noble, but it made the little girl burst into laughter through her tears.

Shu Xiu, holding Que'er, had a strange expression for a moment.

Little Shanzha, being more masculine, turned, rubbed his eyes, and forced a smile, saying: "Xu Fengnian, remember to come back and see us soon! Otherwise, if Que'er gets lured away by some young scholar later, I won't stop her!"

Xu Fengnian tapped the boy's head with the scabbard of his Xiu Dong blade. "Don't jinx it!"

After tapping Little Shanzha, Xu Fengnian gently tapped the horse's flank with a little more force. Lu Qiantang and Shu Xiu, seizing the opportunity, spurred their horses. The two horses and four riders entered a narrow forest path, from which came Que'er's lingering, melodious whistling of farewell. Qing Niao smiled and closed her eyes; she knew it was "The Ballad of the Spring God," a tune the Crown Prince was most skilled at.

Xu Fengnian watched their receding figures, handed his mount to Yang Qingfeng to lead, and then sat alone in a spacious carriage obtained from the Green Goat Palace. He sat cross-legged, using the profound formulas of Wudang's Jade Pillar technique, combined with the four-thousand-word "Cantong Qi." He breathed slowly and gently, his vital energy flowing through all his acupoints, outwardly still but inwardly dynamic, without a moment's pause. All martial arts in the world are arduous endeavors, like rowing against the current. Taking the Northern Liang Royal Residence as an example, it housed a treasure trove of martial arts manuals. Yet, before Xu Fengnian decided to practice swordsmanship, did he become a master merely by looking at so many high-grade secret manuals? If it were such an easy and pleasant thing, wouldn't the imperial palace be teeming with princes, each a master?

Yu Youwei, unwilling to ride in the same carriage as the old sword god, entered the carriage. She happened to see Xu Fengnian guiding qi to his palms, covering his ears with his warm hands, his fingers pressed together at the back of his head. His index fingers, placed over his middle fingers, slid down forcefully to tap the occipital region, producing a drumming sound. Yu Youwei curiously noted the number of taps: twenty-four. Xu Fengnian, who had originally intended to then clack his teeth thirty-six times after completing this "Striking the Heavenly Drum" technique (from the Yellow Court Canon), opened his eyes and looked at Yu Youwei with slight displeasure. She said, feeling wronged, "You wouldn't let me ride, so I had no choice but to come in here."

Remembering her reluctance to be with old man Li, Xu Fengnian said no more. He closed his eyes again, concentrated, clacked his teeth, swallowed his saliva, and calmed his mind. He ignored the beautiful Yu Youwei, leaving her aside. Yu Youwei, accustomed to being ignored, didn't mind. She observed Xu Fengnian's breathing with great interest. After observing for a while, she noticed something extraordinary: Xu Fengnian's brow center turned from deep red to light purple as he exhaled through his mouth and inhaled through his nose. She saw that for every one breath he inhaled, he exhaled six. Yu Youwei could not hear any sound of his breath entering or exiting, yet she could see a gentle breeze swirling around his body. Yu Youwei could even feel a cool sensation permeate her skin; it was truly miraculous.

Xu Fengnian sat in meditation for a full hour before opening his eyes and gripping his blade; Xiu Dong and Chun Lei trembled slightly. Seeing Yu Youwei's wide eyes, Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Stop staring. If you hadn't interrupted, I could have meditated like an old Taoist or eminent monk for an entire day."

Yu Youwei softly said, "Then I'll go ride a horse, so as not to disturb His Royal Highness's practice."

Xu Fengnian let out a wry laugh and shook his head, saying: "Don't ride anymore. If you keep riding, your backside might not remain as smooth as mutton-fat jade. If I ever feel like playing 'old man pushing the cart' later, seeing it rough will definitely kill my interest."

Yu Youwei indignantly stood up, bent over, and prepared to go ride, seemingly determined to ride until her backside was worn out.

Xu Fengnian chuckled unhurriedly, "Don't rush to get out of the carriage. Practicing qi circulation alone is boring. How about I tell you some secrets of qi guidance in the Qi Sea? If you have nothing to do and are bored, you can learn it. Immortality is a lie, but extending life is definitely true. The Wudang Mountain's qi circulation method, though its formulas seem simple, holds profound wonders. It's the foundation of the Great Yellow Court cultivation for Taoists. It integrates the Five Appropriates and Six Laws of the ancient Fangshi's Kunlun Cultivation Method, the sixteen longevity verses of Wudang's Jade Pillar, and the Yellow Court Lotus True Scripture Qi Guidance Art, which was haphazardly devised by my young grand-uncle Hong Xixiang. Grandpa Wei has a copy of 'Cantong Qi' that shares the name with an ancient text but follows a different path. Grandpa Wei, as an old Taoist master of the Nine-Dou Rice sect, even said that once this book appeared, even Dragon and Tiger sects would admit defeat. I'll teach you a short incantation first, so you can avoid colds and harmful energies from invading your chest. You should know that among the five zang organs and six fu organs, the heart is the sovereign organ, and the lungs are its supporting ministers. This shows how crucial the chest is. This incantation also needs to be combined with rubbing with all ten fingers. If you can't manage it, I can help you."

Yu Youwei was initially captivated by his words, but when Xu Fengnian, after only a few serious remarks, revealed his 'fox's tail,' she felt a bit helpless. She felt helpless, but ultimately did not lift the curtain and get out. Instead, she sat in a corner, changed the subject, and quietly asked: "Why didn't you take Que'er and Little Shanzha with you? Can you bear to let them become mountain bandits like Old Man Meng?"

Xu Fengnian countered, "Is that bad?"

Yu Youwei retorted angrily, "Xu Fengnian, who are you? You are the eldest legitimate son of the King of Northern Liang, the Grand Marshal's most beloved son! You could clearly give those two children a splendid future. Is such a simple gesture so difficult for you? You even dared to kill the 'immortals' of Green Goat Palace in the children's eyes, so why are you so stingy now?"

Xu Fengnian sat with his hand resting on his blade, his fingers lightly tapping the Xiu Dong scabbard that lay across it. He remained expressionless, as if he found Yu Youwei unreasonable and couldn't even be bothered to explain or argue.

Yu Youwei's face flushed, and her eyes held a desolate look.

Xu Fengnian still countered, "Do you think it would be lucky for those two children to be taken down the mountain by me, living a life of warmth and plenty like the children of wealthy merchants? Instead of being petty thieves who worry about food daily but are at least safe, what would they become? Spending all day raising eagles and fighting dogs like me, or running a small business, only to be targeted by enemies of the Northern Liang Royal Residence and die suddenly one day? Yu Youwei, do you know what I find most detestable about people from your aristocratic backgrounds? It's your self-righteous concern for the nation and its people, always tinged with a naive scholar's idealism, seemingly fearless and with a clear conscience. But have you ever asked the common people what they truly need? Was that Spring and Autumn War initiated by Xu Xiao? The strategists from Shangyin Academy, well-versed in classics, each felt they cared for the world, wanting to uphold the orthodox royal way, using entire nations as pawns. In the end, millions died – a million soldiers and several times that number of common people. And how many died from Shangyin Academy? Even if you've heard of scholars and loyal officials who drowned themselves in lakes or leaped off cliffs to prove their integrity, their names remain in historical records, lauded for eternity. But who will remember the lives and deaths of insignificant common people like Old Man Meng? Your father, as a Jixia scholar of Shangyin Academy, wrote a sorrowful elegy for a fallen nation, lamenting that 'the surrender flag flies over Great Huang City, not a single man remains in the entire country.' If you ask me, that 'top-ranked elegy of the Spring and Autumn period' is just a pile of nonsense. Everything is fake. The death of royal families in various states is what should have happened. But the unheard cries of the common people – that is the true elegy. When you and your father were swept along by refugees back then, you must have heard those cries, right? Do you remember? When my second sister composed the Northern Liang Song, was it praising Xu Xiao's valor in battle? 'Among Northern Liang's million scattered poor households, how many in iron armor wrap only withered bones?' This was her scolding Xu Xiao! 'I ask, how many handfuls of dust are emperors, generals, and prime ministers?' Was she imitating your father and his ilk of literati, singing praises? Yu Youwei, do you know why I haven't killed you? It's because I want you to open your eyes wide and see. Not only will I show you what true living is in the Jianghu, but later, I'll also take you to the Northern Liang border to see the armored cavalry and hear their hooves, to let you know what war truly is."

Xu Fengnian paused, then smiled calmly, "Of course, not killing you also means I still want to tease you."

Yu Youwei remained silent.

Xu Fengnian continued his qi circulation. This heart method, fully imparted by Wudang, differed from ancient qi guidance techniques. After Wei Shuyang's research, it underwent numerous modifications. For instance, the 'hu' sound for the heart in general qi circulation became 'he,' the 'he' for the liver became 'xu,' the 'xi' for the spleen changed to 'hu,' and 'xi' was added for the gallbladder. Chanting these silently when guiding qi was greatly beneficial. When ordinary martial artists practice their forms, their loud shouts are not merely for intimidation but to coordinate with the qi guidance of their internal arts, allowing for instantaneous bursts of power. However, most do not grasp the essence, failing to achieve smooth, continuous, slow, and fluid movements, where each inhale and exhale aligns with the Way of Heaven. When Xu Fengnian first ascended Wudang with the white-haired old eccentric, the one riding the ox swayed amidst the fierce mountain winds at the summit but never fell. The young grand-uncle's appearance seemed comical and ridiculous, but his swaying and falling movements were in fact wonderfully profound. Outside Wudang, no one believed this young Taoist, who championed the Yellow Court Canon, could shoulder the weight of the Black Tortoise. Yet, Xu Fengnian gradually came to believe that the ox-rider might truly be a once-in-a-century Taoist immortal like Qi Xuanzhen.

However, no matter how immortal, if they don't descend the mountain, it's all for naught.

The flourishing incense of Dragon Tiger Mountain over the past few decades was due to the Celestial Master who extended the old emperor's life, not Qi Xuanzhen, whose powers were unfathomable.

At noon, they had a wild game meal at the foot of Chaoyang Peak, but Yu Youwei did not get out of the carriage. Xu Fengnian did not expect this "little cat from Western Chu" to be tamed by a few muddled words. With family vendetta and national hatred combined, the two of them, having different paths and philosophies, could not be reconciled by a few words from Xu Fengnian. Besides, he had no desire for Yu Youwei to become a submissive concubine; without her wild spirit, she wouldn't be as interesting. Just as Xu Fengnian was about to go to Jiang Ni's carriage to listen to stories, he heard a thunderous roar from the mountain forest above, like the death cry of a primeval beast, which made everyone's scalp tingle. Xu Fengnian instructed Lu Qiantang, Yang Qingfeng, and Shu Xiu: "Lu Qiantang, Yang Qingfeng, come up the mountain with me. Shu Xiu, go get Ning Emei, and remember to follow us. This monstrous beast, which has reigned as king in Qingcheng Mountain for two or three hundred years, is not easy to deal with."

Xu Fengnian darted into the mountain forest, his movements agile as a mountain hare. Each time his toes lightly touched the ground, he would leap several zhang without any visible exertion. Behind him, Lu Qiantang and Yang Qingfeng exchanged glances, deeply shaken; this was no feat an ordinary martial artist could accomplish.

When Shu Xiu and Great Halberd Ning Emei caught up with the Crown Prince, they witnessed a bizarre scene. The ancient trees in that part of the forest were all broken, and blood covered the ground. At the Crown Prince's feet lay a massive, never-before-seen beast, covered in sharp, armored spines. It was dead, its skin having turned from red to black, and its abdomen was sliced open. The Crown Prince, covered in blood, was looking down at two infant beasts in his arms that had just been born and opened their eyes. Holding one in each hand, he said with a smile, "You'll be named Vajra and Bodhisattva."