Chapter 8: Passing on the Art
"Zhang Xiaofan!" A loud shout, a sweet voice, but deafening.
Zhang Xiaofan woke up from his dream, opened his eyes, and suddenly he only saw a big mouth with two rows of sharp teeth, across the front of his eyes, so scared that he shouted, "Ah!"
"Cackle cackle cackle..." a burst of laughter came from behind.
Zhang Xiaofan was not easy to settle down, only to see that the original is a big yellow dog, half a person high, a glossy bright yellow hair, lying on their own bed, and in the back of the yellow dog, Tian Ling'er all red, tightly dressed, where the smile bent waist.
Zhang Xiaofan sneaked a glance at the big dog, and saw that it had a huge body, sharp teeth, and an old long tongue spitting out, a very vicious look. He had never seen such a big dog before and was a little scared in his heart, and looking at Tian Ling'er's smiling face, he mumbled and asked, "Senior sister, what's the matter?"
"What is it?" Tian Ling'er smiled and said, suddenly her face was solemn, frowned and said loudly, "It's dawn and you're still asking me what's the matter? Hurry up and get up, I'll join you on the mountain to cut bamboo."
Zhang Xiaofan was dumbfounded and wondered, "You are also going?"
Tian Ling'er said, "Nonsense, the first three years of this line of disciples have to go to the mountain to cut 'black section bamboo', I started at the age of ten, this year is the last year. Hey, are you still staying in bed?"
Zhang Xiaofan hurriedly answered, carefully bypassing the big dog, getting down from the other corner of the bed, and putting on his clothes with seven hands.
Tian Ling'er shouted, "Next." Throwing a firewood knife over.
Zhang Xiaofan took it with both hands and saw that it was an ordinary firewood knife, which was still quite heavy in his hands.
When he was ready, he said to Tian Ling'er, "Senior sister, do you want to ask elder brother to go with you?"
Tian Ling'er blankly glanced at him and said, "Didn't you hear me say that only the initiated disciples have to do their homework, now it's only me and you who are going to cut the bamboo, let's go!"
After saying this, Zhang Xiaofan made a move, before Zhang Xiaofan could make a move, he only saw the big yellow dog on the bed standing up, jumping off the bed, wagging his tail, barking twice to Zhang Xiaofan, showing his teeth in a vicious manner, and then ran out.
Zhang Xiaofan heard familiar, remembered yesterday with the big brother back had heard two barks, it seems to be this big yellow dog, the heart can not help but secretly said: "Qingyun Sect is awesome, even casually raise a dog is much bigger than our village."
He walked out of the room along with Tian Ling'er, only to see that it was still early in the day, still early in the morning, walking out of the cloister to look towards the back of the mountain, there was still a hazy fog drifting in the distance between the mountains.
These two people and a dog, so towards the back of the mountain of the Great Bamboo Peak.
Yesterday, Zhang Xiaofan was held by Song Daren walked to that hill, only to feel that not long to walk to, the road is also good to go, I did not expect to walk today, only halfway, will find that the slope is getting bigger and bigger, the distance is farther than one imagines.
On the contrary, the side of Tian Ling'er, today did not use that "amber damask", still walking easily, the red petite figure in the mountain road between swaying, light and fast. The big yellow dog, needless to say, running before and after, a while before, a while after slipping, between also drilled into the roadside forest, I do not know what to do, after a while, the sound of grass and trees, actually drilled out from another place, very lively and excited look.
And walked a small half an hour, Zhang Xiaofan has been tired huffing and puffing, two legs sore, exhausted.
Tian Ling'er walked in front, looking at his appearance, grunted and said, "Really useless, stop and rest!"
Zhang Xiaofan hurriedly nodded his head and sat down on his butt, desperately panting, that big yellow dog was nowhere to be seen at the moment, and he didn't know where it had burrowed to again.
Zhang Xiaofan panted for a while before gradually easing his breath. He sat on the mountain path and looked downwards, only to see that the Great Bamboo Peak stood tall, and the nearby mountains were all a head shorter, quite proud.
"Senior sister, I have something I want to ask you, I don't know..."
Tian Ling'er heard his somewhat timid words, a pair of eyes looked over, heart a burst of complacency, subconsciously used his hand to straighten his hair, a solemn face, solemn, "You ask!"
"Why do we have to cut bamboo as homework! I thought homework was all about practicing the Dao?"
Tian Ling'er bristled and said, "What do you know, for those who cultivate the truth, the body is the most important thing. My mother said that if one's body is not good, even if one has supreme and wonderful techniques, it would be difficult to cultivate them. Our Qingyun Sect originates from Taoism, which emphasizes the importance of health and fitness, and the body is even more important when Taoism is practiced to the depths. Let's take one of the highest magic techniques in our Qing Yun Sect, the Divine Sword and Thunder Trick, for example..."
Zhang Xiaofan's body trembled and his face changed greatly.
Tian Ling'er wondered, "What's wrong with you?"
Zhang Xiaofan came back to his senses, his face clouded over, and he said, "No, nothing, I heard that the name is so long and powerful."
Tian Ling'er glared at him and said, "Of course it's powerful, this is one of our Qing Yun Sect's Zhenshan Mountain Stance, not many people can cultivate it. I heard my father say that to perform this true skill, one must use oneself as a guide, laying down a divine weapon and sharp blade to draw down the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, brilliant Heavenly Mighty Divine Power, it is truly overwhelming and extremely powerful."
Zhang Xiaofan sighed and said, "Yes!"
Tian Ling'er added, "Then think about it! Although there is a true skill to protect the body, but how powerful is the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, once a regular person comes into contact with it, he or she will immediately be turned into ashes, the caster of the spell is certainly extremely deep in cultivation, but if the body is not good, for a moment, I'm afraid that he or she will first be struck to death by the Divine Thunder, and still talk about what is overwhelming when it comes to the people?" She glanced at Zhang Xiaofan and said, "That's why my father asked you to do this homework but it's all for your own good, look at you still looking reluctant."
Zhang Xiaofan was startled and jumped up and said sharply, "No such thing, I would never, never dare to show any disrespect to Master, much less any reluctance. Ah! I have rested enough now, this is going, going!"
After saying that, he picked up the firewood knife, deng deng deng took steps and ran towards the mountain, actually not slowing down. Tian Ling'er looked at his back, gently smiled, and followed.
It is not easy to climb to the hill before, Zhang Xiaofan has been breathless, only to see the bamboo forest before, that big yellow dog did not know when actually has been lying in front of the forest, saw them two up, rushed here "woofing" barked a few times, did not get up, and turned his head in the past.
Zhang Xiaofan stayed for a moment and said, "So fast!"
"You mean Big Yellow?" Tian Ling'er came up from the back without blushing.
Zhang Xiaofan pointed at the big dog and said, "It's called Big Yellow?"
Tian Ling'er said, "Yes, don't underestimate it, it's very powerful!"
Zhang Xiaofan muttered, "That's true, looking at how big it is, one would know that it has been raised for at least twenty years."
Tian Ling'er kindly said, "No way!"
Zhang Xiaofan wondered, "It's not even twenty years old! Big Yellow can really grow."
At this time, Big Yellow barked fiercely at Zhang Xiaofan from the front.
Tian Ling'er said, "I mean how can there be so few years. Uh, let me do some math, it seems like it was there when Fourth Senior Brother came, that would be seventy years, no, Third Senior Brother said he was there when he came, that would be ninety-seven years. Ah!"
She suddenly screamed, startling Zhang Xiaofan and hurriedly said, "What's wrong?"
Tian Ling'er joyfully said: "I remembered, hours ago there was a time when mother and father quarreled, said harsh words, said that the father was raised from childhood to the big yellow dog slaughtered stewed dog soup to drink, the father angry half dead, rhubarb is also scared a lot of days do not dare to go home it!"
Zhang Xiaofan wondered, said: "rhubarb does not dare to go home?"
Tian Ling'er said, "Yes! Big yellow has lived for many years, humane, know my mother is powerful, afraid of being really poisoned by her hand, and then slipped away. How is it, awesome, right?"
"Awesome!" Zhang Xiaofan said heartily, not knowing whether he was talking about the rhubarb or admiring the Master Niang's methods. He looked at the big yellow dog twice more, who knew that big yellow ignored, sprayed a loud nose, wagged his own tail, turned his head sideways, lazily lying on the ground.
The two have walked to the bamboo forest, Zhang Xiaofan to Tian Ling'er said: "Sister, I just arrived at the Tongtian peak, but also saw a big monster than rhubarb many times larger than the big beast, listening to the big senior brother said that it is called 'water unicorn', rhubarb is also the same as it is the same spirit beast?"
Tian Ling'er walked into the bamboo forest and shook her head, "No, the Spirit Dignity is an ancient beast, a Flood Spirit Seed, far superior to Big Yellow, it can't be compared."
As she spoke, she led Zhang Xiaofan through the forest, and after walking for a while, she came to a place where there were more fine bamboos, and the black-sectioned bamboos here were usually only the size of a wrist, and were very slender.
"This is it, you can just cut one every day for the next three months." Tian Ling'er said in a serious manner.
"Cutting only one of such a thin one?" Zhang Xiaofan was surprised.
Tian Ling'er hummed and said, "Try chopping it."
Zhang Xiaofan nodded his head, picked up the firewood knife and walked to a thin bamboo, looked up and down and swung the knife down. Only a crunching sound was heard, the firewood knife unexpectedly hit like a stubborn stone, shocking Zhang Xiaofan's palms numb. The bamboo was cut by him, tilted forward, a few moments later and bounced back, Zhang Xiaofan dodge, his head was hit by a bamboo branch, pain, leaving a red mark.
"Giggle..." Tian Ling'er laughed and bent over for a while before laboriously saying, "You just chop here! I'm going to go do my own homework." After saying this, she turned around with a smile and left.
Zhang Xiaofan touched the place on his face where he had been hit painfully, only to see that where the bamboo had been chopped surprisingly left only a faint white mark, and could not help but suck in a breath of cool air.
This morning, Zhang Xiaofan alone in the face of the black section of bamboo, chopping, chopping, sawing, grinding, pressure, folding, everything, after two hours, the sun rose to the mid-air, his whole body drenched in sweat, hands and feet are also weak and weak, actually only the black section of the bamboo out of a two points of the small mouth to.
At this time a song came, Tian Ling'er humming an unknown tune, bouncing back, saw Zhang Xiaofan's wretched appearance, and looked at the black bamboo, shook his head, raised the wood knife, gesture to cut.
Zhang Xiaofan hurriedly said, "Senior sister, what are you doing?"
Tian Ling'er impatiently said, "Helping you chop!"
Zhang Xiaofan shook his head vigorously and gasped, "No need, thank you senior sister. This is my homework, I'll finish it myself."
Tian Ling'er hummed and pointed at the sun, saying, "Do you know what time it is?"
Zhang Xiaofan, who was stubborn by nature, gritted his teeth and said, "I'm just hacking away until it gets dark..."
"Idiot!" Tian Ling'er suddenly crossed his waist and cursed, Zhang Xiaofan was shocked, momentarily speechless, only froze looking at this sister.
Tian Ling'er, who was imposing and quite like her mother, angrily said, "You don't look at the time, nor do you think about others. You cut to the dark, do you want me to accompany you to the dark? If you really want to fight for your reputation, you should work hard every day in the future and try your best to do your homework in two hours, instead of talking nonsense about hacking until it gets dark!"
The words finished, her hands up knife fall, knife sound breaks the air, "split split split split split" four sound, that bamboo should sound and fall, straight look Zhang Xiaofan eyes also straight.
Tian Ling'er glanced at him, faintly said: "Go back!" With that, she walked towards the outside of the forest. Zhang Xiaofan's heart was ashamed and shameful, and he secretly resolved that in the coming day, he would work twelve times harder and do his homework well.
※※※
Dragging his tired body back to the Big Bamboo Peak's starting place, it was already midday, and Tian Ling'er walked towards the back of the Hall of Silence without saying a word.
Zhang Xiaofan was stunned for a moment, moving his steps with difficulty towards his room, and at the doorway of the corridor, he saw Eldest Brother Song Daren standing there.
A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Song Daren's mouth as he said, "How is it, Junior Brother, tired?"
Zhang Xiaofan let out a forced smile and shook his head.
Song Daren saw that at his young age, his nature was quite stubborn, he couldn't help but lose his smile, accompanying him to walk towards his room first, saying, "There is usually hot water in the kitchen, you can come back later and fetch some water yourself to wash yourself first, in a little while it will be time to have dinner, take a rest first, I'll come over and call you, we still have to do our homework when the meal is over!"
Zhang Xiaofan was startled and said, "There's homework in the afternoon?"
Song Daren was stunned for a moment when he saw such a big reaction, then he woke up and laughed, "Oh, it's my mistake, the afternoon is the time for the disciples of this lineage to practice the Dao, I'll pass on some of the introductory Dao techniques to you from today onwards."
Only then did Zhang Xiaofan breathe a sigh of relief, his heart was both surprised and delighted as he quietly asked, "Eldest brother, are those dao methods very powerful and difficult to learn?"
Song Da Ren smiled and said, "When the cultivation reaches the depths, it is naturally powerful. As for whether it's difficult to learn, it depends on each person's qualifications and understanding. However, it doesn't matter if your qualifications are poor, you also heard master say last night: the sea of Dao is endless, diligence is the boat. As long as you are willing to persevere and practice hard, even if it is difficult, you can still accomplish it."
Zhang Xiaofan nodded vigorously.
This day at lunch time, Tian Yiqian asked Zhang Xiaofan about his schoolwork, Tian Ling'er added fuel to the fire and greatly criticized Zhang Xiaofan, causing Zhang Xiaofan's face to turn red and he didn't dare to raise his head.
Tian is not easy to listen to his daughter's words, shaking his head repeatedly, at the end of the hand waved, only said two words: "Eat."
Tian is not easy to be lazy to scold Zhang Xiaofan, but in the eyes of Zhang Xiaofan seems to feel that the master is very concerned about themselves, favoring their own do not do a good job, the master also does not scold, magnanimity of the extreme, is really rare in the world of the benefactor. He was ashamed of himself, and did not dare to say anything more, only in his heart secretly vowed to practice hard in the future to repay the master's kindness.
After the meal, Tian not easy to take his usual eight steps, swaying two, and then went back to his quiet hall. The other disciples went towards Taiji Cave, only Song Daren came to the room with Zhang Xiaofan and said, "Junior brother, this school of Taoism emphasizes on the foundation, you are new to the school, I will first pass on the basic Taoist techniques to you, and after you memorize it, you will cultivate on your own, and if there is any uncertainty, then come to me and ask me, got it?"
Zhang Xiaofan nodded repeatedly, his heart bursting with excitement.
Song Daren face a whole, colorful said: "Another thing, I have to tell you: this door magic, profound and subtle, evil demons, more prying. You need to make a heavy oath, after learning, if not a disciple of this door, never pass it on to outsiders."
Zhang Xiaofan's heart moved, suddenly some trance, but then awake, small face has a resolute color, said, "Yes. Heaven is above, if disciple Zhang Xiaofan leaks the secrets of the Qing Yun Sect's Dao in the future, he will definitely be struck by five thunders and die without a burial place."
Song Daren smiled and nodded, letting him sit down in front of the table, first teaching him how to meditate and contemplate, then roughly talking about the human body's meridians and the operation of the essence, and finally passing on the cultivation method of the first layer of the "Taiji Xuanqing Dao".
"Taiji Xuanqing Dao", is the Qingyun door all sorts of magic magic fundamental, is two thousand years ago, Qingyun son in the anonymous scrolls on the comprehension and, by successive generations of Qingyun door masters research, to date, is to capture the heavens and the earth, the subtle and unparalleled supreme Dao.
Taiji Xuanqing Dao has a total of three realms of jade clear, on the clear, too clear, the disciples under the Qingyun Sect, including many intelligent and talented people, their whole lives, can not break through the jade clear realm, but spare me, just jade clear realm of the top of the cultivation, but also has been rare in the world.
Qingyun door, the number of people close to a thousand people, but can break through the jade clear realm into the practice on the clear realm, headed by the head of the Tao Xuan real, but only ten people out of the head. But only these ten people, Qing Yun Sect is one of the strongest and deepest sects in cultivation today. As for the legendary supreme realm of Tai Qing realm, it is rumored that only that year's unparalleled wizard Qing Ye ancestor cultivated to.
