hotmtlnovel Chapter 1027 Daily Life on the Mountain, Back to Shanghai
Chapter 1027 Daily Life on the Mountain, Back to Shanghai
Zhang Jingqing praised Zhang Huaiyi, looking at his disciple with great satisfaction, but he couldn't say whether Zhang Huaiyi had truly emerged from Zhang Zhiwei's shadow.
After a conversation between master and disciple, Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi took their leave and departed from the Celestial Master's private residence.
The night breeze was cool, and the moonlight was like water.
The two walked side by side on the stone path back to the training ground. Zhang Zhiwei smiled and said:
"Huaiyi, your master is very satisfied with what you've gained from this trip down the mountain."
Zhang Huaiyi scratched his head: "I'm just telling the truth."
When they returned to the training ground, even before they got close, the bursts of laughter coming from the training ground could be clearly heard.
The group of "scroll kings" who should have been diligently cultivating were now gathered in a circle, surrounding the still-drunk Tian Jinzhong in the center, craning their necks and listening with great interest.
Tian Jinzhong was so drunk that his tongue was slurred, but his enthusiasm remained undiminished.
He gestured, imitating Wang Ai's aggrieved expression.
"You didn't see it! That fat guy Wang Ai's eyes practically popped out the moment he saw that Guan family tiger girl from the Northeast, his mouth was practically watering, and he scurried over to chat her up. But the girl turned around and kicked him, 'bang!' right on his fat butt! Ouch, he looked so pathetic, he fell flat on his face!"
"Hahahaha!" Everyone burst into laughter.
"And then there's Old Lu. When asked to say ten affectionate nicknames, he was so frustrated that his face turned red and his neck bulged, like he was constipated. His words came out dry and stilted. If Li Muxuan hadn't reminded him from behind, he wouldn't have been able to accept the marriage proposal today. I really can't imagine what it would be like if those cheesy nicknames reached his ears. If it were me, I definitely couldn't stand it!"
"And Erbi! Guess what? He actually carried a hoe to pick up the bride! If Old Lu hadn't stopped him, he almost tore down the door to the bride's bedroom!"
Tian Jinzhong spoke with great enthusiasm, his words flowing freely.
"Hahaha!"
The surrounding disciples burst into deafening laughter.
"Later, I discovered something strange!"
Tian Jinzhong lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Erbi, who is usually fearless, seems to be quite afraid of a bridesmaid leader!"
"The head of the bridesmaids?"
A young disciple asked, puzzled, "Brother Jinzhong, a bridesmaid is a bridesmaid, why call her 'boss'? We're not a bandit's den, this is too much..."
Another person chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes! Senior Brother Jinzhong, there's something wrong with what you're saying. Who taught you that? No wonder Master always says that the atmosphere at Longhu Mountain is... well... too down-to-earth."
"What do you mean by 'down-to-earth'? I've been traveling around the world and I've heard people say that our Longhu Mountain has a gangster-like atmosphere. I'm totally confused. We're Taoists, how can Taoists have a gangster-like atmosphere?" a senior brother complained from below.
"Hey! You guys!"
Tian Jinzhong glared at them and said irritably, "Are you listening or not? Are you listening or not? If you're not listening, I'm going back to sleep!"
"Listen! Listen! Senior brother, please continue!" Everyone quickly smiled apologetically.
"Speaking of the head bridesmaid, what's next? Does Senior Brother Erbi have some kind of leverage over her? Otherwise, given his temperament, why would he be afraid of a woman?" a fellow disciple asked curiously.
"I do not know either!"
Tian Jinzhong shrugged, then winked and said:
"But I saw Wang Ai stirring things up, saying that Lü Ci seemed to have some feelings for that girl, otherwise why would he be afraid?"
"oh……!"
The surrounding fellow disciples burst into knowing laughter, full of mockery. It was fortunate that Lü Ci wasn't there, otherwise he would have been driven to his death by their teasing.
Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi, standing outside the crowd, exchanged a glance and both saw a smile in each other's eyes.
Zhang Zhiwei whispered to Zhang Huaiyi, "That little thing about Erbi, if Xiao Tian, that big mouth, spreads it like that, the whole martial arts world will probably know about it in less than three days. It's too mean, really too mean. If Erbi were here, she would definitely fight him to the death."
Zhang Huaiyi glanced at him sideways and said irritably, "Are you angry that Senior Brother Jinzhong has told you all your talking points, leaving you with nothing to say?"
"..." Zhang Zhiwei was speechless for a moment.
No one knows the senior brother better than the junior brother. Zhang Huaiyi saw through his thoughts at a glance and exposed him without any mercy:
"Why did you insist on running back to the training ground? Did you feel like telling your fellow disciples the funny things that happened at the wedding? But you didn't expect that Senior Brother Jinzhong would beat you to it."
"Is this kid a mind reader?" Zhang Zhiwei thought to himself, but he certainly couldn't admit to such a thing.
He said in a serious tone, "Nonsense! I just saw that everyone was working hard in their cultivation, and I wanted to take this opportunity to give my fellow disciples some pointers. Don't judge me by your own petty standards!"
Zhang Huaiyi looked at him, smiled, and didn't refute him. He knew that Zhang Zhiwei, besides being a big mouth, did indeed like to instruct his fellow disciples on cultivation, and these two things weren't contradictory.
At this moment, the fellow disciples in the arena also saw Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi.
"Senior Brother Zhiwei!"
The crowd immediately started jeering: "Senior brother, Senior Brother Jinzhong said that you showed off your amazing skills at both the Lu and Lin residences, performing the 'One Thought Blossoms' move. Why don't you show us what you've got to see too!"
"Yes, yes! We can't favor one over the other; let's make the Celestial Master's Mansion look nice!"
"Senior brother, show us what you've got!"
For a moment, cheers and jeers rose and fell.
Seeing everyone's high spirits, Zhang Zhiwei didn't want to spoil the mood. He glanced around the Celestial Master's Mansion, at the flowers, trees, and shrubs that appeared somewhat solemn under the moonlight, smiled, stood in the center of the training ground, and announced loudly:
"Very well, today Huaiyi returns to the mountain, and after Old Lu's great joy, it's a double celebration. Let the plants and trees all over the mountain share in our happiness!"
Having said that, he casually waved his hand.
In an instant, an invisible, powerful and gentle vitality spread out from him like ripples!
The next moment, an unbelievable scene unfolded!
Throughout the entire Celestial Master's Mansion, all the flowers, plants, and trees that had been dormant in winter seemed to hear the call of spring in an instant.
Several old plum trees along the edge of the training ground suddenly burst into bloom with bright red spots on their bare branches. Unnamed wild grasses in the cracks of the stone steps sprouted tender green buds, and some plants that should not bloom in this season even showed up colorful buds.
The cool night breeze was instantly filled with the fragrance of various plants and flowers, which was refreshing and invigorating.
"Oh my God……"
Everyone was stunned. Even though they had already heard about this from Tian Jinzhong.
But seeing it with their own eyes still left them utterly shocked.
Fang Qianhe looked at his master with adoration. The tall figure in his eyes was no different from a god, and his reverence reached a new peak.
At the edge of the training ground, Uncle Zhang Yi, who had been leaning back in his armchair, and some other elders were also shocked by what they saw.
"I'm telling you, kid, you're getting more and more mysterious."
Zhang Yi opened his eyes, looked at Zhang Zhiwei, and said, "Aren't you going to pass away before your uncle-master?!"
Although Zhang Yi's words sounded a bit strange, the older generation present all understood what he meant.
The phrase "riding a crane" meant passing away for Zhang Yi, but for Zhang Zhiwei, it meant ascension! Zhang Zhiwei was taken aback, pondered for a moment, and then smiled:
"Then you must take good care of your health, Uncle, and live many more years."
Zhang Yi said, "Nonsense, I'm taking good care of myself right now. Otherwise, why would I be here in the middle of the night in the cold air instead of sleeping in a good night's rest?"
Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter again.
Afterwards, Zhang Zhiwei took over Tian Jinzhong's position and was surrounded by his fellow apprentices, chatting with them.
At midnight, the Qi formation was activated, thunder rumbled in the sky, and the deafening roar of lightning was deafening.
The conversation was interrupted, and everyone dispersed, some to cultivate and others to rest.
The next morning, as dawn broke.
As usual, Zhang Zhiwei arrived at the summit of Tianmen Peak alone.
He sat cross-legged under the gnarled, crooked tree, his eyes gently closed, his breathing long and deep.
The first rays of the rising sun broke through the sea of clouds and fell upon him, bathing him in a soft golden glow.
After breathing in the Qi of Heaven, Earth, and Man, Zhang Zhiwei sat cross-legged here, contemplating the past and present, and refining his own subjective understanding.
In the following days, Zhang Zhiwei's life was very regular. Sometimes he would sit quietly under the old pine tree on the top of Tianmen Peak, and sometimes he would appear on the training ground at the foot of the mountain, casually pointing out the cultivation of his junior brothers, or personally instructing his disciple Fang Qianhe.
Zhang Huaiyi's return has also brought about significant changes to Longhu Mountain.
As a newly appointed "uncle-master," he naturally couldn't treat his nephew, Fang Qianhe, unfairly.
Of course, it's unrealistic to expect to get any valuable gifts from him, who looks poor but is actually the richest man in Longhu Mountain.
But the "gift" he gave was, in a sense, a truly priceless treasure.
It was a booklet containing Zhang Huaiyi's handwritten notes on cultivation, which detailed his understanding and insights into the various subtle applications of the Golden Light Mantra over the years.
Although Fang Qianhe was determined to follow in his master Zhang Zhiwei's footsteps and focus his cultivation on the Golden Light Mantra's enhancement of life, he was not Zhang Zhiwei after all, and his progress was not as fast.
Therefore, no matter what, he needs to make up for it in the application of golden light.
However, it is difficult for Zhang Zhiwei to provide a comprehensive answer regarding the application of the Golden Light Mantra.
For Zhang Zhiwei, many applications of the Golden Light technique were instinctive, learned without instruction.
When his cultivation of life reaches a certain level, those skills that once required painstaking effort to figure out will become as simple as eating and drinking. He will learn them naturally without having to think about them.
Therefore, when giving guidance on the basics, he often overestimates the other person's comprehension and thus does not explain things thoroughly enough.
Zhang Huaiyi's cultivation notes were undoubtedly a timely help.
Zhang Huaiyi is the most skilled among the younger generation of Longhu Mountain in manipulating golden light.
In the past, he treasured these things and kept them hidden away, afraid that others would learn them.
But after this experience of going down the mountain, he seemed to have come to terms with many things, and his mind became more open.
So he made several copies of the notes and gave them not only to Fang Qianhe, but also to some of his other familiar fellow disciples, without keeping them to himself.
Zhang Zhiwei also took a look and found that the summary was indeed quite accurate. From the condensation and shaping of the golden light to the ingenious ideas of various offensive and defensive transitions, it was all exquisite.
However, the content mostly focuses on basic applications, and there are no more core or profound insights.
Zhang Zhiwei understands this. As the saying goes, "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao." The truth that can be clearly written down is often not the most fundamental truth.
The path of spiritual practice ultimately depends on one's own enlightenment; books can only ever provide a stepping stone.
During this time, Zhang Zhiwei also took Fang Qianhe to Tianmen Peak, introduced him to the crooked-necked tree, and let him experience the cultivation barrier under the crooked-necked tree.
When Fang Qianhe learned that this seemingly ordinary tree was actually a spirit that his master had cultivated there for many years and had successfully obtained Qi, he was extremely shocked.
He had seen many strange people, but he had never seen an "elf".
He had only heard that there were many spirits in the Northeast, and that a considerable number of them had been subdued by his master and brought into the sect.
But most of those are transformed from animals such as foxes, yellow cats, white cats, willow cats, and gray cats. As for plants and trees becoming spirits, they basically only exist in legends and stories, and very few people in the entire martial arts world have ever seen them.
Now, he actually saw it with his own eyes!
Moreover, in a sense, this tree... could be considered his "senior brother"?
Having figured this out, Fang Qianhe immediately bowed respectfully to the crooked tree, clasped his hands, and said, "Senior brother, I, Fang Qianhe, greet you."
That "senior brother" was called with utmost sincerity.
Many people on Longhu Mountain know about this crooked-necked tree, and they also know that when it shakes its leaves, it scatters a cloud of stardust, forming a strange cultivation barrier.
But as long as Zhang Zhiwei is not around, they basically won't set foot in this place.
The reason for this is that this crooked tree does not welcome outsiders to disturb it.
But perhaps it was the sense of closeness from being "from the same school," or perhaps it was Fang Qianhe's respectful address of "senior brother" that pleased it.
The crooked-necked tree seemed to accept the name quite happily, its leaves rustling as if in response.
It also became more friendly towards Fang Qianhe and did not reject his cultivation under its tree.
Fang Qianhe explored the area under the crooked tree and immediately discovered its advantages.
Practicing here makes it very easy to enter a deep state of tranquility, which greatly improves his practice efficiency.
This benefit is different from the benefits brought by the training grounds of the Celestial Master's Mansion.
The training grounds of the Celestial Master's Mansion are filled with abundant innate Qi. When cultivating there, especially when practicing martial arts to temper the body, one hardly feels fatigued.
These are two completely different environments for spiritual practice.
After much deliberation, Fang Qianhe finally made his decision: he would come to his "senior brother's" place to practice the Golden Light Mantra and temper his life force.
For regular physical training and honing skills, they would go to the training ground in front of the Celestial Master's Mansion.
As time went on, his cultivation improved day by day, and his foundation became more and more solid.
……
Zhang Zhiwei stayed peacefully in Longhu Mountain for about half a month.
Wang Ai sent a message through the Yin-Yang paper, saying that he had everything settled on his end, and that he was in Shanghai, having just disembarked from the ship, waiting for Zhang Zhiwei to arrive.
Upon receiving this news, Zhang Zhiwei went to bid farewell to his master, Zhang Jingqing, informing him that he needed to descend the mountain. (End of Chapter)