Mysterious Martial Arts: The Record of the Swordsman

Chapter 350 Wang Ye's Discussion on Dao Blocks the Martial World

Chapter 350 Wang Ye's Discussion on Dao Blocks the Martial World

The sounds of the wind outside the hall, the chirping of insects in the mountains, the crackling of the charcoal fire, and the breathing of the four people seemed to dominate the silence, with only the starlight pouring down through the hole in the roof dancing silently, serving as a balm between the stillness and the movement.

To outsiders, Jiang Wensu appeared to be feigning madness, delirious and unreliable, and the sources of his words were often unverifiable. However, the visitor showed no anger, but instead asked with a light laugh.

"Young master's words are truly amusing."

The visitor took a sip of the rock tea cinnamon, and reluctantly put down the bound-mouth Yao Bian Tenmoku teacup. "Who is Godot? I've never heard of that name before."

"That's someone who will never come."

Jiang Wen raised his eyes and smoothly steered the conversation in the direction he wanted, "It is our distinguished guest who unexpectedly met us today, but has not yet said where he came from."

"I'm just glad you don't mind that I came uninvited, young master. Where did I come from—"

"I escaped from torture."

"Torture?"

The newcomer's voice suddenly softened. Looking up at the stars through the hole in the roof, his eyes lost their calm and tranquility for the first time, revealing a deep and unfathomable weariness.

"That was a place without sky, without earth, without sun, moon and stars. I was the one being tortured there, and I haven't seen the world for a very, very long time."

As Jiang Wen reached out to add tea, the night on Dawang Peak was as cool as water. The steam from the copper kettle billowed, obscuring his features. Only the newcomer's clear eyes shone brightly in the mist, like water crystals that had been immersed in a cold pool for thousands of years.

He reached up and touched his forehead, seemingly pondering how to describe something utterly beyond imagination using human language.

"The common punishments in the human world are nothing more than being cut in half, sawed, or boiled in a cauldron, or even being slowly sliced ​​to death and have bones broken. They are nothing more than destroying one's physical form and skin. All kinds of suffering will eventually come to an end."

"Only those as greedy and foolish as I am, who ultimately defy Heaven, go against their nature, and forcibly seize what is ordained by Heaven, thus suffering this calamity and punishment, are not accepted by Yama, nor saved by immortals or Buddhas, and will be condemned to eternal damnation—what the ancients called 'the punishment of defying Heaven.'"

After speaking, the visitor remained motionless, seemingly observing Jiang Wen's expression. Even though Yuan Chengzhi and Luo Shuang'er were also present, he seemed to pay extra attention to Jiang Wen's every move.

"Young master wouldn't understand. This punishment doesn't involve beheading or slow slicing, but it will gradually wear you down and then piece you back together. It will also tear apart your memories, confuse your loves and hates, and make you unable to distinguish whether you are human or ghost, alive or dead. You will live there forever, forever lucid, forever enduring boundless pain..."

As Jiang listened to his rambling words, the phrase "the punishment of fleeing from heaven" came to mind. It comes from the "Nourishing Life" chapter of Zhuangzi. Qin Shi Diao Lao Dan said: "To flee from heaven and betray one's feelings, to forget what one has received, is what the ancients called the punishment of fleeing from heaven."

The original meaning of "the punishment of escaping from the heavens" was not so terrible. It was just that Zhuangzi, who loved to tell allegorical stories, used the funeral of Laozi to criticize the excessive attachment to life and death and the emotions that violated the true nature of nature. He believed that it was a kind of self-punishment of "escaping from the principles of heaven".

But in the other party's words, it seems that since you refuse to obey Heaven, Heaven will make you wish you were dead. This is the terrifying aspect of the punishment of defying Heaven.

The last time he recalled this story from Zhuangzi was when he found a bundle with Sang Yue's poem written on it under the bed of the tomb raider at the rattan gate...

"Honored guest, have you ever heard of a poem of praise?"

Jiang Wen tentatively asked, "As long as Laozi is alive, the Dao lineage will continue to flow. His legacy shines like the sun and moon, and his profound teachings are bathed in pure light."

The newcomer suddenly raised his head, sat upright with his back straight, and stared at Jiang Wen with gentle, warm eyes, but his tone was full of doubt as he asked, "Where did you hear this poem, young master? Did the person who wrote this poem also go there?"

This was the first time since he entered the room that he had broken away from his usual detached and self-assured demeanor, revealing such obvious curiosity.

Jiang Wen shook his head, his tone calm: "This man is named Sang Yue. He was a Confucian scholar during the Chenghua era. He was unrestrained and his official career was full of setbacks. I don't think he was skilled in martial arts."

"I see... I see."

The visitor slowly leaned back in his chair, the curiosity in his eyes receding like the tide, and he returned to his previous respectful demeanor, only with a hint of complex emotion in his eyes.

"I never imagined that there would be such a remarkable person in the Confucian school. He must have glimpsed a corner of that world from a few words in ancient books, but he stood on the edge of the cliff and laughed it off, thus avoiding repeating my mistake."

He sighed softly, picked up his teacup and took another sip. The steam from the tea blurred his expression: "To be able to strike an arrow repeatedly on the edge of a bottomless abyss is truly remarkable. Just this composure alone is something that many Taoist masters who have cultivated for hundreds of years may not be able to match."

Jiang Wen looked at him and slowly asked, "I haven't yet asked you, esteemed guest, what exactly is the meaning of this poem?"

The newcomer looked up at him, shook his head, and said in a calm but unquestionable tone: "This is a secret of the Taoist sect and should not be told to outsiders."

Then he paused, his gaze sweeping across the night outside the hall, landing on the faint outline of the distant mountain peaks, seemingly in the direction of Manting Peak: "But since you have built your hut on the Great King Peak, you should naturally know what the words 'Xuanhua' refer to."

Jiang Wen felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Yes, Xuanhua means transformation into the mysterious. According to the "Seven Tablets of the Cloudy Bookcase," Wuyi Mountain is the sixteenth of the thirty-six minor grotto-heavens in Taoism—the "True Ascension and Transformation Grotto-Heaven"!

Jiang Wen couldn't help but suspect that since Sang Yue was able to write "Langhuan Chronicles" and mention "Langhuan Blessed Land" in an absurd and bizarre tone, he must know the truth about the cave heaven. This was probably because he had used the incense of sandalwood when he visited Wuyi Mountain and had personally seen the place of punishment that was shrouded in the cave heaven and could devour the souls of the visitors.

More likely, Sang Yue had already deduced the secrets hidden in the Xuanhua Shengzhen Cave Heaven from the fragments of the "Wuyishan Chronicle" and the clues in Taoist classics. In the end, he went to repair the Han Dynasty Laozi sacrificial pavilion on Guoyan Mountain, and presumably he knew the origin of the Green Ox Taoist statue and the existence of Nu Te.

Jiang Wen had previously thought of Sang Yue as nothing more than an arrogant and unruly scholar. After all, this talented man from Jiangnan during the Chenghua era was known for his unrestrained and arrogant behavior, his scathing criticisms of high-ranking officials, his bumpy career, his minor official positions as instructors, and his eventual impoverished death. Historical records describe him as "eccentric and arrogant, with unconventional words and actions," and local chronicles only mention him briefly. In fact, no one knew that he had once traveled to Wuyi Mountain, left inscriptions on stone, and repaired a neglected Song Dynasty tomb.

But now that I think about it, he may have already glimpsed and touched the door to the Xuanhua Shengzhen Cave Heaven from the pile of old books, and may even be very close to the secret about Nu Te hidden behind the statue of the Green Ox Taoist. But this madman just smiled, turned around and left. Confucius said to respect ghosts and gods but keep them at a distance. Perhaps only this Confucian scholar who compared himself to Mencius could truly do it.

"I am naturally inclined to curse ghosts; there are no true gods or immortals in this world. It wasn't that I didn't believe in ghosts and gods, but after seeing those monsters dressed as gods and knowing the boundless suffering behind so-called immortality, I realized how dangerous it was..."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "But there is still one thing I don't understand. Back in Wuyishan, Sang Yue also repaired an ancient tomb from the Song Dynasty and built a Buddhist pagoda on it. Originally, I thought his actions were unrelated, but now I realize they have a deeper meaning. Is this something you are aware of, esteemed guest?"

"I know. Although this matter is quite taboo, it is worth discussing."

The visitor answered calmly, his tone completely unwavering, as if he were talking about something utterly mundane.

"In the second year of Tianxi, the Hat Demon appeared, causing panic in the capital city of Tokyo. The imperial court not only sent 127 martial arts practitioners to investigate, but also secretly dispatched seven people with weapons. Those seven people with weapons went further than the martial arts practitioners in the madness and terror of that day, and thus saw more things they should not have seen."

His fingertips tapped lightly on the table, producing a crisp, jarring sound that was particularly jarring in the silent hall.

"I heard they all went mad later and fled from Tokyo to this place, thinking they could escape by hiding in the deep forests of Wuyi Mountain. But in the end, they couldn't escape the court's attempt to silence them. In the end, when Bao Longtu thoroughly investigated the case, he was moved by their bodies lying exposed in the wilderness and sent Zhan Zhao, the Southern Hero, all the way to collect their remains and bury them together here. The tomb that Sang Yue repaired, as you mentioned, is probably their joint burial site."

Jiang Wen remained silent. He had always thought that the Song Dynasty tomb hidden in Sanliting was just an ordinary cremation tomb, but he never expected that it was still related to the Tianxi Hat Demon.

Such a thrilling story is only briefly mentioned in the History of Song. Who would have thought that such a bizarre secret was buried under the loess in a deserted place in Wuyi Mountain?

But if that's the case, Jiang Wen is even more certain of the cause and effect. The earliest "dead" wandering among the martial arts practitioners in Wuyi Mountain were probably these few imperial guards who had both been in contact with the mysterious events and possessed martial arts skills.

At this moment, the fire crackled and popped, the water in the copper kettle had boiled dry, and the bottom of the kettle was sizzling from the heat of the charcoal fire.

Jiang Wen suddenly raised his head and stared at the person opposite him: "Distinguished guest, this is not your first time in Wuyishan, is it?"

The visitor smiled, still with that gentle and shy demeanor, and chuckled, “Young master has a good eye. I did come here once many years ago. At that time, the celestial banquet on Manting Peak was in full swing, and the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments filled the air. I stood at the foot of the mountain, looking up at the lights that filled the sky, and could only lament that the mortal and immortal are ultimately different, and that the fate of becoming an immortal is something that can be hoped for but not reached.”

hum-

Jiang Wen did not get up immediately, but slowly raised his eyes. The Zhanlu sword suddenly drew half an inch from its sheath, and his originally calm eyes were now covered with a layer of frost.

Thousands of tiny sword shadows flickered and swirled in his pupils. The bronze kettle on the octagonal table began to tremble violently, emitting a fine buzzing sound, as if something was about to burst out of its body. Even the hem of Jiang Wen's robes hanging at his sides moved and fluttered without any wind.

This sword intent was learned from Master Yi Yun, who had turned into a dried corpse in the Sword Cave.

As the Zhanlu sword slid inch by inch from its sheath, its deep, water-like blade reflected the flickering firelight, layers of flowing light swirling around it, as if it might at any moment turn into mercury and vanish without a trace.

An overwhelming sword aura seemed to surge into the sky, tearing open a large section of the hole in the roof. The light of countless stars poured down, but the moment they touched the sword aura, they were cut into countless tiny specks of light.

This was the purple dragon light he quietly stole before he was completely annihilated in the Ten Mountains Formation.

At this moment, Jiang Wen's breathing became extremely slow and long. Each breath carried a chilling sword aura, causing the teacup on the table to sway gently. The brown tea soup drew fine ripples on the cup's surface, but not a single drop spilled.

"Distinguished guest, I have a rough idea of ​​who you are."

However, the guest held onto his tea, reluctant to drink it. He was still holding the half-cooled Yao Bian teacup, his fingertips lightly touching the rim. As a gust of wind rose, the hem of his robe, which he had tucked up when he sat down, quietly fell down.

But his face still held that gentle and shy expression, as if the sword energy spreading around him was nothing more than a gentle breeze passing through the mountains and forests.

"Young master, how did you guess who I am?"

Jiang Wen slowly stood up, a chilling sword aura gathering around him, and spoke slowly.

"Jian kiln black-glazed porcelain reached its peak in the early Song Dynasty, but declined by the early Yuan Dynasty. After the Ming Dynasty, loose tea replaced compressed tea, and the custom of brewing and competing in tea disappeared. People all over the world used white porcelain to brew tea, and no one recognizes this item today. If we talk about its revival, it will be hundreds of years later. But you not only know its name at a glance, but also know that it was originally a royal item. This is one point."

"The story of the Tianxi Hat Demon dates back more than 600 years. It was only after the Heaven and Earth Society's Chief Chen joined forces with that old man Luo Yuantong to excavate the thirteen-layer underground ancient city at the bottom of the Yellow River in Kaifeng that they found the tomb of the Southern Hero Zhan Zhao. Only then did they learn about Emperor Zhenzong of Song's decree to set up a sacrificial ceremony and to privately draw the 'One Hundred and Twenty-Seven Praises of the Supreme Hero.' However, you know the inside story of the martial arts world and the imperial guards involved in the Hat Demon incident like the back of your hand, and you even know the details of Zhan Zhao's arrival to collect the remains. This is the second point."

"A man once came here specifically to visit the famous mountains and grottoes of the world, and even saw the immortals on Manting Peak beckoning him. However, because he did not know the proper method, he was trapped in the vast immortal mist. He watched as the songs and cold winds swept by, but he could not find them anywhere. Finally, he left Manting Peak in complete silence. However, the manuscript he left behind led another person to find the true location of the Ascension Banquet at Jiahe. Unfortunately, I am the one who knows the most detailed and direct information about this matter. This is the third point."

“You say you suffered the punishment of being banished to the heavens, are you not a survivor of such punishment? Among all the martial arts masters since the Song and Yuan dynasties, there is only one person in the entire world that I can think of.”

Jiang Wen paused, and his sword aura suddenly surged. The flames in the brazier were forced back by this aura. Fine, undulating sword marks appeared on the octagonal table, winding along the surface. Finally, the Zhanlu sword was fully drawn, and the light on its blade converged into a cold star, pointing directly at the visitor's brow.

The visitor remained seated, his smile unchanged, readily acknowledging everything the other party had said.

He gently adjusted the hem of his overly long robe once more, his movements still soft and shy, like a traveler from a remote mountain who had strayed into the human world. Yet, the air around him seemed to be distorting and collapsing, the firelight in the hall suddenly dimmed, and even the starlight in the sky above the hall seemed to be swallowed up by his aura.

"Young master is indeed exceptionally intelligent and resourceful. He managed to extract so much information from me without me even realizing it. He truly deserves to be called a top-notch figure who has solved the mystery of the Manting Immortal Banquet."

He spoke slowly, his voice still gentle, yet carrying a sense of vicissitude and indifference that spanned hundreds of years.

"Wow, I never thought that after so many years, someone would still recognize me at a glance."

The moment the words fell, the man raised his head, still wearing that gentle and shy smile. But his once clear eyes had now become two bottomless black holes. Anyone who looked into them would find that there was no bottom, no light, only countless moments of time curled up and slowly flowing inside, countless days and nights of loneliness and pain, and the terrifying marks left by the Heavenly Punishment.

It was a malice that transcended life and death, good and evil, and the comprehension of mortals. But it was different from Yu Zhenzi's frenzied and violent killing intent, and also different from Fu Yushu's sinister and cold evil aura. Instead, it was a cruel malice like a child mistaking a missile for a shooting star and making a wish for world peace.

Jiang Wen suddenly understood. The thing before him was neither human, nor ghost, nor immortal, nor demon. It was merely a shadow forgotten by time, a figure that had lived for four hundred years, who had just crawled out of the boundless hell of the Heavenly Punishment, and was the ultimate form known as the Martial Arts Ascension Body…

"This man traveled the world, and although he did not find the way to become an immortal, he comprehended a profound martial art of yin and yang harmony and the unity of heaven and man from the Han proclamation 'The Jade Book of the Emperor Taizong bestowing the Nine Bestowments upon Mao Jun' from the Shangqing School. After the fall of the Song Dynasty, he presented the 'Zhuojialuovarati Heluoja Diagram' to Kublai Khan and was transferred to the Yuan court to serve as a court attendant—"

"This person was the only master in the previous Yuan Dynasty who could be compared with King Shura."

"Luo Chunyi..."