Yinshan Record

Chapter 608 Treating the Light as Heavy: Falling into a Mold (Part 1)
"A person who practices martial arts."

Feng shook his head as he spoke.

"Actually, if Marquis Changxin has the leisure, I do have a few obstacles in my cultivation. I wonder if Your Excellency would be interested in helping me resolve them?"

Su Che was momentarily dazed.

Back in Shanyin County, it was this very same Eunuch Feng who taught my family a few sword techniques, which helped us build up our skills. Now, it's the other way around; they'll be asking me for advice and guidance.

He just didn't know what this high-ranking official, who had been a fifth-rank official for a long time, wanted to ask him.

“Master Feng, we’ve known each other for a long time, please don’t tease me like that. If you have any questions, I, Su, will certainly be at your service.”

"I have heard of the esoteric teachings that the universe is a great cycle, and the human body is a small cycle. If there is a deficiency in the cycle, what should be done?"

This……

Su Che could only organize his thoughts.

Indeed, what Feng Buxing said is one of the most basic principles of Xuanmen, namely that the human body is a microcosm, corresponding to the macrocosm outside. Therefore, a fundamental aspect of Xuanmen cultivation is that the body must be healthy.

Otherwise, others have a balance of Yin and Yang and all six senses are present, but you have an imbalance of Yin and Yang, lacking the Yang root. Don't underestimate the difference of just a few ounces of flesh; it makes a big difference.

Such a physique is not only unacceptable to the Xuanmen sect, but even the bald guy next door wouldn't accept it.

Buddhist scriptures state, "The gate does not accept eunuchs," meaning that not only are eunuchs not accepted, but even those with natural disabilities like congenital castration are not. Although the aim is "to save all sentient beings," eunuchs are excluded. Therefore, one should never become a eunuch, otherwise, one's liberation will be forever uncertain. (This same rule exists in Buddhism in this world.)
Therefore, when Yuwen Rui practiced the Xuanmen (Taoist school), he was the Grand Tutor of the Northern Dynasty, not the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial. Old Su's desire to switch to Xuanmen was indeed impossible in the past, but after comprehending the principle of the transformation between Heaven and Man, it became possible.

However, Old Su ultimately refused to take that step, naturally for reasons that Su Che could not possibly know.

"Master Feng doesn't practice the Xuanmen, so why should he care about these things? The Xuanmen's path of meditation does indeed take the human body as a microcosm and the microcosm as a macrocosm, but there are other lineages besides that. Cultivating the Yin spirit and then transforming it into the Yang spirit is one lineage. In ancient times, external alchemy flourished, and achieving success through external alchemy can also be considered a lineage. Moreover, I believe that the human body being a microcosm doesn't necessarily require a superficial interpretation."

"Oh?"

Feng Buxing had received similar interpretations from other cultivators, but since he had entered the fifth rank through martial arts, he was naturally different from those who blindly followed others and had his own standards.

"To be honest, Sanlang, I started my martial arts practice by strengthening my blood and qi and cultivating my acupoints, using the Xuanmen visualization method."

On the way, Feng casually remarked, "Since there are spirits all over the body, there is great power in every movement and lying down."

Visualizing the deity within one's body is indeed the correct path of Xuanmen cultivation.

However, the method of using acupoints is probably different from the visualization techniques of the Xuanmen school. In fact, the visualization methods of different schools within the Xuanmen school are also different.

For example, the Maoshan sect possesses a "True Spirit Karmic Position Chart," in which all the deities are historically famous figures, some being true immortals, others demon lords, and still others emperors and generals. The Huangtian Dao, on the other hand, involves visualizing the celestial deities of the Zhou Tian (Heavenly Stars), corresponding the constellations to the human body. The Shenxiao Dao, however, uses the brain as the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Palace, containing the Heavenly Venerable Thunder General.

"But later this path gradually became impassable, so we took another path."

Martial arts training is indeed not easy.

Su Che felt a sense of unease upon hearing Feng Buxing's account.

The reason why martial arts have not been fully developed like sword cultivation is fundamentally because, apart from relying on the mature systems of the Xuanmen, Buddhist, and even Demonic sects when cultivating at lower levels, the more important reason is the lack of a more comprehensive and insightful explanation of the Nine Laws of Heaven and Man.

For example, Huang Tiandao's "Supreme Six Dragons Returning to the Sun True Secret", the ancient Qingdi's "Taiyi Donghua Jade Book", and the Buddhist Three Realms Kalpa Sutra, etc., these cultivation methods not only represent a great path to transcendence, but also represent different sects' interpretations of the Nine Laws of Heaven and Man under different systems.

Unfortunately, even though martial arts cultivation has developed to this point in the Central Plains, nothing similar has emerged.

"Didn't your great-uncle offer any advice?"

Feng Buxing was naturally one of Lao Su's most trusted confidants, which is why he entrusted such an elite force as Wuyundu to him, and he also played the role of Lao Su's alter ego in all matters of the court.

Old Su would probably make some arrangements for such a person.

"He only told me two words: cultivate inner strength, and also gave me a batch of Confucian classics." "Confucianism?"

Indeed, if anyone has truly succeeded on the path of martial arts cultivation, it is undoubtedly the martial scholars of the White Deer Cave lineage, who have truly attained immortality.

If we take excellence as the sole criterion, then their path has clearly been on the right track.

"What, does the Third Young Master think the road to White Deer Cave is impassable?"

"of course not."

Su Che said, "Actually, I think that if we follow the method of Bailudong and look inward, we can definitely open up a way forward."

As an opponent, Su Che had naturally studied Bailudong before.

The Martial Confucian lineage takes cultivating Qi as its foundation. This Qi is not the primordial Qi of heaven and earth, but the so-called "righteous Qi". Based on this, it strengthens the spirit and body. From this point of view, it can be said that it has already grasped the framework of the rise of the East Sea Sword Palace.

If we could explain "righteous spirit" in more detail and integrate it more with the Nine Laws of Heaven and Man, it would be even better.

Given time, it will become another East Sea Sword Palace.

"Young master, are you associated with the White Deer Cave...?"

"That was a personal grudge."

Su Che smiled and said, "Putting all that aside, I believe that Bailudong and even the Martial Confucian lineage will definitely achieve something."

"That's what Su Gong thought too."

Feng Buxing looked at Su Che thoughtfully and said, "Master Su said that martial arts in the Central Plains will flourish in the future."

"Oh?"

"Master Su said that major sects such as Yuyang Mountain, Qingwang Valley, Chengzhao Temple, and Liuyu City are gradually declining. The East Sea has become a holy land for cultivators. If this continues, the Central Plains will one day become a dead land for cultivation. However, once the immortals are gone, demons and ghosts will inevitably cause trouble. Either the divine path will flourish, or someone else will take up the banner."

Feng Buxing explained, "The way of gods leads people to superstition and corrupts their spirits, while the way of martial arts is self-strengthening. The Central Plains will surely be the future of martial arts."

The purpose of all these arrangements at Xuandu Palace is to cultivate a group of sword cultivators and then cultivate a martial arts practitioner.
Su Che felt that those high and mighty Celestial Venerables might not simply be painstakingly cultivating seedlings for others.

However, could Feng's words imply that he wanted him to make peace with Bailudong?
What exactly is Lao Su thinking?

Su Che pondered for a moment.

Suddenly, a group of women dressed in palace attire appeared in front of them, each holding a long sword and with angry expressions.

"How dare you, a reckless scoundrel, trespass into the palace?"

Su Che looked up and saw the words "Yu Shu Palace" written on the palace in front of him. In front of the white marble steps, a group of women dressed in palace costumes of various colors stood, each holding a long sword, their faces filled with anger, the sharp edges of their swords pointed at the group behind them.

"Princess Ning'an often taught the palace maids swordsmanship; these were her close attendants."

Feng Xingbu gave Su Che a brief explanation and then held up his family's identification badge with both hands.

"I am Feng Xingbu, the Imperial Guard Commander. I have come today to investigate a case. Please inform His Highness."

"The Imperial Guards are investigating a case in the palace. Do they have the Emperor's decree? It's one thing for you to act recklessly outside, but don't you even know where you are?"

An elderly palace maid, her eyes filled with frost, stepped out from behind the other maids, her hands tucked into her sleeves, and shouted angrily.

(End of this chapter)