Great Love for All Heavens Begins with Huang Yaoshi

Chapter 27 Self-deception Zhou Botong

"You actually gave me the second volume of the Nine Yin Scriptures?" Zhou Botong's expression was completely different from his composure.

Zhuang Buyan said leisurely:

"For the past ten years, you must have spent every day speculating on what kind of divine skills and unique techniques are recorded in the next volume of the scripture."

"I imagine you're as obsessed with martial arts as I am. If you had a book that's considered a treasure by martial artists all over the world, you'd definitely be itching to get it."

"This isn't a quest for fame or revenge, nor is it a desire to dominate the world. It's simply an uncontrollable curiosity and love for martial arts. I want to know how powerful the martial arts in the scriptures will be once mastered."

"That's right, that's right. I didn't expect you to know me better than I do myself!" Zhou Botong blurted out, and then couldn't help but sigh:
"In the past, I heard Senior Brother Wang talk about the origins of the Nine Yin Manual. Back then, Huang Shang read through all 5,481 volumes of the Wanshou Daozang and pondered for over 40 years before finally figuring out a martial art that could break the moves of various schools. The wondrous techniques contained within must be extraordinary."

He paused, his tone somewhat frustrated:
"But I must follow Senior Brother Wang's last words and not learn the martial arts from the Nine Yin Manual."

Zhou Botong's eyes flashed, and he suddenly looked at the young man in green robes, thinking:
"Although my senior brother's last words must not be disobeyed, Brother Zhuang is not a disciple of my Quanzhen Sect. I will teach him the martial arts in the scriptures, let him learn them all, and then demonstrate them to me one by one. Wouldn't that satisfy this itch that I can't scratch?"

"He must have learned the second volume of martial arts by now. As long as I pass the first volume to him, he will be able to see how powerful the complete Nine Yin Manual is."

When Zhou Botong thought about this, he could hardly hide the excitement on his face, and immediately coughed seriously:

"Ahem, Brother Zhuang, you're so generous, and I'm not a stingy person. I said if you learn my 'Left and Right Fighting Technique', I'll teach you a few more martial arts. Keep your word and accept the loss."

Without waiting for the young man in green robe to reply, he impatiently recited his martial arts skills:

“People only know that sitting still and contemplating is a way to improve one’s virtue, but they do not know that the most accomplished people have perfected concentration and wisdom, cultivating both the body and the mind. They are both active and still, and even in the midst of adversity, they are at peace.”

Zhou Botong not only talked about the basic methods of practicing superior internal skills, acupoint pressing, acupoint release, breath holding, and the secrets of healing injuries in one breath.

He also talked about methods of contracting muscles and bones and relieving force, as well as techniques of moving lightly like a snake and flipping a cat, and even methods of captivating the mind and transferring the soul. Finally, he spoke some gibberish in Sanskrit.

As Zhuang Bu Ran listened, he couldn't help but understand that the "Nine Yin Scriptures" was indeed the essence of martial arts in the world. Regardless of internal or external martial arts, boxing or swordsmanship, all the most basic methods and tricks were contained in the first volume of the scripture.

Especially the "Chapter on Changing Bones and Muscles" and the Sanskrit outline can make up for the shortcomings of the current horizontal training and internal strength.

He couldn't help but reveal a brilliant smile on his face, and said loudly:
"The way of heaven is to make up for the deficiency when there is more than enough damage. This is why the virtual overcomes the reality, and the deficiency overcomes the excess."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Botong stood still as if struck by lightning, realizing that this was the Sanskrit outline that he had been unable to comprehend for more than ten years. After listening attentively, he felt that the "Nine Yin Scriptures" was worthy of being a martial arts practitioner, and that anyone who learned even a little bit would benefit from it throughout their life.

Just talking about the general outline, it is worth it for martial artists to risk their lives for it, as it can break through martial arts obstacles, harmonize yin and yang, and avoid going astray. It can be said that it corrects the Taoist view that martial arts emphasizes yin and softness, and enables it to reach the martial arts realm where yin and yang complement each other.

"Brother Zhuang, I didn't expect you to know Sanskrit!"

"Zhuang often has random thoughts. There are countless martial arts in the world. If I were to write them down in foreign languages, I would be staring blankly at them, unable to practice them. So I just learned a few languages ​​outside of the Central Plains."

"Oh, why didn't I think of that at the beginning?" Zhou Botong was shocked and regretted it repeatedly:

"If I had prepared for a rainy day like Brother Zhuang, how could I have studied the outline for over a decade and still not comprehended anything?"

Five days later, outside the cave, an old man and a young man were performing martial arts. The old man was using one hand to subdue the dragon and the other to clear his mind. The young man was using one hand to subdue the demon and the other to crush the claw.

The two men fought from the ground to the sky, and they both used the "Golden Goose Kung Fu" at the same time. They flew straight up ten feet in the air, touched the branches, and their bodies rose more than ten feet high.

After exchanging more than a hundred moves, Zhou Botong leaped to the ground:
"Brother Zhuang, ever since you reminded me, I've realized that my martial arts are far superior to the Five Supremes. The skill I created, the Double Avatar Technique, even though it doesn't increase my internal strength, it does double my moves."

"No matter how powerful the Five Supremes are, how can they defeat the two old naughty boys Zhou Botong? I thought I was the best martial artist in the world, but you taught me a lesson."

When he said this, he couldn't help but rubbed his chest and said in confusion:

"It's not enough that your martial arts are different from Huang Lao Xie's, but you also possess a set of horizontal training skills that can be said to have reached the highest level. After fighting with you for a long time, first my fists and arms hurt from the recoil, then my bones and internal organs hurt, and I almost vomited blood."

"Luckily, I, Old Naughty Boy, have profound skills, so I was only a little stunned by the shock."

He shook his head again and again with a slightly melancholy look:

"If you didn't have this set of horizontal training skills, even if you knew the "Left and Right Fighting Technique", you might not be able to defeat me."

"It's hard to say. For over a decade, you've only read the Nine Yin Manual but never practiced it, so that doesn't mean you're violating the will. However, the first volume is all about Taoist internal cultivation techniques, as well as boxing and swordplay principles. It's not about real martial arts to defeat the enemy."

"While you were reading the scriptures to the point of memorizing them, you had already inadvertently learned the first half of the Nine Yin Manual. Now, with your undivided attention and diligent practice for fifteen years, you are destined to possess martial arts prowess that will tread across the world."

Zhuang Bu Ran stood with his hands behind his back:

"Over the past few days, I have practiced the various martial arts from the second volume of the scripture. I believe you have memorized them and have completely mastered the Nine Yin Manual."

Zhou Botong's eyes widened, and he looked down at his hands with a look of annoyance on his face: "I learned the Nine Yin Manual?!"

Zhuang Bu Ran said slowly:
"If I remember correctly, Wang Chongyang's last words before his death were that none of my disciples should practice the martial arts in the scriptures, lest others accuse me of stealing the scriptures for selfish reasons."

"Yes, that's right." Zhou Botong didn't understand.

"Are you a Quanzhen Taoist priest?" Zhuang Bu Ran asked with a smile.

"I have a very close relationship with Senior Brother Wang. We were good friends before he became a monk. Later, he taught me martial arts, but he said that I had become obsessed with martial arts and was too persistent. This was not in line with the Taoist principle of tranquility and inaction, so he refused to accept me as a disciple. I was also happy not to become a Taoist priest."

"So, you haven't even joined the Quanzhen Sect. You're just Wang Chongyang's junior apprentice. How come you can't learn the Nine Yin Manual?"

"Well, it seems you are not wrong when you put it that way!"

Zhou Botong somersaulted excitedly and shouted happily:
"I'm not a disciple of Senior Brother Wang, so why can't I learn martial arts from the classics?"

He laughed with his hands on his hips:
"Hahaha, wait until Huang Lao Xie returns to the island, I'll have a good fight with him, and then I can go out and play around!"

(End of this chapter)