Swords emerge from the human world

Chapter 2.2: A Great Dream, A Divine Man Bestows a Sword
Crack!

Chen Jin fell to the ground and woke up with a start.

At this time, the east was already white, and the morning light was faint.

He stood up, subconsciously touched his forehead, untied the bandage, and found that the swelling had gone down and the pain was not so bad anymore. It seemed that the herbal ointment was quite effective.

The Kui Xing kicking the Dipper lamp on the stone altar had long since gone out, and the thought of the exhausted lamp oil made me feel a pang of heartache.

It's expensive.

Thinking back to last night, I had another dream. In the dream, a black-faced deity appeared and taught me a sword manual, which I remember clearly; it was called "Huang Ting Yang Wu Sword".

It also includes a breathing technique called "The Six Qi Positioning Method".

Although it was a dream, the breathing techniques and swordsmanship seemed to be imprinted in my mind, without any discrepancy.

As long as you have a sword in your hand, you can use it.

Given Chen Jin's background, he naturally did not possess any swords. This time, when he went to the mountains to live in seclusion, he only carried a fairly sharp wood-chopping knife for self-defense.

On second thought, practicing swordsmanship doesn't necessarily require a real sword. So he took a wood-chopping knife outside, cut off a relatively straight branch, and shaped it into a sword shape.

With the wooden sword in hand, he immediately began to test his skills.

The moves of "Huang Ting Yang Wu Sword" are quite concise, consisting of eight styles: cleaving sword, cutting sword, intercepting sword, collapsing sword, pointing sword, thrusting sword, slicing sword, and picking sword.

The first four forms emphasize "strength," while the last four emphasize "softness."

After reaching its peak, it combines strength and gentleness, yin and yang, and can be infinitely varied.

On his first practice session, he was surprisingly adept at it, his every move showing impressive skill.

"I've already learned how to use a sword?"

Chen Jin was overjoyed.

Of course, I am self-aware that I have only grasped the basics of the "Huang Ting Yang Wu Sword" at this stage, only understanding its form but not its true essence. In addition, my weak physique makes it difficult to unleash the true destructive power of the sword technique.

But compared to before, I have finally acquired a skill and taken a solid step forward.

A dream ended, and a divine being bestowed a sword upon him—truly miraculous.

Who exactly is this person?
He looked up to examine the broken mountain god statue, but no matter how he looked at it, it didn't resemble the image at all.

Their appearances and clothing were vastly different. One had a green face, the other a black face; one had a short beard, the other a bushy beard.

The dark-faced deity in my dream exuded an awe-inspiring presence with every gesture; the mountain god statue before me, with its mottled form and indistinct features, gave off a distorted and sinister feeling...

My gaze shifted and landed on the Kui Xing kicking the Dipper lamp on the stone altar, and I gradually made sense of it:

"Did Kui Xing appear in my dream to deliver the sword?"

This world is vast and boundless, with high-ranking imperial courts and distant rivers and mountains; there are demons and monsters, as well as cultivators and swordsmen.
The worship of deities flourished, with mountain gods, river gods, and local gods. Even in village ancestral halls, ancestral gods were enshrined.

According to religious beliefs, offerings of incense and sacrifices are effective if the heart is sincere.

In this way, it can be understood that this ancestral Kui Xing kicking the Dipper lamp, after being worshipped and venerated by three generations of the Chen family, was able to develop spiritual charm and divinity.

As for why it had never manifested before, it was probably related to the black-faced deity's words: one must "open the gates and clear the Niwan point" before it could happen.

Chen Jin didn't know much about the mysterious term "Gateway and Mud Pill," but guessed it was related to cultivation.

So, could it be said that he has stumbled onto the path of cultivation by accident?
Originally, I planned to pack my books and luggage as soon as it was light and hurry down the mountain to return to my hometown.

But after such a miraculous event, he couldn't help but hesitate, since staying on the mountain would undoubtedly be much more suitable for practicing swordsmanship and cultivating his skills.

Hesitation led to a flood of distracting thoughts.

He quickly shook his head, suppressing those thoughts, and respectfully bowed with his hands clasped in front of the Kui Xing kicking the Dipper lamp.

The bronze lamp remained motionless and unresponsive. However, Chen Jin was already convinced that this lamp was a treasure and could not be treated carelessly. He decided to store it in a box and carry it with him wherever he went, never letting it out of his sight.

After a short rest, I filled a bamboo tube with rice from the rice bag, went to a nearby mountain stream to wash the rice, and took the opportunity to wash up and clean my face.

Using water as a mirror, it was clear that there was basically nothing wrong with the forehead, and the speed of recovery was nothing short of miraculous.

Then, bring the rice back, put it in an earthenware pot, and start a fire to cook porridge for breakfast.

They went up the mountain to live in seclusion, and all the pots and pans were readily available. As for firewood, rice, oil and salt... there was plenty of firewood in the mountains, but rice, grains, oil and salt were scarce. If they were frugal, they could only last for about half a month at most.

More importantly, they only had pickled vegetables and the like, with no fresh vegetables or meat. They ate coarse grains and thin porridge every meal, and their mouths were so bland they could hardly stand it.

However, even in the village, given the family's circumstances, it was rare to eat meat.

Standing at the temple gate and looking out, one can see lush mountains and forests, with birds flying and animals moving about.

They are all delicacies from the mountains and wild game.

Unfortunately, Chen Jin was not a hunter and did not have suitable weapons and tools, so hunting was by no means an easy task.

After much deliberation, I was at a loss. I decided to wait until the porridge was cooked, then start eating to fill my stomach before making any further plans.

After a short rest, we continued practicing, starting with the "Six Qi Positioning Method".

The so-called six qi are "wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, and fire", which correspond to the natural changes in the weather.

This is the "external" aspect;
Inside are the internal organs, which can be summarized in six words: blow, sigh, exhale, spit, sneer, and laugh.

The harmony between humanity and nature extends from the inside out.

When one is not in the right position, one is evil; when one is in the right position, one is righteous. Hence the name.

Practicing it can strengthen the body, promote health, and cure diseases; it is the foundation of spiritual practice.

The manual says: "When it's cold, blow on it; when it's warm, exhale; blow to dispel the wind, exhale to dispel the heat..."

By changing the shape of the mouth and exerting force with the lips, teeth, throat, and tongue, the flow of qi and blood in different internal organs is stimulated, ultimately achieving the effect of exercise.

This set of techniques is quite complex and requires careful attention. If you try it without guidance or instruction, you may end up hurting your internal organs by performing it incorrectly.

Chen Jin received instruction from Kui Xing, which was like a sudden enlightenment, saving him countless efforts. He entered the path of learning naturally and without any obstacles, and quickly got into the zone.

After finishing the exercise, I was covered in sweat and felt refreshed and light.

Such efficacy far surpasses that of medicine, thus demonstrating the extraordinary nature of this method.

However, at this stage, practicing the breathing technique once a day is sufficient; it should be done gradually. Otherwise, the weak internal organs will not be able to withstand it.

Moreover, with the current standard of diet, the stomach is very bland and there is little essence to refine.

Sure enough, after expending all his energy, the little bit of porridge was no use at all, and he soon felt hungry again.

We must solve the problem of our stomach.

He sat down, racked his brains, and slowly scanned his belongings and tools. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he had an idea.

He immediately found two thin hemp ropes, joined them together, and they were about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) long. Then he picked up a wooden basin, went outside, and placed it on the open ground near the temple entrance. He used tree branches to prop up the basin, tied the hemp ropes to the branches, and then sprinkled some roasted brown rice under the basin.

Soon, a simple trap was made.

Chen Jin, holding a hemp rope, tiptoed away and hid inside the temple, waiting quietly.

However, after waiting and waiting, nothing happened.

I was a little puzzled, wondering if the bait wasn't attractive enough? Or perhaps the birds hadn't noticed it?
After waiting a while longer, he couldn't contain himself any longer and stepped outside to look around. Suddenly, he discovered something strange...

(End of this chapter)