Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 61 Imperial Edicts and Decrees
Once the liver orifice is opened, the foundation of the five elements is instantly stabilized.

Qi Yun practiced the final move of the Five Elements Thunderclap Sword again, and it came naturally.

With a thought, the true essence of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—flows through the sword's edge, seamlessly connecting sword techniques into a unified whole.

When they encountered the bandits again, Qi Yun's demeanor was completely different.

The sword flashed like lightning, slashing, thrusting, parrying, and wiping. The blade cutting through the air actually brought with it a piercing whistle, with the faint force of wind and thunder following behind!
The metal-elemental sword light was incomparably sharp, easily tearing through leather armor; the wood-elemental sword intent was inexhaustible, making it difficult for the opponent to move.

The water-elemental sword strikes were continuous and powerful, neutralizing the fierce force; the fire-elemental sword energy was intense and intimidating, making the thieves' hair stand on end; the earth-elemental sword intent was as heavy as a mountain, and many lost their weapons with a single strike.

After several battles, Qi Yun's naivety as a newcomer had faded, replaced by a calm gaze and clean, efficient movements.

Xuan Qing remained taciturn. Only when Qi Yun sheathed his sword and his breathing became slightly labored did he glance at him indifferently and say, "Turbid." Or, seeing that his sword moves were too forceful, he added, "Water Force."

Qi Yun understood immediately, silently regulating his breathing. When he drew his sword again, he would reduce the fire element sword energy by three-tenths, drawing in a water element that was both soft and supple, thus combining strength and gentleness. As expected, his sword technique became even more unpredictable.

After a month of trials and tribulations, Qi Yun has become a completely different person from the naive and ignorant he once was.

The thug wielding two axes today is the strongest man in recent times, and his martial arts skills are quite high.

But he still met his end under Qi Yun's sword.

At this moment, on the donkey's back, Master Xuanqing's blue-gray Taoist robe was spotless, as if it had not been touched by any dust from the mountains.

His gaze swept over the five corpses on the ground, finally landing on Qi Yun's face, which still held a hint of excitement. He nodded slightly, then shook his head gently.

"The five elements revolve, the form is complete, but the spirit is not yet complete."

Xuanqing's voice was clear and melodious, like jade striking each other. "The steps of stepping and the sword intent were integrated, but the stagnation was still there."

When the metal element transitions to the fire element, if the "Yaoguang" position on the feet is delayed by even half a minute, the vital energy will be cut off for half a breath.

If one encounters a true master, this half-breath can be a matter of life and death.

He suddenly raised his hand and rolled up his sleeve!
A gentle yet powerful gust of wind suddenly appeared, and with a "whoosh," it pulled the longsword from Qi Yun's waist out of its sheath and landed steadily in Xuan Qing's palm.

Xuanqing held his sword horizontally in the afterglow of the setting sun.

On the three-foot-long sword, the blade was covered with jagged, uneven cuts, as menacing as saw teeth.

Especially near the hilt, a fine crack is clearly visible.

Xuanqing gripped the sword with two fingers, his knuckles trembling almost imperceptibly.

hum!
With a mournful cry, the longsword broke in two!

The broken sword tip pierced the roadside tree trunk with a "thud," and continued to tremble.

"A sword is not a knife!"

Xuanqing threw the broken sword back to Qiyun, his tone heavy, "When faced with heavy weapons, direct confrontation is a last resort."

At that time, turn your wrist to meet the attack with the spine of the sword! The spine of the sword is thick and can deflect its force.

If you only know how to fight head-on with the blade, even a good sword will not last long, let alone ordinary iron.

"If the sword breaks in a life-or-death struggle..." His unfinished words were chilling.

Qi Yun's smugness vanished instantly, and he looked down at the broken sword in his hand.

He held the sword with both hands and bowed deeply: "Disciple...will remember the teachings of my master!"

Seeing that he had accepted the instruction, Xuanqing's expression softened, and he said gently, "That's enough. This sword is crude and not suitable for great use."

"Once we arrive at Sanyang Prefecture, your martial uncle will find you a suitable weapon."

As dusk settled, Qi Yun silently dragged the body into the woods. He found over twenty taels of loose silver and stuffed it into his pocket. He then used the broken sword to dig a shallow pit and hastily buried the body. Standing before the grave, he softly chanted scriptures.

Xuanqing sat quietly on the donkey's back, closing his eyes to rest, with only the copper bell ringing softly in the rising mountain breeze.

After finishing, the two continued their journey and rested in the mountains as night fell.

The campfire crackled, tearing through the deep night.

Qi Yun skewered the hard cake on a tree branch to heat it up, then broke off half and respectfully handed it to Xuan Qing.

The two ate silently, consuming only the water from the leather bags.

The flickering firelight illuminated Xuan Qing's gaunt profile.

He swallowed the last bite of the biscuit and suddenly said, "Yun'er, you have mastered the Five Internal Organs Fist for nearly a month, and you have also entered the Five Elements Thunderclap Sword. The Qi of your five internal organs is... almost fully cultivated."

Qi Yun suddenly looked up, his eyes gleaming with barely suppressed joy and anticipation: "Uncle-Master! You mean..."

"Hmm." Xuan Qing nodded slightly, the campfire casting a flickering light in his eyes. "Tonight, I will impart to you the true foundation of our sect's Dao."

The Five Qi converge at the origin.

His voice was not loud, but every word was like a bell, striking into Qi Yun's heart.

"The key to this technique lies in fusing and refining the five elements of energy nourished by your five internal organs into one, transforming it into a wisp of innate 'true qi'!"
Use this Qi as a cone to knock open the mysterious gate of the 'Qi Sea' in the center of the chest!
Once the Qi Sea is opened, it's like rivers flowing into the sea; only then can true Qi circulate and endlessly. Only then can one truly step onto the path of cultivation and enter the realm of receiving ordination!

When the words "receiving the ordination" were mentioned, a complex emotion, both reminiscent and wistful, flashed across Xuanqing's eyes.

"The ordination ceremony in ancient times was the most important event in our Taoist school."

He spoke slowly, with an ancient rhythm, “We need to build a ‘Five Directions Illuminating Altar’, burn incense and pray to reach the heavens, and beg the patriarch to send down the ‘Order of the Register’.”

This imperial edict is proof of the patriarch's approval and a bridge connecting us to the patriarch's lineage.

“The registers are divided into three grades.” Xuanqing held up three fingers, the knuckles clearly visible under the campfire. “The lowest grade is the ‘Respectful Master Register,’ which is personally bestowed by the master and merely indicates the order of transmission.”

The highest level is the 'Patriarch's Register,' which requires a spiritual connection at the altar and the personal decree of the Patriarch. Those who hold this register can achieve twice the results with half the effort in practicing the Taoist methods of this sect, and can also receive a trace of the Patriarch's protection.

As for the supreme 'Heaven and Earth Register'...

He paused, gazing at the dark night sky, his gaze seemingly piercing through endless time and space, his voice carrying an almost devout, ethereal quality:

"That is the interaction between heaven and earth, and the favor bestowed by the Great Dao!"
According to the surviving text of the Daoist lineage, since the founding patriarch, only one person has been granted the Heavenly Register!
Those who possess this talisman are almost children of the Dao; its mysteries are beyond the comprehension of us mortals.

Xuan Qing let out a long sigh, a sigh that sounded particularly heavy in the silent mountain forest:
"However, the world is ever-changing, and the path is fraught with peril."

Since the chaos of the Qian Yuan era, all five directional altars have become ineffective, and can no longer communicate with the patriarch or the upper realm.

The ancestral master's register has become a thing of the past.

Nowadays, the so-called ordination ceremonies of various sects are merely the rituals of "respecting the master," empty formalities that only demonstrate the lineage can be transmitted.

A spark suddenly burst from the campfire, causing Qi Yun's pupils to contract abruptly!

The Black Laws and Edicts of Fengdu, the Northern Underworld!
Deep within his brow, the silent jade slip seemed to sense the call and became slightly warm.

An indescribable torrent surged through his mind.

Could what appeared within that jade slip be the supreme, legendary... Heaven and Earth Register that my martial uncle spoke of?!
He forcibly suppressed his turbulent emotions, his fingers unconsciously touching his chest.

The flickering firelight cast shifting shadows on his downcast face, but deep within his eyes shone a faint, dark light, brighter than the campfire itself.

(End of this chapter)