As the “Light of the righteous path” Young Daoist naturally dared to let He Heng enter.
So, after obtaining a name tag, He Heng successfully blended in with the group of participants.
In fact, the martial arts competition on Yuntai Mountain is much more complicated than one would imagine. The competition is divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, testing only the depth of their internal strength and cultivation and their comprehension of the Dao and techniques.
Moreover, all participants need to pass the so-called basic tests to have the opportunity to enter the next round of the competition.
These basic tests mostly involve assessing the fundamental skills of cultivators, such as crossing obstacles with a sword within a specified time, demonstrating lightness technique on water, and showcasing basic sword techniques to the judges.
Those who seriously violate the rules will be shown a red card, and the red card signifies that the participant has lost eligibility for the competition. Those who receive a red card will leave the competition with regret.
Those whose actions are deemed to be in violation of the rules will be penalized with a yellow card as a warning. Once a participant accumulates three yellow cards, it is equivalent to receiving a red card.
Participants who pass the preliminary tests will be classified based on the number of yellow cards they received and will proceed to the next round of the competition accordingly.
In the end, He Heng, with a marginal record of three yellow cards, barely made it to the second round of the tests.
As he followed the crowd into the third-tier group according to the signs, He Heng appeared somewhat absent-minded, silently cursing the judges in his heart.
Did he knock down several obstacles while flying through them? Did he fly a bit higher during the lightness technique on water?
As for receiving a yellow card just for moving, did that happen?
Thinking ahead to the later stages of the competition without these rule restrictions, He Heng let out a sigh in his heart.
At that moment, a muffled sound of “dong” suddenly came from his ear. The gong next to the competition arena was struck, and everyone instinctively looked up. In front of them, on the solemn grand hall with square golden bricks and red tiles, three characters were engraved: “Tai Xue Fu.”
In that instant, He Heng’s heart skipped a beat, and a vague premonition arose. He couldn’t help but feel that this competition arena was going to be more than just a simple fight.
Sure enough, the next moment, a short and chubby gray-robed Daoist with a gentle smile on his face took a leisurely step out of the hall. He looked at the crowd and said, “So today, I will test everyone’s level of enlightenment. Let’s go in the order of this team. Those called by me, follow me into the hall. Combine your own moves and briefly explain your understanding of ‘Dao and Ethics’.”
With that, he directly beckoned the person in front of He Heng and called him inside.
As a result, He Heng became the first in line.
As soon as he heard about a topic related to liberal arts, he panicked.
Moreover, the Daoist had been rambling on just now, and He Heng didn’t understand what exactly he was going to be tested on.
Just then, He Heng’s peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a flash of blades and swords inside the hall. Accompanied by the sound of unsheathed blades, the deep voice of the old Daoist slowly resonated.
“What is Dao?”
Listening to the person inside reciting in a memorized manner, “Man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows Dao, Dao follows Nature…”
He Heng: “…”
Is this recitation?
He had no idea that participating in this martial arts competition would involve memorization. At this moment, He Heng’s mind went completely blank, with a buzzing sound in his head.
Not long after, the previous participant finished his performance, and He Heng, who was at the forefront of the queue, was naturally called in.
The Tai Xue Fu courtyard was made entirely of wooden structures. As soon as He Heng entered, a cool breeze greeted him. The air inside was filled with the scent of a gentle and elegant incense burner, complemented by the aroma of ink and scrolls throughout the room. The main hall was separated from the inner hall by an elegant, intricately carved folding screen, and one could vaguely see a dark room behind it.
The short and chubby Daoist in the gray robe was already waiting by the central desk in the main hall. Upon seeing He Heng enter, he immediately revealed a gentle smile, accompanied by four or five little Daoist apprentices by his side.
Suddenly faced with so many people waiting to see his performance, He Heng felt a bit awkward as he casually rubbed his nose.
He initially thought that this martial arts competition was just for show, but now it seemed more like a public execution.
The next moment, the old Daoist clasped his hands in front of his chest and looked at He Heng with an expression of caring for the younger generation.
“Since this young friend hails from the Huayang Sword Sect, I presume you are a practitioner of the sword. Why not share with this humble Daoist your insights…”
“What is Dao?”
What could he do?
He decided to improvise.
Determined to use the opportunity wisely, He Heng promptly pressed his left thumb, and in the blink of an eye, the sharp blade was unsheathed. He then grasped the hilt with his right hand, closed his eyes, and pondered the relationship between “sword” and “Dao” in his mind.
Simultaneously, he demonstrated a set of impromptu sword techniques to the Daoist, with a fluid and graceful movement. In an instant, a fierce sword aura filled the room, resembling a white rainbow piercing through the sun.
Since He Heng currently had his eyes closed, he could see his own movements, and he didn’t care how embarrassing it might look.
The old Daoist’s eyes brightened after witnessing He Heng’s improvised sword techniques. However, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
‘Although the young fellow’s movements follow some conventions, the swordplay seems a bit chaotic. The speed of these sword strikes is truly astonishing. I wonder why he took so long to integrate his understanding of Dao into his performance?’
If the logic and coherence of understanding were self-contained and persuasive, the old Daoist thought this young man would score quite high.
As the performance neared its end, He Heng suddenly opened his eyes, swiftly sheathed the sword with a “shua” sound, and looked at the old Daoist before casually saying, “A man’s influence affects my sword speed.”
As soon as this statement was made, the entire venue fell silent. The old Daoist barely held back a twitch at the corner of his mouth as he looked at the swordsman in front of him, whose expression turned solemn after just sheathing his sword.
People were a bit dumbfounded.
What did He Heng mean by that statement?
As a renowned scholar within the Clear One Sect, the old Daoist had spent a lifetime immersed in literature, observing countless individuals. Yet today, for a moment, he couldn’t quite grasp the meaning behind He Heng’s words.
How should he score this?
With these thoughts in mind, the old Daoist exchanged glances with the small Daoist apprentices beside him. Finally, he looked helplessly at the young man who was pretending to be dumbfounded.
“Carefully explain to me the meaning of the words you just said, why ‘a man’?”
He Heng: “…”
Oh no,
He had just casually made that up. How was he supposed to explain it in detail?
Caught in a dilemma, a creaking sound interrupted the situation. The hidden door in the inner hall suddenly opened, and a person walked towards them from the shadows.
This person was wearing a peculiar Daoist robe, embroidered with large patches of bright red amaryllis flowers on the left side. Despite the whitening hair at his temples, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and brows revealed a hint of aging, making it difficult to determine his actual age.
For the first time, He Heng realized that people who seemed to have the features of both an old and young person were indeed real.
The person played with two walnuts in his hand as he walked to the side of the old Daoist, whispering a few words to him. Then, he smiled at He Heng.
“Young friend, come with me.”
He Heng was momentarily stunned and communicated with 996 in his mind:
‘Who is this old guy? Why did he abruptly stop my competition? Did I say something wrong?’
996: […You didn’t say anything wrong just now. He is the person you were looking for, Wan Gu Dan Sheng.]
Upon hearing that the person was indeed the one he was looking for, He Heng didn’t hesitate for a moment. He directly gripped his sword and walked into the dark room alongside Wan Gu Dan Sheng.
In the dimly lit corridor, after walking for about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, they reached an area where the flickering candlelight illuminated the path. Soon, they entered a room filled with the scent of medicinal herbs. On a table next to a desk, there were several books related to herbs and a copper mortar and pestle used for grinding herbs.
Wan Gu Dan Sheng walked ahead and casually tidied up the things on the table. Then, he looked at He Heng and asked, “Why have you come this time?”
Without hesitation, He Heng replied, “For the first place.”
At his words, the old man in front suddenly chuckled twice.
“If you can withstand ten moves from me, then you can have this ‘first place.’ Also, feel free to propose any condition you want.”
He Heng’s eyes immediately lit up, “Including that secret manual?”
The old man nodded, “Of course.”
The ostensible reason for organizing the martial arts competition among the various sects and schools’ young apprentices was to gather them to exchange and compare their skills. In reality, it served as an opportunity to find a suitable disciple.
Wan Gu Dan Sheng had dedicated his entire life to the study of inner cultivation and alchemy. Now in his old age, he had reached a considerable level of proficiency in both areas. He was in urgent need of a disciple to inherit his knowledge and skills.
When the old Daoist in the Tai Xue Fu tested the participants on their understanding of “Dao”, he was not only evaluating them; rather, Wan Gu Dan Sheng was secretly observing everyone’s potential.
Based on his observations, most of the participants chose to mechanically memorize some profound philosophical teachings from scriptures, but they struggled to integrate these teachings with the techniques they used.
It all sounded monotonous, and true comprehension seemed elusive.
What attracted Wan Gu Dan Sheng’s attention to He Heng was the profound internal energy demonstrated beneath his fierce sword techniques. Although the sword aura seemed chaotic, it was, in fact, a harmonious unity, exuding a certain wickedness when expressed.
Wan Gu Dan Sheng, having observed countless individuals throughout his life, had never seen a young apprentice display such profound strength.
Of course, after hearing He Heng’s final statement about being influenced by men’s presence affecting his sword speed, Wan Gu Dan Sheng scratched his head, a bit puzzled. He found it amusing how the serious performance was paired with such an unexpected remark.
Considering everything, Wan Gu Dan Sheng immediately called He Heng inside.
At the same time, a few little Daoist apprentices entered and cleared away the miscellaneous items from the side.
He Heng immediately unsheathed his sword.
“Ten moves, is it?”
He pondered in his mind.
If he were the Dragon Proud Heaven of the cultivation world, ten moves could be quite challenging, right?
“Correct,” Wan Gu Dan Sheng nodded with a smile. “Let’s officially begin.”
The next moment, he suddenly closed his eyes, restrained the gentle expression on his face, and tossed the two walnuts he had been playing with out of his hands.
Swift speed!
In that moment, He Heng had only one thought left in his mind. Subconsciously, he raised his sword in front of his chest and swung a sword aura to block.
At the instant when the iron walnut and the sword blade intersected, a crisp sound of metal collision echoed in the room.
Wan Gu Dan Sheng concentrated all his internal energy on that point, generating a force that was far from ordinary. To catch that attack, He Heng had to step back several steps, just barely managing to block the strike. However, the impact had caused a crack in his sword blade, and his grip felt a bit numb.
Seeing this, Wan Gu Dan Sheng shook his head with a smile. He realized that although this young man had profound internal strength, he was making the mistake that many young people make—lacking experience in knowing when to take a hit and how to use skill instead of brute force. In other words, he lacked the wisdom to use a small force to overcome a much larger one.
Without giving He Heng more time to prepare, Wan Gu Dan Sheng immediately launched the second move, then the third…
With each round, the number of hidden weapons and the speed of the attacks increased.
In the earlier rounds, He Heng could barely cope. However, by the sixth round, facing a barrage of over twenty hidden weapons raining down on him, He Heng began to show signs of fatigue. The sleeve of his left arm was torn open by the repeated attacks, and there were cuts on his arm oozing blood.
Watching He Heng in his slightly disheveled state, Wan Gu Dan Sheng probed, “Shall we stop here?”
It was evident that He Heng was like a raw jade stone, and with another ten or twenty years of cultivation, he would undoubtedly become a formidable martial artist. The key was whether he had the determination and the ability to patiently practice.
“No, let’s continue.”
He Heng wiped the sweat from his forehead, and without hesitation, he reset his stance to continue receiving Wan Gu Dan Sheng’s attacks.
This was a rare opportunity for He Heng to experience and refine his cultivation. Perhaps missing this chance would mean waiting for a second encounter in the future.
To be able to give up halfway.
At these words, Wan Gu Dan Sheng immediately showed an approving smile.
“Alright.”
Seeing He Heng’s resolute attitude, there was no need to continue testing. Wan Gu Dan Sheng prepared to end this round and move on to the next one.
In the blink of an eye, He Heng saw that this time, there were hundreds of rapidly moving hidden weapons coming towards him.
“Fuck,” he subconsciously cursed in his mind.
What’s the matter with this old man? He said it was a sparring session, but is this really just sparring? This seemed more like a matter of life and death.
Based on past experience, He Heng knew that directly confronting this onslaught would undoubtedly be a losing proposition.
In desperation, he stepped on his sword, reciting the heart mantra for flying with the sword, attempting to evade the impending attack.
As he saw the dense array of hidden weapons descending like raindrops, in his nervous state, he made a slight error in the recitation, causing his whole body to flip upside down again.
At this moment, He Heng’s heart was strangely calm. He had even closed his eyes, peacefully “lying down”.
However, in the next second, something miraculous happened.
As if anticipating the opponent’s move, when the hidden weapons descended in a parabolic trajectory, He Heng, who was inverted, managed to pass through the approaching rain of projectiles with his sword in hand.
Witnessing this scene, Wan Gu Dan Sheng on the other side stared wide-eyed in shock.
Observing the young man’s agile movements resembling a nimble bat, seeing him with closed eyes, rotating and leaping in the air, with every flowing strand of hair narrowly avoiding the incoming hidden weapons,
ultimately emerging unscathed.
In the moment He Heng safely landed, Wan Gu Dan Sheng couldn’t help but let out an exclamation,
“Younger generation, admirable, truly admirable.”
In the end, it was his own underestimation. Wan Gu Dan Sheng now realized that He Heng’s movements, initially appearing random, actually had a peculiar rhythm to them when combined, forming a harmonious whole.
Unexpectedly, this young man in his early twenties managed to deceive even Wan Gu Dan Sheng. Immediately, he handed over the medicine to restore meridians and the scriptures to He Heng, his expression earnest.
“Young friend, today you have truly opened my eyes. Would you be willing to join our Clear One Sect and become my closed-door disciple?”
“…”
Upon hearing this, He Heng tucked the medicine into his bosom and looked at Wan Gu Dan Sheng, shaking his head firmly, “I appreciate the kindness, but I already have a master. Even though I was just expelled from the sect today.”
“Yes, for a day as a master, a lifetime as…”
Before the words could finish, a cold voice interrupted from behind,
“A lifetime as what?”
He Heng turned around to see Yan Qing’an, who had arrived at some point. He was wearing a white Daoist robe, arms crossed, leaning against the door frame, gazing at him with a piercing look.
Yan Qing’an had a somewhat ambiguous expression, revealing a mix of anger and amusement.
He Heng’s heart skipped a beat,
He had forgotten to say “A lifetime as a father.” just now.
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