Legend of the Cultivation God

Zhang Xiaohua had intended to give the two papers back to He Tianshu. Thinking that he was trying his best to grasp the dense footsteps, Zhang Xiaohua was afraid that he would annoy him if he went there now. In addition, he might not teach him the technique of lightening body if he could not exercise the inner energy cultivation method. However, he might master the method in the future. Wouldn’t he be able to circulate the qi when he could retain the yuan qi on his acupoints? Taking advantage of this opportunity to understand these two qinggongs was his top priority.

Having this in mind, Zhang Xiaohua sat down peacefully and began to comprehend the qinggongs attentively.

Zhang Xiaohua had studied the qinggongs for a whole afternoon and walked out of his room at dusk.

Instead of being joyful, he was baffled by the martial arts techniques. He had basically understood and memorized both of them after a whole afternoon’s effort. Zhang Xiaohua was confident that he could perform these two qinggongs if he had inner energy in his body.

What confused Zhang Xiaohua was that a clear figure could not take shape in his mind no matter how he understood the first technique of lightening body, though he was sure that he had learned it, but the second technique of lightening body could form a clear figure in his mind.

Why was this?

Zhang Xiaohua had poured more energy into understanding the first martial arts technique. He had comprehended it three times before he confirmed that he learned it and began to grasp the second technique of lightening body. Zhang Xiaohua hadn’t expected he understood the second technique of lightening body so smoothly that he finished understanding and formed a clear figure in his mind after comprehending it twice, it probably because he had grasped the first technique of lightening body just then. Zhang Xiaohua could see from the figure how the qi in the meridians release and how to control it. At this time, Zhang Xiaohua recalled that there was no clear figure in his mind when practicing the first technique of lightening body, so he tried it again. But this time, no matter how he comprehended the first technique of lightening body, he couldn’t see any figure in his mind. He didn’t give up until it grew dark.

Maybe he comprehended wrong, Zhang Xiaohua guessed.

At dinner, Zhang Xiaohua’s mind was still full of thoughts. He did not notice other people looking at him with respect. Besides, his appetite was not very good. When he just began to stay in the manor villa, he used to eat a lot after practicing fist martial arts. Zhang Xiaohua was in the time of physical growth, so he was always the first to come to the dining hall while the last one to go. Because of that, those young servants often laughed at him.

But recently, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t get much of an appetite. This seemed to be a bit strange. After all, now he learned martial arts hard, having a lot of exercise. Normally, he should eat more than before.

Maybe:

He languished and suffered for martial arts willingly¹?

The sorrows of young Zhang Xiaohua²?

His nostalgia came around?

The young servants next to him were gossiping. They seemed to have found a new topic.

Zhang Xiaohua turned a deaf ear to this. He took a few mouthfuls of food and hurried out.

He only left his back for others to laugh at.

Out of the small courtyard, Zhang Xiaohua did not go to the forest, but went directly to the straw mat shed besides the medicinal field. When passing through other medicinal fields, Zhang Xiaohua deliberately paid attention, but he did not find any more straw mat sheds.

It seemed that other young servants failed to show off their determination to practice martial arts.

At night, Zhang Xiaohua still practiced in straw mat shed. As he continued to pretend he sensed inner energy running in meridians, he suddenly had a new idea: since he used the method of figure of speech to learn the Worry Free Heart Sutra’s cultivation method, why didn’t he use it to practice qinggong?

At this time, Zhang Xiaohua recalled that there was no clear figure in his mind when practicing the first technique of lightening body, so he tried it again. But this time, no matter how he comprehended the first technique of lightening body, he couldn’t see any figure in his mind. He didn’t give up until it grew dark.

Maybe he comprehended wrong, Zhang Xiaohua guessed.

At dinner, Zhang Xiaohua’s mind was still full of thoughts. He did not notice other people looking at him with respect. Besides, his appetite was not very good. When he just began to stay in the manor villa, he used to eat a lot after practicing fist martial arts. Zhang Xiaohua was in the time of physical growth, so he was always the first to come to the dining hall while the last one to go. Because of that, those young servants often laughed at him.

But recently, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t get much of an appetite. This seemed to be a bit strange. After all, now he learned martial arts hard, having a lot of exercise. Normally, he should eat more than before.

Maybe:

He languished and suffered for martial arts willingly¹?

The sorrows of young Zhang Xiaohua²?

His nostalgia came around?

The young servants next to him were gossiping. They seemed to have found a new topic.

Zhang Xiaohua turned a deaf ear to this. He took a few mouthfuls of food and hurried out.

He only left his back for others to laugh at.

Out of the small courtyard, Zhang Xiaohua did not go to the forest, but went directly to the straw mat shed besides the medicinal field. When passing through other medicinal fields, Zhang Xiaohua deliberately paid attention, but he did not find any more straw mat sheds.

It seemed that other young servants failed to show off their determination to practice martial arts.

At night, Zhang Xiaohua still practiced in straw mat shed. As he continued to pretend he sensed inner energy running in meridians, he suddenly had a new idea: since he used the method of figure of speech to learn the Worry Free Heart Sutra’s cultivation method, why didn’t he use it to practice qinggong?

Anyway, he had learned two kinds of the inner energy cultivation method, why not imagine that inner energy was circulating in meridians and try to practice qinggong? However, the second technique of floating might have no figure of speech to do that, as he didn’t have inner energy, how could he release and manipulate it?

Thinking about it, Zhang Xiaohua fell asleep, and his body quickly adjusted to a frequency. The star energy outside the sky was immediately absorbed by him, and yuan qi in the heaven and earth were also absorbed by his body more effectively, everything was so harmonious.

The next day was a sunny day, Zhang Xiaohua only practiced fist martial arts and sword stance beside the straw mat shed as he needed to water the medicinal field. Therefore, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t have more time to practice his thoughts about qinggong last night.

Everything in the medicinal field was still the same, and the weeds became less, which lessened the labor of Zhang Xiaohua. If it continued like this, after one or two months, perhaps the weeds would disappear in the field.

Near noon, while Zhang Xiaohua was watering, he heard that someone on the ridge was calling him. When he looked up, he found it was Qiu Tong.

Zhang Xiaohua quickly walked over and asked with a smile, “Sister Qiu Tong, what brings you here today? On such a hot day, you may tan your skin.”

Qiu Tong replied, “I come here just for your business.”

Zhang Xiaohua was curious, “What’s the matter, sister Qiu Tong?”

Qiu Tong looked at him, smiling, “Guess, you really don’t know?”

Immediately, Zhang Xiaohua understood and tried to sound out, “Is it about Piaomiao martial arts display competition?”

Qiu Tong clapped and praised, “Yes, Zhang Xiaohua, exactly. Miss sent me to tell you that she has already signed up for you, and she will send someone to inform you that day.”

Translator’s Notes:

This is a quote from a Chinese poem.

Melody of Butterflies Chasing Flowers BY Liu Yong (987-1053 CE)

Long I stand on a high-rise in the gentle breeze,

Saddened is spring everywhere I see, the sky is vast yet overcast, all round is bleak.

In the remains of the day, in the hazy light the green of grass dims,

Against a rail I lean, yet who can through my quiescence my melancholy read.

I’d rather pretend to be a giddy eccentric looking to get tipsy,

When there is wine, singing follows, yet bland would be such imposed recreation.

Becoming loose are my clothes yet I regret not,

For I languish and suffer for her willingly.

2. This is a quote from the famous novel The Sorrows of Young Werther