Chapter 304: Still Need Guidance? Damn, It’s Really This Simple?
After Yuan Xin hung up the telephone, he also sent a message in the student group he managed: “This time there is a guidance team. I will take three students with me. If you are willing, write an application letter, and I will select people.”
When they saw this message, the student group he led immediately became lively.
Everyone knew there were benefits in this kind of matter. It was the lowest-cost way to accumulate practical experience and build high-value connections.
Most importantly, it was a credential that would be very beneficial after graduation.
Before long, a girl dressed flamboyantly hurried to Yuan Xin’s office and personally submitted a written application.
Looking at this perceptive student, Yuan Xin smiled in satisfaction. He knew this student would be one of the members of the guidance team.
Just then, he received a call from that leader and knew the matter must have reached a result.
To show off a little in front of the female student, he put the call on speaker himself: “Leader, have you already contacted them? When is our guidance team setting out?”
But what came from the mobile phone was not the answer he wanted: “Professor Yuan, forget the guidance team. Those Daoist priests at Wudang are gathering only to study Daoist scriptures and copy scriptures. What are you going there for? To guide them in writing Daoist scriptures? Do you even understand Daoist scriptures? You may not be afraid of losing face, but I am.”
Clearly, all the anger suffered at Qingwei Daoist Priest’s side was now being vented on Yuan Xin.
If not for Yuan Xin, he would not have called that Qing Wei Daoist Priest and then been rebuffed so harshly.
The key was that Daoist priest did not give him any face at all, and he had no method to deal with it.
In this new era, people have freedom of belief, and he truly had no authority over the other side.
If you really stir things up, there are so many Daoist priests in the Daoist sect, so many people, so many believers, and so many accounts with fans online…
How are you going to deal with that?
When the iron rule of “undermining freedom of belief” and the label of “destroying harmony and unity” comes down on you, that is it.
That Daoist priest only had to say “believe in science,” and he could not withstand it. He could withstand even less such labels.
After a round of questioning from the leader, Yuan Xin instantly felt he had lost face in front of the female student, and hurriedly said, “Leader, claiming to discuss Daoist scriptures must be their wording. They clearly want to repair the Golden Summit and study Feng Shui.”
On the other end of the mobile phone, upon hearing this, the leader cut him off decisively: “Yuan Xin, if you want to seek your own death, go by yourself. Do not drag others in. I know nothing about this.”
Before Yuan Xin could say more, the call was hung up.
Yuan Xin immediately felt he had lost all face in front of the female student, but he still smiled and said to her, “Xiao Yuan, go get ready. You will be one of the members of the guidance team this time.”
Xiao Yuan instinctively asked, “Teacher, just now didn’t you…”
Yuan Xin replied calmly, “What the leader means by knowing nothing is tacit approval for us to go. In principle no, in practice yes.”
He had already made up his mind. If this method did not work, he would use the name of the university to form a joint supervision group. That was still a supervision team, was it not?
The only difference was the lack of official endorsement.
If he could bluff and intimidate Wudang with the name of a supervision team, the follow-up would be easy to handle, and in the end, the pen would be in their hands.
…
Wudang Golden Summit.
Qingwei Daoist Priest saw that Chen Han had been continuously examining the Golden Summit buildings and asked expectantly, “Chen Family Head, have you discovered something?”
Chen Han did not hide anything and said, “There is indeed a Feng Shui formation here at the Golden Summit, but it has been damaged. I lack specific information, so I cannot fully understand it.”
Hearing this, Qingwei Daoist Priest’s expression lit up, and he quickly instructed Daoist Priest Chen, “Junior brother, take people to bring up the fragmentary Feng Shui map handed down from Patriarch Sanfeng, and detailed topographical maps. Bring everything, both ancient and modern.”
“Yes, senior brother.” Daoist Priest Chen nodded and hurried down the mountain with people.
His urgency was obvious.
After all, if the Chen Family Head said there was a Feng Shui formation at Wudang Golden Summit, then there really was one.
The Daoist priests around them also became eager to try, because the Feng Shui exchange meeting had truly begun, using Wudang’s Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit as the topic of discussion.
Celestial Master Zhang directly suggested, “Fellow Daoists, since Wudang has invited us to help study this Golden Summit Feng Shui formation, let us take action and examine the surrounding situation together to see if we can discover anything.”
This proposal was met with approval from the Daoist priests.
Although they knew the main figure was the Chen Family Head, everyone had spent considerable time studying those two Feng Shui books. They had to try and see.
While the Daoist priests observed the surroundings, an elderly female Daoist of Wudang came up. Her seniority was clearly high, and Qingwei Daoist Priest treated her very respectfully.
Behind this elder were two disciples.
Crucially, Chen Han saw Xiao Mi. She had come up together with three female Daoists. When she saw Chen Han, she happily came over. “Chen Han, are the Daoist priests studying the Feng Shui of the Golden Summit peak?”
“Yes.” Chen Han nodded.
Now excited, Xiao Mi pulled Chen Han along to examine the area around the Golden Summit.
She had also read those two Feng Shui books.
After all, her name was in those two books as a special advisor.
Previously, when Chen Han produced the two books, Xiao Yu had handled them and kept two copies for herself, which Xiao Mi had taken to study.
After a while, she excitedly pointed in one direction and said, “Chen Han, this is a ‘sitting mountain, facing water’ pattern, right? There are seventy-two peaks here at Wudang. Every place really contains natural Feng Shui patterns.”
“According to geography, it means backing onto tall mountains and facing open waters. Such a geographical environment can regulate the climate and create a good ecological environment.”
“Chen Han, am I right?”
“Yes, completely correct.” Chen Han could not help feeling emotion. Xiao Mi truly had a gift for learning.
Many of the Daoist priests around recognized this lay Buddhist Xiao Mi. Previously, during the Chen clan’s Feng Shui exchange, she had been the consultant on geography.
Once she arrived, Daoist Priest Xuan Shi and others who knew the situation introduced her to their senior and junior brothers.
So, when they heard she also wanted to examine the Feng Shui around the Golden Summit, they were very curious. Now, hearing her explanation and seeing her link it with geography truly amazed them.
They were actually not as good as she was.
This…
However, the Daoist priests were, after all, cultivators. They quickly calmed themselves and began, one by one, to describe the various Feng Shui patterns contained around the Golden Summit and across the seventy-two peaks of Wudang.
Some of what they said was wrong, some was correct, but they covered most of the Feng Shui patterns. In any case, those two Feng Shui books had not been read in vain.
Chen Han was also observing these individual Feng Shui patterns. He wanted to see whether, without relying on the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone, and based only on the Feng Shui knowledge he had accumulated recently, he could discover anything himself.
Although he had the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone as a cheat, there was no harm in mastering more real skill.
After a period of observation, a hint of joy appeared on his face.
He could vaguely sense some scattered qi connecting the geography and terrain of the seventy-two peaks of Wudang.
To verify this, he pretended to go behind the Golden Summit and, when the Daoist priests were not paying attention, took out the New Five Emperors Sword.
The New Five Emperors Sword could sense geography and terrain.
Holding the sword, he closed his eyes and felt. Sure enough, he sensed Wudang’s unique and magnificent natural geography and could not help admiring the exceptional advantages of this famous scenic land.
Moreover, that kind of qi did indeed exist and was not his illusion, which showed that his study of Feng Shui had produced real results.
After putting away the New Five Emperors Sword, Chen Han was even more surprised.
The Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit might be using special Feng Shui qi meridians to combine the natural Feng Shui patterns of Wudang’s seventy-two peaks into a Feng Shui formation.
Furthermore, through the sword’s sensing of the geography and terrain, combined with the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone, he had a strange feeling about this formation.
It seemed very similar to a “Seven Stars Same Mountain cooperative Feng Shui formation” described in 《intermediate Feng Shui》.
If so, that was rather unbelievable.
This so-called Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit was not a place where lightning just happened to strike, but where the Feng Shui formation drew the lightning down.
Simply put, if a dark cloud passed overhead carrying a stifled thunderbolt that had no intention of discharging here, this formation would still pull it down to strike here.
If that was the case, Patriarch Sanfeng, who had conceived such a way of using natural geography, was absolutely an extraordinary figure.
And if it was really like this, the purpose of drawing down lightning with this Feng Shui formation could not be just to temper the Golden Summit, to create some golden, dazzling wonder.
But this Feng Shui formation had been constructed during the Yongle era with the power of an entire country, according to the blueprint left by Patriarch Sanfeng, who had already passed away by then.
So, no one might know Sanfeng’s specific purpose.
Before long, Daoist Priest Chen returned with people, carrying up large quantities of Wudang’s geographical information from ancient and modern times.
It was called “carrying” because there was truly a lot.
Some Daoist priests also moved tables out from nearby buildings and placed the information on them.
Daoist Priest Chen took out one specific map and carefully laid it flat on a table. This map had originally been rolled up and preserved in a special scroll case used for cultural relics.
Once unrolled, the contents of the fragmentary map could be seen.
Daoist Priest Chen introduced it: “Chen Family Head, fellow Daoists, this fragmentary Feng Shui formation map is what our Patriarch Sanfeng of Wudang left behind.”
“In the Yongle era, they built the Golden Summit and many palaces according to this map… the map is damaged here, and everyone understands the reason, that era is unspeakable… and here is…”
As he introduced it, he pointed to corresponding positions on the map, explaining which places they represented today.
The surrounding Daoist priests had already gathered close, studying it carefully, focusing most of their attention on the fragmentary map left by Patriarch Sanfeng.
Although this Wudang Feng Shui formation diagram was incomplete, it still retained most of its content. By contrast, what they had on their own sides was pitiful; they did not even know whether similar materials existed.
At this moment, however, Chen Han was staring in surprise at the game prompt on the light screen in his mind:
【The Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone has discovered one piece of supporting information related to an incomplete Feng Shui formation. Analysis progress increased by 1%. Current progress: 1%.】
…
【The Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone has discovered one piece of supporting information related to an incomplete Feng Shui formation. Analysis progress increased by 60%. Current progress: 79%. Relevant Feng Shui patterns have been deduced!】
…
【The Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone has discovered one piece of supporting information related to an incomplete Feng Shui formation. Analysis progress increased by 2%. Current progress: 90%. Relevant Feng Shui patterns have been deduced!】
Looking at the string of game prompts, Chen Han understood that this geographical information was indeed useful for the Thunder Fire Alchemy Peak Formation.
The 60% jump came from the fragmentary Feng Shui formation map left by Patriarch Sanfeng, which showed how important the diagram was.
But it was only 60%, likely because the formation diagram was incomplete.
The key issue was that the analysis progress had now stopped at 90%. It was unclear whether this was because of the diagram’s incompleteness or some other reason.
Moreover, as the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone collected information and ran its analysis, it began to emit guiding light that others could not see, spreading in all directions.
This was the Feng Shui indicator icons of the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone appearing again.
The higher the analysis progress, the farther the light spread and the more icons appeared, such as the indicated positions of deduced Feng Shui patterns and their corresponding configurations.
In Chen Han’s eyes, the surroundings were already filled with dense Feng Shui indicators, but in the eyes of Celestial Master Zhang, Qingwei Daoist Priest, and the others, everything remained calm.
Chen Han picked up a topographical map and went to look at a house below, making comparisons.
This combination of houses and terrain formed an excellent “momentum-guiding pattern.”
Here, “momentum” was a metaphor; it could be any kind of thing. According to the patterns of mutual generation and restraint among the five elements and the interconnections of all things, different setups here could guide different forces.
And on the mountain peak above, if wood-type structures were set up, the implications were obvious.
They had all heard of lightning-struck wood.
But when Chen Han looked at the flanking buildings, his brows furrowed slightly.
This movement of his, of course, caught the attention of the other Daoist priests, who all followed him.
Qingwei Daoist Priest could not help asking, “Chen Family Head, is there something wrong?”
Chen Han countered, “This was rebuilt before, right?”
Qingwei Daoist Priest nodded. “Yes. After the lightning nets were installed, instead of providing protection, they led to damage to the buildings. That was when they were rebuilt, under the responsibility of an expert.”
“He also said wooden structures were too dangerous in the face of lightning, with low protection. He happened to have developed a new building material that was excellent in lightning protection. His research materials even use us as a benchmark in promotion.”
“Half-wood, mixed-brick, right?” Chen Han said, feeling the material.
“Yes.” Qingwei Daoist Priest nodded, then asked in puzzlement, “Chen Family Head, is something wrong with that?”
Chen Han shook his head. “Originally it was a wood-attribute pattern. Now it is half earth, half wood, so of course it is ruined.”
“Brick-wood” originally referred to structures combining bricks and timber, but with the rise of new materials, semi-wood mixed materials appeared.
These materials were very popular and were even one of the best-selling building materials, because they could create retro buildings with a wooden appearance while still having good structural safety.
If lightning actually struck, buildings of such materials were safer.
So the expert in charge of construction could not really be blamed. Not believing in Feng Shui, as a construction professional he naturally followed his own knowledge.
But in Feng Shui, and specifically in this Feng Shui formation, this was a serious mistake.
Thinking further, the real damage to the formation had still come from those lightning rods and lightning nets. Adding a metal layer to a sound Feng Shui formation and forcibly changing the strike points caused the energy to scatter.
When the thunder fire did not strike the designated lightning positions but hit other parts of the formation instead, the result was predictable.
Qingwei Daoist Priest understood. “So, Chen Family Head, you are saying that this architecture is wrong and must be restored to its original wooden structure?”
Chen Han nodded. “At least most of the structure must be like that.”
“What should we do then?” Daoist Priest Chen’s face changed, and so did Qingwei Daoist Priest’s.
At this time, other Daoist priests also saw that these buildings were hung with signs.
Protected building.
With an ID card.
Wudang had no right to demolish and rebuild these structures.
This was difficult.
They had destroyed the original, and the reconstruction had become the protected building.
One Celestial Master said, “There should be ways to compensate. The formation requires a wood-attribute pattern here. If we plant peach trees or other wood-type trees around the perimeter, it should make up for it. In the 《Feng Shui Secret Records》 written by Chen Family Head, there are sections about reinforcing Feng Shui patterns.”
“This method does work.” Chen Han nodded. In the indicator map of the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone, there was indeed such a solution.
Qingwei Daoist Priest did not hesitate and said to Daoist Priest Chen, “Junior brother Chen, arrange for people to handle this immediately. Try to plant the peach trees outside today.”
“Understood.” Daoist Priest Chen nodded.
Although this was difficult, Wudang had money. Getting it done today was not a problem.
Afterward, the Daoist priests continued studying those topographical materials.
Chen Han did the same, pretending to be absorbed in them.
Until Qingwei Daoist Priest asked again, “Chen Family Head, although everyone can identify the related Feng Shui patterns, we have no clue about how to construct the formation itself.”
Chen Han understood what he meant. “Qingwei Daoist Priest, I already have some ideas and can even sketch out the general formation, but it still feels like something is missing. If you do not mind, I would like to enter the Wudang Library to consult relevant ancient books and look for clues.”
As for that missing 10%, he did not know what it was. Without a completed analysis, the formation diagram might still be incomplete, and he could not be sure whether the formation could ultimately be restored.
So, if the existing materials were not enough, he had to try his luck with Wudang’s ancient books.
Qingwei Daoist Priest agreed without hesitation. “Chen Family Head, no problem. I will have someone take you.”
The Wudang book collection was generally not open to outsiders, and many were of antique level, but it depended on who was asking.
Especially now that the Feng Shui formation depended on this Chen Family Head. As long as the formation succeeded, not to mention reading, even if he wanted some of the ancient books, Wudang would give them to him.
After this, people at Wudang began to take action.
Qingwei Daoist Priest personally led Chen Han to the Library.
By the afternoon, the peach trees ordered by Daoist Priest Chen had arrived. Since this concerned the Feng Shui formation, he personally led people to inspect them before sending them up the mountain for planting.
The speed and execution were quite impressive.
“Daoist Priest Chen, do you still not trust the trees from our base? We have been working together for so long,” said the boss of the planting base who had delivered the peach trees.
Wudang was an old and major client, often ordering plants. There was no way he would dare be careless.
“These peach trees are particularly important this time, so we must be cautious,” Daoist Priest Chen explained, then saw his Sect Leader Senior Brother hurrying down, as if something had happened.
He quickly followed and asked when he got close, “Senior brother, why are you in such a hurry? What happened?”
Qingwei Daoist Priest explained, “It is all because of those videos online. The ones saying we are going to repair the Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit are still circulating. Many tourists think it is true. Curiosity is dangerous. Now many tourists are asking about this, and some even want to come up. We need to go explain.”
“Understood.” Daoist Priest Chen nodded.
They went down the mountain together and arrived at the entrance of the scenic spot.
As soon as they arrived, the two Daoist priests saw the tourists gathered there.
When they saw the two priests, the tourists began asking:
“Daoist priests, when will the Golden Summit reopen?”
“Daoist priests, are you really going to repair the Golden Summit Feng Shui?”
“…”
Faced with these questions, Qingwei Daoist Priest replied directly, “Dear tourists, there is no such thing as Feng Shui here. The Golden Summit is closed because construction is underway, and we are planting some vegetation. We will release a video later.”
“As for Feng Shui, that is all nonsense. Please believe in science. Those people online are making up stories for traffic. You are all smart people; do not be fools led by them.”
“Everyone should believe in science,” Daoist Priest Chen echoed.
Hearing this, the tourists could only feel helpless. What else could they do?
With both Daoist priests explaining it like this, if they did not believe in science, they would be the fools being led.
No one wanted to be that fool.
So the crowd dispersed for now. The two Daoist priests also said they would soon post a video and that the Golden Summit would reopen soon.
Some tourists were still half-convinced, but the two Daoist priests continued to coax and guide them down the mountain.
Ordinary tourists could not withstand the persuasion of these two Daoist priests. When it came to persuasion, they were professionals.
After finally dispersing the tourists, they sighed in relief and returned to Wulong Palace. But as soon as they reached the hall, they saw another Daoist priest waiting.
Upon seeing them, he hurried over. “Sect Leader Senior Brother, there is something. A so-called guidance team has sent us a letter saying they want to come guide us. Please take a look.”
Qingwei Daoist Priest took it and immediately frowned.
Something was off, very off.
Daoist Priest Chen also sensed something wrong and instinctively said, “Sect Leader Senior Brother, are these people not afraid we might deal with them?”
In the Wudang Library, looking at an ancient book in front of him, Chen Han also felt something very off.
“This is indeed the one.” Holding the book on Tai Chi, Chen Han frowned and looked again at the game prompt that had appeared:
【The Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone has discovered a special book that seems to contain records of the Wudang Feng Shui formation. It may make up for deficiencies in the Feng Shui formation analysis. Formation analysis in progress…】
After entering the Library, Chen Han had scanned it once with the Spirit Record Stone and found this Tai Chi book.
But after flipping through it many times, he had found nothing.
Could it really be like in television dramas and novels, with an interlayer?
That was too cliché, was it not?
He tried to check and was stunned. So the more cliché it was, the more it worked?
There really was an interlayer.
He quickly took out a small knife, cut open the interlayer, and found a thin piece of something made with unknown fabric inside.
Given that it had been preserved until now, the material clearly was not simple.
【The Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone has discovered one piece of supporting information related to an incomplete Feng Shui formation. Analysis progress increased by 10%. Current progress: 100%. Congratulations on completing the Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit Feng Shui formation analysis!】
Chen Han’s face lit up. He immediately checked what this crucial 10% was.
When he saw the description “place the Feng Shui Stone within the Golden Summit, draw down thunder, and the formation is established,” he froze for a moment.
The key to the Wudang Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit Feng Shui formation was actually also a Feng Shui Stone?
He thought for a long time. Was it really that simple?
The crucial point was that Patriarch Sanfeng’s goal for this Feng Shui formation truly was to draw down lightning.
This purpose was absolutely not simple.
……
