Chapter 191: The Girl Qingchen, Method To Break The Bottleneck
Ten thousand acres of fertile land have all turned to dust.
And this Mianyi Residence, was once the attached courtyard compound of a wealthy merchant, not the main residence.
The main residence had already been demolished.
Even so, it was located near the East City Gate, a place of tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle, facing south and built on a north-facing foundation, with three courtyards in succession.
Most crucially, the residence had a pond dug in a corner of the courtyard, and had bribed officials to secretly open a well in the public irrigation channel, diverting water into their own pond.
Although it was not flowing water, nor a spring, the water was turbid, belonging to the lowest tier of murky water.
But to possess a pond of water was almost the dream of every Wuqing resident.
Entered Mianyi Residence.
As expected.
On the screen wall in the courtyard, a carving of cranes and pine trees symbolized longevity, and the flush-gabled roof covered with grey tiles was dusted with light snow.
The lanterns under the eaves, though unlit, exuded an aura of rustic elegance, far surpassing the dilapidated room in Chaodou Hutong.
Especially upon seeing the pond adorned with ornamental stones, and planted with weeping willows and green bamboo.
The clamor of the outside world instantly receded, leaving only this small haven.
If one were to practice martial arts or cultivate here, unless there was a thunderous disturbance, it would be extremely difficult to be discovered by the outside world.
Chen Shun’an then realized the rarity and preciousness of Mianyi Residence.
Apart from its ordinary scale, not being grand.
It was already considered a top-tier residence in Wuqing County, with value but no market, something that would absolutely not circulate in the marketplace!
Zhao Guangxi was able to select this residence and bestow it upon Chen Shun’an.
He truly treated him as a confidant.
Stepping on the bluestone path, parting flowers and brushing willows along the way.
He saw a secluded small courtyard.
In the courtyard, a magnificent grape trellis.
Beneath it hung a swing, gently swaying in the evening breeze.
Although the grapes had fallen, a layer of snowflakes accumulated.
But it seemed to have been meticulously maintained, with no fallen leaves on the ground, and the vines were of gnarled branches, quite tasteful.
The door of the main room creaked open.
A woman emerged, clad in a moon-white Daoist robe, her dark hair tied up with a wooden hairpin, and her loose robe could not conceal her shapely figure.
Her plain face, unadorned by makeup, exuded an ethereal purity, like that of a secluded valley.
“Poor Daoist Qingchen, greets the noble person.”
The Daoist nun bent her waist slightly and bowed gracefully, her movements revealing a hint of charm.
Truly alluring without being seductive, refined without being vulgar.
“There is no need for such formality. This residence, and everything within it, now belongs to Chen.”
Chen Shun’an’s words carried the casual tone of a master as he strolled into the room.
“Qingchen is already aware, Noble Consort Chen.”
Qingchen followed slowly behind him, neither angry nor pleased.
The interior was simply furnished, with only a sandalwood incense burner emitting a faint aroma, and an unfinished copy of the Diamond Sutra on the desk.
Seeing this, Chen Shun’an’s gaze sharpened, and he turned to sit before the desk, looking at Qingchen with a scrutinizing gaze and said,
“Who are you? How old are you? Why did you end up in a nuns’ temple? What is this scripture called, and do you understand its meaning?”
Qingchen lowered her eyes, her voice betraying no emotion.
“Qingchen is from Fujian. My ancestors were originally involved in salt transportation. Later, my family was confiscated due to involvement in a Lianghuai salt permit case. Poor Daoist…”
Chen Shun’an interrupted Qingchen.
“You may refer to yourself as ‘nu jia,’ ‘qie shen,’ or ‘xiao nü,’ but you absolutely cannot call yourself ‘poor Daoist’.”
His words carried an irrefutable domineering tone.
The title “poor Daoist” was too grand, not something just anyone could bear.
“…Qingchen was sent to a nuns’ temple from a young age,” Qingchen said after a moment of silence, “I studied the Four Books and Five Classics, and played the Peking Opera, Kunqu, and Yue Opera. I must be about twenty years old.”
“As for this scripture, it is called You Xue Qiong Lin, written in rhyming prose, merely a rudimentary book to enlighten young children.”
*Thump!*
Chen Shun’an picked up the Diamond Sutra from the desk and threw it heavily onto the ground in front of Qingchen, saying coldly, “Then recite it.”
Qingchen bent down and slowly picked up the scripture, her slender neck tilted, seemingly unperturbed by Chen Shun’an’s rude gesture.
Her rosy lips parted, her voice elegant.
“Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was in the Jetavana monastery, in the garden of Anathapindika, in Shravasti…”
As Qingchen recited the scripture, each word was crisp, each sound melodious, imbued with profound wisdom, truly causing Chen Shun’an to squint his eyes and become immersed in it.
He had confirmed that the Daoist nun before him, much like Scholar Ma, was a talent who could regard Eight-legged Essays, the Four Books and Five Classics, and other books as Daoist Scriptures and Military Strategies.
It’s just that…
Chen Shun’an glanced around the room at the books, all of which were classics of Esoteric Buddhism, such as the Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra, the Kangyur, and the Diamond Sutra.
What Daoist nun Qingchen, she was clearly a little nun Qingchen.
And she seemed to be somewhat one-sided, only excelling in these scriptures of Right Awakening Buddhism.
Unlike Scholar Ma, who was practically omniscient, covering everything from the Five Movements and Six Qi, martial Dao and military strategies, to the heavens and earth… truly a great talent!
“Alright, you recited well… do your nuns’ temple, or rather, your sisters, all know how to recite these?”
Chen Shun’an interrupted Qingchen and stood up.
There were not many talents who could understand Daoist Scriptures and Military Strategies.
After Chen Shun’an took charge of the Precious Proclamation and possessed the shattered Divine Status of the Water Origin Great Emperor, allowing him to ignore the ubiquitous Obstruction of Perception of the Sacred Dynasty, he had encountered no more than a handful of such individuals.
Those who were on good terms with him, considered his own people, were only Scholar Ma and the female infant still in swaddling clothes at the Orphanage.
Now, Qingchen was another one.
Therefore, if that nuns’ temple could truly “mass-produce” such talents, gathering heroes…
“Not many.”
Qingchen lowered her eyes, gently dusting off the scripture and holding it in her hands, her tone still calm.
“The nuns’ temple, from top to bottom, including the Masters, has over sixty people. Only twenty to thirty can study and recite scriptures; the rest are just… fools.”
Nearly half of them were talented?!
This proportion was too terrifying!
Upon hearing this, Chen Shun’an became quite curious about this nuns’ temple.
The land of Fujian…
Chen Shun’an silently noted down this place name.
“I am tired, I will dance a bit, and then continue singing scriptures.”
Chen Shun’an picked up the wine, grabbed the fruit box, and lay back on the chair, looking at Qingchen.
Upon hearing this, Qingchen slowly placed the Buddhist scripture back into the bookshelf, then took out a handkerchief and meticulously wiped her hands.
In an instant, her flowing sleeves danced like clouds emerging from a mountain peak, her graceful figure like snow being tossed about.
As her body spun, a clear and melodious chanting voice arose, with distinct words and phrases.
Truly a song of pearly teeth and a dance of a slender waist.
Elegant, so damn elegant!
Chen Shun’an felt a sense of depravity and decided to continue his fierce critique!
And just as Chen Shun’an was immersed and somewhat lost in himself.
Something within him also became immersed.
Several tendrils suddenly extended from his pores, spreading inch by inch, undulating behind Chen Shun’an, forming a faint shadow, as if dancing in rhythm with Qingchen’s chanting.
The chanting abruptly stopped, and her flowing sleeves fell limply to the ground.
*Thud,*
*Thud!*
Qingchen suddenly retreated two steps, the hem of her moon-white Daoist robe sweeping across the charcoal brazier on the floor, scattering a few sparks.
Her almond-shaped eyes widened, a hint of terror in them, and she pointed at Chen Shun’an’s back.
Chen Shun’an suddenly reacted, his gaze turning cold, and with a flick of his finger, his Flying Immortal Strength transformed into a chilling, several-foot-long silken thread, which shot out silently and swiftly, grazing his shoulder.
The tendrils were all broken and fell from the air.
“Huh?!”
At the same time, Chen Shun’an let out a muffled groan, and a piercing pain shot through him.
It was as if what had just been severed were not external objects, but his own meridians.
Chen Shun’an’s figure instantly disappeared from his original spot, flashing several times, even briefly appearing behind Qingchen, intending to use her as a human shield against the unknown danger.
Finally, Chen Shun’an appeared under the grape trellis in the courtyard.
Snow fell on the grapevines, rustling.
He opened his hands, holding several tendrils in his palm, resembling some kind of ginseng or ganoderma, quite resilient and full of vitality…
Then, under Chen Shun’an’s gaze, these tendrils almost ascended, slowly dissipating, and finally turning into a handful of dust.
A gust of wind scattered them, leaving only a trace of coolness.
Seeing this, Chen Shun’an’s expression suddenly turned grim.
Yin dregs extinguished, corpse qi vanished.
Has Chen Mou truly turned into Flesh Ganoderma?!
He subconsciously reached for the part of his body where the tendrils had appeared, but it was empty, with no abnormalities.
He circulated his Qi and Blood, internally sensing his internal organs, and detected no sign of anything amiss.
It seemed that what he had seen and felt was merely an illusion.
According to Elder Feng, this phenomenon is a slight anomaly that occurs in martial artists practicing different martial arts as their Six Thieves’ Conscious Spirit is gradually subdued and they approach the Martial Dao Grandmaster stage, with Yin dregs completely expelled and a transition from death to life.
However, for some individuals, the anomaly is greater, requiring them to use various external aids to connect their Root of Life and increase their chances of successfully passing the stage of “Yin dregs extinguished, corpse qi vanished.”
This is why Elder Feng has always been accompanied by a banyan tree, inseparable, yet also unable to be separated.
Elder Feng had also advised Chen Shun’an to make plans early and find a high-quality ganoderma to plant at home.
To facilitate a future connection.
“This is called a slight anomaly? And needing external aids, isn’t it like sacrificing to external objects, becoming their nourishment!”
Chen Shun’an’s gaze flickered, finding the situation somewhat troublesome.
Moreover, this thing was quite unsolvable.
He had undergone physical changes through the Divine Aspects of Qing Ji and Ran Yi Fish, gaining Tiger Tendon Leopard Vein and opening up his Mud Pill.
Whether it was the Essence corresponding to his physique, or the Divine Essence corresponding to his Intent.
Both far surpassed martial artists of the same realm, hence the so-called Heaven-sent talent, Martial Saint’s talent.
However, the stronger Chen Shun’an became, the greater the obstruction of “Yin dregs extinguished, corpse qi vanished.”
Like a noxious sprout growing in fertile soil.
The fertility would instead become nourishment for the noxious sprout.
Therefore, Chen Shun’an had two ways to overcome the “Yin dregs extinguished, corpse qi vanished” hurdle and eliminate the noxious sprout.
The first method: Use external resources to achieve one’s goal.
Martial Dao Grandmasters all successfully passed this hurdle before achieving the Three Refinements Combined.
Therefore, Master Tie Yu, who once wrestled with a Flood Dragon and was the progenitor of the Liangjiang Military Academy; and Hai Chuan Wu Sheng, the founder of Great Accomplishment Fist, who eliminated the West Mountain fierce demon and the tomb-guarding toad.
Both must have known the inside story or mastered secret methods that could help overcome this hurdle.
Although the former had perished, he left behind a tomb and iron ore, which might hide secrets related to this.
As for the latter, he was still alive, though in secluded cultivation.
The last time he appeared was ten years ago.
The second method: Burn the sprout!
Extremes give rise to their opposites; misfortune leads to fortune.
Since the stage of “Yin dregs extinguished, corpse qi vanished” is related to transforming the Conscious Spirit into the Nascent Spirit, and to one’s own Three Essences of Spirit, Qi, and Energy…
Then I shall continue diligent cultivation, bravely advancing with Add Points.
Upgrade the two major Divine Aspects again, or even choose new Divine Aspects.
If three are not enough, then four…
To achieve the Three Refinements Combined before breaking through to Martial Dao Grandmaster, becoming perfectly complete and leak-proof, and forcefully bursting this noxious sprout!
Simple, crude, but effective!
