Chapter 236: Chen Clan’s World Dao Discussion? Usage Conditions?
Longhu Mountain.
The Celestial Master and several mages all felt awkward.
Originally, since nobody could do it, there was no problem with them issuing that announcement. Everyone knew in their hearts that the Chen Clan had not taught the whole thing; no one really thought anyone was dull-witted.
Now someone had suddenly learned it, which meant that these people who had thought of themselves as dull-witted would really be seen by others as dull-witted.
Just like people online said: the Chen Clan already taught you, and you still cannot learn it, you might as well go hang yourself.
But how did Wudang manage to learn it?
What exactly was the difference?
It was not only Longhu Mountain. People at other Daoist Sect places who saw this were all baffled. The open-minded ones did not bother about their previous announcements. After all, they had posted them, and now deleted them; everyone knew perfectly well what mentality that was, which only added to the joke.
Some who were very proud and in a poor state of mind had already secretly deleted their announcements.
Only Wudang’s sect leader and those senior brothers including Chen Daoist Priest were full of excitement, because they had learned the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》, and after reciting it, they truly felt a special sensation.
After posting the announcement, Chen Daoist Priest could not help saying, “I did not expect this 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 to be so miraculous. It really is suitable for us cultivators to calm our hearts and minds.”
“Yes, the feeling of entering that special state is indeed very miraculous,” another senior brother said with a smile.
One senior brother joked, “It seems this 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 has only been learned by us at Wudang. Other places, including the people at Longhu Mountain, have not managed to learn it.”
Hearing this, Chen Daoist Priest suddenly said, “Sect leader, senior brothers, I actually have some guesses. This 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 should not be so easy to learn, and may even have conditions for its use.”
“According to what is said online, the effect of us reciting the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 definitely cannot match the effect on the Chen Clan’s side, and is even far inferior.”
“Moreover, none of the other Daoist Sect places have learned it, and only we at Wudang have. There must be a reason.”
These words made the sect leader and the other several senior brothers all nod together.
Many people online who had experienced the Chen Clan’s 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 described it as indeed having a better effect than their own recitation of the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》.
However, they did not know the specifics of how the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 was recited on the Chen Clan’s side.
One senior brother said, “Actually, as long as there is an effect, that is enough. It does not have to be exactly like on the Chen Clan’s side. After all, the tourists who go to the Chen Clan are the minority; more tourists instead come here to us. As for other Daoist Sects being unable to learn it, does that not highlight Wudang even more?”
These words made the others nod.
Chen Daoist Priest also understood that as long as there was an effect that tourists could feel, then tourists who came for that experience and their own sense of fulfillment would say the effect was good, even exaggerate it.
This was like the psychology in “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” When many people are saying the emperor’s clothes look good, even if others see clearly that the emperor is naked, they fear being thought stupid and dare not say that the emperor is not wearing clothes.
A liar’s single line, “Only smart people can see it,” is top-level psychological play.
The difference was that the emperor truly had no clothes, whereas Wudang had truly learned the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 and it truly had an effect.
At this moment, the sect leader instructed, “Since we have learned the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》, we might as well see which places in Wudang can serve as fixed locations for reciting the 《Quiet Heart Art》. Our Wudang is large, so we need to find several places and open them at fixed times.”
This received the agreement of Chen Daoist Priest and the others.
The Chen Clan’s place was not large, so two fixed sessions a day on the martial arts field to recite the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 were enough, but Wudang was quite large.
As for their original scripture-reciting hall, there were regulations on reciting certain Daoist Scriptures, which could not be changed at will.
So the group began walking all over Wudang to inspect locations.
As time passed, they chose quite a few places. After reciting the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 in those spots, the surroundings felt open and clear, and the effect was very good. At that time, arranging several people to recite the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 there so that tourists passing by could hear it would definitely bring great surprise.
In the end, the group went to one last place, the site of the Golden Summit.
The Golden Summit was truly Wudang’s eternal pain. For more than 500 years in the past, the legend of the Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit had always been passed down and had been Wudang’s calling card.
Many poets had even composed poems specifically for it.
Lines such as “a hundred years of thunder fire refining the golden hall,” “thunder fire cast into a golden summit,” and “it should meet thunder fire when refining copper” were well known, its fame spread for hundreds of years.
Whenever thunder fire descended, that place shone with dazzling golden light, extraordinarily spectacular. Emperors had even come specifically to watch.
Scenes like that had not appeared for a long time now.
The cause, of course, was some cultural relics protection experts using trivial authority as a pretext to carry out cultural relics protection and rectification at Wudang.
At that special time, the situation was sensitive; they did not dare voice objections and could only cooperate.
Otherwise, a few words from those experts could bring them trouble.
So those experts insisted on installing lightning rods on the Golden Summit as part of the renovation. And even after it had already been renovated, later, when it seemed a new person in charge took over, they wanted to install a Lightning Net on the Golden Summit.
This time, under thunder fire, instead of preventing lightning damage, they destroyed all the buildings around the Golden Summit, and several originally lifelike mysterious stones were shattered. After that, the legend of the Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit completely disappeared.
The Golden Summit would no longer, as before, shine with golden radiance when the sun first rose and the morning light bathed the golden cauldron. Now, even though the damaged buildings had been repaired, the golden cauldron itself was a patch of rust.
Most tragic of all, even though they had ruined Wudang’s ancient Golden Summit site, this matter instead became a bold, glorious entry in those experts’ records of achievements.
They had “successfully” completed the inspection, research, and renovation of the lightning protection problem at the Golden Summit and created the “great feat” of the Wudang Golden Summit Lightning Rod Protection Net.
Their students even wrote articles praising their contribution.
What a so-called great feat.
Truly, at that time, the people of Wudang felt they were born at the wrong time.
Otherwise…
At the same time, they also felt regret at their own incompetence, that they had never figured out how the previous wonder of the Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit had been created.
When Chen Daoist Priest and the sect leader arrived at the Golden Summit and saw the rusted scene, he could only rely on his imagination, picturing the legendary sight of the Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit.
The sect leader looked at the rust with helplessness. He could only instruct people to sit in meditation and recite the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》.
The sound of chanting rose once again.
Only this time, Chen Daoist Priest and the group looked at each other in dismay.
Because the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》, which had clearly had an effect before, now had no effect at all at the Golden Summit.
This puzzled them.
“How can this be?”
“Why did it suddenly stop working?”
“It clearly worked before.”
“…”
Unable to believe it, they immediately went back down to try other places, and soon found that the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 was effective again.
“What is going on?” Chen Daoist Priest asked in confusion.
The others also did not understand.
The sect leader immediately ordered, “Test it everywhere on Wudang. Check the situation.”
At once, the group made attempts all over Wudang, and in the end they really discovered something unexpected.
They found that in the various building complexes below the mountainside of Wudang Mountain, the art was basically ineffective, while it worked in places above.
Below the mountainside, there were more modern buildings or places renovated according to regulations, while above there were more historical sites, restored with great care, without major alterations, with no changes to the overall layout.
In those upper places, it worked.
They began to wonder whether this was related.
If it were only about lower and upper areas, it would not yet be conclusive evidence. But since it was also ineffective near the Golden Summit, that completely corroborated it.
The sect leader finally reached a conclusion: “It should be for this reason. As for the specifics, I am afraid only the Chen Clan knows. It seems we need to send someone over there to learn from them.”
Ultimately, Wudang made this decision.
As for who would go to visit the Chen Clan, that would naturally be Chen Daoist Priest. After all, in ancient times, every sect would send people to travel the land.
These travelers not only spread the sect’s teachings but also punished evil and promoted the sect’s reputation.
Now is the internet era. What Chen Daoist Priest was doing was actually no different from what those travelers did before.
Now, with the internet, many things can be spread nationwide while staying at Wudang. Without the internet, Chen Daoist Priest would have to carry a sword and go down the mountain.
After Wudang made its decision, they naturally used Chen Daoist Priest’s media account to publish an announcement video: “Wudang is extremely grateful to the Chen Clan for teaching the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 and making up for the Daoist Sect’s lost inheritance. Wudang will go in the manner of disciples paying respect to teachers, in gratitude for this instruction.”
The fact that Wudang had actually learned the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 truly shocked everyone. Even Chen Han’s side felt it was unbelievable.
He only found out when others tagged him and he clicked in to look.
Before this, he had, of course, seen how other Daoist Sect places had declared themselves dull-witted, saying they could not learn the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》.
This did not surprise him, since the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 came from the game system and required the magnetic field of a Feng Shui Formation to function.
Even if those Daoist Sect places had the full content of the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》, it would be useless.
What he had not expected was that someone had still managed to learn it. Wudang was quite impressive. He guessed that perhaps Wudang really had a natural Feng Shui Formation whose magnetic field happened to resonate with the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》.
If so, it was indeed possible.
He could only say that Wudang had hit the jackpot; he just did not know what kind of effect Wudang would have after learning the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》.
As Chen Han was thinking this, Xiao Yu ran quickly up to him. “Senior brother, look online. Wudang has learned the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 and they are sending people over to express gratitude with disciple rites. Should we respond?”
Hearing this, Chen Han took out his mobile phone, went online, and saw the announcement by that Chen Daoist Priest from Wudang.
Their etiquette was indeed very respectful.
Moreover, he was very curious about how Wudang had managed to learn it, so he instructed his junior sister, “Junior sister, reply to Wudang on behalf of the Chen Clan. The Chen Clan welcomes them to come and exchange on the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》.”
Xiao Yu nodded. After receiving her senior brother’s instructions, she immediately went back to her own courtyard to handle it. Since this reply carried a certain formality, she specially put on a plain Daoist robe before responding.
Her reply quickly caused a sensation online, especially since the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 was so popular online now.
Now that Wudang had learned it and was going to exchange with the Chen Clan, it naturally drew attention, particularly from the Daoist Sect.
Over at Longhu Mountain, after the Celestial Master learned that Wudang had mastered the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》, he and several mages kept staring at the big tree they had earlier mentioned for hanging a rope.
They were not really going to hang a rope and commit suicide. They were reflecting on themselves: reflecting on how they should not have spoken so arrogantly, reflecting on how, after they could not learn it, they just assumed others had not taught them everything, instead of considering that they themselves were truly dull-witted.
Now it was bad. Everyone knew they were dull-witted. How shameful. So they would reflect under this tree for a few days.
“How did Wudang manage to learn it?” one mage asked with a frown.
Another mage was also puzzled. “Clearly our musical notes were not wrong. Could it really be like that old guy from Baiyun Temple said, that it is because Wudang and the Chen Clan both worship the same deity? That Emperor Zhenwu is the Heavenly Lord of Demon Subjugation?”
These words made the others furrow their brows even more. If that were the case, would it not be quite awkward?
The key point was that this topic had already been widely discussed in many Daoist Sect chat groups, and many people agreed with it.
Many places that worshipped the Heavenly Lord of Demon Subjugation and Emperor Zhenwu had hurriedly started researching again.
As they were reflecting and discussing, a disciple suddenly rushed over to report, “Celestial Master, Celestial Master, big news. Wudang is going to visit the Chen Clan, and the Chen Clan has responded, welcoming them to the Chen Clan to exchange on the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》.”
The Celestial Master and the mages were stunned.
Wudang had just learned it and already connected with the Chen Clan?
Was that not a bit too fast?
The Celestial Master did not hesitate and quickly said, “Hurry, post an announcement before the others. Say that we will also go to join the grand event and listen to the Chen Clan’s teachings on the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》!”
Rather than guessing blindly here, it was better to send people to listen to the discussion between two successful sides. Would that not be more useful than anything else?
Of course, if they just went abruptly, it would seem somewhat abrupt and presumptuous. So they framed it as a grand event and humbly added the wording of seeking teachings, lowering their stance first.
The reporting disciple said awkwardly, “Celestial Master, quite a few places have already posted announcements, also saying that they will go join the grand event and listen to the Chen Clan’s teachings on the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》.”
“A bunch of old foxes,” the Celestial Master said speechlessly. But even so, they still had to send people, and the announcement still had to be made.
These Daoist Sect places all issued announcements in unison, which completely set off an uproar online.
After all, the last time the Daoist Sect had been this lively was probably only in novels.
For a moment, it really gave people the feeling of a world-level Dao Discussion.
Unconsciously, everyone suddenly realized that the Chen Clan’s status within the Daoist Sect seemed to have been instantly elevated to the highest level.
Linhe County.
These past two days, Chu Ping had been focused on the investment in planting led by Ms. Liao from Kaiwei Group. Her investment could create a great many positions, so he had to oversee it in person, and his attention to the Chen Clan had eased a bit.
Just as he finished dealing with the relevant documents, Chen Kai hurried in. “County Magistrate Chu, big news, big news, Daoist Sect places from all over are coming to visit the Chen Clan.”
“??” Chu Ping was puzzled.
“Quick, look at the videos on Douyin,” Chen Kai reminded him.
Chu Ping did not hesitate. He opened it and took a look, and immediately understood. Of course he knew about the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 and its effect.
He had simply not expected that this 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 could have such a huge impact. As people online said, this was like a world-level Dao Discussion.
He almost did not hesitate to order, “Quick, quickly make arrangements. Issue an announcement. For these Daoist Sect Daoist Priests coming to Linhe County, we will arrange unified accommodation, unified meals, and send special vehicles to escort them to and from the Chen Clan. We will handle everything.”
As he spoke, he could not help but laugh. Was this not like a pie falling from the sky?
He understood very well what such a Daoist Sect grand event represented. It could not only enhance cultural communication and soft power, but also promote tourism development and publicity, thereby driving economic cooperation, enhancing exchanges and openness, and increasing social cohesion. This series of benefits was not something ordinary people could fully grasp.
Previously, there was a city that had wanted to invite Longhu Mountain to hold a Daoist Sect grand event to boost its development. Their highest-ranking local leader went personally, but the Celestial Master ignored them.
Later, another city instead sought cooperation with Wudang Mountain, then held a grand Wudang Tai Chi conference and international Dao Discussion event, which was a huge success.
How successful?
Through that grand event, they promoted local tea culture, Tai Chi, and specialty products. The event attracted countless tourists and promoted tourism development.
During the event, many wealthy businesspeople came, leading to a great many business cooperations and opportunities. It was said that the commercial cooperation brought by that one event equaled the sum of the previous two years.
Most importantly, local residents participated in related activities, strengthening their sense of identity and pride.
Because of this, the leaders of that city went to Longhu Mountain three more times before they finally agreed to hold one grand event.
Now for Linhe County, this great opportunity had fallen straight into their lap.
True, what happened with the Chen Clan had come suddenly, leaving them no time for publicity, so they could not extract the maximum benefit. But increasing their influence was guaranteed.
The key point was that there were many Daoist Sect believers. For such a grand event, those people would probably flock there, along with those who believed in the Dao or had connections with the Daoist Sect.
He could already imagine that, at that time, all kinds of accommodation and catering in Linhe County would be fully booked.
Linhe County issued an announcement at the fastest speed and tagged those Daoist Sect places.
On Wudang’s side, Chen Daoist Priest naturally received the news immediately. He was discussing with the sect leader and several senior brothers what gifts to send to thank the Chen Clan.
After all, if they were going in the manner of disciples thanking their teachers, the gifts could not be casual.
When Chen Daoist Priest received the news, he told the sect leader and senior brothers about the announcement from Linhe County.
The sect leader smiled and said, “The leaders of Linhe County are very smart. But it is also because of those others. If they could not learn it, then so be it. Why did they have to come crowd in with us who did learn it?”
These words made everyone laugh. Although they were people of the Daoist Sect, they still understood many things clearly in their hearts.
However, their curiosity about the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 only grew stronger. They wanted to know the reason behind what had happened.
