Chapter 31

Zhuang Buran turned and walked up the mountain unhurriedly. About half an hour later, halfway up the mountain, he saw a large group of Quanzhen Daoists rushing down.

The leading Daoist carrying a sword was Qiu Chuji. Seeing the person in green robes and a bamboo hat, he waved for his followers to stop, performed a salute, and said solemnly:

"May I ask if you are Layman Zhuang?"

"Zhuang has come specifically to Zhongnan for the three-year appointment." Zhuang Buran's tone was calm.

"Please. Uncle-Master Zhou returned to Zhongnan Mountain a month ago, waiting for your arrival." Qiu Chuji stepped aside and gestured.

Zhuang Buran chuckled:

"The aura about you is much less than when you last saw Zhuang."

"The Sound Wave Skill that just rang through the clouds, making one's heart tremble and hair stand on end, must have been unleashed by you, Layman Zhuang." A bitter smile appeared on Qiu Chuji's lips:

"Only today do I know that what Uncle-Master Zhou said was not false; you are indeed the number one in the world, a talent rarely seen."

He paused and asked suspiciously:

"I wonder what the situation is with the people at the foot of the mountain?"

"They were viciously trying to capture Zhuang; what kind of end do you think these people would meet?"

Without waiting for Qiu Chuji to speak, Zhuang Buran looked up at the surrounding scenery:

"This is a magnificent mountain and river; to avoid polluting the spiritual energy of this mountain, you should send your disciples to collect the corpses as soon as possible."

Having said that, he strode up the mountain.

Although Qiu Chuji had anticipated this, he still felt an indescribable emotion. He immediately ordered some disciples to head to the foot of the mountain while he quickly followed Zhuang Buran.

"Layman Zhuang, those people were just momentarily blinded by greed; why go to such lengths?"

"Daoist, do you know who is behind this?" Zhuang Buran answered with a question.

Qiu Chuji pondered for a long time and shook his head:

"Some ambiguous deeds of yours suddenly spread through the martial arts world, followed by the exposure of your whereabouts, explicitly stating that you wanted to make things difficult for my Quanzhen Sect and forcibly seize the 'Innate Skill'."

"When Zhuang walked the martial arts world before, I always bypassed injustice and did not get involved in disputes. How did I still attract such trouble?" Zhuang Buran said lazily.

Hearing his style of conduct, Qiu Chuji could not help but recall their first meeting, his lips twitching involuntarily as he sighed in his heart:

"This child is truly the same as before, not changed in the slightest."

The group used their lightness skills and, without much effort, arrived at the Quanzhen Sect's base.

Zhuang Buran walked into a large hall and saw the other six Quanzhen masters, with Zhou Botong sitting sloppily to the side. He then took off his bamboo hat.

"Hahaha, I didn't expect Brother Zhuang to really arrive as promised."

Zhou Botong's figure flashed, circling around Zhuang Buran:

"Tsk tsk, three years have passed and you haven't changed at all, still looking like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old."

"My body has been tempered to perfection, and my internal energy has reached a state of transformation. Before the age of thirty, my appearance should be difficult to change." The youth in green robes replied with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Botong did not hesitate and took a book from his bosom:

"Brother Zhuang, the Old Urchin always keeps his word. This is the 'Innate Skill' manual. I must remind you that this skill is very difficult to practice. That 'Mysterious Aperture' is formless and imageless; where can one find it? If you can't find it, you can't even enter the door of this skill."

As he said this, he asked in a low voice:

"By the way, you must have a virgin body to practice it. If you don't, you won't be able to."

"Emotion is a small desire; therefore, Zhuang has never been close to women in my life."

The youth in green robes said calmly and took the manual from his hand.

"Please provide a quiet room for me to practice."

Before Zhou Botong could take charge, Ma Yu walked over with a friendly attitude:

"This old Daoist has already prepared a room for you, and I have ordered that food be delivered to you on time every day."

"Thank you, Daoist. Zhuang will bother your sect for at most three to five days, as I still have some trouble to deal with."

"I cannot say much about martial arts affairs; I only hope you will commit fewer killings."

"Hahaha, don't look at Daoist Qiu as having higher martial arts than you; in terms of internal Daoist cultivation, he is far behind you." Zhuang Buran laughed:

"No wonder you are the leader of the Quanzhen Sect."

Ma Yu did not say much, summoned a disciple, and told him to take the youth in green robes to the prepared room.

"Brother Zhuang, when you succeed in your practice, the Old Urchin will come to play with you again. I'm off." The restless Zhou Botong flashed out of the hall.

Inside the quiet room, Zhuang Buran sat cross-legged on the bed, leisurely opening the manual in his hand.

Innate learning is mental method; therefore, all diagrams arise from the heart, and all transformations and affairs are born from the heart.

After a long time, the youth in green robes closed the manual, placed it aside, and muttered to himself:

"The essence of this skill is to pursue the transcendence of the postnatal form and return to the source, which is to return to the original state of the human body's innate Qi."

"And the key to finding the 'Mysterious Aperture' lies in concentrating the spirit and regulating the breath, making the body and mind empty and still, reaching the obscure and difficult-to-understand state of darkness and trance, then sensing its opening and closing, entering the critical state of the fusion of spirit and Qi, only then can one find the mysterious 'Mysterious Aperture'."

He suddenly smiled:

"It is only natural for Zhuang to succeed. I have practiced the observation method of calming the heart and guarding the intent for years, which has truly given me much insight into the state of darkness and trance. Furthermore, the Qi in my body is full and my spirit is calm; how could I not reach the critical state of the fusion of spirit and Qi?"

Two days later, in the large hall.

"What? Layman Zhuang hasn't eaten for two days?"

Ma Yu felt a trace of worry when he heard the news from his disciple.

"So far, only our late master has succeeded in practicing the 'Innate Skill'. In my opinion, could he have made a mistake in his practice?" Hao Datong speculated.

"You haven't seen his martial arts before. The laughter from the foot of the mountain could be heard clearly in the hall, and many disciples with weak internal energy were deeply affected and suffered internal injuries."

Qiu Chuji sighed deeply:

"He possesses such profound internal energy, showing that his natural talent is not that of an ordinary person. If even he cannot practice the 'Innate Skill', I truly cannot imagine who else could."

"Hahaha, I didn't expect Daoist Qiu to think so highly of Zhuang."

Suddenly, everyone in the hall looked toward the sound and saw a youth in green robes with a gentle expression.

The seven Quanzhen masters looked him over carefully, their brows furrowing in unison. They saw him standing barefoot, and besides his skin being fairer and more delicate than before, his long black hair had turned gray-white.

"Refining the postnatal to return to the innate allows one to transform postnatal essence and Qi into innate Qi, further slowing the consumption of innate Qi, and even benefiting it, allowing the true Qi in the body to become endless."

Zhuang Buran laughed:

"Although one will still age and die, when innate Qi decreases at a very slow speed, one can attain a long life, and before one dies of old age, one's martial arts will not decline."

"A quick calculation, and Zhuang can easily live to be over a hundred."

"Then what about your hair?" Qiu Chuji could not help but ask.

"Zhuang has not completely switched to practicing the 'Innate Skill'; I have only chosen its essence to refine what I have learned. What you see now is just the leakage of the intent of the newly created technique, which has some influence on my appearance."

Zhuang Buran stroked his temples:

"This is not the gray of deathly silence; it is clearly a gray-white color with colorful hues. When the hair turns completely white, that will be the day the technique is nearly perfected."

Once these words were spoken, everyone was silent.

"What kind of martial arts in the world can actually affect one's appearance?" Qiu Chuji, who had always maintained a very strong desire to practice martial arts, was very puzzled.

Zhuang Buran had a playful smile on his lips:

"Zhuang is also very annoyed. As a person seeking the Dao through martial arts, I have created a technique that can only make one invincible in the world."

"And 'Nisheng Triple' is the name Zhuang has given to this technique. Considering your sect is very sensible, I might as well return two for one."

The youth in green robes disappeared from the hall, leaving two manuals where he had stood.

Just as everyone was stunned, a low laugh echoed in the hall:

"Perhaps today Zhuang is evil rather than righteous. After killing for decades, perhaps the people of the world will call it 'Jiazi Demon Sweeping'."

(End of this chapter)