Chapter 88: Shi Feixuan's Frivolity Cannot Uphold the Orthodox Path

Jiangdong, Yumeng Mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, there stood a stone tablet on each side of the road, inscribed: "One's home lies deep within this mountain, where clouds conceal the way."

Following the mountain path, one must pass seven wooden doors in succession, each door bearing a lotus-patterned ring; finally comes a vermilion-red main gate.

Upon entering the gate, a vast square appears, at its far end stands a great hall named Cihang, surrounded by uneven pavilions and tall towers.

Behind the mountain, the Pavilion for Watching Rain.

A blue-clad boy of about eleven or twelve leisurely watches the spring rain.

He is exquisitely carved like jade and ivory, with white teeth and red lips, beautiful eyebrows, icy skin and jade-like bones; though not yet fully grown, he already displays the alluring beauty that could bring ruin to a nation and its people.

"Pure Origin, from childhood he possessed a male body but female appearance, raised as a girl by his birth mother; after his parents were killed by mountain bandits, he chanced upon Fan Qinghui, perhaps because he possesses a yin pulse, his constitution is special, making him a rare martial prodigy, and he also happens to suit the martial path of Cihang Jingzhai."

"Thus Fan Qinghui noticed nothing amiss and was brought back to Imperial Tread Peak, accepted as her second disciple."

"Having practiced martial arts and swordsmanship on the mountain for over two years, he has mastered the sword canon up to the third chapter; relying solely on his swordsmanship foundation, he can defeat the vast majority of Jingzhai disciples, regardless of internal cultivation."

"Even Shi Feixuan, who is a few years older and regarded as the next-generation successor of Cihang Jingzhai, would find it hard to avoid defeat if she were slightly careless."

"Besides, his adaptability is unmatched; he subtly notices that his body differs from that of his senior and junior sisters on the mountain, yet he has managed to conceal it, making him akin to Hua Mulan."

The blue-clad boy's mouth curled into his habitual lazy smile as he muttered:

"This original body is truly interesting, but I have blown myself up."

At that moment, a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl of dignified bearing and graceful poise walked over holding an umbrella.

"Pure Master, are you really a male body?"

"Senior Sister, I am merely a child; do not overthink it." The blue-clad boy replied calmly.

Upon hearing this, Shi Feixuan's dignified composure vanished, and she no longer retained her earlier grace, speaking helplessly:

"The Cihang Sword Canon is the treasured heritage of our Cihang Jingzhai; only a female body can cultivate it to achieve rapid progress; if a male cultivates it, lightly he will suffer meridian damage, severely he will deviate into demonic path; why are you not only unaffected but instead advancing bravely?"

The blue-clad boy assumed a thoughtful pose and said:

"Perhaps this is simply talent."

"No wonder the master is torn in the Cihang Hall, unsure how to choose." Shi Feixuan sighed softly:

"She originally planned to wait until you completed the sword canon, then have you shoulder the sect's heavy responsibilities and descend the mountain as a worldly successor."

"Heavy responsibilities? Worldly?" The blue-clad boy gazed at the continuous spring rain, seeming somewhat puzzled:

"Our sect is clearly a Buddhist school of the Four Empties; why is worldly attachment so heavy?"

Shi Feixuan's expression turned solemn:

"Pure Master Junior, although our Cihang Jingzhai belongs to the Buddhist school, we are not devoid of emotion and affection; on the contrary, we must possess the utmost emotion and the utmost love in the world."

"Oh, is that so?"

The blue-clad boy smiled:

"The Cihang Sword Canon takes the five essentials of qi, spirit, and mind as its framework, namely: Sword Qi Like the Yangtze, Sword Mastery of Heaven and Earth, Sword Spirit of the Universe, Sword God of Selflessness, Sword Heart of Clarity."

"The entire work consists of thirteen chapters, with stillness, defense, emptiness, and non-action as the main themes; the thirteenth chapter records a kind of withered meditation that hovers on the edge of death, called Death Pass."

"In short, the sword canon comprises three realms in order: Heart with Spiritual Connection, Sword Heart of Clarity, Death Pass; thus this art appears to train the sword but actually trains the heart."

He glanced sideways at Shi Feixuan, speaking unhurriedly:

"Senior Sister, utmost emotion and utmost love are the great love for all beings; great love is unfeeling, great feeling is loveless; if you cannot see this, not to mention breaking the Death Pass, you may even fail to reach Sword Heart of Clarity."

"Pure Master Junior, you have only cultivated the sword canon up to the third chapter, whereas I have reached the fourth chapter, just one step away from attaining Heart with Spiritual Connection; my understanding of the Cihang Sword Canon should therefore be deeper than yours."

Shi Feixuan wore a solemn expression:

"Our sect's descent into the world is for tempering, to forge a path capable of breaking the heavenly way, to resolve the world's hostility and strife, so that the common people may dwell in peace and contentment; this is the finest method of cultivating the heavenly way."

"As long as you are happy." Zhuang Buran shrugged.

"Alright, the master told me to call you over; stop dawdling." Shi Feixuan said immediately.

The blue-clad boy suddenly smiled:

"Senior Sister, do you mean I must first drench myself in rain so as not to be expelled from Imperial Tread Peak?"

"Do you think the master cannot see through your little thoughts?" Shi Feixuan laughed helplessly.

"Indeed, men and women should not be intimate; please, Senior Sister, return while getting wet in the rain."

Zhuang Buran suddenly struck, snatching the oil-paper umbrella from Shi Feixuan's hand and flashing out, his appearance instantly appearing three or four zhang away.

This immediately left Shi Feixuan stunned in place, her immortal-like demeanor completely gone.

After the time it takes to finish a cup of tea.

The blue-clad boy placed the oil-paper umbrella outside the Cihang Hall, walked slowly and elegantly into the great hall, and saw a middle-aged nun of about thirty or forty.

Although her youth is fading, one can still see the captivating appearance she had in her younger days; her innate beauty has not been completely obscured by time, simplicity and heroic spirit coexist, and her brows and eyes still reveal dignity and compassion.

"Master." The blue-clad boy bowed with palms together.

"Pure Origin."

"Disciple is present."

"Although our Jingzhai has accepted only female disciples since its founding by the patriarch, due to your circumstances, you have been dressed as a girl from childhood, and your constitution belongs to extreme yin, it is evident that your affinity with our sect is deep."

Fan Qinghui's countenance was tranquil, hinting with compassion:

"Abolishing one's skills and expelling them is the deed of the demonic path; our Jingzhai is a righteous and proper holy land of the martial world; how could we do such a thing?"

"From now on you will remain my second disciple; I hope you will henceforth practice self-discipline and solitary vigilance, guard your heart and clarify your nature, to protect all beings of the world, taking the righteous path of the martial world as your duty."

After hearing this, the blue-clad boy's face showed hesitation:

"Since we are all disciples of the master, as for the position of abbess, the disciple should also be eligible to inherit it, right?"

"Uh"

Fan Qinghui's face froze; the yin-yang mishap created the present situation; after thinking it over, she decided to go along with the mistake, after all, through more than two years of observation, it is clearly evident that his talent is outstanding to the degree of a grand master's bearing; if given to another family, there would always be an indescribable heartache.

Moreover, Jingzhai already has several branch lineages, such as the Hidden Hermitage of Empty Mountain and the Upper Wisdom Observatory; she therefore plans to let her second disciple establish a branch lineage in the future, which could be considered a win-win.

However, I never expected him to still have designs on the Hall Master's position; thinking about it, taking on a male disciple already violates the ancestral precepts, and if another male Hall Master appeared, I'd have no face to meet our forefather.

If the orthodox and heterodox paths in the jianghu heard of this, who knows how much gossip would arise; thinking of this, he immediately said:

"All past Hall Masters have been chosen from the most outstanding disciples of the sect, and they have all been women; do you think you are capable of succeeding to the Hall Master's position?"

The blue-clad youth spread his hands:

"I knew it would turn out this way; then in the future I'll establish a New Tranquil Hall—Master, you won't object, will you?"

Seeing Fan Qinghui's doubtful expression, he then said:

"Master must be thinking I'll set up a branch in the sect later, but who says a branch's name can't be called the New Tranquil Hall?"

"You really want to be Hall Master that badly?" Fan Qinghui, rarely amused, replied:

The Compassionate Voyage Tranquil Hall is the foremost of the orthodox martial world, and moreover a thorn in the eye and a splinter in the flesh of the heterodox schools and their six paths.

The blue-clad youth said solemnly:

"I feel the senior sister is incapable of bearing such a great responsibility; she simply cannot uphold righteousness and repel wickedness, exorcise demons and defend the Dao, which is why I have volunteered myself."

Looking at it now, the ancestral precepts are indeed hard to violate, so I can only lead the disciples of the New Tranquil Hall, shouldering the righteous path of the human world, seeking a method capable of breaking the heavenly way.

Junior Brother Qing, just now in the Rain‑Viewing Pavilion, who said that the sect harbors a strong worldly heart?

Senior Sister Feixuan hurried in, revealing her girlish nature, and said angrily:

"I think you're the worst!"

Only to see her half‑soaked, her clothes clinging tightly to her body, her damp hair plastered to her face, strands dripping with rain, looking utterly disheveled.

Fan Qinghui's eyes showed surprise; when had her usually dignified and graceful senior disciple ever been in such a sorry state?

"Master, look."

The blue-clad youth shook his head with a heavy expression:

"Feixuan is frivolous; she cannot uphold the orthodox path."

Fan Qinghui: "."

"You"

Senior Sister Feixuan, flushed with anger, found herself unable to utter a word for a moment.

(End of chapter)