Chapter 585: The Yang Fu Jing: Thirteen Years of Reading in the Small Courtyard!

Tomorrow is the day of the Group of Beauties Banquet.

Wu Tong was even happier; this year, the small courtyard was busier than last year, and the New Year goods and gifts from other courtyards had piled up so much that even the courtyard's storage room couldn't hold them all.

"Young Master, several stewards from the courtyard came today to deliver gifts."

Wu Tong asked uncertainly: "Should we refuse them?"

Although Wu Tong is slightly older than you, since regaining her sight after going blind from crying, she has changed immensely and has gradually become the "pillar" of your household.

With no adults at home, you are the head of the family.

For every small matter—firewood, rice, oil, salt—she always comes to ask your opinion.

You never grew annoyed; each time, you were patient.

Wu Tong thought to herself that the stewards' behavior this time must be because they've been watching recent events closely.

Second Master Xie Hong of the Xie family often sent servants to ask you to write calligraphy scrolls to send to Deng Chun Tower.

Xie Yuan's biological mother, Lady Zhuge, personally came to the courtyard to deliver gifts the day before yesterday.

Sima Ting, the Military Governor, is also on good terms with you and prepared a New Year's gift as well.

Not to mention how your unfinished verses from the West Wing Pavilion have gained fame—Su Yun, the young master of the Su family, came to pay his respects; within just a few months, one thing after another has signaled that this young master may have an extraordinary future once he enters the academy next year.

You listened to Wu Tong's words, smiled faintly, and said: "Accept them. Refusing would only make things worse."

But Wu Tong recalled the "arrogant" faces of the stewards from the main courtyard and said: "The Confucian sages said, 'The friendship of a gentleman is as plain as water; the friendship of a petty man is as sweet as liquor.'"

Lately, while listening to you read, she had flipped through the Confucian "Sacred Sayings" and remembered this line spoken by the Confucian master.

"Young Master, these stewards are two-faced—"

You smiled and finished for her: "—they're petty men!"

"You mean a gentleman should avoid associating with petty men."

Wu Tong nodded, her eyes filled with "disgust" toward those stewards who had been haughty then obsequious.

You smiled: "If you focus on others' faults, no one in the world is worth befriending. If you focus on their strengths, everyone in the world becomes your teacher. By seeing their strengths, helping them in their difficulties, and remembering their kindness, you will face all events with calmness."

"If you refuse their gifts, these people will grow wary and resentful—and that will work against you."

"But!"

You changed tone: "We don't need to return their gifts. Don't grow too close to them—they'll take advantage and push further. And once they lose favor again, they may stir up trouble behind your back, or even kick you when you're down."

Wu Tong nodded vaguely; though she didn't fully understand, she knew it was always right to follow the Young Master's advice.

"Tomorrow's Group of Beauties Banquet—will you take me with you, Young Master?"

After a moment's thought, you said: "The festivities tomorrow are not to be missed, but you don't need to come with me. Go with Lu Ya and the Fourth Young Lady."

Tomorrow's Group of Beauties Banquet gathers all recent events into one place—who knows what changes it may bring?

Keeping Wu Tong by your side is not the wisest move; it's safer to let her accompany the Fourth Young Lady.

Traveling with the Fourth Young Lady, Xie Ying, means protection from the Xie family and the presence of Sima Ting—it's far safer overall.

Wu Tong mumbled: "Young Master, are you going to see the courtesan queen, so you can't bring me along?"

You paused, then laughed softly: "What kind of thoughts are you putting in that head of yours?"

Wu Tong nodded lightly; she knew well you weren't that kind of person. Days ago, her good friend Lu Ya had been eagerly hoping she'd come along so they could keep each other company.

But she had never agreed, worried you'd be alone.

Now, it was perfect—Lu Ya's wish would be fulfilled.

You picked up the book on the table again; recently, you'd finished reading the Daoist classics and now began studying Buddhist scriptures.

These past days, Lu Hua taught you a secret technique to suppress martial qi—so long as you don't fight, even a martial cultivator at the Ninth Realm of Xuan Dan would be unable to sense it.

After only a few days of practice, you had already mastered it, quietly concealing your martial qi.

The sun slowly sank westward; another heavy snow had fallen these past days.

A thick, white layer blanketed the ground.

That night!

Lu Hua arrived at the small courtyard as usual, as she had for the past three months.

You had gradually grown familiar with her nature—she was a woman of great skill, talkative, yet remarkably lazy.

What on earth had brought her all the way from afar to Bianjing of the Great Qi?

Perhaps tomorrow, at the Group of Beauties Banquet, you'll find out!

Lu Hua watched the boy still visualizing the "Slaying Demon Sword" in the courtyard; now, Xie Guan's Primordial Spirit realm allowed him to visualize this sword intent without alerting the "dragon" within the Xie residence.

She observed the diligent boy daily, visualizing two sword intents, his skin and membranes scorched by the sword intent, his acupoints pierced by its pressure—each visualization felt like being stabbed by countless needles.

Ordinary people, after one experience, refused to try again.

Yet this boy did it every day as if it were routine.

He never complained, not once, about the torment.

A boy mature beyond his years, with innate wisdom, diligent and hardworking.

Lu Hua had begun to cherish him.

Lu Hua stepped down from the wutong tree under the moonlight, her wide Daoist robes fluttering in the wind, her tone growing solemn.

"After the Group of Beauties Banquet, I will leave. You've already cultivated your Primordial Spirit to the Seventh Realm, Divine Wander. But the Eighth Realm, Divine Fire, is crucial."

You slowly withdrew your focus; indeed, in a short while, you would complete "Divine Wander," and then face the dilemma of having no further cultivation method.

The woman continued: "The next two techniques of the Yin Fu Jing are far too sinister—they directly contradict Daoist principles."

"The Eighth Technique is Killing Life: to slay all blood relatives, then transcend, achieving the Supreme Emotionless Dao."

"The former master, already married with children, slaughtered them all on the day of his son's wedding."

"The Ninth Technique is the Edge of War: when the world descends into chaos, when Mars trembles, when natural and human disasters strike, that is the moment to attain the Dao. This is why he challenged the Master—because as long as the Master lived, the world could not fall into chaos."

"Of course, the former master sought only two words: Ascension. The Three True Sect's obsession with meeting their ancestral masters had become a near-mental demon."

Lu Hua sighed softly: "After the Master defeated him and shattered his cultivation, when he faced the Five Heavenly Decays and was dying, his final wish was to be buried on Mount Zhongnan, hoping his soul might serve beside the ancestral masters of Lu Chen."

Lu Hua's gaze was profoundly deep, her voice tinged with nostalgia.

"Perhaps, at the end of his life, the former master, moved by the weight of his killing karma, experienced a moment of clarity, and in the living tomb of Mount Zhongnan, wrote a Dao scripture directly pointing to the Tenth Realm of Primordial Yang Spirit—the Yang Fu Jing."

"But this was merely his final speculation, unverified—its truth remains uncertain."

Lu Hua paused slightly, then continued: "The cultivation method in the Yang Fu Jing requires refining Yang Fire within the Yin Spirit—even before reaching the Divine Fire realm, one must draw upon solar energy. This sounds utterly absurd, for even slight contact between Yin Spirit and sunlight can damage the Primordial Spirit; severe cases cause cultivation regression."

"My teachers have tried this method before, but none succeeded. When I cultivated, I once dreamed of mastering it and astonishing everyone—but I failed. Still, I copied it down."

"This method is not a secret treasure of the Three True Sect. I can teach it to you."

Lu Hua added: "If you wish, I also have a Buddhist cultivation method I acquired myself—it does not belong to the Three True Sect."

"But unfortunately, it cannot reach Yang Spirit—it can at most attain the Ninth Realm, Purple Star Realm, and at its peak, grant the power of a Bodhisattva Arhat of the mortal world."

"When igniting Divine Fire, you may only practice one method. How will you choose between these two?"

Facing this choice… you decide!

1. Choose to cultivate the Yang Fu Jing. (Hint: May benefit your future; may directly lead to Yang Spirit Realm.)

2. Choose to cultivate the Buddhist method. (Hint: May benefit your future; may hinder future attainment of Yang Spirit Realm.)

3. Reject both methods. (Hint: May harm your future.)

4. Participate personally. (0/3)

The great cauldron emitted ten thousand rays of radiant light; the characters upon it slowly stabilized.

Yu Ke stared at the three options.

There was little hesitation; from the hints, the Yang Fu Jing was clearly the best choice.

Yu Ke made his selection.

1. Choose to cultivate the Yang Fu Jing. (Hint: May benefit your future; may directly lead to Yang Spirit Realm.)

You thought for only a moment, your eyes bright and resolute: "Since we began, we must see it through—I choose the Yang Fu Jing."

Lu Hua spoke solemnly: "Think carefully. The cultivation methods to reach the Ninth Realm of Primordial Spirit are all secret treasures—your noble Xie family may not even possess one."

"For someone of your status, obtaining a verified Buddhist method reaching the Ninth Realm is already extremely rare."

"This Yang Fu Jing has never been successfully cultivated. It carries great risk—you may suffer qi deviation."

"Many high cultivators of the Three True Sect have tried and failed. How can you be certain you will succeed?"

You shook your head and said slowly: "They failed. That doesn't mean I will."

Lu Hua smiled faintly; this steady boy had, for the first time, revealed a hint of sharpness.

"There is one more matter—the former master's final words. If you agree to this, I will transmit the Yang Fu Jing to you."

You raised your head and looked at Lu Hua.

Lu Hua spoke solemnly: "If any future disciple successfully cultivates the Yang Fu Jing and ascends this realm, and by fortune meets Master Lu Chen, please deliver this message for me."

"Disciple Tao Jing is unfilial—I dare not face the ancestral masters."

The former master who created the Yin Fu Jing was named Tao Jing.

Without hesitation, you bowed deeply and said:

"Xie Guan accepts!"

At that moment!

Lu Hua, as if prepared, pulled a written Dao scripture from her sleeve; it floated gently into your hands.

You took it and saw, clearly written: "Yang Fu Jing."

You did not read the text further, but tucked it into your sleeve and sincerely thanked Lu Hua.

Over these three months, you had received far too many favors from this woman.

Lu Hua was about to take her leave when the boy's voice came from behind: "Will there be danger at tomorrow's Group of Beauties Banquet?"

Lu Hua turned his head, meeting the boy's slightly concerned gaze.

Perhaps it was the first time the usually composed boy had shown such an expression.

Lu Hua paused slightly, then suddenly smiled.

"Don't worry—I may have no other talents, but my ability to run away is unmatched under heaven."

"Besides, even if I truly can't escape, I'll just go ahead and pay my respects to Master Lu Chen."

"Master Lu Chen once said: Wherever life takes you, there is green mountain—die where you may, be buried where you fall."

The woman saw the slender boy's fine eyebrows gently furrow.

"Enough. Sons and daughters of the Jianghu have no time for such sentimental sorrow—songs of parting should be sung with laughter."

Lu Hua dissolved into a wisp of blue smoke and vanished.

You watched her back, and the lone moon hanging high in the night sky.

Tomorrow is the Gathering of Beauties Banquet.

You closed your eyes and resumed cultivation, continuing to visualize the "Slaying Demon Sword."

The next day, dawn broke.

Lu Ya arrived cheerfully at the door.

"Wutong sister, Young Master Guan."

You smiled and greeted: "Lu Ya's here—come in and warm yourself."

Lu Ya was slender, wearing a white fur cap, her face meticulously adorned—eyebrows painted, golden floral decals applied, her eyes brimming with joy.

You held a scroll and smiled: "Lu Ya, your complexion is splendid today."

Lu Ya blushed, fidgeting slightly: "Young Master Guan, you tease me. I came to find Wutong sister—we're going to the Gathering of Beauties together."

"Wutong is washing up—she'll be out soon."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Wutong stepped out, hearing the voice.

Lu Ya saw her and gasped in astonishment, grabbing Wutong's hand: "Wutong sister, you're beautiful."

You turned to look as well. Wutong had always been beautiful even without makeup; today, with light adornment, she looked like a lotus emerging from water—ethereal and captivating.

Wutong lowered her head shyly, unable to meet the young master's smiling eyes.

"Wutong, you look truly lovely today."

Hearing this, Wutong's ears turned bright red; she hurriedly bade farewell to Lu Ya.

"Remember to come home early!"

"Yes, Young Master."

You turned and walked back inside, continuing to read, visualize the sword intent, and practice calligraphy.

By the afternoon, the hour of Shen.

At the small courtyard gate, Xie Yuan arrived in a hurry, followed by a group of servants.

As soon as Xie Yuan entered the courtyard, he called out: "Young Brother Guan, let's go to the Gathering of Beauties!"

"We should head to the Xie Fu gate to meet up."

But you were not in a rush—you finished writing the last character, neatly put away brush and ink, and tidied the house.

You opened the lowest chest in your room and gently took out a robe to change into.

It was a garment made for you by your mother when she was alive, tailored to your figure for your coming-of-age ceremony.

Though the fabric was not expensive, the stitching was tight and the garment extremely sturdy.

You closed your room door and locked it.

Xie Yuan chuckled: "Young Brother Guan, what valuable things could possibly be in this courtyard? You're being overly cautious—even a thief would leave empty-handed."

"We must hurry—today's event is extraordinary. The young masters and ladies of the Li family and Sima family will be joining us."

You merely smiled—it had been thirteen years since you last stepped outside the Xie Fu.

Xie Guan, thirteen years reading in this small courtyard!

(End of Chapter)