Chapter 6: This diagram holds true meaning

The transmission of internal energy, the meridians are indeed true; if one does not know the meridians and forces its use, it will be of no benefit and cause harm.

——

"Eh~~, where is the Divine Palace Point?"

"Could it be here?"

"No! No!"

"It seems like... here?"

"It seems... not right either."

"This should be"

"Qi Sea Point!"

Inside the room, Niu Dingtian leaned against the bedhead, frowning in thought, bending over to study the two diagrams.

One is the Illustrated Manual of Acupuncture Points on the Bronze Man that I just had Niu Wuye buy back from Lin'an City yesterday.

The other is the illustration from the Azure Wave Palm technique brought back from the tavern's secret room that day.

Three days have passed since that night's reconnaissance of the tavern; on the second day, Niu Dingtian seized the opportunity, buried Qu Lingfeng's remains beside the village tavern, and has since been painstakingly studying the three secret manuals he brought back.

For a moment, even the frantic "Sha Gu" sister was neglected.

Just after obtaining the secret manuals, little Niu scholar did not waste his current talent; the manuals' formulas were readily understood, but he had no idea how to apply them to the meridians and acupoints.

Helpless, I could only have Niu Wuye buy a set of illustrations from Lin'an City, and to ensure authenticity, I spent a full ten taels of silver.

Niu Dingtian, who had long lived a simple life, now feeling quite wealthy, also felt a pang of pain.

After all, this fellow is also afraid of death, fearing that practicing would cripple himself, and if that really happened, he would have nowhere to cry.

Everything is for safety!

After figuring out the meridian and acupoint issue, Niu Dingtian, while sitting cross-legged to try cultivating internal energy, also admonished himself like this.

Moreover, what I bought is still the imperial edition.

Not embarrassing!

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Niu Dingtian closed his eyes, gathered his spirit, silently recited the formula, slowly guided his internal breath, and repeatedly struck the body's Eight Extraordinary Meridians along the illustrated path.

He felt his whole body gradually growing warm, his face flushed, sweat beading on his forehead and neck, but each time a meridian was broken through, he instantly felt refreshed, as if he could unleash a force of a thousand jun from within.

Unbeknownst to him, it was already noon.

After gathering his breath, Niu Dingtian slowly opened his eyes; at this moment his eyes shone bright, his inner essence radiant, and his clothes were already soaked through.

"Haha, is this what it feels like to cultivate internal energy?"

Niu Dingtian could not hide his inner excitement; although this Azure Wave Palm is an entry-level technique of Peach Blossom Island, it nevertheless possesses marvelous subtlety.

This also let him experience the sensation of power for the first time; that breathing method, however, is different—though miraculous, it always feels as if something is missing.

"Uncle, come out quickly,"

"Studies are important, also pay attention to your body,"

"I know, sister-in-law, I'm coming out."

At this moment, Chen Jin'er's voice came through.

It should be time for lunch; hearing Chen Jin'er's sister-in-law's words, Niu Dingtian felt a bit embarrassed, as it seemed he had not touched his studies since returning.

Having cultivated internal energy for half a day, being mistaken by the sister-in-law as neglecting sleep and food, he couldn't help but blush a little.

He was, after all, the little "academic ace" in Chen Jin'er's eyes; he quickly replied, changed his clothes, and went out.

Upon stepping outside, he saw Chen Jin'er about to set the dishes on the table; Niu Dingtian hurried over to help.

"Sister-in-law, where is the younger sister?" Not seeing "Sha Gu" inside or outside the house, he asked Chen Jin'er again.

"The younger sister is playing in front of Niu Wuye's home; uncle, hurry and call her back for a meal."

After responding, Niu Dingtian set out to look outside.

After two days of warm sunshine, the outdoor snow had gradually melted, and some road sections had become muddy and impassable.

After walking less than a hundred steps, he saw the entrance to Niu Wuye's home; Sha Gu was playing with mud beside the snow pile, her hands and face covered in muddy water, frozen red.

Upon seeing the approaching person, she foolishly shouted: "Brother, brother... hehe"

Then she lowered her head and began playing again.

Niu Dingtian's heart warmed at the sight, feeling pity; he quickly went over and grasped her small hand full of mud, unconsciously blowing warm breath on it, then immediately tried to mobilize his meager internal energy.

"Brother bro warm... and hehe"

"Good child, from now on you're not allowed to play with mud; this afternoon I'll teach you to draw, okay?"

"Draw draw draw hehe good child draw. draw."

After returning home, Chen Jin'er inevitably felt another pang of pity; she washed Sha Gu's hands and face with hot water, changed her into clean clothes, and then the three sat around the square table to have lunch.

"Good child, look carefully—this that I'm drawing is an ox"

"The ox that pulls the cart at Niu Wuye's home"

After the meal, Niu Dingtian led Sha Gu into the inner room, spread a sheet of Yuan dynasty paper on the table, took out a small brush, had her hold it, covered her hand with his own, dipped it in ink, and as he lifted the brush, an old yellow ox leapt onto the paper.

"Hehe. ox. ox."

Sha Gu, seeing this, became unusually excited; after Niu Dingtian held her hand and taught her a few times, she snatched the small brush and went off to smear and play with it herself.

Seeing this, Niu Dingtian momentarily could not calm his mind to practice cultivation, and had nothing to do.

Exactly! Just having nothing to do! little Niu scholar had already planned to give up his studies, so he took out the scroll he had brought back that day, preparing to appreciate it.

After all, the identity of a scholar still stands; one must do what a scholar should do, not merely pretend to be refined. Niu Dingtian thought.

He immediately took out a scroll of painting at random, spread it on the table, and slowly opened it.

"Hiss!"

little Niu scholar glanced at it and gasped in shock, sucking in a breath of cold air.

The mountains, rivers, trees and stones that met the eye were fine, vigorous and anciently simple, like silkworms spitting silk; the figures were arranged with just the right density, and different times and spaces alternated, overlapped and interchanged, full of the lingering charm of the Six Dynasties.

For a moment Niu Dingtian stared, fascinated, and he truly admired Old Gu from the bottom of his heart:

Awesome!

We scholars are just different.

Niu Dingtian had recognized this painting in his previous life; it was a Song dynasty copy of the Illustrated Scroll of the Luo River Goddess.

But when the real object was right before his eyes, it was hard to describe the shock in his heart; when finally fully unfolded, it turned out to be over five meters long, and could only be dragged on the ground.

"Hehe."

After a long while, Niu Dingtian came to his senses, looked again at Sha Gu, whose face was smeared with ink, and she was still dabbing more on her face.

Niu Dingtian quickly reached out to snatch the brush, unwilling to scold her, and with a dark face went to the outer room to fetch water.

Just as he brought the basin of water back into the inner room, Niu Dingtian was almost scared out of his wits by the scene inside.

The bowl of water originally used for grinding ink was now being splashed onto the scroll by this silly ancestor, who was still giggling foolishly.

Upon seeing this sight.

Niu Dingtian.

But just as Niu the Scholar had not yet reacted, an astonishing scene occurred.

Niu Dingtian stared at the scroll, dazed.

After coming to his senses, without a word, he directly splashed the basin of water he was holding onto it as well.

Even the silly little sister who kept giggling beside him was stunned.

After the clear water soaked through the entire scroll, vivid human figures and rows of delicate flower‑pin small script appeared on the paper.

Niu Dingtian walked up to the painting, bent down to look closely, and when he finally made out the words above, his pupils contracted sharply.

Hiss~

Thereafter he gritted his teeth, sucked in a cold breath, turned his head, and fixed his gaze on the remaining scrolls on the bed.

Damn it! I've struck it rich!

(End of chapter)