Chapter 10: Clichés and Deceptions

## The Human World

That evening, Qin Sang and Ming Yue performed their evening prayers together, studying the Daoist scriptures.

Like the Underworld Sutra, Qin Sang couldn't understand these scriptures either. Fortunately, Daoist Master Jixin patiently explained them. Qin Sang studied diligently, finding a piece of charcoal to jot down what he learned.

Late at night, back in his room, Qin Sang took out the "Underworld Sutra" again. He found it very difficult to understand the text by comparing it with the characters he had just learned, but he enjoyed the challenge.

The next day, Daoist Master Jixin went down the mountain for a ritual and returned by noon, his donkey laden with a sack of coarse grain. In the afternoon, Ming Yue steamed a pot of vegetable buns and fried a jar of salted fish, then helped Daoist Master Jixin prepare his travel bag and medicine chest.

On the ninth day of the lunar month, Qin Sang woke up to find Daoist Master Jixin gone. He asked Ming Yue and learned that he had departed at dawn. That day, he and Ming Yue followed Daoist Master Jixin's instructions without any mishap.

On the morning of the tenth day, Qin Sang finally recovered from his exhaustion and began practicing the "Tiger Subduing Long Fist" in front of the house early in the morning.

"Brother, what kind of martial arts are you practicing?"

Ming Yue, holding a bowl of porridge, sat on a nearby stone, watching Qin Sang's powerful and agile movements with a hint of excitement.

"This martial art is called 'Tiger Subduing Long Fist.' What? Has the Daoist Master never taught you martial arts?"

Qin Sang finished his routine, feeling invigorated throughout his body, and asked back, wiping his sweat.

"No," Ming Yue shook his head, biting the tip of his chopsticks, his face full of curiosity. "Brother, does Master know martial arts too?"

"How would I know? I've only been here a few days!"

Qin Sang rolled his eyes, secretly pondering. He had originally thought that Daoist Master Jixin, daring to enter the mountains to gather herbs without fear of jackals, wolves, or tigers, might possess martial arts skills. That's why he deliberately practiced in front of Ming Yue, hoping to prompt a conversation.

If he knew martial arts, there was no reason he wouldn't teach his disciple. In the past two days of living together, Qin Sang had noticed that Daoist Master Jixin was very fond of Ming Yue, treating him like his own son.

Could he truly be just an ordinary Daoist priest?

"Do you usually only learn scripture chanting and medical skills from the Daoist Master? Haven't you learned any magic?"

"Magic?"

Ming Yue looked bewildered. "I spend most of my time chanting scriptures and learning characters. I've also studied divination books, so I can interpret lots and predict outcomes, and draw talismans, but I'm not proficient yet. Master doesn't let me do them in front of others. I also know the procedures for rituals and can assist Master. Master also teaches me to identify herbs, diagnose illnesses, and prescribe medicine, but he says I still need to study for twenty more years before I can become a full practitioner, otherwise, I might endanger lives."

Qin Sang's eyes lit up. "Aren't talismans a form of magic? That day, I heard that couple say their house wasn't peaceful, and the Daoist Master gave them a talisman, saying it could bring good fortune, ward off evil, and drive away malevolent spirits. Isn't that magic?"

Ming Yue chuckled, glanced around, and then whispered, "Brother, I'll tell you something, but don't tell anyone outside. Master said these are all scams."

Scams?

But you have deities here!

Qin Sang said indignantly, "If they don't work, aren't you afraid people will come looking for you?"

"When it comes to profound and mysterious matters, who can truly say what works and what doesn't?"

Ming Yue shook his head playfully. "Even if people come looking for us, there are always ways to talk ourselves out of it. Brother, you'll find out eventually."

Qin Sang was deeply disappointed and remained dispirited all day. Ming Yue pestered him to learn the "Tiger Subduing Long Fist," so he finally promised to teach him once his leg wound healed.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Sang had spent over twenty days at the Daoist temple, and the master and the two disciples had truly gotten to know each other.

During these days, Qin Sang diligently practiced his martial arts, chanted scriptures, and studied characters.

Besides the rituals, the Daoist Master didn't avoid Qin Sang when teaching Ming Yue medicine, divination, or talisman drawing. This confirmed to Qin Sang that it was all indeed rhetoric and trickery, and he completely gave up hope of finding anything supernatural.

However, the tricks contained many insights into worldly affairs, which greatly benefited him.

His leg injury gradually improved, and he no longer needed crutches to walk. Unable to stay idle, he first cut down bamboo to use as pipes to divert water from the stream to the courtyard, where he built a small stone pond.

After trying several approaches, he finally succeeded.

With this, Ming Yue was relieved of his heaviest chore. The continuous flow of water from the bamboo pipes also made the vegetables and herbs in the garden flourish even more. Not only did Ming Yue call him "Brother" more affectionately, but Daoist Master Jixin's opinion of him also improved.

Next, Qin Sang made a bamboo ladder, climbed onto the roof, and replaced all the broken tiles on the room where the three of them lived.

Later, finding the food at the temple too bland, he devised several traps, which actually caught him a few wild rabbits and pheasants.

Ming Yue advised Qin Sang not to kill animals within the temple grounds, fearing he would be punished by Master. So, Qin Sang built an earthen stove by the stream outside the temple, where Daoist Master Jixin had no authority.

This world lacked the variety of seasonings of his previous life, and he was not skilled in cooking. The grassy and earthy smells of wild game were difficult to remove, so he could only roast them, sprinkling salt on them, which made them palatable.

Ming Yue, being too tender-hearted to kill, nevertheless dared to eat, and ate with great relish.

After another ten-plus days, leaves began to wither, and the weather turned cold.

The mountain winds felt colder than those at the foot of the mountain. The master and two disciples were performing their evening prayers in the Green Goat Hall, where the biting wind seeped in everywhere, making the oil lamp's flame flicker.

Qin Sang stretched, put down his quill pen, and adjusted the lamp wick. Seeing that the master and disciple beside him would take a while to finish their evening prayers, he said softly, "Daoist Master, I'll go back to my room to sleep first."

With that, he picked up the papers he had just written, wrapped himself in his robe, and left the hall. His leg bone had fully healed, and he was planning a trip to Sanwu City.

Reading changes destiny.

In the past month, Qin Sang had studied harder than he ever did in his final year of high school in his previous life.

Today, he finally recognized and understood all the characters in the "Underworld Sutra." Daoist Master Jixin was remarkably well-read and knowledgeable, far more so than Qin Sang had imagined, and he was willing to teach patiently, for which Qin Sang was deeply grateful.

Upon returning to his quarters, Qin Sang first practiced the "Tiger Subduing Long Fist" once to calm his restless mind.

Qin Sang had consistently followed Bai Jianglan's instructions, practicing the "Tiger Subduing Long Fist" every morning and evening without fail. He clearly felt his physical condition improving, but he hadn't even caught a glimpse of the legendary true qi.

After finishing his practice and washing off his sweat, Qin Sang returned to his room. He pulled out a stack of yellow paper from under his bed, covered with writing, and then, using the moonlight, he compared it with the book and added the last sentence.

The entire "Underworld Sutra" was finally translated.

Qin Sang held the stack of yellow paper, his hands trembling slightly with excitement. He took a deep breath to compose himself and began to read through it from beginning to end.

He read it over and over, completely absorbed in the "Underworld Sutra." He first read his own translated version, then the original, making careful conjectures and subsequently revising his translation.

Qin Sang dared not cultivate it rashly; who knew if a slight mistake could lead to qi deviation.

From his current limited understanding, the "Underworld Sutra" indeed appeared to be a cultivation method. It described how, once cultivated, a flow of 'qi' would circulate within the body along the meridians, and also mentioned concepts like major circulation.

Fortunately, he had been studying medical scriptures with Daoist Master Jixin, gaining some knowledge of meridians and acupoints, which allowed him to barely comprehend the text.