Chapter 10: Empty Talk and Deception

That evening, Qin Sang and Mingyue performed their evening lessons together, studying Daoist scriptures.

Like the *Nether Scripture*, Qin Sang could not understand it, but fortunately, Daoist Jixin would patiently explain it. Qin Sang studied diligently, finding a piece of charcoal to write down what he had learned.

Returning to his room late at night, Qin Sang took out the *Nether Scripture* again. Comparing it to the characters he had just learned, he tried to grasp the meaning of the text. It was extremely difficult, but he never tired of it.

The next day, Daoist Jixin went down the mountain to perform a ritual and returned by noon. He carried a bag of coarse grain on his donkey. In the afternoon, Mingyue steamed a pot of vegetable buns, fried a jar of salted fish, and helped Daoist Jixin organize his luggage and medicine chest.

On the ninth day, Qin Sang woke up and did not see Daoist Jixin. He asked Mingyue and learned that he had set off at the hour of the Tiger (3:00–5:00 AM). That day, he and Mingyue followed Daoist Jixin’s instructions, and nothing went wrong.

On the morning of the tenth, Qin Sang, who applied medicine every day, found his leg was less painful and his exhaustion had finally faded. Early in the morning, he set up his stance in front of the house to practice the *Tiger-Subduing Long Fist*.

"Senior Brother, what kind of fist are you practicing?"

Mingyue, holding a bowl of porridge, sat on a nearby rock. Seeing Qin Sang’s impressive stance, he felt a bit restless.

"This martial art is called *Tiger-Subduing Long Fist*. Why, hasn't the Daoist taught you any martial arts?"

Qin Sang was just learning how to exert force, and having worked up a sweat, he felt his whole body was clear. He wiped his sweat and asked in return.

"No," Mingyue shook his head, biting the tip of his chopsticks, his face full of curiosity. "Senior 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 assumed that since Daoist Jixin dared to go into the mountains to gather herbs without fear of wolves or leopards, he might have some martial arts skills. That was why he had deliberately practiced the fist in front of Mingyue, to draw him into conversation.

If he knew martial arts, there was no reason not to teach his disciple. In the two days they had spent together, Qin Sang could tell that Daoist Jixin cherished Mingyue, treating him like his own son.

Could he really just be an ordinary Daoist?

"Do you only learn scripture chanting and medicine from the Daoist? Have you never learned any magic?"

"Magic?"

Mingyue looked blank. "We spend most of our time chanting scriptures and learning characters. I’ve also studied books on divination; I can interpret fortune sticks and read characters, and I can draw talismans, but I’m not skilled at it. Master doesn't dare let me do it in front of others yet. I know the procedures for rituals and can help Master. Master also teaches me to identify herbs and prescribe medicine, but he says I need to study for another twenty years before I can graduate, otherwise, I’d be endangering people's lives."

Qin Sang’s eyes lit up. "Aren't talismans magic? I heard that couple the other day saying their household was unsettled, and the Daoist gave them a talisman, saying it could bring good fortune and ward off evil spirits. Isn't that magic?"

Mingyue chuckled, looked left and right, and then whispered, "Senior Brother, I’ll tell you, but don't go saying this outside. Master said that these are all tricks."

Tricks?

You have gods above you here!

Qin Sang said indignantly, "If they don't work, aren't you afraid of people coming to settle the score?"

"In matters of the profound and mysterious, who knows what is true and what is false?"

Mingyue shook his head. "Even if they do come to the door, there are ways of speaking to deflect them. You’ll know sooner or later, Senior Brother."

Qin Sang felt deeply wounded and was listless for the whole day. Mingyue pestered him to learn the *Tiger-Subduing Long Fist*, so he had to promise to teach him once his leg injury healed.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Sang had stayed at the Daoist temple for over twenty days, and the three of them had truly become familiar with one another.

During these days, Qin Sang had been working hard at practicing his fist, chanting scriptures, and learning characters.

Aside from the rituals, the Daoist did not avoid him when teaching Mingyue medicine, divination, and talisman arts. Only then did Qin Sang confirm that they were indeed all rhetoric and trickery, and he gave up hope entirely.

However, these tricks contained many insights into the ways of the world, which also benefited him greatly.

His leg injury gradually improved, and unable to sit still, he first cut bamboo to use as pipes to lead water from the stream to the courtyard, building a small stone pond in the yard.

After trying several plans, he finally succeeded.

With this, Mingyue no longer had to do the heaviest labor, and with the bamboo pipes providing a constant flow of water, the vegetables and herbs in the garden grew better and better. Not only did Mingyue call him "Senior Brother" with increasing affection, but Daoist Jixin’s opinion of him also improved.

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

Later, feeling that the food in the temple was truly bland, he tinkered and made a few traps, which actually caught him a few wild rabbits and pheasants.

Mingyue urged Qin Sang not to kill in the temple, saying that if he dirtied the temple, Master would punish him. Qin Sang had no choice but to build a mud stove by the stream; outside the temple, Daoist Jixin couldn't control him.

This world lacked the seasonings of his previous life, and he wasn't skilled at cooking. He couldn't remove the grassy and earthy smell of the game, so he could only roast it and sprinkle it with salt; the taste was passable.

Mingyue couldn't bear to kill, but he dared to eat, and he ate with great relish.

Another ten days passed, the leaves withered, and the weather turned cold.

The wind on the mountain blew against them, colder than at the foot of the mountain. The three of them were performing evening lessons in the Qingyang Hall. The cold wind seeped in through every crack, blowing into the hall and causing the flames on the oil lamps to flicker.

Qin Sang stretched, put down his quill, and adjusted the lamp wick. Seeing that the master and disciple still had a while to go before finishing their evening lessons, he said softly, "Daoist, I’ll return to my room to sleep first."

As he spoke, he picked up the papers he had just written, wrapped his robe tightly around himself, and left the hall. His leg bone had fully healed, and he was planning to make a trip to Sanwu City.

Reading changes destiny.

Over this past month, Qin Sang had studied harder than he had in his third year of high school in his previous life.

Today, he had finally recognized and understood every character in the *Nether Scripture*. Daoist Jixin was knowledgeable, with learning even richer than he had imagined, and he was willing to teach patiently. Qin Sang was very grateful to him.

Returning to his quarters, Qin Sang first practiced the *Tiger-Subduing Long Fist* once to calm his restless heart.

Qin Sang had always followed Bai Jianglan’s instructions, practicing the *Tiger-Subduing Long Fist* every morning and evening without fail. He clearly felt his physical fitness improving, but he hadn't even seen a shadow of the legendary *Qi*.

After finishing the fist practice and washing off the sweat, Qin Sang returned to his room, took a stack of yellow paper from under the bed covered in writing, and compared it to the book, using the moonlight to fill in the final sentence.

The entire *Nether Scripture* had finally been translated.

Holding the yellow paper booklet, Qin Sang’s palms trembled with excitement. He took a deep breath to calm himself and began to read it through from the beginning.

Again and again, he was single-minded, immersed in the *Nether Scripture*. He first read his translated version, then read the original, speculating bit by bit, and then went back to revise his translation.

Qin Sang did not dare to practice rashly; heaven knows if a small mistake would lead to a deviation in cultivation.

Based on his current shallow understanding, the *Nether Scripture* was indeed a cultivation method that guided one to practice. Once the techniques within were mastered, a strand of 'Qi' would flow through the meridians in the body, and it also described things like the circulation of the Great Heavenly Cycle.

Fortunately, he had been following Daoist Jixin to learn medical texts, so he had some understanding of meridians and acupuncture points, allowing him to barely make sense of it.

(End of chapter)