Chapter 25: Olden Days and Past Affairs

After hearing the profound teachings of his senior uncle, Qiu Zhiqing found it difficult to refute them, as this was indeed the current state of the Taoist sects. Recalling his own experiences at the Yuquan Temple during his visit to Mount Hua, he realized that while many had received true transmissions and gone wandering over the past twenty years, not a single one had ever returned.

Did this not speak for itself? Buddhists seek Zen meditation; Taoists seek transcendence...

Eager to end the topic, Qiu Zhiqing remembered the purpose of his visit. "Actually, my master sent me here specifically to express his gratitude for the 'Five Animal Frolics Guidance Technique' you transcribed for me. Had it not been for your help, I would still be suffering from my illness. Your kindness is like a second birth; please accept a formal bow from me!"

A formal bow meant one like that offered to a patriarch—a full kowtow. However, as Qiu Zhiqing began to bow, Master Cuixu flicked his sleeve. A gentle but firm force lifted Qiu Zhiqing up mid-kneel. Qiu Zhiqing looked at his "convenient" senior uncle in confusion. Master Cuixu merely pointed to the place where he had been sitting, signaling him to sit down. Qiu Zhiqing obeyed.

Seeing him seated, Master Cuixu remarked, "The matter is easy to understand. Sixteen years ago, Changchunzi helped the current Emperor eliminate Wang Daoqian, the Minister of War, who advocated surrender and colluded with the Jin Dynasty. Transcribing the 'Five Animal Frolics' for your senior brother Changchun was merely a reward, not something to be thanked for."

This revelation left Qiu Zhiqing stunned. It took him a while to collect his thoughts. "That can't be right. Isn't it said that my fifth senior uncle found out about Wang Daoqian's treason on his own and broke into his residence to assassinate him?"

Master Cuixu chuckled. "Don't be naive. Your Senior Uncle Qiu's martial arts are quite mediocre; I was worried for him just watching from the sidelines. Without the Emperor’s tacit approval, do you think the Six Fan Sect and the Ministry of Justice are incompetent? Would they allow someone to break into a Minister’s mansion in Lin'an to commit murder? And have you ever wondered how Changchunzi happened to know such a highly classified secret—that a Minister of War had been bought by the Jin?"

"This..." Qiu Zhiqing realized it didn't make sense. If the treason were common knowledge, Wang would be useless. "Then what really happened?"

Master Cuixu felt a headache coming on from his nephew's slow reaction, but considering he was only seventeen, he explained patiently: "The Quanzhen Sect back then was not what it is today; your grandmaster had just ascended. I’ll say something you might not like: my teacher once said that he had a perfectly good Taoist path but insisted on pursuing the 'Three Teachings as One.' It was nonsense, though it did make cultivation easier than ours. Between gain and loss, who can really say..."

Seeing Qiu Zhiqing’s confused expression, Master Cuixu continued, "We will discuss that later. Let’s talk about your senior uncle. At that time, the Northern Quanzhen Sect only had the Seven Masters. Their internal cultivation was decent, but their martial arts were not much to speak of, and that little fool Zhou Botong had left. The Emperor wanted Wang dead, and Changchunzi wanted fame; it was a perfect match. The Imperial City Guard 'inadvertently' leaked the information to Changchunzi. Everything fell into place naturally."

Qiu Zhiqing asked curiously, "But isn't it said that our Great Song does not execute scholar-officials?"

"Wang Daoqian was killed by Qiu Chuji. What does that have to do with the Great Song? Qiu Chuji is not a Song citizen; he is a Jurchen! If anyone wants revenge, it has to be the Jin prince, Wanyan Honglie. Unfortunately, he couldn't do anything about it. It’s a pity that Qiu Chuji somehow let Wanyan Honglie escape with his life..." Master Cuixu sighed, though his face remained indifferent.

Qiu Zhiqing still didn't understand. "If the Song Dynasty was already paying tribute to the Jin, why go through all that trouble?"

Perhaps because he hadn't told a story in a long time, Master Cuixu didn't mind the questions. "People are young once. Our Emperor ascended the throne at twenty-seven with a full treasury and his father having abdicated; it was inevitable he would have some heroic impulses, like launching a Northern Expedition. Why else would the Jin specifically target the Minister of War? They wanted to get their hands on the Song military deployments. Because of this, when Qiu Chuji killed the Minister, the Emperor didn't even bother sending the Six Fan Sect for show. He simply downplayed the matter. So, when your senior uncle asked for a cultivation technique to strengthen the body and nourish the lungs, I told the Emperor it was for the man who killed the traitor Wang Daoqian, and the Emperor told me to transcribe it without a second thought!"

Master Cuixu shook his head with satisfaction. It seemed that even a master like him felt a sense of pleasure at Wang Daoqian's death.

Qiu Zhiqing couldn't help but feel tempted. The 'Five Animal Frolics' came from the same Taoist canon that contained the 'Nine Yin Manual.' If he could study it, perhaps he could... He knew the Ancient Tomb held parts of the manual, but he didn't know where to look in the vast Zhongnan Mountains, and his luck was poor. He had long since given up and focused on his own 'Quanzhen Internal Arts,' which he now felt were becoming increasingly harmonious.

"Are you thinking that since Huang Shang gained the 'Nine Yin Manual' from the Taoist canon, if you studied it, you might also realize some peerless technique?"

Seeing his senior uncle looking at him with amusement, Qiu Zhiqing asked, "Is there something wrong with that?"

Master Cuixu smiled. "Nothing is wrong with it. But do you know why your master was the only Taoist to compete for that manual, and after he got it, he not only refused to practice it himself but forbade his disciples from doing so? Do you know why?"

Qiu Zhiqing wanted to know. In the stories, those who practiced it became powerful overnight. But hearing this from a master who had arguably reached the level of a 'Human Immortal,' he sensed something was amiss.

"Dare I ask, Senior Uncle, why is that?"

"There is no need to ask. If you ever obtain the manual and your state of mind reaches the required level, you will understand. If you cannot see it, then practicing it won't matter, as long as you don't integrate it into the core of your Northern Sect's teachings."

He looked up; the moon was high. Master Cuixu started to shoo him away. "It is late. Take this; with it, you can enter and leave the palace freely tomorrow. That is all for today."

He tossed Qiu Zhiqing a jade pendant carved with a coiled dragon. It was made of mutton-fat jade, and the dragon’s eyes were two tiny, natural black spots—a true masterpiece.

Qiu Zhiqing didn't want to leave yet. He said cheekily, "You haven't told me what's wrong with my grandmaster's 'Three Teachings as One'!"

Master Cuixu replied, "I'll tell you a story, and you can figure it out yourself. Grandmaster Ziyang was wandering in Luzhou when he met a monk who specialized in precepts, meditation, and wisdom. The monk believed he had attained the supreme Zen, capable of entering deep meditation and projecting his spirit hundreds of miles away. They chatted and agreed to project their spirits to Yangzhou to view the peonies."

Seeing Qiu Zhiqing listening intently, Master Cuixu continued, "They sat in the same room, closed their eyes, and projected their spirits to Yangzhou. When the Grandmaster arrived, the monk was already there. The Grandmaster proposed they each pick a peony as proof. When their spirits returned, the monk could not produce a flower, but the Grandmaster pulled a peony from his hand."

Qiu Zhiqing realized, "The Yang Spirit! When gathered, it forms a shape; when dispersed, it becomes energy. The Grandmaster's spirit was physical enough to manifest! So, the Grandmaster Ziyang could bring back the flower. Does that mean Grandmaster Chongyang truly died... no, his Yang Spirit had left his body, preparing to ascend, but when he saw Ouyang Feng attacking, he had to return to his body to repel him! Was it because my grandmaster's 'Life Cultivation' was not complete that he had to ascend in such a hurry?" Qiu Zhiqing's eyes sparkled.

Master Cuixu smiled sincerely. "I believe your talent is truly excellent. I accept your master's request. Over the next three years, how much you learn depends on your own insight. As for your last question, you must seek the answer yourself. Sometimes, knowledge on paper is shallow indeed."

Qiu Zhiqing was curious, but he didn't mind searching for the answer. Yet, why was he to study under him for three years? He wanted to ask more, but Master Cuixu’s eyes were already half-closed in meditation.

Knowing the audience was over, Qiu Zhiqing bowed three times to the meditating master, turned, and walked back the way he came. A few steps later, a voice came from behind: "Climb over the wall..."