Chapter 118: No Way Backward
Seeing they were struggling to conceal their surprised emotions, Meng Qi smiled and beckoned them to silence. “It seems that you donors indeed want to know. Then I won’t spare it as we are so associated in the secular world.”
Duan Xiangfei and Luo Qing refrained from their emotions and erected their back. They stared at Meng Qi and waited for him to talk. The meditation room suddenly became solemn.
“Indeed, with the opening of Primal Aperture at Mid-brows, Vital Spirit and the inner world will converge with the outer world. You will comprehend the darma and reason, and create many skills of immortals. This is called the Man-God Border.” Meng Qi confirmed their guess on the Man-God Border in the first hand.
Snow God Palace had deep research into this, and some of its ancestors even actually opened the Primal Aperture at Mid-brows. This was recorded in some books, so Duan Xiangfei was very sure of this. He gently nodded, showing his approval to Meng Qi’s claim.
He hadn’t directly suggested that why Master Zhen Ding who already broke through Man-God Border still needed to practice Transformation Strategy. He had already opened Primal Aperture at Mid-brows!
But for an old fox like Duan, things that should be kept secret he would never disclose. He only needed to know Master Zhen Ding was able to kill him and knew more secrets about Man-God Border.
Luo Qing and Che Wanxiu were different in manners, yet they were both as engrossed as the kids in school reading primers. They believed every word of Meng Qi.
“Yet the inner world is immensely smaller and weaker than the outer world. One has to be very careful for its impact. If the body is not strong enough, when he opened the Hidden Latch at mid-brows, he will turn into ashes, leaving his Nether Spirit stay for a short while,” said Meng Qi, spinning the Prayer Beads with his left hands. He resembled a real High Monk who taught lessons on a dais, his tongue as effulgent as a blooming lotus.
Duan Xiangfei’s face suddenly changed and understood why in the documents those forerunners who had opened Primal Aperture at Mid-brows vanished enigmatically after leaving only a couple of words.
He thought it was because they ascended to Immortal Realm. Now he was afraid that they were in fact annihilated.
He did not want to believe the description of Meng Qi, but he had no other choices. If Meng Qi was wrong, why those forerunners had not had time to leave the key to the mystery of Man-God Border. For immortals a very short time should be enough!
“But maester, why are there myths of immortals?” Che Wanxiu could not accept this.
Meng Qi smiled, “Some of those tales were made up, some might be real. I just said the condition where one’s body was not strong enough. If strong enough, the body could be rinsed by the impact from the heaven and earth of the outer world, then the body’s owner would be embodied with Dharma and Logos, and his life will be lengthened.”
Not to mention lifespan of ancestors in ancient times, even in modern time, the martialist of the Exterior level after rinsing of outer world, could well extend his life, perhaps up to two or three Jiazi, i.e. sixty years. In ancient times or primordial time, there were not rare those who had lived to ten thousand years old. They were resembling the true immortals.
As Meng Qi was explaining exclusively as if he had actually seen those people, Duan Xiangfei could not help but ask, “Senior Monk, no wonder you say Xuanbei the Grief Monk is the only possible person to break through the Man-God Border. It is because he has a robust body. Yet we are not weaker than him, as we all have trained ourselves from childhood and refined our inner Qi and meridians. Besides, we also have opened several Secret Chambers. Do we also have to practice Thwart Kung Fu in order to forge a stronger body?”
Luo Qing and Che Wanxiu had the same doubt.
Meng Qi spun softly the Prayer Beads, “I just said he might achieve, but not must.”
What Meng Qi suspected was that if one’s inner world could not form a natural cycle, even if he did open the Primal Aperture at Mid-brows and build a bridge between heaven and earth, he still would not be able to merge the inner and outer worlds. He might at most acquire some divine skills after his body cleansed by Dharma and Logos, and might be doomed to lead a path of Nether Spirit before the mortal body turned into dust.
Without answering directly, Meng Qi continued, “There is grand secret in human body. There are not only three Secret Chambers at Dantian, Mid-chest and Primal Aperture. There are not only Twelve Standard Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians. There are not only muscles, bones and blood.”
Although Meng Qi didn’t have enlightening kungfu that could be imparted to others, this kind of common knowledge was not forbidden by the Dominator of Samsara.
Hearing Meng Qi talk about the secrets, Che Wanxiu dared not to breathe too heavily, afraid that her breath could confuse one single word of him. Duan Xiangfei, Luo Qing and Duan Mingcheng were not as severe, but they also were extremely attentive.
“There are entrails in human body. There are as numerous Aperture acupoints as stars in the sky. There are the Nine Innate Apertures, of ears, eyes, ear, mouth, etc..” Meng Qi was being very lucid.
“Master, so we need also practice the Five Solid and Six Hollow Organs, the Aperture acupoints, as well as the Nine Apertures?” Duan Xiangfei was quite discerning.
Luo Qing showed on his face a slice of excitement as if a new door was opened in front of him, while Che Wanxiu stared at Meng Qi, waiting for his further elucidation.
“Actually these will be as a whole in the end,” Meng Qi pinched the Prayer Beads, smiling, “I wonder whether you have heard of this: when close your eyes, your soul will hide in the liver, thus eyes are the apertures of liver; when you stuff your ears, your energy will hide in the kidney, thus ears are apertures of kidney… ”
After these verses being told, Duan Xiangfei and others nodded as if they had been reminded. They surely had this kind of experience during their routine practice.
“… The inner world should form a natural cycle in order to merge into the outer world. And if you want to open the Nine Innate Apertures, you have to practice the respective Aperture acupoints. At this moment you will need most the skills to identify the Aperture acupoints…”
The fourth unit of Golden Bell Shield, which Meng Qi practiced, contained skills to identify, stimulate, excavate and concentrate Aperture acupoints. Therefore the fifth unit must be practiced after one’s all Aperture acupoints had been enlightened. However Meng Qi could not directly impart the skills to them. He let them explore and find their own ways. How much they could earn depended on themselves.
Duan Xiangfei and others were engaged, as if a magnificent picture of a brand new world was appearing gradually in front of them.
Meng Qi stopped spinning the beads and smiled, “This is all this poor monk know. You donors need to find it out yourselves.”
The four people rose up seriously, and paid tribute to Meng Qi with a solemn salutation.
This kind of information had no way to be forged. It did not concern with any particular skills, and would not incur themselves Qi-deviancy Derangement. Therefore this was the grace purely to direct them through the sea of mortal woes. He had given new birth to them as if he was their own master!
Meng Qi accepted the salute with pleasure. He picked up a wooden sword and said, “Donor Luo, this poor monk will be appreciated if you could help me with a mock combat.”
Yama’s Invitation was different from Peace Quietude Split and Mortal Dust Fall. It was a real Desperate Hit. Meng Qi was afraid of hurting him, so he changed to a wooden sword.
Luo Qing, having been taught such a precious lesson, hesitated not and walked out with Meng Qi. He drew out his long sword and pointed ahead with a slant, “Maester, after you.”
The wind was strong today, so Meng Qi’s frock was being lashed and making blasting noise. He walked slowly in front of Luo Qing and closed his eyes. He was preparing the intent of his sword.
“This move of Master Zhen Ding seems about to be very extraordinary.” Che Wanxiu said to Duan Xiangfei in a muddle.
Since recent days, Meng Qi had practiced sword with Luo Qing quite often. Even Che Wanxiu, a laywoman of sword art, could see how shallow Meng Qi’s sword skills were, and the huge distance from his blade art. His blademoves could resemble that of an immortal, but his sword moves could only compare with minor heroes in Jianghu.
This point was also seen clearly by Duan Xiangfei, who was also a sword grandmaster. So now he was much more surprised, for Meng Qi’s inviting gesture was so terrifying. This was a strike for life-ending. This was a Desperate Hit. This was the one of the finest sword art!
Since when did Master Zhen Ding have such excellent sword art?
The wooden sword was thrusting forward. Meng Qi got rid of other thoughts, and with this inviting gesture, he wielded the sword with thousands of subtle changes.
As the sword was coming upon, the numerous changes also withdrew and turned into the most plain and pure sword light. All the Energy, Qi, Spirit and Will of Meng Qi were imbued into this move. He was totally isolated from the outer world. What he saw and hear were merely the light and sound of his swordstrike.
This was, according to Jiang Zhiwei, the key to Yama’s Invitation. But Meng Qi did not understand until now. What a beauty of such one pure swordstrike!
This strike was a Desperate Hit. He had to give all he could give. He had no way backwards!
Even with only a slight timidity or a slice of doubt, the power of the move would be hugely compromised!
Meng Qi was already disposed to die unbending, so his mind and sword were coherent. He forgot everything but launching forward! No danger or hardship could deter him. Even he had to die, he would make sure the opponent would be with him on the way to limbo!
If Yama wanted you at midnight, no one dare withhold you till dawn!
This sword cut on one’s opponent as well as one’s own timidity!
The Desperate Hit overwhelming, the Ear Aperture of Meng Qi which were already about to be ripe for enlightenment, were opened with the strike! This was a result on a natural course!
Every sound around him came into Meng Qi’s ears with a distinct structure. He was able to discern who was talking, where the wind was blowing, what the insects were beeping, and how the ants were crawling. The energy and Qi at his kidney was thriving.
Yet he had forgotten all of this. There was nothing but the sword strike in his eyes and ears.
The wooden sword broke through a short distance, and with a unspeakable mystery it went past the defense of Luo Qing and landed right at the mid-brows of him. It was faster than Luo Qing by a flickering time. Duan Xiangfei, Che Wanxiu and Duan Mingcheng were dumbfounded.
Pa! Luo Qing was bumped back and almost fell on the ground, his head dizzy and his eyes blurry.
Meng Qi could not withdraw the sword for it was an Desperate Hit. If Meng Qi’s inner force was strong enough and Luo Qing did not put up a genuine Qi defense, Luo Qing would be definitely killed.
But of course, if Meng Qi had that ability he would ask Luo Qing to wear a helmet in advance.
Meng Qi stood there amazed. Then he laughed and put the wooden sword back his body, and walked back silently to his meditation room as if there were nobody else.
My Ear Aperture were opened automatically while I struck Yama Inviting. How fortunate! I must immediately solidify this progress.
His Yama’s Invitation was being successfully launched. Though he had not fully mastered it and its effect was far weaker than that of Jiang Zhiwei, he could count it as a decent trump strike!
After Luo Qing came back to his mind, he saw Duan Xiangfei and others were also in consternation. The emotionless face changed for a deep sigh:
“This sword art is unprecedented. I wonder it mainly exsits in Immortal Realm.”
His eyes were full of eager, as if he wanted to break the Man-God Limit at next moment and ascend to the Immortal Realm.
Duan Xiangfei also long sighed, “I feel lucky that I had given up sword long time ago. Seeing this sword art now, I wonder if I still have any courage to pick up a sword.”
Che Wanxiu, seeing they were shocked and discomfited and thinking of her own feeling when confronting the bladesmanship of Master Zhen Ding, gloated up instead.