Chapter 14. Meeting Muyi, explaining Xiantian
Not long after Qin Xingxuan left, Lin Xiang went down to the kitchen to take care of some deboning work.
These days he was still deboning purely for practice. As he remembered, the original Protagonist had benefited a lot thanks to his knowledge of the vicious beast anatomy, and the strength control and precision that he acquired from cutting up vicious beasts.
At this time Lin Xiang was able to slice up a second-level vicious beast at lighting speed with no effort at all. His physical strength was simply too high, so in order to be able to continue practicing his precision with a blade, he copied a method from the novel and used the flat back of the knife to debone.
Normally, someone who was deboning would use the sharpest knife they could, or even an ax or any other sharp instrument. Deboning would also often take the entirety of a day to finish a 2nd level vicious beast.
But Lin Xiang actually used the very thick back of a knife to debone. It was something absurdly difficult and impossible; the knife should feel as if it were cutting into solid rock, and every inch required an extreme degree of effort and strength.
This kind of idea sounded ridiculous, but it was still possible thanks to him using true essence to increase the sharpness of the dull edge. This method forced Lin Xiang to put several times more physical strength into his work while perceiving the skill. However, in the end the results were still good and he neatly cut off the slabs of meat as he had before.
"Little Lin, what's your connection to Qin Xingxuan?" At one point Sister Lan approached Lin Xiang in the kitchen and asked, her tone containing both curiosity and a bit of new-found respect.
Lin Xiang looked up and casually replied, "Ah, she's my girlfriend."
Sister Lan was dumbfounded.
Lin Xiang chuckled. "I'm kidding. She isn't my girlfriend, at least not yet."
Sister Lan was bewildered.
Lin Xiang laughed out and smiled, saying, "But Big Sister, don't worry, I'm still single. You still have a chance with me."
Sister Lan sighed and rolled her eyes. "You know what, nevermind."
Having said that, Sister Lan left, not bothering with Lin Xiang's nonsense.
…
Grand Clarity Pavillion, afternoon of the same day.
"Mister Muyi, Miss Qin, welcome to our establishment. We have already specially prepared a private room for you." Sister Lan arrived at the main entrance to greet the esteemed guests.
Qin Xingxuan nodded. "We are here to see Lin Xiang, can you inform him?"
Sister Lan forced a smile and said, "He's in the kitchen."
"Kitchen?" Qin Xingxuan said with a hint of surprise.
"Yes, Little Lin does a deboner's work. He is a very responsible young boy. Deboning is a job where one slices the meat," Sister Lan saw Qing Xingxuan did not know what the occupation of deboning involved, so she explained to her.
"Slicing meat? What?" Muyi heard it and was confused. How could a super-genius Inscription Master be a meat slicer?
"Should I lead you to him?" Sister Lan asked.
"Mm. Lead the way." Qin Xingxuan nodded.
They followed Sister Lan and arrived at the Great Clarity Pavilion's kitchen.
Upon opening the door, Qin Xingxuan felt a billow of hot air and steam wrap around her. It was late in the summer, and combined with the kitchen heat, it was unbearably hot.
Qin Xingxuan simply revolved her true essence and scattered the scalding air, and entered the kitchen along with Sister Lan. The kitchen chefs widened their eyes in amazement; some of the young men's jaws almost reached the floor.
Great Clarity Pavilion had many esteemed guests entering and leaving, so these waiters and chefs had a broad experience and knowledge of who was important.
Many of them recognized Qin Xingxuan and didn't believe their eyes. In the entire Sky Fortune City there was nobody who had not heard of her name or knows of her outstanding talent. Why would she come to the kitchen?
Sister Lan finally stopped and pointed at a room just off the corner of the kitchen, "He's over there."
The grand Clarity Pavilion's kitchen was very large, and Lin Xiang worked in his own little room. He would slice the vicious beast meat here and then have it sent off to the freezer for preservation.
The door opened and Qin Xingxuan peeked inside. She saw youth only wearing a pair of pants. His detailed and muscular upper back was bare and he was holding a common bone knife as they cut into the body of a vicious beast.
The youths' backs were facing Qin Xingxuan. Viewed from behind, the young man had a symmetrically muscled and fit back, with skin tanned from the sun, and with a healthy sheen from exercise.
Perhaps it was because of the kitchen heat or maybe it was because they were working very hard, but his back was covered with beats of sweat, and it gave off a daunting sense of strength.
Was he Lin Xiang?
Qin Xingxuan was unsure, so she approached one of them several steps. She only saw a black half-ponytail that she was familiar with and saw a young man's profile; it was a young and heroic face with a focused expression. At first glance it was not noticeable, but looking a bit longer could cause the heart to palpitate and leave a sense that he was an unforgettably lofty character.
Although she only saw a small side of him, Qin Xingxuan recognized that look, and it began to overlap with the image she had of Lin Xiang from their earlier meetings. She did not know why, but it caused her mind to jump, and a slight flush crept up her neck.
She hadn't imagined the scene in front of her. The exquisite inscription symbol that required fine control of soul force and a delicate, gentle touch, was created by the same young man who was barbarically cutting the animal meat?
These two completely contradictory ideas appeared in the same boy; the complicated and mysterious noble beauty, and the simple strength in contrast with each other gave her heart a momentary sinking feeling.
At this moment Lin Xiang turned around. The kitchen had many people passing through, and when he practiced he often ignored his surroundings, but Lin Xiang felt a difference that there were some people observing him.
Looking over, sure enough, he saw Qin Xingxuan.
Lin Xiang had already heard about Qin Xingxuan's visit from a sound transmitting talisman, but he still planned to continue training until that point and finish what he started. It was also to give Qin Xingxuan a surprise and maybe a scare.
Qin Xingxuan saw the front of Lin Xiang's body, his chest and abdominal muscles, and her expression froze. This… This was simply beyond detailed! It isn't that Lin Xiang was too thin, but his body simply looked incredibly athletic and slim.
"Xingxuan, sorry to keep you waiting. I'll finish this later," Lin Xiang said. His eyes then traveled to the old man behind Qin Xingxuan.
Qin Xingxuan smiled, but then she didn't speak as she noted the simple knife in Lin Xiang's hand. It was less than a foot long deboning knife and there was nothing special or particular about it, but what astonished her was that Lin Xiang had unexpectedly been using the back of the knife to cut the meat. This, this was really…
Her gaze moved to the cuts of meat that Lin Xiang had sliced up. The sections were consistent, even, and neat. Were these made using the back of a knife?
"Little brother, are you Lin Xiang?" The old man asked Lin Xiang with a smile on his face.
"That's me." Lin Xiang nodded, guessing that this old man must be Mister Muyi.
Muyi smiled in a friendly manner. Being faced with Lin Xiang, he understood a few things. He earlier judged that the Inscription from Qin Xingxuan was created by someone with a cultivation that didn't surpass the 3rd Stage of Body Transformation, very likely being at the 3rd Stage, but it turned out that Qin Xingxuan was correct. Lin Xiang's cultivation was only at the peak of the early 2nd Body Transformation stage, but because of his solid foundation and the density of his true essence and precision of his soul force, it had given the illusion that it was higher than it was!
Because of this dense true essence, Muyi believed that Lin Xiang practiced a top tier cultivation technique. The kind of cultivation technique was something that only the most ancient and powerful of sects would have.
Moreover this young boy was extremely assiduous and dedicated… for instance, he had just cut apart that vicious beast now with the back of a knife. Perhaps it's a special training method of an ancient sect, of a supreme master!
"Lin Xiang, this is my master, Mister Muyi," Qing Xingxuan introduced her master after she recovered from her shock of seeing Lin Xiang slice meat with the back of a knife.
Lin Xiang cupped his fists toward the old man. "Lin Xiang pays respects to Mister Muyi."
Muyi smiled and said, "Little brother, I have heard a lot about you from Xingxuan. In regards to what you asked of Xingxuan today, do you perhaps have some free time to accompany this old man to a meal?"
Lin Xiang smiled. "Alright. I would also like to meet Xingxuan's master."
"Haha! Great! Then let us go downstairs and feast at the Great Clarity Pavilion!"
Under the shock gazes of the kitchen workers, Lin Xiang brushed away the sweat from his body with a towel, put on a robe and left together with Qin Xingxuan and Mister Muyi.
The cooks were bewildered.
"First Lin Xiang had a meal with Marshal's granddaughter and now this. Just who is he?"
…
In the private room, the banquet was being prepared in the center of a room, while Lin Xiang, Qin Xingxuan and Muyi were seated on a sofa at the side.
Muyi set up a sound sealing barrier around them. He then took a deep breath and asked with a respectful tone, "Excuse me for asking, Little brother, by may I request the name of your esteemed master?"
Muyi had a high and aloof position with the Sky Fortune Kingdom. Even if he approached the emperor he would not need to bow. But from this respectful expression it was sufficient to see the deep awe and reverence he had for this supreme and mysterious master behind Lin Xiang.
Lin Xiang cleared his throat. "My master's name… It isn't much of a name but more of a title. My master calls himself Purple Moon True Monarch."
Purple Moon True Monarch... Muyi sucked in a large breath. What a grand name!
Alas, Muyi hadn't recognized any Expert who claimed such a name.
Of course, Lin Xiang decided to use a common Xianxia cliche method of fabricating the identity of a powerful master in order to placate any questions. From the novel he also knew that Mister Muyi was a very nice guy and that this method worked well, so he believed that there wouldn't be any danger when doing this.
The Inscription Techniques were not possible to be self-learned, much less to the point that he had at such a young age. In the eyes of a reasonable person, it was most likely that Lin Xiang had some sort of legendary Inscription Master backing him, even if this character did not actually exist.
Lin Xiang continued, "My master is a recluse and doesn't like to be bothered. He found me a few years ago and discovered that I have a special constitution, thus he taught me in secret. But I'm afraid I'm forbidden from telling you more. In fact, even my parents don't know that I have apprenticed myself to a master."
Lin Xiang had lived in Green Mulberry City since childhood, so this was easy to investigate. He only said as little as he could to avoid being suspected. He had even frequently ventured and trained in the woods by himself in the past, so if he gets investigated it would only serve as a proof that he might indeed have had a master since young.
Muyi said, "I see, I see. For an Elder of such high skill, they dedicate themselves to their craft and don't like to be bothered with worldly affairs. I understand and won't inquire further. It is just that Little Brother's inscription technique is so outstanding that it is unlikely to belong to someone from the Sky Fortune Kingdom. Likely, it came from an ancient sect…"
Muyi said that he did not want to inquire about Lin Xiang's master, he was still vague and wanted to ask for some information. After all, a legendary master like this was rare to see even once in a lifetime; if one does, then perhaps it could be their own stroke of luck!
Muyi had already been stuck at the peak of the Houtian boundary for a very long time. He had always wanted to pass the threshold to the next stage.
But without guidance this single step was simply an impassable ravine!
In the eight years of Sky Fortune Kingdom's history, there have been many Pulse Condensation Martial Artists. And in those were many talents that would even arrive at the Houtian stage.
However, disregarding the peerless talents that had entered the Seven Profound Valleys, then Sky Fortune Kingdom had not had a single Xiantian master!
If the step from Bone Forging to Pulse Condensation was a little stream to pass, then the path from Houtian to Xiantian was like a raging ocean! If one did not depend on the direction from a sect, then depending on one's own skill and personal discovery, the possibility to enter the Xiantian stage was close to zero!
It was already too late for Muyi to enter into a sect. His only hope was to encounter a mighty elder who was able to give him a pointer or two, and thus also give him the hope that he could one day dream of crossing into the Xiantian level.
He did not ultimately seek to enter the Xiantian level; he only wanted to know the direction, to give him a goal so he wouldn't remain clueless and lost for the rest of his life.
Being somewhat aware of Muyi's thoughts, Lin Xiang said, "I don't know the details, but Master Purple once said that he entered a sect when he was young."
Since Lin Xiang decided on this path, then he would do so thoroughly and completely. Only then would he be in a strong position and others would believe that the mysterious master behind him was a legendary figure that could not be offended.
After Muyi heard this he felt a bit envious. He did not have the good fortune to enter a sect, but Lin Xiang's master had already left his sect.
Muyi said, "Your master's cultivation must have been very high if he left his sect to go traveling. He had probably reached the limit of some high boundary. Perhaps he was above the Xiantian stage?"
To Muyi, the Xiantian stage was an immeasurably distant ideal. For martial artists that were not in a sect, let alone the Xiantian stage, the stages above it must be even more unimaginable.
Hearing Muyi's question, Lin Xiang understood the intentions of this old man.
Muyi's interest in this so-called 'master' of his was very strong. His eyes were eager and full of earnestness. He must have been looking for some answers for his own cultivation.
It was very difficult to practice oneself, after all Muyi was at such an old age; he had probably reached his own limits.
Thinking of this, Lin Xiang considered the memories of the elder's soul fragment. These memories, although there were some memories of martial arts cultivation, were not complete. But there was not much value, so it was easy to say a thing or two about the lower realms of cultivation that should concern Mister Muyi.
Lin Xiang replied vaguely, "Master Purple never told me what boundary he's at, but he said that the martial path is divided into two major parts. He was now contemplating the second part."
"Oh? Which two parts?" Muyi's eyes lit up. He feared missing even a single word, for he knew that the opportunity to listen to the words from a learned senior were truly precious.
Qin Xingxuan's eyes were also bright, and she did not blink as she listened to Lin Xiang with reverent attention.
Lin Xiang said, "Martial Dao is divided into two parts: 'Martial' and 'Dao'. The first is to practice martial arts, while the other is to study the Dao. To practice martial arts means to cultivate the body, while studying the Dao means to cultivate the soul. Master Purple often said that the world is a boundless sea of bitterness and martial artists travers its watters. The body is the boat to cross the sea, while the soul is the oars that move the boat."
"If one does not cultivate the body, then the boat would not be steady or strong, and a storm would easily capsize it. If one does not cultivate the soul, then their strength won't be enough, and even if their predestined death was near, they would be unable to arrive at the other shore."
"The transition between cultivating the body and cultivating the soul is the transition from Houtian to Xiantian. Before Houtian, the martial artist cultivates the body, after Xiantian, the martial artist cultivates the soul."
"After Xiantian, cultivate the soul!" Muyi's body trembled as if he had grasped something vaguely. No wonder all these years which he had been practicing he had actually been unable to make any progress. He realized that he had been headed the wrong direction the entire time. He had not imagined the Xiantian stage to be like this.
Muyi muttered, "And what exactly is the meaning of Xiantian?"
Lin Xiang said, "Master once said that 'when humans are babies in the womb, they cannot breathe through their nose or mouth, but can only depend on their mother to give them sustenance through their connection'. This is the innate breath, the characteristic of Xiantian."
"After a person is born then they begin to breathe through their nose and mouth, which is the characteristic of external Houtian breath. In the Xiantian stage the soul enters a state of emptiness and tranquility, making it easier to communicate with the energy of heaven and earth, to use the soul to understand the principles of heaven and earth, and to control the energy of heaven and earth through true essence. This is the true Xiantian. The process of reaching Xiantian is the process of removing the mortal roots and changing from acquired external breath to innate internal breath."
"That's it… That's it…" Muyi muttered to himself. His eyes showed both admiration and dismay. This young boy's master told him a few words casually, but when they fell onto Muyi's ears they were akin to ancient enlightenment. If this boy had these teachings, guided by the top tier Xiantian manuals, then he would surely soon become a martial arts master!
The large sects' legacies and secrets are unimaginable for martial artists like him who rely only on their own experiences.
Thinking of this, Muyi sighed: "How laughable! To think that I reached Pulse Condensation at 36 years of age and then reached Houtian at 50 years of age, and afterwards I spent 60 years exhausting all my efforts to step into the Xiantian realm! And I had been wrong the entire time! I had started down the wrong path all this time! I have wasted 60 years! Lamentable! Truly lamentable!"
Muyi's face was excited and yet his emotions were complex.
Lin Xiang watched from the side and secretly sighed in his heart.
Without the support of a sect and a high-level cultivation technique there's simply no hope for one step into the Xiantian realm. However, cultivation techniques and resources are the sources of power of large sects, so they're tightly controlled and not shared with outsiders.
Not only that, but to go from Houtian to Xiantian one needs to return their soul to a state of being in a womb. This required the most precious and rare of cultivation pills. The methods of production and the rare materials for these pills are also tightly controlled by the sects. Not to mention the common people, but even the royal family could not purchase these pills!
So even if Lin Xiang told Muyi these pieces of knowledge, even if Muyi wanted to use them to advance into the Xiantian stage, it was simply impossible.
Therefore Lin Xiang said, "Mister Muyi, I'm sorry, but my master said that if one does not have the resources of a clan, then even if one obtained a cultivation technique that allowed them to enter the Xiantian stage, it would still be impossible."
"I know… I know… It's just that I have long strived to reach the Xiantian stage, it is my lifelong wish. Even if I cannot achieve this wish of mine, but at least I wish I could see the right direction and know where I was wrong, then I can also die in peace and without regret," Muyi said with a gloomy tone.
Lin Xiang also unavoidably sighed with emotion. If he wasn't able to obtain Magic Cube Cheat Item, then with his talent and no resources, he would probably be just like Muyi, if he was lucky. After entering the Houtian realm as an old man, he would forever be unable to take another step forward or would simply prematurely die while adventuring, dying without accomplishing anything…