Chapter 67: Breaking Three Realms in a Single Cleansing!

Old Madam Zhuang had not held out any hope whatsoever.

Yet, after checking Chen Xiaofu’s pulse for a mere three breaths, she was startled into utter astonishment:

"You... your vital energy is actually so abundant!"

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Lie down!"

"Grandmother will check how many of your acupoints have opened!"

The old lady’s voice trembled slightly with excitement. Old Huang leaned heavily on his walking stick, clattering over with restless impatience, and asked anxiously:

"Did it work?"

The old lady nodded. "It certainly worked... Grandson, come, come, lie down on this stone slab!"

Chen Xiaofu was still standing there in a daze when Ah Lai scooped him up in one fell swoop and placed him right upon the stone slab.

Heaven have mercy,

he looked precisely like a pig pinned down on a butcher’s chopping board!

The old lady’s fingers descended upon his Governor and Conception vessels...

A moment later, the old lady was overcome with excitement!

"The Governor and Conception vessels are actually open!"

Her fingers traced slowly along the pathways of those two primary channels.

"...The meridians are still somewhat delicate and weak, but the internal energy within them already displays a surging, swelling momentum!"

"...Ah, the Lesser Heavenly Cycle is completely unobstructed, possessing already the capability to harmonize water and fire, and distill the elixir of jade liquid..."

"...The acupoints along the twelve standard meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians have yet to open, but the foundation has already been firmly laid. What comes next is continuing the marrow-cleansing and practicing the circulation of internal energy."

Old Madam Zhuang withdrew her hand, her aged face beaming with unadulterated joy:

"Grandson, get up!"

Chen Xiaofu rose to his feet, catching sight of the intensely thrilled expressions etched upon Grandmother and Old Huang.

He asked with a measure of trepidation:

"Have I... have I officially entered the martial path?"

Old Madam Zhuang smiled with profound gratification: "You have not merely stepped onto the threshold, you have broken through three realms in one continuous breath!"

"You are now considered a lower-tier practitioner of the sixth realm!"

Chen Xiaofu was struck dumb with amazement, his eyes widening in disbelief: "...Just like that?"

The gaze Ah Lai cast upon Chen Xiaofu was tinged with a blend of envy and mild disdain. He thought to himself: *When I followed my master to learn martial arts at the Wuji Monastery, it took me a full three years just to cross the threshold into the martial path!*

*And advancing all the way to the lower-tier of the sixth realm took me yet another three years!*

*Yet you broke through realms merely by cleansing your marrow, and broke through three realms all at once...*

*This doesn't mean marrow-cleansing alone can produce such miraculous effects; it merely demonstrates that this fellow possesses extraordinarily high talent for martial arts!*

"This..."

Old Madam Zhuang was likewise unable to fully comprehend it, for down to this day, the Jianghu had never recorded a single precedent of breaking through three realms in a single marrow-cleansing.

Yet this grandson of hers had indeed undeniably entered the lower tier of the sixth realm!

"Perhaps it is due to the blessing of the immortal touching your crown; your physical constitution has been fundamentally altered thereby."

"Consequently, you did not experience the suffering that should inherently accompany marrow-cleansing. You felt as though you merely slept through a nap... This is broadly similar to the state of sudden enlightenment that martial artists dream of attaining."

"It now appears that Grandmother underestimated your potential. Who can say how high an attainment you might reach in the martial arts hereafter? In short, you will certainly not stop at the upper tier of the fifth realm."

"However, your subsequent progress will surely not be as miraculous and swift as this. Overly rapid advancement is never a good thing."

"Your foundation must be thoroughly solidified."

"The firmer the foundation, the better it will serve you in the future."

As she spoke, the old lady drew a small, yellowed booklet from her sleeve pouch.

"Your Lesser Heavenly Cycle is already open, and your internal energy will circulate automatically through your meridians. The internal energy in your dantian will grow increasingly abundant, and your meridians will become wider and more resilient through the constant scouring and nurturing of that energy."

"Of course, you must still spend two hours every day in seated meditation, actively circulating your internal energy."

"This is a manual of sword techniques that Ah Lai’s master entrusted me to bring to you. It is the supreme Daoist sword canon; you may peruse it and practice with it for the time being."

Chen Xiaofu took the sword manual and glanced at the cover—

*The Three Forms of Wuji!*

Opening to the frontispiece, a line of characters caught his eye:

*'Know the masculine, yet keep to the feminine, and be the valley for the world.'*

*'Being the valley for the world, eternal virtue will not depart, and you will return to the state of an infant.'*

*'Know the dark, yet keep to the white, and be the model for the world.'*

*'Being the model for the world, eternal virtue will not err, and you will return to Wuji.'*

*'The grand expanse of the Dao of the sword holds ten thousand forms, yet possesses three primary ones: the first is knowing, the second is keeping, and the third is questioning.'*

*'Know the self, keep the intent, and question the heaven and earth!'*

This sword manual certainly looked exceedingly formidable.

"Though the Three Forms of Wuji comprise only three forms, every single form encompasses myriad transformations."

"In truth, aside from those three foundational forms, the interpretation and execution of these sword techniques differ for every single person who practices them, because every person's comprehension is unique."

"Therefore... though they are both martial artists practicing the Three Forms of Wuji, one may become invincible across the realm, while another merely botches the tiger and ends up resembling a dog."

"Practice it as you see fit, but do not practice blindly. Comprehension and realization are far more important than mere repetition."

Chen Xiaofu nodded and tucked the sword manual into his robe.

He looked over at Ah Lai: "Is this the sword technique you practice?"

Ah Lai shook his head. "Master said I am too rigid and my comprehension capacity is limited, so this sword technique does not suit me. What I practice is the Sword of Non-Action."

"Abide by the affairs of non-action, practice the teachings without words..."

"Master said, the meaning of it is quite simply: if you can use your fists, don't bother using your tongue; cleaving them down with a single sword strike is non-action."

Chen Xiaofu cracked a grin. This cold Daoist priest was rather interesting.

He turned, bowed deeply to Old Madam Zhuang, and said with utmost sincerity:

"Thank you, Grandmother!"

Old Madam Zhuang looked upon her grandson with deep, comforting warmth. "Ji'an, never say thank you to Grandmother. The road you must walk is still very long. At Grandmother's age, I can no longer accompany you much further down that path; the future journey must ultimately be walked by your own feet."

"Grandmother only hopes that you can walk it a little more smoothly."

Zhuang Qingdie raised her gaze to the brilliant starry sky. "The sea of books is boundless, and the martial path is endless. These are the means for you to protect yourself, yet they are not the ultimate destination you should pursue."

"What you must pursue is... supreme and ultimate power!"

"There is no martial art in this world that can defeat power, not even a Grandmaster!"

"Only power can ensure that you remain forever in an undefeated position!"

These were the first words of such profound seriousness that Old Madam Zhuang had spoken to Chen Xiaofu in all seventeen years.

These words were straight from the depths of her heart, and they were her innermost expectations.

The sentiment of these words bore a close resemblance to what Qian Shilin had said more than ten days ago in the Qing Garden.

When Chen Xiaofu had first time-traveled to this world, he truly only intended to live out his days in Lin'an as a man of modest wealth and peace. Yet ever since the literary gathering at the Lin'an Academy, he had altered those former thoughts.

In the end, he could no longer leave this place.

He now had a beautiful fiancée.

Since he was going to make his home in this world, he had no choice but to guard and protect this home.

As for power, he had never truly experienced it in his past life, but he understood its paramount importance.

Especially in a society with such a backward civilization and laws that were fundamentally deficient, power was far mightier than brute force.

The experts in the Jianghu were as numerous as carp crossing a river, yet the world was not ruled by the Jianghu, but rather by the imperial court!

Returning to the Southern Courtyard,

Chen Xiaofu reined in his stray thoughts and began to experience the effects brought about by breaking through three realms in a single cleansing.

He discovered that his eyesight had sharpened somewhat.

The flowers in the moonlit courtyard, previously hazy and indistinct, now appeared much clearer.

He felt that his physical strength had increased, and his body seemed considerably more agile.

As his will stirred, the true qi within his body circulated at a faster pace.

Feeling that his footsteps had grown exceptionally light, he began to run.

Beneath the brilliant moonlight, he ran circles around the lotus pond in the back garden.

Right under the watchful eyes of Ah Lai and Cuihong, he ran faster and faster, like a gust of wind, like a fleeting flash of shadow.