C19 The Sun Facing the Moon and the Wind Facing the Water

The shaman opened his eyes and addressed the young man, "Child, you've been unconscious for over ten days. Your injuries appear to be severe, which is likely why you've been out for so long. It's possible that a surge of blood and energy to your heart caused your fainting spell..."

"Ah? Ten days... Then..." Rupert looked down, his hands searching for something, anxiety etched on his face.

"Child, are you looking for an arm? I buried it in the mountain behind us. Boundless Longevity Buddha, child. Holding an arm in your hand, have you caused harm to others? It seems you've spent these days tormented by nightmares..." Rupert was stunned, realizing the horror was not merely a figment of his dreams. Overwhelmed with sorrow, he quickly recounted the entire sequence of events.

The old shaman, with a compassionate look in his eyes, inquired, "Boundless Longevity Buddha! Child, what are your plans now? You're not as skilled in martial arts or tactics as others. How will you seek revenge? If you confront your adversary, you're likely to be on the receiving end of a beating..."

It seemed Rupert had no real martial arts experience; his past was merely a series of aimless days in the martial arts world. "Mentor, look at me now, as fragile as a flickering candle. How can I vindicate Rich? Forgive my ignorance and my rash words. May I be so bold as to ask for your esteemed name?"

"I am known by a few names: Dreamy World, Ethereal, Unknowing Years, Hundred Cultivations, Nearly Godly, but most call me Carefree Caden!" the shaman declared with a serene confidence. "I have lived in seclusion here for many years. Caden is indeed my name."

Rupert could hardly believe his ears. The unassuming figure before him was the very person he had sought for years. "You are the forefather of the art of Bagua, an expert in divination and military strategy... This is beyond belief. You are the venerable Caden. If you truly exist, you must be centuries old, yet you appear as a transcendent shaman..."

Shaking his head in amazement, Rupert exclaimed, "Oh, what a revered master! Who is this divine being?"

Eagerly, Rupert shared his life story with Caden: "I was fortunate to meet an elder brother who entrusted me with a secret manual. Only then did I learn of Caden's mastery in Bagua and divination, unrivaled in all the world..."

"Ah, child, you certainly haven't forgotten where you come from. To say I'm the best in the world is quite the compliment. As the saying goes, 'When you drink water, think of its source.' People always cherish their memories. Ha, ha, Emrick is indeed one of my disciples. Out of the many I've taught, you bring up Emrick. Yes, this fellow was quite hot-headed. Back then, I disguised myself as an old man sitting on a rock and deliberately dropped my shoe three times, and made an early appointment with him, all to temper Emrick's fiery spirit! Fortunately, this young man proved to be moldable, and I immediately taught him the art of war..."

"Emrick is truly an astute individual. He even advanced my military strategies into the Eight Trigrams. Time does fly; it's been a hundred years in the blink of an eye. Child, how much do you understand? Tell me about it, how does that sound?" Caden said, confident in his teachings, yet curious whether his essence had been fully grasped after all this time.

Rupert nodded and replied, "I'm quite familiar with it, Mentor, but I hesitate to boast for fear of embarrassing our great master..."

"Child, then let me casually test you. If I stand in this 'Xun' position, how would you counter in battle? Think carefully about which position you should take..." Caden posed the question, knowing that choosing certain positions could guarantee victory, but this required a thoughtful approach.

"If I were to face the same position directly, I would only exert the same effort. However, if I were to stand in the 'Dui' and 'Xun' positions, I could achieve the greatest victory with minimal effort," Rupert responded with reverence.

Caden simply twirled his beard and said, "Yang contrasts with Yin, wind with water, mountain with valley..."

"Sun with moon, above with below, wind with water..." Rupert quickly replied, his mind agile.

Caden, quite impressed, asked further, "Consider the sun, moon, and stars as generals and soldiers in fierce battle!"

"The mountain passes are like troops guarding the land!" Rupert replied promptly, demonstrating his understanding of the dynamics of battle.

"Quick! Dare you to make a swift move in Qingzhou?" Caden challenged, eager to see how the young man would respond.

After a moment's thought, Rupert looked at his mentor and said, "Action! If the Qi of the Divine Land is moved excessively, it could overwhelm the body. You also mentioned my surplus of energy, which keeps me from sleeping well at night. Therefore, I seek to ascend the mountain and consult the Celestial Sage for a solution..."

"Child, since our paths have crossed, it must be fate. Let me tell you about the origins of the Lifefruit. It grows from a tree planted by the Ancestor Pangu, standing five fathoms and eight feet tall, with leaves of green and brown. The fruit resembles a newborn baby, and its flesh is said to nourish and invigorate, as well as detoxify and fortify the body. This Celestial Relic was once offered by Ancestor Pangu to celebrate the birthday of the Western Mother Goddess. The young monk didn't intervene forcefully, which indeed saved your life. Had you encountered someone who acted without understanding, knowing only a fraction of the necessary knowledge, you would have been in grave danger..."

Although Rupert was filled with gratitude, he responded with concern, "Elder Caden, considering your age, isn't this harmful to you? Please don't test this just for my sake. I would feel terrible if it hurt your Ascended Form."

Caden burst into hearty laughter, touched by the young man's consideration for his well-being. It was uncommon for someone to pass up the chance to enhance their abilities, but this young man showed no such desire. "Child! Ha... It's rare to find such thoughtfulness. But I must be clear with you, the martial arts you've learned thus far are merely basic. Now, I wish to impart to you the ways of Transcendence. Whether you succeed will depend greatly on your fortune. For now, focus on guarding your chest and the window acupoint."

Caden had skillfully sealed the "Resplendent," "Yutang," "Zhuan Que," "God's Passion," "Feng Gate," "Tuoyu," "Three Scales," and "Guan Yuan" acupoints with his inner energy, concentrating solely on the Ren and Du meridians. "Hu... Child, sit down and gather your energy. This morning, the old shaman has already opened the acupoints of life and death for you. Now, try to circulate your energy and see if you can clear the blockages in the acupoints."

Rupert sat down and began to circulate his energy. Soon, he felt a smooth flow throughout his body, reaching every limb. His breath became even, and he cycled his inner energy three times. A wild surge of Qi raced through him, spinning rapidly yet flowing unimpeded through all his acupoints...

"How do you feel, child? Are you feeling much more at ease now?" Caden inquired after completing several cycles of his own energy circulation.

"Yes!" Rupert expelled a breath tainted with impurities and answered, feeling a sense of comfort that was deeply soothing.