infodatos Chapter 213 Shen Shulan's "Dao", Wuqing Temple's "Dao".
Chapter 213 Shen Shulan's "Dao", Wuqing Temple's "Dao".
Chapter 213 Shen Shulan's "Dao", Wuqing Temple's "Dao".
Shen Shulan stood on the dark platform, his plain white Taoist robe fluttering in the biting mountain wind.
The tiny electric sparks swirling around it tore the surrounding clouds to shreds.
She didn't say anything, but simply raised her right hand, spread her five fingers, and then began to form hand seals in a mysterious order.
"Today, we will discuss the seventh move of the 'Supreme Master's Formation Breaking Chapter'—'Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens.'"
Her voice was clear and cold, like ice striking jade, each word seemingly striking the very soul of everyone present.
"Thunder is the most powerful and yang, it destroys evil and vanquishes demons, and is the punishment of heaven."
Before he finished speaking, Shen Shulan hooked his left thumb around his middle finger, while the other three fingers remained upright, instantly forming an ancient "Heavenly Thunder Technique".
.
A burst of blue-purple lightning erupted from his fingertips, emitting a crackling sound.
She didn't stop, and her right hand followed immediately, bending her index and ring fingers and pressing down with her thumb to form the "Xunfeng Jue" (Wind Technique).
Once the two techniques were mastered, she suddenly stretched out her arms, like drawing a bow to its fullest extent!
"When Kan and Li (☵) unite, wind and thunder clash!"
With a low shout, Shen Shulan chanted an obscure incantation: "Thunder God and Lightning Goddess, heed my command! Qian Yuan Heng Li Zhen, Boom!"
"Boom—!"
She pointed her fingers like a sword and slashed sharply towards the sky above the preaching platform!
A blindingly bright blue-purple lightning bolt seemed to descend from the heavens and appeared out of thin air at her fingertips!
The lightning did not explode indiscriminately, but was controlled by her exquisite qi, transforming into a three-zhang-long, sharply angled "thunder halberd"!
The lightning halberd ripped through the sky, and wherever it passed, the air was ionized, releasing a burnt smell. It completely tore apart the already thin clouds, revealing the deep, star-studded sky behind them!
Below the stage, thousands of Wuqing Temple disciples watched with rapt attention.
The elders in the front row, their hair and beards all white, were even more astonished, their pupils dilating in shock, and they exclaimed in hushed tones, "What a thunderous roar that shakes the heavens!"
"By integrating wind techniques into thunder magic, accelerating the lightning to a speed faster than one's mind—that is the true killing technique!"
"Shulan, that girl—has actually mastered the 'Supreme Formation Breaking Chapter' to such a degree, she's probably even three points stronger than Shen Jizhou back then—"
Lu Yuan stood in the crowd, his mind also trembling with awe.
He could see clearly that Shen Shulan's move, seemingly grand and sweeping, actually had every wisp of lightning following the trajectory of some ancient array.
This is no longer just a simple Taoist technique, but a perfect fusion of Taoist techniques and thunder techniques!
Shen Shulan did not stop. Her gaze swept across the disciples below the stage like lightning, and she said coldly, "Watch carefully, this is just a 'form'."
"The true essence of a 'formation' lies in mutual understanding and in the location of its core!"
She suddenly flicked her finger, and the lightning halberd instantly split into nine smaller lightning spears, which hovered in mid-air, humming and vibrating.
Immediately afterwards, she moved slightly and stepped out in the "Yu Step".
First, the left foot steps on the Qian position, and the right foot steps on the Kun position. The movement is mysterious, as if drawing an invisible Tai Chi on the ground.
With each step taken, an ancient rune lit up beneath his feet, echoing the lightning spear in the sky.
"Celestial Dipper Steps, Thunder Gods, heed my command!"
She recited an even more rapid incantation, a fragment of the "Lei Zu Bao Gao" (Precious Proclamation of the Thunder Ancestor), a secret text passed down by the Wuqing Temple.
As the last syllable fell, she suddenly jerked her arms up!
"Buzz—!"
'
As if receiving a final command, the nine lightning spears instantly formed a mysterious nine-palace array in the air, with the center pointing straight to the sky!
"Snap!!!"
A deafening roar, as if the sky itself had shattered!
A pillar of lightning, thicker and more intense than any of the previous lightning bolts, erupted from the center of the array and shot straight into the sky!
It made the deep starry sky appear pale white!
A powerful shockwave swept out, causing the disciples in the front row below the stage to flutter their clothes and their hair to become disheveled, but not a single one of them took a step back.
Instead, they were all filled with fervor, their blood surging, wishing they could immerse themselves in the experience and feel the overwhelming power of the thunder!
After a while, the lightning dissipated, and the sky returned to calm.
Only the lingering smell of ions in the air proved that the earth-shattering blow was not an illusion.
Shen Shulan slowly finished his practice, his plain white Daoist robe without a single wrinkle, as if the earth-shattering blow he had just delivered was nothing more than dusting off a speck of dust from his sleeve.
Her icy gaze swept across the room once more, her voice regaining its initial calm: "Thunder is not merely a weapon of slaughter."
"It is also the eye that sees through illusions, the fierce wind that cleanses the universe."
"What I am teaching you today is the seventh form of the 'Supreme Chapter on Breaking the Formation'."
"Go back and practice this mantra, supplemented by Heavenly Thunder, Xun Wind, and Yu Steps, in the Thunder Pool for one hundred days. Enlightenment will then come."
After he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.
Only the will to fight martial arts can resonate in everyone's heart and endure for a long time.
Just as Shen Shulan finished his practice, the thunderous intent that tore through the sky had not yet subsided in everyone's hearts.
A young disciple, dressed in short, tight-fitting clothes and no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, hesitated and raised his hand.
He still had cold sweat on his forehead from being intimidated by Lei Wei, but his eyes were full of confusion and thirst for knowledge.
"Grandmaster Uncle-Master————"
The disciple's voice trembled slightly as he clasped his hands in a respectful greeting.
"This disciple is foolish. In your demonstration of 'Wind and Thunder Mutual Interaction,' why did you place the Wind Incantation before the Thunder Incantation?"
"According to the Daoist Canon, thunder is associated with killing, while wind is associated with dispersing. If one disperses first and then kills, wouldn't that weaken the concentrated and explosive killing power of thunder?"
This is a very insightful question, directly addressing the core of this seemingly illogical approach.
Shen Shulan's eyes, as cold as a deep pool, swept over the disciple indifferently.
She showed no impatience or condescending arrogance; instead, she frowned slightly, as if pondering how to explain this profound truth in the simplest language.
"It's not weakening, it's accelerating."
Shen Shulan's voice remained cool and aloof, but unusually, it carried a hint of patience as she explained.
"Thunder may be swift, but it still has a path."
"Wind is all-pervasive; it first tears through the air with the southeast wind, thus creating a 'channel' of least resistance for thunder."
"In this way, the lightning is no longer hindered by air currents, and its speed is faster than a thought."
She paused, a barely perceptible arc of electricity flickering at her fingertips, tracing a very short, straight line in the air: "This is the true meaning of 'Wind and Thunder Interact'."
"The wind is the catalyst, the trajectory, not a dissipating force to aid the attack."
The young disciple listened with rapt attention, nodding repeatedly.
Many disciples around them, who had originally had the same doubts, suddenly realized the truth and quickly began to scribble on the jade slips containing the notes.
However, something even more unexpected happened.
An elderly herb gatherer, with white hair and beard, standing on the periphery of the crowd and carrying a huge bamboo basket, also raised his hand tremblingly.
He was clearly not a disciple of Wuqing Temple, but merely a pilgrim who was well-versed in pharmacology.
The move "Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens" just now clearly triggered some kind of inspiration in him.
Shen Shulan turned her gaze to the old man, showing no disrespect despite him being an "outsider".
"Sir, is there any question?"
Shen Shulan asked, his tone still calm, but no longer so cold.
The old herb gatherer bowed, his voice hoarse yet full of vigor: "Master, your supernatural powers are vast; I am truly in awe."
"However—I have been collecting herbs for many years and know of a medicinal herb called 'Thunderstruck Wood,' which is the charred core of a tree that has been struck by lightning but has not yet ignited."
"I have a question—in the *Supreme Chapter on Breaking the Formation*, if the thunder in this text is used to heal and save lives, such as dispelling the cold and evil energy from a patient's body, should the order of 'wind and thunder interacting' also be considered?"
"If you simply pour lightning into a human body, wouldn't it—cook the person right out of the water?"
Upon hearing this, many disciples of Wuqing Temple in the audience couldn't help but laugh, yet they also felt that the question was quite insightful.
Upon hearing this, Shen Shulan nodded slightly, seemingly quite appreciative of the seemingly absurd question. After a moment's thought, she explained, "Although the old lady is an outsider, she has hit the nail on the head."
"Taoist methods and medical practices, though different paths, lead to the same goal."
Her gaze swept across the entire room, her voice carrying clearly to every corner: "Treating illness is like breaking through an enemy formation."
"The meridians and acupoints in the human body are the key points and patterns of the formation."
"If we simply use the power of thunder to attack the disease, it will indeed harm the innocent 'eye of the formation' as you said."
"That is, the meridians and internal organs of the human body."
"However, if one first uses the Xunfeng technique to locate the lesion and clear the meridian pathways, then strikes precisely with thunder, one can eliminate the evil without harming the righteous."
She looked at the old herb gatherer and added, unusually, "When you are gathering herbs, if you encounter a dead tree that has been struck by lightning and want to extract its core, you must first peel off its bark and observe its grain."
The same applies to medical principles.
The old herb gatherer stood there stunned, then bowed and said, "Thank you for your explanation, Daoist Master!"
"Thank you, Taoist priest!"
Just as the old herb gatherer withdrew with gratitude, a slightly hesitant hand rose from the edge of the crowd.
He was a woodcutter in his forties, simply dressed, with a kind face.
He was clearly emboldened by the question about "chopping it until it's cooked," but he also seemed more nervous.
"Taoist Master—"
The woodcutter's voice was hoarse, carrying the unique restraint of a mountain dweller.
"I—I am not a Taoist priest who practices cultivation, nor do I know how to form hand seals or chant incantations."
"I just want to ask, I have to go deep into the mountains and forests to chop firewood every day. If—if I encounter those unclean things, and I can't 'move the heavens' like you Taoist masters, what should I do?"
"How can I protect myself?"
This is a very real and down-to-earth question.
Many ordinary pilgrims, including farmers, woodcutters, and peddlers, perked up their ears, clearly because this was the "life-saving method" they were most concerned about.
Shen Shulan's gaze fell on the woodcutter, without the slightest disgust or impatience.
She thought for a moment, seemingly trying to transform profound Taoist principles into the most basic common sense of life.
"Thunder may be powerful, but it is not the only way to defeat evil."
Shen Shulan's voice remained cool and clear, but she slowed down her speech to ensure that everyone could hear her clearly.
"Evil spirits can harm people because they are cold and filthy, and their energy invades the body."
"Mortals are powerless to summon thunder, so they must borrow the 'yang energy'."
She raised her right hand, but did not form the complicated "Heavenly Thunder Technique" or "Wind Technique".
Instead, he puts his index and middle fingers together and draws a very simple symbol in the air.
That was not the thunder talisman secretly passed down by Wuqing Temple, but a very basic "Yang Fire Talisman".
"Watch closely."
There was no sparkle at her fingertips, only a faint, warm orange-red glow.
"This means 'to pass on the torch'."
"Though mortals lack true essence, they possess 'inner fire' and 'blood and energy.'"
"When working in the mountains, carrying fire with you is the most direct form of protection."
Shen Shulan looked at the woodcutter, her tone calm yet practical: "When you go into the mountains every day, do you bring a pipe?"
The woodcutter nodded subconsciously: "Yes, I brought it."
Shen Shulan nodded and said, "If you encounter something sinister, do not panic and run away, because the more you run, the more the sinister energy will chase you."
"Simply light the pipe, take a deep drag, and exhale the smoke back towards where it came from."
"The pungent smell of tobacco leaves, mixed with the aroma of smoke, is the yang fire of the mortal world."
2
"If you encounter a physical evil spirit, you can strike its face with a pipe bowl while shouting angrily to strengthen your own resolve and intimidate its evil spirit."
This simple method instantly brightened the woodcutter's eyes, and he scratched his head sheepishly, saying, "This—I know how to do this!"
"I also carry a flint and steel!"
Shen Shulan nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with the feedback.
She then looked at the many nervous worshippers below the stage and added two more universal "ironclad rules of folklore": "Secondly, yang energy."
"When the sun is high in the sky and the yang energy is at its peak, do not venture into the deep mountains too early."
"After sunset, the yin energy begins to rise. Unless you are with companions and have torches, do not linger in the wilderness, so as to avoid its sharp edge."
""
Thirdly, saliva.
"The place where mortals have the most abundant yang energy is the saliva in their mouths."
"If a child cries at night, or an adult feels cold, take a mouthful of warm water, mix it with your saliva, and spray it toward the place where you suspect there is evil spirit."
"This is 'the water of human yang,' which, though not as powerful as thunder, can relieve a temporary crisis."
He paused slightly at this point.
Then she said with utmost seriousness, "Fourth, integrity."
"Keep your mind righteous and walk the right path."
"Evil spirits often seek out those who are timid, cowardly, or behave improperly."
"If one lives an upright life, doing good deeds and accumulating virtue, even without the protection of thunder magic, one will still be protected by invisible protective energy."
"The so-called ————"
She parted her red lips slightly and uttered four words, her voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears: "I have lived a life without shame, and am immune to all evil."
Upon hearing this, the woodcutter and the pilgrims felt that the "Celestial Venerable" of Wuqing Temple was not only incredibly powerful, but also so compassionate towards the suffering of mortals.
They were all moved to tears and bowed repeatedly to the preaching platform.
The sounds of gratitude from the woodcutter and the pilgrims still echoed among the cliffs.
Lu Yuan stood in the crowd, looking at Shen Shulan, who was dressed in a plain white Taoist robe and seemed to blend into the black platform.
An indescribable feeling welled up in my heart.
"Wuqing Temple—it truly lives up to its reputation and deserves to be called the number one Taoist temple outside the Great Wall."
Lu Yuan was not a naive person. At Zhenlong Temple, the old man taught him "follow the natural way and cultivate one's own virtue".
At Tianlong Temple, Master Crane Xun displayed the "majesty of the Heavenly Venerable, and the supremacy of the only one".
These two approaches are too cold and too arrogant, both exuding a sense of reserve and distance like "Taoist masters".
But what he saw before him completely overturned his understanding.
In this era, whether they are Taoist priests, craftsmen, or itinerant sorcerers, the prevailing belief is "to teach an apprentice and starve the master."
Even when a skill is passed down from father to son, there's often a secret that needs to be kept hidden.
Within Taoist temples, the hierarchy is even more rigid, and core secret techniques are often only passed down to inner disciples.
As for those outer gate servants and sweeping boys, it is a blessing if they can learn some basic skills to strengthen their bodies.
Not to mention facing a group of unrelated woodcutters and herb-gathering old men from the mountains.
But what about Shen Shulan?
Lu Yuan recalled the scene just now and was amazed.
First, there was that earth-shattering move, "Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens".
That's the seventh move of the "Supreme Formation Breaking Chapter"!
Such killing techniques, in other Taoist temples, would probably be the secret weapon of the headmaster, who would not easily show them to others.
Even when teaching, it would only be done one-on-one in a private room.
It is absolutely impossible to dissect hand gestures, footwork, and mental techniques without reservation on an open-air preaching platform.
Even the core mystery of "wind and thunder interacting" which defies common sense is explained clearly.
Secondly, there was the question posed by the young disciple.
The disciple was dull-witted and asked a seemingly foolish question: "Does the power decrease if the wind precedes the thunder?"
If it were any other company, they would probably have been dismissed as "a hopeless case."
But Wuqing Temple, or rather Shen Shulan, showed no impatience whatsoever.
He even frowned and pondered, rarely, patiently explaining with the simplest principle of "paving the way".
Then there was that most unbelievable scene.
Shen Shulan treated the old herb gatherer, who was carrying a bamboo basket and covered in mud, the same way he did!
They even drew parallels between the profound magic of thunder and the medical principles of collecting herbs and extracting their cores.
This goes beyond simply being "selfless"; it demonstrates an incredibly magnanimous vision!
Finally, what moved Lu Yuan the most was Shen Shulan's "four methods for survival" for the honest woodcutter.
"Dry tobacco pipe," "Sunrise at midday," "Spittle," "A life lived without shame" —
Where are these profound Taoist methods?
This is clearly the most down-to-earth and unpretentious folk wisdom!
Shen Shulan was afraid that these illiterate mortals wouldn't be able to learn her thunder magic, so she deliberately lowered her standards and taught them how to fight against evil spirits in a mortal way.
"This is the true 'Tao' —"
The Dao should not be merely a lofty art of slaying dragons, but rather like a spring breeze and gentle rain, nourishing all things.
Although Shen Shulan was aloof, the "Dao" in her eyes was clearly much broader and more compassionate than the extravagant display of Tianlong Temple.
She wasn't afraid of starving herself if she taught outsiders.
What she feared was that if evil spirits were to harm people in this world, the common people would be defenseless.
"No wonder Wuqing Temple can firmly hold the title of the number one Taoist temple outside the Great Wall."
Lu Yuan took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with the smell of rust and medicine.
"It's not about paving roads with gold and silver, nor about intimidation, but about this kind of inclusive and benevolent approach to education!"
Lu Yuan looked at the pure white figure on the high platform, a figure that seemed to encompass all living beings.
Lu Yuan's initial agitation caused by the internal strife at Tianlong Temple miraculously subsided.
Lu Yuan straightened his clothes, no longer hesitated, and walked straight toward the preaching platform hanging on the edge of the cliff.