The Legend of Shushan Xuanjian

Chapter 10 The Sword With Tea
One day, Yichan was practicing swordsmanship, when Jiang Hehe suddenly ran over: "Hurry up, hurry up, senior brother Qin is competing with several senior brothers today, and senior sister Qingzi asked us to go and cheer."

When he arrived at Yanwuping, Qin Yongjie had already defeated his last opponent, winning five games in a row.Qingshi Daoist Priest shouted joyously, surrounded Senior Brother Qin and left the venue.Yichan also hurriedly joined the celebration team.

"Sister Yang, that's Brother Fu!" He He secretly poked Yi Chan.Yichan looked back and saw a young man in white sitting cross-legged, closing his eyes and breathing out.This white-clothed boy looked so familiar, it seemed to be the white-clothed boy he met when he was going up the mountain and was fighting against Senior Brother Qin.

Yichan didn't dare to look any further, and followed the crowd away.

The boy in white is Bai Fu.

After the crowd dispersed, Bai Fu opened his eyes and stood up, shaking off the dust on his body. "I used to be very depressed when I lost to Qin Yongjie. Now I look down on it. Even if he wins, what can he do? Can he win Shaolin and Kunlun? Today, the master is out of the customs, and there are many depressions. Only the master can solve the confusion." Thinking of this , he stretched out his movements and ran towards the Long Yinxia plank road halfway up the mountain.

It is the rainy season at this moment, and the forests in Qingcheng Mountain are lush and verdant.Passing through the forest, there are many waterfalls on the road, pouring down from the cliffs on both sides, falling straight into the mountain stream, and the sound of the mountain stream rushing down can be faintly seen.

In the empty valley, there are occasional cooing sounds of white-crowned swallowtails, birdsong, and the mountains are more secluded...

In less than a cup of tea, Bai Fu came to the plank road of Longyinxia. The cold pool under the cliff is green and clear, and the pebbles in the pool can be seen faintly.The pool water is icy, and a coolness hits the face, which makes people feel peaceful and clear-headed.On the cliff, a waterfall falls from the Nine Heavens. It is magnificent and galloping freely, with an indomitable momentum...

On the east side of the cliff, there is a huge boulder protruding from it. On the stone is a pavilion with four big characters engraved on it: "Xianlu is cool".There is a person in the pavilion, wearing a blue Taoist robe, standing tall, watching the water and listening to the waterfall, facing the sea and the wind, like a fairy, so happy...

"Master!"

Bai Fu was raised by Taoist Qingxuan since he was a child, and he and Taoist Qingxuan fell in love with each other as father and son.I haven't seen Master for three months, but I am very happy to see him now.Bai Fu flew up along the plank road and kowtowed at the gazebo.

Daoist Qingxuan turned around, with a friendly smile and a gentle voice: "Fu'er, did you lose again this time?"

"Mmm," Bai Fu felt a little embarrassed, and licked his lips.

Immediately raised his head, full of stubbornness: "However, this time I won't lose until the 83rd round!"

"Hahaha..." Daoist Qingxuan laughed loudly. "Come on, have a sip of tea first, and explain to the teacher."

Bai Fu finished the fight between him and Qin Yongjie vividly, and then said unconvinced: "Qingcheng Yunlong Jue, I used it faster than Senior Brother Qin, and I still had the upper hand before fifty moves, forcing Senior Brother Qin to only Swinging the sword to defend. But the situation changed in the second half, Brother Qin defended and counterattacked, and he succeeded in one blow, stabbing my wrist. May I ask Master, why can't my fast sword survive a hundred moves in his hands?"

Daoist Qingxuan didn't answer directly.Pointing to the two cups of tea in front of him, "The two cups of tea you drank just now, which one do you like?"

Bai Fu pointed to the celadon cup, "I like this kind of tea. Although the taste of this tea is slightly bitter, when the cup is picked up, the fragrance hits the face, and the taste is even more fragrant."

"What about this one?" Daoist Qingxuan asked, pointing to the white porcelain cup.

"This one is just average. Although it's not bitter, it's also sweet aftertaste, but the aroma is not enough, and it's too light in the throat."

"Your description is very accurate." Daoist Qingxuan approved.Then he added: "But when it comes to good or bad, I think this white porcelain cup is good."

"In tea appreciation, there is a saying that 'hundreds of money fights fragrance, and thousands of dollars fights pureness'. That is to say, a tea has distinctive characteristics in certain aspects such as firmness, smoothness, color, aftertaste, and fragrance, which are unforgettable. , is a good tea, but it is only a tea priced at a hundred dollars. The color and aroma are balanced, and there is no defect in any aspect from the smell, the entrance, and the throat. The moderate and peaceful tea that makes people feel peaceful is better This is the tea that costs a thousand dollars."

"This is like fighting swords with your senior brother Qin. Your swordsmanship is fierce and fast, and every sword has an indomitable momentum. This is your advantage. Compared with senior brothers of the same level, you have obvious advantages, so you will relax Win the game. But all things in the world, yin and yang are intertwined, and opposites are united. Strengths are weaknesses from another perspective. Therefore, the strengths of your swordsmanship are also your weaknesses. Every sword you have is offensive but not defensive, and your sword power is exhausted. , There is no room for turning around. When you encounter an opponent weaker than you, it’s good that the opponent has no time to counterattack. If you encounter a master and cannot hit with one blow, you will suffer instead.”

"Your senior brother Qin has been immersed in swordsmanship for many years, and your swordsmanship is balanced in offense and defense. Whether you are attacking or defending, there is room for each sword. Although the sword is not as fast as yours, but because the sword is not exhausted, there is a backhand, so change the move. Faster, saves more energy, the more rounds you have, the more advantage he has. This is the reason why you lost to Senior Brother Qin. It is also the application of the saying 'a hundred dollars fights fragrance, a thousand dollars fights purity' in swordsmanship."

When Bai Fu heard it, he was enlightened, and he replayed the process of the sword competition with Senior Brother Qin just now, and it was exactly as the master said, and he was convinced that he lost.At the same time, more curious.

"Master, a hundred coins fights incense, a thousand coins fights pureness, so what is ten thousand coins fighting for? What is the best swordsmanship in the world?"

"Hehe, a child can be taught. Good question!" Qing Xuandao stroked his long beard with his hands and nodded in praise.

"A hundred dollars fights for fragrance, a thousand dollars fights for purity, so why do ten thousand dollars fight for it? Tens of thousands of dollars fight for life!"

"Why live?"

"Life is change!"

"As far as tea is concerned, there are changes from the smell, the entrance, and the throat. From fragrance to astringency, and then from astringency to sweetness, as the saying goes, "water drips from the tip of the tongue, fluid is produced from the surface of the tongue, and springs are mingled from the bottom of the tongue". People are far away from the hustle and bustle in an instant, forgetting about things and me, feeling peaceful and peaceful in the heart, and quickly entering the state of meditation and fetal breathing."

"As far as swordsmanship is concerned, the so-called 'there is a sword in your hand, but there is no sword in your heart'. Having a sword in your hand means that you are not limited to weapons. Your fingers can be used as swords, and branches can be used as swords. Competing swords is not about who is better at playing tricks. Familiar with the game, but to defeat the opponent. There is no sword in your heart, which means pointing out the sword, and don’t pre-set the sword moves in your heart. Instead, you must decide the speed, angle and strength of the sword according to the change of the opponent’s body shape. The opponent can’t guess you The next sword move cannot be defended or attacked accurately.

Although Qingcheng imitated the wind of heaven and earth, moving and dodging pays attention to a word of speed, but in battle, the speed of sword and attack speed are not the only key.What matters is when and how.Once the opponent starts to act, you should act according to the four actions of observation, adjustment, planning, and attack, and strive to be the first to come first.Therefore, when swordsmanship is mastered, it is possible to determine the "shape" of the attack according to the surrounding environment, terrain, wind, rain, thunder, and other natural climates, and use factors such as the killing environment on the battlefield and the number of enemies to form a situation that oppresses the opponent's psychology.The opponent's heart was in a state of confusion, and the flaw was immediately revealed.

As the saying goes:
Hundreds of dollars fight for incense, thousands of dollars fight for purity, ten thousand dollars fight for life.

So are people...

Banzhang is the most rigid, and Yiwu is the most soft. Although there is wisdom, it is better to take advantage of the situation.

Jingmai is the sweetest, and Iceland is the most alive. Although there is a foundation, it is better to wait for the time.

The same is true for Tao...

Soldiers are impermanent, and water is impermanent.Looking at swordsmanship from the art of war, brilliant swordsmanship is erratic, making it impossible for the opponent to interpret your next move.There is no way to know, and naturally there is no way to defend.There is no way to defend, and naturally there are flaws everywhere.Near shows far, far shows near.Attack the unprepared, take it by surprise.This sword technique is unpredictable, it can be called a sword master. "

The more Bai Fu listened, the more excited he became, scratching his ears and cheeks, wishing he could compete with Qin Yongjie again right away.

"Master, this is the highest level of swordsmanship in the world, right?"

"Not yet."

"Isn't that so?" "Oh boy, I'll fuck it!" Bai Fu's little heart almost jumped out of his chest.

"When Emperor Taizong of my dynasty commented on the art of war with General Li Jing, he once said: 'The essence of the art of war in the world is to control people instead of controlling them.' The most wonderful swordsmanship is to mobilize the opponent's swordsmanship. Moves, guide the opponent to move in your way. In this way, what move he will make next is guided by you and controlled by you. You want him to go to the right, guide him to the right. You want him to go to the left, Mobilize him to the left. The opponent's life or death, what you can take and what you take, are all in your hands. This sword technique can reach the heavens, the earth, ghosts and gods, and you can't pass it on first. It can be called a sword demon."

"Is there anything better?"

"There must be something more sublime, who can shake the world, weep ghosts and gods, and can be called a sword fairy. I am afraid that only those who can see the realm of this sword art can know. The essence of sword art is a kind of worship of "incompleteness". We all understand the temptations to achieve some kind of possible perfection in an impossibly perfect life. As a teacher, I am also very curious! To perceive perfection in an imperfect world, even if it is only for a cup of tea." Qingxuan said Long sighed softly.

This whole night, Bai Fu tossed and turned, very excited.Sometimes sleep, sometimes wake up.I was confused all night and couldn't sleep well.

Daoist Qingxuan helped Bai Fu open a door to the treasure house of "Dao Zang". What is in the door?The young Bai Fu still doesn't know how much the dream chaser will pay for this...

　The tea ceremony is a kind of worship of "incompleteness". It is a gentle temptation to achieve some possible perfection in a life that we all know is impossible to be perfect.

　　——Tenshin Okakura "The Book of Tea"

　　
　
(End of this chapter)