491 The Kung Fu Devotees (1/2)

The old Emperor added, ”The phenomenal strength of those who have gone beyond the Exterior is naturally not in question, yet would we consider them to have artistic talent?”

Meng Qi raised an eyebrow and stiffened slightly. He considered for a moment that this might mean that perfect Half-step experts such as Xuanzhen and Aunt Bai might also have attended this Sumptuous Fruits Banquet?

Talent contests, he thought, were mostly something he could manage. If in a moment there was a chance to fight, at worst he might be forced to defend himself, yet he would have more than a good chance. Don't tell me that the championship winner is going to be old Zhao, the perfect Half-step expert?

Still, let's not get ahead of ourselves and jinx our karma by thinking about it all too much before the show has even begun. Even with old Zhao not having upgraded himself in a long time, one still cannot overlook the reality that Xuanzhen and Aunt Bai are also very strong talents in this realm and have few weaknesses. In other words, the chances of winning will be very small.

Considering it in this way, it became all the clearer that the 1,500 Karma points that the Dominator of Samsara had offered as a reward on the completion of this mission severely fell short compared its level of difficulty!

Unless it was possible that any battles at the Sumptuous Fruits Banquet was subject to other restrictions or forms of handicap?

Just as Meng Qi was lost in these thoughts, Wang Zai watched ”the Unstoppable” Yan Chong walk slowly out onto the floor and guffawed. ”The Emperor has once said the most important thing is the absolute refinement of one's character and the polishing of their emotional state. Unsurprisingly, a regular contest of talents would not be enough. Instead what is required is to see whether their emotional realm can be portrayed likewise within their demonstration. Of course, those with natural abilities here will be at more of an advantage.”

That meant that a person already talented in the musical arts would have an even greater opportunity to display his or her skills compared to a beginner.

Meng Qi calmed himself, subduing his feelings of doubt and concerns for his dignity. He watched Yan Chong approach the edge of the winding river. ”I wonder what artistic excellence Yan Chong possesses.”

Meng Qi recalled that Yan Chong was from a less prominent school, a smaller sect. Even with all his adventuring, it was more than likely that he, like Meng Qi, had probably not been tutored in the ”four accomplishments”of the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

As he spoke, Prince Jin's, Zhao Yi's, servants had already placed a copper stove, teacups, cakes of tea leaves, and such onto a small table they had brought out.

Wang Zai nodded gently. ”Mmm, it looks to be the art of tea ceremony.”

Oh, this should be fine! Meng Qi whilst a little taken aback instantly recalled what the old Emperor had just said about the arts not just being limited to the ”four accomplishments”. Naturally, it was going to be a contestant's ability to display their 'realm' that decided whether they were victorious in such varied events as these!

Meng Qi felt joy overcome him in the moment as he recalled how he had previously had a fair crack at pretending to be a master of tea ceremony.

Following Yan Chong's bowing to the old Emperor, he lit the fire to heat the water. His blade then flashed back and forth as he went about breaking up a cake of tea to select its leaves. His fluid and natural movements contained copious saber momentum and were slow and methodical. The audience in witnessing this spectacle naturally found their spirits descending into a tranquil and relaxed state of being.

He waited for the water to go through its initial stages of boiling until the water was steaming just so. Yan Chong's tea-making abilities were evidently of another order. They were confident and relaxed, with the ability to transport one to a distant place.

Yan Chong's voice was in fitting with his tea-making atmosphere as he said, ”Tea for His Majesty.” The teacup then left his hand, flying off towards the grandstand.

The teacup moved exceedingly stable through the air, with an appropriate velocity that was not too rapid. It was something like one of those wine vessels that floated on the river during that particular Spring festival. Not a drop was spilled from the teacup as it moved through the air, it was certainly sufficient to demonstrate that Yan Chong's genuine Qi and mastery of his strength had attained a very high degree in his enlightenment of the Apertures. Moreover, the subtle undertones of heaven and earth assisted the movement were also evident to the observer.

Head Eunuch Gao Jinzhong intercepted the teacup and gave it a once-over before handing it to the old Emperor.

Zhao Mingyu took a sip and a smile danced across his face. He gave a slow nod and said, ”Good tea and an excellent demonstration of the tea ceremony!”

Wang Zai then added, ”Brother Yan's movements are strong and purposeful and yet when he makes tea he also has a calmness and tranquility about his actions. One senses that his mind and movements have an ease about them that has come about from truly understanding the secrets of the tea ceremony. Through his methodical and precise actions there shines through peaceful happiness and tranquility.”

”Good.” Meng Qi did not know whether he should complement Yan Chong on his tea ceremony abilities or Wang Zai's concise explanation of it. In any case, he gave up on the idea of making tea. Though he did not believe his portrayal of his inner realm would be any worse than Yan Chong's, he did not believe that he would be able to measure up under such close!

What should he demonstrate then?

Should he sing to the Emperor? Or should he demonstrate some sword art-like calligraphy?

As he mulled it over in his mind, the floor became silent. It would be hard to know how many people had been previously considering giving it ago now had given up on their idea. They felt like it would be difficult to compare with Yan Chong, and anything that followed might well invite public humiliation and leave behind a bad image with the Emperor. It would be far better to wait for an event where one excelled in before competing.

Aunt Bai, on the other hand, never had any intentions of demonstrating any form of artistic excellence!

Right at that moment, Xuanzhen stepped forward from beside the Crown Prince and requested for some manuscript and a writing instrument. He then clasped his hands together and bowed.

”Calligraphy...” Meng Qi toyed with the teacup in front of him.

Xuanzhen let loose a piece of blank paper and threw it up into the air before following suit to jump after it. Without any thing to lean on, he proceeded to splash ink about on the parchment.

To the observer, this display might seem like a random display of showing off. Yet Xuanzhen was entirely focused on what he was doing. He calmly went about his actions and his strokes appeared on the paper like the blossoming of a lotus flower.

Like Buddha's descent from heaven, both paper and person came back to earth slowly.

As his feet touched the ground, Xuanzhen's hand pushed out, flipping the paper over to reveal what was written:

”Because: All phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble and a shadow. Like dew and lightning flash. Thus, you should meditate upon them.”

Each of these characters had its own style and was written differently. They likewise displayed a full range of possible characteristics, artfully demonstrated, whilst none of which were repeated.

With so many calligraphic styles packed onto one piece of paper it should be chaotic, yet it looked entirely as if it were meant to be like that. One could sense the delicate and meaningful Zen Philosophies coming through.

Each word had its own form and style which was at the same time no form or style. Its Zen was self-evident.

Wang Zai whispered with some emotion, ”Ah, a reproduction of the Diamond Sutra inscription from the Shaolin Temple's Pavilion Halfway up the Mountain. One can see the calmness stemming from Buddhist Monk Xuanzhen's study of the Teachings of Buddhism.”

Meng Qi had himself admired the very same stele which the divine monk Luohan had made. This calligraphy had a different feel to it. ”Whilst it is a little less developed, the Zen Philosophies it holds within it are none too different. Whilst it looks different, it does at the same time prove that the Buddha is everywhere, regardless of outward appearances...”

The same sentence written by two different people allowed the disciples from the aristocratic families that previously could only sense the meaning of Zen Philosophy without being able to understand its roots to find some deeper realization of it.

Wang Zai sighed a moment. ”I had originally intended to write something myself, but I am not inclined to pick up a writing instrument now after seeing the Buddhist Monk Xuanzhen's manuscript.”

And so it was, the segment on calligraphy had been taken by someone else... Meng Qi gave up on the notion of displaying swordsmanship through calligraphy, but he kept his grief and indignation well hidden.

The Emperor praised Xuanzhen, saying, ”This Buddhist monk has achieved the Gist of Trueness in the Teaching of Buddhism.”

The Emperor had a cunning shrewdness about him when dealing with monks from the Shaolin Temple, and he did not show any kind of animosity.