Chapter 95 Technique Beyond This World (1/2)
As it was merely a formality, Shen Lian, of course, would not disagree with it.
”I, as the disciple, agree,” Shen Lian nodded as he spoke.
Gu Caiwei smiled. She had never formally acknowledged someone as her disciple before. Even though she was doing it on behalf of her master, she still found it quite interesting. With a wave of her sleeve, a teacup that was steaming hot appeared out of thin air. She passed it to Shen Lian and gestured for him to pass it to her.
Shen Lian did not know what to feel about this. Qing Xuan emphasized on being natural and was not fraught with rules as such. However, he had to play along with Apprentice-Sister Gu if he were to learn the techniques from her.
Respectfully, he delivered the tea to her. On behalf of her master, Gu Caiwei drank the tea merrily.
Shen Lian bowed as a gesture of gratitude for the kindness of his master.
”From now on, we would be Apprentice-Brother and Apprentice-Sister of the same branch. On the path of cultivation, we should always lend a hand to each other,” said Gu Caiwei.
”This portrait did not look like this originally, and it used to be the face of Grandmaster Qingshui. When the founding master attained Dao, the portrait was repainted into this. Our master asked the founding master about it, and she said that this was the ”Taixu” of Qingshui. Junior Apprentice-Brother, why don’t you take a guess, what was the founding master’s intention?” She queried as she pointed at the portrait.
Shen Lian pondered for a while, and replied, ”Taixu, physical appearance, could it be that the founding master understood Dao through the clouds and water?”
”Actually there is no answer to this question. The founding master had never explained about it. Just that the master asked me about this question back then, which is why I am asking you about it today. Back then, the master had actually attained the state of Huandan, and it was Nine Transformations no less. Even though Senior Apprentice-Brother Chen is talented, he is still not as good as our master. If it wasn’t for the difficulties faced when cultivating the Taixu Strategy, it could well be considered as the best technique in the world,” said Gu Caiwei.
By right, she should be addressing Chen Jianmei as Uncle-Master, as he was then a Huandan cultivator, and was not the same as before. However, she addressed him as Senior Apprentice-Brother given their long relationship.
In the end, she who usually was gentle and refined spoke with a hint of pride.
Shen Lian knew that the cultivation of Taixu Strategy was going to be difficult, but he still did not know where the difficulties lie. There were plenty of talented people in Qing Xuan, and yet those who managed to cultivate the Taixu Strategy to the state of Huandan were limited to the Grandmaster, the founding master, and his current master, Biyun.
”Senior Apprentice-Sister, what is the difference between ”Taixu Strategy” and the other cultivation of Dao techniques? Why is it so difficult?” He asked.
Shen Lian knew that the path of cultivation was about the connection between one, and the heaven and earth, and the understanding that one derived from it. Even if there were varying levels of difficulty, the difference should not be that drastic, to the point that almost no one could cultivate it.
The usual gentleness faded from Gu Caiwei’s face, and she got slightly serious. ”The cultivation techniques in this world focus on power. Just as Senior Apprentice-Brother Yan’s ”summoning of wind and rain”, and Senior Apprentice-Brother Chen’s demon-slaying sword, or even Uncle-Master Hong’s ”The Solution of Ziwei Dong Mystery”, upon the successful cultivation of these skills, every conceivable possibility would be taken into account, and there are more like these, and it is impossible to put them into an exhaustive list.
What they are learning encapsulated the theories of the world, which is why at the end of the cultivation process, longevity awaits them. However, if they were to transcend the heaven and earth, what they learned would not be enough.
On the other hand, the ”Taixu Strategy” that we are cultivating would enable us to transcend beyond heaven and earth in the end. We could even transcend beyond the mortal world. This is why it was so hard, and even if the founding master did not face the trial back then, she could not be considered to have cultivated the Taixu Strategy to its highest state. Words simply do not do justice to the principles behind this, even though I have not attained much with regards to the Taixu Strategy, I can show you what it is about,” said Gu Caiwei.
Of course, the demonstration did not take place within the hall, else it would be a blatant disrespect and usurpation to the founding master.
The cliffs outside of the hall were wide and broad, and no one was around. The wind blew, and the Qi of vitality was thin, but everything was just the way that they should be.
Shen Lian followed Gu Caiwei out of the door, and he saw her standing on the edge of the cliff. She stood at ease, and her sleeves danced to the wind. It looked as though she was standing alone in this whole wide world.