Mysterious Martial Arts: The Record of the Swordsman

Chapter 337 Seeking Truth and Obtaining Spiritual Delight

Chapter 337 Seeking Truth and Obtaining Spiritual Delight

In late spring, a lingering plum rain had just fallen in Chong'an County. As Jiang Wen strode through the town, he noticed that all four city gates were wide open, and the emergency-cleared water gates were operating continuously. Porters carrying tea baskets and mules laden with mountain goods came and went in an endless stream.

Anyone who saw it at that time would think it was just a peaceful and prosperous border town on the border of Fujian and Jiangxi, never expecting that a month ago, they would be at war.

The water flowing from the Qingxian Canal rippled under the sun, and every now and then a few white fish leaped out of the water. In the distance, several children were playing and frolicking in front of the abandoned government office, completely unafraid of the government office gate that had long since decayed to a dark brown color.

The scene before him seemed no different from when Jiang Wen had arrived a few years ago, yet something seemed different. Perhaps it was that the footsteps of the pedestrians on the street no longer seemed to be afraid of disturbing anything; and the Jingyan followers in their black and green robes rarely spoke in hushed tones, instead eyeing the gates of wealthy households with ill intent.

The strange becomes commonplace, and its strangeness will eventually crumble. Perhaps when all the conspiracies, schemes, and petty interests lose their fertile ground, then everything from the tragic case of the Ming Dynasty to the many strange tales in the county can be laid bare and discussed in broad daylight.

Jiang Wen then passed by the Eastern Inspection Office.

This is the office of the magistrate and officials of Chong'an County. Because the county government office was abandoned, the magistrate used this place to handle affairs. The place is small, with the registrar, clerk, instructor, and tutor squeezed together. The magistrate could only manage affairs in the main hall on the north side.

At this moment, there was a commotion outside the door, and a decree that had just been issued by the county government was being read aloud. It stated that the local gentry had funded the recruitment of more than 20 hunters and able-bodied men, who would be carrying broadswords, bows and arrows, pitchforks and other equipment, to go up the mountain to hunt down the recently infamous bear and restore peace to Chong'an County.

"Just hope it doesn't kill any rare animals..."

Jiang Wen's purpose for this trip was naturally not to enjoy the spring scenery, nor was he traveling alone. As soon as he stepped into the south gate of the county town, the personal guards sent by Prince Jingnan Geng Jingzhong were already waiting by the roadside, leading him to a secluded courtyard in the town.

This courtyard was given to Geng Jingzhong by Weng Zuanxi, the head of the Weng family, as a reward for the army. Although it is not large, the ingenuity of the expense is evident everywhere.

As soon as Jiang Wen stepped into the courtyard, he saw the low blue stone screen wall. It was not carved with dragons and phoenixes or flowers and birds, but only had a delicate old Taihu stone embedded in it. Green creeping figs climbed on the stone, and several clumps of saxifrage grew at the base of the stone.

In the main courtyard, several stalks of green bamboo were planted, and the teacups on the stone table were still steaming. Besides Geng Jingzhong, he also saw a Taoist priest standing next to the main seat.

"Master Jiang has finally arrived! This Taoist path is profound, and I, Xiao Wang, do not know much about matters beyond the secular world. Back then, Master Qingzi, the head of the Qingcheng Sect, highly praised Master Jiang, so I, Xiao Wang, inevitably relied on him quite a bit."

Today, Geng Jingzhong had shed his previous hardships and was particularly humble. He probably felt that his efforts to win over his personal guards in recent days had been very effective. At this moment, he looked at Jiang Wen with a smile, and his expression inevitably showed a bit more confidence. "With Master Jiang discussing things with me, I won't embarrass myself by only having a half-baked understanding."

Geng Jingzhong's meaning was also very clear. He was sent to the Qing court as a child, ostensibly as a companion to a student but actually as a hostage. Now he had encountered a martial arts figure and Taoist priest who wanted to have a private talk with him. His first reaction was naturally Jiang Wen.

Jiang Wen received Geng Jingzhong's urgent message early in the morning and rushed to Chong'an County. As for the matter of guarding the martial arts figures, he had already invited Ding Dian to oversee things behind Dawang Peak—this man had extensive experience in prison, and Jiang Wen trusted him to handle things.

Following Geng Jingzhong's guidance, Jiang Wen discovered that the Taoist priest was about forty years old, with his hair styled in a topknot and secured with a wooden hairpin. His moon-white Taoist robe was spotless, his face was like ancient jade, and he exuded an aura of refined elegance.

Upon seeing Jiang Wen enter, the Taoist priest seemed to hesitate for a moment before stepping forward and bowing respectfully. His movements were steady and proper, displaying the demeanor of a distinguished family.

However, the voice was clear and melodious, and the way it introduced itself sounded quite familiar to Jiang Wen.

"This humble Taoist, Dongxuan of the Xiandu Sect, greets Sect Leader Jiang."

Jiang Wen looked up and indeed found that he had seen this person before. However, he did not expect that the person who came to secretly pay homage to Prince Jingnan at this delicate moment was actually Dongxuan, the leader of the Xiandu Sect.

Although the two had met since their duel at Zhizhi Temple, he had always followed the lead of the Wudang Sect and acted almost identically. Therefore, he and Jiang Wen had never even exchanged a complete sentence. Now that he had suddenly been brought together by Geng Jingzhong, he couldn't help but feel a little awkward.

Dongxuan's predicament lies in the fact that he did not expect Geng Jingzhong to trust Jiang Wen so much. He had originally planned to visit secretly, but he insisted on waiting for Jiang Wen to arrive before opening the door. Jiang Wen's predicament is quite simple. He is not a Taoist at all. This Taoist robe is just his camouflage. If they were to talk about any inside information of the Xuanmen Taoist sect, he would probably have to sit at the same table with Xiao Wang Geng Jingzhong and do things like packing drinks.

Jiang Wen returned the greeting without showing any emotion, already knowing what was going on.

The three took their seats as host and guest, and even the servants who were serving tea were dismissed, making the courtyard instantly so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Dongxuan looked up at Jiang Wen, all his previous calmness vanished, leaving only a solemn expression. He got straight to the point, and his first words surprised Jiang Wen.

"Lord Geng, Sect Leader Jiang, I apologize for disturbing you, but the reason is that the recent series of bloody incidents and strange events in Wuyi Mountain can all be traced back to those three wicked bastards from the Rattan Shield Gang."

Jiang Wen paused slightly on the cup with his fingertips, his eyes showing a subtle expression. Could it be that this Daoist Dongxuan wanted to sell this information to the Jingnan Prince's Mansion to do him a favor?

Dongxuan sighed and continued, lowering his voice even further: "These three, having heard some wild tale from somewhere, ventured deep into Guoyan Mountain in Shunchang County ten days ago. In that mountain valley lies a stone pavilion that has been abandoned for nearly a thousand years, said to be a sacrificial pavilion erected during the Han Dynasty. Normally, the mountains are deep and the forests dense, and the journey is long and bumpy, so even hunters rarely approach it. But these three wretches actually managed to break in and even stole a statue of the Taoist priest, the Green Ox."

"The image of the Taoist priest, Green Ox?"

Geng Jingzhong raised an eyebrow, seemingly noticing Jiang Wen's unusual expression. He gave him a deep look and asked, "Is there anything special about this Taoist statue?"

“Indeed. Your Highness, do not think this is just an ordinary ancient statue. The origin of this statue is enough to shake the entire Taoist sect.”

Dongxuan nodded, a deep sense of apprehension flashing in his eyes. "When Mei Fu, the magistrate of Nanchang during the Han Dynasty, was studying in Chang'an, he met the King of Xicheng who personally taught him Taoist arts. This statue was a token given to Mei Fu by the King of Xicheng. Later, Mei Fu went into seclusion to avoid the chaos caused by Wang Mang. He used medicine to save people in famous mountains in Fujian and hid this statue in a stone pavilion on Guoyan Mountain. Later generations, grateful for his kindness, continued to worship him, which is how this place came to be."

Jiang Wen listened silently and found that what Dong Xuan was saying now seemed to complement what Feng Daode had said yesterday, revealing more clues.

If I remember correctly, the Holy Mother of the Red Lotus investigated and found that the three members of the Tengpaimen had stolen ancient artifacts from the stone pavilion on Guoyan Mountain in Shunchang County. She also found that after Sang Yue resigned from his official post, he funded the reconstruction of the Laozi Temple on the site of the Han Dynasty sacrificial altar on Guoyan Mountain.

These clues that Jiang Wen had previously overlooked now seem to have inexplicably converged...

Among them, the four characters "Xicheng Wangjun" were the most suspicious to Jiang Wen. Several days ago, when he talked with Yuan Huazi about the Taishang Buxing Shenggang Lu, he felt that the origin of this talisman within the Taoist sect was unclear, but it was probably related to the group of "Xicheng Wangjun". Now, hearing this name again, it seemed to be involved with something else.

Dongxuan paused for a moment, then added, "Even Zhang Hua of the Western Jin Dynasty, when compiling the 'Record of Diverse Things,' traveled all over the world to find rare treasures and strange tales. He even sent people all the way to Guoyan Mountain to specifically explore this statue."

"I have consulted the ancient texts left by the previous patriarchs of our sect and know that this statue is quite supernatural. It can sense the energy of mountains and marshes and communicate with ghosts and gods. Moreover, since the Wei and Jin dynasties, the statue has disappeared for some unknown reason. It seems to have vanished into the mountains and has not been seen for thousands of years. I never expected that it would fall into the hands of these three brutes of the Rattan Shield Gang."

A Taoist treasure passed down from the Western Han Dynasty, handled by Mei Fu, and even sought out by Zhang Hua—the things behind it are rather subtle.

Jiang Wen quickly asked, "Sect Leader Dongxuan, how did you learn that this item originated from Mei Fu?"

Jiang Wen also knew this person, Mei Fu, courtesy name Zizhen, was a native of Shou County, Jiujiang Commandery in the Western Han Dynasty. He was a scholar of the classics and served as the magistrate of Nanchang County. He was most famous for two things.

Firstly, he submitted a memorial regarding the wrongful execution of Wang Zhang. Later, in the third year of the Yongshi era, Mei Fu submitted another memorial. Both of these matters angered the Wang family power behind Wang Mang, and he narrowly escaped being killed. Therefore, he resigned from his post and returned home.

Secondly, after resigning from his official post, he devoted himself to cultivation. It is said that after reuniting with his son-in-law Yan Ziling, they sought out secluded places to travel and live in seclusion, building thatched huts, stone warehouses, practicing Taoism and refining elixirs, and treating the illnesses of the mountain people, becoming a representative figure of "reclusive immortals" in later generations.

However, the problem with Mei Fu's deeds is that they are too vague. Apart from the detailed record in the Book of Han of his risking his life to submit a memorial, the rest of the story after he resigned from his official post and went into seclusion consists of stories circulating in various places. There is no consensus on where he built his hermitage and practiced Taoism. Some say he went to Kuaiji and Zhejiang, some say he returned to Jiujiang, and others say he went out to sea. For example, the Zhoushan Local Chronicles states that he went to a small island in Zhoushan to collect herbs and practice alchemy. This small island was therefore called Meicen Mountain, which was later changed to Putuo Mountain. Today, the Mei Fu Temple and the alchemy cave on the mountain are the relics he left behind.

Even more remarkably, centuries after Mei Fu's death, during the Han, Wei, and Jin dynasties, some people swore that he was not dead and that they had personally witnessed him becoming an "immortal"!

After such a long series of evolutions and misinterpretations, it's unknown how much of it is fabricated or contrived.

Looking at Jiang Wen's expression, Dongxuan solemnly asked, "Does Daoist Jiang know about the 'Alchemy Altar' in Shunchang County?"

"This place is located at Meixian Mountain in Xiandu, west of the county. It was the place where Mei Fu of the Han Dynasty refined elixirs. After a night of wind and rain, small stones appeared, round like medicine pills, and were named Stone Medicine Altar. Stones were piled up on the altar to form a tower, which was as precarious as a pile of eggs. Although it was shaken by wind and rain, it did not fall. People pointed to it as a trace of immortals."

Jiang Wen wanted to shake his head and say he had never heard of it, but the more he heard the description, the more he felt a sense of déjà vu. How could this part of the legend be so similar to the legend of the Grass Sandal Immortal?

The legend of the Straw Sandal Immortal says that he spent his days gathering firewood and refining elixirs in the mountains until one day he disappeared without a trace. A stone tower was erected at his dwelling place to house his skull, and the sound of bells and drums could be heard in the valley whenever it was windy, rainy, or cloudy.

In this way, the straw sandal pagoda that Jiang Wen originally thought could only be traced back to the Northern Song Dynasty seems to have pushed history forward by more than a thousand years, suddenly arriving at the chaotic era of the late Western Han Dynasty.

"...Well, it seems that the relics left by Mei Fu also remain in Chong'an County. However, since the villagers have no written records, there have been many errors in the transmission from generation to generation, but they have been preserved by chance."

Jiang Wen exchanged a glance with Geng Jingzhong, and then followed up with a question.

"We would be grateful for Master Dongxuan's answer, but we do not know where the statue of the Green Ox Taoist is now. And what can we do about it?"

Jiang Wen was also puzzled. Feng Daode was clearly doing his best to search for the whereabouts, so why would he send the Dongxuan Sect of the Immortal Capital Sect here? And this frank manner did not seem like a visit, but rather like someone coming to ask for help.

Dongxuan quickly returned the greeting, then said with a sigh, "Actually, the matter of the Green Ox Taoist statue is a secret passed down through generations of my Xiandu Sect. This time, we asked the Wudang Sect for assistance because we were worried that our small size and limited strength would lead to the loss of our sect's lineage. But we never expected to encounter such a disaster..."

Taking advantage of the situation, Dongxuan spoke eloquently about the long history of the Xiandu School, claiming that the school's ancestral temple was located on Xiandu Mountain in Jinyun, Chuzhou, which is the twenty-ninth of the thirty-six minor grotto-heavens of Taoism, "Xuandu Qixian Grotto-heaven". It is said to be the place where the Yellow Emperor cast cauldrons, refined elixirs, and ascended to heaven on a dragon.

In the seventh year of the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty, auspicious signs of colorful clouds and celestial music appeared on Jinyun Mountain. Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang exclaimed in amazement, "Truly a capital where immortals gather!" He personally wrote the two characters "Xiandu" and ordered Jinyun Mountain to be renamed Xiandu Mountain.

The most important founder was Du Guangting, a local Taoist master from Jinyun during the late Tang and Five Dynasties period. He traveled to famous mountains and rivers all over the country and wrote "Records of Grotto-Heavens, Blessed Lands, Mountains and Rivers", becoming the synthesizer of the "Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands" theory. He also led to the emergence of a group of people practicing martial arts and swordsmanship on Xiandu Mountain.

During the Zhiping era of the Northern Song Dynasty, the temple complex on Xiandu Mountain reached an unprecedented scale. At its peak, the mountain housed hundreds of Taoist priests and lay disciples, making it the largest Taoist temple complex in southern Zhejiang. The Xiandu sect was then formally established.

The founder of the sect was a highly accomplished Taoist master who was proficient in both the Shangqing and Lingbao sects. As a direct descendant of the Shangqing and Lingbao sects, the Xiandu sect, although inevitably incorporated into the Zhengyi sect system, has always maintained its independent lineage and has not been assimilated by the Three Mountains.

In his later years, the patriarch was traveling by boat past the cliff face of Jiaoshan Mountain in Zhenjiang when he saw the "Epitaph for Burying a Crane" carved on the cliff. He was immediately captivated, losing his appetite and pondering its mysteries day and night. However, the cliff face was struck by lightning one day and fell into the river, disappearing without a trace. The patriarch of the Xiandu School died soon after, deeply saddened. Before his death, he instructed his disciples to never forget the inscription until its secrets were deciphered.

It wasn't until the time of the seventh patriarch of the Xiandu School, during the Chunxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty, that the fragments of the "Epitaph for the Buried Crane" stone wall finally surfaced. The Xiandu School immediately retrieved it from the river and, after studying it extensively, finally discovered the hidden cloud patterns left by Tao Hongjing, and learned the information about the "Image of the Taoist Priest Qingniu Weng" from it...

The tragedy of small sects lies in this: after so many years of trials and tribulations, the Immortal Capital Sect has finally reached a period of decline and instability. It cannot even keep its internal secrets and has to repeatedly leak them to outsiders. Dongxuan's actions today even have the implication of currying favor and seeking refuge.

“Lord Geng, this item must never fall into the hands of the martial arts world. However, the people of the martial arts world are now complicated and have different intentions. I have come here for two reasons: first, to find out the whereabouts of this statue; second, this trouble originated in Fujian, and only by asking for your help can we stabilize the current situation.”

"Now, the Wudang Sect alone is probably not able to control the overall situation. I humbly request that Prince Geng send troops to guard the key roads at the foot of Dawang Peak and the passes of Chong'an County to prevent those with ulterior motives from taking away the statue!"

Dongxuan sternly rebuked the greed of the martial arts world, and finally put forward his request. Geng Jingzhong also pondered for a moment, leaving the time to Jiang Wen.

"Sect Leader Dongxuan, please forgive my impertinence, but I wonder if this is your opinion alone, or if Sect Leader Feng of Wudang Sect also holds this view?"

Dongxuan nodded: "Sect Leader Feng mentioned this matter to me long ago, but it would be inconvenient for him due to his status, and he was also afraid that fellow practitioners in the martial arts world would misunderstand his intentions, so it is most appropriate for me to speak up."

At this moment, the spring rain began to fall again, pattering on the bamboo leaves in the courtyard. The atmosphere in the hall grew even more heavy. Jiang Wen's hand, holding a teacup, froze in mid-air, knowing that the other party still had something to say.

After a long while, Dongxuan finally let out a long sigh and bowed deeply to Geng Jingzhong.

"My Xiandu Sect has suffered many dangers, and now it is facing a life-or-death crisis. If the Jingnan Prince's Mansion can lend a helping hand, I will repay it with my life without hesitation!"

At this point, Jiang Wen no longer needed to offer any further guidance. Geng Jingzhong instinctively stepped forward to help him up, without uttering a single unnecessary word, his gaze fixed straight ahead towards the outside of the courtyard.

"By my royal decree, send troops!"