Have you eaten yet?
"not yet."
"Let's eat together then!"
"I brought two jars of fruit wine for you, Master. You can have a sip to soothe your throat when you have time."
"Excellent!"
The conversation was rather unproductive. Perhaps because he liked Qin Mu, Li Gang found him agreeable no matter what, and even his free meal was seen as genuine and unpretentious.
It is customary not to speak while eating or sleeping. Qin Mu ate three bowls of millet rice with pickled vegetables, which made Li Gang, who had been observing him, even more satisfied.
The fruit wine has a low alcohol content and a milder flavor than rice wine, with a unique fruity taste. Li Gang really liked it. Just as Qin Mu said, it was good for moisturizing his throat. He even took out a porcelain bottle to put in his wine after he had eaten and drank it slowly.
"This wine is quite good. Your medicinal wine must have been transformed from alchemy, right?" Li Gang asked, stroking his beard.
"Yes, disciple has several prescriptions that are quite beneficial to novice cultivators," Qin Mu replied, sitting up straight.
"Relax, I am not an old-fashioned person," Li Gang said with a gentle gesture.
"The difference between pill formulas and medicine formulas is actually not that big. They both use medicinal materials to make medicine. The only difference is that pills can be carried around, while medicine formulas are usually decocted. Of course, you can also make medicinal powders, but this is the first time I've seen someone make medicine by soaking it in alcohol like you have done." Li Gang chatted with Qin Mu as if they were having a casual conversation.
"No one was willing to do that before, probably because the alcohol content wasn't high enough to allow the medicine to work."
"Hmm, the dosage, perhaps you have a point. You can study it slowly later. But one thing to be careful about is the combination of medicinal herbs, the principal, assistant, adjuvant, and guide herbs; if they are mixed up, it will do more harm than good." Li Gang nodded slightly.
"Disciple will remember! Is Teacher also familiar with alchemy?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"Hehe, I know a little bit about it. After all, alchemy is also very helpful for Confucian cultivation, so many people know a little about it."
"I thought only Taoists liked alchemy."
"Who told you that Confucianists don't like alchemy? It's just that Confucian scholars prefer reading and studying the classics, so they don't have that much time to spend on it."
"So that's how it is!"
"Of course! The so-called 'fine clothes and sumptuous food' refers to the making of armor. Unlike martial artists who use iron and leather armor, we Confucian cultivators mostly use silk fabrics. This requires gold and silver threads, as well as various kinds of silk, to make a qualified brocade garment. As for the sumptuous food, it refers to alchemy, using jade as medicine, absorbing the spiritual energy of mountains and rivers, and strengthening muscles and bones. Only with strong muscles and bones can one be unafraid of close combat threats," Li Gang explained.
Li Gang's explanation surprised Qin Mu greatly. He only then realized that there was such a thing as "fine clothes and sumptuous food." However, considering that in another world, Taoist alchemists dared to consume cinnabar and mercury, using jade to refine elixirs here wasn't entirely unacceptable. And that "fine clothes" was actually a type of clothing with powerful defensive capabilities.
"Alchemy and armor making require materials, but I won't teach you for now. I'll give you a list later, and you can collect the materials first."
"yes!"
"Hmm! Of the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, apart from calligraphy, the others will distract you. I suggest you study them in depth after you become a Grand Scholar! As for calligraphy, you can practice writing things down normally, so there's no need to spend special time on it. Besides, you have official duties to attend to now, so you might as well learn swordsmanship first." Li Gang slowly helped Qin Mu make a plan and analysis.
"I will obey my teacher."
"That's good. Have you ever learned swordsmanship?" Li Gang asked with a satisfied nod.
"This disciple has learned a set of Xi Yi sword techniques!"
"Xi Yi Sword Technique!" Qin Mu had just uttered the words when Li Gang stood up in great surprise.
"Yes, the Xi Yi Sword Technique, is there a problem, teacher?" Qin Mu stood up and asked, puzzled.
"Do you know the Four Great Sword Techniques of Confucianism?"
"This disciple does not know."
"Of the four great Confucian sword techniques, the most widely circulated and studied are Confucius's Spring and Autumn Sword Technique; Meng Jia's unique Haoran Sword Technique; Xunzi's Yangwu Sword Technique; and the lost Xiyi Sword Technique. It is said that the Xiyi Sword Technique was used by Laozi, the founder of Taoism, when he sparred with Confucius. There were many spectators at the time, so everyone had their own understanding, but very few people actually mastered the whole set," Li Gang explained to Qin Mu.
"This disciple doesn't think the swordsmanship is that impressive?" Qin Mu asked, puzzled.
"Try it once first so I can see it. Shaozhi, you can practice with Huaidao," Li Gang instructed.
"yes!"
"Come on, junior brother!" Li Shaozhi, who had been listening in, stood up and said with a smile, then walked outside.
The three of them went into the courtyard, and Li Shaozhi tossed Qin Mu a very ordinary sword. The two stood about twenty meters apart.
"Go all out, don't hold back," Li Gang said, stroking his beard.
Upon hearing Li Gang's words, the two immediately became serious. Li Shaozhi elegantly drew his sword, made a sword finger gesture, and said, "Junior brother, please!"
"Be careful, senior brother!" Qin Mu warned as well, then pointed his sword and rushed over. With the great Confucian scholar Li Gang around, he was naturally not afraid of accidentally injuring anyone. He immediately used the Fierce Bird Scattering Technique, his figure swift as he closed in on Li Shaozhi, wielding his sword and unleashing three consecutive moves.
Guiguzi only provided the moves and the method of channeling energy for this Xiyi Sword Technique. When Guiguzi used it, this Xiyi Sword Technique became ethereal and mysterious, with moves that flowed in succession and sword speed as fast as lightning. It is said that it could make opponents unable to see or hear it.
Xi Yi comes from Lao Tzu: "What cannot be seen is called Yi; what cannot be heard is called Xi." He Shang Gong's commentary also states: "What has no color is called Yi; what has no sound is called Xi." Qin Mu happened to know this saying, so he had a good understanding of the Xi Yi sword technique.
Li Shaozhi was startled by Qin Mu's actions. To be honest, looking at Qin Mu's age, he subconsciously forgot that this junior brother's actual cultivation level was higher than his own.
Fortunately, Li Shaozhi was old and experienced. He brandished his sword and blocked the attack in front of him. At the same time, he struck out with his left palm, sending a powerful aura straight towards Qin Mu.
Qin Mu was slightly startled. He leaped up and, while still in mid-air, swung his sword twice more.
Without turning his head, Li Shaozhi blocked the attack with a move reminiscent of Su Qin carrying a sword.
Qin Mu attacked fiercely, displaying the speed of the Xi Yi sword technique to the fullest; while Li Shaozhi remained unmoved, simply trying his best to use his sword to protect himself. When he could no longer protect himself, he would unleash a powerful aura with his left hand, forcing Qin Mu back.
Li Shaozhi's strategy was simple: if I can't keep up with your sword moves, I won't. I just need to protect myself. He was like a gentle breeze brushing against a mountain, no matter how strong you are.
Qin Mu, of course, wouldn't be bound by formalities, and sometimes he wouldn't even use the Xi Yi Sword Technique. He would simply use whatever was convenient, and as for the moves, they would only be used depending on the situation. He had practiced this sword technique for so long without interruption, and he was still very confident in it. The key was that the Xi Yi Sword Technique excelled in agility, without requiring him to engage in a contest of strength with others, which was what he valued and liked most.
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