Chapter 192: Gezao Mountain

“Magic figures are the base of the The Five Arts of Metaphysics, Medicine, Mountain, Divination, Destiny and Physiognomy.” (translator’s note: for more info: https://leeengtanner.wordpress.com/2015/12/10/tracing-the-root-five-arts-of-chinese-metaphysics/ )

“This world has its origins in sorcery and its evolutions, there are the secret texts of the top of Mao Shan, the secret Spirit Gem texts of Gezao Mountain, the secret texts of Mount Longhu, they’re called the Three Schools of magic figures.”

“I transmitted the Spirit Gem text, it is in Gezao Mountain. The leader is in fusion with nature. Virtue is the key. The truth is in the middle. Feelings are in the sky. Cultivation is in the inside and makes an outward movement. Gods are here. Object should be. Even though the distance seems gigantic, it is at hand.”

“Eh? Gezao Mountain? Spirit Gem?” Mu Yi was stupefied. Even though he knew that the magic figures he studied had to have been created by someone, he hadn’t thought they’d come from Gezao Mountain. Did that mean that the old Taoist Priest was a descendant of Gezao Mountain then?

Mu Yi had never heard of Gezao Mountain. But Mao Shan and Mount Longhu were both extraordinary and famous groups. Besides, they were also known for their scenic mountains and landscapes but they were also blessed places, nobody dared offend them.

Since Gezao Mountain could be considered at the same level as the two others, it meant it was quite powerful as well, at least, their heritage had to be as powerful as the two others’.

Mu Yi remained focused and continued reading.

“For the five supreme commanders of thunder and lightning, the Dao is the body, the law is the use, and cultivation is when they take out what they have inside, and it gives them a thunder-like power.”

“The essence of the five Qi, the fusion of five lightnings, the destiny of a god, my own Qi, a fusion of invisible and intangible Qi, a life, a fusion.”

“So that’s the five thunders charm.” thought Mu Yi when he finished reading. He finally understood more about the five thunders charm. He also understood how lucky he had been when he had understood the five thunders charm at the very beginning.

He was in symbiosis with nature, his perceptions were extremely good, that’s how he had overcome all obstacles, but even that way, he didn’t understand the complex concepts which lied behind.

And now he finally understood what the five thunders charm were. The Way of Magic Figures represented an extensive knowledge and profound scholarship, more than Mu Yi could have ever imagined.

“People can condense the Qi of the five elements. Thunder and lightning techniques represent an innate Dao. Thunders and lightnings are my life, my Qi, that’s why I created the thunder techniques and arts.”

Mu Yi shook his head when he finished reading. At his cultivation level. trying to study thunder techniques would come down to committing suicide. He would try in the future though.

After that, Mu Yi turned the pages. There were many other magic figures inside, including those Mu Yi already knew. Apart from that, there were also meditation body magic figures, mountain carrying magic figures, magic figures of the six jia-headed Stem-Branch pairs and six ding-headed Stem-Branch pairs, weapon magic figures, the back to life magic figures, Vajra magic figures, and godly movement magic figures as well as many other religious and sacrificial rituals.

Even though there weren’t magic figures as explosive as the five thunders charm, Mu Yi was still happy. Besides, those magic figures could have an explosive power when used all together.

The meditation body magic figure was perfect to meditate, what was the body like when meditating? Immobile, indeed, therefore, Mu Yi instantly came up with the idea that he could use the meditation body charm against an opponent to prevent him from moving, and then he could use the five thunders charm against him. In other words, such charms as the meditation body charm could enhance his other charms.

The mountain carrying charm made the opponent feel as if they were carrying a whole mountain on their back, if Mu Yi’s cultivation level was a bit higher, his opponents would really be crushed by it, as if they had been crushed to mush by a real mountain, not to mention that charms also had all sorts of uses.

The six ding-headed Stem-Branch pairs and six jia-headed Stem-Branch pairs charm was like a summon, it could help Mu Yi increase his power at a crucial moment.

Regarding the weapon charm, it could help in case of injuries caused by weapons, for example, back then, if Mu Yi had had the weapon charm in Little Frost Mountain, he wouldn’t have needed to use medicine to heal his wounds, he could have used a weapon charm and the bleeding would have instantly stopped.

And regarding the back to life charm, it helped people recover their vitality, the exorcism charm was used to expel evil and resentment Qi from people’s bodies, the back to life charm expelled death from a body and healed it. It was used to heal the corporeal body. Mu Yi already imagine himself as a god of medicine using it.

Of course, the back to life charm wasn’t a miracle, it didn’t work if someone was about to die or already dead.

The Vajra charm could make someone’s body extremely resistant, like a diamond. That way, the skin of a person who used it could become like Big Slave’s skin, difficult to pierce through. Those charms didn’t have an explosive power but they were still extremely useful.

They would definitely contribute to making Mu Yi much stronger, he would be able to face many more different situations.

If Mu Yi had brought his materials to draw magic figures, he would have already tried to make some of them.

He was really happy to have those but that book didn’t contain any description or explanation, it was just an elaborated magic figures book for professionals. The old Taoist Priest hadn’t left any indication for Mu Yi. So, apart from Gezao, Mu Yi didn’t know much.

“Maybe that if I go to Gezao, I will get some messages from the old Taoist Priest.” thought Mu Yi.

“Boom!”

“Old bastard, hurry up and come out!”

shouted someone outside extremely loudly as Mu Yi was thinking. That person sounded extremely arrogant. Regarding who the “old bastard” was, it was obvious.

Mu Yi put the book in his robe and put the skin back on. Then, he put the plaited bamboo hat back on his head and left the room.

In the courtyard, Mo Xiao Yu looked scared and furious.

There was a tall and sturdy man in front of him, he looked extremely aggressive and ferocious, there was an old man behind him, because of his eyes, he looked like a rat.

Mister Mo’s expression didn’t change. He just pushed Mo Xiao Yu aside.

“I’ve already told you clearly that I didn’t have what you want anymore.” said Mister Mo indifferently.

“You fucking bastard, you think you can fool us? If you don’t hand it over, I will burn you alive along with your house.” said the man to Mister Mo.

Actually, Mo Xiao Yu had explained a few things to Mu Yi already. Mister Mo liked ancient items, a short time before, someone had sold an imperial jade seal to him. Mister Mo loved it so much that he didn’t want to let go of it.

Of course, that imperial jade seal didn’t belong to the imperial family of the time, it was an ancient one. It had been stolen from a grave. Even though it didn’t belong to an ultimate emperor, it still belonged to a nobleman.

Ordinary people weren’t interested in such items, but Mister Mo was, and one or two days after he had bought it, the one who had sold it to him wanted to buy it back, he regretted that he had sold it. But Mister Mo didn’t want to sell it back.

The man had been gone furious and had injured Mister Mo, he had also told him, that Mister Mo refused to sell it back, he wouldn’t let him off.

Even though Mu Yi didn’t say anything, he only believed part of the story. Mister Mo was a cultivator of the second difficulty. Apart from first-class cultivators, who could have injured him? However, why would a first-class cultivator rob a grave, sell a precious treasure he had robbed, and then contradict himself? That was very unlikely.

Therefore, Mu Yi had the impression they were hiding something from him. But it was one of Mister Mo’s secrets so Mu Yi didn’t ask anything.

And when Mu Yi looked at the tall and sturdy man, he immediately guessed that that man couldn’t possibly hurt Mister Mo, he was third-class.

“How dare you! I will go and report the case to authorities then!” shouted Mo Xiao Yu. Mu Yi immediately understood that he didn’t practice cultivation, he didn’t even know about Mister Mo’s secret. Maybe that for him, Mister Mo was just an ordinary old man who liked papercutting arts and was really good at it.

Mu Yi also understood that the tall and sturdy man in front of him wasn’t the one who had injured him. Therefore, threatening to report them to the authorities could work.

“Report the case to authorities? Who do you think I am? I’m Wei Qi, everyone in the yamens of Cangzhou know me. I can send a big army to crush you tomorrow if I want to.” said Wei Qi arrogantly.

“I don’t have the imperial jade seal here. A veiled person stole it from me on the evening when you came to me.” said Mister Mo calmly and serenely.

“You fucking bastard! You dare continue lying! I will crush you!” shouted Wei Qi furiously. In his eyes, what Mister Mo said was just an excuse. Did Mister Mo think he could fool someone like him?

He was so furious he jumped towards Mister Mo and threw a punch.

His punch didn’t have time to reach Mister Mo though, a silhouette flickered, something touched him and he was blown away. He crashed onto the old man who was behind him and they both crashed on the ground.

“Mister Mo, are you alright?” asked Mu Yi after having kicked Wei Qi.

“I’m alright. Are you done looking at the content of your box?” asked Mister Mo.

“Yes, I’m done. Thank you very much, Mister Mo, for having kept that bundle for me.” said Mu Yi.

“Since you’re done, you should leave now.” said Mister Mo straightforwardly. He didn’t want Mu Yi to get in trouble because of him.

“Don’t worry. I still need to ask you some things.” said Mu Yi shaking his head.

“None of you is going to leave.” shouted Wei Qi struggling to stand back up.

Even though he had just suffered a crushing defeat, he didn’t want to lose face so he said that. He didn’t want to come back though.

“Piss off!”

shouted Mu Yi at Wei Qi icily.

At that moment, Wei Qi was terrified, his body stiffened. He knew that he had to move back without having reached his goal. The mysterious man with the plaited bamboo hat in front of him was too dangerous.

Even though face was important, in comparison with one’s own life, it was much less important. Therefore, he decided to leave but before he threatened them again.

“Wait and you’ll see!”

When Wei Qi left, Mister Mo sighed.

“You’re really in trouble.” said Mu Yi. He knew what Mister Mo was thinking.

“Those bastards are nothing to me. Cough, cough.” said Mister Mo shaking and coughing. He looked like a mess.

Mu Yi frowned and took out an exorcism charm, he instantly stuck it on Mister Mo’s body.

Suddenly, white lights surrounded Mister Mo. Mo Xiao Yu looked dumbstruck.

Translator’s note: the author added a note at the end of the chapter, it was interesting to translate it, he said “I did so much research I could become a Taoist priest myself”. As the translator, I could say the same, it took me eight hours to translate this one, had to do lots of research myself.