The value of this copybook in Ji Yuan’s eyes was completely different from its value in Lu Shan Jun’s eyes, and he was imdiately fascinated by it.
Every word on the Sword Intent Inscription had a different presence. Each stroke contained sharpness, but the whole combination gave the illusion of coherence, as if hundreds of clearly unmoving words were dancing together.
Ji Yuan was so fascinated that he lost track of ti. The fox on the stone table watched Ji Yuan imrse himself in the copybook. The spiritual energy in the courtyard slowly dissipated after a few monts, but he did not dare disturb him.
Ji Yuan didn’t co back to his senses from reading the words until it had gotten very late. He couldn’t help but feel emotional.
“Good calligraphy and good swordsmanship! I didn’t expect that martial arts swordsmanship could be so sophisticated. It must be very close to the Tao!”
This copybook was not written by an immortal cultivator. Ji Yuan could feel it when he had first co into contact with this copybook: there was no spiritual energy or mysterious techniques in terms of self-cultivation.
The aning imbued in the words was simply a gesture of wielding the pen like a sword. rely soaking it in water could destroy the copybook; even Ji Yuan’s bamboo slips could not be easily destroyed by ordinary water and fire.
What’s more, what was recorded in the copybook was rely a swordsmanship technique in martial arts – that is to say, it was a small mortal skill that was looked down upon by immortals.
But this combination of sword intents in the characters, with different approaches but the sa overall purpose, had a similar effect to a chess ga. In Ji Yuan’s mind, it seed to have beco active like a swimming dragon, containing wisdom and will!
‘The martial artist who inscribed this book must be by no ans just an ordinary martial artist. He must be an amazingly talented person. I wonder if he is still alive in the world? ’
Ji Yuan was pondering it, but he suddenly felt sothing was wrong.
‘Wait a minute, why1 are even my thoughts in such formal language? Damn, it’s contagious!’
Ji Yuan hurriedly and nervously shook his head. He turned his head away, and found that the originally drowsy fox on the table was a lot more awake. When he looked at the sky again, he found that the sun was already setting towards the west.
“Hahaha… I’m sorry, I forgot the ti. I should boil dicine for you! Well, there is no dicine stove or pot…”
Ji Yuan knew very well what objects he had in his house, and he did not own a dicine stove, so he could only borrow it from the Yin family’s house.
“You stay here and don’t run around. I’ll be right back!”
With these words, and seeing how well-behaved the fox looked, Ji Yuan left the courtyard and went to the Yin family’s house.
Before had even arrived in front of the Yin family’s courtyard, he heard Yin Qing talking very excitedly.
“Mom! Mom! I heard soone talking about Mr. Ji on the way back with Dad today, they said that a red fox appeared in the market this morning, and was chased and beaten the whole way by a big yellow dog. But then the fox escaped, and it ran to the feet of Mr. Ji who was passing by, and kept kowtowing to him!”
“Ah!? Was there really such a thing?”
Inside the Yin family’s house, the mother exclaid in surprise. Then she looked to Yin Zhaoxian, sitting by her side, who was lighting a candle with a fla stick.2
“Husband, is what Qing’er said true?”
Yin Zhaoxian finished lighting the candle and nodded at her.
“It shouldn’t be false. Many people ca to
to ask about Mr. Ji. They said the red fox was dripping with blood. He escaped from the crowd by pretending to be dead, and then knelt down in front of Mr. Ji and kowtowed. There were several yellow dogs around, but they didn’t dare to step forward, and…”
“Yes, yes! Mother, let
tell you, Mr. Ji just said one word, and those big dogs backed away by themselves. Mr. Ji also gave the two fox hunters money to get them to let the fox go. Hmph, why should they get any money?”
Yin Qing’s words were filled with the emotions of a child, as if he had seen it with his own eyes.
“Well, I heard that Ji dical Hall rescued the fox later.”
…
Outside the courtyard, listening to the Yin family discussing the day’s affairs, Ji Yuan also laughed a little, and then knocked on the door.
“Dong, dong, dong…”
“Master Yin, is Mrs. Yin at ho? Ji Yuan is here to visit!”
Ji Yuan’s powerful voice ca from outside the courtyard, frightening the Yin family who were in the middle of discussing him. Yin Zhaoxian hurried out to open the door, and Yin Qing imdiately followed.
When he opened the courtyard door, Ji Yuan was standing outside. What was especially striking was the blood stains on his sleeves and chest.
“Master Yin!”
Ji Yuan slightly bowed with cupped hands.
“Mr. Ji is here, co in, co in! Qing’er, co help your mother make a pot of tea!”
“No need! I just wanted to borrow a dicine stove and pot from you. Would Master Yin happen to have such a thing in your house?”
Recalling the rumors from the market when he ca back today, Yin Zhaoxian reacted imdiately and nodded.
“Yes, I have one, I’ll go get it for you!”
“Dad, here’s the dicine stove!”
Without waiting for Yin Zhaoxian to go look for it, Yin Qing ca over, excitedly holding the dicine stove and pot, and handed them to Ji Yuan.
“Mr. Ji, the dicine stove!”
“Okay, thank you Xiao Yin Qing!”
Ji Yuan took it with a smile. Although he couldn’t see the details of the dicine stove, he could tell by touch that it should be so kind of rough pottery product. He could sll a little charcoal ash. The stove and pot were not very big.
“Master Yin, if there is sothing you need from , please don’t hesitate to ask!”
“Okay, Mr. Ji, then I hope you will excuse . If I can help you with anything else, please feel free to tell . You are welco to co by at any ti!”
Yin Zhaoxian bowed to him with clasped hands, when he noticed his son rushing out of the yard to stand behind Ji Yuan.
“Qing’er, what are you doing? Co back!”
“Mr. Ji, I want to go too. I want to see the red fox. I’ve never seen a fox before. Can I go and see? I promise to be obedient!”
“Qing’er!!”
“Hehehe… Master Yin, don’t be surprised, Xiao Yin Qing is at a young and innocent age, and it is natural for him to be curious. Well, let him follow
to the small pavilion to take a look. I will send him back before dinner!”
“Hahahaha! Great!”
Yin Qing jumped up and down happily, and Yin Zhaoxian smiled awkwardly.
“Then I will be troubling Mr. Ji.”
‘Little bastard, why didn’t you ask your father to take you there to see it together!! I want to see it too!’
However, due to his concerns about his face and his scruples about Ji Yuan, Yin Zhaoxian couldn’t express his thoughts. He watched Ji Yuan and Yin Qing leave with regret and a hint of envy.
. . .
In the courtyard of Ju’an Pavilion, the red fox on the stone table heard the approaching footsteps outside the courtyard. He could also hear Yin Qing’s clear and crisp voice constantly asking Ji Yuan about the fox with curiosity. He was a little wary and wanted to stand up, but didn’t run away.
Not long after, Ji Yuan entered the yard carrying a dicine pot, followed by Yin Qing, who looked very excited.
“Oh, you can stand up?”
Ji Yuan felt more at ease. Noticing the fox’s vigilance towards Yin Qing, he continued with a smile.
“Little Red Fox, this is the son of a friend of mine. Don’t worry, Xiao Yin Qing, this is the Red Fox. It is currently seriously injured, so try not to disturb its rest, and don’t touch it, understand?”
“Okay, I understand!”
A child like Yin Qing had no resistance with regards to the furry red fox. The appearance of the cloth wrapped around its body reduced the fox’s intimidating aura of a wild beast.
He walked around the fox and looked it up and down carefully. He almost reached out to touch it, but the fox’s eyes were always fixed on Yin Qing, not letting down his guard at all.
After a while, Yin Qing asked, “Does it hurt?” and imdiately backed away in fright as the fox hissed. At first, it felt like he was facing a formidable enemy, but then it sneered and ignored him. This person and this fox were not at all on the sa wavelength.3 Ji Yuan found it very funny.
…
After more than half an hour, a bowl of dark and thick dicinal soup appeared in Ji Yuan’s hands. Considering that foxes had smaller stomachs, he deliberately made it thicker.
“Wuuuuu…”
The dicine didn’t sll very good, but Ji Yuan stared at him, so the Red Fox had no choice but to eat it. He obediently licked the bowl of dicinal soup that had been placed on the corner of the table, and swallowed. Yin Qing, who was watching to the side, felt even more amused. He felt that this fox was even better behaved than a dog.
There was also a trace of spiritual energy in the dicine; if the red fox could drink it before it quickly dissipated, it would help him absorb the power of the dicine.
Fortunately, it was no longer an ordinary beast. With tily treatnt and the aid of spiritual energy, the Red Fox’s injury had truly stabilized.
It just so happened that it was almost ti for dinner. After sending a reluctant Yin Qing ho, Ji Yuan finally had ti to eat his first al of the day. He could also take this ti to bring so at back for the fox.
The story of the red fox asking for help on the street, and the yellow dogs being persuaded to walk away, had gradually beco a popular topic of conversation for the people of Ning’an after dinner.
The word used here is 为毛 (wèimáo) which is Internet slang for “why.” He’s using it here to differentiate drastically from the formal language he was thinking in. The actual formal “why ” is 为什么 (wèishé) ????It’s a common staple item in wuxia novels as a convenient, portable item for lighting fires, but it was actually a real tool. Apparently, you light the stick on fire (it’s made of a roll of flammable material in a cylinder casing), then extinguish enough until there are only embers left (think like a cigar), then you cap it and keep it in your pocket until you want to use it, in which case you blow on it to ignite. (The 21st century in
is screaming “FIRE HAZARD,” by the way.) For ye fellow D&D players, think of it like the Chinese equivalent of 50 ft of hempen rope for wuxia novels; everyone has so, don’t think too hard about it. You can learn more about it here, here, and here. ????i.e. didn’t understand each other ????
Reviews
All reviews (0)