Chapter 20 - Daoist Philosophy.

“Oh, that’s just a little story I wrote in the past. To explain some of my ideas,” Xiaozhuang said with a smile. “It’s just that most people don’t seem to understand the core Dao in the story. Instead, the Kunpeng, which was created to illustrate the Dao, spread widely. After that, fishermen sailing in the North Sea constantly claimed to have seen the Kunpeng. Because of this, I seem to have been highly praised by those Novelist School people for quite some time.”

“So that’s how it is. I understand. The Novelist School approached me because they thought I was an interesting story subject. So why did you approach me, Xiaozhuang? It can’t be just because I’m handsome, can it?” Xu Xuan suddenly asked, looking at Xiaozhuang.

“Weren’t you the one who approached me?” Hearing Xu Xuan’s words, Xiaozhuang unexpectedly retorted.

“Hmm? Weren’t you drawing there because…”

“Ah, aren’t you tired? Thinking so much at such a young age will make you old very quickly!!” Hearing Xu Xuan’s words, Xiaozhuang couldn’t help but exclaim, “Isn’t this destiny in the dark?”

“Destiny?”

“Yes, today was the last time I drew there, and you happened to pass by and stopped to look at my painting for a long time. And it just so happened that I was hungry, so I thought maybe I could get a meal from you. And that’s how it developed to now.”

“Hmm? Wasn’t it for some special reason?”

“It can’t be because you’re handsome, can it?” Xiaozhuang asked Xu Xuan back, then sighed helplessly. “Thinking so much for no reason like this isn’t carefree at all.”

“Uh… you can still say I’m handsome. I think that’s a good reason.” Being told this by Xiaozhuang, Xu Xuan felt inexplicably awkward. “After all, listening to you talk, you seem to know Mo Li very well. And you seem to dislike her.”

“Of course I don’t like her. Don’t you think she lives a very tiring life? Life is meant to pursue freedom and happiness, but she insists on going against the current.”

“I actually think she’s a very capable person. At least, having journeyed with her, I respect her greatly.” Xu Xuan wasn’t joking when he said this. “After all, people’s pursuits are different. And ultimately, living in a world full of strange monsters, how can one live freely and at ease?”

“That’s not right! In any world, people can live freely,” Xiaozhuang shook his head in response to Xu Xuan’s words. “What stops you from being carefree has never been external factors or experiences around you.”

“Then what is the obstacle?”

“Your heart is the biggest obstacle.”

Xiaozhuang was about to say more when a girl’s voice sounded outside the room. Immediately after, a young girl dressed in a long, dignified and elegant dress appeared at the door of the private room and walked into the room.

“I’ve been looking for you all day, and I can’t believe you’re here again, spouting some useless grand words. You should preach those theories less to young people. Lest you lead them astray.”

Unlike Xiaozhuang’s unkempt, almost casual attire, the girl in front of him was dressed very meticulously. Her dress was simple yet elegant. The girl sat down on a nearby seat as if she were an old acquaintance. Her gaze simultaneously sized up Xu Xuan.

“Are you the swordsman who came with Mo Li? It’s truly not easy to travel with Mo Li.” After observing Xu Xuan for a while, the girl cupped her fists at Xu Xuan. “School of Names, Huishi. May I ask your name, sir?”

Hearing her words, Xu Xuan instinctively cupped his fists in response, but he immediately realized something: almost everyone he met mentioned Mo Li, which showed how important Mo Li was in their eyes.

“Sword Hall, Jianxuan.” Xu Xuan also cupped his hands as he spoke.

“Sword Hall? I’ve heard a little about the moving of the Fog Realm. Indeed, with Mo Li’s personality, it would be strange if she didn’t go to see it.”

“Xiao Hui, why did you suddenly come here?” Xiaozhuang asked from the side at this moment.

“It’s all for you. The King of Chu wishes to hire you as the Prime Minister of Chu, to oversee all governmental affairs of the Eastern Chu State.” As Xiao Hui spoke, Xu Xuan clearly saw a look of disgust in Xiao Hui’s eyes. However, Xu Xuan soon understood the reason.

“No.” Looking at Xiao Hui’s expression, Xiaozhuang poured himself a cup of wine and leaned back on his seat. He began to drink leisurely, his face turning red from the alcohol. He looked quite content.

“I really don’t understand why a lazy person like you can be recruited by so many rulers? Is it really because of your ever-changing figure and age?” Xiao Hui said discontentedly, looking at Xiaozhuang lying there. “Not only will they entrust you with national affairs, but they’ll also give you a large sum of money. As long as you agree, you’ll be second only to one person in this Eastern Chu State. This is the highest treatment offered by any state so far!”

“I say, Xiao Hui, do you know about the tortoise shells used for sacrifices?” Xiaozhuang asked with a smile in response to Xiao Hui’s words. “Are they not high and mighty, and surrounded by extreme luxury?”

“Yes, after all, they are ritual instruments of the state.”

“Then if you were to ask that tortoise whether it prefers to be high and mighty as a sacrificial tortoise shell, or to freely roll around in the mud pond. What do you think it would choose?”

“If it were a living tortoise, it would of course prefer the mud pond.” Read at Novels Haven (novelshaven.com)

“Exactly. Actually, I am that little tortoise. Compared to being high and mighty, rolling around in the mud pond suits me better. What do you think, Jianxuan?” As Xiaozhuang spoke, his gaze turned to Xu Xuan, who was sitting beside him, and then he spat out a mouthful of wine.

Because Xu Xuan, who was opposite him, had a pale face and purple lips at this moment, as if he was having difficulty breathing.

“I’m listening, please don’t mind me. I accidentally forgot it was dark just now.” Saying this in a hoarse voice, Xu Xuan stood up and jumped down from the restaurant building…

Xu Xuan had found Xiaozhuang and Xiao Hui’s conversation very interesting, but he seemed to have forgotten about the darkness. And Mr. Hand, this time, stayed at the inn and didn’t remind him. So, a certain Red-clothed Little Girl appeared by his side again, and with her bloody hands, she choked Xu Xuan’s neck. If not for his long-term struggles giving him some resistance to choking, he would probably be dead by now, right? It was at this moment that Xu Xuan truly felt the difference between himself as a Qi Practitioner and an ordinary person.

As he spoke, Xu Xuan jumped downstairs. After all, he didn’t want this restaurant to be destroyed because of him. The moment he landed, the Chiyou Sword unsheathed itself and directly slashed at the hands choking his neck. This strike also made the诡异 (weird entity) let go. Xu Xuan then took a deep breath, gripped his sword, and once again fought with the strange little girl.

“Is he having an episode?” Xiao Hui asked Xiaozhuang, who had also come to the window and was looking down at Xu Xuan. The latter was leaning by the window, holding a wine pot in one hand and a small dish in the other, watching.

“Ah, it should be some kind of follower-type weird entity attacking him. It doesn’t seem very powerful, but it appears quite troublesome, a parasitic curse,” Xiaozhuang said, wiggling his ears, then continued, “Its size doesn’t seem large, it should be a humanoid.”

“You can see it? This type of curse should only be visible to the person themselves, right?”

“It’s not seen, it’s heard,” Xiaozhuang said while drinking. “When you can hear the music of the heavens, you can hear all sounds.”

“Music of the heavens? Is this a Daoist technique of yours?”

“Do you want to learn? I can teach you.”

“Forget it, spare me.” Hearing his words, Xiao Hui shook her head. “You should know that we people of the School of Names can never truly understand your Daoist theories.”

“How boring.” Hearing Xiao Hui’s words, Xiaozhuang sighed as if very disappointed, then his gaze fell on Xu Xuan below. “Kid, your swordsmanship is a bit lacking.”

“Eh? Lacking? Of course I know that. After all, I’m not considered a master in the Sword Hall.” Hearing his words, Xu Xuan sighed helplessly. Then, in his moment of distraction, he was almost bitten by the little girl, nearly losing a piece of flesh.

“Let me give you some advice. Do you want to know what our Daoist Earth Sect’s swordsmanship is like?” Standing in the pavilion, Xiaozhuang shouted to Xu Xuan as if he had thought of something interesting.

“Can you help me get rid of this trouble in front of me?”

“Of course.”

“Please enlighten me!!” Xu Xuan shouted to the pavilion while resisting the little girl.

“Hahaha, since you got me a good meal and wine today, I’ll teach you.” In the pavilion, Xiaozhuang handed the plate to Xiao Hui, put a small dish into his mouth, and then spoke again, “You, your sword-controlling method should be the Sword Hall’s Hundred-Step Sword-Controlling Technique. Your sword-wielding moves and aura have strong Mohist traces. To be honest, having learned Mohist Swordsmanship, you can already be considered a formidable swordsman in the world today! Mo Li must have taught you personally, right? But unfortunately, your biggest problem is also here. Those Mohist people are notoriously rigid. This personality is also passed on to their swordsmanship. What a pity.”

“Can you make a long story short? I’m fighting for my life here!!!”

“Simply put, your swordsmanship is too rigid. It’s a bit of a waste of the Hundred-Step Sword-Controlling Technique you learned. You know, the Hundred-Step Sword-Controlling Technique is an extremely free sword technique. But now you use it so stiffly. It’s boring. If you continue to practice like this, your achievements won’t be high.”

“So what should I do now?”

“Hmm, let me think. First, your swordsmanship isn’t happy. You need to make yourself happy first, and enjoy it.”

“Are you kidding me?! I’m being hunted! Chased every night by a grotesque weird entity! How can I enjoy that? I’m not a masochist, how can I be happy?”

“Look at it from another angle, this might not be a bad thing. Doesn’t it just mean you have a physically agile sparring partner who resurrects every night and can practice sword fighting with you daily? You know, many swordsmen don’t get the chance to enjoy such practical training every day.”