Chapter Eight: Entering Samadhi on the Seventh Day

  Yang Zhao suddenly opened his eyes, and a sharp light flashed in his pupils. He remained still for a moment before slowly exhaling a turbid breath. Although he knew that staying longer would be of no use, deep down, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret and longing. This was because he knew that the mystical realm he had experienced over the past seven days and nights was something that could be encountered but not sought after, even if one lived for a hundred years. In his lifetime, he didn't know whether he would have another chance to open that great gate once more.

  People's hearts are indeed never satisfied. Having obtained Long, they again hope for Shu? At the thought of this, Yang Zhao couldn't help but smile wryly. He recalled the Jin Yong martial arts novel "The Legend of the Condor Hero" he had read before crossing over, where the old rascal Zhou Botong once said: "Delving into martial arts has endless joy, a person living in the world, if they don't delve into martial arts, what other interesting things can they do? Although there are many toys in the world, playing with them for a long time ultimately becomes tasteless. Only martial arts become more and more interesting the more you play."

  At that time, Yang Zhao saw this and just thought it was a casual nonsense of his family, looked at it and forgot about it, didn't take it to heart. But when he crossed over today and truly experienced the aftertaste, he found that this sentence is absolutely a famous saying. At least, whether before or after crossing over, in his past life, he couldn't find any memories that could compare with the depth of feelings he had during those seven days and seven nights.

  However, everything is about seeking opportunities, and forcing it is useless. In the past six months or so, Yang Zhao has also learned to recite many Buddhist scriptures. Among them, the "Four Observations of Entering the Way" by Bodhidharma, the first ancestor of Chan Buddhism in the Eastern Land, says: "All living beings have no self, and they are all transformed by their karma. Suffering and joy are both received equally, and they all arise from conditions. If one obtains honor and glory, it is because of the causes I created in my past life, and now I am reaping them. When the conditions are exhausted, there will be nothing left, so what is there to be happy about? Gains and losses come from conditions, and the mind has no increase or decrease. The wind of joy does not move, and one quietly follows the Way. Therefore, it is said that words follow the conditions." So although Yang Zhao felt a bit disappointed, he did not indulge in it and intended to seek again.

  Translating...

  After transmigrating to the Great Sui Dynasty, he coincidentally became a descendant of the Yang family. After experiencing the mystical and extraordinary events with Tianjian Renjian seven days ago, Yang Zhao gradually began to believe that his arrival in this world would not be just for eating and waiting for death as an ant, but must have come for a reason. Although he still didn't know what it was, at this time, Yang Zhao was only in his early twenties, with hot blood surging in his chest, full of ambition and eagerness to achieve great things. Even if he had already grasped the true essence of martial arts, he would not consider abandoning worldly affairs entirely, devoting himself wholeheartedly to pursuing the truth that seemed within reach but might be forever elusive like a flower in the mirror or a moon in the water.

  Martial arts will forever be just a tool in my hands. But it can never turn around and make me its slave.

  For seven days and seven nights, the original spirit escapes, the soul wanders outside, and the physical body naturally enters a state of dormancy. Once out of meditation, the revived body undergoes wondrous changes, like shedding its skin, with the entire body's skin cracking and peeling off, revealing new skin that is tender like an infant's, yet radiant like precious jade, emitting a subtle, crystalline glow.

  Yang Zhao touched his skin, shrugged and smiled, stood up from the couch, pushed the door and walked out of the quiet room. The palace maids who had been waiting in shifts outside the quiet room for seven days and nights all welcomed him with great joy. At this point, someone naturally took charge of things, either rushing to boil water for bathing and serving the prince, or sending people to the imperial kitchen to prepare food, or dispatching envoys to fly to the East Palace and Taiji Palace to inform Yang Jian and Yang Guang that Yang Zhao had already come out. Although there were many things to do, under the command of Xiao Shi, who was appointed as the leader of the prince's bedroom, and Yan Zi, a seventh-grade official in charge of the imperial harem, everything went smoothly and proceeded in an orderly manner.

  He had a good hot bath, and put on some new clothes. Yang Zhao felt refreshed. However, when he stood in front of the copper mirror to take a look, he found that the mirror was not clear enough. He was thinking about whether to try to recall the method of making glass mirrors from his memory (after all, the college entrance examination had just finished, and the chemistry and physics teachers' teachings were still fresh in his mind). Suddenly, he heard the eunuch outside the palace shouting names, and it turned out that Yang Jian, Empress Dugu Qieluo, Yang Guang, and Xiao Shi had arrived.

  His grandfather, grandmother, and parents all arrived together, so it was not a trivial matter. Yang Zhao did not dare to be slow and hastily rushed out to welcome them. As soon as he turned from the side door to the main gate of the palace, he saw the four of them crossing the threshold one after another. Yang Zhao quickly knelt down to greet them, but before his knees even touched the ground, Yang Jian had already waved his hand and laughed: "No need, no need. Good grandson, come let Grandpa take a look at you." He pulled him up and carefully examined him for a while, nodding his head and saying: "Not bad, it seems that you have received many benefits."

  Yang Zhao respectfully said: "It's all thanks to the Emperor's gift of the Heavenly Sword. Relying on the power of this sacred object, I was able to achieve such a small success. As a grandson, I already feel ashamed and have no place to stand."

  Yang Jian burst out laughing and turned his head to Dugu Qieluo: "Empress, look at this child, isn't he eloquent?"

  Dugu Empress smiled and said, "Of course, it's because the emperor's daughter-in-law has taught her well. However, this child is only fifteen, right? Being so mature at such a young age isn't necessarily a good thing. Young people should still have some youthful spirit." Turning to Xiao Shi, she said, "The Crown Princess has been strict in her upbringing, which is a good thing. But now that the child has grown up, you can't use the same methods as before. One must know when to be firm and when to yield, this is the way of literature and martial arts."

  Xiao slightly bowed and replied, "The daughter-in-law has taken note." Yang Guang seemed to be in pain for his wife and opened his mouth to defend her, saying, "Mother, fifteen years old is not considered a young person. Think back, when I was thirteen, I had already taken up the post of General Manager of Pingzhou?"

  Dugu Empress sighed: "In the early years of the Great Sui, the country had just been established, and the foundation was not yet stable. People's hearts were not yet at peace. Sending you to garrison the place was a move that could not be avoided. But now the country is prosperous and the people are at peace, and it is no longer necessary to do so." She paused, turned her head and smiled: "Your Majesty, this time Zhao'er's achievement is not much inferior to Guang'er's achievements when he was in charge of Bingzhou. I wonder how Your Majesty plans to reward him?"

  Yang Guang furrowed his brow and spoke out, "Empress Dowager, as a member of the imperial family, it's only natural to share the country's worries. What reward could I possibly want?" Before he had even finished speaking, he felt someone tug on his sleeve, and then heard Xiao Shi lightly scold him, "Crown Prince."

  A strict father and a kind mother, each doing their job. This feeling, this scene, is what a family should look like. Although I've always heard people say things like "heavenly families have no father-son relationships" or "I'd rather be born in a humble life for generations to come than be born into an imperial family", at this moment, Yang Zhao, who had lost both parents since childhood, couldn't help but feel a warm current flowing through his heart.

  Yang Jian had been the Son of Heaven for a long time, and it was indeed a lonely and isolated existence. Moreover, he had also abolished his eldest son Yang Yong's position as crown prince in the previous year. Although the situation was such, after all, paternal affection could not be abandoned, so his heart had also been depressed for a long time. Now that he was reunited with his family again, he was even more delighted. He took Yang Guang and Yang Zhao by the hand, saying: "Let's not rush, let's go in and talk."

  As everyone sat down in the hall, the palace maidens laid out the table settings and arranged eight dishes of pastries for a light breakfast. Yang Zhao had been fasting for seven days and was now having his first big meal. However, he was still far from being able to live on air and dew like an immortal, so at this moment, he really looked like a bear that had just emerged from hibernation - hungry. Seeing the food, he naturally dug in without hesitation, devouring two or three bowls of pastries along with the fragrant rice porridge served by the imperial chef. Lady Xiao's face was full of kindness as she took out her handkerchief to wipe his mouth and cautioned him, "Eat slowly, don't choke."

  Yang Jian was taken aback, then burst out laughing: "That day, the monk from Tianzhu's martial arts were so strong that even if Tang and Xu, the two national dukes, joined forces, they would only end up in defeat. But when my daughter Zhao'er took action, it was easy as can be, a huge success. To say that such a master would actually be killed by a few pastries is truly the biggest joke under heaven. Haha, haha, hahaha!"

  Yang Jian's expression turned serious as he said, "The Tianjian Ling can indeed unleash one's potential and greatly aid in cultivation. However, if it hasn't been fully digested through secluded meditation, it would be difficult to wield its full power. Even now, your abilities are far inferior to those of the Tianzhu monk. Yet, on that day at the Taige Temple, you managed to defeat him with just three moves. What was the reason behind this?"

  Yang Zhaowei hesitated for a moment, then said calmly: "Everyone can change their tricks, and the cleverness is different. To put it bluntly, it's not even worth half a copper coin. On that day, Master Mohaye Ye told his son through the secret method of transmitting sound, that Tianzhu monk Tian Fa Rong practiced the Ice Fire Sevenfold Heaven, which was the secret transmission of the Xihuang Temple's Huo Xuan Gong. It is a part of the original divine power, combined with the secret techniques of Yoga asceticism, and another path is opened to form it. After success, the power is strong and overbearing, but far inferior to the original version's neutrality, harmony, breadth, and depth."

  So don't look at his thick protective aura and strong counter-shock force, in fact, he is first hurting himself and then hurting others. Moreover, this inner skill puts an extremely heavy burden on the heart, if you over-urge it, there is a risk of sudden cardiac explosion and death at any time. As Mohe Ye Shi, with his father's keen eyesight, saw that after Zhū Fǎ Rǎn defeated Tang and Xǔ, two national dukes, he himself was already injured, not only could he not possibly urge the seventh heaven boundary again, but he must also find a place to rest as soon as possible. Otherwise, if his vital energy is damaged, at least ten years of life will be lost. And since Sun Er has the Tianjian in hand, Zhū Fǎ Rǎn can't win against me with six heavens boundary in three moves, so he had no choice but to admit defeat."

  Yang Zhao paused, and said with a bitter smile: "So, in the end, it's just like before when Sunzi fought - that Tianzhu monk had already turned into a useless silver bullet. Sunzi simply picked up a hot pancake, it was just killing an old tiger."

  Yang Zhao's words were both true and false. Mohui Ye naturally didn't know the origin of the Seven Layers of Ice and Fire, so there was no way to talk about the transmission of sound. In fact, the Seven Layers of Ice and Fire were created by Bodhidharma. This first ancestor of Eastern Earth Zen, at that time in Xīlái Temple, took refuge and sought the Dharma. Under the circumstances, he learned a style of Tathagata Divine Palm and the Li Huo Xuan Bing Gong. Because he deeply felt that these two ultimate skills were too powerful, if later on someone with an evil heart mastered them to do evil, the disaster would be enormous. Therefore, he split the one-style Tathagata Divine Palm into four styles of swordsmanship, named it the Bodhidharma Divine Sword, which was one of the three ultimates of Bodhidharma.

  Damo was a martial arts prodigy, and in his lifetime, apart from the three absolutes of Damo, he also created four great qigongs: Tongzi Gong, Jinzhong Zhanshuai, Yijin Jing, and Ximian Jing. His achievements shook the ancient world. However, in his later years, while practicing his self-created Ximian Jing, an unexpected heart demon appeared. This heart demon took shape outside of his body, calling itself Dark Damo. Not only did it transform the Li Huo Xuan Bing Gong into the Ice Fire Sevenfold Heaven, but also further developed the Dark Sevenfold Heaven, which was said to be able to break through any martial art in the world, shocking and astonishing the world.

  All of the above is not worth mentioning, and Yang Zhao knew it based on his memory of reading comics before crossing over. Moreover, he also knew that the monk from Tianzhu coincidentally stumbled upon the cave where Dharma and Dark Dharma parted ways that day, and thus was able to record down the entire cultivation method of the Seven Layers of Ice and Fire Heaven, while only getting the first three layers of the Dark Seven Layers Heaven. This monk from Tianzhu only managed to cultivate the Seven Layers of Ice and Fire Heaven, but no matter what he could not comprehend or cultivate the Dark Seven Layers Heaven. Yet he actually went on to deceive the world and steal fame, claiming that the Seven Layers of Ice and Fire Heaven was his own creation.

  Unfortunately, the Tianzhu monk didn't cultivate Huashan's Iron Face Divine Skill after all, so his shamelessness index wasn't enough. When reading the comic, I knew that deep down he felt guilty for claiming to be the creator of Bingshuo Qichongtian. Moreover, Bingshuo Qichongtian first hurts oneself before hurting others, and the weakness that the heart can't withstand is also a fact.

  On that day, Yang Zhao relied on the heavenly sword's divine edge and added the I Ching's Xiantian Bagua step method, using all his strength to exchange three moves with Tianzhu monk Zhou. Although danger lurked everywhere, he managed to narrowly escape unscathed. The Tianzhu monk was indeed also seriously injured, and after three moves, he seemed to be losing steam. Yang Zhao took the opportunity to use his extremely fast movement skill and lightly brushed past him, sending out the eight words "Mountain Cave Strange Encounter, Dark Dharma".

  The greatest secret in his heart was suddenly exposed, and the shock that Tianzhu monk received can be imagined. At that time, he was stunned, and he gave up without a fight. After a long time, he suddenly let out a long sigh, turned around and left with big strides. The guards on duty in the palace did not dare to stop him, but they rushed forward and captured Yizhi Wende, who was staring blankly.

  Afterwards, Yang Zhao was completely unclear about how the aftermath of the banquet would be handled. Being able to communicate with the Heavenly Sword was a great opportunity. Although he didn't understand why he, a transmigrator, had suddenly been favored by this divine sword that only the Nine Five Supreme could wield, it was an unexpected gain that he wouldn't refuse.

  The benefits, however, do not refer to the annotation of spiritual energy, but rather to the experience and memory of Tianjian's tenure as a soldier. Through thousands of cycles of reincarnation and transformation, countless lives of birth, death, and separation. The understanding of the Tao of Heaven and Man, the experience of the highest realm of martial arts, and the insights gained from fighting against various gods, immortals, demons, and devils to the death, are all silently recorded by Tianjian along with its bloodline. And this record of experience, once obtained by humans, is no less than opening a great path to ascend to heaven.

  After seven days and seven nights of closed retreat, Yang Zhao was finally able to roughly integrate these insights and experiences (but not completely). As for incorporating them into his own use, it was impossible with his current cultivation. This is like a treasure chest, Yang Zhao already possessed the chest itself, but didn't have the strength to open the lock on the box. He could only look forward to gradually finding that key as his powers and knowledge increased day by day, and slowly unlock it layer by layer.

  To put it in a way, when the first generation of great heroes passed on the eagle, they saw the "War God's Record" in the Temple of War Gods. However, they also had to go through battles with the likes of Basiba and Meng Chi Xing, those extraordinary masters, before finally gaining enlightenment and breaking through the void. As the saying goes, knowing is easy but doing is hard, most things in life are like this.

  Of course, Chuan Ying is a person of the Yuan Dynasty in later generations. In this era, his great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-great-grandfather... probably haven't been born yet. However, thinking about Chuan Ying and the "War God's Record", Yang Zhao couldn't help but think of the other so-called three greatest arts again. The Longevity Formula, the Heavenly Demon Strategy, and the Ci Hang Sword Classic. In this chaotic world, it is unknown how they compare to the various divine magic arts he saw in his seven-day epiphany, who is higher or lower than whom?