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“You are able to sense qi. Using the Qimen, you can even see it, but you must not be agitated at all. Your heart must be as water. When water recedes, rocks emerge.”
Guiguzi’s voice echoed through empty space. Qi Lin fell down the cliff. Due to his high speed drop, the airflow produced a kind of substantive, solid sensation. Qi Lin took a deep breath, making his mind enter serenity, but the danger of the high altitude drop still instinctually stimulated all the pores in his body. Unless one had a cultivation that surpassed life and death, no one could remain unperturbed in this situation. The qi of Heaven and Earth surrounded his entire body. Qi Lin imagined the Qimen, of its composer. The instant he opened his eyes, a fleeting grid appeared in empty space.
In the end, though, Qi Lin was still rescued by Wang Xu.
Pushed over the cliff’s edge over and over again, Qi Lin was at last slowly learning the essentials of the heavenly Vertical Earthly Horizontal Escape. This was Viewing The Mind. To activate the Heavenly Vertical Earthly Horizontal Escape Technique, the most vital thing was to see the network of vertical and horizontal lines, which required utmost attention. There could be no distractions in the mind. When one took a step, the vertical and horizontal nodes between Heaven and Earth would appear underfoot. Immediately afterwards, one was to imagine themselves opening a door. Beyond the door was another world. The second step would cross a hundred zhang. By doing so, it would be like walking over thin air, traveling the world unhindered. Lastly, so long as it was smoothly maintained, one could be considered to have gotten their foot into the door of the Heavenly Vertical Earthly Horizontal Escape.
However, to comprehend it was very difficult. Other than needing mastery over the Qimen Dunjia, one still needed the expert Guiguzi to personally guide the True Qi in the meridians, to completely fuse them in with the Heavenly Vertical Earthly Horizontal’s meridians.
Fortunately, Qi Lin had the Dual Modes constitution. The “art of vertical and horizontal” began to produce even richer experience in controlling this escape technique just with the slightest training of his body. After another ten days of training, Qi Lin was already able to claim minor achievements in the Heavenly Vertical Earthly Horizontal Escape, astonishing Senior Sister Su Qin endlessly.
On the eleventh day, the time had come. King Zhou Di Xin summoned Qi Lin to meet her at the Deer Terrace.
Qi Lin followed behind Guiguzi Wang Xu towards the palace. Wang Xu wore a black skirt, her posture graceful and her gait extremely elegant yet also very mysterious. It was like a breeze was supporting her.
The entirety of Zhaoge’s palace was constructed from black copper and jade.
The palace was very extravagant, with statues of coiled dragons and birds occupying the palace walkways. Each step was filled with a solemn air.
Guards in black armor carried halberds, imposing and mighty.
Qi Lin had gone to the Forbidden City before, but that greatest imperial palace of China paled in comparison to Zhaoge’s.
“Master, how long have you stayed at Zhaoge?” Qi Lin asked curiously.
Wang Xu grunted.
“I feel that you have such a good heart, Master, not like someone who would help the tyrant Zhou in oppression. Given Master’s sublime Heavenly Vertical Earthly Horizontal Escape, what could King Zhou do to you if you leave Yin Shang, Master?” Over these ten days, Qi Lin had already more or less come to understand Guiguzi’s personality. She outwardly appeared apathetic, seemingly aloof towards everything. In particular, those white eyes made the phrase “all things are empty” appear even more profound on the woman. But Qi Lin still sensed from Guiguzi’s escape technique and cultivation tips that Wang Xu apparently had some other plan.
“Help the tyrant Zhou in oppression?” Wang Tingchan showed a rare hint of a smile: “An exquisite description, but you must not let Di Xin hear such words.”
Qi Lin smiled, “When speaking with someone wise, rely on breadth; when speaking with someone with breadth, rely on arguments; with someone argumentative, on need; with someone noble, on power; with someone rich, on loftiness; with someone poor, on benefits; with someone humble, on modesty; with someone brave, on daring; with someone dull, on sharpness; this is the art, for it is often that people do the opposite.” If Wang Xu were to know that Qi Lin had taken Guiguzi’s “On Power” rhetoric as his motto, she would realize she was completely overthinking.
“Master, you still have not told me why you are in Zhaoge. Don’t tell me you really are helping King Zhou predict the future, that you are teaching her the Qimen Dunjia?”
Guiguzi calmly said: “When the world is in turmoil, when the king is incompetent and the dukes morally bankrupt, scoundrels rise in revolt, those with virtue are not appointed to office, and the sages hide themselves one after another. Those who seek only their own interest as well as those who are hypocritical and treacherous will spring up everywhere. Mutual suspicion will abound between ruler and officials. With nations on the brink of collapse, wars erupt endlessly between them. No words of affection exchange between father and son, for they become enemies in the pursuit of profit. This is when ‘teeth play the cracks.'”1
“And when the sage sees teeth play the cracks, he resists by the law.” Qi Lin nodded, having heard this.
“Your perception is outstanding.” Guiguzi softly said: “The development of the partings and meetings under Heaven change. Inevitably, there will be small cracks. You must be conscientious as you observe and reflect, apply the principles of the way of opening and closing therein. Do you understand?”
“Master’s intent is that I myself am only watching and waiting for cracks in the Yin Shang, biding my time for an opportunity to exploit?” Qi Lin understood.
Guiguzi nodded in praise.
“I heard that King Wen and King Wu’s Great Zhou Kingdom was destroyed by the Yin Shang? Is this true?” Qi Lin wrinkled his brow. “I thought that the Great Zhou back then wanted to destroy the Yin Shang and purportedly carried out heavenly law and fortune, but…”
“That is why you must observe.”
“Oh.”
“You must be humble and respectful when meeting King Zhou, otherwise, even This Teacher may not be able to protect you.” Guiguzi said.
“As you command.”
The two of them silently entered through the gorgeous palace gates. Large characters with perfect craftsmanship were written above.
“Mandate of Heaven blackbird, descend upon and birth the Shang!”
There was a strange yet beautiful black bird above the door. It was very much like a sparrow, its posture glancing disdainfully at the human world.
It was said that this blackbird was the Yin Shang’s founding Divine Bird. Back then, various Divine Names were struggling in contention. Di Xin relied on it to establish the vast Yin Shang Kingdom in the Great Primordial Western Province. The Yin Shang’s imperial guards’ most commonly used weapon, the “dagger-axe,” was based on the shape of this Divine Bird’s beak. The “pecking technique” that the guards employed with the black dagger-axes also possessed the power of the blackbird.
Qi Lin and Wang Xu passed through the Forest of Meat, entering the Lake of Wine Hall. Before even entering the palace itself, one could smell from faraway the pervasive and lingering fragrance of grape wine filling the air. This wine’s scent seemed to have accumulated over a millennium, for it emitted a rich and dense intoxicating scent. With just one whiff, one would feel drunk.
The Lake of Wine Hall had an artificial lake, and it was filled with thousand year old wine from the Yin Shang Kingdom’s tribes. It could be said to be a lake of wine both in name and reality. In addition, this wine scent was able to numb a cultivator’s Primordial Spirit and could be considered a defensive implement.
Guguizi Wang Xu was accustomed and did not change her expression.
An extravagant song came from inside the palace, and Qi Lin inwardly frowned.
A lake of wine and a forest of meat, a life of hedonism. This King Zhou Di Xin was even more vicious compared to the one from Chinese history. Things would be more interesting if he were to see Daji the fox spirit after he opened the doors.
Qi Lin had always wanted to know just how beautiful this country-destroying woman was. In the past, he and his senior sister had even specifically gone in search of Daji’s tomb for this reason.
“Great King, Guiguzi Wang Xu and the Pixiu Tribe’s banner guardian, Shang Xuan, have arrived.”
“See them in.” A languid voice ordered.
The gate opened, and the obscene music became even more degenerate, entering the ears clearly. Qi Lin wanted nothing more than to cover his ears, but he knew he could not do so. Qi Lin and Wang Xu lowered their heads and entered step by step. They did not dare gaze forward. Given the law in Zhaoge, even if Di Xin had personally summoned for them, they could not even steal a glance without her permission, unless they wanted to suffer a prompt execution.
“We greet the Great King.”
“This King permits you to raise your heads.”
Qi Lin and Wang Xu lifted their gazes.
Qi Lin was stunned. The scene that greeted him shook his entire body. King Zhou Di Xin reclined indolently on a white pelt. Tucked tight against her side was a completely naked woman. Di Xin’s lips nipped that girl’s chest, an appearance and manner like an infant suckling milk.
“Ah…a man…Yexian.”2 The girl spotted Qi Lin, and her face flushed as she lost her head out of fear.
“If you dislike him, then This King may as well have him executed by carriage dismemberment right here.” Di Xin waved her hand. Several guards walked in.
Fuck, isn’t this a bit familiar, huh. This was just like when Elai sentenced him to execution without allowing for any explanation when he first arrived in Zhaoge. The guards seized Qi Lin. Fortunately, that girl was faint of heart. Upon hearing he would be executed, she promptly shook her head: “No, don’t do this…”
“Bi Gan, are you willing to let him watch, then?” Di Xin was very satisfied with Bi Gan’s meek appearance.
“…Willing…” Bi Gan did not dare meet Qi Lin’s eyes, her voice simply on the verge of sobbing. Nevertheless, Di Xin deliberately moved aside and allowed the girl’s pure white body to be completely exposed.
Di Xin looked at Bi Gan. Qi Lin distinctly noticed disdain in her eyes.
“You are that disciple who walked across the bronze toaster?” Di Xin’s gaze then settled on Qi Lin. Her eyes were cold and arrogant.
“Your Servant is indeed.”
“Very well, This King wants to see you walk it again. Are you willing?” Di Xin’s expression was very bored.
“Huh?” Bi Gan raised her head: “Great King…”
“Your Servant does not dare disobey the Great King’s orders.” Qi Lin lowered his gaze, not showing any emotion.
Di Xin narrowed her eyes. A seeming smile suddenly appeared on the corner of her lips.
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….Di Xin needs to die.