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Chapter 20: Golden Bones Don't Impress the Master, I'll Refine Jade Bones
Chapter 20: Golden Bones Don't Impress the Master, I'll Refine Jade Bones
Li Xuan was unaware that Xu Yan had already refined the fictitious Golden Bones he spoke of, and was now excitedly on his way to share the news, seeking praise and recognition from his master.
At that moment, Li Xuan was admiring the gifts Xu Yan had given him before—a golden sword and a jade scepter.
The golden sword, inlaid with gems and crafted entirely from gold, was indeed valuable.
The jade scepter, on the other hand, was carved with auspicious cloud patterns and was flawless throughout. It was clearly crafted from the finest jade, and its value likely surpassed that of the golden sword.
"This golden sword is certainly precious, but the more I look at it, the more I feel that the jade scepter is even more valuable and rare.
"See how flawless the jade is, so translucent and smooth to the touch... Compared to the golden sword, I much prefer this jade scepter.
"It would be perfect if I could find another one, so we'd have a pair to pass down as family heirlooms.
"Since I've already lied about it, what's one more? I might as well ask my foolish disciple to find another jade scepter."
Li Xuan toyed with the jade scepter, his admiration for it growing by the second.
He thought to himself, asking his silly disciple to find another jade scepter to make a pair would be a great idea.
Just then, Xu Yan approached.
"My disciple, your timing is impeccable," Li Xuan said, pushing the golden sword aside as if dismissing it. He fiddled with the jade scepter, his eyes reflecting his love for the object.
"Look at this jade scepter, flawless and so smooth to the touch. A gentleman appreciates jade, and so do I. It would be wonderful to have a pair of these."
He looked up at Xu Yan and said, "Do you understand, my disciple?"
In his heart, he added, "Go find another jade scepter for me."
Xu Yan had originally come to excitedly tell his master about his achievement of refining the Golden Bones, a feat that rivaled ancient prodigies.
However, he saw Li Xuan push the golden sword aside with a dismissive air, playing with the jade scepter instead.
Li Xuan spoke of how gentlemen favored jade and expressed his desire to have a pair of jade scepters.
Xu Yan thought to himself that he would find another jade scepter for his master the next time he went home.
But suddenly, a realization struck him. "Wait a moment! Why would my master be talking about his love for jade at this particular moment?"
"There must be a deeper meaning behind his words...
"I understand now! My master has high expectations of me, and he wants me to refine Jade Bones, that's why he's using the jade scepter as a metaphor. Compared to Golden Bones, he favors Jade Bones!
"But my master is also worried that I might not be able to handle the difficulty of refining Jade Bones, so he's using the jade scepter as a subtle hint. If I fail to grasp the true meaning of his words, he won't push me further...
"In doing so, my master is giving me a chance to prove myself. Even if he doesn't say it outright, he must be disappointed if I don't understand the depth of his words. My master's expectations of me will surely lessen, and he might think that I lack the insight to comprehend such a simple metaphor!"
Xu Yan's mind raced as he interpreted his master's words. He concluded that on the surface, Li Xuan wanted a pair of jade scepters, but his true intention was to encourage him to continue refining his bones, to not give up or retreat, and to strive for the refinement of Jade Bones.
If Li Xuan knew what his disciple was thinking, he would surely be bewildered: "Damn, I just wanted another jade scepter!"
After Xu Yan's mental gymnastics, he firmly believed that he had grasped the true meaning behind his master's words. He looked at Li Xuan with determination and said, "Master, I understand, and I won't let you down!"
A satisfied smile appeared on Li Xuan's face. "I'm glad you understand. I believe in you."
Xu Yan's heart was deeply touched. "My master has such high expectations of me. He wants me to surpass ancient prodigies!"
"Golden Bones? They're nothing compared to the Jade Bones I'll refine!"
Xu Yan decided not to mention his Golden Bones again. His master had seen through everything, and those mere Golden Bones couldn't impress him.
As Xu Yan prepared to cultivate again, intending to continue refining his bones, he found that no matter how he directed his qi and blood or attempted to temper his bones, it was all to no avail.
Xu Yan's thoughts lingered. "I don't know if I have great fortune, and it's unlikely that I'm a favored child of the heavens. So, there's only one path left—insight."
"Master often emphasizes the importance of intention and enlightenment, reminding me to focus on my strengths. He must think that my insight is passable, and he's right. If I want to temper Jade Bones, insight is my only option."
With this realization, Xu Yan's mind once again turned to the two lines of the manual: "Clarify the mind to observe and nurture true intention, and let qi and blood flow like a dragon to forge a golden body."
"I must not have truly understood the core of these lines," he thought. "If I can truly comprehend them, will I be able to break free from the constraints of Golden Bones and temper Jade Bones?"
Xu Yan immersed himself completely in the manual, clearing his mind of all distractions and detaching himself from everything around him. He sought to fathom the profound meaning within those words.
"That's right, nurturing the true intention," he muttered to himself. "I thought that infusing qi and blood into the bones and marrow was nurturing the true intention, but where is the 'intention' itself?"
"Infusing the bone marrow is merely the beginning; it doesn't cultivate the intention."
Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Xu Yan, and he realized that his interpretation of "nurturing the true intention" from the manual had been flawed.
He had never truly cultivated the true intention.
Moreover, he hadn't even grasped the true meaning of 'intention.'
"Let qi and blood flow like a dragon to forge a golden body," he recited. "When I was refining my Golden Bones, did my qi and blood truly flow like a dragon? That was just superficial; without infusing the 'intention' into the qi and blood, how can it be considered a dragon?"
In that moment, Xu Yan felt as if he were touching a barrier.
If he could break through this barrier, he would fully comprehend the manual, shatter the constraints of Golden Bones, and enter the realm of Jade Bones.
However, this barrier seemed impossible to breach.
Frustration began to creep into his heart.
"Should I seek guidance from Master?" he wondered. "No, Master has already taught me clearly. 'Intention' can only be realized through personal enlightenment, and it cannot be explicitly stated. I must be missing something..."
For the next three days, Xu Yan devoted his cultivation time to comprehending the manual, striving to grasp the concept of "true intention." Time and again, he felt he was just a step away from success.
Yet, he couldn't break through the barrier and grasp the essence of the manual's teachings.
Li Xuan observed his foolish disciple with a puzzled expression. In the past few days, the disciple seemed distracted, occasionally zoning out as if lost in thought.
"Have you been making no progress for so long that you're starting to feel discouraged? Do you think you're incapable?" Li Xuan asked.
"How can I be disheartened when I haven't even obtained my Jade Ruyi yet?" Xu Yan replied.
"Let me think of some mystical-sounding nonsense to deceive him," Li Xuan thought to himself.
After their meal that day, as Xu Yan prepared to clear the dishes, Li Xuan spoke up. "Perseverance is essential on the path of cultivation. If you encounter a bottleneck and find yourself making no progress, you can relax your mind and empty your thoughts. Try to appreciate the essence of nature and capture the hidden opportunities around you. If you can have a sudden enlightenment, the doors of martial arts will open to you."
"Throughout history, there have been countless cultivators who were stuck at a plateau, unable to break through their bottlenecks. But through sudden enlightenment, they shattered their constraints," Li Xuan continued, spinning his tale.
Li Xuan, with eyes wide open, was feeding Xu Yan a line of nonsense to encourage him to seek this so-called "enlightenment," claiming that it would open the doors to the martial arts world.
Since grueling cultivation wasn't working, perhaps enlightenment would be the answer.
(End of Chapter)
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