Chapter 3
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Iron Foot Immortal
Jue Wuzi’s martial arts might be ordinary, but he was well-versed in classics and possessed uncommon insight. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to trick all those martial arts visitors.
However…
At this moment, he was filled with suspicion, his fingers trembling slightly within his sleeves, repeatedly thinking, “Impossible.”
He asked again, “You’ve already controlled the meridian qi to circulate fully within the Kidney Meridian of Foot Shaoyin?”
“Precisely.”
The old Daoist knew his disciple’s nature and that he wouldn’t lie about such a matter. His repeated question was merely out of disbelief, thinking he’d misheard. For a martial artist who had cultivated internal true qi, once they opened their meridians, it wasn’t surprising for true qi to circulate within a single meridian.
However, meridian qi was special.
Jue Wuzi turned his back, pacing several steps outward, his mind filled with thoughts.
Human meridian qi moves with the blood qi derived from the flow of qi and blood, and it’s influenced by specific times and seasons. This is why some acupoint masters can precisely calculate the time to strike acupoints, block meridian qi, and thus manipulate qi and blood, killing people invisibly. Martial arts like “Meridian Severing Hand” have their roots in this principle.
Times and seasons follow natural cycles, having their own cosmic timing, constantly recurring without deviation. Human meridian qi is the same; it can follow the direction of qi and blood to pass through one acupoint, one meridian, or even travel throughout the entire body.
But to make it circulate within a single meridian would inevitably force the meridian qi to flow backward, which is absolutely impossible. Wouldn’t the clash of qi and blood cause the person to suffer qi deviation and internal injuries?
“Master, did I make a mistake in my practice?”
Zhou Yi felt apprehensive seeing his master’s stern face.
“Follow me.”
Jue Wuzi said, then walked out the door. Zhou Yi quickly followed. The two young Daoist acolytes hurriedly picked up the food boxes and the lantern by the door, running ahead to lead the way.
They walked in silence along the stone path, heading straight for the training room located beside the side hall and nestled against the mountain wall.
The training room was closed in the evening. Yan Qiu stepped forward and knocked.
With a “creak”, a rugged man in blue training attire emerged from inside. This person was named Zhang Cheng, nicknamed Zhang San, a believer who wished to become a disciple. Jue Wuzi, seeing his piety, had given him a Taiping talisman, making him a Daochang disciple, essentially a named disciple. He was in charge of guarding the training room.
“Bring the stone lock.”
“Yes.”
With a hint of doubt, Zhang Cheng moved the stone lock from beside the weapon rack in the training room to before the group. His muscular arms gleamed with oil in the candlelight. He struck a pose, cupped his hands, and asked: “Heavenly Master, are you testing your disciple’s stone lock skill?” He was eager to show off, as stone lock skill was his forte.
“You watch first.”
In the flickering candlelight of the training room, the old Daoist observed Zhou Yi’s expression before speaking: “Disciple, your turn.”
Zhou Yi took a step forward.
The old Daoist added, “Use your feet.”
The burly man watching from the side was astonished, staring at the stone lump carved from flagstone on the ground.
Stone Lock Skill was a form of hard qigong. This skill progresses from simple to complex, from light to heavy, divided into seven methods: ‘lifting, suspending, flipping, topping, carrying on the back, coiling, and catching’ to increase arm strength. Hence, it was also called ‘Seven-Grip Stone Lock Skill.’
To practice it with one’s feet was truly unheard of.
Zhang Cheng glanced at Zhou Yi’s young, handsome face, and observing his somewhat slender build, he dared not show the slightest contempt in his heart. This scholarly-looking young Daoist priest was the second-in-command of the Taiping Dao. Master Jue Wuzi of Fuzi Mountain was a master renowned in Yongqiu for decades, and his senior disciple, though not outwardly flashy, already had a reputation.
Zhang Cheng suddenly realized, thinking: ‘Senior Brother Zhou had been avoiding visitors for the past few days. He must have been practicing, and now his cultivation has surely advanced.’ So he stood aside, watching closely.
Zhou Yi came to the stone lock. This stone lock was not light; it weighed over forty jin (approx. 20 kg). Unsure of his master’s profound meaning, he simply followed instructions. He raised his right foot, hooked it onto the stone lock, and the Xuanzhen Heart Method immediately began to circulate. Meridian qi rapidly shot out from the Yongquan point, instantly reaching the Ran Gu acupoint.
“Ran Gu” has the meaning of “burning,” and it is the Ying Fire acupoint above the Yongquan well mouth. These two acupoints are connected, meaning there is true fire within water, and true heat within the earth’s core. Ran Gu is also called “Dragon Abyss,” like the fire of a thunder dragon emerging from the abyss.
As soon as Zhou Yi’s meridian qi moved, it immediately mobilized qi and blood to move strength, exploding suddenly at Ran Gu and directly flowing through the Kidney Meridian of Foot Shaoyin!
The stone lock, weighing over forty jin, was lifted effortlessly by him in an instant. Zhou Yi was inwardly astonished; the stone lock left the ground like a feather, his foot seemingly feeling no weight from it!
The meridian qi surged to the Yufu acupoint. This acupoint is level with Xuanji, which relates to circulation, and Yufu implies gathering. It inherently has the function of facilitating gathering and dispersion. At this point, at the top of the qi acupoint, Zhou Yi’s cultivation formula produced a miraculous effect. The meridian qi strangely rushed backward, like mercury flowing across the ground, counter-flowing through the Kidney Meridian of Foot Shaoyin.
At this moment, Zhou Yi’s right foot, which was lifting the stone lock, still didn’t feel much of its weight. But the qi and blood in his body surged from the exertion of power, and his heart pounded rapidly. Then his left leg sank! A burst of strong wind emanated from his ankle, stirring up the dust on the training room floor.
Only then did he feel his right foot grow heavy. Zhou Yi couldn’t maintain his grip, and his toes gave way, letting the stone lock crash to the ground with a “bang.”
Jue Wuzi’s expression remained calm, but sweat had seeped into the palm of his sleeve.
It worked!
It wasn’t qi deviation; it was truly meridian qi circulation!
Zhou Yi stepped aside, standing still. It was his first time circulating qi in this manner, which caused both his legs to feel sore and numb.
The two young Daoist acolytes shone their lanterns forward.
Unbelievable! A footprint was left on the training room floor.
Yan Qiu whispered rapidly, in a voice only Xia Shu could hear: “The strength after devouring the ox-demon.”
Zhou Yi saw it and understood: ‘Before, my right foot didn’t feel the weight of the stone lock because the force was transferred to my left foot. Master is truly learned, to know such an uncanny method of applying force. If I had tried to figure it out myself, I probably wouldn’t have grasped this path.’ Staring at the footprint on the ground, he found it even more miraculous. If this were in the martial arts world of Jin Yong’s novels, this single move might earn him the title of “Iron Foot Immortal.”
Zhang Cheng’s face was already full of astonishment, his eyes filled with admiration. ‘Incredible, the Stone Lock Skill can be practiced like this.’ ‘Senior Brother Zhou is brilliant!’
Jue Wuzi, who had been silent all this time, looked at Zhang Cheng at the opportune moment and slowly spoke: “Diligence can compensate for shortcomings. Your stone lock skill still needs more practice.”
“Yes!”
Gazing at the footprint on the ground, Zhang Cheng had no words to refute, his tone utterly sincere.
As the group left the training room, Jue Wuzi sent the two young Daoist acolytes away and questioned Zhou Yi about his cultivation process. Of course, Zhou Yi wouldn’t hide anything from his benevolent master. He didn’t mention the bas-relief, but he truthfully recounted the method for the second sitting posture from the Xuanzhen Temple Collection.
The old Daoist was extremely gratified: “Such ingenuity is heaven-bestowed.” He didn’t comment on the quality of the cultivation method, only praising this one sentence.
Then he answered Zhou Yi’s previous question: “Heaven does not give birth to useless people, nor does the earth grow useless grass. Each person is different, and the speed of cultivation also varies. Daoist internal cultivation methods should follow nature. As long as you don’t suffer qi deviation, just practice according to your own conditions. Why worry?”
Zhou Yi accepted the teaching with a nod.
“One more thing: your true progress in cultivation, besides your Master, must not be told to a second person.”
Zhou Yi deeply agreed: “Flower branches still hide thorns beneath their leaves; it’s hard to guarantee a heart free of malice.”
The old Daoist smiled: “The young pupil is teachable.”
“…”
Soon after returning to his own room, Yan Qiu and Xia Shu brought the re-heated food.
“You two prepare yourselves. In a few days, there’s a ritual near Badou Temple. You’ll come down the mountain with me to perform rites.”
“Okay, Senior Brother!”
The two children agreed eagerly. Children naturally love to play, and down the mountain was much livelier than the Daochang. Zhou Yi wanted to show his face down the mountain, lest the people from the Xihe Hunyuan Sect think he was dead. Especially at such a time, he couldn’t let anyone see his lack of confidence.
Perhaps he was too hungry, but Zhou Yi’s appetite soared that night. In the courtyard outside his room, two little helpers brought the last few hardened steamed buns from the kitchen.
Yan Qiu stood outside the door, holding a lantern. He patted Xia Shu. They both looked towards the window.
Through the oiled paper of the window, a human shadow could be seen, loudly munching on something. The shadow twisted and distorted with the flickering candlelight, and in the dead of night, it looked truly eerie from afar.
Xia Shu rolled her eyes, already guessing what nonsense Yan Qiu was about to say.
“The appetite after devouring the ox-demon…”
– Mochinuna.
