Rou Lang asked about inner style cultivation, about how to control inner force.
Master Levi replied, "Hmm... Where'd you heard about that? As far as I know, controlling inner force is tens of times harder than qi control. In other words, it is the same as controlling your blood flow. The main source of inner force is the heart's beating. While pumping, the force will enable blood flow among the system. If you could have control of your heartbeat, you also have basic control of inner force. But further than that, inner force is as vast as a sea that fills every inch of your body. The primary regulator area is the brain, since the brain is what enables motor functions and the five senses. If you have better control of your mind, you'll have better control of your force. You must be wondering how can you control your mind. For that, we'll be in out-of-the-world topic already. Humans are composed of a balanced form of Yin and Yang, the physical and the ethereal -your physical body and your spiritual self. The two coexist. Without one, the other is dead. But I tell you that the physical work is just a fraction of what you can do with your spiritual. If your physical can move itself, the spiritual can move mountains and rivers with just one command. That's how vast the power difference of the two worlds. If in this physical world humans can cultivate by meditation, in the spirit world of the Heavens or Hell, we could cultivate without doing anything. That's why a six-year-old celestial being can crush a low-levelled mortal cultivator with just a snap of fingers."
"Awesome! Then how about million-year-old celestial beings? They can destroy the world in just a snap?"
"Maybe... yes. But God wouldn't allow that to happen. If we dared to destroy the mortal world without His permission, we might as well vanish with just His command. Furthermore, there is a great boundary place between the three realms. Those boundaries can nullify powers and reduce any cultivator to vegetable state. Which means, if an angel descends to Jupiter passing through the boundary, he will be sucked out of any heavenly powers and he would be no more than a normal human."
"If that's the case, then why didn't Master Lei Jian became a normal saber when he descended?"
"Err... some heavenly creatures have their own way. For that you have to ask him yourself. Let's not waste our time in that. We're talking about inner force control, right? Do these set of exercises of Taiji Fist and you might have a vague idea how it works."
Given a set of movement exercises, the rough understanding of inner force becomes more broader in a positive aspect. It all starts with a slow breathing, then a movement of rising and falling. A sweep to the side, a turn of the foot. A sway to the other side, a deep exhalation. A broader hand opening, a lower foot posture. It was all about the balance of softness and hardness. As her body works, she inhales just as pace, and exhales as her body rests. When the hand rises, the feet lowers. But all in the set, her backbone is straight to ensure the unrestricted flow of qi. The importance of focus is clearly evident on each stance. The mind is not what controls the movement but the spirit does. The mind only directs energy to the limbs while the body only relies on the spirit. This is how inner style martial arts differ by external styles. Here, it was not about being forcefull, it is about peace. It is not about anger, it's about calmness. It's not about knowing your enemies weakpoints, it's about knowing yourself. And when all the body, mind, and spirit are straight in a balance coordination, all you have to do... is to believe.
This is the psychology of tai chi. A true practitioner of Tai Chi does not worry of his enemy is stronger. He only does fight to protect oneself and others' life. The way of dao is highly connected to this. Thus, her dao she must walk is very much compatible to the martial art she chooses.
As Rou Lang did a closing stance, a knock resounded by the door. She went to open it. A junior martial brother was at the door.
"Good evening, junior sister."
"Good evening."
"Tonight, we will hold a little feast for the memorial of our founder ancestor, and to formally welcome you. The venue will be at the open plaza. Let me accompany you if you are ready."
"Oh, I'm ready. Let's head out now."
"Junior brother, what's your name?"
He smiled shyly. "I'm called Liu Wushi. How about you, junior sister?"
"I'm Rou Lang."
"Rou Lang? As in 'weak wolf'?"
"Yeah. I guess so. Junior brother Wushi. Can you tell me more about this memorial feast?"
"Sure do. This is done every year in order to commemorate the founding of our monastery, and in memory of Ancestor Qian who died with ten more elders. There was a story behind that. About 300 years ago, this place was said to be a mountain crack, meaning, there was a wormhole to hell. Hundreds of Undead and many monsters were coming out of the hole to cause bloody carnage across the land. Ancestor Qian with her disciples known of event and came to investigate. But they were further drawn in to the battle because of mercy. One night, the enemy did another massive scale attack on them. They were forced to take extreme measure by combining their cultivation to forged a semi-Immortal blade. The blade was so powerful it can cut mountains in a slash. The army of Undead were deciminated in one strike. However, it was said that a Titan rose from the wormhole on which Ancestor Qian had tp fight for five days. Their battle was the most disturbing in all the country. The ground shook terribly that many mountains collapsed just by the shockwave. The atmosphere vibrated very intense that every sound just blasted the monsoon away. The Titan was most of all biggest creature everybody has seen, its head reached way above the clouds. And even its breathe was heard for a thousand li. Ancestor Qian however defeated it on the final fifth day, and the Titan was disintegrated to black haze before being swallowed back to the wormhole. Many of her disciples died in the battle, even ten exceptional elders who was her comrades have fallen. Ancestor Qian went on this mountain and used her remaining life force to seal the wormhole. And only the semi-Immortal blade is the key to open it. Our Founding Ancestor Ren Tianxing built this temple for the great hero."
"How about the semi-Immortal blade? Where is it? And what's the difference between the semi and real Immortal blade?", she asked.
"Real Immortal Blades are only forged by master craftsmen. These blades are very hard to make, they require thousand different ingredients and at least one real heavenly steel. Even without applying cultivation qi, these swords are madly destructive. Meanwhile, the semi-Immortal blade used by Ancestor is only the amalgation of ten high-levelled artifacts, and qi power of atleast fifty cultivators. Only that can combined with her amazing ability can bring out the full potential of the blade, thus its power is almost equivalent to an actual Immortal one. As to where is it, that I can't tell."
"It must be within the temple, wasn't it?"
"To put it fairly, yes."
About a hundred or two people are already packed up in the plaza. But there was no unnecessary noise besides the occasional greetings of juniors and seniors. After they exchanged pleasantries, they would quietly stand by the side in a ordered column. All of these hot-blooded monks were anticipating something to happen tonight, as their expressions shows determination. A neat space was reserved in the middle where the abbot and the priests will pass. Seven chairs were already prepared up front. Liu Wushi and Rou Lang appeared just before the elders came. Wushi led her to the front; near the seat of the abbot.
At last, the gong sounded and the seven elders came, wearing traditional robes embroidered with dragons and tigers. As they took their seat, the abbot gave a welcome approach to both everyone including the spirits which may be joining in. Good spirits equalls to good luck, producing a warm ambience. Although the air is chilly and desolate.
"Welcome everybody to our annual ceremony, in remembrance of our dear founder and Ancestor. . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tonight, we will also decide which of you is more qualified to advance from Diao-Harr Er to Jiao-Hao Yi. In order to sift through you who will be given privilege to study higher Kung Fu and possibly be an elder. You will be judged through three layers. So that's how it is. The preliminary rounds is multiple elimination. Fight through your way and remain inside the stage circle. Anyone who remains standing will advance to the next round while the others are eliminated. An incense amount of time is just enough to test your determination. Now let the battle begin!"