Above the Galaxy
Chapter 226 - 163: The Charm of That Sword!

Chapter 226: Chapter 163: The Charm of That Sword!

Xuanyuan Mingjing looked at Tang Fei, his face like green rock, his gaze profound, and he asked in a deep voice, "Why can’t you execute the strike?"

"My master has no flaws," Tang Fei said dejectedly. "I’ve always tried to find master’s flaws, but the longer I search, the more flaws I find in myself..."

"I attack master, who has no flaws, with a sword that has flaws. I can’t hurt others, only myself."

"So, the best choice is to give up the sword and admit defeat."

Tang Fei didn’t say these things just to flatter.

He knew that the best way to flatter was to draw his sword and battle with Xuanyuan Mingjing for three hundred rounds.

Master, look, ever since I took you as my teacher, I have had an epiphany overnight. Yesterday, I was unable to defeat Shen Xinglan, but today, I can land a few punches on master...

Wouldn’t Xuanyuan Mingjing be grinning from ear to ear?

Xuanyuan Mingjing stared at Tang Fei’s disheartened appearance and the sweat on his forehead. After a moment of silence, he finally said, "You shouldn’t be discouraged, either. When Shen Xinglan first joined the academy, his situation was much like yours..."

"Did he also give up the sword and admit defeat?" Tang Fei asked curiously.

There was a flicker of joy in his heart. If Shen Xinglan couldn’t do it, isn’t it natural that he couldn’t do it either?

After all, he is Shen Xinglan, the top-ranked of the Blue List... What was my ranking again?

"That he did not," Xuanyuan Mingjing said. "He stood with me for half an hour, then said he couldn’t draw his sword..."

"..."

Tang Fei felt somewhat embarrassed.

He had only stood for a few minutes before he gave up the sword in a profuse sweat, which was half the time.

Besides, how old was Shen Xinglan when he joined the master? How old was he when he joined?

Oh...

Tang Fei suddenly realized something wonderful; he actually dared to compare himself with Shen Xinglan.

One is a refugee youth from the Old Land, and the other is the pride of heaven from New Star. Previously, he thought these two individuals had nothing in common, but now they were being compared on the same level?

He was getting ahead of himself...

When Tang Fei first arrived on New Star, he felt it would be good enough if he could live a stable life there with Little Fatty.

Now, he has joined White Crane Academy, taken Xuanyuan Mingjing as his master, and even made it onto the Star Sky List...

Everything Shen Xinglan has, he has too.

Even what Shen Xinglan doesn’t have, he wants to have.

After all, he has to kill Shen Xinglan, whereas Shen Xinglan cannot kill him...

"So, this is the majesty of a Great Grandmaster?" Tang Fei asked, looking at Xuanyuan Mingjing.

"Yes," Xuanyuan Mingjing nodded and said, "Clear the heart, calm the mind, detach from form and intellect, forget life and death, comply with nature. That is called ’the Way’. Only those who attain the Way can be called Great Grandmasters."

"I demonstrate the dignity of a Great Grandmaster to you not to dull your edge, dissipate your Sword Qi, or block your ambition, but to tell you... To move forward, you must find your own ’Way’ in your heart."

"The Way is truth, it is also the path. Without the Way, one’s life is nothing but mediocrity. No matter how strong one’s body may become, how tough one’s mind is, he is still just a powerful Warrior."

Xuanyuan Mingjing looked at Tang Fei and asked, "Have you done math problems?"

"No," Tang Fei shook his head.

"Have you been to a concert?"

Tang Fei shook his head again, saying, "No."

"Then you... you’ve cooked." Xuanyuan Mingjing finally found an example he could use to teach, and said, "What is the Way? In terms of cooking, the ultimate Way of cooking is the taste."

"In your mind, you have already set the taste of the dish. All the other processes, all the things done, the heat control, how much water is added, the seasoning used, are all in service of that taste..."

"Cooking and Martial Arts, the Way converges to one. Find your final foothold, find the far shore in your heart... That can make you a Great Grandmaster."

Tang Fei’s expression became excited, and he asked, "Master, if I find this principle, can I become a Great Grandmaster?"

"Yes," Xuanyuan Mingjing nodded solemnly, looking very serious as he said, "In the practice of Martial Arts, the only thing to fear is burying oneself in arduous training without ever looking up for direction. Always thinking that the harder I work, the stronger I will become..."

"The principle is also correct. Indeed, it is so initially, but later it is like a fly without a head... The more you try, the harder you crash."

"Therefore, the first lesson I am giving you is to find your direction, to find the Way in your heart..."

Tang Fei looked up at Xuanyuan Mingjing and asked, "What is Master’s Way?"

Xuanyuan Mingjing reached out to summon the small twig Tang Fei had thrown on the ground, waving it lightly toward the sky with a stroke.

"This is my Way."

After speaking, he placed the small twig into Tang Fei’s hand and turned to leave.

Tang Fei looked up at the sky, his pupils dilated in shock.

With a single raise of the hand, master split the clouds in the sky into two halves.

One to the left, one to the right.

There was a clear and distinct golden line in the center.

The white cloud on the left could not reach the right, nor could the white cloud on the right reach the left.

They were clearly separated, rolling, moving, and freely recombining into countless shapes in their respective territories.

Yet, they couldn’t cross that golden line.

Tang Fei’s heart was both confused and excited.

The confusion was such: he now knew what the Way was, but also felt like he didn’t quite understand...

He didn’t know what master’s Way was, nor what his own Way should be...

Excited was he, for Xuanyuan Mingjing had opened the doors to a new world for him.

They toiled all day in their little heaven, believing that diligence, effort, and one more practiced sword strike could elevate their strength and break through boundaries.

Xuanyuan Mingjing told you, it’s not like that. Those without the way, no matter how diligent or hardworking, are nothing but brutes.

Those with the way, a dragonfly skimming the surface, lifting weights as if they’re light as feathers, one sword could dam rivers, another could sever clouds.

"Is this the way?"

"Is this my master’s way?"

"What is my way? Can I find my own way....."

------

Tang Fei stood on the cliff edge, watching the golden thread, watching the clouds on either side change unpredictably, deep in thought.

Whatever the case, he knew in his heart that choosing this master was the right decision.

That first move was exquisite.

-------

When Tang Fei returned to the courtyard, Chen Tianqi came to meet him, his face full of excitement as he asked, "How did it go, how did it go? Did you deliver my poetry to the Dean? Has he read it? Did he say anything?"

"I’ve sent it." Tang Fei said.

It was true he "sent" it, only it ended up casually placed on the stone table where his master drank tea.

Then his master took him to the back mountain, telling him to search for the truth in his heart.

By the time he came down from the back mountain, his mind was full of that casual sword strike from his master, still pondering the nature of "the way," his expression distracted, having long forgotten the leather bag.

Now, reminded by Chen Tianqi’s question, he just remembered the matter.

Of course, he had nothing to feel guilty about.

He truly had delivered the poetry before the Dean; whether he would open it to read was the Dean’s business...

"Really? Did the Dean say anything? What does he think of my poetry?" Chen Tianqi’s eyes shone as he excitedly grabbed Tang Fei’s hand.

Tang Fei, without changing his expression, withdrew his hand. He wasn’t accustomed to holding hands with a man, which seemed effeminate...

"The Dean hasn’t had time to look at it yet, I’ll let you know the result when he does," Tang Fei said.

"Oh." The light in Chen Tianqi’s eyes faded in an instant.

"What’s wrong? Haven’t you been assigned a mentor already? Are you not satisfied?"

"It’s not that I’m unsatisfied," Chen Tianqi smiled and shook his head, saying, "Anyone who can serve as a mentor at White Crane Academy is a formidable person... But then, there’s the benchmark you set. Compared to the Dean, where can one find a satisfactory mentor?"

"You can’t think like that..." Tang Fei began, wanting to console Chen Tianqi.

"If you were me, would you think the same?" Chen Tianqi interrupted him, asking in return.

Tang Fei paused for a moment before saying, "If that’s what you think, continue thinking that way."

"..."

Tang Fei looked earnestly at Chen Tianqi and said, "We haven’t known each other long, but since we can live together, it’s fate. Moreover, we may live together in this courtyard for years to come, and I wouldn’t want us to strain our relationship over trivial matters... Constant friction would make living together unbearable for both of us."

"So, I’ll just say it straight. If you can accept it, then we are still friends. If you can’t... then think of a solution."

Chen Tianqi looked at Tang Fei in surprise and asked, "What are you going to say?"

"I want you to give up the idea of choosing the Dean as your mentor," Tang Fei said frankly and directly, "Even if the Dean truly enjoys poetry, do you think... he would take on another disciple because he likes poetry?"

"Last night at dinner, Dean Si asked the Dean how to handle it if another student makes the same request. The Dean said, ’Only this once, not to be repeated’..."

"The Dean won’t take anyone as a disciple again, nor will he take you because he likes poetry... I don’t want you to be distracted by this."

"How did you advise me back then? There’s little hope for this... I know you meant well. Because you advised me with good intentions, now I want to advise you with the same sincerity to give up."

"Since everyone has been assigned a mentor, you should put aside distractions and earnestly learn from your mentor, ask your mentor for guidance... If you’re always wavering, unwilling to learn here and unable to learn there..."

"For a few days, it’s fine, but if your current mentor finds out you’re not interested in learning or advancing with him... how would he think of you? How would he treat you?"

"These are the words you used to advise me, now I’m returning them to you... I don’t want you to stray and waste your precious time and hard-won opportunity..."

Chen Tianqi was silent for a moment, then bowed deeply to Tang Fei, smiling as he said, "Thank you, Brother Tang, I see my fault. I knew it was highly unlikely, but I couldn’t help but try..."

"You’re right, I should really put my feelings in order, clear my distractions. To earnestly learn from my mentor and seek breakthroughs... If he were to take a dislike to me, those years would be a bitter struggle."

He looked at Tang Fei with sincerity and said, "Between brothers, only such heartfelt words are exchanged... In any case, I owe you one."

"There’s no debt to speak of, as you are to me, so shall I be to you," Tang Fei replied, "What you would not wish for yourself, extend not to others."

Suddenly, Tang Fei paused as if something flashed through his mind.

Like a silverfish darting through his consciousness, just as he tried to grasp it, it was gone without a trace.

Tang Fei’s face showed annoyance, yet he was helpless to change it.

"What’s wrong?" Chen Tianqi asked, noting Tang Fei’s look of regret.

"Nothing," Tang Fei waved his hand, "Come on, let’s go have lunch."

"Let’s go, time to eat," Chen Tianqi said, "The Dean doesn’t cover meals?"

"The Dean is out," Tang Fei replied.

When he came down from the back mountain, the Dean was already gone.

He had wanted to make lunch for the Dean, to dine alone with him in Shen Xinglan’s absence, to deepen the master-disciple bond.

After all, he found the Dean had quite a bit to offer...

That one strike of the sword had been truly breathtaking.