The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 132 - 129: Transmission of Swordsmanship to Lü Yan who is Enraged

Chapter 132: Chapter 129: Transmission of Swordsmanship to Lü Yan who is Enraged

The Daoist Equal to Heaven arrived at Guan Jiangkou, where he chanced upon his old friend, Ancestor Chen Tuan. Ancestor Chen was fond of sleep; upon waking, he would roam the Four Seas and made acquaintances with many fellow Daoists. Thus came the renowned leader of the Eight Immortals of the Upper Caverns, Lu Dongbin, Lu Chunyang.

Though the Daoist Equal to Heaven’s battle in Luoyang had not made him too famous yet, it was his subsequent capture of the true Wukong with Yang Jian that catapulted his reputation among the People of the Immortal Path. After all, Wukong had once caused a great upheaval in the Heavenly Court, forcing the Jade Emperor to flee in disgrace, seeking refuge with the Queen Mother in the Yao Pond. With the capture of Wukong and the subsequent magical combat with King Bodhisattva in Luoyang, his acclaim among the Daoist community naturally soared.

King Bodhisattva was not widely famous, but he was indeed a person of merit within the Buddhist sect, known as the Infinite Bodhisattva. Furthermore, the few Bodhisattvas who walked the mortal world were all quite powerful. The people of the Daoist path might not know who King Bodhisattva was, but seeing him participate in the magic combat alongside figures like Bodhidharma, they assumed him to be a master, and thus the Daoist Equal to Heaven’s reputation grew with the reflected glory of this Bodhisattva.

Lu Dongbin had long heard of the grand reputation of the Daoist Equal to Heaven and thus wished to make his acquaintance. Such assistance could accumulate merit for himself—why would he not lend a hand?

The group of four arrived in Zhuo County, where the Daoist Equal to Heaven led them to Liu Bei’s home, and they watched from above the clouds.

Lu Chunyang said, "Daoist friend, could you have been mistaken? Although the tree at the entrance of his house is as splendid as a royal canopy, what if it formed naturally by chance? Moreover, if this person possessed the aura of an emperor, why would his family be so impoverished?"

It was very difficult for outsiders to discern those blessed with such destiny. The Daoist Equal to Heaven knew the historical trajectory of former lives, and with the inheritance from Fuxi, his expertise in the Arithmetic Path of Eight-Nine Techniques was unparalleled, no one was his match in divination. His calculations were formidable, and with the Fuxi inheritance, he could see exceptionally clearly those with the human fate aura.

"Do not worry, Pure Yang Daoist Friend, just take a look at what Liu Bei looks like!" the Daoist Equal to Heaven said with a smile.

Lu Dongbin used his Heavenly Vision and indeed saw Liu Bei, whose noble appearance was beyond words. With earlobes touching his shoulders and hands extending beyond his knees, Liu Bei’s red lips and white teeth made him strikingly handsome. Lu Dongbin laughed, "This man does indeed have the appearance of the Buddha Ancestor. Ha ha! Although I can’t see his destiny on him, such features indeed indicate he is beyond noble!"

Ancestor Chen Tuan couldn’t help but marvel, saying, "Those with extraordinary appearances often possess great fate. Take the Overlord of Chu, Xiang Yu, for example—he was born with double pupils. This man has the appearance of the Buddha Ancestor; his nobility is truly beyond words!"

It is said that those with large earlobes are blessed. Liu Bei’s earlobes touched his shoulders, indicating enormous fortune and blessing, comparable to the Buddha Ancestor of the Western Heaven. Seeing his appearance, coupled with the grand tree that stood like a royal canopy outside his home, and his identity as a relative of the Han royal family, Lu Dongbin started to believe in Liu Bei’s destiny more seriously.

"Even Lu Dongbin finds it hard to discern Liu Bei’s destiny, so how did the Nanhua Old Immortal come to know of it? Could he, like me, retain his memory? That seems unlikely..." thought the Daoist Equal to Heaven to himself.

Zhuang Zhou was a Human Sage and interfered with the Human Path more easily than the People of the Immortal Path.

Lu Dongbin said, "On the battlefield, using a sword is considered inferior. However, I see that this man has long arms which can compensate a bit. If he were to wield a sword, that would be even better! I intend to pass on to him the Method of using Twin Swords, what do you fellow Daoists think?"

The Daoist Equal to Heaven wanted to burst into applause and laugh, secretly exclaiming in his heart, "Heaven’s will!"

Ancestor Chen Tuan smiled and said, "It is up to Pure Yang Daoist Friend to decide."

The Daoist Equal to Heaven also agreed, saying, "What Pure Yang Daoist Friend said is right. On the battlefield, long weapons such as spears and halberds are commonly used, and sword users are very few. Teaching him Twin Swords is indeed perfect!"

Lu Dongbin asked, "But how should I teach him?"

The Daoist Equal to Heaven plucked a strand of hair from his head, chewed on it a couple of times in his mouth, and then spat it out. It transformed into a Sleepy Insect and landed on Liu Bei’s face.

"Odd indeed, why am I feeling sleepy so early today?" Liu Bei felt a sudden wave of drowsiness and set aside a scroll on military strategies he was reading, got into bed, and fell asleep.

The Daoist Equal to Heaven suggested, "It’s better not to show ourselves, just to enlighten him in his dreams. Although this acts in accordance with Heaven’s will, after all, it’s no longer ancient times, and interfering with the Human Path could easily entail karmic entanglements, so we should err on the side of caution."

Lu Dongbin nodded and said, "Daoist friend has thought this through carefully! Please guard me, fellow Daoists, while I go into his dreams to transmit the swordplay."

Lu Dongbin then sat in meditation on the clouds, using his divine powers to align his spirit with Liu Bei, entering his dreams.

In his dream, Liu Bei saw a white-robed immortal waving twin swords, which startled him. He quickly focused his gaze intently on the figure, and unknowingly, he rose from bed, held two bamboo sticks in his hand, and followed the movements of the white-robed immortal in the dream, fully unaware.

Ancestor Chen commented with a chuckle, "This fellow’s talent in martial arts is rather lacking. Even if Pure Yang Daoist Friend’s martial arts are refined, he can only learn a fraction of it."

The Daoist Equal to Heaven laughed, "The Left Assistant and Right Assistant destined in his fate do have good talents, but since I am not skilled with weapons, I am not fit to teach. Yang’s spear and sword techniques have been famous since ancient times—I dare not flaunt spears in front of Yang."

Zhang Fei’s weapon was the Eighteen-Foot-Long Serpent Spear, similar yet distinct in subtleties to the spear; the Daoist Equal to Heaven excelled in staff techniques, but these were not as useful on the battlefield. Staff techniques required great strength and primarily relied on sweeping and chopping actions for lethality. On horseback, using weapons like spears and halberds was the most suitable—with a charge and a thrust, leveraging the speed of the horse, one could pierce through the opponent in an instant. It was also adaptable like a staff for combat on the battlefield, making such weapons a hundred times more practical than staff techniques.

The Buddhist sect preaches the doctrine of compassion, so their weapons of choice are staffs, which are difficult to harm people with. In later generations, even weapons like the Coiling Dragon Staff were invented, specifically for capturing and seizing opponents.

Indeed, Yang Jian’s martial arts are formidable. In ancient times, immortals were either frighteningly adept in martial arts or ingeniously proficient in Taoist arts—it was a great golden age. Back then, the Sect of Interception even claimed the patronage of ten thousand immortals, which one can just imagine.

Yang Jian said, "On the battlefield, especially when fighting these mortals, although spear technique is difficult to learn, it’s still the best to master. A stab from a spear accounts for one enemy, and you can also use the power of a horse for a charging attack. When facing many, you could even skewer them like candied haws."

It is said that an inch longer is an inch stronger, so there are quite a few generals who use spears. However, there are also those who use short weapons. To wield a short weapon as naturally as one’s own limbs is also extremely formidable. Daoist Equal to Heaven remembers someone who seemed to use a pair of short halberds and was no less exceptional than the Five Tigers of the Shu Kingdom.

"It’s a pity that Liu Bei is extremely lacking in talent. Using a sword is still alright; after all, our Pure Yang Daoist Friend is unmatched in swordsmanship. But if he were to practice spear technique, it would probably be even more difficult to see any effect," Chen Tuan sighed.

"The sword is known as the king of a hundred arms and, although it seems impractical in the mortal world, it is a symbol of status. Moreover, imparting swordsmanship to him also fortifies his imperial fate in the mysterious workings of the universe," Daoist Equal to Heaven said with a laugh.

Swords are often used as ceremonial objects or decorations, while blades, spears, and halberds are the real lethal weapons on the battlefield.

After about half an hour, Lu Dongbin finally gathered back his spirit, stood up, and cursed, "This fellow really isn’t cut out for martial training. After teaching him for half an hour, he’s only managed to learn the merest fundamentals of my swordsmanship!"

Lu Dongbin’s swordsmanship was comparable even to the Sword Immortals around Mount Shushan. But Liu Bei was truly unsuited for martial training. After teaching him for so long, he had only grasped the basics, which frustrated Lu Dongbin immensely. Finding a good master is easy, but a good disciple is hard to come by—a slow disciple is always the biggest headache for a master.

It’s just like how Wukong, when he first entered the Three Stars Cave, knew nothing. Subhuti only taught him some principles, and when his spiritual wisdom was fully awakened, he bestowed upon him the Gateway to Longevity. Indeed, he became an immortal in one leap.

Chen Tuan laughed and said, "Calm your anger, my friend, calm your anger! After all, everyone is different. That Liu Bei is unsuited for martial training—it is his destiny. Why should you be angry?"

Lu Dongbin said, "What infuriates me is his impatience. Just now I thought, if he were my disciple, I’d strip off his clothes, throw him up on the city gate wall, and make him practice until he learns. If he fails to learn, let others watch over him!"

The other three could not help but burst into laughter, seeing that Lu Dongbin, though appearing graceful, harbored such eccentric thoughts. Such methods are truly not something an ordinary person could come up with.

Daoist Equal to Heaven thought to himself, "Lu Dongbin’s method aligns with my own thoughts. If I take on disciples again and they fail to learn quickly, I’ll strip them bare and throw them onto the city wall—only when they’ve learned will they be allowed down."

Only to see Liu Bei throwing away two bamboo sticks below and then lying back on his bed, falling into a deep sleep. Daoist Equal to Heaven took back the Sleepy Insect.

Liu Bei, free from the influence of the Sleepy Insect, woke up.

All of a sudden, he saw two bamboo sticks on the ground, frowned slightly, picked up the sticks, and walked slowly into the courtyard, as if recalling something.

He shrugged his shoulders and started to swing the two bamboo sticks, executing a set of sword techniques, but stopped after dozens of moves, furrowing his brow in deep thought.

Lu Dongbin watched from the clouds, enraged to the point that the Three Corpses Deity within him was jumping madly, fuming to the extent that smoke seemed to pour from his seven orifices, his Samadhi fire burning his throat, all five Qi gathering in his chest in frustration. He cursed, "You ignorant Big-Eared Thief, the next move is Dragon Plays with the Phoenix! The left sword feints, while the right one hides the real strike. The feint can become solid, and the hidden can become obvious, they can switch mutually, mixing Yin and Yang, blending reality and deception, making it utterly unpredictable."

Down below, Liu Bei, of course, couldn’t hear his words. After thinking for a moment, he thrust out the right sword. Lu Dongbin nearly fainted at the sight.

The three people from Daoist Equal to Heaven’s party could not help but laugh heartily.

Lu Dongbin, not sparing any effort, imprinted the sword techniques directly into his mind, even demonstrating for a full half an hour. But Liu Bei had only managed to learn so much, which was truly laughable.

Lu Dongbin was so angry that his nose was almost crooked. If he really had such a disciple, he’d surely kill him with a sword—for expending so much willpower, only to see such minimal progress.

Daoist Equal to Heaven patted Lu Dongbin on the shoulder and said, "Don’t be upset, my friend! Liu Bei has already learned your swordsmanship—let’s proceed to find his Right Assistant, Zhang Fei."

Lu Dongbin sighed, "I really hope that Zhang Fei is as foolish so Yang Jian can also get annoyed to death. That would give me something to laugh about."

The three of them could not help but laugh again. It seems Patriarch Lu is quite hot-tempered.

To find out what happens next, please stay tuned for the next installment.