Chapter 289 — The Fourteen Techniques of the Dao Sword

"I have come to see the Human Emperor to make my position clear: the Daoist sect is an enemy of Jingping, but it will not be an enemy of the Human Emperor.

Disciple, bring out the Fourteen Chapters of the Dao Sword. " Lin Xuan took a stone slab from a leather pouch at his waist; when he drew it out it stood fully two zhang tall, covered with sword marks scored this way and that. Lin Xuan hesitated.

"Dao Lord. .

.

" "Show him.

" The old Dao Lord said, "The old Human Emperor's swordsmanship was better than mine, a shade more profound. I even let Imperial Preceptor Jingping see the Fourteen Chapters of the Dao Sword—why should I not let the Human Emperor of this age see them?

" Lin Xuan the Daoist Heir set the slab upright to one side. The old Dao Lord said, "The Fourteen Chapters of the Dao Sword: one sword to a chapter. When Imperial Preceptor Jingping came to our Daoist sect to study, I allowed him fourteen days to look at them; so I will allow the Human Emperor fourteen days as well. As for our sect's Innate Taixuan Art, that I will not show the Human Emperor.

" Astonishment showed on Shen Mu's face. The Old Tathagata had permitted him to read the Thunder Roar Mahayana Sutra, but had let him see only the method within it, not the gate—the method without the gate.

Now the Dao Lord was allowing him to see the gate of the Innate Taixuan Art but not its method. The breadth of mind of the lords of these two great holy lands was truly vast.

Shen Mu pondered a moment, then took out the Great Nurturing Nether Demon Sutra and said, "I am not accustomed to receiving favors. This is the Great Nurturing Nether Demon Sutra; I will allow the Daoist Heir fourteen days to read it.

" Lin Xuan the Daoist Heir was much tempted and looked to the old Dao Lord. The old Dao Lord's expression shifted slightly; he pondered, then said, "If he lets you look, then look. In the Great Nurturing Nether Demon Sutra, harbor good and you are a god; harbor evil and you are a demon. If you fall to demonhood, it will only show that your cultivation is insufficient and your nature lacking.

" Lin Xuan the Daoist Heir assented.

Shen Mu sat before the stone wall and looked at the sword marks upon it.

The marks ran this way and that, seemingly without any order. He looked at the first sword mark; at first he saw nothing wondrous in it, but as his mind sank into it, he gradually sensed a strange sword intent. In his eyes the sword mark was no longer a sword mark; he seemed to see mathematical principles, as though a Daoist were writing furiously with a great brush, setting down the truths of divination and number.

These truths gradually evolved, forming two taiji diagrams, one black and one white, each perturbing the other. A single point pierces and links the vast motion; within the Two Modes, yin and yang reverse endlessly! Shen Mu's heart gave a slight jolt. The Dao Sword's method of cultivation was indeed unlike any other: the sword carvings on the stone wall held a profound sword intent, and hidden within that intent were mathematical principles, and those principles composed the first form of the Dao Sword.

The principle hidden in the Dao Sword's first form was the binary calculation of yin and yang!

"This can be checked precisely against the Taixuan Arithmetic Classic. " Shen Mu's heart stirred. He had already comprehended seven or eight parts in ten of the Taixuan Arithmetic Classic, so the Dao Sword's first form was not difficult for him.

Before long Shen Mu had thoroughly comprehended the Dao Sword's first form and turned to look at the second sword mark.

The Dao Sword's second form: five qi and three primes knit their excellence; where they rise, cloud chariots interweave!

What this sword mark held was the ternary and quinary systems—three primes and five qi. The principles in this move constructed the sun, the moon, and the earth: the five qi paying homage to the Origin!

This move was not difficult for Shen Mu either; in the time of one incense stick he comprehended it, then went on to the third sword mark.

The Dao Sword's third form: five-hued auspicious clouds spread their canopy; in the three heavens, immortal cadences ring clear.

This move likewise involved the three primes and five qi, only more profound, with transformations of the three primes and five qi appearing. It took Shen Mu well over an hour to comprehend this move thoroughly.

The Dao Sword's fourth form: silently turning the cycle of the heavens, beholding the myriad forms spread out like stars, shifting onward. The principles it held were already extremely complex, involving the principle by which three beget the ten thousand things; to unravel the mystery of this move with the Taixuan Arithmetic Classic alone was already exceedingly difficult.

By the time Shen Mu had unraveled the mystery in this sword mark, he found that the setting sun was about to sink into the sea.

It was late; the red sun rested on the water, washing the island in red light.

"I may not be able to unravel the fifth chapter of the Dao Sword!

" Shen Mu's expression turned grave. Each form of the Dao Sword was harder to learn than the last, the principles it held ever deeper; to learn them all within fourteen days was simply impossible. He might not even be able to master the fifth!

He could only choose to comprehend the sword intent first and take that away with him. As for the sword techniques of the other chapters, he had no time to learn them; whatever he could comprehend, he would comprehend.

With this thought, Shen Mu looked at once to the fifth sword mark.

The Dao Sword's fifth chapter: the jade cavern gathers in the ten thousand transformations; above Kunlun's ridge, wind and moon shimmer. He applied himself to comprehending it, but the principles hidden in the sword intent were already hard to grasp. Though he had comprehended seven or eight parts in ten of the Taixuan Arithmetic Classic, some of these principles were not contained in it; presumably they were hidden in the Xuannü Arithmetic Classic.

The Dao Lord sat nearby, serene and settled in meditation, seemingly unaware of hunger. When Shen Mu grew hungry he left the stone wall and went to find Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiang.

The two girls had already cooked a meal; after questioning him and hearing that it was the Dao Lord, both were greatly startled and dared not be unruly. On the third day, Fan Yunxiao came seeking them by boat.

At the sight of the Dao Lord he burst into loud weeping and knocked his head on the ground before him several times. The old Dao Lord opened his eyes and glanced at him, then said calmly, "You have joined the Nether Demon Cult? I was right about you after all—your heart is indeed crooked.

Go.

I will not kill you. " Fan Yunxiao wailed and wept, wiped his tears, and sailed away.