A Clash of Gods - Chapter 125

Chapter 125 The Five Cereal Hall
Yang Ning was all smiles and told Zhenming to teach him Purity Scripture. The little monk was honest and taught Yang Ning. Yang Ning just thought that the formula of Purity Scripture was hard to read, though there were not many words. Zhenming chanted it for several times successively and then told Yang Ning to recite it. In this way, in less than two hours, Yang Ning could keep it in mind with difficulty.

As Yang Ning expected, Purity Scripture was a mental cultivation method of genuine qi. He had thought that it was not easy to learn this method, but unexpectedly, after Yang Ning kept the cultivation method in mind, Zhenming didn’t delay but immediately taught him the way of breathing out and directing the strength according to Purity Scripture, and in less than two hours, Yang Ning knew how to direct the strength with this method.

He knew the Skills of Six Directions. Although he learnt it with a muddled head in the past, after all, he had absorbed others’ power with the Skills of Six Directions at a critical moment and experienced the feelings when the genuine qi circulated in his meridians, so he had the foundation. Now Zhenming taught him the way to direct the strength, which was also to absorb qi in his body and then make it circulate in the meridians.

According to Zhenming’s words, although the old monk Jingchun told him that he couldn’t teach others Purity Scripture, it was not difficult to learn, and it was a basic martial scripture to practice genuine qi.

Yang Ning knew that if there was no genuine qi in the body, it meant that there was no soul in the martial arts.

If the martial movement was the form, the genuine qi was the soul. The martial move without the soul was like a walking corpse and running flesh. No matter how superb it was, it was stiff.

But with the soul, no matter what martial art he learnt, the genuine qi was mixed with the martial movement, so it meant that the form and soul were a mixture, and the power was promoted greatly.

As Zhenming said, Purity Scripture was like most of the cultivation method of the genuine qi and could turn the breath between the heaven and the earth into the genuine qi in the human body after cultivating and the genuine qi after refining would be saved in the pubic region of the human body, but it was not easy to refine the breath between the heaven and the earth into the pure genuine qi.

Although Yang Ning learnt the cultivation method of Purity Scripture to direct the strength in a short period and led some breath into his body under Zhenming’s instructions, only a little of the breath which had entered permeated in the meridians and then disappeared, far away from his pubic region.

“Ning, don’t be anxious.” Zhenming noticed Yang Ning’s depression and comforted him. “You started to learn it today, and it is not easy to know how to direct the strength. The key point of Purity Scripture was the word ‘purity’, and you need to be as calm as water. Only when you are peaceful and persistent can you gradually feel that the breath enters your body. You will be able to hoard the qi in your body someday, so you can’t be anxious.”

He was serious. Although he was young, he spoke like an adult.

Yang Ning couldn’t help but ask, “How long did it take before you can hoard the genuine qi?”

Zhenming thought for a while and then replied frankly, “It took me more than three months. I am stupid.”

Yang Ning said, “It turns out that it cost you three months. So it appears that I can’t make it until ten or eight days later.”

Zhenming looked up at the sky and said, “Ning, it’s time for dinner. I will go to the Five Cereal Hall to bring food. You…”

Yang Ning stood up. “I will go with you. If you still bring as little food as you did at noon, I am afraid that we would starve to death here when your master comes back.”

Zhenming hesitated. “But if you go, perhaps the senior fellow apprentice in the Five Cereal Hall wouldn’t give us more.” Then he added, “Master will come back soon, and I won’t die even if I stay hungry for several days.”

Yang Ning thought this bareheaded monk didn’t have a sense of humor.

Zhenming didn’t stop but told Yang Ning to change into the monk’s robe, which had been prepared in advance. Although Yang Ning thought that he was nondescript after he wore the robe, Zhenming said this was a rule in the temple and advised Yang Ning repeatedly. Yang Ning was afraid that he would be punished again if he fell out with this monk, so he could do nothing but change into the robe first. After he put it on, he thought it was fit for him.

The two walked down along that narrow road, which twisted and circled around. Yang Ning looked around into the distance and found that the mountain was undulating and winding, dangerously steep, like a huge dragon, and there were many lakes and springs among the mountains. The mountains, water and temple were magnificent and beautiful with a majestic momentum as a whole. When the sun went to the west, it shone the rocks, which were purple shales. Under the sun, they reflected with golden lights.

There was not only one building in the Temple of Great Light, and the buildings and halls scattered everywhere, with floating bridges in the midair in many places. Zhenming knew that Yang Ning was new here, so he explained patiently. Yang Ning soon understood that there were three pavilions, five buildings, seven palaces and eighteen halls in the temple, and it was grand with a beautiful and ingenious structure.

The Five Cereal Hall was one of the eighteen halls, located between Beigao Peak and Tianbao Peak.

After walking for a long period, Yang Ning felt depressed and thought that it was not easy to be a monk in the Temple of Great Light as it would take a long time to go to have a meal and return.

The Five Cereal Hall was the dining hall for all the monks in the temple, so it was spacious. When they reached there, there were long queues with hundreds of people in the open space outside the Five Cereal Hall. Zhenming stood at the end of a line with Yang Ning. Yang Ning had thought that he would be eye-catching as he had hair but was dressed in a monk’s robe, but when he was here, he found that there was not only one person who was like him. In the line, he saw that five or six people wore the monk’s robes while having long hair like hi, and all the monks didn’t care.

There were twenty or thirty people in front of Yang Ning, and it wouldn’t be his turn soon. He couldn’t help but recall that when he studied at school, he also waited in a line for a meal. However, many years later, he was the heir of the Marquis of Honor in name but still had to stand in a line here.

At this time, he heard the footsteps from behind, and then he saw that four or five monks dressed in the monk’s robes with a wooden bucket in each one’s hand walked over quickly.

These monks were different from the other monks obviously. Most of the monks in the Temple of Great Light wore grey robes, but these monks’ robes were yellow with yellow belts on their waist. Their arms and ankles were tied up with belts, and they walked quite quickly. In fact, they were greatly different from the ordinary monks.

Those monks with the wooden buckets didn’t stand in a line but entered the Five Cereal Hall directly. Seeing that, Yang Ning thought that these monks worked in this hall and were in charge of the rear service in the temple.

After they waited for a while, there were still more than ten people in front of Yang Ning. Many people came to the end of the line. In the square in front of the Five Cereal Hall, there were countless people, but nobody was talking, and it was silent.

At this moment, Yang Ning saw that the monks with yellow belts came out of the Five Cereal Hall, with hot air in their wooden buckets. One of them happened to walk past him. Yang Ning glanced at him and saw that more than one half in the bucket was fried bamboo shoot, which was well-done. The aroma of the bamboo shoot came into Yang Ning’s nose, which whetted his appetite especially as he didn’t eat enough at noon.

The monk with yellow belts saw that Yang Ning craned his neck to see the wooden bucket, so he glanced at him and frowned while snorting. Yang Ning was stunned and saw that this monk left in a hurry with his companions.

Seeing that the monk with yellow belts looked arrogant as if he was superior, Yang Ning felt unhappy and couldn’t help but raise his hand to pat Zhenming’s shoulder who was in front of him, asking, “Zhenming, what do those guys do? Why didn’t they stand in a line with all of us?”

Zhenming shook his head and didn’t speak.

Yang Ning felt bored and waited for a while. Then it was Zhenming’s turn. Yang Ning saw that the one who gave food was a big fat monk with a fierce look on his face. The fat monk looked up at Zhenming and grabbed the big spoon but put only a little food in his bowl. And then he gave Zhenming some vegetables randomly. Later he gestured for Yang Ning to walk forward.

Yang Ning frowned and spoke to the fat monk. “Hey… didn’t you give too little food? Will you let him eat?”

His voice was not loud but still attracted many people’s attention. Some people raised their heads to have a look.

But Zhenming was cautious and grabbed Yang Ning’s sleeve, saying in a low voice, “It’s enough!” He hinted Yang Ning not to say more.

Yang Ning looked unhappy and stepped forward, putting his bowl in the window. He specially brought a bigger bowl. The fat monk put a little rice with two vegetable leaves in it. Then he waved the big spoon and silently told Yang Ning to leave.

Yang Ning held his arms in front of his chest and didn’t pick up his bowl but stared at the fat monk.

Seeing that, the fat monk asked loudly, “Why don’t you step aside? Will the people behind you eat?”

“It’s not important if the people behind me will eat. I ask you. What do you mean?” Yang Ning stretched out his hand and pointed at his bowl. “I saw that somebody else had a full bowl of food, but I have less than half a bowl of rice and dishes. I can eat a lot. Add some food for me.”

The fat monk sneered. “You won’t eat?”

Yang Ning replied, “Of course I will eat, but it’s not enough. Add some for me.”

The fat monk put down the big spoon and also held his arms. He looked Yang Ning up and down and asked, “You are new here on the mountain?”

Yang Ning responded, “When I came to the mountain has nothing to do with you. I came to eat, and the food is not enough.”

The fat monk said coldly, “When do you have a say in the Five Cereal Hall? It doesn’t matter if you eat or not. If you don’t eat, get out of here now.”

Yang Ning expressed angrily, “You are a monk. Can you be polite while speaking? I didn’t ask too much. Since you are in charge of the Five Cereal Hall, you should let us eat enough.”

“Cut the crap.” The fat monk raised his hand and pointed at Yang Ning. “Will you go away? Till now, nobody dares to cause trouble in the Five Cereal Hall.”

“I am sorry. Nobody dared to speak in the past because they were unwilling to bother about you, but I am bad-tempered.” Yang Ning sneered. “Buddha says that all people are equal. You are a Buddhist disciple, but what have you done? Somebody has much food in the bowl and can’t finish all, but somebody can’t eat enough. Are we equal?”

Zhenming saw that and hurriedly came over, talking to the fat monk. “This is my junior fellow apprentice Ning, and he just came to the mountain. He doesn’t know the rules in the temple. You…”

“He doesn’t qualify to speak in the Five Cereal Hall.” The fat monk interrupted him. “Is he your junior fellow apprentice? Oh, he is a new disciple Master Jingchun has accepted? Both of you, listen carefully. Not only today, from now on, but every meal of yours will be like this. If you are not convinced, just say it.”

At the moment, somebody said, “Who is making noises here?” With this voice, a big and tall monk in his thirties came over. His face was thin and long, and his eyes were cold.

“Zhenbi!” Zhenming called hurriedly. “This is my junior fellow apprentice Ning, he…”

Zhenbi raised his hand and stopped Zhenming from speaking. He looked Yang Ning up and down and asked, “It’s you who makes trouble here?”

“Make trouble?” Yang Ning also gazed at Zhenbi. “You misunderstand. I came to eat, and somebody is unfair, so I need to say something. It’s so simple, and I don’t know that it’s making trouble.”

But Zhenbi glanced at Yang Ning’s bowl and sneered. He waved his hand, and the rice bowl fell on the ground into pieces, so the little food scattered all over.