Xu Ziling slapped the table and said with a sigh, "This is indeed the most formidable xinfa [lit. heart law/method, I think I translated it as ‘mental cultivation' before] in the martial art study; just like during the life and death battle, this ‘escaping one' also circulating incessantly following the moves. If one can accurately grasp this concept, then one would be able to determine the opponent's life and death.”
This time it was Lu Miaozi's turn to be bewildered; frowning, he said, "I have never thought that this principle and martial art theory are related.”
Xu Ziling explained matter-of-factly, "Within the duel itself, the qi is produced by the orifice, and the original spot of the qi creation is the life and death orifice. If this orifice was broken, even Ning Daoqi, Bi Xuan and their peers would undoubtedly die. Supposing during the time the true qi is circulating within the body this orifice is also constantly moving, it will be just like the ‘escaping one', with constant change following the Heaven's enumeration. And thus the enemy would have no ability to grasp it or break it.”
Stunned, Lu Miaozi stared at him for half a day. He sighed and said, "This xinfa of yours, not only it has never been recorded in any ancient books or martial art manuals, nobody has ever mentioned it either. Ay! I always boasted that my intelligent surpasses others, just because I had extremely vast knowledge. It was only because I failed to focus on martial art that my accomplishment could not reach Ning Daoqi and his peers' level. Who would have thought that only after seeing you today, I realize what exceptional talent in martial art study is really like?”
Xu Ziling said sheepishly, "I was just blathering; but this is really an interesting principle, I must study it carefully with Kou Zhong. I hope Mister would not mind?”
After staring blankly for quite a while, Lu Miaozi said, "Why would I mind? It seems to me that just now you have not fully expressed yourself; would you care to elaborate some more for me?”
Exerting himself, Xu Ziling said, "Just based on the qi orifice within one's body: during battle, there will always be the strongest and the weakest points, which are also moving incessantly following the style's changes. Being able to avoid the strong and strike the weak is the most formidable technique to control the enemy.”
Frowning, Lu Miaozi said, "This method maybe effective in dealing with ordinary martial art master, but Ning Daoqi, Zhu Yuyan, and the likes, I guarantee there won't be any weak point to be found.”
Xu Ziling begged to differ; he said, "It's not that they don't have any weak point to exploit, it's just that the strong and the weak merge together, so that others cannot find it! Supposing we can be one step ahead in finding the next move's changes, by striking into an empty point, we can make them revealing the weakest point. Heavens! I finally understand the Yijian method. It's like anticipating the next piece; each move is forcing the opponent to have no choice but to respond, to have no choice but to expose their weak points.”
Listening to that, Lu Miaozi was dumbstruck. It was quite half a day later that he regained his composure. First he revealed a bitterly self-deprecating expression, and then with a hoarse voice he said, "Now you can grasp the essence of this principle better than I do. I can teach you anything and you can use this profound theory to learn about landscape and building architecture, mechanism and various other subjects.”
Kou Zhong flitted across the rear courtyard of the big building. Passing through a long corridor, he reached the courtyard connecting the front and the rear sections. Pulling himself up, he waited on the roof for a moment before leaping back down on the ground, and moved toward the shadow under the window on the west side of the building. Just as he was about to take a peek inside, someone in the house cried out, "Huh?”
Kou Zhong was greatly shocked. Unexpectedly this person was so superior that he was able to detect his approaching; his martial art skill was definitely better than the one wearing black night-walker outfit Kou Zhong was stalking earlier. Not daring to be careless, like a lightning he hid behind a cluster of trees nearby.
A gust of wind ensued, a man in dark clothes flew out of the window, his luminous eyes scanned the surrounding, and then he jumped onto the roof.
The person in black clothes just now also jumped out the window, walked around the building to the west window, and called out in tender voice, "Nobody's here! Are you sure you did not hear it wrong?” She was wearing a hood, so that only her eyes and nose were visible.
At his hiding place, Kou Zhong mused inwardly, ‘Turns out it's a girl,' but he was sure that he had not heard her voice before.
The man jumped down to the ground. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he said with a laugh, "Perhaps a rat passed by! It's always good to be a bit more careful.”
Kou Zhong cursed in his heart, ‘Your Die is a rat!' Narrowing his eyes until they appeared as a line, he looked at the man.
The man was between twenty-four, twenty-five, not too tall, but his shoulders broad and his waist solid. Although he could not be considered good looking, but there was a hint of manly man in him.
He was talking and laughing with the woman, but there was no smiling expression on his eyes; they look grim and callous. Under his thick eyebrows, his two eyes continuously scanned every nook and cranny in the dark courtyard, but somehow he missed the underbrush only about ten paces away from him.
The women spoke intimately, "How could I dare not to be careful? Aren't I afraid to receive punishment from you like the other night?”
The man burst into lewd laughter; the arm around her waist moved toward her fragrant butts and he said, "It's getting late, the old guy will be back from the feast soon, and I need to make a report. If we are successful this time, I can guarantee endless glory, splendor wealth and rank for you to enjoy.”
‘What a pity!' Kou Zhong cried out inwardly; unexpectedly he would not have the opportunity to eavesdrop their plots.
Unwilling to part, the woman said, "The old ghost still has to deal with a lot of things, he would not be back this early. The night is still young!”
The tone of her voice was so suggestive that even Kou Zhong who was eavesdropping also felt the enticing force; he could not help praying to the Heaven that the man would stay, so that he could learn more about their secret.
Who would have thought that the man remained unmoved? His eyebrows slightly rose, his face was back into its callous expression, and he said with a sinister smile, "If we are delayed, I might be falling under your coquettish hooves' punishment; go back quickly!”
The woman whined, "You really have a heart of stone; you already sent me to sleep with the old ghost, leaving me unsatisfied every night, and when a rare opportunity arises, you still refuse to comfort me. Hee! But what nujia loves the most is your heroic air and generosity. Off we go!”
After kissing each other in the mouth, the two people promptly left in separate directions. Without the slightest hesitation Kou Zhong ran after the man.
If he heard that s1ut's voice again, he was sure he would be able to recognize her. Right now he was most curious about how this man would overcome the Ranch's natural stronghold to go back to the outside world.
Besides, his hands were terribly itching right now.
Lu Miaozi said cheerfully, "Garden landscape design is a natural design. The gist of it is to bring out the power of the scenery, just like painting a dragon and dotting in the eyes. In such a clear matter like this, in addition to the things mentioned above, it has to be wide open and clear; not only it will harmonized mental cultivation, it will also trigger the mystery known only to Heaven. Thus this is not a simple principle at all.”
Noticing that Xu Ziling was nodding continuously, he asked in amazement, "Such an ethereal, difficult ideas, yet you are listening with smiled of exultation?”
Xu Ziling calmly replied, "Since setting foot in the Castle, I already have the feeling that Mister has just described. It's just that I can't describe it as exquisite and as thoroughly and in appropriate terms as Mister did, so when listening to it, I am very delighted.”
Lu Miaozi was dumbstruck for a while. Finally, half delighted half frustrated he said, "I really want to find something that when you hear it, you won't understand. Ha! Actually, I ought to be happy, just like meeting an intimate friend or something; otherwise, it would be like casting pearls before swine [orig. playing lute to a cow], perhaps I would have been so angry that I lost several days of my life.”
After taking a long, long breath, Lu Miaozi went on, "Although there are countless changes in landscape design, only nine are important, i.e. space, light and shade, partition, lining, form, hue, climate, scent, and the type of fruit you want to offer. Do you have it memorized?”
Xu Ziling repeated what he said, word for word.
"Do you understand it?” Lu Miaozi probed further.
Grabbing his head, Xu Ziling said, "Mister explained it so clearly, what's not to understand? However, from those nine items, I can't think of a way to use the last two in martial art; the rest may be put to good use. It's only now do I understand that on the highest level, all that Mister had said so far are interlinked.”
Lu Miaozi smiled wryly and said, "When did I explain that? Even if you beat me to death I would have not believed that merely based on these several sentences you already understand the essence of what I researched for many years. Why don't you explain to me the first key point, space?”
Xu Ziling smiled and said, "What if I explain it incorrectly?”
Lu Miaozi roared in wild laughter; patting Xu Ziling's shoulders vigorously, he said, while still laughing hilariously, "Over the last thirty years, I have never been as delighted as tonight; I can even say that perhaps my life has just been extended for a few days. Go ahead! Do you think I, Lu Miaozi, am so narrow-minded that I can't even tolerate mistakes?”
And thus Xu Ziling explained, "Space is something that exists everywhere. For example, when two people are facing each other, the space between them will change constantly; whoever grasps this space concept will grasp the chance to seize victory. Landscape design is the same way, it suggests the concept of space; for example: a residential building behind a high wall; there is a far-reaching concept of space, as if there is an abyss behind the house. All those level plains/high plains, high/low or visible/invisible, looks big in the midst of small, are all about space composition. Am I wrong?”
Remaining calm and collected, Lu Miaozi asked, "What about light and shade?”
Xu Ziling replied, "Actually, it is directional issue; facing the sun or facing away from the sun, the scenery will be completely different. Take the tall forest grown at oblique angle west of Mister's small two-story building for example; they can provide heavy shade during the full light of day. Another example would be under the bright sun or moonlight, the shadows on the wall moves, banana shades cover the window, parasol tree [Sterculia platanifolia] shades extend on the ground, Chinese scholar tree [Sophora japonica] shades cover the front courtyard. Just by exploiting this kind of light and shade, we can create unlimited creative concept.”
Without giving Xu Ziling time to think, Lu Miaozi skipped to the fifth item, form.
Staying casual, Xu Ziling replied, "That is like painting dragon with fine points; i.e. involving linked items in the landscape design. For example courtyard, atrium, moon platform, intersection, and the like; also ancient vines, old trees, balcony, benches, railing, fence, or perhaps gazebo, veranda, elevated pavilion, rotunda, rockery, fishpond, small bridges, and so on, stitched together to form the scenery, so that people will look it with pleasure.”
Lu Miaozi slapped the table and sighed, "You, this kid, have finished your apprenticeship. Get lost now! Come back tomorrow!”