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墨書 Inktalez
"Alright." Li Wei Feng replied, suddenly rolling over and pinning Hanno beneath him. "Dear, tonight is our wedding night."
Hanno rolled her eyes at him. "It's the second time; what's there to be excited about?"
"Why shouldn't I be excited? In the real world, I could only watch you without being able to touch you. I've missed you for so long."
Hanno let out a soft moan, no longer holding back—after all, they were already an old married couple—her hands began to move in perfect harmony with Li Wei Feng's, as they both fell into a whirlpool of happiness together.
Song Family Mountain City is located at the confluence of the Yushui River, surrounded by water on three sides, with majestic mountains towering nearby. The stone city was built along the mountainside, following the terrain, winding gracefully. The main buildings are situated on a large flat area cleared from the mountain ridge, presenting a formidable and imposing sight that dominates the surrounding hills and plains, symbolizing the ruling power over the entire Lingnan region. Along the Yuh River, dozens of large warehouses and hundreds of docks have been constructed, filled with large ships. The bustling traffic on the river creates a scene of prosperity that is truly spectacular.
Li Wei Feng sighed, "Just by observing the external construction of Song Family Mountain City, one can see that the Song Family has been blessed with capable individuals for generations. It's a pity that they ended up with a daughter who is too innocent to like war and a reckless son-in-law, resulting in the Song Family's centuries-old foundation being handed over to outsiders."
Although Hanno did not agree with Song Yuzhi's eventual decision to give up on competing for power with Kou Zhong, she still had a fondness for her. In the entire story of The Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty, whether in television or literature, her favorite character was Song Yuzhi, especially in the VB version. Her second favorite female character was Shi Qingxuan, followed by Wan Wan; as for other women like Li Xiuning or Shifeixuan, she had no good impressions of them.
"Song Yuzhi is quite good; she's a nice girl," Hanno said about Song Yuzhi. "And she has good judgment. In the early parts of the story, she contributed a lot to her family and even arranged a marriage with Li Mi's son for their sake. Later on, it seems that the author wanted Kou Zhong to give up his rivalry with Li Shimin by having Song Yuzhi develop an aversion to war."
"Mm." Li Wei Feng nodded; he actually liked Song Yuzhi as well. Although during his youth he dreamed of fairies like Shifeixuan and Shi Qingxuan, as he grew older, he appreciated girls like Song Yuzhi even more.
As they entered Song Family Mountain City, the internal scenery contrasted sharply with its exterior security. While the outside evoked thoughts of conflict and battle, inside it inspired feelings of tranquility and peace. The city was filled with hundreds of houses connected by orderly stone-paved roads lined with trees and flowers. The most distinctive feature was its tiered layout following the mountain's slope; each level was accessible via stone steps and ramps for easy transport of residents and goods. Trees and flowers were planted along the paths, with streams fed by mountain springs weaving through gardens and residences, creating endless beautiful scenes of bridges over flowing water and ponds with pavilions—spacious and comfortable spaces reminiscent of Jiangnan gardens. Being within felt like being in a grand garden on a mountain.
The main architectural complex gathered around a large flat area about two miles wide at the highest ninth level. The towers rose elegantly, constructed from wood and stone, adorned meticulously from eaves to flower windows, creating an atmosphere rich in Southern cultural charm while emphasizing the significant status of the Song Clan in the South.
Song Shidao and Song Yuzhi were already waiting at the gate to greet them along with their servants. At this time, Song Shidao was merely a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy; compared to his gentle portrayal in the original work as Erya, this version of Song Shidao bore more resilience and strength. Song Yuzhi was slightly younger at around eleven or twelve years old but already had striking features that hinted at her future beauty.
"Elder sister! Brother-in-law!" Upon seeing Hanno, Song Yuzhi ran over joyfully. The bond among the three siblings in the Song Family had always been strong; this time, with Song Yuhua getting married, it was Song Yuzhi who missed her most.
Hanno patted the girl's head. "Your sister and I brought you gifts; I promise you'll like them."
Song Yuzhi's eyes sparkled as she asked eagerly, "What kind of gifts?"
Hanno smiled. "Your favorite specialty from Bashu—what do you think it is?"
"Is it a panda?!" Song Yuzhi squealed excitedly as she thanked them repeatedly. "Thank you, sister! Thank you, brother-in-law! I love it!"
A panda? Song Shidao raised an eyebrow. Were there already artificially raised pandas in this era? As someone who adored plush toys at heart, he maintained a serious expression while secretly yearning to see a panda soon. Why did his sister only get one for Yu Zhi and not for him?
Song Shidao and Song Yuzhi welcomed Hanno and Li Wei Feng into the hall, where the members of the Song Family were already seated. Song Que, the head of the family, had rarely left the Knife Grinding Hall and was sitting in the center, with the mother of the three siblings beside him. While the matriarch of the Song Family was said to be plain, Madam Song was actually very beautiful; otherwise, she wouldn't have given birth to three outstanding children. As for the origin of this rumor, both Song Shidao and Hanno suspected it was spread by Compassionate Voyage Tranquil Abode.
The two took their seats among the direct elders of the Song siblings, Song Lu and Song Zhi, followed by other branch elders and members. Hanno, accompanied by Elder Brother Li, greeted each one respectfully, presenting numerous gifts in return for many more.
Next came the banquet. After the meal, the elders and branch members took their leave. Song Que returned to his Knife Grinding Hall, while Song Lu and Song Zhi, who managed all affairs of Song Family Mountain City, were particularly busy and left shortly after, leaving only Song Shidao to entertain his brother-in-law Li Wei Feng. Hanno chatted with Madam Song and Song Yuzhi for a while before Madam Song excused herself to rest due to her poor health. Hanno then drew Song Yuzhi's attention with a playful gesture and went out for a walk alone.
As he strolled, he arrived at Song Shidao's residence. Li Wei Feng had been pestering Song Shidao, who rarely allowed anyone in his courtyard due to a secret he held; at that moment, there was not a single person around. Hanno swiftly slipped into Song Shidao's bedroom. Underneath his wooden bed, Song Shidao had carved a hole and nailed a box where he kept important items. While others were unaware, Hanno, as its creator, knew exactly what was inside. With quick movements, Hanno retrieved the Eternal Life Secret from within, carefully tracing all the drawings and writings onto paper before returning it to the box and leaving Song Shidao's courtyard as if nothing had happened.
After three days of visiting, there was only one occasion left. After dinner, Hanno and Li Wei Feng prepared to leave by boat back to Duzun Fortress via waterway, a journey that would take at least two hours. To avoid prying eyes, they refrained from studying the Eternal Life Secret until they returned to Duzun Fortress. Once there, they sent away all attendants before finally feeling secure enough to examine the Eternal Life Secret.
"The characters on this are so strange; no wonder no one has deciphered them in hundreds of years," Elder Brother Li remarked while holding the Eternal Life Secret since he couldn't understand a single character apart from the illustrations.
Hanno replied, "These are written in Bird Track Script, an ancient form of writing that naturally no one can comprehend."
"Bird Track Script?" Elder Brother Li asked curiously.
Hanno explained further: "Bird Track Script is also known as Bird Seal Script and was created by Cangjie."
"Cangjie? The sage who invented characters?"
"Exactly, that Cangjie—one of Xuanyuan Huangdi's subordinates."
"Wow, that's ancient!"
Hanno continued: "It is said that Guang Chengzi was an imperial teacher to Xuanyuan Huangdi; he must have had some connection with Cangjie, which is why Bird Track Script was used to write the Eternal Life Secret."
Li Wei Feng added thoughtfully, "That makes sense. But can you read Bird Track Script?"
Hanno smiled proudly: "Just watch me! To understand the Eternal Life Secret, I studied many ancient scripts extensively—especially Bird Track Script as my focus."
"Truly worthy of being my wife—visionary and talented," Li Wei Feng praised before asking, "What do these characters actually say?"
Hanno rolled up his sleeves and said, "Prepare the ink and brush."
Li Wei Feng quickly brought over the ink, brush, paper, and inkstone. He spread out the Xuan Paper, poured clean water into the inkstone, ground the ink, and handed the brush dipped in ink to Hanno. Hanno clapped his hands in satisfaction, took the brush, and began to write.
"Long life and permanence. The reason why it can endure and last is that it does not seek to exist for itself; thus, it can achieve longevity. Therefore, the Sage puts himself behind others and yet remains ahead; he puts himself outside and yet survives. Is it not because of his selflessness? Hence, he can fulfill his own desires." Hanno wrote while explaining, "This is the essence of the Eternal Life Secret, taken from the Tao Te Ching, and it serves as the foundation for the path of cultivation."
After finishing the essence, he moved on to the cultivation methods.
"These seven illustrations: the first five correspond to the stages of cultivation—Qi Refinement Stage, Foundation Establishment Period, Golden Core Stage, Nascent Soul Stage, and Transcendence Stage. There are no methods beyond the Transcendence Stage. The last two illustrations are for those without a Spiritual Root; they enter the path through martial arts. As long as one reaches the Shattering the Void realm, they can start cultivating from the first illustration and officially embark on the path of cultivation. Unfortunately, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were unaware of this; they only practiced the last two illustrations and did not continue further," Hanno lamented.
Elder Brother Li asked with concern, "Do we have a Spiritual Root for cultivation?"
Hanno shot him a glance. "Even without a Spiritual Root, we can still enter the path through martial arts; it just means our cultivation will take a bit longer."
"Right," Elder Brother Li replied with an embarrassed smile.
"You worry too much," Hanno said as he tossed the translated Eternal Life Secret onto Elder Brother Li's lap. "Quickly memorize these formulas and principles; engrave them in your mind so you won't forget when you return to the real world."
Elder Brother Li smiled and began to diligently memorize the Eternal Life Secret while Hanno firmly committed the methods to memory as well. The two then started their cultivation journey. Fortunately, both had Spiritual Roots and could begin from the first illustration. In just two days' time, they drew Qi into their bodies; after another half month of practice, they reached Qi Refinement Level One and officially became Cultivators.
Meanwhile, at the distant Pegasus Ranch, Song Shidao and Shang Xiuxun successfully reunited and also began their practice of the Eternal Life Secret.
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