Chapter 79: The Ferocious Beast of Virtue and Vice
Mount Wudang, also known as Mount Taihe, Mount Xieluo, Mount Can Shang, and Mount Xianshi, was revered in ancient times as the “Great Mountain,” “Mysterious Mountain,” and “Grand Mountain.” It is situated in Danjiangkou City, Shiyan, in the northwest of Hubei Province, forming part of the eastern Dabashan range. The Duhu River marks its western boundary, the Nan River its eastern, the Han River to the north, and the Jundian and Manan Rivers to the south. Its back rests against the vast, misty Shennongjia primeval forest, while its face looks out over the endless, azure waters of the Danjiangkou Reservoir, once the southern water source for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. It is recognized as a World Cultural Heritage Site by the United Nations, a national scenic and historic area, a sacred mountain of Daoism, and the birthplace of Wudang martial arts.
At the foot of Mount Wudang, hidden in the shadows, Qiongqi watched all this in silence. He himself could not fathom why, in the depths of the Guixu Sea, he had not allowed the exhausted Zhang Sanfeng to be swallowed by the swirling vortex. Inexplicably, he had even felt the urge to let this nemesis, who had pursued him for over five centuries, live on. This thought startled even himself, but as the primordial spirit split from Qiongqi’s original self, he realized he was becoming less and less like his former nature.
Because his own power repelled the energy within Zhang Sanfeng’s body, Qiongqi could only use a bit of the world’s spiritual energy to protect Zhang’s heart and veins. He knew Zhang Sanfeng was the founding patriarch of the Wudang Sect, and perhaps his disciples might have a way to restore his vitality. Over the years, he had gradually come to understand the history of Zhang and his sect.
The Wudang Sect was established on Mount Wudang in Hubei Province and is revered as the origin of internal martial arts, beginning in the Yuan dynasty and flourishing in the Ming. According to Huang Zongxi’s “Epitaph of Wang Zhengnan” from the late Ming and early Qing, the sect was founded by the Song dynasty figure Zhang Sanfeng. Its martial arts emphasize strengthening the sinews and bones and cultivating internal energy. The practice focuses on internal cultivation, using stillness to control movement, gentleness to overcome force, short techniques to counter long, slowness to defeat speed, intent to guide breath, and breath to guide movement. Its methods lean toward the soft and yielding, value breathing, use short-range techniques, and do not prioritize offense, yet cannot be easily violated. It is said that later internal styles such as Taijiquan, Baguazhang, and Xingyiquan all evolved from Wudang’s internal arts.
The reason for the sect’s name, “Wudang,” is twofold: First, from “Only the True Warrior is fit for it,”—a Daoist praise by the True Martial Emperor for Mount Wudang. Second, “Wu” means to stop conflict, yet without the courage to bear arms, how can one speak of laying them down? The brave are fearless, the benevolent are invincible. “Dang” means timely and resolute, implying decisiveness and the courage to take responsibility. In essence, Zhang Sanfeng hoped that his disciples would possess both the courage to draw their swords for justice and the compassion to sheathe them when the time was right.
Whatever the case, he now felt more and more of human emotion. Zhang Sanfeng’s relentless pursuit over so many years had gradually awakened the humanity that had long been devoured within him. At this moment, he understood that Zhang, as the revered founder, would undoubtedly draw the full efforts of the Wudang disciples to save him. Seeing that he was temporarily safe, Qiongqi quietly flew away from Mount Wudang.
Inside a guest room of the Wudang Sect, the current head, Master Yichen, was tending to the injuries of an old Taoist in tattered robes. Pure and harmonious inner energy flowed from Yichen’s hands into the man’s body, slowly repairing his damaged meridians and vessels, bit by bit.