Eve left, and the door to the quarters closed.
Xu Xin looked at the Elves standing to serve him.
"I'd like to be alone. Would you please leave? I'll call if I need help."
"Understood. And Your Majesty, please lower your speech."
Xu Xin nodded with a smile.
"I shall do so gradually."
Thus, after sending out even the serving Elves, Xu Xin, now alone, looked around.
Walking around the spacious quarters as if taking a stroll, he casually sat down on a bed formed by naturally intertwined tree trunks and leaves.
Surprisingly, it felt extremely soft and comfortable. It was comparable to a silk-padded mattress.
Xu Xin tilted his head back to look at the ceiling.
On the ceiling, something like a large firefly was emitting light, and through the walls where tree trunks and knots were elegantly intertwined, clear sunlight was shining through.
Thanks to this, the view was bright but not dazzling.
"Truly like an immortal's palace."
It was such a mysterious place that such a murmur came out unconsciously.
He looked down at his own hands. Snow-white hands without a single callus. The hands of a very young boy.
They were unfamiliar hands once again. The hands full of calluses and wrinkles were gone, and he was now enjoying a new spring day.
Moreover, hadn't they said this spring day would never end?
Xu Xin closed his eyes gently and sank into contemplation. Dying and awakening as a beautiful person with long ears was truly nothing short of a strange harmony of heaven and earth.
"Born as a High Elf without magical force, in a position to be cared for forever."
Xu Xin recited in a calm voice.
"If I am to remain in this place like an immortal's palace, for endless time..."
Then how should I live this new life?
Xu Xin asked himself.
The answer came easily.
"I can dedicate myself to martial arts again."
He would simply walk the path of martial arts.
Just as he had done in his past life.
※※※
Spirit is yin and flesh is yang. Life is the harmony of spirit and flesh, which is the harmony of yin and yang.
Indeed, the profound principle of yin-yang harmony lies in their shared prosperity and decline.
Just as shadows are deeper where light is brighter, when yin prospers, yang also prospers, and when yin declines, yang also declines. When yang prospers, yin also prospers, and when yang declines, yin also declines.
Therefore, when spirit prospers, flesh also prospers, and when spirit declines, flesh also declines. When flesh prospers, spirit also prospers, and when flesh declines, spirit also declines.
This is the wondrous Tao of Taiji.
Once, there were Taoist priests who awakened to this Tao. From this profound Tao, they mastered the secret of immortality.
If one trains the flesh through martial arts, wouldn't it also nourish the spirit?
If one trains the spirit through meditation, wouldn't it also strengthen the flesh?
If one trains both flesh and spirit through martial arts, wouldn't one be able to cultivate life?
If life cultivation reaches its peak, wouldn't one be able to achieve immortality?
The Taoist priests who mastered the secret practiced martial arts. Even if they themselves did not reach immortality, they hoped their disciples would. Even if their disciples did not reach it, they hoped their disciples' disciples would.
Step by step, they tread toward that realm of immortality, as distant and high as the stars in the sky.
And among the numerous Taoist sects in the world, there was one that had trodden those steps the farthest.
That place was the Wudang Sect.
"Hmm..."
In a wide open space in a corner of his quarters.
In the center of that space, Xu Xin was deep in thought.
A life newly enjoyed. A martial path walked again.
What would be fitting as the first step?
Having overseen the Scripture Pavilion for decades, Xu Xin had memorized all kinds of martial arts manuals of the Wudang Sect.
It was inevitable that content would catch his eye even without deliberately peeking, as he would occasionally dry the books in the sun to prevent moths.
Jade Clarity True Scripture, Supreme Clarity Formless Kung Fu, Grand Clarity Energy Strengthening, True Martial Seven Star Daoist Formula, Combined Five Elements Kung Fu, Nourishing Intent Divine Kung Fu, Primordial Unity Breath Kung Fu, Pure Yang Secret, Dark Yin Treasure – martial arts renowned throughout the jianghu flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern.
However, Xu Xin chose none of them. He simply stood with his legs comfortably apart and moved his arms.
Tai Chi Fist.
A martial art and energy cultivation consisting of 108 forms.
This was Xu Xin's choice.
'If I had to learn only one martial art from the Wudang Sect, I would definitely choose Tai Chi Fist.'
The boy's short arms each drew a semicircle. As he bent and straightened his knees while standing with legs comfortably apart, the force generated with the rotation of his waist flowed steadily through his shoulders and arms to reach his fingertips.
Grasp Sparrow's Tail.
Single Whip.
Raise Hands.
White Crane Spreads Wings.
Brush Knee and Twist Step.
Hand Strums the Lute.
Step Forward, Deflect, Parry, and Punch.
Apparent Closing.
Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain.
Regulated inhales and exhales were swallowed and exhaled.
Xu Xin continued the forms while maintaining proper breathing.
If an outsider had seen Xu Xin, his appearance would have seemed like a ridiculous dance.
His left and right hands swayed like willow leaves, and his waist was like a reed that would fall if pushed. That swaying appearance seemed dull and weak, feeling not powerful but rather precarious.
But a violently swaying reed has deep roots.
The more numerous the changes, the more immovable the center.
The upper body is empty.
The lower body is substantial – this is the essence of Tai Chi Fist.
In Xu Xin's every step and punch, there was a solidity that could not be measured from the outside.
"Haah..."
After performing all 108 forms of Tai Chi Fist from beginning to end without disruption, Xu Xin exhaled a long breath.
His clothes were damp with sweat from his concentrated practice. A warm energy circled around his navel, the core of bodily movement, and his fingertips tingled.
Tai Chi Fist was both a martial art and energy cultivation. Therefore, simply by practicing Tai Chi Fist, one could nourish both flesh and spirit.
'If I were to practice only Tai Chi Fist, it would be difficult to achieve noticeable results even after a considerably long time, but don't I already have an unlimited lifespan?'
Wishing to take a brief rest, Xu Xin sat down in place. And he reviewed the Tai Chi Fist he had just performed. There were parts he hadn't been able to execute perfectly.
This was natural. After all, he had performed Tai Chi Fist, consisting of 108 forms, with an unfamiliar and immature body. There was a clear difference between knowing something in one's head and doing it with one's body.
'Talent reduces that difference, and practice narrows it. Since I lack talent and the difference between what I know and what I can do is large, I must make continuous efforts.'
Still, considering his unfamiliar and immature body, his recent practice could be said to be the best he could manage.
There may be differences in the speed of climbing a mountain, but there is no difference in the scenery at the peak.
Since joining the Wudang Sect, Xu Xin had practiced Tai Chi Fist without missing a single day and had clearly reached a certain level in it.
'Shall I try again?'
As Xu Xin rose and was about to assume the first posture of Tai Chi Fist, he suddenly chuckled.
"Is it foolish that my heart still flutters even though I'm practicing Tai Chi Fist that I've trained for seventy years? I thought I had aged enough, but martial arts brings me back to my boyhood."
As Xu Xin was snickering like that, there was a knock on the door outside his quarters. The Elves announced they had brought a meal.
When Xu Xin permitted them to enter, Elves carrying large baskets filed in. The ten baskets were filled with fruits that looked as pretty as jewels and appetizing.
'Is this the meal of a High Elf?'
Xu Xin felt curious that what was brought as a meal consisted entirely of fruits.
Come to think of it, immortals were said to be full on pine needles and dew. Since High Elves were immortal like immortals, were they similar in this aspect as well?
'I wonder if bringing ten baskets of fruit isn't a bit excessive.'
Since Elves seemed to serve High Elves as kings, they might have deliberately brought overflowing meals for their king.
"Each fruit looks delicious. It's more than enough for me alone, so come and let's eat together."
Xu Xin said to the Elves who had brought the fruit baskets. Having lived an unaffected life, he did not like to assert authority over others and wanted to share the food.
"Your Majesty. If we dare to eat together, you will go hungry."
"With so much fruit, how could I go hungry from sharing a little?"
"These fruits are exclusively permitted to kings. They are fruits of all flavors, and you need to eat ten baskets to barely feel full."
Fruits that require ten baskets to barely feel full? Why on earth would they present such fruits to the king? Xu Xin was perplexed and took out a fruit from a basket to taste it.
Biting into a red fruit that resembled an apple, a crisp texture was accompanied by an explosion of rich juice. The more he chewed the flesh, the more honey-sweet and eye-squeezing tartness spread throughout his mouth.
It was truly a taste like no other—a heavenly fruit. After devouring one fruit in the blink of an eye, Xu Xin quickly reached for the basket again.
Eating did not give a feeling of fullness, as if swallowing clouds, and the desire to eat more was desperate.
'More, I want to eat more. More. I want to eat only this all day long.'
And at that very moment, Xu Xin realized.
He sighed.
"Fruits that require ten baskets to feel full. Truly luxurious fruits."
These fruits were not food to fill the stomach. They were food to enjoy the taste. Food to enjoy the pleasure of eating.
But being luxurious food did not mean they were not food.
After looking at the fruits in the basket for a while, Xu Xin did not decline them and slowly picked and ate them.
Crisp ones and soft ones, sweet ones and tart ones, ones with lots of juice and ones with little – each type of fruit had its unique flavor.
In his past life, Xu Xin was a person who did not place much significance on eating and believed that merely filling the stomach was sufficient. But after tasting these fruits, he finally could not help but learn to appreciate food.
It took quite some time to eat all ten baskets of fruit. After finishing the fruits, a perfectly adequate feeling of fullness rose up.
The Elves took away the empty baskets.
Xu Xin smiled.
Not everything in the world had to be frugal and austere. Just as there is yin when there is yang, if there is frugality, there can also be luxury.
The key was harmony, not leaning too far to one side.
※※※
Xu Xin practiced Tai Chi Fist in his quarters all day.
The Elves prepared meals three times a day. Each time they brought ten baskets of fruit, and their taste was so excellent that he never tired of eating them.
However, there was one flaw: it took too long to fill the stomach.
Spending his days in training, meals, and sleep, Xu Xin one day suddenly asked the Elves:
"If these fruits are permitted only to High Elves, what do Elves eat?"
The Elves, wishing to satisfy Xu Xin's curiosity, brought their food.
"Depending on how strong the magical force we were born with, we can eat different fruits."
Like High Elves, all Elves ate fruit. However, the fruits Elves ate were less tasty than those eaten by High Elves, and required less quantity to feel full.
"Compared to other Elves, how is your magical force?"
"All of us Elves working in the palace have strong magical force. Elves living outside the palace eat inferior fruits."
Inferior fruits meant fruits that were less tasty and filled the stomach faster.
When Xu Xin showed interest in the fruits of Elves outside the palace, the Elves serving him brought fruits from outside the palace after some time.
Compared to the fruits High Elves ate, they were pitifully modest.
Xu Xin pointed to a fruit that looked similar to a chestnut and asked:
"What is this?"
"It's food for Elves with extremely weak magical force. It's called Bakto."
When Xu Xin took a bite, the serving Elves were surprised.
"Your Majesty. How can you put such humble food in your mouth?"
Xu Xin smiled and said:
"To think one can be full with this small thing alone. The taste is a bit bitter, but it has its own flavor."
It felt similar to the fasting pills he frequently ate in his past life, but since one was enough to feel full, it was much more convenient and better than fasting pills.
"From now on, for two of the three meals, I will use this Bakto."
The Elves advised against it and tried to dissuade him, saying that eating humble food would harm Xu Xin's dignity. But Xu Xin did not mind.
Just as luxurious food was food, humble food was also food.
He was not eating humble food to show off his modesty, so there was no reason to be concerned about dignity.
'The joy of eating is great, but for me, the joy of training is still deeper.'
Moving from frugality to luxury, and then from luxury back to frugality. If there is only a natural heart without any forcing, how could one not achieve harmony?