Second Master Huang, seeing Young Master Liu’s confusion, continued, “The origins of Qimen Dunjia date back over four thousand six hundred years, to the time when the Yellow Emperor fought against Chiyou. At that time, the ancestors of humanity, the Yellow Emperor and Chiyou, engaged in an unprecedented, massive battle at Zhuolu. Chiyou stood seven chi tall, possessed a head of iron and a body of bronze, rendering him impervious to swords and spears, and he could summon wind and rain, shrouding the battlefield in mist to disorient the Yellow Emperor’s forces.
One night, in the deepest hours while everyone slept, a heaven-shaking sound erupted from Xuanyuan Hill, accompanied by an intensely bright light that startled the Yellow Emperor and his entire retinue awake.
They scrambled out of their quarters and rushed over to see a multicolored rainbow slowly descending from the sky. From within it emerged an ethereal maiden radiating brilliant light, holding a jade casket nine cun long and eight cun wide. The Yellow Emperor accepted it and, upon opening it, found a volume titled Dragon Scale Divine Scripture inscribed in celestial seal script. Following the instructions within the book, the Yellow Emperor fabricated the South-Pointing Chariot and finally defeated Chiyou.
Beyond detailing the forging of weaponry, the Dragon Scale Divine Scripture also contained profound strategies for troop deployment, marching, and warfare. Thus, the Yellow Emperor commanded his Prime Minister, Feng Hou, to distill the scripture into thirteen chapters of military strategy, twelve methods of the Guxu Principle, and one thousand and eighty formations of Qimen Dunjia.
Later, this knowledge was passed down through the Duke of Jiang during the Zhou Dynasty, then to the Old Man of Yellow Stone, and subsequently to Zhang Liang. Zhang Liang condensed and summarized these teachings through his own insights, culminating in the Qimen Dunjia we know today.”
Young Master Liu exclaimed, “Is it truly that formidable? But… what does this have to do with me?”
Upon hearing Young Master Liu, Second Master Huang narrowed his small eyes and replied, “Qimen Dunjia is immensely powerful, but the profound abilities detailed by Zhang Liang after his own summarization have long been lost to time. This is no mere secret manual for your common human sects; it is a genuine celestial text.
Therefore, out of ten thousand people—indeed, perhaps the entire world—fewer than a dozen can master it. Having consumed that Xuanpin Elixir, you have been granted the necessary root of wisdom to learn Qimen Dunjia. That book was secretly snatched away by you during their magical confrontation while they were distracted. It is in that tree hollow now; go and retrieve it.”
Hearing Second Master Huang finish, Young Master Liu stood up and walked toward the tree hollow. After fumbling around inside for a while, he felt something hard. This must be it, he thought. He pulled it out and saw a book whose pages were bound in the hide of some unknown wild beast.
Second Master Huang said, “After consuming the Xuanpin Elixir, all the characters you don't recognize and all the passages you cannot understand in this book will become instantly clear to you. Take it home and study it closely. Do not let my painstaking efforts go to waste. Return to this small grove to find me three days from now. Remember that!”
With that, he turned and scampered away.
Young Master Liu walked home clutching the book, his mind a swirl of complex emotions. Everything had happened too suddenly; he still hadn't grasped the full scope of it all. Yet, since Second Master Huang insisted he study Qimen Dunjia, there must be a reason. He supposed he should go home and examine it.
When he arrived, Old Man Liu and his wife were already awake.
Seeing Young Master Liu just returning, Old Man Liu chuckled heartily, “Son, you’re up unusually early today. Where have you been?”
Young Master Liu quickly concocted a flimsy excuse: “Oh… I… I just went out to exercise, hehe!” With that, he turned and retreated into his room.
Goudan was sitting on the kang, looking visibly annoyed.
Upon seeing Young Master Liu enter, Goudan grumbled, “You went out to play and just left me behind!”
Young Master Liu grinned, “No way! We’ll go out and play later!” Then, paying no further attention to Goudan, he sat down on the kang and opened the Qimen Dunjia.
The book, bound in animal hide, felt surprisingly smooth to the touch.
Opening the first page, he saw the inscription, “Song of the Mist-Shrouded Fisherman.”
Young Master Liu began reciting it unconsciously:
“Yin and Yang, reversal and continuity, mystery beyond grasp. The two solstices return to the One Nine Palace. If one can truly grasp the principle of Yin and Yang, Heaven and Earth shall both lie within the palm of one’s hand. The Yellow Emperor battled Chiyou; At Zhuolu, years of fighting knew no end. By chance, he dreamt the Heavenly Gods bestowed talismans; Ascending the altar, he performed solemn rites with pious devotion. The Divine Dragon emerged from the Luo River bearing a map; The Colored Phoenix carried a book from amidst the azure clouds. Thereupon, he commanded Feng Hou to transcribe it into text; Thus Dunjia and Qimen first came into being. One thousand and eighty formations were established then; Grand Duke Taigong reduced them to seventy-two. By the Han Dynasty, Master Zhang Zifang refined them, To eighteen formations of exquisite art. First, one must arrange the Nine Palaces in the palm, Fifteen symmetrically depicted within. Next, divide the Eight Trigrams into Eight Phases; One Qi unifies Three as the true orthodox path. Yin and Yang dual escapes divide into forward and backward; The One Qi and Three Origins are beyond human comprehension. Five days complete a single Yuan; Connecting Qi and transcending the Spirit is the standard rule. Recognize the Nine Palaces as the Nine Stars; The Eight Gates then follow the movement of the Nine Palaces. The Nine Palaces meeting Jia becomes the Zhi Fu (Talisman Bearer); The Gate aligned with the Earth determines the Zhi Shi (Messenger). The Gate above the Talisman is the Zhi Shi; A transition occurring every ten hours, a reliable basis. ^”
Instantly, Young Master Liu felt heat rising from every pore on his body.
Flipping to the next page, he found instructions for casting hand seals: “Lin (Approach): Clasp both hands tightly, extending the index fingers to meet. Bing (Soldier): Continue the previous seal, placing the middle finger over the index finger. Dou (Dipper): Continue the previous seal, retracting the index finger and extending the middle finger to meet. Zhe (Those): Continue the previous seal, extending the thumb, index, and pinky fingers, clasping the rest. Jie (Array): Continue the previous seal, retracting all fingers into a tight clasp, left hand in front. Zhen (Formation): Continue the previous seal, interlocking both hands, right hand in front. Lie (Row): Continue the previous seal, forming the Chiken-in (Wisdom Fist Seal). Zai (Exist): Continue the previous seal, extending all fingers outward, palms facing out, connecting the thumb and index finger. Qian (Before): Continue the previous seal, forming the Dhyana Mudra (Meditation Seal).”
These hand seals were vastly different from those in Zhang Enpu’s book. Young Master Liu secretly mimicked the hand gestures described in the book, moving his fingers in demonstration.
Goudan looked on curiously, “What are you doing?”
“Exercising!”
Just as he finished speaking, a piece of paper fell out of the book, fluttered a few times before the two of them, and settled on the floor.
Goudan froze for a moment, then picked up the paper and handed it to Young Master Liu.
Young Master Liu took it and saw the words written there: “The Three-Day Pact.”
He thought that Second Master Huang must have left this note to remind him, lest he forget their appointment.
Young Master Liu closed the Qimen Dunjia, shut his eyes, and tried to recall the “Song of the Mist-Shrouded Fisherman” he had just read, savoring its content.
This ballad seemed to summarize the essence of this secret art of Qimen. Young Master Liu finally understood why Qimen Dunjia was so rarely learned, one in ten thousand.
It appeared that the secret art of Qimen involved arranging all things in the world into predictable cycles, where every matter could be analyzed using military strategy, viewing impending events as a campaign of warfare, allowing the Qimen secret art to be applied fluidly.
Perhaps it was due to consuming the Xuanpin Elixir that Young Master Liu found this art so straightforward.
Seeing Young Master Liu remain silent, Goudan picked up the Qimen Dunjia and flipped through it. Unable to decipher the characters, he set the book down again, stared at Young Master Liu with a look of resignation, and said, “What are you even reading? I can’t recognize any of those words! I’d rather look at that darned Bulu of yours!”
Saying this, he picked up the Tianshi Bilu (Celestial Master’s Record) and propped his chubby face in his hands while reading.
Young Master Liu read a few more pages, which dealt with divination. He skimmed a few chapters, his head starting to ache, so he called Goudan to go out and play.
The ground was littered with puddles from standing water. Young Master Liu and Goudan sat on a large stone, saying nothing. Perhaps Goudan also had worries weighing on him, while Young Master Liu pondered the fate of Zhang Enpu, the true identity of that old demon Daoist, and why Second Master Huang wanted him to learn this secret art of Qimen.
…So many things he couldn’t comprehend, giving Young Master Liu a growing headache; he truly didn't know what was happening.
As Young Master Liu pondered, he heard faint murmuring voices. He glanced at Goudan, who was fast asleep with his head resting on the stone. Who, then, was speaking?
Young Master Liu looked around and saw a line of ants crawling across the ground, each carrying something—likely their food.
At that moment, Young Master Liu heard the tiny voices: “How strange, it shouldn’t have rained today! Now look, our nest is flooded!”
“Tell me about it! We need to go confront that old turtle later!”
Young Master Liu understood; these ants were complaining because the rain had swamped their home. It seemed they were preparing to relocate.
He smiled and said quietly, “I asked for that rain!”
The ants clearly paused, but Young Master Liu couldn't discern where their eyes were.
He heard one say, “Who is this child talking to?”
Another ant replied, “No matter who they talk to, they shouldn't talk to you! Do you think those foolish humans can understand our language?”
“You’re right. Let’s keep moving,” the first one said.
Their voices sounded identical, and Young Master Liu couldn't distinguish them as they continued forward.
Young Master Liu spoke again, “I am not foolish! I am talking to you, little ants!”
After Young Master Liu spoke, he heard a collective gasp. The ant at the very back was so startled it dropped the item in its tiny hand, then quickly picked it back up.
Young Master Liu figured they were staring at him.
He heard one ant say, “You… you can understand us?”
Young Master Liu continued, “Yes, I can understand.”
After he spoke, he heard them sighing softly.
Young Master Liu asked, “Where are you going?”
An ant replied, “Replying to the Little Immortal, the rain this morning destroyed our nest, and we are moving!”
Young Master Liu felt a pang of guilt. It seemed his request for rain that morning had caused them considerable trouble. He drew a Nine Palace grid in his palm and performed a divination for them, using the “Nine Palace Palm Arrangement Method” he had learned from Qimen Dunjia.
Young Master Liu calculated for a moment and said, “If you head southeast in a moment—that is, in the opposite direction from where you are heading now—you will find safety. If you continue as planned, you face peril, an event where you might ‘drown without a raft.’”
As he finished, the ants spoke in unison, “Thank you for the guidance, Little Immortal!”
Then, they turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Goudan was awakened by Young Master Liu’s voice and asked sleepily, “Who were you talking to?”
Young Master Liu smiled, “To you! We should head home now; I have a feeling it might rain soon!” Young Master Liu and Goudan returned home.
At home, Young Master Liu spent more time studying the book, concentrating on any difficult parts until he understood them after two readings.
Goudan was still engrossed in the Taiyi Tiangang Young Master Liu had brought him. Sitting on the kang, Young Master Liu continued with Qimen. After just one day, he had grasped the general contents of the book, and his recall was flawless.
Young Master Liu closed the book, closed his eyes, and decided to test the mystery of the “Egress” technique he had just read about. He formed the hand seal: index fingers and thumbs touching, pinkies raised, and chanted, “Qian Kun forward and reverse, through Qimen come and go, Yin Escape!”