Huang Erye, seeing Liu Dashao’s confusion, continued, “The origins of Qi Men Dun Jia date back over 4,600 years ago to the time when the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan fought against Chi You. Back then, the Yellow Emperor and Chi You, ancestors of humanity, engaged in an unprecedented battle at Zhuolu. Chi You was seven chi tall, with an iron head and copper body, impervious to blades and spears, and capable of summoning wind and rain. He created thick fog on the battlefield, causing the Yellow Emperor’s troops to lose their way.
One night, around the third watch when everyone was asleep, a sudden earth-shaking sound and intense light from Xuanyuan Hill startled the Yellow Emperor and his people awake.
They hastily got up and rushed over. To their astonishment, a rainbow descended slowly from the sky, and from it emerged a radiant fairy. She held a jade box measuring nine inches long and eight inches wide. The Yellow Emperor received and opened it, discovering inside a divine book inscribed with celestial characters—the Longjia Shen Zhang (Dragon Armor Divine Chapter). Using the knowledge from this book, the Yellow Emperor constructed a south-pointing chariot and finally defeated Chi You.
Besides detailing weapon forging techniques, the Longjia Shen Zhang also contained many military strategies and methods of deploying troops. Thus, the Yellow Emperor tasked his prime minister, Fenghou, to develop thirteen chapters of military tactics, twelve chapters of Gu Xu Fa (Solitary and Void Methods), and 1,080 formations of Qi Men Dun Jia.
Later on, these teachings were passed down through Jiang Taigong of the Zhou Dynasty, then to Huangshi Gong, and subsequently to Zhang Liang. Zhang Liang summarized and simplified these teachings, ultimately forming the Qi Men Dun Jia we know today.”
Liu Dashao exclaimed in amazement, “Could it really be that powerful? But… what does this have to do with me?”
After hearing Liu Dashao’s words, Huang Erye glanced at him with his small eyes and said, “Qi Men Dun Jia is indeed extremely powerful, but after Zhang Liang summarized it, the original profound techniques were gradually lost. It’s not like the ordinary secret manuals of human sects—it’s a genuine heavenly scripture.
Therefore, out of ten thousand people, perhaps only a dozen individuals worldwide can truly master it. However, after taking the Xuanpin Pill, you’ve gained the wisdom to learn Qi Men Dun Jia. That book was secretly taken by Liu Dashao during their magical duel, hidden inside that tree hollow. Go and retrieve it.”
After listening to Huang Erye, Liu Dashao stood up and walked toward the tree hollow. After searching inside for a while, he touched something hard. Thinking this must be it, he pulled it out and saw a book bound in some unknown animal hide.
Huang Erye said, “After taking the Xuanpin Pill, all the characters and content you previously couldn’t understand in this book will become instantly clear. Go home and study it carefully. Don’t waste my efforts. Come back to this grove in three days—remember this!”
With that, he turned and ran away.
Liu Dashao held the book and walked home, his heart filled with complex emotions. Everything had happened so suddenly, leaving him confused. Yet Huang Erye had instructed him to study Qi Men Dun Jia for a reason. He decided he’d better study it carefully at home.
When he arrived home, his parents, the honest Liu couple, were already up.
Seeing Liu Dashao returning, Liu Lao Shi smiled and said, “Son, you’re up early today! Where did you go?”
Liu Dashao hastily made up an excuse, “Oh… I… went out for exercise, hehe!”
He then turned and went back to his room.
Dog Egg was sitting on the kang, looking somewhat upset.
Seeing Liu Dashao enter, he grumbled, “You went off and left me behind!”
Liu Dashao smiled and replied, “No I didn’t. We’ll go out together later!” With that, he ignored Dog Egg, sat on the kang himself, and opened the book Qi Men Dun Jia.
The book was bound in animal hide, feeling smooth to the touch.
Opening the first page, he saw written: “Yanbo Diaoshou Ge” (The Fisherman’s Song of Misty Waves).
Without thinking, Liu Dashao began reciting it aloud:
“The subtlety of Yin and Yang’s order is boundless.
From the solstices return to the one and nine palaces.
If one comprehends the principles of Yin and Yang,
Heaven and Earth are within one’s palm.
The Yellow Emperor fought Chi You.
At Zhuolu, the war lasted for years.
Once he dreamed a heavenly god bestowed talismans and secrets.
He ascended the altar to offer sacrifices with reverence.
A divine dragon emerged from Luo River bearing a diagram.
A colorful phoenix brought scriptures from the azure clouds.
Thus, Fenghou was ordered to elaborate these writings.
From then on, the art of Qi Men Dun Jia began.
One thousand and eighty formations were originally created.
Later, Taigong reduced them to seventy-two.
In the Han Dynasty, Zhang Zi Fang refined them further into eighteen masterful formations.
First, arrange the nine palaces in your palm,
Seeing Liu Dashao’s confusion, Master Huang Er continued, “The art of Qimen Dunjia originated over 4,600 years ago during the great battle between the Yellow Emperor and Chi You. At that time, our ancestors, the Yellow Emperor and Chi You, engaged in an unprecedented battle in Zhuolu. Chi You, standing seven feet tall with an iron head and bronze body, was impervious to weapons and could summon wind and rain, creating a dense fog on the battlefield that disoriented the Yellow Emperor’s troops.
One night, in the dead of the third watch, a thunderous sound and a brilliant light from Xuanyuan Hill woke the Yellow Emperor and his people. They hurriedly got up and ran to see what was happening. A rainbow slowly descended from the sky, and from it emerged a radiant fairy holding a jade box nine inches long and eight inches wide. The Yellow Emperor opened it to find a celestial script titled ‘The Dragon Armor Divine Chapter.’ Following the instructions within, he created a south-pointing chariot and eventually defeated Chi You.
The Dragon Armor Divine Chapter not only recorded methods for crafting weapons but also detailed numerous military strategies for deploying troops. The Yellow Emperor ordered his prime minister, Feng Hou, to interpret the chapter into thirteen chapters of military tactics, twelve chapters of the Guxu method, and 1,080 formations of Qimen Dunjia.
Later, through the Zhou dynasty’s Jiang Taigong and Huangshi Elder, it was passed down to Zhang Liang, who summarized and simplified it, resulting in the ‘Qimen Dunjia’ we know today.”
Liu Dashao exclaimed in astonishment, “Is it really that powerful? But… what does it have to do with me?”
Master Huang Er, after hearing Liu Dashao’s words, looked at him with his small eyes and said, “The ‘Qimen Dunjia’ is indeed very powerful, but Zhang Liang’s summarized version has long been lost. It’s not some ordinary secret manual from your human sects; it’s a true celestial book.
So, out of ten thousand people, perhaps only a dozen in the entire world can master it. Since you’ve consumed the Xuanpin Pill, you have the potential to learn ‘Qimen Dunjia.’ That book was secretly taken by Liu Dashao during their magical duel, and it’s now in that tree hollow. Go and retrieve it.”
After listening to Master Huang Er, Liu Dashao got up and walked towards the tree hollow. He rummaged inside for a while and felt something hard. Thinking this must be it, he pulled it out and saw a book with pages made from the skin of an unknown beast.
Master Huang Er said, “After consuming the Xuanpin Pill, all the characters and passages you don’t understand in this book will become clear to you. Go home and study it carefully. Don’t waste my efforts. Come back to this grove to find me in three days, remember!”
With that, he turned and ran off.
Liu Dashao walked home with the book, his mind in turmoil. Everything had happened so suddenly, and he hadn’t fully grasped it yet. But since Master Huang Er wanted him to learn ‘Qimen Dunjia,’ there must be a reason. He decided to go home and study it.
When he arrived home, Liu Laoshi and his wife were already up.
Seeing Liu Dashao return, Liu Laoshi smiled and said, “Son, you’re up early today. Where did you go?”
Liu Dashao made up an excuse, “Oh… I… I went out to exercise, hehe!”
After saying that, he turned and went back to his room.
Dogdan was sitting on the kang, looking somewhat angry.
Seeing Liu Dashao enter, he said angrily, “You went out to play and left me behind!”
Liu Dashao smiled and said, “Not at all, we’ll go out to play later!” After saying that, he ignored Dogdan and sat on the kang, opening the ‘Qimen Dunjia.’
The book was made of beast skin and felt comfortable to the touch.
Opening the first page, he saw the title “The Song of the Old Fisherman in the Misty Waves.”
Liu Dashao unconsciously began to recite it.
“The mysteries of Yin and Yang’s flow are hard to fathom. The two solstices return to the nine palaces. If one can comprehend the principles of Yin and Yang, the heavens and earth are within one’s grasp. The Yellow Emperor battled Chi You in Zhuolu, a war that lasted for years. By chance, he dreamed of a celestial being bestowing a talisman, and he ascended the altar to offer sacrifices devoutly. A divine dragon carried a map from the Luo River, and a colorful phoenix brought a book from the azure clouds. Thus, Feng Hou was ordered to interpret it, and the art of Qimen Dunjia began. Originally, there were 1,080 formations, which Jiang Taigong reduced to seventy-two. By the Han dynasty, Zhang Liang refined it to eighteen formations, the essence of the art. First, one must arrange the nine palaces in the palm, with the fifteen paths intersecting within. Next, divide the eight trigrams into eight sections, with one breath governing three as the orthodox method. The two paths of Yin and Yang divide into forward and reverse, with one breath and three cycles beyond human comprehension. Every five days, one cycle is connected, with the connection of breaths and surpassing spirits as the standard. Recognize the nine palaces as the nine stars, with the eight gates following the nine palaces. In the nine palaces, meeting Jia is the value symbol, and the eight gates’ value envoys are clearly distinguished. The gate above the symbol is the value envoy, changing every ten hours as a reliable basis…”
Liu Dashao suddenly felt his pores emitting heat.
Turning to the next page, it introduced the hand seals for casting spells:
“Lin: Clasp the ten fingers tightly, with the index fingers extending and touching. Bing: Continue the hand seal, with the middle fingers covering the index fingers. Dou: Continue the hand seal, retract the index fingers, and extend the middle fingers to touch. Zhe: Continue the hand seal, extend the thumb, index, and little fingers to touch, with the rest tightly clasped. Jie: Continue the hand seal, retract the ten fingers and clasp tightly, with the left hand in front. Zhen: Continue the hand seal, clasp the hands tightly, with the right hand in front. Lie: Continue the hand seal, form the wisdom fist seal. Zai: Continue the hand seal, extend the ten fingers, with the palms facing outward, and the thumb and index fingers touching. Qian: Continue the hand seal, form the meditation seal.”
These hand seals were quite different from those in Zhang Enpu’s book. Liu Dashao secretly formed the hand seals as described in the book, gesturing and practicing.
Seeing this, Dogdan asked in confusion, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Exercising!”
Just as he finished speaking, a piece of paper fell out of the book, fluttered in front of them, and landed on the ground.
Dogdan was stunned for a moment, picked up the paper, looked at it, and handed it to Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao took it and saw the words “Three-Day Appointment” written on it.
He thought to himself that Master Huang Er must have left this note to remind him, fearing he might forget.
Liu Dashao closed the ‘Qimen Dunjia,’ closed his eyes, and recalled the “Song of the Old Fisherman in the Misty Waves,” savoring its content.
This song seemed to summarize the essence of the Qimen secret arts, and Liu Dashao finally understood why ‘Qimen Dunjia’ was so difficult to master, being one in a million.
It turned out that the Qimen secret arts arranged all things in the world into a regular cycle, and all events could be interpreted through military strategies, treating what was to happen as a battle. Thus, the Qimen secret arts could be used freely.
Perhaps it was because Liu Dashao had consumed the Xuanpin Pill that he found the Qimen secret arts so simple.
Seeing Liu Dashao remain silent, Dogdan picked up the ‘Qimen Dunjia’ and flipped through it. Probably because he couldn’t understand it, he put the book down and stared at Liu Dashao, saying helplessly, “What are you reading? I don’t recognize those characters. I’ll just read your ‘Records of the Heavenly Master’!”
With that, he picked up the ‘Records of the Heavenly Master,’ propped his chubby face with his hand, and started reading.
Liu Dashao read a few more pages, which were about divination. After skimming through a few chapters, he felt a headache coming on and called Dogdan to go out and play.
The ground was full of puddles, and Liu Dashao and Dogdan sat on a large rock, both silent. Perhaps Dogdan had his own concerns, while Liu Dashao was thinking about Zhang Enpu. Who was that old demon? What was Master Huang Er’s purpose in having him learn the Qimen secret arts?
… There were too many things he couldn’t understand, and the more Liu Dashao thought about it, the more his head hurt, and he still didn’t know what was going on.
Just as Liu Dashao was pondering, he heard a faint murmuring. He turned to look at Dogdan, who was lying on the rock with his eyes closed, apparently asleep. Who could be speaking?
Liu Dashao looked around and saw a line of ants crawling on the ground, carrying what seemed to be their food.
Then Liu Dashao heard a faint voice saying, “It’s strange, it shouldn’t have rained today. Now our nest is flooded!”
“Exactly! Let’s go confront that old turtle later!”
Liu Dashao understood that the ants were complaining because the rain had flooded their nest, and they were planning to move.
He smiled and whispered, “I prayed for that rain!”
The ants were clearly startled, but Liu Dashao couldn’t see where their eyes were.
One of them said, “Who is this kid talking to?”
Another ant replied, “He can’t be talking to you! Do you think those foolish humans can understand us?”
“You’re right, let’s keep moving!”
Their voices were all the same, and Liu Dashao couldn’t tell them apart. He saw them continue on their way.
Liu Dashao then said, “I’m not foolish, I’m talking to you, little ants!”
Upon hearing this, the ants collectively gasped, and the last one dropped what it was carrying in fright, then quickly picked it up.
Liu Dashao thought they must be looking at him.
One ant said, “You… you can understand us?”
Liu Dashao replied, “Yes, I can.”
After he spoke, the ants seemed to murmur among themselves.
Liu Dashao asked, “Where are you going?”
One ant said, “Reporting to the little immortal, the rain this morning flooded our nest, and we’re moving!”
Liu Dashao felt a bit embarrassed, realizing that his morning rain prayer had caused them trouble. So, he drew a nine-palace grid on his palm, using the “Nine Palaces Palm Divination Method” he had learned from ‘Qimen Dunjia.’
After calculating, Liu Dashao said, “If you head southeast, the opposite direction, you’ll be safe. If you continue this way, you’ll ‘drown without a raft,’ and there will be danger.”
Upon hearing this, the ants collectively said, “Thank you, little immortal, for your guidance!”
With that, they turned and headed in the opposite direction.
Dogdan was awakened by Liu Dashao’s voice and asked in confusion, “Who are you talking to?”
Liu Dashao smiled, “To you, we should head home, it might rain soon!” So, Liu Dashao and Dogdan went home.
Back home, Liu Dashao read the book some more, carefully pondering the parts he didn’t understand, and after reading them a few times, he grasped their meaning.
Dogdan was still reading the ‘Taiyi Tiangang’ that Liu Dashao had brought. Liu Dashao sat on the kang, continuing to study Qimen. In just one day, he had a general understanding of the book and could remember everything he read.
Liu Dashao closed the book, closed his eyes, and wanted to try the “Out-of-Body” technique he had just read about. So, he formed the hand seal, with the index finger and thumb touching, the little finger hooked, and chanted, “The universe flows forward and backward, the Qimen comes and goes, Yin Path!”
Then divide the eight trigrams into eight solar terms,
Each governed by one primary element.
Seeing Liu Dashao’s confusion, Master Huang Er continued, “The art of Qimen Dunjia originated over 4,600 years ago during the epic battle between the Yellow Emperor and Chi You. At that time, our ancestors, the Yellow Emperor and Chi You, engaged in an unprecedented battle in Zhuolu. Chi You was seven feet tall, with an iron head and a bronze body, impervious to weapons, and could summon wind and rain. He created dense fog on the battlefield, causing the Yellow Emperor’s troops to lose their way.
One night, in the dead of night when everyone was asleep, a thunderous sound and a blinding light suddenly emanated from Xuanyuan Hill, startling the Yellow Emperor and his people.
Everyone hurriedly got up and ran to see what was happening. They saw a rainbow slowly descending from the sky, from which emerged a radiant fairy holding a jade box nine inches long and eight inches wide. The Yellow Emperor took it and opened it to find a celestial scripture called the Dragon Armor Divine Chapter. Following the instructions in the book, the Yellow Emperor created a south-pointing chariot and finally defeated Chi You.
In addition to methods for crafting weapons, the Dragon Armor Divine Chapter also contained numerous military strategies for deploying troops. The Yellow Emperor ordered his prime minister, Feng Hou, to interpret the Dragon Armor Divine Chapter into thirteen chapters of military strategy, twelve chapters of the Guxu method, and 1,080 formations of Qimen Dunjia.
Later, through the efforts of Jiang Taigong of the Zhou Dynasty, Huangshi Elder, and Zhang Liang, who summarized and simplified the texts, the modern version of ‘Qimen Dunjia’ was formed.”
Liu Dashao exclaimed in astonishment, “Is it really that powerful? But… what does this have to do with me?”
Master Huang Er, after hearing Liu Dashao’s words, glanced at him with his small eyes and said, “That ‘Qimen Dunjia’ is indeed very powerful, but Zhang Liang’s summarized version has long been lost. It’s not some ordinary secret manual from your human sects; it’s a true celestial book.
Therefore, out of ten thousand people, or rather, in the entire world, no more than a dozen can master it. You, having consumed the Xuanpin Pill, now have the potential to learn ‘Qimen Dunjia’. That book was secretly taken by Liu Dashao during their magical duel when they weren’t paying attention. It’s now in that tree hollow. Go and retrieve it.”
After listening to Master Huang Er, Liu Dashao got up and walked towards the tree hollow. He reached inside and felt something hard. Thinking this must be it, he pulled it out to find a book with pages made from the skin of an unknown beast.
Master Huang Er said, “After consuming the Xuanpin Pill, all the characters you don’t recognize and all the passages you can’t understand in this book will become clear to you. Go home and study it carefully. Don’t waste my efforts. Come back to this grove to find me in three days. Remember!”
With that, he turned and ran off into the distance.
Liu Dashao walked home with the book, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Everything had happened so suddenly, and he hadn’t yet figured it all out. But Master Huang Er had his reasons for wanting him to learn ‘Qimen Dunjia’. It seemed he had no choice but to go home and study it.
When he arrived home, his parents, Liu Laoshi and his wife, were already up.
Seeing Liu Dashao just returning, Liu Laoshi smiled and said, “Son, you’re up early today. What have you been up to?”
Liu Dashao hastily made up an excuse, “Oh… I… I went out to exercise, hehe!”
With that, he turned and went back into his room.
Dogdan was sitting on the kang, looking somewhat annoyed.
Seeing Liu Dashao enter, he grumbled, “You went out to play and left me behind!”
Liu Dashao chuckled, “Not at all, we’ll go out to play later!” After saying this, he ignored Dogdan and sat on the kang, opening the ‘Qimen Dunjia’.
The book, made of beast skin, felt comfortable to the touch.
Opening the first page, he saw the title “The Fisherman’s Song of Misty Waves”.
Liu Dashao couldn’t help but read it aloud.
“The mysteries of Yin and Yang’s flow and reverse are endless. The two solstices return to the one nine palaces.
If one can comprehend the principles of Yin and Yang, the entire universe can be held in one’s palm.
The Yellow Emperor battled Chi You. The war in Zhuolu lasted for years.
By chance, he dreamed of a celestial being bestowing a talisman. He ascended the altar to offer sacrifices with reverence.
A divine dragon carried a map from the Luo River. A colorful phoenix brought a book from the azure clouds.
Thus, Feng Hou was commanded to interpret the text. From this, the art of Qimen Dunjia began.
Originally, there were 1,080 formations. Taigong reduced them to seventy-two.
By the Han Dynasty, Zhang Liang refined them to eighteen, the essence of the art.
First, one must arrange the nine palaces in the palm. Within them, the fifteen patterns crisscross.
Next, divide the eight trigrams into eight sections. One Qi governs three, the orthodox method.
Yin and Yang’s two paths divide into flow and reverse. One Qi’s three origins are unfathomable to man.
Every five days, they connect to one origin. Connecting Qi and surpassing spirits is the rule.
Recognize the nine palaces as the nine stars. The eight gates follow the nine palaces in movement.
In the nine palaces, meeting Jia is the value symbol. The eight gates’ value envoys are clearly distinguished.
The gate above the symbol is the value envoy. Every ten hours, it changes, a reliable basis…”
Liu Dashao suddenly felt a warmth emanating from all his pores.
Turning to the next page, it introduced the hand seals for casting spells:
“Lin: Interlock all ten fingers, extend the index fingers and connect them.
Bing: Continue the hand seal, cover the index fingers with the middle fingers.
Dou: Continue the hand seal, retract the index fingers, extend and connect the middle fingers.
Zhe: Continue the hand seal, extend the thumb, index, and little fingers, interlock the rest.
Jie: Continue the hand seal, retract all ten fingers and interlock them, left hand in front.
Zhen: Continue the hand seal, interlock both hands, right hand in front.
Lie: Continue the hand seal, form the wisdom fist seal.
Zai: Continue the hand seal, extend all fingers, palms outward, connect the thumb and index finger.
Qian: Continue the hand seal, form the meditation seal.”
These hand seals were quite different from those in Zhang Enpu’s book. Liu Dashao secretly practiced the hand seals as described in the book, gesturing along.
Dogdan, seeing this, asked in confusion, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Exercising!”
Just as he finished speaking, a piece of paper fell out of the book, fluttered in front of them, and landed on the ground.
Dogdan, after a moment’s hesitation, picked up the paper, looked at it, and handed it to Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao took it and saw written on it: “The Three-Day Promise”
He thought to himself, this must be Master Huang Er’s way of reminding him, fearing he might forget.
Liu Dashao closed the ‘Qimen Dunjia’, closed his eyes, and recalled the “Fisherman’s Song of Misty Waves”, savoring its content.
This song seemed to encapsulate the essence of the Qimen secret arts, and Liu Dashao finally understood why ‘Qimen Dunjia’ was so difficult to master, being one in a million.
It turned out that the Qimen secret arts arranged all things in the world into a regular cycle, and everything could be solved with military strategy, viewing impending events as military operations, thus making the Qimen secret arts freely applicable.
Perhaps it was because Liu Dashao had consumed the Xuanpin Pill that he found the Qimen secret arts so straightforward.
Dogdan, seeing Liu Dashao silent for so long, picked up the ‘Qimen Dunjia’ and flipped through it. Probably because he couldn’t understand it, he put the book down and stared at Liu Dashao, saying helplessly, “What are you reading? I don’t recognize those characters. I’ll just read your ‘Records’!”
With that, he picked up the ‘Celestial Master’s Records’, propped his chubby face with his hand, and started reading.
Liu Dashao read a few more pages, which were about divination. After skimming through a few chapters, he felt a headache coming on and called Dogdan to go out and play.
The ground was pitted with puddles. Liu Dashao and Dogdan sat on a large rock, both silent, perhaps each lost in their own thoughts, while Liu Dashao wondered about Zhang Enpu’s situation. Who exactly was that old demon? What was Master Huang Er’s purpose in having him learn the Qimen secret arts?
… There were too many things he couldn’t figure out, and the more Liu Dashao thought, the more his head hurt, not understanding what was going on.
Just as Liu Dashao was pondering, he heard a faint murmuring. He turned to look at Dogdan, who had closed his eyes and was lying on the rock, apparently asleep. Who could be speaking then?
Liu Dashao looked around and saw a line of ants on the ground, all carrying things, probably their food.
Then Liu Dashao heard a faint voice saying, “It’s strange, it shouldn’t have rained today. Now our nest is flooded!”
“Exactly! Let’s go and confront that old turtle later!”
Liu Dashao understood that these ants were complaining because the rain had flooded their nest, and they were planning to move.
He smiled and whispered, “I prayed for that rain!”
The ants clearly paused, but Liu Dashao couldn’t see where their eyes were.
Then one of them said, “Who is this kid talking to?”
Another ant replied, “He can’t be talking to you! Do you think those foolish humans can understand us?”
“You’re right, let’s keep moving!”
They all spoke similarly, and Liu Dashao couldn’t distinguish who was who, only seeing them continue on their way.
Liu Dashao then said, “I’m not foolish, I’m talking to you, little ants!”
Upon hearing this, the ants collectively gasped, and the last one was so startled it dropped what it was carrying, then quickly picked it up again.
Liu Dashao thought they must be looking at him.
One ant said, “You… you can understand us?”
Liu Dashao replied, “Yes, I can.”
After Liu Dashao spoke, the ants seemed to murmur among themselves.
Liu Dashao asked, “Where are you going?”
One ant answered, “Replying to the little immortal, the rain this morning flooded our nest, and we’re moving!”
Liu Dashao felt a bit embarrassed, realizing that his prayer for rain had caused them trouble. So, he drew a nine-palace grid on his palm, using the “Nine Palms Starting Formation Method” he had learned from ‘Qimen Dunjia’ to predict for them.
After calculating, Liu Dashao said, “If you head southeast, the opposite direction from where you’re going, you’ll be safe. If you continue this way, you’ll ‘drown without a raft’, which is ominous.”
Upon hearing this, the ants collectively said, “Thank you, little immortal, for your guidance!”
With that, they turned around and headed in the opposite direction.
Dogdan, awakened by Liu Dashao’s voice, asked in confusion, “Who are you talking to?”
Liu Dashao smiled, “To you, we should head home, it might rain soon!” So, Liu Dashao and Dogdan went home.
At home, Liu Dashao read a bit more, pondering over the parts he didn’t understand, and after reading them a couple of times, he got it.
Dogdan was still reading the ‘Taiyi Tiangang’ that Liu Dashao had brought. Liu Dashao sat on the kang and continued reading ‘Qimen’, and in just one day, he had grasped the gist of the book, and it was all memorized.
Liu Dashao closed the book, closed his eyes, and wanted to try the “Out of Body” mystery he had just read about. So, he formed the hand seal, with the index finger and thumb opposing, the little finger hooked, and chanted, “The universe flows and reverses, coming and going through Qimen, Yin Path!”
The three yuan within one qi remain unfathomable.
Every five days, a new yuan connects.
Seeing Liu Dashao’s confusion, Master Huang Er continued, “The art of Qimen Dunjia originated over 4,600 years ago during the great battle between the Yellow Emperor and Chi You. At that time, our ancestors, the Yellow Emperor and Chi You, engaged in an unprecedented battle in Zhuolu. Chi You, standing seven feet tall with an iron head and bronze body, was impervious to weapons and could summon wind and rain. He created dense fog on the battlefield, causing the Yellow Emperor’s troops to lose their way.
One night, in the dead of the third watch, while everyone was asleep, a thunderous sound and a brilliant light suddenly emanated from Xuanyuan Hill, startling the Yellow Emperor and his people.
They hurriedly got up and ran to see what was happening. They witnessed a rainbow slowly descending from the sky, from which emerged a radiant fairy holding a jade box measuring nine inches in length and eight inches in width. The Yellow Emperor took the box, opened it, and found inside a celestial script known as the Dragon Armor Divine Chapter. Following the instructions in the book, the Yellow Emperor created a south-pointing chariot and eventually defeated Chi You.
In addition to methods for crafting weapons, the Dragon Armor Divine Chapter also contained numerous military strategies for deploying troops. The Yellow Emperor ordered his prime minister, Feng Hou, to interpret the Dragon Armor Divine Chapter into thirteen chapters of military tactics, twelve chapters of the Guxu method, and 1,080 formations of Qimen Dunjia.
Later, through the efforts of Jiang Taigong of the Zhou Dynasty, the Yellow Stone Elder, and Zhang Liang, who summarized and simplified the teachings, the art of Qimen Dunjia as we know it today was formed.”
Liu Dashao exclaimed in amazement, “Is it really that powerful? But… what does it have to do with me?”
Master Huang Er, after hearing Liu Dashao’s words, glanced at him with his small eyes and said, “Qimen Dunjia is indeed very powerful, but the extraordinary skills Zhang Liang summarized have long been lost. It is not some ordinary secret manual from your human sects; it is a true celestial book.
Therefore, out of ten thousand people, or rather, in the entire world, no more than a dozen can master it. You have consumed the Xuanpin Pill, which grants you the wisdom to learn Qimen Dunjia. That book was secretly taken by Liu Dashao during their magical duel when they weren’t paying attention. It’s now in that tree hollow. Go and retrieve it.”
After hearing Master Huang Er’s words, Liu Dashao stood up and walked towards the tree hollow. He reached inside and felt something hard. Thinking this must be it, he pulled it out and saw a book with pages made from the skin of some unknown beast.
Master Huang Er said, “After consuming the Xuanpin Pill, all the characters you don’t recognize and all the passages you don’t understand will become clear to you. Go home and study it carefully. Don’t waste my efforts. Come back to this grove to find me in three days. Remember!”
With that, he turned and ran off into the distance.
Liu Dashao walked home with the book, his mind in turmoil. Everything had happened so suddenly, and he hadn’t yet figured it all out. But Master Huang Er had his reasons for wanting him to learn Qimen Dunjia. It seemed he would have to study it at home.
When he arrived home, Liu Laoshi and his wife were already up.
Seeing Liu Dashao return, Liu Laoshi smiled and said, “You’re up early today, son. What have you been up to?”
Liu Dashao hastily made up an excuse, “Oh… I… I went out to exercise, hehe!”
With that, he turned and went back into his room.
Dogdan was sitting on the kang, looking somewhat annoyed.
Seeing Liu Dashao enter, he grumbled, “You went out to play and left me behind!”
Liu Dashao smiled and said, “Not at all, we’ll go out to play later!” With that, he ignored Dogdan and sat on the kang, opening the book on Qimen Dunjia.
The book was made of animal skin and felt comfortable to the touch.
Opening the first page, he saw the title “The Song of the Old Fisherman in the Misty Waves.”
Liu Dashao unconsciously began to recite it.
“The mysteries of Yin and Yang’s flow and reverse are endless. The two solstices return to the nine palaces.
If one can comprehend the principles of Yin and Yang, the entire universe can be held in one’s palm.
The Yellow Emperor battled Chi You. The war in Zhuolu lasted for years without rest.
By chance, he dreamt of a heavenly deity bestowing a magical formula. He ascended the altar to offer sacrifices and devoutly cultivated.
The divine dragon carried a map from the Luo River. The colorful phoenix brought a book from the azure clouds.
Thus, Feng Hou was commanded to interpret the text. From this, the art of Qimen Dunjia began.
At that time, 1,080 formations were created. Jiang Taigong later reduced them to seventy-two.
By the Han Dynasty, Zhang Liang refined them to eighteen, the essence of the art.
First, one must arrange the nine palaces in the palm. Within them, the fifteen paths are drawn.
Next, the eight trigrams are divided into eight sections. The three energies are unified as the orthodox method.
The two paths of Yin and Yang are divided into flow and reverse. The three energies in one cycle are unfathomable.
Every five days, one cycle is connected. Connecting the energies and surpassing the divine is the standard.
Recognize the nine palaces as the nine stars. The eight gates follow the nine palaces in motion.
When the nine palaces meet the Jia, it is the ruling talisman. The eight gates’ ruling envoys are clearly distinguished.
The gate above the talisman is the ruling envoy. Every ten hours, it changes, serving as the basis…”
Liu Dashao suddenly felt a surge of heat emanating from all his pores.
Turning to the next page, it introduced the hand seals for casting spells:
“Lin: Clasp all ten fingers together, with the index fingers extended and touching.
Bing: Continue the previous hand seal, with the middle fingers covering the index fingers.
Dou: Continue the previous hand seal, retract the index fingers, and extend the middle fingers to touch.
Zhe: Continue the previous hand seal, extend the thumb, index, and little fingers to touch, while the others remain clasped.
Jie: Continue the previous hand seal, retract all ten fingers and clasp them, with the left hand in front.
Zhen: Continue the previous hand seal, clasp both hands together, with the right hand in front.
Lie: Continue the previous hand seal, form the Wisdom Fist seal.
Zai: Continue the previous hand seal, extend all ten fingers, with the palms facing outward, and the thumb and index fingers touching.
Qian: Continue the previous hand seal, form the Meditation seal.”
These hand seals were quite different from those in Zhang Enpu’s book. Liu Dashao secretly formed the hand seals as described in the book, practicing the movements.
Dogdan, seeing this, asked in confusion, “What are you doing?”
“Exercising!”
Just as he finished speaking, a piece of paper fell out of the book, fluttered in front of them, and landed on the ground.
Dogdan paused, picked up the paper, looked at it, and handed it to Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao took it and saw the words “Three-Day Appointment” written on it.
He thought to himself that Master Huang Er must have left this note to remind him, fearing he might forget.
Liu Dashao closed the book on Qimen Dunjia, closed his eyes, and recalled the “Song of the Old Fisherman in the Misty Waves,” savoring its contents.
This song seemed to encapsulate the essence of the Qimen secret arts, and Liu Dashao finally understood why Qimen Dunjia was so difficult to master, being one in a million.
It turned out that the Qimen secret arts arranged all things in the world into a regular cycle, and all events could be interpreted through military strategy. By viewing upcoming events as military operations, the Qimen secret arts could be applied with ease.
Perhaps it was because Liu Dashao had consumed the Xuanpin Pill that he found the Qimen secret arts so straightforward.
Dogdan, seeing Liu Dashao remain silent, picked up the book on Qimen Dunjia and flipped through it. Probably unable to understand it, he put it back down and stared at Liu Dashao, saying helplessly, “What are you reading? I don’t recognize those characters. I’ll just read your silly ‘Records’ instead!”
With that, he picked up the “Heavenly Master’s Records,” propped his chubby face on his hand, and began to read.
Liu Dashao read a few more pages, which discussed divination. After skimming through a few chapters, he felt a headache coming on and called Dogdan to go out and play.
The ground was pockmarked with puddles. Liu Dashao and Dogdan sat on a large rock, both silent, perhaps lost in their own thoughts. Liu Dashao was wondering about Zhang Enpu and who that old demonic Taoist really was. What was Master Huang Er’s purpose in having him learn the Qimen secret arts?
… There were too many things he couldn’t figure out, and the more he thought, the more his head hurt. He didn’t understand what was happening.
Just as Liu Dashao was pondering, he heard a faint murmuring. He turned to look at Dogdan, who had closed his eyes and was lying on the rock, apparently asleep. Who could be speaking then?
Liu Dashao looked around and saw a line of ants crawling on the ground, carrying what seemed to be their food.
Then Liu Dashao heard a faint voice saying, “It’s strange, it wasn’t supposed to rain today. Now our nest is flooded!”
“Exactly! Let’s go and confront that old turtle later!”
Liu Dashao understood that the ants were complaining because the rain had flooded their nest. It seemed they were planning to move.
He smiled and whispered, “I prayed for that rain!”
The ants clearly paused, though Liu Dashao couldn’t see where their eyes were.
One of them said, “Who is this kid talking to?”
Another ant replied, “He can’t be talking to you! Do you think those foolish humans can understand us?”
“You’re right. Let’s keep moving!”
Their voices were all the same, and Liu Dashao couldn’t tell them apart. He watched as they continued on their way.
Liu Dashao then said, “I’m not foolish. I’m talking to you, little ants!”
As soon as he spoke, the ants collectively gasped. The last ant in line was so startled that it dropped what it was carrying, then quickly picked it up again.
Liu Dashao thought they must be looking at him.
One ant asked, “You… you can understand us?”
Liu Dashao replied, “Yes, I can.”
Upon hearing this, the ants seemed to murmur among themselves.
Liu Dashao asked, “Where are you going?”
One ant answered, “We’re moving, little immortal. The rain this morning flooded our nest!”
Liu Dashao felt a bit embarrassed, realizing that his prayer for rain had caused them trouble. He drew a nine-palace grid on his palm, using the “Nine Palms Divination Method” he had learned from Qimen Dunjia.
After calculating, Liu Dashao said, “If you head southeast, the opposite direction from where you’re going, you’ll be safe. If you continue on your current path, you’ll face danger, ‘drowning without a raft.'”
The ants collectively said, “Thank you for your guidance, little immortal!”
With that, they turned around and headed in the opposite direction.
Dogdan, awakened by Liu Dashao’s voice, asked in confusion, “Who are you talking to?”
Liu Dashao smiled, “To you. We should head home; it might rain soon!” So Liu Dashao and Dogdan returned home.
Back at home, Liu Dashao read a bit more, carefully pondering the parts he didn’t understand. After reading them a few times, he grasped their meaning.
Dogdan was still reading the “Taiyi Tiangang” that Liu Dashao had brought. Liu Dashao sat on the kang, continuing to study Qimen Dunjia. In just one day, he had grasped the general idea of the book and could remember everything he read.
Liu Dashao closed the book, closed his eyes, and decided to try the “Soul Projection” technique he had just read about. He formed the hand seal, with his index finger and thumb touching and his little finger hooked, and chanted, “The universe flows and reverses, the Qimen comes and goes, Yin Path!”
Recognize the nine palaces as nine stars.
The eight doors follow the nine palaces.
When meeting Jia in the nine palaces, it becomes the value symbol.
The corresponding door of the value becomes clear.
The door above the symbol is the value door.
Its change every ten hours serves as the basis…”
Instantly, Liu Dashao felt heat radiating from every pore in his body.
Turning the next page, he found instructions on hand seals for incantations:
“Lin (Approaching): Clasp all ten fingers tightly, extending and connecting the index fingers.
Bing (Soldier): Continuing from the previous seal, place the middle fingers over the index fingers.
Dou (Fight): Continuing from the previous seal, retract the index fingers and extend and connect the middle fingers.
Zhe (Person): Continuing from the previous seal, extend and connect the thumbs, index fingers, and little fingers, keeping the rest tightly clasped.
Jie (All): Continuing from the previous seal, retract all fingers tightly, with the left hand in front.
Zhen (Array): Continuing from the previous seal, clasp both hands tightly, with the right hand in front.
Lie (Line): Continuing from the previous seal, make the wisdom fist seal.
Zai (Exist): Continuing from the previous seal, extend all fingers outward, palms outward, connecting thumbs and index fingers.
Qian (Front): Continuing from the previous seal, make the meditation seal.”
These hand seals were quite different from those in Zhang Enpu’s book. Liu Dashao silently followed the instructions, forming the seals with his hands.
Dog Egg, puzzled, asked, “What are you doing?”
“Exercising!” Liu Dashao replied.
Just then, a piece of paper fell from the book, fluttering in front of both of them before landing on the ground.
Dog Egg blinked, picked it up, and handed it to Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao took the paper and saw written on it: “The Three-Day Promise.”
He thought to himself that it must be Huang Erye’s reminder, fearing he might forget.
Liu Dashao closed the Qi Men Dun Jia book, closed his eyes, and recalled the “Yanbo Diaoshou Ge,” carefully contemplating its meaning.
This song was likely a summary of the essence of the Qi Men secret arts. Liu Dashao finally understood why Qi Men Dun Jia was considered so rare and difficult to master.
It turned out that the Qi Men secret arts arranged all things in the world into regular cycles, where everything could be interpreted through military strategy. By viewing events as battles, one could skillfully apply the Qi Men techniques.
Perhaps it was due to the effects of the Xuanpin Pill that made these secret arts seem so simple to Liu Dashao.
Seeing Liu Dashao silent, Dog Egg picked up the Qi Men Dun Jia book and flipped through it. Unable to understand, he put it down again and stared at Liu Dashao with a helpless expression, saying, “What are you reading? I can’t recognize any of these characters. I’ll just read your old ‘Record’ book!”
With that, he picked up the Tian Shi Bi Lu (Heavenly Master’s Record), propped his chubby face with his hand, and started reading.
Liu Dashao read a few more pages, which discussed divination techniques. After skimming through a few chapters, his head began to ache, so he called Dog Egg to go out and play.
Outside, puddles filled the ground. Liu Dashao and Dog Egg sat on a large rock, both silent. Each had his own thoughts. Liu Dashao was wondering about Zhang Enpu’s condition, the identity of the old evil Daoist, and Huang Erye’s true intentions in making him learn Qi Men Dun Jia.
…So many things he couldn’t figure out. The more he thought, the more his head ached, and he couldn’t understand what was happening.
As Liu Dashao was pondering, he heard a faint whisper. He turned to look at Dog Egg, who was now sleeping with his eyes closed on the rock. Then who was talking?
Liu Dashao looked around and saw a line of ants crawling by, carrying what appeared to be their food.
At that moment, he heard tiny voices: “It’s so strange. It shouldn’t have rained today, but now our nest is flooded!”
“Exactly! We should go confront that old turtle soon!”
Liu Dashao understood—they were ants complaining about their nest being flooded by the rain, probably preparing to relocate.
He softly said with a smile, “That rain was summoned by me!”
The ants clearly hesitated for a moment, though Liu Dashao couldn’t see their eyes.
One of them asked, “Who is this kid talking to?”
Another ant replied, “He can’t be talking to you! Do you think those foolish humans can understand our language?”
“You’re right. Let’s keep moving!”
Their voices all sounded the same to Liu Dashao, making it hard to distinguish. Still, they continued forward.
Liu Dashao continued, “I’m not foolish! I’m talking to you, little ants!”
Upon hearing this, the ants gasped in unison. The last ant in line was so startled that it dropped its load, quickly picking it up again.
Liu Dashao imagined they were staring at him.
One ant finally asked, “You… you can understand us?”
Liu Dashao replied, “Yes, I can.”
After he spoke, he heard them whispering in astonishment.
Then one ant asked, “Where are you all going?”
Another ant answered, “Your little immortal, this morning’s rain destroyed our nest. We’re moving!”
Liu Dashao felt a bit embarrassed, realizing his morning rain invocation had caused them trouble. He drew a nine-palace grid on his palm and performed a divination technique he’d learned from Qi Men Dun Jia—the “Nine Palace Palm Formation Method.”
After calculating, he said, “You should head southeast, which is the opposite direction from where you’re going. There you’ll be safe. If you continue forward, you’ll face ‘drowning without beams’—great danger.”
Upon hearing this, the ants all shouted in unison, “Thank you, little immortal, for your guidance!”
Then, they turned direction and walked away.
Dog Egg, awakened by Liu Dashao’s voice, asked in confusion, “Who were you talking to?”
Liu Dashao smiled, “Just you. We should go home—it might rain soon!” And with that, Liu Dashao and Dog Egg returned home.
Upon arriving home, Liu Dashao continued reading. For parts he didn’t understand, he carefully studied them, reading them over and over until he grasped their meaning.
Dog Egg was still reading the Taiyi Tiangang (Supreme Celestial Pole) book that Liu Dashao had brought back. Sitting on the kang, Liu Dashao continued studying Qi Men Dun Jia. After just one day, he had already gone through most of the book, and his memory was flawless.
Closing the book, Liu Dashao shut his eyes, eager to test the “soul projection” technique he had just read about. He formed the hand seal—thumb and index finger touching, little finger curled—and chanted, “Heaven and Earth follow the natural order, coming and going through the mysterious gates. Yin Dun!”
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