Chapter 80: The Curse of Baptism

  Lü Bu and Zhang Liao looked at each other, shook their heads in unison. Lü Bu said: "Martial arts are the result of years of hard practice, what quick success can there be? If there is such a wonderful method, wouldn't there be many masters in the world, how could I become the unparalleled Lü Bu?"

  Zhang Heng glared at Lü Bu with disdain, thinking to himself: In front of the emperor, you still don't forget your reputation as "Lü Bu, the greatest among men". One day, I'll make you feel ashamed to mention these four words again.

  He bowed to Liu Bei and said, "Your Majesty, what Lü Bu said is true. To master martial arts, one must rely on three things: innate talent, a good teacher, and diligent practice. Without any of these elements, it would be impossible to achieve greatness. Diligent practice is the foundation; without years of hard work and bitter training, even if one has exceptional talent and receives guidance from a great teacher, it would still be difficult to make significant progress. It's not impossible to improve quickly in a short period of time, but that's only because long-term hard work has laid the foundation, waiting for an opportunity to break through. Without this foundation, it's impossible to suddenly break through."

  Liu Bian felt somewhat regretful.

  Lü Bu and Zhang Liao were deeply grateful, Liu Bei not only gave them the map, but also used his brains to help them improve their realm, this kindness made them more determined. A gentleman would die for a lord who knows him, as warriors, they would rather serve such a lord.

  "Your Majesty can rest assured, with the two of us, our martial arts are enough to dominate the world." Lü Bu patted his chest and said with a grin: "The reputation of Lü Bu among men is not an empty name."

  Liu Biao also smiled. That's right, no matter how the ranking of the Three Kingdoms generals changes, Lü Bu is still the undisputed first place. Guan Yu later dominated China, but in front of Lü Bu, he couldn't gain any advantage either. Liu, Guan and Zhang surrounded and beat up Lü Bu alone, but they couldn't do anything to him.

  Moreover, there is also a Zhang Xiu who is similar to Lü Bu coming to his aid.

  "Then you'd better prepare well." Liu Bei waved his hand, indicating that they should go and prepare. He took two steps forward, then turned back and called out to Lü Bu: "Fengxian, what is your destiny?"

  "What's a fate?" Lü Bu looked bewildered: "Your Majesty is talking about fate?"

  Liu Bian was stunned. Lü Bu's spear had broken the sound barrier and reached the realm of a demigod, yet he didn't even know what fate was?

  "You don't even know your own destiny, how did you cultivate such martial arts skills?"

  "I'm naturally more talented than others." Lü Bu sneered with a smile, looking very cunning and self-satisfied.

  Zhang Xiu rolled her eyes, and Liu Bian couldn't help but raise his middle finger in his sleeve. This guy is really self-absorbed to the extreme.

  He sent the two of them to prepare and Liu Bian returned to his own temporary palace. It was called a temporary palace, but in fact it was just the county temple of Yang City, which had been cleaned up and made into a temporary palace for the emperor. To say that Liu Bian really didn't have much of an imperial entourage. The difference between him and ordinary generals was probably just that he brought along a few more women like Tang Xuan and Cai Yan, with Tang Xuan taking care of his daily needs and Cai Yan teaching him to play the zither. Apart from this, there were only a few palace maids doing miscellaneous tasks, adding up to no more than ten people in total, which was enough for the back courtyard of Yang City's county temple. As an emperor, he really was frugal to the extreme.

  As he walked into the backyard, Cai Yan was playing the piano in the pavilion. Liu Bian stopped and listened for a moment, suddenly moved, strolled to the pavilion, and stood in front of Cai Yan.

  Cai Yan hastily stopped what she was doing, stood up from her seat and bowed to Liu Bian.

  Liu Bian waved his hand and sat down on the seat that Cai Yan had yielded to him. His fingers randomly plucked at the strings, producing a discordant "ding ding dong dong" sound that was somehow charmingly wild. Cai Yan listened, her eyebrows rising in surprise, a flash of astonishment crossing her eyes. She was well-versed in music and recognized that Liu Bian's random playing was actually part of the half-finished melody she had secretly composed and hidden away in her heart.

  How did he know this piece of music? That night when I played it myself was in the East Hall of Nangong, while the emperor was in the Tangying Hall of Beigong, three or four miles apart, and it's impossible to hear. Could it be... that someone else is teaching him the piano besides me?

  Cai Yan became tense and secretly took a glance at Liu Bian. Liu Bian was deep in thought and didn't notice her abnormality.

  "Ayin, apart from the sound of the qin, is there any other way to help people understand their destiny?"

  Cai Yan slightly furrowed her brow and shook her head: "I've never heard of it, nor has my father ever mentioned it."

  Liu Bian rubbed his head, suddenly sank his face and coldly said: "Cai Yan, are you trying to deceive the king?"

  Cai Yan was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she hastily kowtowed to the ground, trembling with fear, saying: "Your servant dare not."

  Looking at Cai Yan's small waist, looking at her high and pointed buttocks, Liu Bian strongly suppressed his smile and said seriously: "Mr. Boji clearly said that there were other ways, I was present at the time, heard it clearly, how can you say he didn't say it."

  Cai Yan was terrified and tears came out: "Your Majesty, I am foolish and really can't think of it."

  "Can't remember?" Liu Bian's hand pressed down on the strings, and the sound of the guqin came to an abrupt halt. The surroundings fell silent, adding a few more degrees of solemnity. Cai Yan was frightened out of her wits, trembling with fear. Liu Bian looked at her, suddenly reciting an incantation: "Mā ?a pādmo u??ī?a vijayā ye svāhā"

  Cai Yan was like a dream come true, she raised her pale little face and looked at Liu Bian, with surprise in her eyes: "Your Majesty is saying... the curse passed down from the Buddhist stupa?"

  Liu Bian saw Cai Yan being so frightened that he couldn't bear to scare her anymore, and raised his hand: "Get up. I was just joking with you, don't take it seriously. Lü Bu and Zhang Jue are going to have a decisive battle with the rebel army, and I want to help them understand their fate. Can you think of any suitable methods for me?"

  Cai Yan let out a long breath. As soon as she thought of the two armies facing each other, with two great generals engaging in a fierce battle, her youthful nature was stirred up, and she turned to say: "Your Majesty, whether it's the sound of the qin or an incantation, they are all just sounds. I heard my father mention that in the Western Regions, when a Buddhist master accepts a disciple, there is a ritual of pouring water on the head, accompanied by an incantation. Perhaps this barbarian monk understands such methods?"

  Liu Bian's eyes lit up. He had also heard of the method of Guan Ding, but he didn't know how to do it.

  "Your Majesty, there are Buddhist monks from India at the White Horse Temple. Why don't you invite them to come and discuss together? Perhaps some new understanding can be gained."

  Liu Bian's eyes lit up. Ah, yes! In the west of Luoyang City, there is a White Horse Temple, and in the temple, there are Hu monks translating scriptures. Maybe they have some way to do it. He thought again, in the secret room of the Dragon Washing Garden, besides Huangdi and Laozi, there was also a Hu monk, probably the legendary Sakyamuni. The previous emperor might have had such an idea too.

  Liu Bian immediately called for Yang Xiu and had him rush back to Luoyang.

  Yang Xiu disdainfully said: "Your Majesty, these immortal spells and incantations are all deceitful. In the true teachings of Taoism, what talismans are there?" He glared at Cai Yan: "Don't be deceived by people, Your Majesty."

  Liu Bian didn't get angry either: "How did you come to realize your own destiny?"

  "Heavenly nature is called fate, and the way of heaven is called the Tao. Fate is born from heaven, how can it be relied on external forces?" Yang Xiu waved his sleeve: "These are all vulgar Confucian scholars' nonsense about immortals and the Tao, Your Majesty may not listen to them."

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  No need for Three Kingdoms anymore, encountered a great god, Lao Zhuang admits defeat.

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