novel bin Chapter 9 Father Moore
Chapter 9 Father Moore
Gu Shenyan recalled what he had seen and heard at Sacred Heart Academy over the past year, and silently sorted it out in his mind.
Although the paths to extraordinary achievement in this world are diverse and varied, they can generally be divided into two main categories.
Firstly, martial arts.
Based on tempering the physical body, one strengthens the muscles, bones, and flesh through stance training and internal cultivation methods, ultimately condensing "fierce energy" to achieve the body of a martial arts master.
Once a martial artist's malevolent energy reaches its peak, if they can temper their body with the essence of demons and monsters, they can break through the shackles and enter the "Blood Fiend Realm," becoming a grandmaster.
In the West, this road is known as the "Way of the Knights".
Those Western knights clad in heavy armor and wielding greatswords were essentially also on the path of physical tempering, only their specific methods differed.
Secondly, the art of strategy.
This path does not emphasize the physical body, but rather "innate wisdom".
Through meditation, visualization, and breathing exercises, one can perceive the "spiritual essence" flowing between heaven and earth.
He introduced it into his body, condensed it into a "spiritual core," and thus embarked on the path of cultivation.
Once one has mastered the basics of magic, one can manipulate spiritual energy and perform all sorts of incredible feats—summoning wind and rain, flying on objects, and even bringing the dead back to life.
In the West, this path is known as the "Secret Path".
Those occultists who wear robes and hold staffs are essentially practitioners of magic, just with different lineages.
The path of martial arts not only has a much lower ceiling than these "techniques," but also requires innate talent, resources, and a renowned teacher—all three are indispensable.
If one's physical constitution is insufficient, practicing martial arts is like rowing against the current.
Without sufficient resources, progress is impossible.
Without the guidance of a renowned teacher, it's even more difficult to achieve a high level of artistry.
Of course, martial arts are not without their advantages.
Its practice does not require studying complicated theories and methods; as long as one is willing to work hard and has sufficient resources, one can steadily improve.
The arts of magic are much more complex, with various theories, methods, taboos, etc. A slight mistake can lead to demonic possession, or even the shattering of one's spiritual core, resulting in the loss of all previous efforts.
Therefore, in this world, the number of martial arts practitioners far exceeds the number of magic practitioners.
However, in high-end combat, the advantage lies in techniques and methods.
Those who truly stand at the top of the world, whether they are Taoist masters or Buddhist monks from the East, or archbishops or legendary sorcerers from the West—are all practitioners of arts and magic.
While there are indeed martial arts masters, they are ultimately only a minority.
The way to enter this "art" is simply to be able to perceive spiritual essence in meditation.
Even a tiny thread proves that one possesses that "innate wisdom".
With this innate wisdom, the road ahead will be much wider.
Gu Sidu sent Gu Shenyan to Sacred Heart Academy with this in mind.
My son's aptitude for martial arts is too poor, so there's no hope for him.
However, the path of skillful means emphasizes "innate wisdom" rather than "innate talent," so perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope.
For the first few months, every time Gu Sidu saw her son after school, the first thing she would say was, "Did you have any insights from your meditation today?"
Because the answer he received each time was "no," he eventually gave up asking.
"Make way, don't crowd together!"
An impatient voice came from the classroom doorway.
A chubby boy in a brocade robe pushed through the crowd and swaggered in.
It was Qian Baolin, the only son of the owner of a money exchange in the provincial capital, whom the two men had just mentioned.
He walked straight to the front of the classroom and plopped down in his seat.
"That fat Qian Baolin has gotten a good spot again today," Zhou Mingxuan muttered under his breath.
Gu Shenyan glanced at it but didn't say anything.
He was used to this kind of thing.
Qian Baolin's family was very wealthy, and he gave Father Moore fifty silver dollars every month as "offerings".
What's so special about getting a good spot?
The other students also found their own spots and sat down on the cushions laid out on the ground.
The prayer cushions were provided by the school and filled with mugwort and spices, which were said to help calm the mind.
Gu Shenyan also found a corner seat and sat down.
He doesn't like things to be too conspicuous; a corner is just right.
Zhou Mingxuan sat down next to him, and two more students sat down nearby.
One was Li Wenyuan, the second son of the Li family, and the other was Sun Wan'er, the third daughter of the Sun family.
The four of them were considered to have a relatively good relationship in the class.
Just as everyone was taking their places, footsteps sounded at the classroom door.
The footsteps were light, yet exceptionally clear, each step feeling like it was landing on a person's heartbeat.
The noise in the classroom immediately subsided.
Gu Shenyan looked up at the doorway.
A tall figure dressed in a black priest's robe slowly walked in.
He was a Westerner, about forty years old.
Deep-set eyes, high nose bridge, gray-blue eyes—a typical Western appearance.
A silver cross hung around his neck, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
But what truly makes one's heart race is the inexplicable and elusive "aura" emanating from him.
His aura was like invisible ripples, spreading out in circles with each step he took.
Gu Shenyan recalled the records he had seen in ancient books.
Mystics are the most mysterious and powerful branch of the Western magical arts system.
They do not cultivate internal alchemy like the Taoists of the East, nor do they meditate like Buddhist monks.
They took a different path—the path of "secret arts".
By mastering various ancient and mysterious secret arts, sorcerers can do things that are unimaginable to ordinary people.
Manipulating minds, altering memories, creating illusions, and even temporarily distorting reality...
As Gu Shenyan watched the priest slowly walk towards the podium, he could clearly feel that the breathing of everyone in the classroom was involuntarily becoming synchronized.
This feeling is very subtle.
It's as if an invisible hand is gently plucking at everyone's heartstrings, making them play the same melody.
He felt a chill run down his spine; this must be some kind of secret technique.
The priest simply walked into the classroom and did nothing, yet he was already silently influencing everyone present!
Seeing that everyone was focused, Father Moore began to speak:
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for our weekly meditation class again."
His Mandarin was extremely fluent, without the slightest Western accent; this was the effect of [interpretation techniques].
"I know that most of you have not been able to sense the spiritual energy this past year."
"Some people feel frustrated, some begin to doubt, and some even want to give up."
His gaze swept across the classroom, and many students subconsciously lowered their heads.
"But I must tell you all—the path of cultivation is inherently against the will of Heaven."
Father Moore's voice deepened:
"Those who can sense spiritual essence are one in ten thousand. Those who can truly embark on the path of cultivation are even rarer."
"But that's precisely why every attempt, every meditation, is so precious."
"Perhaps today, or perhaps in the next moment, some of you will break through that barrier and sense the spiritual energy flowing between heaven and earth."
As he said this, he took out a roll of yellowed parchment from his pocket:
Before we begin today's new content, let's review what we've covered before.
He turned around and wrote several large characters on the blackboard:
[General Outline of Visualization Meditation]