Step Down, Let Me Come! - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: To quench one’s thirst by thinking of plums (to console oneself with illusions) 

The atmosphere was awkwardly quiet for the time of three breaths. 

Qi Shan helplessly said: “People with wudan concentrate qi in their bodies, and individuals with wenxin control it to the outside”.

Even though Shen Tang really wanted to say that she understood it, to not let him doubt her IQ, but – 

“I… don’t really understand it. Mister Qi, could you elaborate on it?”

Qi Shan didn’t expect Shen Tang would understand it at once. 

This young master could truly be a savage from nowhere. He didn’t understand succinct and euphemistic speech. 

As a result, Qi Shan switched to a more common way of speaking.

“Wudan, ‘wu – martial’ serve as a core. Martial artists, from the start of the war, demonstrate their stand by conquering.  They initiate war to end the war. Therefore, the majority of the magic words concern their bodies. They temper their body to be more powerful and fight by themselves against a thousand enemies”.

Shen Tang thoughtfully nodded. 

“Majority of the magic words are used on their bodies, so are there any magic words that are not used like that?”

“Yes, take the magic words ‘a hundred answers to a single call’ as an example—if the vassals and tacticians use it, it can shake a hundred soldiers, but if the general uses it, it can make a hundred soldiers put on armor and mount their horses. Their imposing manner concentrates into one sharp knife. If the morale of the upper and lower soldiers are identical, the troops will be stronger, unrivaled”.

Qi Shan, already predicted Shen Tang’s train of thought. He answered her before she even asked. 

“Some magic words are the same for wenxin and wudan. You don’t have to be curious about that”.

The same magic words in the hands of different people can have different results. The results depend on the person’s understanding and cultivation realm.

Shen Tang “…”

Qi Shan continued: “Wenxin and wudan are different. Wenxin essence lay in the two words “plan” and “calculation”. So, wenxin magic words incline to control, arrangement. They are used to control complex, treacherous and changeable situations. Wudan has 20 grades, the higher, the stronger the person. As a result, people think wenxin is also like that, the higher, the stronger. But in my opinion, this is a wrong perception. The contrast in wenxin is here”.

He pointed at his brain. 

If you don’t have enough brains, even if you have a 2nd-grade upper middle wenxin, it’s better that you don’t provoke an unknown 9th-grade lower wenxin artist. 

Shen Tang considered it for a moment.

She felt that she understood it and yet did not.

“Wudan martial artist fights by themselves. If they get stronger, they can form a clique and take brothers to fight together. Wenxin will not fight easily, but hire other thugs to fight for him as a behind-the-scenes boss? The former shows muscle, and the latter show off his brains?”

One fight, the other assists?

After hearing this, Qi Shan became silent for a while.

Despite not understanding what “show off” means, after combining the context, he could guess the general meaning of Shen Tang. 

He said expressionlessly: “You can understand it like that”.

Shen Tang thought over it and asked: “…but, is it not really passive?”

“Passive?”

Wenxin plays role in assisting and commanding. Wenxin skills are also mostly like this. The fights rely mostly on wudan possessors.

In case a wudan artist was left alone and captured, could he really only extend one’s neck in preparation for execution?

“People can’t grasp both, but what if they want to? Can you really only choose one?”

You must choose one or the other, but she wants both!

Qi Shan understood her thoughts slightly.

“Records state, there have been some examples of condensing the wenxin and wudan at the same time, but—”

“But what?”

Qi Shan fiddled with a bonfire and dimly said: “They either died prematurely or were stupid and had a mediocre ability, no different from ordinary people”.

Shen Tang “…”

She is not worthy of this golden finger – wenxin, wudan double cultivation.

She held the scroll, dizzy.

She recognized every word. Furthermore, she also quickly remembered the notes of Qi Shan. But she didn’t know how to practice and use it. Consulting “Novice NPC” didn’t help, his cliché words were too mysterious. She completely realized only “being in the zone” phrase.

Sure enough, she shouldn’t require too much from the free food.

The time passed, her belly started to growl again.

Shen Tang massaged her belly. She looked at the scroll’s “To quench one’s thirst by thinking of plums” phrase. In her mind appeared a green plum.

“Didn’t he say that wenxin can “create things from nothing” … you, “to quench one’s thirst by thinking of plums” give me a few plums, it is not too much right?”

If more green plums appear, she could also make something else to eat.

Qi Shan’s hearing was excellent. He poured on her a basin of cold water. 

“Obviously, it’s too excessive. Even though ‘Magic words’ are magical, they can’t give you food. If they could—in this world there wouldn’t be so many people dying from hunger”. He unknowingly thought about something. Qi Shan sigh looking at the bonfire, “Several months ago on the trip, I personally saw some common people…”

He halted at that, on one’s accord, stopping the topic. 

She didn’t need him to explain, Shen Tang could also predict his next words.

It was nothing else but, a human tragedy where starving people are everywhere.

She said: “Why can’t? ‘Magic words’ can condense a sharp blade, warhorse, and helmet. It can also help people fight against a thousand enemies. Then, why can’t it condense a little green plum?”

If they could use wudan and wenxin to work in the field, even if the efficiency couldn’t be compared with farmer machines, it would still be much better than letting ordinary people face the ground to work.

If it could condense food – 

She could sell green plums to earn money for her travels. 

After traveling to this world, she became a penniless escapee. It was really too difficult for her, an ordinary otaku painter.

If this way was also impossible, she could only choose to continue with her old profession and paint for others, but she didn’t know who would be willing to buy her drafts. 

Qi Shan didn’t give her a positive answer.

He only claimed: “The problems ahead, I can’t answer them. However, the final one—You will learn the answer when you have more experience in the future.

In this muddy and chaotic world, who was willing to turn a sword into a plow? 

That kind of person would inevitably be attacked by others.

Young master’s idea wasn’t new. There were also people with lofty ideals lobbying everywhere to assist the princes in advocating reform, but they all failed for various reasons and ended miserably. 

Thinking of these unpleasant stories, he closed his eyes in agitation to take a breather. From time to time he could hear Shen Tang muttering “Looking at plums to quench thirst”.

About a quarter of an hour later, she was still trying to do something with this sentence.

Qi Shan’s eyes were closed: “Learning magic words requires fate. There are thousands of them in this world, so don’t waste your time on one, and try another. Of course, you can’t learn everything, don’t bite off more than you can chew. Good-quality things are better than many inferior ones”.

“Oh, I understand”.

After that, he immediately heard clear breaking and chewing sounds.

Qi Shan: “???”

The remaining half of the dry food and water were with him. Where could young master Shen Tang find food?

He vaguely smelled the fragrance of the green plums.

Qi Shan: “!!!”

He suddenly opened his eyes to look at Shen Tang.

The latter sat cross-legged on the ground with a dozen or so round green plums piled up on his legs. Each of them looked fresh and tender, crisp and delicious. While chewing, Shen Tang frowned aggrieved. Her face was wrinkled, but because she was too hungry, she could only swallow it.

“You, where did… this green plus came from?”

Qi Shan’s eyes became round. He spoke with difficulty. He even swallowed a few times, before regaining his ability to speak. 

Shen Tang blinked at him. Because of the sourness, she had to clear her vision. 

“Green plums? Oh, I tried the ‘to quench one’s thirst by thinking of plums’ magic sentence.  Then I strived to urge my wenxin to work, but from the beginning to the end it didn’t have the effect you had written on the notes. After testing it a few times, more plums appeared from the thin air… You see, it is just like that—“

“To quench one’s thirst by thinking of plums!”

After Shen Tang finished speaking, she demonstrated it again.

When magic words fell, a green plum appeared on her palm under Qi Shan’s gaze.