dmims Chapter 10 Natal Hexagram
Chapter 10 Natal Hexagram
The afternoon practice was conducted in groups.
The Ding group was still practicing the basics of the Eight Gates Deduction in the training ground, while the Bing group was taken to a bamboo forest clearing on the other side of the back mountain.
Zhuge Zhong walked at the front, followed by eight disciples from the Bing group. After walking along the bamboo path for about half a cup of tea's time, they arrived at an open space that was smaller than the training ground.
In the center of the open space, there was also a Bagua diagram, but the carving was deeper, and each of the eight directions was inlaid with a stone of a different color.
Bluestone from the North, yellowstone from the Northeast, greenstone from the East, emerald stone from the Southeast, redstone from the South, ochre from the Southwest, whitestone from the West, and blackstone from the Northwest.
Zhuge Yan recognized this set of items; it was the "Eight Trigrams Stone Formation" used by the Wuhou School to test the compatibility of their disciples.
The disciples of Group C were clearly not here for the first time, and they quickly found their places to stand around the Bagua diagram.
Clearly, they had already tested their attributes and knew which hexagram they were most compatible with.
Only Zhuge Yan stood still, without moving.
Zhuge Zhong glanced at him.
"You haven't tested it."
The elders' tone was declarative, not inquiring.
Zhuge Yan nodded.
Having spent two years in the "D" group, unable to even pass the Eight Gates Deduction, naturally they wouldn't reach the attribute test stage.
"Then let's take the test today."
Zhuge Zhong walked to the north side of the Bagua diagram and gestured for Zhuge Yan to stand in the center of the diagram.
Zhuge Yan walked in, stepping directly onto the central palace.
Eight stones of different colors surrounded him, gleaming differently in the afternoon sunlight.
"The art of Bagua is the foundation of Zhuge Liang's Qimen Dunjia divination techniques. Due to its diverse functions, it is also the most frequently used technique by sorcerers in combat."
Zhuge Zhong's voice was unhurried, as if he were giving a lecture.
"After setting up the Qimen Dunjia divination, the sorcerer stands on the corresponding hexagram position and can then perform the spells corresponding to that hexagram."
For example, if you stand in the Xun position, you can perform wind-related techniques; if you stand in the Li position, you can perform fire-related techniques.
Directions, trigrams, and spells—the three correspond one-to-one.
He paused.
"But every sorcerer, because of their different fates, is naturally more compatible with a certain hexagram."
Once you find a compatible hexagram, you can perform the corresponding spells without being restricted by location.
"It's not necessary to stand in that specific hexagram position. As long as the Qimen Dunjia formation is activated, it can be used from any position and will unleash the maximum power of the magic."
After hearing these words, Zhuge Yan also recalled the original setting.
Zhuge Qing is most compatible with Xun Feng, and wind-attribute spells can be used freely without activating formations.
Wang Ye's destiny aligns with the Gen Mountain, and his earth-element magic can transcend directional limitations.
It turns out that this is not a difference in individual talent, but a standard procedure in the training system of the Wuhou School of sorcerers, where each sorcerer has their own "natal hexagram".
"Elder, how should I conduct the test?"
Zhuge Yan asked.
"Stand still, release your Qi, don't try to guide it, let it flow naturally."
Zhuge Zhong answered.
"The Bagua Stone will automatically sense your Qi, and the one that resonates with you the most will light up."
Zhuge Yan closed his eyes.
He could feel the Qi within his body. After the morning's test and the replenishment from nine bowls of rice after lunch, his Qi was now more abundant than yesterday.
He relaxed his control over the Qi, allowing the warm energy to flow naturally from his dantian along his meridians without any guidance.
Gradually, the Bagua diagram beneath my feet began to react.
First, there was a slight change in temperature, with different temperatures emanating from the stones in different directions.
The bluestone from the north is the coolest, while the redstone from the south is the warmest.
But this is just a natural response of Qi, not a "combination".
Zhuge Yan continued to relax, allowing the Qi to flow freely through his meridians.
Then, he finally felt it.
Northwest direction.
That black stone.
An inexplicable sense of attraction came from the northwest; it wasn't a suction force, but more like a resonance.
When his Qi flows through a certain meridian, the black stone in the northwest will simultaneously produce a very subtle tremor, as if there is an invisible string connecting his Qi and that stone.
Each time his Qi fluctuated, the string vibrated once.
Zhuge Yan slowly opened his eyes.
The black stone in the northwest gleamed with a faint golden light, not the warm light of flame, but the cold light of metal, clear and sharp, like a drawn sword.
Zhuge Zhong's eyebrows twitched.
"The Qian hexagram represents metal."
Upon hearing this, the disciples from Group C on the sidelines exchanged glances.
Zhuge Yan stepped out of the Bagua diagram, and the golden light beneath his feet extinguished the moment he left the central palace.
"The Qian hexagram belongs to the metal element."
Zhuge Zhong turned to him.
"Among the eight trigrams, Qian represents heaven, the father, and the ultimate yang and strength. It belongs to the metal element and governs killing, decisiveness, and sharpness."
He paused.
"There are not many sorcerers with the metal element. Among the disciples of the Wuhou School in the last three generations, only two have been able to divinate the Qian hexagram."
One was a fellow apprentice from a distant branch of the family twenty years ago; he later joined the army and never returned. The other…”
He didn't finish speaking.
But Zhuge Yan noticed that when Zhuge Zhong said this, his gaze lingered on his face for a moment longer.
"The spells of the Qian character method all follow a fierce and sharp approach. The advantage is that they are extremely lethal. Among spells of the same level, the penetrating power and destructive power of the Qian character are the best among the eight trigrams."
The disadvantages are that it consumes a lot of vital energy and requires a high level of physical strength from the practitioner.
Metal is hard and has a strong counter-force; those with weak physical constitutions or fragile life foundations are prone to harming themselves when using the Qian (乾) method.
As Zhuge Yan listened, he suddenly remembered the nine bowls of rice he had eaten at lunch.
ATP supply, heat dissipation capacity, and the tolerance of the nervous system—every plank of the wooden bucket he drew in the bamboo forest that morning matched the "physical strength requirements" that Zhuge Zhong mentioned.
So that's how it is; he didn't just get lucky and get the Qian hexagram.
It is his "fate" that is pushing him down this path.
"Since you are in harmony with the Qian hexagram, today I will first teach you the basics of the Qian character method."
Zhuge Zhong took out a thin booklet from his sleeve and handed it over.
"The general principles and introductory techniques of the Qian method are all contained within. Go back and study them yourself. Tomorrow at Chen time, I will teach you the starting posture separately."
Zhuge Yan accepted the booklet with both hands. The cover of the booklet had two characters written in clerical script: "乾字".
The pages were yellowed and the edges were slightly curled, clearly indicating that many people had turned the pages.
He turned to the first page, where a line of neat small regular script was displayed:
"Qian represents Heaven and strength. As Heaven moves with strength, so should the superior man constantly strive for self-improvement."
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Upon returning to the West Wing, Zhuge Yan did not immediately peruse the booklet titled "Qian".
He first sat down at the table, unfolded the paper on which he had written down the "barrel theory" after lunch, and added another line under "heat dissipation capacity".
Metal is hard and has a strong shock resistance, requiring extremely high physical strength.
Then he opened the booklet "Qian" and read it from beginning to end.
The spell system of the Qian character method is much larger than he imagined.
The Qian trigram belongs to the metal element and is located in the northwest of the eight trigrams. It corresponds to the Open Gate—the most auspicious gate in the Qimen Dunjia system, the place where all things originate.
The master of gold is ruthless, sharp, and decisive.
All the spells of the Qian character method originate from the core image of "metal".