[Martial Arts] Asking the Sword at the Peak of Blue Mountain

Author: Jeffi Chao Hui Wu

Time: July 27, 2025, Sunday, 6:52 AM

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[Martial Arts] Asking the Sword at the Summit of Blue Mountain
At the summit of Blue Mountain, white clouds drift, and the mountain wind sweeps through the forest and valleys, reminiscent of the breath of the ancient world awakening. I stand on a flat giant rock at the edge of a cliff, dressed in red, with a bottomless chasm beneath my feet and a vast sea of trees before me. With a sword in hand, merging with heaven and earth, at that moment, I felt as if I were not merely a swordsman, but a stream of information flowing into the mountains and forests, traversing the winds and clouds, communicating with all things in nature, resonating with each other, no longer distinguishing between you and me.
I am well aware that this is not an empty display of flashy techniques, but a moment of solidified exchange with the energy of heaven and earth. The body of Blue Mountain stretches for thousands of miles, with steep ridges and deep valleys, clouds swirling; beneath that vast breath lies a bluish-gray skeleton, and the ridges at the edge of the forest and clouds respond to each other, like a scroll of energy unfurling. Every stroke and line contains the rhythm of countless breaths. Each sound of the wind rustling through the pine needles is a prompt from nature; every wisp of cloud rising from the valley is a response to my countless breaths.
The giant rock beneath my feet is as steady as a pillar, its edge almost suspended in mid-air, as if the slightest instability would send me plummeting into the abyss. Yet it is precisely this precarious terrain that allows my body and mind to unify in an instant, free from any illusion. Practicing swordplay at the foot of the mountain allows for retreat and modification, but here, every move, every step must be focused and breath must flow freely. The stability beneath my feet does not rely on force, but is a tangible feeling cultivated through hundreds of days of horse stance training.
I stand holding the sword in the "Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg" posture, my left hand pointing the sword towards the mountain ridge, my right hand spread like a feather, my body motionless yet containing immense strength. Outsiders may only see my toes touching the ground and my sword like clouds, but I know in my heart that the breath of that moment has already sunk deep into my abdomen, and the adjustment does not come from forced effort but from the connection with nature (the interaction between man and the earth's energy). I once stood with my eyes closed for ten minutes without swaying, my feet sensing the wind direction and making subtle adjustments to my center of gravity; at the summit of Blue Mountain, this foundation truly reveals its value: when the wind rises and the mountains move, I adjust my breath accordingly, my feet steady and my heart calm, knowing I am rooted.
I hold the sword vertically in front of me, my energy sinking into the dantian, my body like stillness hiding movement, movement containing intention. I stand at an invisible intersection, gathering my outward energy at the sword tip. The sword is a guide, my spirit reaching towards the heavens, as if connecting with the cosmic mysteries; the red tassel hangs down, as if communicating with the earth mother. I have repeatedly contemplated the true meaning of this posture in the morning light; on the surface, it appears to be standing still, yet internally it has already stirred and surged, my heart sinking, my breath slowing, my intention firm, my spirit clear. At that moment, I am not practicing swordplay, but the sword becomes my mind and body, exchanging energy with heaven and earth. The mountain wind brushes my face, the distant peaks faintly visible, the entire world seems to stand still, leaving only the silent connection between the sword and me.
At the moment I draw my sword, my horse stance is steady, my right hand holding the sword pointing directly at the mountain peak. That move, I call "Asking the Sword of Heaven and Earth." It is not to strike an enemy, nor for vanity, but to ask myself: in this life of diligent practice, have you truly absorbed the energy of heaven and earth into your being? Is this sword truly capable of breaking through your own confusion, cutting through illusory thoughts? At that moment, I am not the peak of a writing pen, but an extension of energy, a manifestation of will. As the saying goes, "The body is like a rock, the energy like a wandering dragon, the intention like a thunderclap, the spirit like still water." Only by gathering this state into one’s being can one be said to have truly reached the threshold of the "Way."
Over the years, I have risen early every day to practice, never interrupting, regardless of the cold or heat. When the temperature is only seven degrees, I practice horse stance, Tai Chi, sword, qigong, and Lingzi techniques by the sea in a single garment. Many readers often question the term "Lingzi Step"—it is not fictional, but a dynamic cultivation system I created, integrating traditional internal skills with a breathing step method developed from my own structural understanding, encompassing minute adjustments of center of gravity, energy flow, and muscle relaxation exercises to enhance the ability to breathe continuously in motion. It is not walking meditation, nor is it floating thoughts, but a high-intensity endurance module within my actual practice system, with complete records and data support in many articles in my column.
In my daily practice, Lingzi Step and Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg are on par, having reached a state where I can practice continuously for three hours without interruption. As I progress, my body automatically warms up, allowing me to sweat in winter while wearing a single garment, which is the result of real skill—not in words, not in theory, but in the tangible feeling after each day’s practice. All of this is evidenced in the hundreds of articles, photos, and videos I have publicly shared, marking the structural achievements made between heaven and earth.
If it were not for hundreds of days of hard practice and self-adjustment, how could I dare to stand on a cliff? If it were not for a fearless heart, abundant energy, and a clear spirit, how could I gaze levelly at the peaks of Blue Mountain?
I often say: true martial arts is not the beauty of techniques, but the authenticity of the state. Sword techniques may change endlessly, but if the body and mind are floating, and the energy and blood are unstable, it is merely an empty shell; true skill lies not in the techniques, but in the breath, structure, energy sensation, and balance of movement and stillness that run through them. The mountain has energy, the clouds have momentum, and I am merely an antenna, just a point: both insignificant and complete.
Thus, this series of "Asking the Sword at the Summit of Blue Mountain" is a phase reflection on my many years of martial arts journey. I do not perform for show, nor to flaunt skills, nor for photography, but simply to tell myself: "Your skill is visible to heaven and earth."
The sword strikes like the wind, the energy aligns with nature, I ask the sword between heaven and earth, and heaven and earth respond with the mountain wind.
I am not a writer, but a practitioner. Behind every article I write, there is evidence; behind every photo, there is foundation. I have written: "Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg for 23 Minutes," "Can Tai Chi Be Practical?" "Practicing Breath and Blood, Developing the Brain," "AI Misjudged Me 20 Years Younger," "Sweating in Tai Chi at Seven Degrees," "Structural Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg for 40 Minutes," all of which are anchor articles written during six years of practical training.
I am a practitioner and system builder who spans multiple fields including technology, philosophy, martial arts, health preservation, literature, music, education, and logistics.
Feel free to click to read my original column on the "Australian Long Wind Forum": Era Leap · Wu Chaohui's Column.
Each article can be read as a personal documentary or understood as part of the "Future Civilization Structure."
— Asking the Sword at the Summit of Blue Mountain, heaven and earth respond with the mountain wind.

Source: http://www.australianwinner.com/AuWinner/viewtopic.php?t=697037