Chapter 9

With the help of the fragment of jade, the difficulties in the "Linyao Wenfa" were easily resolved.

After that, whenever Zhang Yan encountered terms like "Hengming, Kang," "Zhuanxu, Zheng," and "Buxu, Shun," he no longer had to rack his brains to understand them. Instead, he could directly "test the law" within the jade.

However, he did not solely rely on the fragment of jade. Whenever he encountered a problem he could not solve, he would first try to deduce the solution based on his knowledge, and then verify it within the jade. Over time, he gradually figured out some methods, and his understanding of these Daoist terms deepened. Sometimes, even without the jade, he had a fair degree of confidence.

In less than five days, he not only comprehended the entire scripture to a great extent but also understood the various terms used by Daoist families, making significant progress.

This made him realize that the fragment of jade was undoubtedly a divine object. Since it had fallen to the ground with a meteor, its origin must be extraordinary.

At this moment, he had a sudden idea. The jade was originally empty, except for his avatar, which could change and grow according to his will. Could the objects around him also exist and change within the jade?

This idea was not baseless. The evidence was that his avatar in the jade was not naked but dressed in clothing. Since clothing could exist, it meant that other things could also exist.

Thinking of this, he extended his hand as if to hold a book and mentally imagined the "Linyao Wenfa." However, before he could figure it out, he suddenly felt a headache, and his consciousness became hazy. He was abruptly expelled from his avatar and fell back into his body.

Zhang Yan suddenly opened his eyes, feeling a splitting headache and sweating profusely. He was startled. Since he had started practicing qi, he had not felt this way for a long time. He quickly examined his body internally and found that he was extremely fatigued, both in spirit and qi. He realized that this was due to his attempt to manifest the scripture within the jade.

He nodded, understanding that such an attempt, whether successful or not, was beyond his current capabilities. However, he was not discouraged. Success was certainly joyful, but failure was not something to worry about. Overly pursuing it would only create mental obstacles.

His Daoist heart was well-rounded, and he could let things go. In an instant, he put this matter out of his mind.

He picked up the bottle of "Zhengyuan Dan" given to him by Ai Zhongwen, opened the cap, and poured a pill into his palm. A fragrant aroma filled his nose, and he felt a sense of relief in his chest and lungs, realizing that the pill was extraordinary. He immediately swallowed it, sat in silence for a moment, and waited for the pill's power to take effect. A warm, soothing heat spread through his internal organs, making him feel extremely comfortable.

Generally, after taking such a pill, one must practice to guide the pill's power through the body. Otherwise, the power could stagnate and harm the body. He did not dare to be careless and immediately entered a meditative state.

After half an hour, his practice was complete. The fatigue was gone, his internal qi was surging, and his root of essence was full. His spirit and qi were as abundant as if he had meditated for a whole night!

Zhang Yan was secretly surprised. He had known that pills were beneficial to cultivators, but he had not expected such remarkable effects. He realized that he had underestimated the power of pills. No wonder the disciples of Daoist families were all successful in building their essence, likely due to both excellent scriptures and the assistance of pills.

Unfortunately, he had few pills and could only use them in critical moments, not waste them. He resolved to pay more attention to collecting pills in the future and not miss any opportunities.

However, Zhang Yan did not know that the "Zhengyuan Dan" was considered a high-quality pill in Daoist families. Ai Zhongwen had given it to him to win his favor, fearing that he would not return the scripture. If Ai Zhongwen knew that Zhang Yan treated his gift like cabbage, he would probably be deeply hurt.

While Zhang Yan was diligently cultivating in his cave, in a pavilion on the main peak of Cangwu Mountain, Haojue Peak, Zhou Zishang was listening to a servant report on him.

"So, Zhang Yan has been interpreting the eroded text on Cangwu Mountain and is now famous in the three views?"

A sharp-eyed servant replied, "Yes, Master."

Zhou Zishang frowned, his thoughts aligning surprisingly with Ai Zhongwen's. He did not believe that Zhang Yan could interpret the eroded text on his own and suspected that someone was guiding him. This person was either a Daoist official from Shan Yuan Guan or the high-ranking person who encouraged him to come up the mountain. Since the high-ranking person had not secretly taught Zhang Yan, it was more likely the latter.

"Thus, Zhang Yan cannot be easily moved."

He knew he could not act rashly and needed to use other means. However, no matter what, Zhang Yan was just a junior disciple, and he had many ways to make him submit.

Three servants he had brought up the mountain waited respectfully on either side. One, a sturdy and manager-like figure, whispered, "Master, should I...?" He made a grabbing gesture with his face twitching.

Zhou Zishang raised an eyebrow and waved his hand. "No, I am a cultivator and would not resort to such low tactics." He smiled confidently. "However, since I have come to the foot of Cangwu Mountain, I will not return empty-handed. Watch, within three months, I will make Zhang Yan come down the mountain obediently!"

The servants, all experienced, nodded in agreement but were puzzled about where their master's confidence came from.

Zhou Zishang smiled but did not explain.

After sitting for half an hour, a Daoist child descended the mountain path and hurried to Zhou Zishang. He bowed respectfully and said, "I do not know which noble guest has visited our observatory, but the abbot has invited you to come in for a discussion."

Zhou Zishang stood up, adjusted his clothes, and nodded arrogantly. "Lead the way."

The Daoist child, unaware of his identity, did not dare to say more and led the way.

The abbot of Shan Yuan Guan was not easily seen, but with Zhou Zishang's cultivation, he only needed to sit and release his qi, and the abbot would sense him and invite him in as a fellow Daoist.

The journey up the mountain was slow, and after about an hour, the huge Xuanwen stone at the entrance of the main hall came into view.

Without announcing himself, the Daoist child led Zhou Zishang directly through the mountain gate.

Shan Yuan Guan was arranged along the mountain's axis. After passing through the gate, there was the Xuanwu Stele erected in the early Kai Ping period of the Wei Dynasty. The path was lined with dense forests and ancient trees. They passed through the Morality Hall, the Jingqing Hall, and the Sanming Hall before entering the inner observatory.

In front of them was a path paved with pebbles, lined with potted green vines, creating a picturesque and ethereal scene. Zhou Zishang, however, was not interested in the scenery and followed the Daoist child to the highest point of Haojue Peak, the Duzhen Hall.

As soon as he entered the hall, he saw an old Daoist with white hair and beard sitting on a cushion in the main hall.

The old Daoist opened his eyes slightly and waved his拂尘, saying, "It is a fellow Daoist from the Yuxiao Sect. I greet you."

Zhou Zishang did not return the greeting and said straightforwardly, "I have a matter to trouble you."

Hearing "fellow Daoist" and seeing Zhou Zishang's disrespectful attitude, the old Daoist's eyebrows twitched slightly. He said slowly, "Please speak clearly."

Zhou Zishang stood with his hands behind his back, looking down. "I am Zhou Zishang from Dingyang. The registered disciple Zhang Yan is my brother-in-law. Due to family matters, we had a disagreement, and he came up the mountain in a fit of anger. Today, I have come to take him down."

The old Daoist's lips moved, and he said expressionlessly, "The disciples in the observatory cultivate according to their own Daoist hearts and innate talents. I do not force them."

This response seemed off-topic but was actually key. It meant that as long as Zhang Yan did not want to, he would not be forced to leave.

Zhou Zishang smiled, as this was what he had expected.

"Since that is the case, please give this scripture to my brother-in-law. I am sure you will not refuse." Zhou Zishang held out a thin silk book and presented it to the old Daoist.

The old Daoist glanced at it, and upon seeing the words "Xuanyuan Neican Miaolu," his eyelids twitched. After a moment of contemplation, he reached out to take the book and said calmly, "I will pass it on."

The old Daoist's expression was indifferent, but Zhou Zishang was not concerned. He bowed and said, "Thank you, fellow Daoist."

The old Daoist closed his eyes and lightly tapped a jade chime in front of him, signaling that it was time to leave.

Zhou Zishang laughed and walked out.

The old Daoist stroked his white beard, though his expression did not change, he was inwardly surprised. Zhou Zishang, despite his young age, had already opened his meridians and condensed qi, with a cloud-like aura around him, indicating a cultivation level not inferior to his own. He was indeed a disciple of a major sect, and his actions showed cunning and skill.

Though he seemed to have barged in rudely, his approach was actually a clever one. He knew that Daoists often spoke in vague terms, so he deliberately acted like a young, arrogant person to prevent the old Daoist from stalling.

If given time, this person's future was boundless.

The old Daoist looked at the scripture in his hand. The "Xuanyuan Neican Miaolu" was an ancient text, originally belonging to Crane Daoist of Nanhua Sect. How it ended up with Zhou Zishang was unknown, but it was indeed a high-quality method for opening the immortal meridians.

Once a cultivator's internal meridians were opened, the spiritual root would be planted, and the mind would be enlightened, allowing the cultivation of high-level immortal techniques and the eventual attainment of the Dao. However, this method was complex and fraught with danger. Without guidance from elders, it was easy to damage the internal meridians and ruin one's foundation, making future cultivation impossible.

The old Daoist sighed, wondering what grudge Zhou Zishang had against Zhang Yan to want to cut off his path to cultivation.

Zhou Zishang, feeling satisfied as he left the observatory, had planned this carefully. Zhang Yan's visit to Cangwu Mountain must have some unknown reason. Being cautious was always better. By directly targeting the core issue and using Shan Yuan Guan to destroy Zhang Yan's foundation, he was taking the safest approach. Even if something went wrong, he could claim it was well-intentioned, and Zhang Yan's lack of good fortune would be to blame.

Once Zhang Yan could no longer cultivate, he would have to return home and serve his wife's family.

...

...

PS: Wishing all readers a happy and healthy Lantern Festival!