Chapter 102: Not Regret

Seeing Zhou Gan’s slightly wounded expression, Zheng Fa was puzzled: “Zhou brother, are you having some difficulty?”

He truly couldn’t fathom what this man wanted.

You pay someone to do a favor.

If you don’t pay, it won’t get done.

But if you pay without explaining what you want, how can it possibly get done?

“I just want to learn your talisman arts!”

Zhou Gan muttered.

“That’s it?”

Zheng Fa looked at the forty spirit stones in his hand, deeply surprised—did the Xuanwei Realm still have people who respected knowledge this much?

He didn’t think the talisman arts passed down from Bai Nascent Soul were worthless.

But in this world, spirit stones were precious, while knowledge was relatively cheap.

Especially talisman arts knowledge.

Think of Han Qi and the other two.

They raised the price of *Master Zhang’s Treatise on Talismans* by two taels of gold, disrupting the textbook market.

Now they’ve all compensated him.

“Who said learning talisman arts from me requires so many spirit stones?”

“The Zhao family’s young master… what was his name again?” Zhou Gan seemed to have poor memory: “Oh, Zhao Jingfan. He said he learned all his talisman arts from you.”

“What exactly did he say?”

Zheng Fa calmed down.

“To learn from you, he sent plenty of spirit stones,” Zhou Gan’s memory suddenly improved: “He had to serve as servant and slave, grovel, endure humiliation…”

What kind of premium tutoring sales pitch was this?

Looking at Zhou Gan, Zheng Fa was still confused: “You believe him?”

“Not entirely…” Zhou Gan glanced at the box in his hand: “But can you ever go wrong by giving money?”

Behind him, Han Qi and the other three shook their heads in unison.

Zheng Fa could only fall silent.

That logic was too sound!

“Senior Brother Zheng…” Zhou Gan pushed the box forward toward Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa remained silent for a long while before speaking: “Zhou brother, you’re a Nascent Soul disciple—why come to me? Our two branches…”

“My master approved it.”

“Huh?”

Han Qi and the other three exchanged glances again.

Word had spread: Master Pang thought Zheng Fa was a better teacher than himself.

“Master said his talisman arts aren’t afraid of comparison—whether it’s Senior Sister Zhang or you, anyone who wants to learn may learn; only by learning can you know whether he’s right,” Zhou Gan said softly.

“… ”

Zheng Fa had never met Master Pang; in fact, due to the rivalry between the two branches, his impression of him wasn’t good.

But now he felt a certain admiration for the man’s breadth of mind.

“Then in the Talisman Hall…”

Recalling that day’s talisman-throwing scene, Zheng Fa still couldn’t understand.

“Master said, as long as no one dies, don’t interfere.”

Zhou Gan seemed to know what he was about to ask, and answered directly.

Zheng Fa saw Han Qi and the others’ expressions—utterly speechless—and felt a pang inside.

He had speculated many reasons why the higher-ups tolerated the rivalry between the two branches.

For example, preparing for future chaos in the immortal sects—yes, practicing combat skills.

Or using this controlled conflict to vent the lower disciples’ resentment.

Or perhaps genuinely testing each other’s talisman arts strengths and weaknesses.

But… don’t interfere?

Zheng Fa looked out the window.

He felt as if he saw several pairs of lofty eyes above Jiushan, watching the entire Jiushan Sect.

In their gaze, apart from a few true geniuses, no one else seemed to exist.

“Zhou brother, no need for the spirit stones—when you have time, we can exchange insights.”

Zheng Fa pushed the box back.

“Huh?” Zhou Gan seemed to understand Zheng Fa’s meaning, looking up at him.

“I’m also very interested in Master Pang’s talisman arts,” Zheng Fa said, meeting Zhou Gan’s eyes.

Zhou Gan paused, then suddenly laughed, his tone laden with meaning: “Senior brother, you’re greedy… I never thought you had such ambition.”

Zheng Fa understood his meaning.

For most Qi Refining cultivators, forty spirit stones were worth far more than talisman arts knowledge.

Only someone truly devoted to the talisman arts would make Zheng Fa’s choice—because Zhou Gan himself was such a person, he recognized Zheng Fa’s ambition.

Zheng Fa didn’t think he was greedy.

Old Bai’s Nascent Soul foundation guarantees you a bargain—trade Master Pang’s talisman arts for it.

“I’ll have to ask my master.”

Zhou Gan handed over forty spirit stones without blinking, but Zheng Fa’s request left him troubled.

…

Behind Senior Sister Zhang’s house.

Senior Sister Zhang sat cross-legged on a large green stone beside the waterfall, eyes half-closed as if cultivating.

Zheng Fa looked at her and couldn’t help sighing—she still loved water so much.

“What do you want?”

“Junior brother wishes to inquire about the *Talisman Foundation Establishment Method*.”

Senior Sister Zhang opened her eyes and looked at Zheng Fa, her gaze holding an unusual emotion.

Zheng Fa had never seen such hesitation on her face before.

“Have you tempered your skin with the *Five Thunder Body*?”

“Yes.”

“Three days?”

“... Yes.”

Zheng Fa knew it was Master Yuan who had betrayed him.

“You don’t have to practice the *Talisman Foundation Establishment Method*,” Senior Sister Zhang suddenly said.

“Huh?”

Zheng Fa froze.

Senior Sister Zhang had always taken care of him, precisely to have him practice the *Talisman Foundation Establishment Method* and help her mend her Golden Core flaw.

Now…

“If you practice the *Talisman Foundation Establishment Method*, you’ll face difficulties like mine,” Senior Sister Zhang said calmly: “If you lacked the talent for the *Five Thunder Body*, I’d say forget it—but you have it. Even if you can’t yet practice the *Divine Thunder Sublime Method*, Jiushan Sect still has many thunder techniques.”

Zheng Fa understood Senior Sister Zhang’s meaning.

Previously, he had shown mainly talisman arts talent, so practicing the *Talisman Foundation Establishment Method* made sense.

But now he’s revealed another talent…

This was perhaps Senior Sister Zhang’s other way of cherishing talent.

“Senior Sister Zhang?”

“I allow you to make another choice.”

Senior Sister Zhang looked at Zheng Fa, her gaze calm.

How could he possibly choose the other?

Regardless of her help and protection, regardless of her feelings toward him—

Zheng Fa knew better than anyone what his so-called talent really was.

Three days to temper skin?

Probably not even seven days by modern standards.

Besides, the *Talisman Foundation Establishment Method* was Zheng Fa’s safety net in the modern world.

“I choose the *Talisman Foundation Establishment Method*!”

“Even if the path ahead leads nowhere, you won’t regret it?”

“Not at all!”

Zheng Fa spoke with absolute determination.

Senior Sister Zhang’s gaze toward him softened—softer than ever before.

Zheng Fa felt a twinge of guilt—did she think he made this choice for her?

But Senior Sister Zhang said nothing, instead changing the subject:

“What doubts do you have about the ‘Art of Symbolic Foundation Establishment’?”

“Disciple wishes to ask: are there taboos in selecting symbol diagrams?”

These were points in the ‘Art of Symbolic Foundation Establishment’ that he could not fully understand.

Zhang Shijie fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said:

“Watch closely!”

“Huh?”

Zhang Shijie suddenly stood up; her robes shimmered with a soft blue-glowing light, like rippling water, and as it rippled… she vanished!

…I know you’re moved, Sister Zhang, but taking off your clothes right now—isn’t that a bit too hasty?

Bad news… cough, good news: Zhang Shijie’s body had also become a translucent blue outline; he could see nothing but a composite symbol diagram glowing at her original dantian position.

“This,” Zhang Shijie’s voice came from above Zheng Fa’s head, “is my Yuanfu Foundation.” The Yuanfu Foundation slowly rotated before his eyes.

The shape of this foundation was peculiar: like two lotus platforms joined at their bases, each with five petals, each petal inscribed with a symbol diagram.

“What have you understood?”

“Yin and Yang, Five Phases?”

“Yes.” Zheng Fa saw Zhang Shijie’s form appear before him; she nodded: “The choice of symbol diagram isn’t important—what matters is how they’re paired.”

“In my view, every symbol diagram has a Yin-Yang Five Phase affinity. For instance, the first diagram I condensed, the Sky Frost Symbol, is Yin-Water affinity.”

Zheng Fa understood what his sister meant.

She divided symbol diagrams into Yin and Yang Five Phases—ten categories total.

Yin: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.

Yang: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.

The ‘Art of Symbolic Foundation Establishment’ requires selecting one diagram from each of these ten categories to condense.

Which specific diagram you choose doesn’t matter.

This classification of symbol diagrams was something Zheng Fa had never heard before; he suspected it was Zhang Shijie’s own invention.

How… how did Sister Zhang even figure this out?

As if sensing Zheng Fa’s confusion, Zhang Shijie smiled gently and asked: “Do you know what kind of Dao Body I am?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yuanling Dao Body,” Zhang Shijie explained. “I can temporarily transform my spiritual power into the shape of symbol diagrams. This Yuanfu Foundation is the result of condensing symbol diagrams thousands upon thousands of times within my body.”

Zheng Fa suddenly understood.

He’d been dreaming of setting up a laboratory in the modern world.

Sister Zhang herself was a living laboratory!

Envious!

After further questioning Zhang Shijie about the ‘Art of Symbolic Foundation Establishment,’ Zheng Fa brought up Zhou Gan’s matter.

“Master Pang?” Zhang Shijie nodded, unconcerned: “His symbol arts have their merits.”

“Sister Zhang, I’m still unclear—what exactly is the rift between our two lineages?”

“Simply put, it’s about understanding the Yuanfu,” Zhang Shijie thought a moment before explaining. “My master and I believe the Yuanfu are finite. Master Pang believes symbol diagrams are infinite—and thus Yuanfu are infinite…”

“This…”

They’ve been arguing about this for years?

“Do you know why my Golden Core is incomplete?”

“Is it related to this?”

“Yes,” Zhang Shijie nodded. “If I can confirm the Yuanfu are finite and identify all of them—only then will my Golden Core be complete.”

“….”

“Fundamentally, the rift between me and Master Pang lies in this—”

“I believe the symbol diagrams of Heaven and Earth must follow hidden, absolute laws. The Dao is simple. We cannot draw all Yuanfu because our understanding of symbol diagrams is insufficient.”

“Master Pang believes life is finite but symbol diagrams infinite; to pursue the infinite with the finite is folly.”

Zheng Fa finally understood the core conflict between the two lineages.

It was like scientists who believe absolute truths exist—we simply haven’t uncovered them yet.

But others believe many things in this world are inexplicable—there is no absolute truth.

Influenced by the modern world, Zheng Fa sided with the former.

But the Xuanwei Realm is not the modern world; one cannot generalize.

Zhang Shijie finally warned him: “Master Pang has unique insights in symbol diagram application. Learn well.”

Zheng Fa knew that for Zhang Shijie to give him such advice, she truly regarded him as hers.

…

One month later, at Zheng Fa’s home.

He took out a Ningyuan Pill, tilted his head back, and swallowed it.