Chapter 105: Value

Tang Lingwumin looked at Zheng Fa, her eyes filled with pleading and stubbornness.

Zheng Fa shook his head slightly and said to her, “I’m not refusing—I just can’t do it yet.”

Besides the “Character Dao Foundation Establishment Method,” what he cared about most was the “Spirit Mountain Method.”

But the Spirit Mountain Method required at least Qi Refining seventh layer.

At its core, this technique is one meant to benefit others—you must have abundant spiritual energy within yourself if you wish to guide others toward cultivation.

Qi Refining seventh layer is barely enough to begin.

This proves in practice that if you want to save all beings, you must at least become a Buddha…

“...I have money.” Tang Lingwumin pointed to the bank card on the table; she didn’t ask if he believed her, but said stubbornly, “If it’s not enough, I’ll ask my dad for more…”

“It’s not about money…”

“I just don’t want to live under my mother’s watchful eyes all the time,” Tang Lingwumin suddenly said. “Even a moment of freedom—even the briefest moment—would satisfy me.”

“...” Zheng Fa fell silent for a moment before saying, “When the time comes, I’ll help you.”

Tang Lingwumin stared into his eyes and slowly nodded, as if believing his promise.

The atmosphere in the room grew quiet.

The white-haired old man beside him shook his head, as if trying to ease the heavy mood, and spoke up: “By the way, even without revealing the secrets of cultivation, you could still show these character diagrams to someone who understands computers.”

Zheng Fa slapped his forehead and remembered someone.

He opened his social app and searched his contacts for a white puppy…

Didn’t find it.

He scrolled through his phone’s contact list and finally found the name Han Xiaobai.

His avatar had changed to a lone wolf walking alone in the desert.

“Brother Han, you there?”

He sent the message.

“What do you want?”

The reply was brief; clearly, he was impatient.

“I’d like to ask you something.”

“Go ahead.”

He didn’t refuse.

Zheng Fa briefly described the core ideas of the “Character Dao Foundation Establishment Method.”

“So you mean, you had a way to classify those character diagrams before, but you don’t understand their patterns?”

After a long explanation, the other finally understood Zheng Fa’s meaning.

“Something like that.”

Zhang Shijie had already classified part of the diagrams using Yin-Yang and Five Elements.

But there were too many diagrams; she could only test a small portion.

“This isn’t easy. You can only try luck—I can only think of using machine learning algorithms for image recognition.” The other typed a long string: “Use the diagrams you’ve already classified as a training set, then let the computer extract features and determine the type of other diagrams.”

Zheng Fa understood, and began to grasp the other’s meaning.

It’s that I can’t see the features of these diagrams myself—so let the computer find them.

Whether those features are correct…

That’ll depend on later verification.

“But I can’t guarantee accuracy,” the other added. “It’s kind of a dumb method.”

The white-haired old man nodded slowly as he read the message: “It’s a viable approach—we can analyze it later.”

Zheng Fa typed a few more words: “Brother Han, can you do this?”

“I could do it—it’s not hard…”

“Then what’s the price this time?”

“I don’t want to do it. Find someone else.”

“?”

Seeing the other’s blunt refusal, Zheng Fa froze.

Just as he was thinking how to reply, a small hand suddenly reached out before him.

Zheng Fa looked up and saw Tang Lingwumin.

Tang Lingwumin extended her hand and softly said, “Let me?”

Zheng Fa thought for a moment and handed her the phone.

He saw Tang Lingwumin type four characters on the screen: “I’ll pay more.”

“I just don’t want to do it.”

The other explained.

“Ten thousand.”

Zheng Fa gestured.

No way—I can’t afford this price!

“Fifty thousand.”

“It’s really not about money!”

“One hundred thousand.”

Zheng Fa watched Tang Lingwumin raise the price with a blank expression, and suddenly felt a touch of awe.

Had he ever spoken too loudly to this little heiress before?

“Aren’t you an orphan? How can you treat money like this? Were you lying before?” The other, clearly worn down by Tang Lingwumin, sent another message: “I used to work for money because I had a girlfriend.”

“?”

Tang Lingwumin blinked, glanced at Zheng Fa, and didn’t understand the logic.

“Now she’s gone—money is garbage!” Han Xiaobai, as if unburdening himself, explained bluntly: “I’m poor now, but I’m happy! Money means nothing to me!”

Zheng Fa remembered.

This guy had been willing to work before just to buy his girlfriend a phone.

Now it seemed she’d left him.

“I’m now empty of all attachments, calm and desireless—only missing the step into monastic life,” Han Xiaobai said. “Find someone else.”

The white-haired old man nodded, also sighing: “That’s why people should marry. Men who don’t marry are too carefree—they lose all motivation to work.”

“...”

Tang Lingwumin frowned, suddenly turned on her camera, and sent a selfie.

Zheng Fa and the white-haired old man stared, confused about what she was doing.

“Are you a girl?” The other was clearly stunned by Tang Lingwumin’s appearance.

“I’m his girlfriend.”

“...Are you using a stolen photo of a beautiful woman to trick me?”

Tang Lingwumin immediately initiated a video call.

After a long pause, the other answered.

On the screen appeared a face with a receding hairline, clearly worn out from endless late nights—Zheng Fa now understood why this guy struggled so much with relationships.

“Holy shit!” The moment he saw Tang Lingwumin, the guy let out a startled cry: “Real?!”

“I’m not lying.”

“...” Clearly unused to speaking with women, Han Xiaobai stammered for a long time, then asked: “Was that you who kept raising the price?”

“Yes. He never lied to you,” Tang Lingwumin glanced at Zheng Fa. “I’ll pay.”

“...He has a girlfriend as beautiful as you, and you’re still paying him to do things?” Han Xiaobai clearly broke: “Work for this bastard? I refuse!”

“I’ll have him teach you how to date.”

“I’ll do it!” Han Xiaobai instantly changed his mind: “Fast and perfect, guaranteed!”

Clearly, he had a strong desire to learn.

After ending the video call, Tang Lingwumin handed the phone back to Zheng Fa.

Her face bore two clear words: Done!

As Zheng Fa reached to take the phone, Tang Lingwumin suddenly said: “I can help you a lot too.”

Zheng Fa froze, looking at Tang Lingwumin, and suddenly understood why she had done all this…

In Tang Lingwumin’s view, Zheng Fa needed Bai Huzi because of his mathematical knowledge.

Compared to that, her own mathematical ability was clearly inadequate.

Her actions were merely to prove she was truly useful.

But Tang Lingwumin overthought it—her status as a heiress alone was enough to make Zheng Fa submit.

…

When Zheng Fa returned home, he saw the adjustable transformer on the chair and immediately remembered what Zhang Shijie had said about the thousand-year purple bamboo.

Zhang Shijie said it was the only one in Jiushan Sect, uniquely owned by Master Pang.

He had felt envious when he heard it.

But now he looked at his own adjustable transformer, bought for less than two hundred.

Hmm—who can’t afford a unique spiritual treasure?

Zheng Fa plugged the variable transformer into the power source, gripped the wires with both hands, and set the voltage dial to 90V.

A familiar tingling sensation came, but Zheng Fa felt today’s current was weaker—this voltage seemed lower than usual.

Only when he stood before the mirror did he understand why—his skin refinement was complete!

He could clearly see that when practicing the Five Thunder Body Art, a thin membrane formed over his skin, glowing faintly like polished jade.

Zheng Fa fetched a kitchen knife and drew it lightly across his fingertip.

The blade slid as if cutting tough oxhide—unable to pierce the membrane on his finger.

…

In the Xuanwei Realm, Zheng Fa’s courtyard.

Han Qi and the other two had grown familiar; they knocked and walked into the courtyard.

Zheng Fa had just finished drawing the talismans and, seeing them, stepped out holding five spirit talismans.

Han Qi took the talismans, his face bright with joy: “Brother, you’re drawing five spirit talismans a day now?”

“Yes, I advanced to Qi Refining Second Layer a couple days ago—my spiritual power has increased significantly.”

Han Qi and the others exchanged glances, each seeing excitement in the others’ eyes.

“Your advancement speed is far faster than most dual-spirit-root cultivators!” Han Qi praised.

Zheng Fa could tell these three were genuinely happy for him—after all, a talented protege meant a better future for their own lives.

“Brother, here’s the money from selling talismans these past two days.”

Han Qi pulled out a spirit stone from his robe and handed it to Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa hesitated, then did not reach out to take it.

“Brother?”

“Brothers, keep this spirit stone.”

Zheng Fa said.

Han Qi’s lips trembled, his voice tinged with bitterness: “Have we done something wrong?”

“...” Zheng Fa paused, then explained: “You three have worked tirelessly for me this past month—I should be repaying you.”

“Repaying us?”

“Yes. I calculated it—the profit from our talisman sales, after accounting for stall costs, has been about eleven or twelve spirit stones a month, which includes your labor.”

“...” Han Qi clutched the spirit stone in his hand, dazed. He opened his mouth, voice dry: “You’re really giving it to us?”

The two behind him looked like country bumpkins, staring at the spirit stone as if in a dream.

“Brothers, do you think it’s too little?” Zheng Fa frowned. “I don’t know the market at Jiushan Sect—what do you think’s fair?”

“Too much! Too much!” Han Qi hurriedly said. “Brother, you misunderstand—I just... let me put it this way: we’ve served many senior brothers before, done plenty of work, and never received a single coin!”

“...Then how did you live?” Zheng Fa widened his eyes.

“Senior brothers eat us, we eat junior brothers...”

Han Qi’s voice grew quieter.

Zheng Fa understood now—this trio’s old pattern resembled street thugs extorting protection money.

No wonder they’d acted so unscrupulous the first time he met them.

“Han Brother, I’m now Qi Refining Second Layer—I’m not like those senior brothers who let you bully others. Even if I could, I wouldn’t. Do you understand?”

“We understand! We understand!” Han Qi and the others nodded frantically. “Who wants to do evil when you can earn cleanly?”

Zheng Fa nodded. “Then why did you come today? Just to deliver the spirit stone?”

“No! Sister Yuan ran into us tonight and told us to pass on a message—she says you must prepare your ledgers by tomorrow evening; Sister Zhang will inspect them.”