Chapter 116: Late Arrival

It can be taken; as a Jin Dan cultivator, this small building would likely fall to Yuan Shijie with a single palm strike.

But she possesses spiritual arts and chooses not to use them, insisting instead on carrying it with her own arms.

Back and forth, running up and down without tiring, her expression was inexplicably proud and joyful.

It was clear the gifts were indeed not sent by a single person.

The various kinds of food could be overlooked.

There were also spiritual talismans, pills, and handcrafted items.

What Zheng Fa found most unbearable was that—likely from a tailor shop—several dresses had been delivered.

It felt as though the wrong person had received them.

"Zhang Shijie, perhaps you should take this dress back and wear it?"

Zhang Shijie reached out and picked up the dress closest to her.

Only when the hem unfurled before Zheng Fa did he see clearly that the dress was designed quite cleverly—

Areas that need not be covered were tightly sealed, feudal and rigid.

Areas that should be covered had not a scrap of fabric.

Zhang Shijie simply watched Zheng Fa silently, saying nothing, her gaze extremely sharp.

Zheng Fa pressed his lips together and spoke dryly: "Ahem, I'll take it back... I'll return it!"

He was deeply shocked—who said cultivators in the Xuanwei Realm were not quite open-minded?

Could you at least ship it discreetly?

The items were actually few; Yuan Shijie finished moving them in three trips.

They did not appear to be of high value—after all, the gift-givers had little money.

But the three of them surrounded the pile of gifts, silent for a long while, until finally Zhang Shijie spoke:

"The reception boat cannot stop."

Zheng Fa and the other two nodded lightly.

Han Qi and the other two, mouths stuffed full, strolled slowly through the market district.

"Senior Brother, is it my imagination? Why do I feel there are even fewer people arguing in the market today?" The tall, thin one swallowed a bite of cake and asked puzzledly.

Han Qi was not surprised; he smiled and explained: "When people can earn money and have hope for their lives, naturally their grievances diminish."

The tall, thin one nodded, unsure whether he understood or not; his gaze turned to several senior brothers at the street corner, his tone somewhat resentful: "Before, it was these few who spoke ill; now they are eating happily!"

"No matter." Han Qi showed no anger on his face, his tone quite relaxed: "Do not be angry over these people. Senior Brother Zheng has now won the people's hearts; a few words from them cannot slander him."

"True!" The tall, thin one thought and grew cheerful: "Senior Brother Zheng has Zhang Shijie above and the people's hearts below; now he is aligned with the great trend. In the future, he will surely be firmly established in this market district."

"Zhang Shijie?" Unexpectedly, Han Qi's tone was somewhat strange: "Given Senior Brother Zheng's ability and talent, whether this market district will ultimately bear the surname Zheng or the surname Zhang is truly uncertain."

"I will take Zheng Fa as my disciple!" True Person Pang's expression was resolute, as if he had made up his mind.

Zhou Qianyuan looked at his own Master, wanting to speak but daring not.

Turning again to look at the senior brother beside him, Sun Daoyu, he found that Sun Daoyu's face also faintly showed opposition.

Zhou Qianyuan himself had no objection to Zheng Fa; indeed, he greatly admired Zheng Fa's attainment in the Dao of Talismans.

He could even treat Zheng Fa with the rites due to a master.

A little face and status meant nothing to him.

But... the significance of Master wishing to take Zheng Fa as a disciple was different.

This might concern his own future path to Nascent Soul.

Given Master's current regard for Zheng Fa, the spiritual materials previously accumulated for him might all have to be given to Zheng Fa.

How could he accept this?

As for why Sun Zi was somewhat unwilling, he could understand a little.

Sun Zi had previously had an unpleasant relationship with Zheng Fa and had even attempted to seize the immortal-grade token.

If one thought more pragmatically, Sun Zi had taken great care of him before and had contributed much.

If Master took Zheng Fa as a disciple, would not all those prior contributions be wasted?

But True Person Pang was a Nascent Soul True Person; his decision left the two no room for comment.

Seeming to perceive their reluctance, True Person Pang glanced at them and spoke:

"Do you think I value Zheng Fa too highly?"

The two exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads and replied: "Disciples dare not; we obey only Master's command."

"If this Zheng Fa were merely somewhat talented, I indeed would not insist on taking him as a disciple; after all, he was brought in by Senior Niece Zhang..." True Person Pang explained: "Do I truly lack such a disciple?"

"Then?"

"No matter how formidable he is, can he hinder a Nascent Soul True Person like me?"

True Person Pang smiled somewhat coldly.

"But why now, Master..."

"Because you are too stupid!" True Person Pang looked at the two, frowned, and scolded: "I previously said not to care about the goading below; you may contend, but with restraint. But now? The two branches are as hostile as water and fire. I can still suppress it now, but what about later?"

"..."

Sun Daoyu's face flushed red, then turned pale.

The conflict between the two branches had gone too far; this was indeed not True Person Pang's intention.

He and the Master of Zhang Shijie, True Person Huang, merely disagreed in principle.

But the disciples below first contended over principles, then over resources, and later they did not even know what they were contending for.

Decades have passed, and this old grudge has accumulated; now, it is difficult to clarify the right and wrong.

On the other hand, it was also caused by the inaction, or even the fanning of the flames, by these mid-level disciples.

"Qian Yuan, you tell me yourself, can you compare to Shijie Zhang?"

Zhou Qian Yuan lowered his head in shame: "Disciple... has no confidence."

Upon arriving at Jiushan Sect, the more one understands Shijie Zhang, the more one realizes her terrifying nature.

Her character and abilities are absolutely the number one among the next generation of disciples.

Her status within the sect is even no lower than that of one's own master.

"Now there is Zheng Fa again. It is one thing that his talent is high, but now he can also win the hearts of all the low-level disciples." True Person Pang sighed: "With him and Shijie Zhang working together, is there any place for you people in the future?"

"Disciple is incompetent..."

Sun Dao Yu and the other lowered their heads and said.

True Person Pang shook his head and sighed: "That person surnamed Huang has too much luck, picking up Shijie Zhang, and now there is Zheng Fa again! If you want things to be easier for you in the future, the best way is to take Zheng Fa into your lineage."

Sun Dao Yu slowly nodded, understood True Person Pang's meaning, and pondered: "If Shidi Zheng is this powerful, and joins our lineage, the balance of strength between the two lineages will shift with one increase and one decrease, and we will have no worries."

True Person Pang looked outside the mountain, as if gazing at something, and suddenly said to the two: "Not only that, given his relationship with Shijie Zhang... in the future, he might even resolve the dispute between our two lineages."

"Master?"

"The Baixian Alliance is already showing signs of chaos..." True Person Pang glanced at the two: "Do you two understand?"

After bidding farewell to True Person Pang, neither Zhou Qian Yuan nor Sun Dao Yu spoke; Zhou Qian Yuan felt stifled in his heart, while Sun Dao Yu beside him seemed lost in thought.

At the moment of parting, it seemed he saw the displeasure in Zhou Qian Yuan's heart.

Sun Dao Yu spoke: "Since the Master cares so much for us, even if he values Zheng Fa again in the future, he will still plan for you. Rest assured."

"Yes, thank you, Shixiong Sun."

Hearing this, Zhou Qian Yuan felt a bit better in his heart and clasped his hands in gratitude toward the other.

"Shixiong Zhou is too polite."

"Hmm?"

Zheng Fa sat on the cushion in the study, swallowed a newly purchased Soul-Consolidating Pill, and prepared to condense the third Yang Yuan Dan.

The spirit stones used to purchase this Soul-Consolidating Pill were earned from the reception boat—although Han Qi and the other two no longer set up stalls, they were still selling spirit talismans for Zheng Fa.

Among those spirit talismans on the boat previously, there were some newly drawn by Zheng Fa.

Within Jiushan Sect, these spirit talismans could probably only sell for about ten spirit stones.

But in other markets, they could sell for twenty spirit stones—the talisman masters of Jiushan Sect are simply too competitive, causing the price of mystic-grade talismans to be much lower than outside.

For this Yang Yuan Dan, Zheng Fa had far more choices than before.

Since discovering the Five Elements Sub-Talismans, and having Shijie Zhang as such a top-tier laboratory.

They have researched the Yin-Yang and Five Elements attributes of many talisman diagrams.

Especially since what he is about to condense now is a Yin Water Yang Yuan Dan—Shijie Zhang is likely a Water Spirit Root, and she has researched water talismans the most.

Among nearly a hundred choices, he prepared to condense a Yang Yuan Dan called the Nourishing Spirit Talisman.

The main effect of this Yang Yuan Dan is very simple: to nourish the soul and repair mental disorder.

This is prepared for Tang Lingwu's mother.

Not to mention the friendship accumulated between the two, just regarding the discovery of the Five Elements Sub-Talismans this time.

The greatest credit certainly belongs to Old Bai.

But Tang Lingwu also made an indispensable contribution—at the very least, she actually put up the money.

On the other hand, Zheng Fa feels that if the Nourishing Spirit Talisman is useful for Tang Lingwu's mother, it could achieve great things in the modern world.

He thought very clearly: besides being able to accelerate his own cultivation speed, the "Tao of Talismans Foundation Establishment Method"

The environment where it can truly shine is actually the modern world.

Spirit talismans are, after all, common things in the Xuanwei Realm and not very rare; the Yang Yuan Dan condensed by the "Tao of Talismans Foundation Establishment Method" is hard to produce a decisive effect.

But in the modern world, it is different.

This thing can allow him to cast spells in the modern world!

Following this train of thought, the choice of condensed talisman runes does not need too much killing power; some weaker auxiliary spirit talismans would actually be more effective.

Zheng Fa has two principles for choosing Yang Yuan Dan:

First, it should enhance his self-protection ability—for example, the Upright Shadowless Talisman.

This is to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Second, it must be able to solve some problems that modern science cannot yet fully resolve—for example, the Nourishing Spirit Talisman and the like.

This is to acquire more resources in the future.

His divine sense fell into his dantian, and he quickly condensed the Nourishing Spirit Talisman.

After the Nourishing Spirit Talisman appeared, it immediately joined the previous Upright Shadowless Talisman and Frost Blade Talisman, as if they were one.

Modern times, Old Bai's house.

Today, when leaving the classroom and walking toward Old Bai's house, Tang Lingwu suddenly said she had something to do, asked Zheng Fa to go to Old Bai's house first, and that she would be a bit late.

But her being late was not just a bit.

When Tang Lingwu arrived, it was already more than an hour later.

What made Zheng Fa and the other two care even more was that there was some water on Tang Lingwu's face, as if she had washed her face.

If looked at closely, the corners of her eyes were slightly red.

Old Bai suddenly stood up, his face showing anger: "You cried? Were you bullied on the way here?"

Zheng Fa also walked over, deeply concerned in heart, yet harboring other suspicions.

"It's not…" Tang Lingwu sniffled, her voice thick and nasal: "Teacher, I may not come to class anymore."