[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world":3,"chapter-cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-160":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Cultivation: I Studied Abroad in the Modern World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2263886,4418,"Chapter 160: Heavenly Stele","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-160",160,"\u003Cp>“White Grandpa, Teacher Tian didn’t invite you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ride to Teacher Tian’s house, Tang Lingwumin sighed and said to the old white man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether she invited me or not, I’m an old friend—can’t I even come over for a meal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the front passenger seat, the old white man grunted, clearly displeased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She said… she wanted me and Zheng Fa to have dinner, and specifically said not to bring you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can she really block me at her door?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old white man insisted firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“White Grandpa, are you really that fond of Teacher Tian?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at Zheng Fa beside him, Tang Lingwumin curiously asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not particularly—I’m quite affectionate toward everyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why are you so persistent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it your fault?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old white man lifted his eyes and gave them a disdainful look through the rearview mirror: “You’ve eaten too much dog food—even eunuchs want a partner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, there are only a few people in this nursing home. Who knows if newcomers will suit my taste? I’ve got to find someone I like and feel some attachment to, don’t I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if Teacher Tian doesn’t welcome you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old white man patted the snake-skin sack beneath his feet and grinned smugly: “Didn’t I bring a gift?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Tian’s house was in a remote suburb of Jingcheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A place resembling an urban village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place was sizable—three single-story houses, a small courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it looked quite old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as they got out of the car, Zheng Fa saw Teacher Tian running out with a cleaver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why can’t I be here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t I tell you not to come to my house? I’ll treat you anywhere outside—go, go, go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the cleaver in Teacher Tian’s hand, Zheng Fa turned to look at Tang Lingwumin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both their faces wore identical expressions of confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Does Teacher Tian really hate White Grandpa that much?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why didn’t we notice that last time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An elderly woman emerged, leaning on the doorframe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the old woman appear, Teacher Tian gave up and stopped trying to shoo away the old white man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she saw the old white man, Teacher Tian’s mother beamed—clearly familiar with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little White’s here? Come in, come in!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She warmly ushered the three inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Tian, by contrast, seemed resigned, walking into the kitchen to cook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the courtyard stood a stone table with several round stone stools; Zheng Fa and the others sat beside it chatting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old white man called her Aunt Wu; Zheng Fa and the others followed suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aunt Wu was likely ninety years old, yet she looked robust—no hearing or vision loss. But her speech was slightly slurred, as if she’d lost many teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few small talk exchanges, Aunt Wu’s eyes flickered, as if casually addressing the old white man: “Aren’t you going in to help?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the old white man’s eyes lit up and he hurried inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Tian, upon hearing him enter, wasn’t surprised—she merely glanced wearily out the window at Aunt Wu, then let the old man stand beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she clearly didn’t want to talk to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwumin now understood why Teacher Tian always tried to drive the old white man away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, it was because of her meddling mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aunt Wu, are you… trying to match White Grandpa with Teacher Tian?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Match them?” Aunt Wu sighed: “Little White may be unreliable, but he’s kind-hearted. I used to want to bring them together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that she’s ill, pushing them together would just burden Little White, wouldn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what do you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just want them to stay apart—but if Little White comes to keep my daughter company, that’s good enough… and I get to enjoy a few more snacks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snacks?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa turned to look at the two inside, then at the eager Aunt Wu, hardly believing his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t get it?” Aunt Wu grinned, slightly proud: “Kissing candy! Kissing couples! Get it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I get it… but you’re ninety—still this trendy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aunt Wu pulled out her phone and unlocked the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, it had shopping apps, social media, food delivery apps—all present, even more than Zheng Fa’s phone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re truly up-to-date.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t understand any of this before—I didn’t even have a phone. Now I’m learning more so my daughter feels more at ease.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwumin fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Aunt Wu chuckled: “But I learned too late!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phones are so fun!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Aunt Wu raised her phone and took two photos of the two inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, she put the phone down, glancing at the photos with mild disdain: “Little White can’t even say a word. If you’ve got nothing to talk about, bring a small gift—something he likes, and then you’ll have something to talk about!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way! White Grandpa brought something for Teacher Tian!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has Little White improved?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aunt Wu beamed as Zheng Fa walked over from the doorway, carrying a large snake-skin sack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the sack were written four large characters: XX Cement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like he hasn’t improved much…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aunt Wu muttered, eyeing the sack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa handed the sack to White Grandpa in the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White Grandpa tapped his forehead, opened the sack, and revealed the gift inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a flowerpot, carefully planted with a single herb—a plant dug up from the nursing home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This herb? Why does it look so familiar?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Zheng Fa returned to his chair in the courtyard, he heard Aunt Wu muttering, her eyes drifting toward the courtyard’s corner—where a nearly identical plant grew, only smaller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, don’t bring flowers—but why bring a plant?” Aunt Wu slapped her thigh in exasperation: “If you’re bringing a plant, why bring a weed? Is Little White missing a brain cell?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the kitchen, Teacher Tian also paused upon seeing the herb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t reject it—instead, she carefully examined its leaf shape, as if noticing something odd. She quickly stepped out of the kitchen, retrieved a small shovel from the courtyard corner, and returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She dug up the soil in the pot, gently extracted the root system, and studied it intently for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she examined it, she enthusiastically spoke to White Grandpa beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this even possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the courtyard, Aunt Wu blinked, confused, glancing between Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwumin: “Is this some new internet trend? How do I not understand these young people’s romance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the two inside, totaling one hundred and twenty years old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa felt that the term “young people” carried the aura of the Xuanwei Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuanwei Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Master summoned Huang Yu and Zheng Fa and the others again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huang Shimei has sent another message.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good or bad?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Pang asked further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you find Zhang Shijie?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what kind of good news is that?” Master Pang snorted, clearly dissatisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She found a Heavenly Stele.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Pang’s face froze. His eyes first went blank, then after a moment, his lips twitched upward—but halfway through, his brows sank again, twisting his whole face into a knot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This mix of joy and sorrow was like a face-changing act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A Heavenly Stele?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed doubtful, asking again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This news… is too good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa could hear that in Master Pang’s “too good” lay deep unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is too good,” the Sect Master said with an unusually grave expression: “I’ve already sent word at once to all Nascent Soul sects of the Hundred Immortal Alliance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Pang’s face showed reluctance, his expression pained, yet he offered no objection to the Sect Master’s decision: “That’s exactly right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is a Heavenly Stele?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several others nearby listened in confusion; Master Yi couldn’t help asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Master glanced at them and said: “This concerns you too. The Heavenly Stele… is an ancient magic treasure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ancient?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Better said—it’s said the legend of the Heavenly Stele predates even the second heavenly tribulation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Legend says the Stele contains the ultimate Dao resonance; those who comprehend it can become invincible under heaven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone actually believes that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not just someone believes—it’s someone who actually did it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A name suddenly flashed into Zheng Fa’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The River Heaven Venerable—legend says he attained his dominance over Xuanwei by comprehending a Sword Dao Heavenly Stele from the River Heaven Sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa and the others now understood the Stele’s value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, its most famous disciple was the River Heaven Venerable!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the origin of this Heavenly Stele?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unknown. Legends say it was forged by ancient masters lost to history—but since no records remain, some claim it formed naturally from heaven and earth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother,” Master Pang interrupted the Sect Master’s explanation: “Which Stele is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Huang speculates in her letter that it’s the Thunder Dao Heavenly Stele. The Lei Chi was formed from this Stele—that’s why its power is so terrifying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa now understood why Master Pang felt both joy and dread upon hearing the news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Stele sounded incredibly powerful, thanks to the River Heaven Venerable’s reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Taiyang Commandery was unquestionably within the Nine Mountains Sect’s sphere of influence—this was truly a divine treasure falling from the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lei Chi was too uncontrollable; the Nine Mountains Sect could not conceal the Stele’s existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone ruthless showed up, it could bring about their death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, are you thinking…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such a magic treasure belongs to the worthy. I’ve notified all Nascent Soul sects of the Hundred Immortal Alliance: Taiyang Commandery is open for anyone to come and comprehend it—of course, our own disciples may go too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understood: set aside disputes, develop together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I fear representatives from all five Heavenly Sects will come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Pang sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what do you suggest? Can we forcibly block them?” the Sect Master shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa suddenly said: “Master, shouldn’t we open a new marketplace around the Lei Chi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?” The Sect Master’s eyes lit up: “Explain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My point is: anyone may come to the Lei Chi to comprehend the Stele—but we must ensure our marketplace’s safety, and that no other marketplace exists near the Lei Chi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...How the hell did you think of that?” the Sect Master fell silent for a moment, then exclaimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did he think of it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not everyone who panics for gold gets rich—but everyone who sells shovels does.\u003C\u002Fp>",1745,"2026-06-19T19:16:02.864Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","64fe0d4a4f46ec17c1f5cb146f04cd548bbb752ba1d712d83aa3559580148b71","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-161","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-159",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-cover.jpg"]