Chapter 179: Quiet

The Dao?

What Senior Sister Zhang said is a bit of an overstatement.

Zheng Fa couldn't help but pause in surprise.

His idea, put simply, was this—

The Five Elements Sub-characters are actually the inherent nature of spiritual Qi.

The material basis of the talisman foundation is spiritual Qi.

Therefore, perfecting the talisman foundation requires only the Five Elements Sub-characters.

As for the other two categories of Sub-characters, they are not essential to the talisman foundation; as for what they are—Zheng Fa cannot determine that yet.

He currently leans more towards Tang Lingwu's theory of Sub-character interaction:

These two categories of Sub-characters determine how spiritual Qi interacts with other substances, but exactly how they determine this, Zheng Fa currently has no clue.

Zheng Fa's current argument is this—I will set aside for now what these two categories of Sub-characters represent, because the talisman foundation is essentially spiritual Qi, so I focus on the Five Elements Sub-characters, which can well explain the problem of Yin and Yang generating each other.

Furthermore, because the phenomenon of Yin and Yang generating each other can be deduced, once the Five Elements Sub-characters are produced, those two categories of Sub-characters will also be generated accordingly.

This point is quite simple to explain.

But the problem is, without having discovered the Five Elements Sub-characters, one could not propose this idea.

Without understanding the relationship between Yin-Yang and chirality, one could not have this idea either.

Senior Sister Zhang had already stopped speaking.

Her entire body became transparent like glass, and within her, two lotus thrones joined at their bases appeared.

This time, these two twin lotus thrones slowly merged into one, becoming a single lotus.

And at the center of the lotus throne, a Jin Dan appeared, embedded in the lotus heart like a lotus seed.

Within the Jin Dan, there was a human figure resembling an infant, with eyes closed as if in deep sleep.

This figure's face bore an eight-tenths resemblance to Senior Sister Zhang.

Only the body proportions were the standard three-heads-tall, the face like a young child, extremely cute.

In the talisman patterns on the petals, the parts belonging to the Five Elements Sub-characters transformed into a ring of five-colored light, slowly flying to the head of "Little Senior Sister Zhang," as if placing a five-colored hair ribbon upon her.

The remaining petals also gradually peeled off the lotus throne, winding around "Little Senior Sister Zhang," transforming into a pink-and-white dress.

Those other two categories of Sub-characters turned into the golden patterns on the hem of the skirt, appearing somewhat mysterious.

"Little Senior Sister Zhang" seemed to sense Zheng Fa's "affectionate" gaze, opened her eyes, and looked towards Zheng Fa.

Her expression was rather fierce.

Yet, combined with her tiny stature and chubby cheeks,

she actually appeared even cuter.

Zheng Fa felt no fear at all.

"You go back first!"

Just as Zheng Fa was lost in the sight, Senior Sister Zhang suddenly spoke.

Zheng Fa inexplicably heard a hint of shyness in those words.

"Senior Sister Zhang?"

Zheng Fa asked in confusion.

"My heart has attained realization, and I am prepared to form the Nascent Soul," Senior Sister Zhang said softly: "Forming the Nascent Soul may bring a heavenly tribulation; it is somewhat dangerous for you to remain here."

Zheng Fa was startled in his heart and nodded, preparing to leave.

"Do not rush to establish the Foundation just yet." Before Zheng Fa could lift his foot, he heard Senior Sister Zhang say again: "Wait until I have formed the Nascent Soul; see if there are any lingering dangers in this 'Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method,' and then you may establish the Foundation."

Zheng Fa was stunned.

He had not expected Senior Sister Zhang to have such thoughts.

"Senior Sister Zhang."

"You will not give up the 'Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method', will you?"

Senior Sister Zhang smiled, as if she had seen right through him.

"Yes."

Zheng Fa could not give up the 'Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method'.

The reason was simple: his greatest asset in the modern world currently was not that he was a cultivator, but the 'Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method'.

The nine spiritual talismans within the 'Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method' were currently his foundation in the modern world.

The 'Spirit Mountain Method' relied on the Spirit-Opening Talisman.

Healing the sick and saving lives relied on the Nourishing Spirit Talisman and the Taiyi Talisman.

Cultivating spiritual plants relied on the Evergreen Talisman.

Plus some self-defense spiritual talismans; one could say that without the 'Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method', he would lose nearly eighty percent of his abilities in the modern world.

Senior Sister Zhang looked at him silently.

Zheng Fa couldn't help but feel somewhat ashamed.

Senior Sister Zhang was likely considering everything solely for his sake, which is why she thought of using the Spirit-Transforming Pill to dissolve the Yang Yuanfu Dao foundation—this was almost the safest path.

But he had reasons he could not speak.

"I will not ask you why, nor will I force you," Senior Sister Zhang spoke only after a long silence: "But I have one request: after I have passed the tribulation of forming the Nascent Soul, then you may establish the Foundation."

"Senior Sister Zhang?"

"Let me test whether your theory is effective first..."

"Yes..."

Hearing Zhang Shijie's words, Zheng Fa pursed his lips and said nothing.

In the end, Zheng Fa's words were merely a theory.

Whether it was truly so, Zheng Fa dared not be certain—Zhang Shijie saying this likely meant she intended to take the risk for him.

Or rather, she at least wanted to confirm this method could truly lead to Nascent Soul formation.

……

When Zheng Fa stepped out of the Lei Chi, he realized Zhang Shijie's Nascent Soul formation had been extraordinarily turbulent.

He turned to look: above the Lei Chi, five-colored auroras cascaded like waterfalls, and spiritual energy surged like tidal waves.

This spectacle covered hundreds of li of sky, visible to all.

He furrowed his brow slightly, looking worried, and slowly walked back to the marketplace.

As soon as he reached Wu Long Tiangong, Pang Shishu blocked his path.

"Is Zhang Shijie about to form a Nascent Soul?"

Clearly, he understood the source of the sky's spectacle.

"Yes, I had a sudden insight," Zheng Fa nodded lightly. "I'm currently attempting Nascent Soul formation."

"Excellent!" Pang Shishu exhaled deeply, shouting loudly, his expression genuinely joyful: "With Zhang Shijie's talent, once she takes this step, she gains three-tenths more certainty than others!"

Other disciples of Wu Long Tiangong also broke into smiles.

No one was foolish—Zhang Shijie might be domineering within the sect, but that was an internal matter.

Outside, she was Jiushan Sect's anchor.

Even a blind man could see Jiushan Sect now faced a threat from Zizaimo Sect—a single Nascent Soul was of immense significance.

Moreover, this Nascent Soul could rival ordinary True Persons even while still at the Golden Core Stage.

"You?"

After his joy, Pang Shishu suddenly seemed to recall something, looking at Zheng Fa with a strange expression.

"... I merely made a small contribution," Zheng Fa said humbly. "It's still Zhang Shijie's own extraordinary talent."

Pang Shishu nodded lightly, neither confirming nor denying belief, yet his expression held visible turmoil.

"Pang Shishu?"

"Do you think I misjudged that Huang fellow?"

"Huh?"

"You, a Qi Condensation cultivator, helped Zhang Shijie break through to Nascent Soul," Pang Shishu said slowly. "My friend tried saving his wife and got crushed trying..."

"Huh?" Zheng Fa didn't follow Pang Shishu's logic.

"Perhaps it wasn't that the Huang fellow was too impulsive—but that my friend... wasn't talented enough?"

A look of relief appeared on Pang Shishu's face.

Zheng Fa couldn't help wanting to scratch his head.

Had this mental block just been resolved?

The logic didn't seem entirely flawed...

But I see your friendship with him was always this shallow.

……

Pang Shishu shook his head, quickly set the matter aside, and turned to another topic: "Zhang Shijie forming a Nascent Soul is certainly good, but I fear Zizaimo Sect won't sit idle."

Zheng Fa nodded lightly.

Previously, Zizaimo Sect's Nascent Soul cultivators had pursued Zhang Shijie; though Xuanguan Jian had blocked them, they still held the initiative.

If Zhang Shijie had died trying to form a Nascent Soul, it would have suited them perfectly.

Even if they waited until the Lei Chi changed, then surrounded and killed her, it would be like catching a turtle in a jar.

So they weren't in a hurry.

But now the Lei Chi still stood, and Zhang Shijie was about to ascend to Nascent Soul.

Naturally, they could no longer tolerate it.

This was precisely what Zheng Fa had feared.

"Forming a Nascent Soul takes about ten days. In these ten days, the marketplace, the Lei Chi—there may be major upheavals!" Pang Shishu's face turned serious as he ordered the disciples in the hall: "Carry out my command: from today, the marketplace is under lockdown. No disciple may leave without permission!"

Hearing this, the disciples' faces flushed with tension, their eyes filled with fear—

Everyone knew these words carried mortal danger.

In the following days, Wu Long Tiangong grew unusually quiet; footsteps became scarce.

Everyone prepared for a great battle.

……

Modern era.

4:30 a. m.

Zheng Fa opened his eyes precisely on time. He quietly lifted the blanket, stepped off the bed with care, and entered the bathroom to wash up.

With his current cultivation and agility, these movements made no sound except the trickle of water from the faucet.

In truth, washing up held little necessity for him now.

He merely did it daily on schedule to avoid arousing suspicion from his dorm mates.

After finishing, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and left the dorm at around 4:40 a. m.

By five, he arrived at a secluded lawn and sat cross-legged to cultivate.

One inconvenient thing about university—on weekdays, since he had to live on campus, he had no place to cultivate.

Unlike at Qing Shui High School, where he could cultivate at home at night.

If he stayed in the dormitory, his roommates would inevitably ask a few questions.

Later, he simply came to this lawn near the gymnasium—few people noticed him there.

Mainly because he discovered that Jingcheng University had quite a few strange people.

Some came early in the morning to practice their singing voices.

Some danced with unsheathed long swords.

A couple of them practiced boxing.

They were all students.

Sitting in meditation, he actually counted as one of the most normal ones among them...

Cultivating until nearly eight o'clock, Zheng Fa stood up and walked toward the campus library; if there were no morning classes, he basically went to the library.

At this time, the library had not yet opened its doors.

But quite a few students were already queuing up.

Zheng Fa stood behind a male student; the other turned his head, saw Zheng Fa, smiled, and greeted him: "So early again? You're a freshman, yet you're more punctual than us graduate students rushing to finish our theses!"

This was a graduate senior from the Physics Department, surnamed Yang; recently he had probably been grinding out his thesis, coming to the library every day, and had become familiar with Zheng Fa.

"You're only a freshman; why not properly enjoy university life?" Senior Yang seemed to recall his own past: "Let me tell you, the first two years of university are the most comfortable days of life... There's no rush to endure the bitterness of the library later."

Zheng Fa shook his head.

Bitter?

He didn't think so...

He liked the library very much.

Liking to read books in the library was one reason.

Sometimes, when he felt tired from reading, he also liked to watch the students in the library—some were reading books, others were doing practice problems.

Some might just have taken a computer or a phone to play in the library.

Generally, everyone was very quiet.

Very much like the quietness in the Five Dragon Heavenly Palace recently.

It was just that the reason for this quietness was ultimately different, which made him like the library more and more.