Chapter 206: Child Talisman Diagram

Xiao Yuying looked deeply at Zheng Fa twice, then fell silent for a moment.

"... In this Heavenly Stele Realm, how many Zheng Fas are there?"

Xiao Yuying suddenly asked.

Zheng Fa froze for an instant, guessing the other party's thoughts in his heart.

This Xiao Xianzi had probably seen through his Foundation Establishment cultivation and seemed somewhat unable to accept it...

"Forget it..." Xiao Yuying also seemed to realize her slight loss of composure and spoke again: "Zheng Fa, Zheng Fa... I seem to have heard your name; are you one of Zhang Wuyi's people?"

"..." For some reason, Zheng Fa felt his reputation in the Xuanwei Realm was a bit strange: "I am a disciple of the Jiushan Sect."

That Xiao Yuying nodded, looked at him twice more, as if wanting to engrave his name deeply in her heart.

She did not converse with anyone else, turned around, transformed into rosy light, and flew out of the Lei Chi.

Watching her actions, Zheng Fa could not help but feel somewhat surprised in his heart—this person did not know whether she possessed some special treasure or a unique cultivation technique, but she moved through the Lei Chi without the slightest hindrance, flying and leaping as usual.

Watching her depart into the distance, Yan Wushuang slowly approached Zheng Fa's side and sighed softly: "You must have seen how arrogant this person is, Junior Brother Zheng."

Zheng Fa nodded; this Xiao Yuying was probably only being somewhat polite in her speech because his current ranking was slightly higher than hers.

But during her conversation with Zheng Fa, her air of looking down on everyone was undoubtedly correct.

She had not even spared a single glance at Yan Wushuang and the others...

When he turned to look at the others, he discovered their expressions were also quite unpleasant.

They already held some grievances against Xiao Yuying, and now with her attitude, they naturally felt unhappy in their hearts.

"If Fellow Daoist Zheng were not here, who knows how arrogant this person would become!"

Someone said indignantly.

"Exactly!" Someone in the crowd even suggested: "Since we happen to meet Fellow Daoist Zheng today, let's go to the market town for a drink!"

"Excellent! Excellent!"

Zheng Fa looked at this group of people; the last time he saw them, he had not witnessed such unity among them—indeed, the best way to make friends with someone is to curse others together with them.

As the greatest contributor to this ranking surpassing Xiao Yuying, he was surrounded by a crowd as they walked toward the market town.

In the Five Dragons Tiangong, Uncle-Master Pang stood at the entrance, gazing at the sky.

In the sky, Sect Master Yuan brought a flying shuttle slowly downward, landing in the market town.

After coming to a stop, some disciples descended from the flying shuttle, among them Zhou Qianyuan and others.

"Master!"

Zhou Qianyuan followed several senior and junior brothers forward, bowing respectfully to Uncle-Master Pang.

"Very good; you all will take over from the other senior brothers in guarding the Lei Chi for these coming days," Uncle-Master Pang nodded at them and said: "Although the spiritual energy in the Lei Chi market town cannot compare to that of the Jiushan Sect, the monthly stipend is higher, so you are not being wronged."

Zhou Qianyuan and the others exchanged glances and all responded affirmatively.

Only after they had walked far away did Sect Master Yuan slowly approach.

"None of these disciples were unwilling to come, were they?"

The spiritual vein of the Lei Chi market town was barely better than nothing, all of it used to supply the market town's spiritual formation.

Therefore, Zheng Fa had suggested that the disciples of the Lei Chi market town and the Jiushan Sect rotate every period of time to avoid unfairness.

"Unwilling? They were fighting to come!" Sect Master Yuan snorted and said: "Nowadays, who in the entire Jiushan Sect does not know that the Lei Chi market town has abundant spirit stones?"

"So even you, who swore never to leave the Jiushan Sect, have come?"

Sect Master Yuan narrowed his eyes, suddenly staring at Uncle-Master Pang for a long while before saying: "Did I offend you?"

"No..."

"No, that tone of yours; why do I feel it is somewhat familiar..."

"..."

"I remember now; back when I became Sect Master, you spoke to me in exactly this manner..."

"... Absolutely not the case!" Uncle-Master Pang's face stiffened, and he changed the subject: "Wasn't it said that Senior Brother would stay behind to guard the Jiushan Sect while Zhao Shimei Huang escorted these disciples? Why is it that Senior Brother has come personally?"

"Isn't it all because of that Heavenly Stele Realm you people keep talking about!" Excitement surged onto Sect Master Yuan's face as he said: "If my disciple's one's own idea can succeed, it would be tantamount to securing ten thousand generations of peace for our Jiushan Sect! How could I not come?"

Upon hearing this, Uncle-Master Pang suddenly understood.

The spiritual veins of the Jiushan Sect were of course important.

But facing the temptation of controlling the Heavenly Stele Realm, even this senior brother who had stayed within the sect for several thousand years could no longer remain seated.

"Then what does Senior Brother's coming intend to..."

"I heard that the Heavenly Stele Realm places the utmost importance on lightning techniques," Sect Master Yuan said, expressing his own idea: "In our sect, besides me, who else is proficient in this method! My disciple is only at Foundation Establishment, with a shallow foundation; I came wishing to teach him a bit more, so he will have more confidence within the Heavenly Stele."

Uncle-Master Pang was stunned, actually beginning to look at this senior brother with new respect.

"This does not seem like you, Senior Brother..."

"Heh, do you think only you care about the Jiushan Sect?" The Sect Master sneered coldly and said, "I am also preparing to personally go to the Heavenly Stele! How could I let my disciple go alone?"

"Senior Brother?"

Uncle-Master Pang was dumbfounded; this cry of 'Senior Brother' was filled with deep affection and sincerity, devoid of the slight resentment from before—going to the Lei Chi as a Nascent Soul cultivator always carried some risk, and he knew very well how lazy and life-cherishing this senior brother was.

"Although I have not left the Jiushan Sect for a long time," Sect Master Yuan's face displayed considerable heroism: "this time, regarding the Heavenly Stele, I am determined to succeed!"

Uncle-Master Pang looked at Sect Master Yuan, and finally a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

"With Senior Brother here, I am no longer worried about that Xiao Yuying..."

"Who?"

"Xiao Yuying, the Xiao Xianzi of Lingye, Xiao Yuying..." Uncle-Master Pang, thinking he did not know Xiao Yuying, explained further: "This person has also come to the Lei Chi; from her demeanor, she regards the Heavenly Stele as already in her bag. As Senior Brother said, Nephew Zheng has only just entered Foundation Establishment and has studied lightning techniques for a very short time; I was indeed somewhat worried about who would claim the Heavenly Stele..." Upon hearing these words, Sect Master Yuan silently walked toward the flying shuttle.

"What is Senior Brother doing?"

"I am going back to prepare to move house!" Sect Master Yuan said.

"Move?"

"That Heavenly Stele is about to be snatched by Xiao Xianzi — if we don't move, are we just going to wait for the Zizaimo Sect to come knocking on our door?"

"…"

Uncle-Master Pang looked at his own senior brother.

Where was that earlier air of absolute determination?

"You don't understand… you don't practice thunder arts. You look at that Xiao Xianzi and only feel that her fortune is deep…" Zhu Yuanzhang sighed deeply: "Only we Nascent Soul cultivators who practice thunder arts understand — this person… at the very least has the potential for Soul Transformation."

Uncle-Master Pang was stunned.

"Let me put it this way for you." Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Judging from her experiences growing up, the insights we only gain when we cultivate thunder arts to the Nascent Soul stage — she was probably born with them."

"…"

Hearing his senior brother say this, Uncle-Master Pang's heart sank. He turned it over in his mind for a long while before opening his mouth dryly: "Then Fellow Disciple Zheng…"

"Gaining some spiritual materials in the Heavenly Stele Realm is also good."

Zhu Yuanzhang's words were somewhat tactful.

"Then Senior Brother, you'd best not leave either — teaching Fellow Disciple Zheng a bit more would be good too." Uncle-Master Pang grabbed Zhu Yuanzhang, not letting him run off: "Most importantly, we still need to enlighten Fellow Disciple Zheng a little."

Just then, a large group of cultivators came toward the market town from the direction of Lei Chi.

Leading them — who else but Zheng Fa?

These people's cultivation levels varied — most were at Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment, but there were also quite a few Jin Dan.

But regardless of cultivation level, they all clustered around Zheng Fa, as if he were their center.

This group crowded around Zheng Fa as they headed toward a tavern.

"My disciple has such good social skills?" Zhu Yuanzhang turned to look at Uncle-Master Pang and asked.

"No." Uncle-Master Pang frowned too: "Fellow Disciple Zheng usually stays in seclusion at the Five Dragon Heavenly Palace, with not much socializing."

"Then what's going on?"

Uncle-Master Pang couldn't make heads or tails of it either, so he simply summoned a disciple and sent him to the tavern to take a look.

After a while, that disciple quickly ran back to the Five Dragon Tiangong, a look of delight on his face.

"Master, Sect Leader — Zheng-shidi and the others are celebrating!"

"Celebrating? Celebrating what?"

Uncle-Master Pang and the other exchanged a glance, even more baffled.

"They say that on the Heavenly Stele rankings, Zheng-shidi is currently ranked first."

"…"

"Someone secretly told me that Zheng-shidi just barely edged out that Xiao Xianzi…"

"…"

"Old Zhu." Uncle-Master Pang was silent for a moment, then said: "How about you go back first?"

"…Don't I need to teach my disciple?"

Zhu Yuanzhang, on the contrary, didn't want to leave anymore.

"Teach what?" Uncle-Master Pang snorted lightly: "Someone who wants to run at the mere mention of Xiao Xianzi's name…"

"…" Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him for a long while, then suddenly had a revelation: "That expression — it's exactly the same as the way you used to talk to me back when I first became Sect Leader!"

"Nonsense! The Sect Leader position is yours, this fine disciple is also yours — am I not allowed to be a little jealous?" He looked toward the tavern, as if he could see Zheng Fa inside, making many friends and chatting freely: "This Fellow Disciple Zheng — he's just like me!"

……

The moment Zheng Fa stepped into the Five Dragon Tiangong, he saw his own master standing in the great hall, apparently waiting for him.

He hurried forward to bow: "Master, you've come?"

"Not bad!" Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him with a smile, seeming very pleased: "I heard you even edged out that Xiao Xianzi — very much in the style of my younger days."

Zheng Fa couldn't help glancing at Uncle-Master Pang — he thought he heard the uncle-master give a soft "tch."

"What about Jiushan Sect?"

Zheng Fa clearly remembered that earlier his master had refused to leave Jiushan Sect no matter what, afraid of being robbed at home.

"Now, the Heavenly Stele Realm is our top priority!" Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to have forgotten how he'd been about to go back and move house earlier, and declared boldly: "Although taking charge of the Heavenly Stele Realm is difficult, if we can truly achieve this goal, we'll never have to fear that Zizaimo Sect again."

Just as they were discussing the Zizaimo Sect—

"Junior Brother," Zhang Shijie's voice came through: "It seems we've discovered some secrets of the Zizaimo Sect!"

Zheng Fa turned his head and saw Zhang Shijie leading Yuan Shijie, Yuan Shijie carrying a coffin, and Lin Lin Bu Fan standing beside the coffin, all walking toward the hall.

"Sect Leader?" Zhang Shijie seemed to have been busy earlier and hadn't noticed the Sect Leader's arrival — she was still a bit puzzled now.

"You say you discovered secrets of the Zizaimo Sect?" The Sect Leader waved his hand and pressed: "What secrets?"

"This matter has to start with Zheng-shidi's Three-Symbol Theory." Zhang Shijie glanced at Zheng Fa, then explained the Three-Symbol Theory to the two of them.

After finishing, she paid no heed to the deep-in-thought Sect Leader and Uncle-Master Pang, and turned to Zheng Fa: "Junior Brother, you previously asked Yuan-shimei to melt this bronze coffin — she tried every method and couldn't melt it. Later, two symbol diagrams appeared on the coffin."

"Symbol diagrams?"

"Yuan-shimei doesn't understand topology, but I could tell at a glance… these two symbol diagrams are actually the same as the two that have been appearing in Lin-shidi's blood."

Zhang Shijie explained.

What is this supposed to be?

The Zizaimo Sect's trademark?

(End of this chapter)