Chapter 227: Not Worth Dying For

"I can tell at a glance you're not human!"

The old white-haired man pointed at Zheng Fa, glaring at the cellular image on the computer screen.

Zheng Fa opened his mouth to protest, but didn't know how.

On the screen, the skin cells of four people were lined up in a row.

Tang Lingwumin and the other two were no different from ordinary humans.

Only Zheng Fa—his cells contained a completely different cellular structure!

"Can you zoom in further?"

Zheng Fa asked Teacher Tian.

He had grown something inside himself—he wanted to see what it was.

Teacher Tian shook his head.

The old white-haired man frowned at the screen, no longer joking: "Why didn't any of us change, only you? And why does it resemble the structure in the pea seedling's cells?"

Zheng Fa shook his head.

His initial hypothesis had been that, as a transmigrator, this might be a difference between beings from two worlds.

But as the old man said—the pea seedling also had something similar.

The pea seedling was a modern variety.

This nearly ruled out that hypothesis.

Another possibility was Zheng Fa's cultivation level: the others were still in Qi Refining, while he had reached Foundation Establishment.

Perhaps this change occurred only after Foundation Establishment.

But the pea seedling had only faint spiritual energy, no sentience, no cultivation at all—and yet it had already developed this structure.

The idea that this was tied to cultivation also seemed untenable.

"Zheng Fa, have you had any recent changes in your cultivation?"

Tang Lingwumin suddenly asked.

"Changes?"

Zheng Fa didn't understand what Tang Lingwumin meant.

Tang Lingwumin dashed out of the lab and returned with a tablet, pointing at the rune patterns on it: "You know, to study the Three-Child Rune, I've been using the Spirit Eye Technique to collect rune patterns from the spiritual energy in the nursing home."

Zheng Fa nodded.

"These past two days, I've found hundreds of new rune patterns in the nursing home's spiritual energy!"

"New?"

"Yes. We originally collected thousands of Divine Name Sub-runes—but these hundreds of new patterns contain Divine Name Sub-runes not in my database."

"… "

Zheng Fa looked at the tablet.

Indeed, all hundreds of these new rune patterns contained the same, unfamiliar Divine Name Sub-rune.

"Hundreds of new patterns is already a lot!" Tang Lingwumin added. "We couldn't have missed them."

"Newly appeared?" The old white-haired man leaned over, studied it for a long while, then said, "I've never seen these before."

Zheng Fa understood Tang Lingwumin's implication: "You think the appearance of the pea seedling might be connected to these hundreds of new spiritual runes?"

Tang Lingwumin nodded slightly: "But I'm not certain."

Zheng Fa's spiritual sense sank into his dantian.

The biggest change in him recently had been this Fusang tree.

If the Qingyang Dao Body truly relates to Dongwanggong, it might indeed be linked to spiritual plants—after all, he had another title: Mu Gong.

His expression turned slightly odd.

Could this thing have some strange quirks?

Earlier, he'd cursed "Qingyang Dao Body," and the Fusang tree appeared.

Now, if he cursed "useless Fusang tree," could he make spiritual plants grow?

Zheng Fa thought for a moment, silently cursing inwardly:

"Damn tree, why can't you make me achieve Soul Transformation in one day and ascend to heaven in three?"

The Fusang tree trembled three times—Zheng Fa was certain it was cursing him, and cursing him badly.

…

Xuanwei Realm.

Most disciples of Jiushan Sect now lived near Lei Chi—so if anything happened, they could all rush straight into the thunder pool.

Zheng Fa's courtyard was among them, right next to Zhang Shijie's, with Huang Yu's nearby as well.

Without the Five Dragon Heavenly Palace, Zhang Shijie refused to let Zheng Fa live too far from her.

After all, the Lei Chi marketplace's arrays were primitive and couldn't guarantee safety.

These days had been quiet; the capture of the square-faced youth hadn't alarmed the demon clans, and with Zhang Shijie and Huang Yu both as Nascent Soul elders, no one dared trouble them.

Zheng Fa entered Zhang Shijie's courtyard holding several books.

Huang Yu was there too; the two women sat at separate low tables, chatting.

Zhang Shijie held a cup of clear tea.

Huang Yu held a tall blue porcelain bottle.

The rich aroma of alcohol pouring from its mouth struck Zheng Fa's nose.

Zheng Fa glanced at Huang Yu again—he remembered her as always cold-faced, expressionless, her gaze as if he were invisible.

He couldn't even recall having seen her smile.

But before Zhang Shijie, Huang Yu was a different person.

Zheng Fa hesitated slightly—he hadn't expected Huang Yu to be here.

Huang Yu slouched on the low table, wine stains on her lips, eyes soft, gaze flowing.

She didn't seem to notice Zheng Fa's entrance, sipping her wine as if he weren't there.

"Sister?"

Zhang Shijie's eyes lit up, staring at the books in Zheng Fa's hands: "What's that you've got?"

Zheng Fa laid the books out before Zhang Shijie.

"Coding."

"From Logic Gates to Computational Theory."

"Principles of Neural Networks."

These books were what Zheng Fa had asked Tang Lingwumin for.

Zhang Shijie's research into the Shanhe True Form Rune's composite patterns wasn't going well—her biggest problem was understanding how circuit changes could produce intelligence.

Zheng Fa understood this field.

But Zhang Shijie was already a mature Nascent Soul—why couldn't she just learn to evolve into a computer herself?

Zhang Shijie flipped through a few pages, her eyelids flickered, she stole a glance at Huang Yu, then said to Zheng Fa: "I'll come find you after I've read them."

Zheng Fa nodded, bowed to Huang Yu, and took his leave.

Huang Yu didn't look up. Only after Zheng Fa had walked far away did she turn her head to Zhang Shijie and say: "So, you won't let me see?"

"Master…"

Zhang Shijie looked embarrassed.

She wasn't foolish—when she'd seen topology, she'd only been suspicious.

But seeing these books, she now understood: Zheng Fa's knowledge came from somewhere else—certainly not something a Nascent Soul True Person could possess.

"I'm your master—do you have to hide this from me?"

Zhang Shijie shook her head: "Master, if it were anything else, I wouldn't hide it. But this might concern Zheng's secret."

"... Everyone has secrets," Huang Yu said, shaking her head. "He doesn't hide it from you—your feelings aren't wasted on a dog."

Zhang Shijie smiled faintly, gently stroking the book covers.

"You…" Huang Yu sighed. "He's only Foundation Establishment. If something happens to him later… think about the kind of life I've lived these past years."

Zhang Shijie stayed silent.

"I don't want you to be like me… There's a saying in the mortal world: deep love shortens life."

"Disciple… gladly accepts it," Zhang Shijie said, lowering her eyes to the books before her.

"... How did I end up with a disciple even more stubborn than me!"

"Master, I have one more request."

"Don't say it—I'll protect your Zheng brother! If he dies, I'll be the only one left in Jiushan Sect!" Huang Yu gritted her teeth. "What sin did I commit!"

…

Outside the Heavenly Stele.

"Yan brother?" Zheng Fa stared at Yan Wushuang, barely recognizing him.

Mainly because Yan Wushuang had changed his attire.

He no longer wore his crane-feather cloak, but a simple white Daoist robe.

The greater change was in his expression.

His eyes no longer held their former frivolity; instead, they radiated calmness.

Yan Wushuang glanced at Chu Tianque and Xue Zhenchuan behind him, then pulled Zheng Fa a few steps away, tossing out several soundproofing spiritual talismans—as if he had something private to say.

"Brother Zheng, I've thought it through."

"Huh?"

Zheng Fa was baffled.

"I intend to inherit our Ancestor's legacy, cleanse the world, and restore order!"

"Wait a moment…" Zheng Fa raised his hand to stop him, then said after a pause: "The Heaven River Sect betrayed Heaven River Venerable."

"Yes."

"Your father, the Heaven River Sect Master."

"Yes."

"So you want to kill your father?"

"Well… not necessarily."

"You really mean to?"

Yan Wushuang, seeing Zheng Fa's question, sighed bitterly: "I only want to reform the Heaven River Sect. If my father were willing to join me, that would be best…"

"Brother Zheng, you don't understand. I've grown up hearing only the Ancestor's name, always proud to be his descendant."

Yan Wushuang's voice was filled with exhaustion.

"Then Han Lao told me our Heaven River Sect are traitors…"

"So that's why you didn't come to the Heavenly Stele last time…" Zheng Fa recalled.

"I won't hide it from you, Brother Zheng—I once considered ending my life."

"…"

Zheng Fa felt a pang of sympathy. This was the flaw of the Heaven River Sect's education system.

Every Heaven River Sect disciple found it hard not to take pride in Heaven River Venerable.

But once they learned the truth—it was a complete collapse of their worldview.

"But Han Lao has always advised me, and now I've thought it through!" Yan Wushuang's tone brightened: "My ancestors erred—I will correct it!"

"The Ancestor's legacy has been forgotten—I will inherit it!"

"I will reform the Heaven River Sect, rediscover new methods, and carve a new path for the Xuanwei Realm."

Zheng Fa nodded repeatedly, praising: "Brother Yan, your words have stirred my blood—I wish I could…"

"Then come with me."

"Huh?"

Zheng Fa fell silent, his face calm.

"I've decided—we can't make a big show of this at first. But I have a small organization, and some allied Daoists. We'll work subtly: seeking the Ancestor's legacy, and finding like-minded allies."

Zheng Fa thought it over—this man meant—

To turn his weirdo fan club into a suicide squad?

"Brother Zheng, you're the first person I came to!"

Yan Wushuang looked at Zheng Fa with sincere earnestness.

"I have one question."

"Go ahead."

"How many of your teachers are—no, how many Soul Transformation cultivators?"

"None."

"How many Nascent Soul cultivators?"

"None either…"

Zheng Fa paused, then asked: "How many people do you have now?"

"Now that you're here, we've got two!"

"Goodbye!"

To be honest, although Zheng Fa and Yan Wushuang's plans differed in detail, their goals weren't entirely incompatible.

At least they were on the same side!

But Yan Wushuang…

If the Heaven River Sect came after them,

Seeing Yan Wushuang, they might say: "The Sect Master's son can still be saved—take him back and educate him properly."

Seeing Zheng Fa? That would be—

"Evil cultist! Not worth sparing!"

…

(End of Chapter)