Chapter 238: The Dao Is Not Lightly Transmitted, Only to Like-Minded Souls

"Zheng Fa, what do you say? Stay or leave?"

The old white-haired man asked Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa paused briefly; he now understood Tang Mudao a little better… but not enough to trust him fully.

"Professor Bai, I have an idea…"

"Hmm?"

"We need to improve the cultivation scripture transmission system at the retirement home."

Zheng Fa's words made the three of them nod slowly, as if they had thought the same thing.

Earlier, when the old white-haired man mentioned the inner and outer gates, it had sparked this idea in Zheng Fa.

The retirement home never had such a system before, mainly because the four of them got along harmoniously—it simply wasn't necessary.

But now that the retirement home will gradually open up, they will inevitably encounter people like Tang Mudao, with complex personalities…

Zheng Fa couldn't build deep emotional bonds with everyone, and emotions alone couldn't sustain an organization.

"System…" the old white-haired man pondered, "a system is good, but which direction should we take?"

Teacher Tian and Tang Lingwumin watched him curiously.

"My current idea is an academic achievement points system."

"... o it really is a research-oriented retirement home!"

Zheng Fa nodded and spoke:

"For all cultivation techniques, newly researched spiritual materials, and spells, I want to assign corresponding points…"

"I plan for the four of us to evaluate academic achievements…"

The three understood clearly—Zheng Fa had clearly been thinking about this for a while.

"I think it sounds fine, no problems," Tang Lingwumin nodded lightly.

"Even if there are problems, it's fine," the old white-haired man said more broadly, "we've just started; we can fix issues as they come."

…

On the first floor of the retirement home's main building.

Tang Mudao sat restlessly, waiting for Zheng Fa and the others' final decision.

Seeing Zheng Fa step out, he stared eagerly at him and said, "Immortal Master…"

"Professor Tang, you can just call me Zheng Fa," Zheng Fa cut him off, then said, "Regarding your request."

Tang Mudao's eyes blazed with intensity.

"We can let you enter the retirement home."

"Thank you, Immortal Master! No no, thank you, Zheng Fa…"

Tang Mudao looked extremely excited, his legs bending as if he were about to kneel before Zheng Fa again.

This time, Zheng Fa acted swiftly and stopped him.

"But… as for your desire to receive cultivation scripture transmission, it's not possible for now."

Zheng Fa continued.

Tang Mudao's eager expression slightly froze, but he immediately nodded fiercely: "I understand! I understand! Scriptures aren't passed lightly—they must be tested!"

"Even learning xiangsheng requires years of serving tea and water!"

His slightly round face was full of obedient earnestness.

"Good that you understand…"

"I understand! Of course I understand!" Tang Mudao slapped his chest loudly, saying,

"Just tell me what you need me to do!"

"I'll be your ox, your horse, your servant or slave—it's no problem!"

Zheng Fa fell silent for a moment, then said: "... command you to study hard."

"Huh?"

"He means you must first learn the preparatory knowledge of cultivation techniques, then produce research achievements, and only then can you earn scripture transmission and cultivate to immortality."

The old white-haired man gave him a brief explanation of Zheng Fa's academic achievement points system.

Tang Mudao's expression grew increasingly strange as he listened, finally summarizing: "So cultivation now depends on papers? I'm nearly sixty—do I have to get a Ph. .?"

"Cultivation doesn't kill you, so why not study…"

said the old white-haired man.

Tang Mudao glanced toward the retirement home's entrance, as if searching for a signboard.

"What are you looking for?"

"Is this… the Peking University Immortal Studies Department?"

"... our wording is wrong, but it's accurate!"

…

"What has Professor Tang been up to lately?"

"What else could he do?" the old white-haired man thought and said, "He had medical equipment installed, then resigned from his job, saying he'd focus entirely on cultivation."

Teacher Tian asked: "Zheng Fa, are you letting him wander around outside?"

It was clear she didn't fully trust him.

"He hasn't even learned half a technique yet, and even if he had… they have no spiritual energy."

Zheng Fa shook his head.

Now that he could take each step forward, his control over the source of spiritual energy was a crucial reason.

Teacher Tian nodded and added: "But his enthusiasm for learning is high—he's asked me for a lot of data on spiritual plant cultivation."

"He's also asked me for talisman diagrams."

The old white-haired man stroked his chin, recalling: "He even asked me about some topology problems."

Zheng Fa nodded.

The academic points system had greatly ignited Tang Mudao's research enthusiasm.

Suddenly, a screech of brakes came from outside the retirement home; the group turned to see a familiar SUV parked at the entrance.

Tang Mudao rushed out of the car again, frantic.

As he ran, he shouted: "I got it! I got it!" Seeing him nearly stumble, Zheng Fa waved his hand, using spiritual power to support his body.

"Take it slow—what did you figure out?"

"I figured out how to measure the magnetic field of pea sprouts!"

Zheng Fa's spirits lifted and he said: "Explain!"

"I reviewed your earlier records—you started from the spell perspective?"

"Yes."

"Then why not start from the pea sprout itself?"

Zheng Fa understood his meaning.

"You mean measuring the magnetic field around the pea sprout before and after its spiritual transformation?"

"Exactly!"

"We've already discussed this," Zheng Fa shook his head slightly, "it's not very feasible—within the range of spiritual energy, magnetic field sensors don't work; real-time measurement is impossible."

"I thought of that!" Tang Mudao said. "Just place the electromagnetic receivers farther away."

Zheng Fa immediately had a vague idea.

"Professor Tang, elaborate."

"You know, as astronomers, one of our main tasks is receiving electromagnetic signals from space, then using algorithms to determine the energy intensity and distance of their source, while filtering out unrelated interference."

Tang Mudao's laptop displayed a diagram of an array.

"Look—using this array, five magnetic field sensors arranged at specific angles and distances can calculate the magnetic field near the pea sprout, even if they're not close to it."

"The more magnetic field sensors we use, the more accurate the data."

Zheng Fa and the old white-haired man exchanged glances—one thought: this might work!

…

"Calculated!"

Tang Lingwumin cheered and said to Zheng Fa: "At the moment the pea sprout generated spiritual energy, its nearby electromagnetic field changed slightly—look!"

Zheng Fa looked at the computer before him.

Indeed, the magnetic field was already weak, and the change was minuscule—had the measurement method not been relatively precise, Zheng Fa and the others might never have detected such a tiny fluctuation.

With the magnetic field change data, the rest became simple.

"First Form: Spirit Wood Thunder…" Zheng Fa stared at the talisman diagram, his expression far from relaxed, "I wonder if this thunder technique can only stimulate peas…"

"Pea Thunder Technique?" the old white-haired man beside him snorted, "That's a terrible name."

Beside them, Tang Mudao asked nervously: "Does this count as an academic achievement for points?"

"Of course it does!" Zheng Fa smiled and had Tang Lingwumin open their newly drafted points exchange list.

"Points for developing Spirit Wood Thunder… this! We originally set it at one hundred."

Zheng Fa thought for a moment: "Although Spirit Wood Thunder is just a starting point, since it's an innovative concept, I think we should award bonus points—what do you think?"

The old white-haired man said: "Agreed."

They all knew Tang Mudao's main contribution wasn't inventing Spirit Wood Thunder, but the method of measuring electromagnetic changes.

"So we'll give him one hundred?"

Zheng Fa glanced over; the three old white-haired men had no objections.

"One hundred points… what do you want to exchange for?"

Zheng Fa asked Tang Mudao.

Tang Mudao scanned the list: it contained Qi Refining sections of some cultivation arts, a few Thunder-type body refinement techniques, and the rest were entry-level martial arts like "Spirit Crane Body."

He rubbed his hands and suddenly asked, "What does Professor Bai study?"

"Why are you asking him?"

"Whatever he studies, I study—safe!"

Zheng Fa stared at Tang Mudao, confused by his remark.

"When our teacher was captured, he was the first to run away…" Tang Mudao chuckled. "Professor Bai fears death—no, he's just naturally cautious. He's my role model!"

"…"

Xuanwei Realm.

Zheng Fa walked toward the Heavenly Stele with Zhang Shijie and Yuan Shijie, discussing arrangements for entering the Heavenly Stele Realm as they went.

"Young brother, you mean… to open a school inside the Heavenly Stele Realm?"

Zhang Shijie frowned, seemingly unable to grasp Zheng Fa's idea.

Zheng Fa nodded.

It was an idea he had formed after establishing the system at the retirement home.

"Is that necessary?"

Even Zhang Shijie now disagreed—like many others, she viewed the Heavenly Stele Realm as a resource-gathering site; even when Zheng Fa said he wanted to make it Jiushan Sect's base, she saw nothing unusual.

Jiushan Sect had never operated a school within its own territory.

"Sister, I've been thinking about why Heaven River Venerable failed."

"You've mentioned this before—that's why you're gathering collective wisdom."

"Exactly! But talent doesn't spring from cracks in rocks—only education can cultivate the people we need."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shijie slowly shook her head: "There are so many sects in the Xuanwei Realm, and none lack geniuses…"

"No—they may be our partners, but… they're ultimately different."

"Different?"

"Sister, when I just asked you why Heaven River Venerable failed, I think there's another reason…"

"Hmm?"

"The people around him mostly practiced the old methods… and only betrayed him at the final moment."

"What do you plan to do?"

Zhang Shijie asked.

"The beliefs of Xuanwei Realm cultivators are hard to change, but the people in the Heavenly Stele Realm are blank slates…" Zheng Fa slowly laid out his idea. "I hope to educate them into loyal followers of Jiushan, champions of the new methods, and dedicated researchers…"

"Comrades!"

(End of Chapter)