Chapter 250: Jiushan Sect, Zhang Wuyi

Tongming Shiren did not move forward.

As Qingyun Dasheng had said, the two of them drank together.

Master Pang, however, was frantic and headed toward Jiushan Sect—yet Qingyun Dasheng paid him no mind.

The final scene in the water screen showed Master Pang's back as he commanded the Five Dragon Heavenly Palace, heading toward Jiushan Sect.

Above Jiushan Sect before him, the sky was a dark red.

"Master Huang, who is the other Soul Transformation cultivator…?"

After a moment of silence, Zheng Fa asked Master Huang.

"Your Master Pang had some suspicions in his letter—it seems to be Xuehe Laozu, a demonic cultivator from ten thousand years ago," Master Huang said in a restrained voice, "but back then he was only at the late Nascent Soul stage, and he hadn't set foot in Xuanwei for a long time; rumors claimed he had long since perished, his Dao extinguished…"

"Then…"

"At least when the message arrived, your Master Pang was still unharmed."

Master Huang, as if knowing what he was about to ask, spoke directly.

Seeing them still silent,

Master Huang continued: "Tongming Shiren… has also bought us time by holding off one Soul Transformation cultivator."

"The reason your Master Pang sent back this segment is because the matter is of grave importance—it cannot be explained in words. He wants to warn us… we must prepare."

"Not only has another Soul Transformation appeared, but now the Yu Ling Sect and the demonic clans have allied—our side may no longer be safe."

Hearing this, Zheng Fa said to her:

"Please, Master Huang, give the order."

"Wuyi, you take charge."

Master Huang spoke to Zhang Shijie, and Zheng Fa understood: though Master Huang held higher seniority, because she had long remained on the Seventh Peak, among the disciples Zhang Shijie commanded more respect.

Zhang Shijie nodded, stepped forward, and ascended onto the clouds; her clear voice echoed throughout the encampment:

"All disciples of Jiushan Sect, pack your belongings and gather here."

Soon, all disciples nearby gathered beside the Lei Chi.

Their faces were puzzled; some seemed to have anticipated this, yet none spoke—only stared at Zhang Shijie. Zhang Shijie hesitated slightly, then turned to look at Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa blinked, then spoke: "All disciples below the Golden Core Stage, enter the Lei Chi."

"Those above Golden Core Stage, follow Master Huang!"

"Abandon the Lei Chi Marketplace for now!"

This was the emergency plan they had long agreed upon.

Though everyone looked startled, seeing Zhang Shijie and Master Huang standing by, none dared speak—they all followed Zheng Fa's orders.

Watching the disciples enter the Lei Chi one by one, Master Huang sighed softly.

Zheng Fa, however, kept watching Zhang Shijie—he felt something was off about her today, as if she harbored some secret.

Zhang Shijie's eyes were fixed on the disciples, as if unaware of his gaze—

or perhaps, avoiding him.

…

Zhang Shijie slowly walked into Master Huang's courtyard.

Master Huang did not seem surprised by her arrival; she merely watched her silently.

Zhang Shijie stood before her, then suddenly knelt and bowed her head lightly.

Master Huang gently closed her eyes.

"Speak."

"I beg my master to watch over Zheng Shidi more closely in the future—do not let him take risks, especially do not let him seek me out."

"You're going back?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Earlier, Shidi gave me several books—I understood something…" Zhang Shijie whispered, "Jiushan's Founder may have lost his consciousness during his Soul Transformation."

"How do you know?"

Zhang Shijie hesitated, then spoke the truth:

"I guessed."

Master Huang pressed: "How certain are you?"

"Fifty percent…"

"…"

"You want to return and awaken the Founder?"

"Yes."

Master Huang looked at her disciple and remained silent for a long while.

"How do you plan to do it?"

"Right now, for some reason, Xuehe Laozu has not yet attacked Jiushan Sect… I want to try awakening the Founder. If I cannot, I'll find a way to escape."

Upon hearing this, Master Huang immediately flew into rage:

"How do you escape? How? He's a Soul Transformation cultivator!" Master Huang snapped, "One is Yuan, one is Pang, and now you're going back—leaving me alone here. Do you think I'm afraid of death?"

Zhang Shijie said nothing.

Seeing her expression, Master Huang bit her teeth: "Can you bear to leave your Zheng Shidi?"

Zhang Shijie lowered her eyes and whispered:

"Zheng Shidi is truly good… I know he has worked hard studying Spirit Wood Thunder, and now he has even found a way to protect me—even if Jiushan Sect falls, I can still survive in the Heavenly Stele Realm."

"Then why go back?!"

Zhang Shijie looked to the side: "Master, I've thought about it—staying hidden with my younger brother in the Heavenly Stele Realm isn't so bad."

"…"

"But since I first entered the Dao, I have never taken a single step back…"

"Yes, how mighty you are! Always stirring up trouble! Whoever says a word to you, you must fight back!"

"If there were no way to awaken our Ancestor, perhaps I could convince myself that Soul Transformation is beyond my reach, and hiding isn't such a big deal… but I know I can." Zhang Shijie said, "If I take this step back, I am no longer myself."

"The dead aren't you either!"

"Master, since I joined, I've used the most spiritual materials, and whenever I caused trouble outside, the elders always tolerated and protected me…"

"…" Huang Shu shu suddenly spoke: "If you leave, I'll slap that Zheng Fa to death!"

"…" Zhang Shijie whispered, "Master, you know well what significance my younger brother Zheng Fa holds for Jiushan Sect."

"Moreover… if I truly cannot return, then… Master."

"Hmm?"

"Treat my younger brother Zheng Fa as if he were me."

"…"

"Did Zhang Shijie go back?"

Zheng Fa was taking spiritual materials in his quiet chamber when Huang Shu shu burst in and told him Zhang Shijie had left.

Huang Shu shu stared at Zheng Fa, teeth clenched, "What book did you give her? What did you teach her?"

Zheng Fa ignored Huang Shu shu entirely, instead activating the Wind-Thunder Body, his form flickering as he moved to chase after Zhang Shijie.

"Come back!"

A massive blue hand suddenly appeared in the sky, squeezing Zheng Fa in its palm, rendering him motionless.

"Shu shu?"

"Wu Yi's greatest concern before leaving was you! Let me watch over you!"

"…"

"Tell me what you taught her." Huang Shu shu said. "By the way, these jade cylinders are what she left for you."

Zheng Fa took the jade cylinders, and with a single probe of his spiritual sense, he understood the full story—

He had once suspected that the current Jiushan Ancestor resembled more of the original Ancestor's sentient spiritual treasure.

And the current Jiushan Ancestor seemed to be in a Soul Transformation state.

What he hadn't expected was that Zhang Shijie's research into the spiritual energy circuitry ran deeper than he thought.

She had apparently studied the flow of spiritual energy within the Mountain-River True Form Talisman, and discovered missing or flawed nodes.

In plain terms: Zhang Shijie went back to fix the computer…

And the reason she didn't tell him was likely because she didn't want Zheng Fa to face such a choice…

"What's going on with the spiritual energy circuitry in this jade cylinder? Explain it to me. When I learn it, I'll go to Jiushan Sect and awaken the Ancestor—make her come back."

"…Shu shu, it's too late…"

"…Do you really think I can't understand? I just wasn't interested before. No matter how much you've advanced, you're still Foundation Establishment—can you really stump me, an Nascent Soul? Wu Yi's old mathematics? I taught her all of it!" Huang Shu shu snorted, offended at being underestimated. "Speak!"

…

Three hours later.

"Shu shu?"

Seeing Huang Shu shu's bewildered face, Zheng Fa whispered his name.

"…" After a long silence, Huang Shu shu spoke: "What was that Soul Transformation method you two mentioned earlier?"

"…"

"Maybe I should try it?"

…

In the courtyard, Zheng Fa took out the jade pendant Xiao Yuying had given him and infused it with spiritual power.

A green light flared from the pendant, coalescing into Xiao Yuying's form, landing before Zheng Fa.

"You're calling me already? Did something happen at Jiushan Sect?"

Zheng Fa told Xiao Yuying about the obstruction faced by Tongming Shangren and the apparent emergence of Xuehe Laozu.

"Two Soul Transformations?" Xiao Yuying frowned, thought for a moment, then smiled, "Then you really should find me quickly. I'll get you out of Taiyang Commandery as fast as possible—surely they won't chase a Foundation Establishment cultivator…"

"No, Xiao Xianzi, I'd like to ask you for a favor…"

"No!" Xiao Yuying refused outright. "Two Soul Transformations are here. This matter ends now."

"…"

"Zheng Fa, I can guarantee your life, but beyond that, I'm powerless…" Xiao Yuying said plainly, "Moreover… you're not worth the risk of opposing two Soul Transformations."

This was very Xiao Yuying.

This was also why Zheng Fa had hesitated to bring it up with her before—

This person probably wanted a clever, useful little brother, and the condition offered was merely to save her own life…

Zheng Fa had never expected anything more.

But now was different from before…

Zheng Fa spoke: "What if I could offer you something that would satisfy Xiao Xianzi?"

"You?" Xiao Yuying laughed. "Of all the people in Jiushan Sect, only you are even slightly interesting to me…"

"Xiao Xianzi, does your Electromagnetic Track Body often produce uncontrolled Lei Ting?"

"…"

"When you use the Thunder Art, do you also feel an inexplicable attraction?"

"... How did you know?"

"..."

"Xiao Xianzi, do you know what... electromagnetic induction is?"

"What induction?"

"That's right. If I say my understanding of the Thunder Art comes not from any special talent I possess, but from knowing a bit more than you, would you believe me?"

Xiao Yuying stared blankly at Zheng Fa, as if grasping something, yet still remained confused.

"Xiao Xianzi... if you wish to know, come find me."

Zheng Fa watched the jade pendant before him gradually dim and let out a light sigh of relief.

He had been wondering what could move Xiao Yuying—after thinking it over, besides himself, he feared only modern physics knowledge could do so.

To be honest, he had been somewhat hesitant; his relationship with Xiao Yuying was not nearly as close as his with Zhang Shijie.

But...

Zheng Fa looked toward the direction of Jiushan Sect; Zhang Shijie was nowhere to be found.

When Zhang Shijie arrived at the entrance of Jiushan Sect, the entire sect's mountain-protecting formation had already been activated, even blocking her, an insider, outside the mountain.

"Who is it?"

The Sect Master's voice of inquiry came from within.

"Jiushan Sect, Zhang Wuyi."