Chapter 27: No Obedience

After Gao Yuan left, the Seventh Young Master’s gaze toward Zheng Fa turned icy.

“Playing brotherly affection in front of me? Do you think I’m stupid? These two yuanfu were Lingwu ed by you alone, weren’t they?”

“Yuanfu?” Zheng Fa’s focus was slightly off.

“Yes, you know nothing—no wonder you’re willing to claim you both Lingwu ed them together.” The Seventh Young Master laughed bitterly, pointing at the book before him: “Gao Yuan must have told you these patterns are immortal sect talismans.”

“He did.”

Zheng Fa nodded.

“He was wrong. I’ll tell you the truth—these aren’t immortal sect talismans at all, and they have no power. They’re called fu-tu; only by Lingwu ing yuanfu from them can you prove you have a talent for the talisman Dao.”

“No wonder Zhao Fu didn’t pursue this thing being leaked out,” Zheng Fa realized.

He had suspected it before.

If these were truly immortal sect talismans, how could Gao Yuan’s father even get them? They’d be too cheap.

Now it seemed his earlier guess was right.

The Seventh Young Master—or rather, Zhao Fu—had deliberately let these fu-tu spread among the servants.

“There’s some intention behind it,” the Seventh Young Master said, as if reading his thoughts: “If someone in our Zhao family possesses talisman talent and Lingwu s yuanfu from these fu-tu, it’s not a bad thing for us.”

“The two patterns I drew… are yuanfu?”

“Exactly!” The Seventh Young Master smiled warmly. “The ones you Jiexi ed are two of the simplest yuanfu. The minimum requirement to become a talisman master is mastering at least one hundred and eight yuanfu.”

Zheng Fa looked at the Seventh Young Master and hesitated: “Seventh Young Master, are you studying this book because you want to become a talisman master too?”

The Seventh Young Master nodded, not hiding anything from Zheng Fa: “Immortal sects are hard to enter—they demand extremely high spiritual root quality. But if you can Lingwu one hundred and eight—or even more—yuanfu, and become a talisman master, it’s much simpler.”

Zheng Fa understood. The spiritual root the Seventh Young Master mentioned was the immortal sect’s most valued quality, like how universities in his past life prized Gaokao scores.

But Lingwu ing yuanfu, possessing talisman talent, was like being a special-skills applicant—eligible for admission with lower scores.

“So do you understand? If your talisman talent is strong enough, you could become a talisman master—and even enter an immortal sect! Then you won’t be a servant of the Zhao family anymore, but a lofty immortal!”

The Seventh Young Master stared at Zheng Fa, his face full of mockery: “Now, do you still claim these were Lingwu ed together with Gao Yuan?”

“...But if I say we Lingwu ed them together, my talisman talent won’t get worse,” Zheng Fa said, puzzled.

“...”

The Seventh Young Master was momentarily speechless. That... was actually true.

He studied Zheng Fa, as if trying to read something from his dark, rugged face.

Zheng Fa’s expression was calm, meeting the Seventh Young Master’s gaze without flinching.

After a long silence, the Seventh Young Master suddenly shook his head and sneered: “So you say this to keep him? Why keep him? For Gao Yuan? No... you’re not doing it for him—you’re angry. You’re angry, and you should be. Since you came to Zhao Fu, every day Gao Yuan brought you your meals—what he ate, you ate too.”

“...Actually, he knew long ago that maybe neither of us would stay, maybe only one of us could remain. But at first, he truly wanted to be friends with me,” Zheng Fa finally spoke.

“So what?” The Seventh Young Master sneered again.

“I’m wondering what made him become jealous?”

Zheng Fa lifted his head, eyes blazing, meeting the Seventh Young Master’s gaze.

“So I wasn’t wrong—you’re angry at me because I said I only wanted one page boy.”

The Seventh Young Master tapped Zheng Fa with his finger.

Zheng Fa spoke slowly: “He was jealous only because he feared losing his position as page boy, because he feared returning home to his parents’ disappointment. If I were him, I’d be jealous too. I’d be even more jealous... because if I lost this position, I’d face even harsher bullying from the villagers, and my mother and sister would suffer even harder lives.”

The Seventh Young Master suddenly laughed: “When you two first arrived, I saw it clearly. Gao Yuan dressed neatly, looked affluent, but his eyes held reverence for me. You? Dressed in coarse cloth, yet your gaze... held no obedience whatsoever!”

Zheng Fa did not refute him.

Gao Yuan’s change wasn’t because he was truly narrow-minded—it was because these lofty people deliberately pushed them into rivalry, into jealousy.

Because as servants, even the smallest position—a page boy—could turn two people into enemies.

It wasn’t really about caring for Gao Yuan’s friendship; Zheng Fa knew, he simply refused to let even his human relationships be manipulated by these lofty ones.

Even though he was born into this world, his five years in the modern era meant, spiritually, he identified more with modern values.

So he could never become an obedient servant.

Over time, in the modern world, he spoke more, acted more like a boy.

In this world, he grew quieter and quieter.

“So you want to keep Gao Yuan—not because you care for him, but because you... want to rebel.”

Zheng Fa said nothing.

Because both he and the Seventh Young Master knew the latter was right.

After a long pause, the Seventh Young Master suddenly smiled: “You have talent. As far as I know, you saw the yuanfu in these fu-tu at a glance. Such talent—even my mother would have to show respect and nurture you.”

“So I agree—I’ll let Gao Yuan stay.”

Zheng Fa bowed slightly to the Seventh Young Master.

Outside the door, Gao Yuan’s footsteps drew nearer.

Zheng Fa suddenly spoke: “Young Master, why?”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you agree to let Gao Yuan stay?”

“I said it—you have talent, and I love talent.”

The Seventh Young Master stared at Zheng Fa strangely, wondering if he’d gone deaf just now.

“No, Young Master, the moment you saw me, you knew I wasn’t a Hege servant. And the moment I saw you, I knew you shared my anger. So...” Zheng Fa’s question, drowned by Gao Yuan’s knock, came out barely audible: “Young Master... what are you rebelling against?”

The Seventh Young Master froze.

Gao Yuan pushed the door open, carrying in the food box, carefully saying: “Young Master, your meal is here!”

Behind him followed several maids ready to serve the Seventh Young Master.

The Seventh Young Master suddenly said something only Zheng Fa could understand: “Above your head is me, is the Zhao family. Above my head... is the immortal sect.”

With that, he waved his hand listlessly, dismissing the two of them.

Gao Yuan followed Zheng Fa out of the study, confused: “What did the Young Master mean just now?”

“He meant we both get to stay.”

“Really?” Gao Yuan exclaimed happily. “Why?”

“Because we solved those patterns.”

“Does the Young Master really believe we solved them together? Didn’t he see you lying? Is he... stupid?” Gao Yuan whispered.

“Well, actually he saw through it. He’s keeping you because he’s actually a good person,” Zheng Fa said, voicing his truest thought.

“Then I still think he’s stupid,” Gao Yuan whispered even lower.

Zheng Fa looked at him strangely: “...Boy, that kind of thinking is dangerous.”

He silently told himself: In this world, no one is born obedient.