[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world":3,"chapter-cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-44":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Cultivation: I Studied Abroad in the Modern World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2263770,4418,"Chapter 44","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-44",44,"\u003Cp>The seventh young master scratched his head: “Did my mother lie to me again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no trace of anger or betrayal on his face—only a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lady probably didn’t lie,” Zheng Fa hesitated slightly, then spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master and Xu the instructor froze; the smile faded from the seventh young master’s face as he stared at Zheng Fa, as if unwilling to believe what he’d just heard:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But didn’t you already cultivate it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu the instructor beside him also furrowed his brow, clearly sharing the same question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can cultivate it, but most people probably can’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two men before him were among the few Zheng Fa truly trusted, yet he revealed nothing of his modern past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But some things can’t be hidden—clearly, from the seventh young master’s words, the Lady understood just how difficult it was to master the Spirit Crane Body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Zheng Fa succeeded in cultivating the Spirit Crane Body, the Lady would deduce he harbored a secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long prepared himself for this—his growing strength made this revelation inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiding it only invites suspicion; better to say nothing, yet reveal nothing either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, the seventh young master and Xu the instructor exchanged a glance, as if sensing something, yet neither asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master’s expression darkened again: “So my mother didn’t lie to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked as if he’d rather have been thoroughly deceived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa turned to Xu the instructor: “So the seventh young master is right—you shouldn’t doubt yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu the instructor’s face shifted through several expressions before he let out a long breath: “So that’s how it is…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master’s voice grew quiet: “Xu instructor, it was my mother…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lady didn’t need to go to such lengths.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu the instructor looked at the seventh young master and smiled: “You’ve probably forgotten—I’m a household-born servant, with a bonded contract in the Zhao household.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If she didn’t want me to leave, one word from her would’ve been enough. Why go through all this trouble, unless she wanted to preserve this master-servant bond?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa nodded—Xu the instructor had a point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From his perspective, his life belonged to the Zhao family; the Lady’s methods were almost gentle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zheng Fa had lived in the modern world—he didn’t fully accept this bond of personal servitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the seventh young master… Zheng Fa glanced at the stunned boy—he simply hadn’t thought it through at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you’ve wasted twenty years…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master still looked troubled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one forced me—I just valued the Spirit Crane Body too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu the instructor smiled sincerely, as if he’d never once blamed the Lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master’s expression slowly lightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have friends—they were all like my younger self, yearning for the Jianghu,” Xu the instructor continued. “They charged in—and never came back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa and the seventh young master listened in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I’ve lived in peace within the Zhao household for twenty years—I even have great-grandchildren now. In that sense, the Lady may have saved my life.” He patted Zheng Fa’s shoulder: “My only regret was the Spirit Crane Body. Now that you’ve shown me what it truly is, what else could I possibly regret?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master thought for a moment, then slapped his hand: “So my mother actually did something good? All this time I’ve been holding it in!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him grin with relief, Zheng Fa glanced at Xu the instructor but said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s late. You two should go back.” Xu the instructor told them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa and the seventh young master took their leave; Xu the instructor stood with his hands behind his back, watching their retreating figures fade into the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At midnight, when Xu the instructor’s nephew rose to relieve himself, he saw a dark shadow standing beneath the moonlight—he nearly fainted, but upon recognizing the figure, he sighed in relief and rubbed his eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, why aren’t you sleeping?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you tell me you wanted to venture into the Jianghu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why bring that up now? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t let me go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing his nephew’s slightly resentful tone, Xu the instructor didn’t turn around—he only gazed at the waning moon: “Go. In a few days, I’ll ask the Lady to return your contract. After today, she’ll likely grant me this favor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you said you wanted me to stay and care for you in your old age…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just write often—tell me what the Jianghu is like. I’ve never seen it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit Crane Heart Scripture brought Zheng Fa unexpected changes: the next morning, when he stretched his arm, he saw a thin layer of skin peeling off his forearm, and white flakes covered his bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he washed his face, his reflection in the bronze mirror nearly made him fail to recognize himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his youth, he’d worked the fields for Zheng Mu, his skin darkened and roughened by sun and wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the face in the mirror was luminously pale, smooth and fine—no pores visible even up close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master’s study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa noticed Gao Yuan staring at him, inching closer and closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zheng Fa, you… smell good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yuan leaned his nose toward Zheng Fa, as if trying to inhale deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop! If you sniff again, I’ll hit you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa swore—he’d never been this terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hadn’t noticed until Gao Yuan said it, but Zheng Fa, you really do smell sweet,” said the seventh young master, looking up from his desk and studying Zheng Fa closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is your face so pale? Did you powder it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t powder anything…” Zheng Fa froze, touching his face. “It must be because of the Spirit Crane Body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You say you mastered the Spirit Crane Body, and now your face is pale and you smell sweet?” Gao Yuan’s eyes widened with deep envy: “To enter the Dao through martial arts—truly miraculous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master, however, seemed to recall something and stroked his chin: “I heard my mother say the Spirit Crane Body is meant to cultivate a Dao Body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dao Body?” Zheng Fa recalled the strange power he’d sensed after mastering the Spirit Crane Body—and understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zheng Fa, how did you master the Spirit Crane Body? When I finally get the Song Crane Stance down, I’ll ask the Lady to grant me the Spirit Crane Body too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yuan didn’t know the secret of cultivating the Spirit Crane Body; hearing this, he now felt genuine interest in the art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, the miraculous changes in Zheng Fa after mastering it had stirred his desire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master beside him said nothing, his eyes bright with curiosity as he watched Zheng Fa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The key is visualization—visualizing all kinds of birds,” Zheng Fa said, having nothing to hide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both nodded, looking impressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master added: “Visualization techniques—I’ve seen them in novels. Truly immortal arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zheng Fa frowned, voicing the doubt he’d carried since mastering the Spirit Crane Body: “But why does visualization work? What exactly is visualization?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up to find the two of them ignoring him entirely, heads together, enthusiastically discussing visualization and the latest novels they’d read.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zheng Fa still frowning, the seventh young master looked up, puzzled: “If visualization works, why does the ‘why’ matter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Doesn’t it matter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both shook their heads, staring at Zheng Fa as if he were incomprehensible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, why did you call me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has Zheng Fa truly mastered the Spirit Crane Body?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He has!” said the seventh young master, smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you grinning about? Do you know what this means?” the Lady snapped at her foolish son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It means he has at least a Nascent Soul True Person behind him—possibly even some scheme against our Zhao household!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh young master froze. He blinked, as if not understanding, then slowly pieced the words together: “Nascent Soul True Person… against our family… a scheme?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lady nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But… what does he want?” the seventh young master asked, genuinely bewildered. “Do we even matter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>",1352,"2026-06-19T19:16:02.864Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","04409d765831c77bee9b82dd597fc2bc33baf27ecce2e5ee802c49359eec24ca","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-45","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-43",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-cover.jpg"]