Chapter 64: Not a Freebie

The Seventh Young Master, hearing his own sister call him stupid, wore an expression of indignation on his face: "Sister! Your brother is a genius!"

He then turned to look at Zheng Fa, speaking proudly: "Zheng Fa! You go with my sister to Qingmu Sect and suffer for a few years first. Once I rise in Qingmu Sect, don't stay by my sister's side as some kind of personal attendant. She took ten years just to enter the inner sect; there's no future in that. Just follow me!"

The smile on the Eldest Young Lady's face slowly vanished. A hint of danger appeared in her gaze as she looked at her own brother, and she gritted her teeth, wanting to say something.

It was Zhang Shijie who spoke first: "However, your brother's mastery of the Yuan Fu varies greatly. For instance, his accuracy with the Cloud-Rain Fu and Clear Wind Fu is forty percent, but with the Vajra Fu, he can't even recognize one in ten."

Hearing this, the Seventh Young Master was stunned. He couldn't help but turn to look at Zheng Fa, as if remembering something.

"But this situation is normal; most Fu Masters have more talent for certain Yuan Fu," Zhang Shijie continued.

"No!" the Seventh Young Master suddenly spoke up: "It's... the Tu Hai tactic!"

Both Zhang Shijie and the Eldest Young Lady looked at him, while the Seventh Young Master's gaze was fixed immovably on Zheng Fa.

"Tu Hai?" Zhang Shijie this time understood which two characters were meant, but her expression remained very confused.

"It's... the secret method Zheng Fa used to torture, no, train me." The Seventh Young Master seemed not to know how to explain, so he simply broke into a small run back to his study, then returned panting and carrying a pile of Fu diagrams.

"The Cloud-Rain Fu and Clear Wind Fu were both ones I practiced in the past few days."

The Eldest Young Lady raised her eyes to look at Zheng Fa, her gaze full of shock and doubt.

Zhang Shijie, however, looked down at that pile of Fu diagrams, only raising her head after a long while.

She looked deeply at Zheng Fa for a moment before asking: "How long have you been practicing like this?"

"Less than ten days, I suppose."

Zhang Shijie's eyes flickered, and she slowly nodded: "He teaches better than I do."

"Zhang Shijie!" the Eldest Young Lady couldn't help but be somewhat surprised: "You are the Fu Dao genius recognized by the Baixian Alliance..."

"I have also taught junior brothers from Jiushan Sect before, but often the results were not very good." Zhang Shijie frowned, a rare occurrence, seeming troubled by something she couldn't quite understand: "They always say the very simple things I explain are difficult, and their questions are really not worth explaining."

... What is this "Bai Lao's Quotes"?

"Judging by your brother's performance with the Vajra Fu, his foundation before was even worse than that of my junior brothers."

Zheng Fa looked at the Seventh Young Master and smiled. The Seventh Young Master seemed to understand that Zhang Shijie was calling him stupid, and the pride on his face gradually froze.

"Zheng Fa can teach him so well, probably..." Zhang Shijie looked seriously at Zheng Fa, then at the Seventh Young Master: "The two of them can understand each other on certain issues, their hearts connected."

Zheng Fa put away his smile.

... You really know how to swear.

"Moreover," Zhang Shijie suddenly looked seriously at Zheng Fa: "Looking solely at these Fu diagrams, Zheng Fa, your talent in the Fu Dao is not necessarily inferior to mine."

This statement made the Eldest Young Lady widen her eyes as she looked at Zheng Fa.

The Seventh Young Master couldn't help but look at his own sister, his expression saying one thing: Didn't I tell you so?

Thinking back to what his sister had said on the road to the Zheng family courtyard:

"His talent might be outstanding within the Zhao Manor, but compared to those geniuses in the Cultivation World?"

"Zheng Fa and Zhang Shijie, one is in the sky, the other on the ground. Do you understand?"

Now, does my sister know I have the eye to recognize talent, and that she underestimated Zheng Fa?

"I knew long ago that Zheng Fa, you are a talent!" the Eldest Young Lady spoke up.

A look of confusion slowly appeared on the Seventh Young Master's face.

The Eldest Young Lady's gaze toward Zheng Fa was filled with sincere appreciation.

"My foolish brother even said that accepting your training was a sea of bitterness, crying and shouting for me to save him!" The Eldest Young Lady looked at the stunned Seventh Young Master: "He is immature and simply doesn't understand your hardships!"

The Seventh Young Master slowly opened his mouth wide.

"Don't worry, from now on, just train him as you please!" The Eldest Young Lady squinted her eyes, looking at the Seventh Young Master who wanted to speak: "If he doesn't listen, leave him to me; I'll beat him to death!"

After saying these words, the Eldest Young Lady squinted her eyes and looked at her own brother: "Do you have anything to say?"

The Seventh Young Master opened and closed his mouth, unable to speak. After a long while, he let out a long sigh: "Qingmu Sect, is it this rigorous in training people?"

Zheng Fa watched as the enthusiastic Eldest Young Lady led the Seventh Young Master away. He turned his head to look at Zhang Shijie, who was still remaining in his courtyard.

"True Person Zhang, there really isn't a single question left!"

He said helplessly.

"Really?"

"Absolutely true!"

"Do you want to go to the Immortal-Grade Assembly?" Zhang Shijie looked at him quietly and suddenly said.

"..."

Looking at Zhang Shijie with her clear, bright eyes, Zheng Fa suddenly felt that this Jin Dan True Person was not necessarily as ignorant of worldly affairs as she appeared.

"You truly have great talent. These Fu diagrams contain underlying patterns; they cannot be a coincidence." She pointed to the Fu diagrams the Seventh Young Master had brought: "Your comprehension of Yuan Fu is extremely high."

Zheng Fa said nothing; he wanted to know what the person before him was going to say.

"You are very lucky, as your comprehension of Yuan Fu is no less than mine, but you are also very unlucky."

A trace of confusion appeared on Zheng Fa's face.

"Do you know why a Fu Dao Grandmaster tested you but did not take you as a disciple?"

... I don't know; I haven't made up a reason yet.

"Because spiritual energy is in decline." Zhang Shijie looked at Zheng Fa: "At least within the Baixian Alliance, the Nascent Soul True Persons have reached a consensus: unless half of the Nascent Soul True Persons of the Baixian Alliance agree, within every fifty years, each Nascent Soul can directly take only one disciple. Other sects should be roughly the same."

Only then did Zheng Fa ask in surprise: "Has it already reached such a point?"

"Actually, it is also because spiritual materials are hard to come by. If they are not true geniuses, even if taken into the sect, they will find it difficult to grow. Disciples are valued for quality, not quantity."

"Do you know why the Immortal-Grade Assembly is being held early this time?" Zhang Shijie brought up something unrelated again.

Zheng Fa shook his head.

"Because there are rumors that, in addition to restricting the number of disciples Nascent Soul True Persons can take, the Immortal-Grade Assembly will also impose further restrictions, and the number of slots may be even smaller." Saying this, Zhang Shijie smiled and asked again: "Do you know who the people holding slots for the Immortal-Grade Assembly are?"

"Families like the Zhao clan."

"Yes, mostly descendants of Nascent Soul True Persons and Jin Dan True Persons. They heard the news and, fearing delays, decided to hold an immortal-grade gathering right away."

Zheng Fa listened, feeling the situation facing the immortal sect was likely harder than he had imagined.

Direct discipleship was already restricted—now the immortal-grade gathering would also reduce its slots?

Zhang Shijie suddenly produced a jade token, its edges inlaid with gold, depicting nine Shanfeng—its appearance notably precious.

"What's this?"

"The Immortal-Grade Token. With it, you may attend the immortal-grade gathering." She placed the token on the table.

"Zhang True Person, you..."

"I'm Jin Dan myself, so of course I have a slot. I just have no family, and I'm too lazy to use it to curry favor with anyone." Zhang Shijie treated the token as if it meant nothing, setting it casually on the table.

"If my master were here, given your current talent, you'd likely get an Immortal-Grade Token too." Zhang Shijie looked at Zheng Fa: "But I don't care about your talent."

"... So?"

"It's worthless to me—but not free." Zhang Shijie pointed at the token, then turned back to Zheng Fa: "Understand?"

Zheng Fa leaned back slightly.

"Don't worry—soul-searching is strictly forbidden by the Baixian Alliance."

Zheng Fa said nothing. Outside a few people, he trusted very few in this world.

Zhang Shijie saw his skepticism: "Besides, I don't like checking the answers before solving a problem."

This reason had high credibility!

"... True Person, name your price!"

"A hundred questions."

"Deal!"

"Not finished—one hundred questions per month."

So you're after lasting satisfaction?

"... " Zheng Fa gritted his teeth: "Fine!"

"Bring me three hundred questions first." Zhang Shijie glanced at the puzzled Zheng Fa: "How do I know you'll even pass the immortal-grade gathering?"

"Fine!"

Zhang Shijie nodded in satisfaction, tucked away the token, and stepped out of the small courtyard. Suddenly, she halted at the courtyard gate and spoke:

"Drop those suspicious thoughts of yours when you're in front of me."

"Huh?"

"At least in my view, our cultivation brethren's enemies have never been people."

This remark sounded oddly familiar...