[{"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-71":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},2263797,4418,"Chapter 71","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-71",71,"\u003Cp>Zheng Fa wasn’t unwilling to let his family live well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these shops and courtyards weren’t things he could hold onto now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he failed to enter an immortal sect at the Immortal Product Gathering, such wealth would surely invite conflict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention others’ covetousness—even the Zhao family might have someone trying to seize them, since all these assets came from the Lady’s share of Zhao family property.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he successfully entered an immortal sect, based on the Young Mistress’s situation, for at least the first few years, he’d have to leave his mother and sister in Jingzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two women, one of them under ten, even with Zhao family protection, would struggle to hold onto this wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he thrives later in the immortal sect, his mother and sister’s good days are still ahead. If he fails, these present riches will one day be returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lady pointed to the chest and said, “I moved all this way—you must take at least one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind her, Chief Wu glanced at the chest on the table, then at his own hands, falling into thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the Lady gave them their slave contracts, living in the Zhao household was no longer appropriate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa picked up one land deed—it was a two-courtyard residence, small, only about half again larger than the current Zheng family courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its only advantage was proximity to the Zhao residence; this area was full of noble households with many guards, relatively safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should anything happen later, Zhao family assistance would be easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combined with the shop Chief Wu gifted, his mother and sister could live comfortably without drawing envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lady frowned slightly as she saw him choose the smallest courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I already said it was tuition—Zhang True Person said you taught well, yet you… this really puts me in a bind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, she unfastened a purple small pouch from her waist, and a jade box larger than the pouch appeared in her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Storage bag?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa recalled Zhang Shijie’s bracelet—he hadn’t expected the Lady to possess such a magic treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Wu, watching the chest he’d carried all this way, then down at his own hands, then at the Lady’s storage bag, wore even deeper contemplation on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lady seemed to know what Zheng Fa was thinking and waved her hand: “The cheapest kind—not comparable to Zhang True Person’s storage magic treasure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She carefully opened the jade box, revealing ten transparent stones faintly tinged blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are these?” Zheng Fa had a guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spirit stones,” the Lady explained. “These are my savings from when I was in the immortal sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flicker of pain crossed her face—giving up these spirit stones pained her more than parting with those extremely valuable properties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been to an immortal sect too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course—how else did I cultivate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could you tell me what an immortal sect is really like?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to these spirit stones, Zheng Fa was more curious about the true nature of the immortal sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An immortal sect…” The Lady’s eyes glimmered with memory. “If you have outstanding talent, it’s a realm of immortals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If your talent is mediocre, you live worse than ordinary mortals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just like me—I gave up cultivation and returned to the mortal world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re an immortal drift who got tired and came home to lie flat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lady’s memories of the immortal sect seemed unpleasant; she didn’t wish to elaborate, merely pointing to the pile of spirit stones: “These are my years of savings from the sect—everything except what I set aside for Fan’er and the other two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nowadays, spirit stones are harder to come by even in the immortal sect—this Zhao family compound might not be worth a few of them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening, Zheng Fa’s gaze toward the pile of stones grew reverent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the Lady’s words, this was worth at least one Zhao family compound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if fearing he’d be dissatisfied, she added: “If you grew arrogant because of that Immortal Product Token and took those properties, I wouldn’t have given you these spirit stones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Talent matters, but without your character, talent might kill you faster. Giving these to you would be wasted—better to wait until my foolish son starves in the sect, then I can still support him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, spirit stones were extremely valuable—the Lady who’d given courtyards and shops without blinking now seemed oddly stingy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa thought for a moment, then picked up the jade box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the Lady seem to relax, looking at Zheng Fa seriously: “I came here. Whether you see these spirit stones as compensation or as an alliance, I only want to hear one thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa stood, bowed to the Lady: “I regard the Young Master as a friend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several days later, the entrance to Zheng Fa’s home grew lively again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was the day the Zheng family moved out of the Zhao residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yuan and Chief Wu had come specially to help pack—unlike their previous move, when Zhao family belongings barely filled one ox cart, the Zheng family’s possessions now required four or five horse-drawn carts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides the furniture Chief Wu had gifted earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lady later sent more daily necessities, saying they’d be useful for their first days outside the residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa looked around the empty Zheng family courtyard, then back at his mother and younger sister beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces held more confusion than joy—they didn’t know how to live now that they were no longer Zhao servants, especially his mother, for whom the outside world was alien and dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get in the cart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa took his sister’s hand and led them toward the lead cart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the driver, he paused: “It’s you again? Such a coincidence?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The driver was the old man who had always brought him into the residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This isn’t coincidence,” the old man laughed, jumping down to place a small stool beside the carriage step so Zheng Mu and Zheng Shan could climb in, then said to Zheng Fa: “I nearly fought to the death with other drivers to get this job.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fought?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These carts had been assigned by the Lady’s orders—official duties within the residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zheng Fa didn’t understand the word “fought.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone knows the Young Master is about to become an immortal—they all want to soak up some immortal aura.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I still remember when I said, after thirty years serving in the Zhao residence, I’d never even seen an immortal’s hair,” the old man said, glancing at Zheng Fa with awe. “Now I can tell people: not only have I seen an immortal, but the immortal rode in my cart!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa smiled and shook his head, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the Lady’s subtle hints and warnings,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>these people farther from the immortal sect seemed to harbor more fantasies about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the carriage, Zheng Fa lifted the curtain and waved farewell to Chief Wu and his son, who remained behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The driver cracked his whip; the wheels rolled forward, heading beyond the residence gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the departing carriage, Gao Yuan’s emotions were complex; he turned and saw his father’s expression was even more so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, are you laughing or crying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course laughing—my eyesight is so good, Zheng Fa has risen so fast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why does it look like you’re crying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… How good is my eyesight! I haven’t even firmly grasped his thigh, and he’s already flown away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the carriage, Zheng Fa asked the driver:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This route seems wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d passed through the back gate many times—he knew the way well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lady gave orders,” the driver replied with a smile. “Today we leave by the main gate—sending you off properly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the wheels rolled over the stone road, the driver sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This main gate hasn’t opened in years—I’ve driven for thirty years in this residence and never used it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I remember when I brought you to the Zhao residence—you rode on my fruit cart, entering through the servants’ back gate…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that you’re becoming an immortal, the residence’s main gate opens just for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to the driver’s sigh, Zheng Fa slowly rubbed the Immortal Product Token in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Just as they passed the gate, he heard the driver murmur: “Chen family’s carriage? Why is it parked at our gate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t I tell you about the three great families of Jingzhou? The Chen family is one of them, equal to the Zhao family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The driver continued: “Our families used to get along well, but I heard the Seventh Young Master had conflicts with several of their young masters—recent contact has been rare. I didn’t expect Chen family to come today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several? All of them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s exactly the kind of thing the Seventh Young Master would do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder he didn’t come to see us off.\u003C\u002Fp>",1475,"2026-06-19T19:16:02.864Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a497b70c7a0f96e49d315ca9a711fc5a742ba9dc4806eb4215e28fe5b21dd440","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-72","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-70",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-cover.jpg"]