Chapter 51

Liu Yanyan's intelligence, though modest, was enough to handle Zhang Xilin's grandson—it could even be called a piece of cake. Only on the second night did she herself bring Zhang Chulan to her lodgings, and Zhou Shuo also for the first time saw this person bearing a great secret, seemingly the male lead.

Let's go! Senior Brother Chulan!

Yanyan, this place you live in is really remote! The youth, with fairly delicate features, his long hair tied in a ponytail, his face somewhat forced, surrounded by Liu Yanyan's smiling entourage, looked at the rundown apartment before him with some bewilderment, seeming to ask out of concern.

Student, where would you get money? Never mind, Senior Brother Chulan, let's go! Liu Yanyan laughed, explained briefly, then pushed the reluctant-yet-hesitant youth into the apartment hallway.

This loser vibe doesn't really seem like the legendary protagonist! Zhou Shuo stood atop the lodging, looking down at the youth entering the building, somewhat doubtful.

Having experienced two worlds, Zhou Shuo absolutely had reason to believe that the world he now inhabited was also one like Yang Shen and Qin Shi, existing based on animation, novels, or TV dramas; in such worlds, there is always one or several outstanding characters who drive the plot forward.

Since arriving in this world, Zhou Shuo has met many people; someone like Liu Yanyan is at most a supporting character, Lu Liang might be the protagonist, but only possibly, while the greatest possibility is this Zhang Chulan he just met for the first time—grandson of the former strongman Zhang Xilin, a possible inheritor of the Qi Body Source Flow.

Possessing extraordinary skills beyond ordinary people yet hiding among the masses, he is a textbook protagonist template; but upon actually meeting him, Zhou Shuo couldn't help but feel doubtful, for the loser aura on this guy really doesn't match a protagonist's bearing—protagonists aren't like this hesitant push‑pull; they are either outright righteous gentlemen who flatly refuse, or they pretend to be lecherous while harboring a clear‑minded hero's aura.

You're overthinking it—before Hong Yi rose to prominence, wasn't he also holed up in Wuyin Marquis studying? Let's go down and see first. Zhou Shuo thought for a while, shook his head slightly; before Hong Yi rose, before he himself transmigrated, he too had been a day‑dreaming teenager; whether this guy is the protagonist, he still needs to confirm properly, maybe he's just a superb actor; confirming the protagonist still has a ways to go. Thinking this, Zhou Shuo hurriedly left the rooftop and took the elevator to the floor where Liu Yanyan was.

Let me go, let me go, quickly let me go, who are you? Mixed in the elevator's sound was the teenager's already‑regretful roar; amid his shouts, a few low growls surrounded him—those should be Liu Yanyan's zombies.

Listening attentively to the sounds, the elevator doors reopened; Zhou Shuo stepped out, turned the corner into the room where Liu Yanyan was staying, and indeed saw the wide‑open doorway: the youth Zhang Chulan, whom he had previously thought he'd bumped into for a lucky encounter, was now being pressed to the ground by Liu Yanyan's zombie holding his arm, while Liu Yanyan stood aside with arms crossed, watching; the moment he approached, she turned her gaze toward him.

You've come.

Mm, he's Zhang Chulan; you've infected him with a gu! Zhou Shuo looked at the youth struggling only under the zombie's hand, and couldn't help asking Liu Yanyan; this girl's mindset is very proper—first she lured with beauty, then she captured with gu, not foolishly striking outright.

I'm not some guy with great legs like you. Liu Yanyan's reply was an eye roll.

Let him go! Zhou Shuo looked at the girl rolling her eyes, gave no answer, but instead spoke to the constantly struggling youth.

What do you want to do? Liu Yanyan was a bit puzzled, but still waved her hand to have the zombie retreat.

Tell me, are you cultivating the Qi Body Source Flow? Zhou Shuo automatically filtered out the threatening words, fixed his gaze on the youth's eyes and asked.

Whoa, what Qi Body Source Flow? I'm telling you, I'm a student at Nanda! Zhang Chulan looked at the suddenly intruding man and at Liu Yanyan, whom he had thought was a lucky encounter; panicking and somewhat bewildered, he wondered whether these people were looking for him because of the Qi Body Source Flow—what the heck is that thing!

Then I'll ask you again: what martial art have you learned? Zhou Shuo looked at the somewhat panicked yet physically normal youth and couldn't help asking again, because Liu Yanyan's gu had suppressed him, so he showed no supernatural ability, yet he undoubtedly possessed ability.

What martial art, not martial art? I don't understand what you're saying. Zhang Chulan glanced at the masked, hooded zombie whose exposed hands and feet were bluish‑black; a flash of insight went through his mind, his heart sank involuntarily, and then he instinctively retorted.

Lying. Zhou Shuo heard a missed beat in the heartbeat, instantly cut off the youth's lie, then looked toward Liu Yanyan beside him, thinking to have her act, but after thinking decided he would do it himself.

Faced with this decisive judgment, Zhang Chulan was about to retort, but before he could speak he swallowed the words back, because a hand clamped his throat, pulling him infinitely away from the air; moreover, that hand separated him from the earth, his feet dangling, and blood began to rapidly drain from his suspended body.

My patience is limited. Zhou Shuo, with a single hand locking the throat, lifted Zhang Chulan off the ground, his eyes tinged with amusement; having been infected by the gu, his abilities were sealed, a Qi cultivator temporarily deprived of qi support thus becoming a lamb awaiting slaughter—though refining qi encompasses life and destiny, it cannot fully preserve either nature or fate.

Golden Light Spell—I know the Golden Light Spell, and also Thunder Law. The feeling of stagnation brought despair, instantly breaking Zhang Chulan's mental defenses; he spoke in a stifled voice.

Golden Light Spell and Thunder Law—that's not… Liu Yanyan's expression shifted slightly.

Who taught you? Your grandfather Zhang Xilin. Zhou Shuo looked at the guy who had softened and spoken, glanced at Liu Yanyan whose expression had changed, and formed some judgment in his mind: this guy probably isn't the protagonist; if he fits the protagonist template, he's either a hero or a warlord—a warlord would at first feign surrender and play intrigue, while a hero of steel would never bow his head even if beaten to death.

"Who taught you that? Your grandfather Zhang Xilin." Zhou Shuo watched the guy who had softened and spoken, glanced at Liu Yan Yan whose expression had changed, and at the same time formed some judgment in his mind: this guy probably isn't the protagonist; if he's a protagonist template, he's either a hero or a warlord; a warlord would admit defeat and scheme from the start; if he's a stubborn hero, he'd rather die than bow his head.

Recite your cultivation practice and heart method for me. Zhou Shuo had no intention of releasing him outright; in front of Liu Yanyan he couldn't use the Fire Charm Technique to interrogate, so he had only desperation to force the youth to speak truthfully.

I, I'm going to die. The red on the youth's face began to gradually turn blue.

Hey, if this continues he'll really die. Liu Yanyan looked at the youth whose complexion was approaching that of a corpse, unable to attend to the Golden Light Spell and Thunder Law she had just heard—this guy simply cannot die yet.

As Liu Yanyan's words fell, Zhang Chulan's feet instantly touched the ground again; his body went limp and collapsed, and because of his deep breathing came an uninterrupted coughing sound.

Don't play tricks, I also don't want to hear extra words. Zhou Shuo looked down at the coughing youth and issued a faint urging.

Cough cough, Heaven Earth Mysterious Sect, the myriad qi's origin, broadly cultivating the great calamity, proving my divine powers, within and without the three realms, only the Dao is supreme... Zhang Chulan coughed twice, hearing the faint urging, hastily began to recite a passage of formula.

This is the formula for the Golden Light Spell; cultivating this spell requires circulating qi with Kan and Li interacting, water and fire in balance, visualizing the golden light talisman in the heart, and then…

Circulating qi and visualizing—I want to see you cultivate; internal cultivation should be possible, right? Zhou Shuo looked at the guy who showed no hesitation, his view slightly shifted, stepped forward and placed his hand on the youth's crown; Zhang Chulan also showed no hesitation, began closing his eyes to visualize and circulate qi, the gu not interfering with his internal circulation.

Excellent, no lying, Thunder Law. Zhou Shuo, through contact sensing the opponent's internal qi flow and the golden light talisman visualized in his mind, nodded slightly and began to ask the next question.

Thunder Law is based on the Golden Light Spell, visualizing the thunder talisman in the heart; heart fire gives rise, lung qi contracts inward, condensing qi into thunder… Zhang Chulan slightly raised his head, looking at the aloof man, his tone a bit viscous, yet he recited the formula in one go, then listed a series of qi cultivation methods, and finally uttered an extra sentence.

I haven't lied, but this Thunder Law is not internal circulation; I cannot demonstrate it now.

Tranquil spirit, visualize the thunder talisman—no need for you to provoke qi to demonstrate. Zhou Shuo looked at the guy refusing to demonstrate again, raised his right eyebrow, stepped forward and once more pressed his hand to the youth's head; he could now clearly see that the Golden Light Spell and Thunder Law Zhang Chulan practiced were actually leaning toward Daoist arts, and Daoist arts share a trait: to grasp the essence of divine intent, just as practicing the Azure Flame Silk Palm requires ingesting poison, feeling the poison's sting harming the body, and planting that pain in the mind.

Practicing Daoist arts requires visualization; what is visualized is usually various deities, but there are exceptions—for example, the Jade Pool Sect's Jade Pool world, and also the thunder talisman of this Thunder Law. In fact, those deities, worlds, and talisman scripts are merely appearances; what matters more is the divine intent they contain. Take, for example, the visualization of the thunder talisman in this Thunder Law: Zhang Chulan can draw it, but the talisman he draws on paper has no divine intent; after seeing it, Zhou Shuo absolutely cannot visualize it himself—only by directly observing it from within Zhang Chulan's body, or if Zhang Chulan truly draws the talisman with sincere intent, would it have that effect. But Zhang Chulan is a qi cultivator; he likely cannot draw that talisman's divine intent, and even if he could, Zhou Shuo still wants to see it from his body.

Zhang Chulan looked at the hand pressed on his forehead, gritted his teeth and exhaled a breath, but could only comply; he closed his eyes to visualize the thunder talisman formula from when he previously practiced Thunder Law.

Excellent, thank you. Zhou Shuo, as expected, accurately perceived from Zhang Chulan's qi those coiling electric lights, endowed with spiritual power, making one feel numbness in skin and soul from the talisman script; he opened his eyes and gave the youth a satisfied, kindly smile.

Can I go now? Zhang Chulan looked at the person who had put on a smile, glanced at Liu Yanyan standing nearby with arms crossed, and felt resentful, lowering his gaze slightly with a hint of gloom.

No. Zhou Shuo looked at the youth whose eyes held a hint of gloom, flatly refused, without waiting for his reply or surprise, swung his right arm, and chopped his palm onto the youth's neck, causing his eyes to roll upward.

No. Zhou Shuo looked at the youth whose eyes held a hint of gloom, and flatly refused. Without waiting for his reply or surprise, he moved his right arm, his palm slicing onto the youth's neck, causing his eyes to roll white.