Chapter 56: Smoke Without Injury, the Inner Landscape of the Dao

The night was endless, rain pouring heavily.

The experience of that twelve-year-old year felt like a nightmare, especially in recent days, tormenting Zhang Fan.

But in his most recent dream, he saw something different.

In the darkness, he faintly saw where he stood—a towering mountain, rolling and undulating, veiled in mist; at its base, an ancient, weathered stone stele bore only two dragon-and-serpent seal characters:

LONG HU!!!

“How does he know?”

Zhang Fan stared blankly at the six characters in the [Thousand-Year Old Demon] chat box, forgetting even the teacup he had crushed in his trembling grip.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong? Did you run into an idiot online?”

Jiang Hu, beside him, leaned over at the sound.

Zhang Fan switched pages with both hands and tossed the broken teacup straight into the trash.

“Nothing…” Zhang Fan, distracted, shook his head.

“Don’t let your consciousness stir. If you meet an idiot online, you should be glad.” Jiang Hu hurried to comfort him.

“Glad? Why?” Zhang Fan paused.

“It means society is progressing, the nation is developing, people’s living standards are rising rapidly—not that internet users are becoming idiots, but that the internet has reached even the idiots…”

“This glorious age is as you wished.”

“…“

Zhang Fan narrowed his eyes, staring at Jiang Hu: “You’re really good at comforting people.”

“I’ve got even better…”

Jiang Hu glanced around, pulled a flyer from his chest, and shoved it into Zhang Fan’s hand.

“A new foot massage parlor just opened at the square. Let’s go unwind after work?”

“Know Contentment and Be Happy!?”

Zhang Fan looked at the name of the foot massage parlor and saw two bold promotional slogans on the flyer:

Wash away all guests, health gifts for heroes.

“See? Know contentment and be happy…” Jiang Hu stamped his foot, visibly excited.

“We’ll talk after payday.”

Zhang Fan shoved the flyer back. He had no interest in foot rubs right now.

Originally, after returning from Zhenwu Mountain, Zhang Fan’s goal was simple: train hard, reach the [High Skill] rank as soon as possible, and recover the lifespan lost from awakening his divine ability; if he could ascend to the [Tianshi] rank within his lifetime and return the Zhenwu Jade Tablet to Zhenwu Mountain, that would be even better…

Carrying it made him feel like he was dragging around a time bomb—any day now, trouble might come knocking.

Beyond that, if he could master the Dao and return to a simple, ordinary life of food, drink, and leisure, that would be perfect.

But…

Since returning, Zhang Fan realized life had changed utterly compared to before…

He could no longer return to his quiet, ordinary days.

Thinking of this, Zhang Fan dismissed Jiang Hu, turned, and opened the chat window with [Thousand-Year Old Demon]…

“What do you mean?”

“Speak…”

“Who are you?”

Zhang Fan sent three messages in quick succession—when suddenly, the [Thousand-Year Old Demon]’s black avatar turned gray…

“Offline!? Fuck…” Zhang Fan cursed under his breath, took a deep breath, and tried to calm his agitated consciousness.

“Forget it…”

The most feared two words in mortal attachments are: forget it.

“I’ll just focus on my cultivation.”

Zhang Fan knew clearly: right now, the absolute priority was to cultivate hard and strengthen his power.

Whether to recover his lost lifespan, shed the Zhenwu Jade Tablet, or live a simple life of food, drink, and leisure—none of it was possible without formidable cultivation.

If he had sufficient strength, he wouldn’t have been so outmatched when facing Wang Tao, forced to rely on Jiang Lai risking her life to protect him.

He didn’t even know how Jiang Lai was recovering now.

“Jiang Lai…”

Thinking of this, Zhang Fan clenched his fists unconsciously. Since Zhenwu Mountain, Jiang Lai had saved him countless times. Never before had he craved strength so desperately.

“I’m already a [Skill Disciple] now…”

Among the nine ranks of Daoists, crossing [Qi Worker] leads to [Skill Disciple].

Zhang Fan had now mastered the [Heavenly Peng Fang] from the [Northern Emperor Method], officially entering the [Skill Disciple] rank.

“Not enough!!” Zhang Fan felt pressure mounting.

Above [Skill Disciple] lay [Mystic Master], above that [Spirit Officer], and only then came [High Skill]…

Zhang Fan had a long road ahead.

The only consolation was that [Night Unlit] had granted him a relatively safe and stable space and time to grow.

“If only there were a way to accelerate progress…”

Zhang Fan pondered. Finally, after work, he packed his things and stood to leave.

“He doesn’t have much time left!!”

In the office, Bai Budai hugged his thermos, watching Zhang Fan’s retreating figure through the window, murmuring softly.

If Longhu Mountain were reopened, the Zhenwu Jade Tablet would surely be reclaimed—Zhang Fan would have to go there no matter what. Without [High Skill] cultivation, in such a setting, he’d truly be helpless.

…Night gradually enveloped Yujing City.

Walking down the street, Zhang Fan thought of his boss’s instruction: reach [High Skill] before September 9th next year…

Was that even possible!? “Does he really think I’m a beast of burden?” Zhang Fan muttered to himself.

“Zhang Fan!”

At that moment, a call came from a nearby alley.

Zhang Fan stopped, turned—and saw a familiar figure.

“You’re… the client from earlier?” Zhang Fan instantly recognized the young Daoist before him.

“I’m Cao Wushang, from Bai He Guan.”

Cao Wushang introduced himself, slowly stepping out from the alley’s depths: “I’ve been waiting for you to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

Zhang Fan grew wary internally. He could no longer ignore the name Bai He Guan.

“Someone saw you associating closely with Wang Tao before the He family incident,” Cao Wushang said calmly.

He was in full charge of this He family case and had gathered all intelligence from the very first moment.

“I didn’t know his identity,” Zhang Fan explained.

Who could have imagined that the delicate, sweet-tempered classmate Wang Tiantian would turn out to be Wang Tao, the Boar of the Twelve Zodiacs!? Zhang Fan had felt nauseated for days over it.

“Hmm, ignorance is no crime…” Cao Wushang nodded. “But…”

He shifted tone abruptly: “I mentioned it outright in front of Bai Budai today—but he brushed it off casually…”

“If there were truly nothing suspicious, he could have explained clearly…”

“Two possibilities…”

Cao Wushang raised two fingers: “Either you’re connected to Wuwei Men, and this ‘misunderstanding’ isn’t a misunderstanding…”

“Or your own identity is suspect, which is why Bai Budai is being evasive…”

With these words, Cao Wushang’s face broke into a sly smile: “I personally lean toward the second possibility…”

“But whether you’re connected to Wuwei Men or not—I’ll find out by investigating.”

As he spoke, Cao Wushang stepped toward Zhang Fan: “Come with me.”

“Come with you? Do you even have enforcement authority to order me around?”

Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow, coldly.

“So you want to suffer a bit, then?” Cao Wushang stood firm, his robes stirring without wind.

Hum…

At the same instant, Zhang Fan vanished in a blur.

“Tian Peng, Tian Peng, Nine Yuan Fiend Children!”

…

Chant reverberated, hand seals formed; intense yin energy instantly turned to wrath. Two fangs materialized from Zhang Fan’s shoulders, piercing forward with force, striking straight at Cao Wushang.

“Northern Emperor Method, Tian Peng Fang!”

Cao Wushang’s pupils shrank sharply—he was blasted backward like a cannonball, crashing deep into the quiet alley, smashing through a wall, sending up a cloud of dust.

“Come on, let’s go?” Zhang Fan, coldly, leapt forward.

“Great Law of the Dao: Smoke Without Injury!!”

At that moment, a casual voice emerged from the swirling dust. Cao Wushang stepped forward calmly, dust swirling around him, yet not a single wound marred his body—not even a tear in his robes.

“So you’re the one behind the Northern Emperor heir rumors that shook Yujing City…”

Cao Wushang’s gaze toward Zhang Fan changed instantly—his earlier casualness now laced with terrifying brilliance.

“Bai Budai’s little temple really does hide monsters…”

Excited words echoed in Zhang Fan’s ears. His eyes flared as dust surged—and Cao Wushang drifted forward like a withered leaf, landing right before him.

"Today, I’ll teach you, Bai Buran, what true Daoist art really is!"

"The Grand Sect’s law: outwardly united, inwardly divided!"

As he spoke, Cao Wushang extended a finger, pressing it to Zhang Fan’s third eye—the very space where the Nascent Soul resides.

Outwardly united, inwardly divided: the body remains, but the Nascent Soul has shifted position…

This is the technique of the cuckoo in the magpie's nest: one's own Nascent Soul enters another's body to spy on their secrets.

Hum…

In an instant, Zhang Fan’s body shuddered violently, his third eye burning as if on fire.

The next moment, Cao Wushang’s Nascent Soul entered his body.

Hum…

Torrential rain poured down, thunder rolled, and the surrounding scene startled Cao Wushang’s Nascent Soul.

“This is an inner landscape!!!?” Cao Wushang froze.

Daoist cultivators, once their Nascent Soul awakens, can perceive ten thousand external landscapes—the shifting lights of heaven, earth, sun, moon, stars, clouds, and auroras.

Beyond that, they can also observe inner landscapes within their own bodies: the forms of flesh, sinew, bone, organs, and Nascent Soul.

Boom…

Lightning flashed, wind howled, rain fell in wild torrents, yet all around was utter darkness—no glimmer of light, only a crushing sense of annihilation rising from every direction.

“This… this… Great Night Unlit… How… how is this possible?”

At that moment, Cao Wushang’s Nascent Soul snapped to alertness—his face finally twisted with deep shock and terror.

(End of Chapter)