[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dragon-lies-hidden":3,"chapter-the-dragon-lies-hidden-the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-46":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dragon Lies Hidden",{"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},2289344,4477,"Chapter 46: Spring Goes, Autumn Comes","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-46",46,"\u003Cp>Cultivation knows no days or months; Wei Yuan spent day after day absorbing lunar radiance, until at last he saw Zhang Sheng again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another half-month had passed since their last meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan had been eager, but seeing Zhang Sheng’s cold, impatient expression, he knew his master’s anger had not yet faded. Yet what kind of anger could last a full month?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan dared not ask, so he stood silently, awaiting Zhang Sheng’s inspection of his progress. He had been expanding his contemplation map for over fifty days—longer than any recorded record—yet the shadow within the full moon had not moved an inch, let alone diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it came to cultivation progress, Wei Yuan felt uneasy: it had taken him over fifty days just to expand the contemplation map to eight zhang in size, which was barely acceptable, but his daily advancement was painfully slow, and the map showed no unusual phenomena—the red line on the jade toad’s back had vanished, washed away by his senior sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Generally, such a situation had only one explanation: Wei Yuan lacked enlightenment. It wasn’t as if the jade toad were fake and would fade with washing, was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Wei Yuan was still expanding his contemplation map, Zhang Sheng showed no surprise, only ordered him to manifest the map for inspection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan complied, summoning the jade toad gazing at the moon within his spiritual sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the contemplation map was nothing but large: the ground was barren, the giant rocks dull, the jade toad’s skin pale—only the shadow within the full moon held any distinction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who cultivated the Jade Toad Gazing at the Moon map all carried great destiny, and that destiny manifested primarily within the full moon. The extraordinary phenomena arising from such great destiny were naturally extraordinary: the recorded contemplation maps of past disciples each bore marvels—dragons and phoenixes, auspicious beasts, celestial tripods for offering to heaven, towering green peaks, celestial palaces layered in tiers—each one terrifying in its grandeur. Yet those who left their maps in the texts sought nothing less than future reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bao Yun’s contemplation map, filled with gods and demons within the full moon, was worthy of inclusion among the disciples’ records—and ranked high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In comparison, Wei Yuan’s shadow was pitifully meager. It didn’t just look poor—it delivered poor results: the foundation it produced was unstable, and even after Ji Liuli’s refinement, it was barely passable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After inspecting the map, Zhang Sheng offered no comment, and turned to question Wei Yuan on history and technical theory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>History was Wei Yuan’s strength; he answered fluently. Technical theory, however, was a patchwork of miscellaneous studies; with his foundation still unformed, he had devoted nearly all his time to absorbing lunar radiance—when had he found time to study technical theory?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While inspecting his progress, someone knocked on the courtyard gate. A Daoist laborer entered, delivered a sealed letter, then turned and left without uttering a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The envelope bore the words: “For Zhang Sheng’s Eyes Only.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Sheng snorted—it was clear someone knew he was here and had sent it deliberately. He didn’t bother guessing who; he simply tore open the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper. But at a single glance, his eyebrows twitched slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan longed to see what was written, but Zhang Sheng shifted his stance, blocking all view of the letter. Wei Yuan’s sharp eyes caught a glimpse of a long number—something about immortal silver, counted in ten thousand taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reading the letter, Zhang Sheng turned the two pages into a fireball, and they vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Wei Yuan and asked: “Has Ji Liuli been refining your foundation all this time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. She said it must be done for three months.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, Wei Yuan felt Zhang Sheng breathed a faint sigh of relief upon hearing “three months.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Sheng placed a jade vial on the table and said: “This is Peiyuan Pill. It greatly replenishes primordial qi and accelerates cultivation. Take one every three days—this is a month’s supply.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Master!” Wei Yuan bowed in gratitude, yet his inner pressure grew heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Taichu Palace, elixirs are an essential part of cultivation, indispensable. In alchemy, Taichu Palace stands among the pinnacle of the cultivation world; many of the elixirs produced by Zao Hua Guan are famed for their gentle nature and potent effects. The Peiyuan Pill, for instance, greatly accelerates progress in the Casting Body stage—especially in muscle and sinew refinement. One pill equals ten days of cultivation. Its nature is so mild it can be consumed without limit, hailed as the supreme elixir for Casting Body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such divine medicine is desired by all, and thus costly: each pill costs one hundred and twenty taels of immortal silver, never discounted. Only the core scions of noble families can afford to eat them like rice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan’s monthly stipend barely bought one Peiyuan Pill, so he had never dared dream of it. Now, though Zhang Sheng wore a scowl toward him, this vial of Peiyuan Pills revealed his true intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After placing the elixirs down, Zhang Sheng said: “I’ll return next month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, I have one more question,” Wei Yuan quickly called out, voicing his doubt: “I’ve surpassed the historical record for expanding the contemplation map—what should I do now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as the shadow in the moon remains, continue cultivating. Don’t concern yourself with anything else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Zhang Sheng’s words, Wei Yuan finally felt at ease—but before he could bow farewell, Zhang Sheng shot into the sky and vanished instantly, as if unwilling to spare him another word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zhang Sheng left, Wei Yuan immediately resumed cultivation. His progress was already far slower than others’; he must seize every second. Now with the elixirs, he dared not waste a moment. Each Peiyuan Pill was a boulder pressing on his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After taking the Peiyuan Pill, his cultivation this time showed clear change: a light drizzle began to fall. It didn’t match the weight of the Chonglou Dinghai Pill, but it increased Wei Yuan’s rate of absorbing lunar radiance by more than tenfold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan noticed that as the jade toad and the full moon grew larger, his rate of absorbing lunar radiance also increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the next month, Wei Yuan absorbed lunar radiance; at month’s end, Zhang Sheng arrived on schedule, delivering another vial of Peiyuan Pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the second vial, Wei Yuan grew puzzled. By Taichu Palace’s standard, Daoji disciples received one hundred taels monthly; True Persons received a thousand. One vial of Peiyuan Pills already equaled Zhang Sheng’s annual stipend. By Taichu Palace’s custom, prodigies like Zhang Sheng received higher stipends—but never exceeding those of a Law-Form True Person. At one vial per month, Zhang Sheng would eventually be bankrupted by Wei Yuan’s consumption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Zhang Sheng arrived, the laborer Daoist appeared on time, delivering another envelope identical to last month’s. Zhang Sheng read it, then burned it as usual, glanced once at Wei Yuan’s contemplation map, and left without even checking his progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan sensed Zhang Sheng was deeply agitated, suppressing it fiercely; after reading the letter, his agitation intensified, his sword qi nearly spilling forth. But Zhang Sheng prized his dignity above all—if he didn’t wish to speak, asking was suicide. Wei Yuan had followed him long enough to avoid such folly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fourth month, Wei Yuan absorbed lunar radiance, worrying over his contemplation map’s progress and Zhang Sheng’s finances, while swallowing Peiyuan Pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fifth month, Wei Yuan absorbed lunar radiance, lost in the unity of self and object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sixth month, the jade toad absorbed lunar radiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the seventh month, he pondered the birth of the toad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eighth month, the birth of the toad was not worth pondering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This month, Zhang Sheng did not open the letter—he tore it up outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the ninth month, the students under collective instruction somehow clashed with disciples of the Zhigu Sect. Bao Yun and Cui Yu declared themselves leaders of the Dingxin Sect and led their classmates to confront them—predictably, a fight broke out. Wei Yuan naturally could not miss this, but while all others had begun Casting Body, only Wei Yuan remained expanding his contemplation map—and he was beaten black and blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the twelfth month, the jade toad abandoned thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1397,"2026-06-20T03:38:27.933Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9261a41f555d6fbc5a1dc390d67efa0da414a6b7d33e8d0af2f0b58ec4e35f6b","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-47","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-45",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-lies-hidden-cover.jpg"]