Chapter 139: Zhang Weiliang

Pan Yun happily returned to Fengqi Courtyard, just bumping into Zhang Weigang and Zhang Weiqin, who were about to go out; the greenish tinge on their faces had faded slightly, but still hadn't been washed clean—they'd stayed indoors these past two days whenever possible.

After Zhang Weiliang packed his bags and left yesterday, their hatred toward Pan Yun had lessened considerably, and a hint of fear had crept in.

Now, meeting Pan Yun at the gate, they hesitated only briefly before turning their faces sour and stepping aside.

Pan Yun, who had been about to step aside to let them pass, saw this and immediately stepped forward; Seeing Miao Zhen paused, then followed.

Seeing Miao didn't think at all, immediately stepping across the threshold behind them.

Behind her walked a black cat, its legs moving gracefully past the two men, then lifting its head at last to let out a soft "Meow" toward them.

Zhang Weigang's face turned ashen; once the three people and the cat had entered the house, he turned to Zhang Weiqin and asked, "Was that damn cat just mocking us?"

Zhang Weiqin: "Didn't we already confirm it's just an ordinary black cat?"

"I still feel this cat is too clever—not like an ordinary cat," Zhang Weigang said. "They say black cats are spirit-connected; even an ordinary cat might have supernatural qualities. Find a chance to catch it and test it."

Zhang Weiqin urged, "Better not. Pan Yun isn't someone to provoke—she holds grudges and never forgets. Even Weiliang got kicked off the mountain."

Zhang Weigang's expression grew even darker.

Zhang Weiqin whispered, "In the end, we were just used as someone's tool by accident. Now that we know, why keep charging forward? Weiliang has his second uncle to cover for him—what do we have?"

Though both Zhang Weigang and Zhang Weiqin belong to the Wei generation, they're from the Zhang family's collateral branch; they lived in Fengqi Courtyard partly through their own efforts, partly by currying favor with Zhang Weiliang.

Now that Zhang Weiliang has been exiled for training, if we cause trouble again, no one will protect us.

Zhang Weiqin softly advised Zhang Weigang, "If you don't want to see her, let's apply for off-mountain training too—go find Weiliang. We've been here four years already; it's time for off-mountain training."

Zhang Weigang began to seriously consider it.

Seeing him swayed, Zhang Weiqin quietly exhaled in relief, finally persuading him to join him in signing up for off-mountain training at the Punishment Hall.

Pan Yun didn't know that after one brief encounter, she was about to lose two more courtyard mates—her attention was entirely on tomorrow's class.

She just realized a problem: class was about to start, and she hadn't received a single textbook.

The black cat mocked, "The Academy doesn't even have textbooks—there are plenty of little booklets, but they're all student notes and summaries, and you have to pay for them."

Pan Yun asked, "How much?"

"They vary in price," Pan Xiaohei said. "I heard several groups talking yesterday while shopping, figuring out how to price them and how to squeeze money out of you new students—not one of them was honest."

Pan Yun: "All hand-copied?"

Pan Xiaohei: "Of course they're all hand-copied."

Pan Yun said, "Next year, we'll do this business—hand-copying can't compete with printing."

"Why would anyone buy your booklets?"

"Because I'm the top student, because I'm number one," Pan Yun said. "I know this business inside out—I did it for over a decade in my past life, from elementary school until the day I died. I'm too late this year as a new student, but next year—you'll see—these Academy booklets will be my domain."

Pan Yun's eyes sparkled with confidence; Pan Xiaohei fully believed she had the ability.

To prepare, Pan Yun even went down to the town below the mountain and bought a huge stack of blank booklets.

She gave four each to Seeing Miao Zhen and Seeing Miao He: "Use them for notes—good memory isn't as good as bad handwriting. Trust me, write down what you hear, and when you review later, you'll find new insights."

Seeing Miao Zhen and Seeing Miao He were deeply moved, hugging the blank booklets: "Thank you, Little Master Auntie."

"Little Master Auntie is so thoughtful."

Pan Yun beamed. "No thanks needed—I'm your Master Auntie, after all. Taking care of you is only natural."

Seeing Miao Zhen: "But Senior Master said we were supposed to take care of you..."

Pan Yun waved her hand. "Mutual care, mutual care."

The next day, the three brought their white booklets, small brushes, and ink bottles filled with ink to the square.

Knowing the square lecture might be popular, they arrived early.

They thought they were early enough—yet the square was already filled with people.

All the cushions up front were taken; newcomers could only stand at the back.

Pan Yun immediately pulled Seeing Miao Zhen and Seeing Miao He forward, about to seize three corner cushions, when a loud shout rang out: "Pan Yun—there you are!"

Pan Yun looked up and saw, among many dark heads, Sister Xuan Li waving frantically at her.

The three quickly sidestepped the crowd and hurried forward. Sister Xuan Li complained, "Why are you so late? We agreed to meet early in the square—I waited nearly fifteen minutes and you didn't show."

Pan Yun said, "We got here early."

"Didn't I tell you? Senior Brother is amazing—so many want to attend his class. And last night I found out he was sick; he hasn't left his room in two years. This is his first lecture in two years—how could fifteen minutes possibly be enough to secure a spot?"

Sister Xuan Li pointed to three cushions beside her. "Here—Cui Huai Gong and I claimed these."

Cui Huai Gong immediately stood and shifted two seats over, clearing the cushions for them.

Pan Yun couldn't help sighing in relief: "Thank you so much—if not for you, we'd have had to stand at the back today."

Cui Huai Gong blushed slightly. "No thanks needed. Sister Xuan Li is right—we're both from Yushan County; we must help each other."

Sister Xuan Li nodded.

Not long after they sat down, the class bell rang. A young Daoist acolyte stepped onto the stage and struck the bronze bell hanging nearby; everyone fell silent, their chatter and movements stopping instantly—the vast square became as quiet as a chicken coop.

Those seated on cushions rose; Pan Yun hurriedly stood too. She saw everyone turning their heads sideways, so she turned too—she could only see shoulders and heads.

!. Read

She silently tiptoed, but still saw nothing.

But soon, she saw a young man walking in from the side aisle.

Dressed in a green Daoist robe, wearing a Xiaoyao scarf, slender in build, with a gentle aura—he stepped onto the stage, looked out at the sea of seated and standing young Daoists, and smiled. "Didn't expect so many junior brothers and sisters today."

His voice was soft, not loud, yet clearly reached every ear.

Even students at the very back felt as if they stood five paces before him.

"Most of you here are new students. Let's begin with the simplest aspects of the Dao."

To Pan Yun's surprise, he offered no pleasantries, didn't even introduce himself—he began teaching immediately.

"Most people in this world enter the Dao through martial arts or insight; those who enter through insight alone are one in ten thousand. Most begin by cultivating internal strength and Wu Gong, then enter the Dao."

"The cultivation method currently practiced in the Academy is the 'Taiqing Spirit-Preserving Qi-Refining Five Phases and Seven Stages Art,' in which the Five Phases and Seven Stages are cultivation levels established by our forebears for our convenience in gauging one's cultivation."

The Five Phases and Seven Stages — Pan Yun had been told about these cultivation levels by Wang Feiyin the moment she entered Mount Sanqing.

She had assumed this was common knowledge among the Daoist Priests and jianghu folk of this world, but upon looking again now, clearly it was not.

Zhang Liuzhen, knowing many people were unaware, patiently explained to them the meaning the Five Phases and Seven Stages represented.

"But the first Five Phases are merely martial artists. Even the supreme practitioners of Wu Lin martial arts only reach the Fifth Phase. Only by crossing into the First Stage can one be said to have truly entered the Dao."

Zhang Liuzhen said: "After entering the First Stage, chronic ailments vanish, the body becomes light and the mind at ease, one begins to transcend the mundane, and the bonds with mortal kin grow weaker. Therefore the First Stage is also called 'Attaining the Dao,' and it is the first phase of Refining Essence into Qi."

"At this stage, no illness arises, and the body is light and vigorous." He said slowly: "Since we are speaking of essence and qi, we must now discuss the qi of cultivation."

"The human body contains essence-qi. Now, when you practice martial arts and cultivate, what you refine is essence-qi. You refine essence-qi into internal force, but the essence-qi within the human body is limited and cannot be refined without end. How then does the body replenish it?"

Seeing him pause, Pan Yun slowly raised her hand.

Zhang Liuzhen's gaze dropped, he gazed at her for a moment, smiled faintly, and raised his hand: "Please, this junior sister, rise and answer."

Pan Yun rose. "By supplementing with foodstuffs such as the five grains, and also with elixir pills."

The smile at the corner of Zhang Liuzhen's mouth grew more pronounced. He nodded and said: "Correct. The five grains nourish the body; once consumed they can be transformed within into essence-qi, so food can aid cultivation."

"Senior Brother," a tall Daoist Priest raised his hand high, and without waiting for Zhang Liuzhen's agreement, he stood up first and asked: "Why must we first cultivate internal force and pass through the Fifth Phase before we can step onto the path of cultivation and practice Yuan Force? I've heard that Senior Brother can directly absorb spiritual energy and cultivate Yuan Force, yet he has also not entered the First Stage, and just like us martial practitioners, he too must pass through the Five Phases."

Pan Yun sat down, curious as well about his understanding.

Zhang Liuzhen said: "Regarding the qi within the body, Daoists and Wu Lin practitioners have all manner of names for it — some call it 'qi,' others spiritual power or Yuan Force — but regardless of which, it is a mass of energy at the Upper Dantian."

"This mass of energy can travel through the entire body, tempering the meridians, bones, and blood, but the composition of the energy differs, and so its effects on the meridians, bones, blood, and consciousness are also different."

He said: "Internal force, refined from the essence-qi within the body and the essence-qi of food, has a lesser effect on the body compared to Yuan Force, which is refined from the essence-qi within the body and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

"Hence it is said that those who can directly absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth are considered to possess a heaven-born Dao body, able to enter the Dao one step faster than others."

Behind the crowd, Zhang Ziwang frowned slightly. "Liuzhen is being too detailed. In teaching the method, one should emphasize comprehension and affinity — a brief hint is enough, and the rest should be left for them to realize on their own. To break things down and explain like this is like stuffing rice balls into their mouths; what comes too easily will not be cherished."

Lin Jing said cheerfully: "Some disciples have low comprehension. Liuzhen cannot bear to see them lag too far behind, so he lends them a hand, does he not?"

"He is still so soft-hearted, sigh~" Zhang Ziwang frowned in mild disapproval, his brow knit as he continued to listen.

(End of chapter)