Chapter 140: Help a Hand

Someone shouted loudly: "Is the senior brother a natural Dao body?"

Pan Yun also stared intently at Zhang Liuzhen, waiting for his answer.

Zhang Liuzhen smiled and nodded, showing no concealment: "Yes, I am indeed a natural Dao body."

The square erupted in low but noisy murmurs—admiration, envy, reverence…

Outside the square, not only Zhang Ziwang changed expression, but Lin Jingle did too.

"Nonsense, absolute nonsense," Zhang Ziwang muttered: "Countless demons and evils seek to seize a natural Dao body. He doesn't even hide it—he openly declares it. Doesn't he have enough trouble already?"

Lin Jingle glanced at Zhang Liuzhen on the platform and whispered: "Have him moved into the Academy."

Zhang Ziwang lowered his eyes: "No, the Celestial Master's Mansion won't agree."

Lin Jingle said: "The Celestial Master isn't at the Mansion right now. If demons take advantage, with Liuzhen's current condition, he's in danger. Let him stay in the Academy—here, you and I, plus all the院主, can protect him."

Zhang Ziwang stared at him for a moment, then nodded: "Fine. I'll negotiate with the Celestial Master's Mansion."

He looked up at Zhang Liuzhen on the platform, who was saying: "Qi exists outside the body, called spiritual energy in heaven and earth; within the body, refined and owned by oneself, it is called Yuanli, also known as Yuanqi."

"Over the years, folk terms have changed, but no matter what it's called, its essence remains transforming heaven and earth's energy into one's own."

"To achieve this, you must see it—see the inside of your own body. This is inner observation…"

Zhang Liuzhen taught them on the spot how to sit, regulate breath, enter stillness, observe spiritual energy in heaven and earth, and inner observation of bodily changes.

Not only the new students, but the senior students behind them also sat cross-legged on the ground, following his guidance to regulate breath and enter stillness.

Pan Yun followed along.

She thought she wouldn't enter stillness here—she only closed her eyes to rest.

But Zhang Liuzhen's words always pierced her ears, seizing her spirit.

She couldn't help but listen to him, couldn't help but follow his breath and enter stillness.

Just as Pan Yun's cultivation method began to align with the breathing rhythm, Pan Xiaohei, who had been crouching beside her leg, swiped at her with a claw.

Pan Yun snapped open her eyes.

Zhang Liuzhen on the platform looked over; Pan Yun immediately shut her eyes and held her breath, then after a moment, exhaled slowly to regulate her breath.

But her spirit remained alert, no longer sinking as before.

Zhang Liuzhen detected no anomaly and withdrew his gaze.

He looked at the students below, carefully regulating their breath, his eyes unconsciously drifting to Pan Yun, Seeing Miao Zhen, and Miao He.

He sensed nothing unusual on them, and smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping over several others whose presence stirred spiritual energy.

These few are good seeds~

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He followed Zhang Liuzhen's method in meditation, and easily saw colorful particles in the air.

They knew—this was spiritual energy.

On Mount Sanqing, they had always been able to see it, and even move and absorb it—just very little.

They mostly still cultivated internal force, then practiced morning exercises at sunrise: sitting, regulating breath, absorbing spiritual energy.

Because at that time, Mount Sanqing's spiritual energy was densest and most vibrant, and they were most alert, able to enter stillness without much effort.

Only by entering stillness could they absorb spiritual energy and convert it into Yuanli or internal force.

If they cultivated internal force, their internal force would grow rapidly.

Of course they wanted to absorb spiritual energy directly like the senior brother and uncles, but they simply couldn't maintain stillness long enough to move heaven and earth's spiritual energy.

Every time they started to stir spiritual energy, the two would involuntarily exit stillness and wake up.

In the end, not only could they not absorb spiritual energy for cultivation, their internal force didn't change at all—so later, they learned to be sensible: except at specific times, they usually cultivated internal force.

The senior uncle said they lacked cultivation depth; when they grew older and their cultivation improved, they could enter stillness anytime, anywhere, like the junior uncle, absorbing spiritual energy for cultivation.

They had always strived toward this, thinking it would take years—yet now, just by changing their breathing method, they could quickly see spiritual energy and stir it.

Pan Yun turned to warn Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He the moment she came to her senses, but as she turned her head, she saw they were already deep in stillness—awakening them suddenly might cause harm.

She bit her lip, gathered her spirit, maintained a steady breathing rhythm, and silently took a array disc from her Spirit Realm.

This was the first array disc she'd made after coming to this world, crafted with Master Xuanmiao's help.

There was no choice—her cultivation was this low, her internal energy this scarce, she couldn't carve a complete array disc.

She held the array disc in her hand, opened her eyes.

She saw Zhang Liuzhen on the platform glancing toward another direction, not paying attention here.

She immediately activated the array disc—a barrier rose within a fifteen-meter radius centered on her…

Zhang Liuzhen whirled around, took two steps forward, his gaze flicking between Pan Yun and Sister Xuan Li; he was about to advance when suddenly, from behind the crowd, a burst of flame erupted.

Zhang Liuzhen immediately abandoned this anomaly, his body flashing away—he was already below the platform, his form flickering twice through the air, arriving moments later.

Zhou Wang sat cross-legged on a cushion, spiritual energy raging around him, his entire body engulfed in flames—but unharmed.

Those nearby who hadn't yet entered stillness jolted awake, screamed, and scrambled away in panic.

Zhang Liuzhen raised his hand to calm the turbulent spiritual energy, found it ineffective, and whispered beside his ear: "Calm your heart, steady your breath—don't be anxious…"

Zhou Wang could hear him, but couldn't answer—he'd surely tell him if he could: he wasn't anxious at all.

Pan Yun placed the array disc on the cushion, picked up Pan Xiaohei, and set him beside it—perfectly blocking the view.

She slipped through students utterly absorbed in regulating breath, joining the crowd gathered to watch, peering out to see the commotion.

This fire startled over a dozen students—all senior ones.

They knew this was a critical moment for those on the field, so they didn't make noise; after their initial startled cries, they fell silent, faces tense, searching desperately for ways to extinguish the flames.

They'd already thought of water spells and digging up soil.

Pan Yun, short and standing among them, heard their murmurs and shook her head: "Neither method will work—he's lost his breath."

Her voice was quiet, but Zhang Liuzhen still heard it—he turned back, saw Pan Yun peering over the crowd's shoulders, curious.

He looked down again at Zhou Wang, whose face was redder, burn marks now appearing on his neck—he sighed, raised his hand, and pressed it onto Zhou Wang's shoulder.

Pan Yun's gaze sharpened as she saw him guide Qingmu Qi into Zhou Wangdao's body, steering the deviated Qi out and repairing his meridians. But his talent lay in Qingmu Qi—wood generates fire; as soon as Qingmu Qi entered, the fire burned fiercer, and Zhang Liuzhen directly drew the fire Qi into himself…

Seeing Zhang Liuzhen's face grow paler, Pan Yun hesitated, then stepped forward, slapped his hand away, and pressed her palm onto Zhou Wangdao's shoulder.

Yuan Li instantly transformed into Water Spirit Qi the moment it entered Zhou Wangdao's body, dousing the still-burning fire in his meridians and surging with unstoppable force straight to the edge of his Upper Dantian.

The flames surrounding Zhou Wangdao vanished instantly; the chaotic Fire Spirit Qi, as if encountering its natural enemy, calmed down at once.

Zhou Wangdao opened his eyes, saw Zhang Liuzhen standing before him, and cried out, "Senior Brother…"

The moment he spoke, a wisp of smoke rose from his mouth, then smoke began pouring from his nose, ears, and pores. Pan Yun couldn't help it—she let out a "pūchī" laugh.

Zhang Liuzhen couldn't hold back either—he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Pan Yun froze in shock, stepping back quickly. "Look! Senior Brother spat blood saving you!"

It definitely wasn't her slapping him that made him spit blood, nor was it her anger.

Zhou Wangdao's eyes turned red; he scrambled up and caught Zhang Liuzhen, who was swaying. "Senior Brother, it's all my fault…"

!.

"Don't—" Zhang Liuzhen tried to stop him, but Zhou Wangdao had already risen and seized his hand.

A gust of wind passed; the clothes clinging to Zhou Wangdao's body, which had appeared unchanged, instantly turned to ash and vanished into the air with the breeze.

Pan Yun's eyes flew wide open—then a pair of hands covered them. All she heard were the shrieks of her senior sisters and the stifled bursts of laughter from her senior brothers.

Pan Yun grabbed the hands covering her eyes, tilted her head slightly. "Senior Nephew?"

Wang Cong's face darkened; he pressed her eyes tighter and pulled her into the crowd. "Little Auntie, let's go find the two junior sisters."

Pan Yun sighed in endless regret, tugging at Wang Cong's hands. "Let go—I won't turn around, I promise."

Wang Cong glanced back; some disciples were already frantically shedding their outer robes to drape over Zhou Wangdao. He released his grip.

The classmates seated in meditation were slowly emerging from their states. They had just awakened, completely unaware of what had happened, still sitting where they were, delighted by their progress in cultivation.

Only when they sensed unusual commotion behind them did they turn their heads.

Pan Yun walked past them without looking back, her face solemn as she told Wang Cong, "I saw nothing. And am I the kind of person who invades others' privacy, who lacks respect? Even if you hadn't covered my eyes, I would've closed them."

Wang Cong: "Little Auntie, you'd sound more convincing if you said that with more conviction—without so much regret in your voice."

Pan Yun said: "I'm only nine!"

Wang Cong snorted.

Pan Yun asked: "How did you get in? And how did you even reach the square…?"

Wang Cong: "I was once a student of the Imperial Academy. Isn't it natural for me to return and visit my former teachers and senior brothers?"

He paused, then added: "Yesterday, I met Zhang Weiliang below the mountain. He was being escorted out of Shangqing Town by two Daoist Priests from the Zhang family, told he needed to undergo trials. I was worried about you, so I came up to check."

Pan Yun: "Don't worry—I'm strong! I went down the mountain yesterday to buy notebooks and didn't see you. I thought you'd gone back. I wanted you to bring a few letters for me."

Wang Cong sighed. "Understood. Give me the letters—I'll take them back."

The two returned to Pan Yun's spot.

Everyone seated in this area was still in meditation, not yet awakened.

As he drew closer, Wang Cong noticed something odd: the Spirit Qi here was calm and lively, utterly unlike the environment just ten steps away.

He glanced around, then turned his gaze to the black cat.

He stepped forward, picked up Pan Xiaohei, and only then saw the array plate hidden before it—its two paws had perfectly concealed it.

Pan Yun glanced at Seeing Miao Zhen, then turned to look at Sister Xuan Li, who was about to awaken; she retrieved the array plate.

The moment the array plate was withdrawn, noisy sounds flooded in, and the Spirit Qi—though calmed—still surged with excessive vitality into this space.

Sister Xuan Li snapped out of meditation instantly; Seeing Miao Zhen's eyelids fluttered, then opened a moment later.

The classmates who were gradually awakening now realized something had happened behind them and gathered around to investigate.

As soon as Miao He woke up, she saw everyone clustered at the back, none checking their own cultivation level. She jumped up, tiptoeing to look. "Little Auntie, what are they doing over there?"

Pan Yun said: "Senior Brother spat blood. Everyone's concerned about him."

"Huh? Why did he spit blood?" Miao He looked baffled. "Wasn't Senior Brother just guiding our cultivation a moment ago?"

Wang Cong exhaled in relief. Little Auntie still had some sense. "Forget it. Someone will take Senior Brother away. This class has long exceeded its time—quickly tidy up and return to your courtyards. You can even go to your next lesson."

"Senior Brother, why are you here?" Miao He finally noticed Wang Cong, astonished.

Wang Cong ruffled her hair vigorously, disheveling her topknot, and felt a little better. "I've been standing here for ages—do you only care about the spectacle?"

Miao He chuckled sheepishly, looking guilty.

Seeing Miao Zhen had already checked her cultivation level. "Senior Brother, Little Auntie—this breathing method is strange. Half an hour of cultivation has nearly matched my entire day's progress before."

Pan Yun added: "It induces meditation swiftly and allows deep immersion of the spirit."

Wang Cong: "This breathing method isn't from the Imperial Academy. I've never learned it before—it's likely Senior Brother's own creation."

He smiled. "He's a genius. You'll do well to learn from him closely."

Pan Yun always suspected things at first—people included. "Such an excellent breathing method—he just gave it away like that?"

Wang Cong said: "He's a selfless man."

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

Wang Cong smiled. "I know Little Auntie has a poor impression of the Zhang family because of past events—but think of Fourth Auntie. She's a Zhang too."

Pan Yun said: "Actually, my first impression of Fourth Auntie wasn't good either."

Wang Cong: …

The grudges and affections among the elders… he wanted to hear, but dared not.

"But now things are much better. Are there many people in the Zhang family like Fourth Auntie?"

Wang Cong said: "Not many. But fair, good people still form the majority—otherwise, the Emperor wouldn't have granted the Zhang family a noble title and imperial decree, appointing the Tian Shi Mansion to govern all Daoist Priests across the land, and commanding their obedience."

Seeing Miao Zhen frowned. "If the Zhang family is truly so good, why were we bullied the moment we entered the Academy, with no one stepping forward to defend us?"

(End of Chapter)