Chapter 142: The Debt of Gratitude Has Arrived

Zhou Wangdao suffered a great loss of face in public, but apart from the younger, low-level disciples who buzzed with chatter, everyone else's attention was drawn to something else.

Zhou Wangdao successfully absorbed spiritual energy and converted it into primordial force; though an incident occurred midway, he truly achieved a qualitative leap, his internal cultivation rising by a great deal.

"Zhou Wangdao can do it, so can we—too bad I arrived too late that day and didn't get a spot, so I went to Mingyuan Courtyard for class instead. Do you have Senior Brother's breathing technique?"

"No, I didn't go either."

The senior disciples who didn't attend were all inquiring about Zhang Liuzhen's breathing technique;

while those who did attend were enthusiastically discussing it, feeling they had indeed glimpsed spiritual energy—if only they could sustain meditation a little longer, they were certain they'd see it clearly.

Alas, it was all Zhou Wangdao's fault for igniting at such a terrible moment.

But as they discussed it, they realized their understanding of the new breathing technique differed slightly—each person activated different points, and some even had different pathways for their cultivation methods during breathing.

This…

Everyone grew slightly unnerved, then instantly excited—this proved Senior Brother had truly created a new cultivation method, this wasn't just a simple new breathing technique.

If they practiced this new method, they could go directly from strengthening internal force to converting spiritual energy and essence into primordial force—wouldn't their cultivation skyrocket?

You have to understand, converting internal energy to elemental energy and then using spells results in huge losses, but converting elemental energy to internal energy is a multiplicative conversion—though who would be brain-dead enough to convert elemental energy into internal energy?

The same palm strike, infused with internal force, could shatter one stone; infused with primordial force, it could shatter ten—or even more—stones.

Everyone flocked to the new breathing technique.

It instantly overshadowed Pan Yun's fame.

Though the Mountain God's disciple was miraculous, that was someone else's affair—what could compare to boosting one's own cultivation?

Pan Yun instantly faded from notice; she let out a deep breath and warned Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He, "Don't practice this new method yet—wait until we confirm it's harmless."

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He agreed.

Though they stopped practicing the new breathing technique, they had once entered that state, and now, when they cultivated again, they gained new insights—even their cultivation of Mount Sanqing's methods accelerated noticeably.

After leaving the square, alone at night, Pan Yun tried Zhang Liuzhen's new breathing technique, with Pan Xiaohei guarding her.

Honestly, the cultivation speed was genuinely fast—so fast she nearly lost control.

In the end, Pan Xiaohei slapped her face with a claw before she woke up.

According to it, it had screamed in her ear, jumped on her legs several times, and scratched her arms repeatedly, but she didn't stir—so it finally slapped her face.

Pan Yun was skeptical, but since it had fulfilled its duty as guardian, she didn't press the matter.

Afterward, when she cultivated her Kunyuan Art, her mind involuntarily recalled the new breathing technique, and the surrounding spiritual energy became unusually active, greatly increasing her cultivation speed.

Fortunately, she still stuck to cultivating Kunyuan Art and didn't switch methods, so nothing went wrong.

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He might have secretly tried it too—after one day of lethargy, they resumed practicing Mount Sanqing's methods and no longer slumped.

All three went to bed early every day, rising at dawn when spiritual energy grew dense to sit and cultivate.

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He had limited meditation duration, so they woke at the peak of spiritual energy during Yin Hour, cultivated for one hour, then lay back down for a nap, rising only when daylight came.

Pan Yun's meditation lasted longer, so she cultivated an extra half to one hour daily; after finishing, she too took a nap and rose only when the sky was fully bright.

To Zhang Weiyi and the other two in the same courtyard, all three seemed lazy, even skipping morning lessons.

The spiritual energy in Fengqi Courtyard was denser than other courtyards, especially in the early morning—such laziness was a waste of Fengqi Courtyard's privilege.

The three junior nephews went everywhere together, attended the same classes, and their schedules covered three major categories, none of which they missed.

They rarely missed daily lectures, living full and busy lives—yet after that day, Zhang Liuzhen vanished and never taught another lecture; Pan Yun remained disappointed, for she thought his method was truly excellent, just too tempting, its speed too fast, overwhelming control.

She longed to discuss improvements to this method with him, but they weren't familiar—she couldn't bring herself to speak up.

Too bad Senior Nephew was gone; from his tone, he had some connection with Zhang Liuzhen—even if slight, it was better than nothing.

Just as she lamented, Zhou Wangdao, who had also disappeared for a while, reappeared.

"Little Auntie, look—it's Zhou Wangdao."

Pan Yun lifted her eyes without interest. "He's here to see Zhang Weiyi, right?"

She was about to lower her gaze when something struck her—she snapped her eyes open again and saw Zhou Wangdao studying her.

Zhou Wangdao offered her a friendly smile and walked toward her.

Pan Yun flashed a wide smile, shoved Pan Xiaohei into Seeing Miao Zhen's arms, and stepped forward to meet him. "Senior Brother Zhou, are you feeling well?"

Zhou Wangdao's smile stiffened slightly, then he nodded. "I'm fine now. Thank you, Little Sister, for helping me that day at the square."

He said: "I've been busy lately and only now found time to thank you for your aid. Here's a gift for you."

Zhou Wangdao handed Pan Yun a basket.

Pan Yun immediately refused. "We study together in the Academy—we share the same teacher. Though I was terrified that day, my meridians burned painfully and I suffered minor injuries, I felt it was worth it—as long as Senior Brother is unharmed." Zhou Wangdao felt touched, his expression softening further. "I'm fully recovered, but Little Sister… I didn't know you were injured. I have a healing ointment on me—take it. I'll ask Senior Brother for a proper remedy; you'll heal faster with it."

Pan Yun at once asked: "How is Senior Brother now? He was badly injured that day."

Her face showed deep concern. "I've been worried ever since, but I don't know the Academy well—I couldn't even visit him."

Zhou Wangdao: "You want to visit Senior Brother?"

Pan Yun nodded.

Zhou Wangdao blurted out: "Then I'll take you."

Pan Yun's eyes lit up. "Really? Thank you so much, Senior Brother Zhou!"

After speaking, Zhou Wangdao felt a moment of regret—Senior Brother disliked visitors while recuperating—but seeing Pan Yun so delighted, he decided taking her to see him couldn't hurt.

He carefully studied Pan Yun, especially noting her height—only reaching his chest—and relaxed. Taking her wouldn't be a problem; she was so young, and unlike other senior sisters, she didn't chase after Senior Brother.

Zhou Wangdao: "Fine. I can take you now."

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Pan Yun immediately said: "Let me go fetch some medicine—Senior Brother knows, Mount Sanqing's medicine is famed throughout the world. I don't know how Senior Brother's injury is, so I'd like to bring him some."

Zhou Wangdao nodded. "Senior Brother consumed quite a bit of Mount Sanqing medicine during his recovery."

"Oh? Was it brewed by your Senior Brother, or your Third Brother?"

Zhou Wangdao smiled apologetically. "I don't know—but the vials were clearly from Mount Sanqing."

Pan Yun said she understood — the medicine bottles from Mount Sanqing were custom-made with the kilns in Yushan County, painted with Mount Sanqing on them, and they looked lovely; there was no need to mark them with an emblem, anyone could tell at a glance they were Qingshan-made.

But there were also plenty of counterfeits outside — not to mention the porcelain bottles could be faked, and Mount Sanqing never recalled the bottles from all the medicines it sold, so there were many empty bottles out there.

Their family's medicine bottles were exquisite, so naturally they would be reused — not to mention filling them with their own medicines, there were also people outside who would "buy them back at a high price."

Therefore, there were many medicines outside falsely claiming to be from Mount Sanqing, and one needed to know how to tell them apart.

Of course, what Pan Yun took out would definitely not be fake — after all, she was the little martial-aunt of Mount Sanqing.

Pan Yun took the basket back to her room, and said to Miao Zhen and Miao He who had followed her in, "Tidy up, let's go together to see First Senior Brother."

Miao Zhen: "Won't there be too many of us, annoying people?"

Pan Yun: "Don't you want to hear First Senior Brother's interpretation of the new breathing-regulation method in person?"

Miao Zhen murmured, "Of course I do."

Why is it said that the Dao is not transmitted to six ears?

Apart from confidentiality, it is more because the more people receive the transmission, the less information each receives — the Dao cannot be conveyed by words, it can only be passed down personally by one's teacher, and how much one comprehends still depends on one's own talent.

Therefore, being able to see the True Person in person and discuss face to face is naturally better than seeing the True Person.

Pan Yun waved her little hand and said, "Wanting it is enough, leave the rest to me."

Pan Yun lifted the basket lid and first looked at the things inside.

Inside were three blue books with no titles on the covers; she curiously opened one and discovered they were the Academy's study manuals.

Inside were all first-year classroom notes, even including cultivation insights — three volumes, covering spellcraft, talisman formations, and Qi cultivation and the Dao of Elixirs.

On the other side of the basket were also placed two bottles of elixirs.

Miao He pulled out the stopper, took a sniff, and said, "They're all healing elixirs — one bottle is worth ten taels of silver."

"That is quite a lot," Pan Yun said, nodding at the three blue booklets, "especially these three notebooks — I suspect they're his notes."

Those would be worth a fortune — oh, no, they would be worth a great favor, my lord.

Pan Yun was the sort of person who yielded to softness but not to force; Zhou Wang was so grateful that she also took out a bottle of wound medicine and gave it to him, "Although your kin have fire spiritual Qi, your meridians were burned like that that day, so you'll have some lingering injuries — this bottle of medicine can help you recover."

Zhou Wang was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly declined, "Many thanks, junior sister — this medicine is too precious, you should keep it for yourself."

Pan Yun: "This medicine is already useless for me to take — better to give it to you, senior brother."

Zhou Wang felt even more uneasy upon hearing this, "It's the same for First Senior Brother — when I take this medicine I recover very quickly, I never expected the fire spiritual Qi I drew in would affect you all so much."

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow and asked, "This medicine is useless for First Senior Brother?"

Zhou Wang nodded and sighed, "Precisely because it's useless, First Senior Brother hasn't gone out lately. The Celestial Master Mansion has invited several famous physicians, but they can only alleviate his condition, not cure it. My master is proposing to invite your Mount Sanqing's Abbey Master and Daoist Master Tao to come heal First Senior Brother."

Pan Yun's eyes lit up, and Miao He and Miao Zhen grew excited too, asking in unison, "Really?"

(End of chapter)