Chapter 202

The elders liked that Zhang Liuzhen was generous with them and their descendants, but they disliked that he was generous with outsiders.

Resources are limited; if Zhang Liuzhen gives too much to outsiders, there is less left for his clan.

Yet because of this, a group within the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion and the Academy faithfully followed Zhang Liuzhen, which is why even after such severe injuries, he remains the young master of the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion—Zhang Weiyuan, even if he changed his name, could only linger in a small courtyard and could never replace Zhang Liuzhen.

As Li Wenying and Zhang Liuzhen descended the stairs, they felt the spiritual energy around them ripple, slowly flowing past them.

Li Wenying turned back in shock, staring at the second floor.

Miao Zhen, walking behind him, was unfazed but still explained, "Little Uncle has entered meditation."

Li Wenying murmured, "This is too fast—how can her entering meditation be as quick as me falling asleep?"

Miao Zhen looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Brother Li, is falling asleep so difficult for you?"

Li Wenying: "... In the time it took to walk down from the second floor, less than fifty breaths have passed—is that difficult? I sleep perfectly well, okay?"

Miao He boasted, "I can fall asleep in one breath, but I can't enter meditation that fast—I need at least half a watch to enter meditation."

Miao Zhen nodded. "I can fall asleep in three breaths."

Li Wenying was speechless; after a pause, he said, "You're young, with shallow worries—of course you fall asleep quickly. When I was your age, I did too."

But when he was their age, he certainly didn't enter meditation this fast.

Even as Li Wenying stepped into the courtyard, he couldn't help glancing back at the second floor—especially Pan Yun's speed of entering meditation; in his memory, even Zhang Liuzhen in his prime hadn't possessed such stillness.

Speaking of which, she's only nine years old, yet her cultivation has already reached the Fifth Stage, no weaker than Zhang Liuzhen at the same age.

Zhang Liuzhen was born with a Dao Body, cultivated since birth, and fed endless resources from the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion—what does Pan Yun have?

A thought stirred in Li Wenying's heart—he doubted Pan Yun's talent for the first time.

Could she also be born with a Dao Body?

"Didn't you ask me about the progress of the new technique? Pan Yun and I added a new pathway for its circulation—would you like to try it?"

Zhang Liuzhen interrupted his thoughts, and Li Wenying's fleeting idea vanished; he sighed. "You want me to try your new technique?"

Zhang Liuzhen: "Someone has to test it. You're high in cultivation, cautious, and well-read—you're perfect."

Li Wenying:...

Zhang Liuzhen: "Just say whether you'll help or not."

Li Wenying: "How could I refuse you?"

He glanced at Miao Zhen and Miao He, a thought stirring. "Let them try too?"

Zhang Liuzhen shook his head. "Pan Shimei would get angry."

Last time he publicly taught on the plaza, she was furious—but back then he had no choice. Now he has Zhou Wangdao as a test subject, Li Wenying here, and Pan Yun helping him refine the technique, so he doesn't need others to test it yet.

"Wait until it's more refined."

Li Wenying sneered. "Aren't you supposed to gather more accurate data by having more people practice this technique? Why did you never listen when I urged you to stop testing before, but now you listen just because she's angry?"

Zhang Liuzhen smiled faintly, offering no explanation.

This technique isn't meant for geniuses like Miao Zhen and Miao He—it targets those with low cultivation and low talent.

He sought out Pan Yun and Li Wenying only to use their knowledge and experience to identify flaws; actual cultivation will still rely on Zhou Wangdao and the other ordinary disciples.

He created this technique to narrow the gap between ordinary people and geniuses, allowing determined ordinary cultivators to catch up and stand a chance.

Li Wenying didn't understand, but Pan Yun realized it after practicing on the plaza.

As a genius, she didn't mock him like her father would have—instead, she helped him perfect the technique.

They went to the Scripture Library to test the new technique; Miao Zhen and Miao He, with nothing to do, followed along to browse books.

As soon as they entered, they both let out a quiet "Wow"—there were so many books.

Beyond the door stood row upon row of bookshelves, towering nearly to the ceiling, all crammed with books.

Miao Zhen and Miao He had never seen so many books in their lives.

On Mount Sanqing, their library had only two bookshelves and two boxes of books—and even those, they hadn't finished reading in all their years.

"The Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion truly lives up to its name—how many techniques must be here?"

Li Wenying laughed. "Kids, you don't think all the books in this library are cultivation techniques, do you?"

Miao Zhen and Miao He looked bewildered.

Li Wenying casually pulled a book from the shelf and tossed it to them. "Take a look."

Miao Zhen glanced down. "'Record of a Hundred Ghosts at Night'?"

Miao He leaned in. "Is this about catching ghosts?"

Zhang Liuzhen chuckled. "It's a folk tale—about the underworld's retribution. You might as well read it. Though the stories are imagined, they're based on folk legends, and some of the content is worth seeing."

Li Wenying pulled another book from the shelf and tossed it over, grinning. "Try this one."

Miao He caught it and looked down. "'Spring Waters Ripple'?"

Zhang Liuzhen's expression changed; before she could open it, he snatched it away, glared at Li Wenying, and said, "You're still young. If you want books, go to the two innermost shelves—don't touch any others for now."

Miao He said, "Big Brother, Big Uncle said we have great insight. On Mount Sanqing, our teachers never stopped us from reading any book."

Miao Zhen nodded. "Even though our cultivation is shallow, when we read techniques or spells above First Rank, our uncles and masters never stopped us—they even encouraged us to flip through them freely, saying we might gain insight."

Zhang Liuzhen rubbed his temple. "Then you may read any book except those on the two outermost shelves."

He added, "The books on those two outermost shelves aren't about techniques or spells—they're all miscellaneous texts."

Miao Zhen and Miao He exchanged glances, then nodded obediently.

Under Zhang Liuzhen's watchful gaze, they walked to the two innermost shelves to pick books.

Only after they were far away did Zhang Liuzhen turn and glare again at Li Wenying.

Li Wenying smiled faintly and turned. "Come on—let's try your new technique."

Miao Zhen idly pulled a book from the shelf, frowning. "'Mencius'? Why are all these books Confucian?"

Miao He, opposite her, took a book and flipped through it. "This one, 'The Tai Bai Yin Jing,' seems to be a military text."

Going row by row, the two realized that this place had every kind of book—everything from the Hundred Schools of Thought was included.

Only when they reached the very last shelf did they discover a whole bookcase full of almanacs.

This is truly what our Daoist sect possesses. Seeing Miao Zhen immediately took down one volume and opened it—it was a Tang Dynasty almanac; the entire shelf held almanacs from every dynasty and every emperor's reign.

Here, one could even find ancient Zhou calendars, the Yellow Emperor's calendar, and the Xia calendar.

Seeing Miao Zhen took down a volume, sat by a window with natural light, and began reading intently.

Miao He wandered among the shelves, scanning each row one by one, and after a long search, found a collection of herbals on one shelf.

Miao He looked up and saw that the entire bookcase, from floor to ceiling, was filled with texts on medicine and alchemy—she gasped in awe, "This library has far more books than Mount Sanqing!"

There were too many; for a moment, she didn't know where to begin.

By the time she finally picked a book and opened it, Li Wenying outside the shelf had already completed two full circuits of the new cultivation method Zhang Liuzhen had devised.

He could feel that this method had accelerated his cultivation, but the longer he practiced, the harder it became to control the qi and primordial energy within his body.

Fortunately, he remained vigilant; the moment he sensed an anomaly, he immediately broke his meditation and exited his trance.

Zhang Liuzhen sat across from him, guarding his practice; as soon as he opened his eyes, she asked at once, "How was it?"

Li Wenying said, "Better than last time, but prolonged use still carries the risk of qi deviation. Liuzhen, this method was flawed from the start—haste makes waste. I urge you to destroy it."

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Zhang Liuzhen lowered her eyes and said, "Could it be because your cultivation level is too high and your talent too exceptional? If someone with lesser talent practiced it, perhaps the risk wouldn't exist."

"Zhou Wang's talent is average—didn't he still suffer qi deviation?"

"His talent may not match ours, but it's still above average. Perhaps I should find someone with even lower talent and lower cultivation to test it."

Li Wenying frowned. "But once this method spreads, who can resist the temptation of rapid cultivation? This method will surely bring bloodshed to the cultivation world. Liuzhen, doesn't this contradict your original intent?"

Zhang Liuzhen lowered her eyes. "There must be a way. I'll think again, revise it further—I refuse to believe it cannot be perfected."

Seeing her so obsessed, Li Wenying's expression darkened. He held back, then couldn't hold back any longer: "Liuzhen, the cultivation world is the cultivation world, the Dao is the Dao, the mundane is the mundane—each must follow its own path. Countless superior methods already exist, safe and proven. Why must you insist on this one? Just to make cultivation faster?"

"Yes. Just to make cultivation faster."

"But cultivation depends on insight. Didn't you yourself often say that our cultivation hinges on the Dao heart, not mere cultivation level?" Li Wenying said softly. "Ever since your injury, you've obsessed over this new method, neglecting even your own wound. I truly cannot understand."

Zhang Liuzhen fell silent. After a long while, she said, "Attaining the Dao through insight exists only in legend—only the ancient sages achieved it. In this age, who doesn't cultivate both Dao heart and cultivation level together?"

"Yet how many are forced to abandon the Dao despite possessing a pure Dao heart, simply because their cultivation level is too low? Their character and virtue suit the path—but they must give up because they lack cultivation." Zhang Liuzhen said, "I want every person with a Dao heart to have equal choice—not forced to abandon the path merely because their cultivation is low."

"To abandon what you have, and to be forced to abandon what you never had—these are two different things."

Li Wenying narrowed his eyes. "The people you speak of—all low-talent, low-cultivation disciples—this method was designed specifically for them?"

Zhang Liuzhen fell silent.

Li Wenying laughed bitterly, then the laughter turned to resignation. He whispered, "Don't let the elders downstairs find out about this—if they do, you won't live to see another few years."

Zhang Liuzhen lifted her gaze, serious and fixed on him. "Will you lend me your aid?"

Li Wenying met her gaze, then after a long pause, asked, "Who else knows about this?"

"Before you, only Aunt Li and Pan Yun knew." He didn't mention his father—he feared if he did, Li Wenying would immediately withdraw.

Li Wenying frowned. "Pan Yun knows too..."

"She figured it out on her own."

Li Wenying swallowed the rest of his words, then asked after a moment, "Do Zhang Ziwang and Lin Jing know?"

"They only know I'm researching a new method. They think it helps my recovery—and if Sun Dacheng approves, it might win people's loyalty. They know nothing else."

Li Wenying: "You're good at hiding things."

Zhang Liuzhen pressed on: "Will you help me?"

Li Wenying sighed. "Six years ago, I chose to stand by you. Now that we've come this far, how could I possibly walk away?"

Zhang Liuzhen's lips curled slightly.

Li Wenying said, "This method still needs revision—I can't practice it myself. Since you're targeting low-talent, low-cultivation students, why not find a few such students to test it?"

Zhang Liuzhen had the same idea—otherwise she wouldn't have publicly taught it in the courtyard—but... "Zhou Wang..."

"He suffered qi deviation, but others may not have. I wasn't there that day, but I heard few people managed to enter meditation and use the method. Only two succeeded—doesn't that suggest that although the method is simple, it still requires some talent to comprehend and practice?"

"How can you know whether low-talent, low-cultivation students can master it unless you test it on them?"

Zhang Liuzhen fell into thought.

Li Wenying said, "If you fear Aunt Li and Pan Yun won't agree, keep it secret from them. I'll find the students, teach them the method, and guard their practice—monitor their progress."

Zhang Liuzhen's status is unique, and she carries an injury—doing these things is inconvenient for her. But Li Wenying has no such constraints.

Especially with his age and cultivation level—he could even put up a sign announcing he's taking disciples...

Zhang Liuzhen's heart stirred; she was about to agree—when a strong wind swept in, making the books around them rustle violently.

At the same time, both felt qi rapidly draining away.

They exchanged a glance, then flashed outside the courtyard—only to see vast amounts of qi converging toward the second floor.

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He ran out behind them; upon seeing it, they exclaimed excitedly, "Is our junior master about to break through?"

Zhang Liuzhen suddenly remembered something and turned to Li Wenying: "Activate the formation around Fanxi Courtyard."

Li Wenying asked no questions; he flashed away instantly.

Zhang Liuzhen: "I underestimated the effect of the Gu Yuan Pill on her—she isn't ready to break through yet."

Zhang Liuzhen: "She cannot break through to First Marquis within the Academy."

Seeing Miao Zhen: "Then where should she break through?"

"Return to Mount Sanqing," Zhang Liuzhen said. "The Academy will soon close for holidays—don't go on your study tours. Go straight back to Mount Sanqing to break through."

Miao He asked instinctively, "What about the study tour?"

"Have Tao Ji and Aunt Li forge a record. It's a simple matter for them."

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He widened their eyes.

Zhang Liuzhen furrowed his brow in thought. "We must find a way to wake her without harming her spirit—now is the time to solidify her cultivation, absolutely no breakthroughs allowed."

Seeing Miao Zhen returned to herself, lowered her gaze, thought for a moment, then said, "I have a way."

She looked toward the second-floor window and called out loudly, "Pan Xiao Hei, come down quickly—we have something to tell you!"

(End of Chapter)