[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming":3,"chapter-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-37":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Unorthodox Sword of Ming",{"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},2337242,4570,"Chapter 37: The Flawed Technique","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-37",37,"\u003Cp>The senior brother put down his rice bowl, straightened his Daoist robe, and gestured for Pan Yun to sit across from him. “Come, let me examine you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun raised an eyebrow, activated her cultivation technique, and looked at him again—his blood and qi were abundant, his aura upright and orderly; at the very least, he was a righteous and good-hearted man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Xiaohei had somehow run over and quietly settled down beside Pan Yun’s feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun glanced down at it, then sat across from the senior brother, crossing her legs in meditation posture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She herself wanted to know what was wrong with her technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jingling and Xuanmiao had mentioned it more than once, yet never got to the root cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior brother smiled, unbothered by her scrutiny, and after she was seated, said: “First, enter stillness. Perform one small heavenly cycle for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun lowered her eyelids, breathed deeply and evenly, and soon entered stillness, her technique activating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior brother was stunned, rubbed his eyes uncertainly, confirmed she was truly in stillness, then sat bolt upright, his gaze upon her glowing with awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at Tao Ji and Xuanmiao; they nodded to him—yes, she was truly this gifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior brother calmed his mind, thought for a moment, then raised his hand, forming a seal and waiting. The surrounding qi seemed to stir, rushing toward Pan Yun in accordance with his hand gestures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First the qi near them, then spreading ten steps, twenty steps, fifty steps… the qi within the valley surged upward as well, rising like a white silk ribbon, curling gracefully toward Pan Yun…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miaohé, who had come searching for the cat, stumbled in and froze upon seeing Pan Yun wrapped in white silk, no longer daring to make a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji and Xuanmiao turned to look at her; Miaohé immediately stood straight, pulled in her stomach, and wore an obedient expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji waved her off; Miaohé turned and ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji: …\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why is this disciple still so lively?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed in worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji turned back to gaze at the two seated opposite each other—Pan Yun was absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy as if swallowing clouds and exhaling mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was her body greedily absorbing it, but Pan Xiaohei was also drawing upon the spiritual realm within her dantian, actively pulling in spiritual energy and integrating it into her own body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, Pan Yun’s body was currently running two techniques simultaneously—though the spiritual realm’s absorption was hidden beneath her massive intake of spiritual energy, utterly inconspicuous and never suspected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knew how long it had been since a person and their realm had encountered such dense spiritual energy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, since being born into this world, they’d never encountered it again. Apparently, this world wasn’t all as spiritually barren as the capital—there were places like Mount Sanqing, as rich in spiritual energy as secret realms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wonder how many more such blessed lands still exist?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Xiaohei sighed contentedly, lying motionless on the ground. If only Pan Yun’s future home could always be like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of the three present noticed the spiritual realm or suspected Pan Yun’s dantian, because the spiritual energy she absorbed dissipated widely after completing one cycle—though much remained in her dantian, an equally large amount scattered into her limbs and meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the substantial intake, the cultivation effect was far from proportional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the senior brother could not directly observe the interior of her meridians, based on his observation of her surrounding spiritual energy and the faint inner vision, he could judge seventy to eighty percent by experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior brother waited silently until she completed two small heavenly cycles before releasing the seal, letting the spiritual energy disperse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun slowly opened her eyes, astonished beyond words. She glanced at the senior brother’s hands—without any array, he could summon heavenly and earthly spiritual energy merely through hand seals?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior brother smiled warmly and asked: “Who is your master?” How could such a thing mislead a disciple?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun shook her head. “I learned on my own. I have no master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior brother relaxed upon hearing this, pointing to Xuanmiao: “I heard from these two that you excel in talismans. Would you consider becoming Xuanmiao’s disciple? Among us at Mount Sanqing, Xuanmiao is the most skilled in talismans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun and Xuanmiao spoke in unison: “No!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though disappointed, the senior brother bore no ill will and accepted it quickly. “Alright, if you don’t want to, then don’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he was willing to explain her technique’s issue: “Though some Daoists cultivate independently, they are few. Most, like you, tinker on their own—and end up misinterpreting the Dao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun looked bewildered. How could it be wrong? This technique was taught in schools in her past life—everyone in the nation studied it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had even reached the Second Marquis level, nearing the Third. It was said that once one entered the Third Marquis, one could extend life by a thousand years, ride clouds and fly—no different from immortals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun didn’t dare dream of the legendary realms of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh Marquis. Her goal was simply the Third Marquis—to ride clouds, fly freely, and live a thousand years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now someone told her her technique was wrong?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun didn’t believe it. And this was an ancient person—could an ancient person really be more capable than her, a person from the future?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She thought this inwardly, yet her mind churned like a storm—she thought of the state’s intense focus and research on spiritual realms, then of the rapid, uncontrollable mutations of plants and animals in her past life…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew her past nation lacked many lineages and lost many techniques—but she never imagined the national standard foundational technique, practiced by millions, was itself flawed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the only technique capable of reaching the Second Marquis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If even this one was wrong…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun was still worrying inwardly about her past nation when Pan Xiaohei lifted its head and meowed: “Worry about yourself first.” Pan Yun immediately calmed her mind, realizing—her shock had loosened the spiritual realm’s barrier, allowing it to glimpse her thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Xiaohei snorted. You’re the one snooping! The dantian is now surging nonstop—those thoughts pierced right through me; I couldn’t avoid hearing them even if I tried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s you who deliberately created the noise, constantly disturbing me!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun calmed her mind and looked up at the Daoist seated across from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her tear-filled, bewildered eyes, the senior brother quickly comforted her: “Don’t be afraid. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong. At least we caught it early—we can fix it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afraid she might cry, he spoke gently: “It’s like a child learning to write—when they hold the brush wrong, once they know, they correct it. Though muscle memory lingers and it’s hard to change, you’re so clever—you managed to cultivate on your own with no knowledge at all. This is nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she wasn’t just newly cultivating—this mental memory wasn’t eight years—it stretched back to her past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Master is right. I will fix it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How hard could it be compared to clearing her father’s name?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s just changing a cultivation technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d change it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!.read\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun looked at the Daoist with full trust and asked: “Then what technique should I switch to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, tell me how your technique flows. Let me see if I can find one similar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun immediately told him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior brother initially listened intently, frowning, but soon his frown deepened—he felt he’d seen this technique before, yet couldn’t recall where.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stopped her. “Let me think… let me think…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior brother sat on the rock, lost in thought, his face twisted in confusion—where had he seen it before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting a long time without further sound, Tao Ji, seeing night had fully fallen, said: “Pan Yun, let me take you to find a room to rest. When the senior brother remembers, he’ll come find you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun left reluctantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat remained motionless, still lying there, mocking her in her mind: [I thought you trusted him—you told him your cultivation technique, yet asked me to stay and eavesdrop.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun followed Tao Ji out with a look of heartfelt gratitude, inwardly sneering: [If you don’t stay, fine. If I misjudged you, we both go down together.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A technique anyone could learn upon entering school, exchanged for a specialist’s diagnosis and solution—wasn’t that a bargain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing she needed to guard against was whether he truly wanted to help her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Xuanmiao and Tao Ji had always acted strangely toward her. Though Xuanmiao claimed it was merely to keep a promise, Pan Yun remained half-skeptical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun rummaged through her basket, pulled out her small bundle, and followed Tao Ji toward the neighboring courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said: “Mount Sanqing has few people. The front area houses the altars to the Three Pure Ones, Ge Xianweng, and Minister Li. Cultivation also happens up front. Behind are two courtyards—this side is the men’s quarters, that side is the women’s.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The place we just passed is the kitchen—it has no walls, built right against the cliff. Though spacious, be careful, especially at night—don’t fall off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun asked: “Why not build walls?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why build them?” Tao Ji replied as if it were obvious. “The space is large—when chopping firewood, you can face the cliff and watch the sea of clouds. How joyful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun thought about it and nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Few came out today because tomorrow is the first of the month—the senior brother will inspect our progress, so they’re cramming. Miaohé… probably couldn’t sit still and got hungry. I’ll have her show you around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji pushed open the door to the women’s quarters and called out: “Miaohé! Miaohé!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A window on the left opened; Miaohé poked her head out, seeing the dark figure in the courtyard. “Master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Light a lamp quickly and take your… sister Pan Yun to her room.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miaohé replied, picked up her oil lamp, and cheerfully told Pan Yun: “Sister Pan Yun, we’ve already prepared your room. Follow me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miaohé opened the adjacent room and went in first, lamp in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Pan Yun follow Miaohé, Tao Ji turned and left. “Remember to get her something to eat from the kitchen later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miaohé agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room was small. To the left upon entering, against the wall, stood a small bed—no mosquito net, just bare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the bed lay one pillow and one quilt, neatly folded. Beneath the window was a table and chair; opposite, near the back window, a screen separated a space containing the chamber pot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun indicated she could manage nighttime trips herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was another window by the door—the front window—beneath which sat a table with a bronze mirror on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miaohé placed the oil lamp on the table and told Pan Yun: “This bronze mirror was sent by our fourth sister for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lucky numbers for today and tomorrow are numbers ending in 0. Screenshot as proof. Screenshot deadline: before next chapter update.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1868,"2026-06-20T22:03:57.478Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","76a549800edd9adc4afef964c8b8985f7bb3c65431c66f2acec6fe1560cf386a","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-38","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-36",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-cover.jpg"]