[{"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-40":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},2337245,4570,"Chapter 40: Senior Brother, I","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-40",40,"\u003Cp>He casually pulled over a cushion and sat down, gesturing for Pan Yun to sit as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the morning mist, he told her what they cultivated: “Primordial qi exists in heaven and earth, and within the human body as well. Cultivating the Dao, cultivating the body, cultivating the spirit—besides drawing upon primordial qi from heaven and earth and the essence derived from food, one must also refine the primordial qi within one’s own body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each cultivation method refines qi differently, but the Kunyuan Art demands particularly strict adherence: in the latter half of the form, the primordial qi absorbed from heaven and earth must merge with the body’s own primordial qi, circulate through the Microcosmic Orbit, and be stored in the dantian, fully transformed into the qi within your dantian. Because this qi contains your own refined primordial energy, your control over it is far greater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, guide this dantian qi to flow through the entire body, completing the Microcosmic Orbit. This not only strengthens the meridians but also enhances the internal organs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin sighed: “This art not only trains the meridians internally but also hardens the body externally. When you reach full mastery, your body will be like a wall of bronze and iron, perfectly unified inside and out. To kill you would require tremendous effort. Cough, cough—of course, we cultivators are gentle folk and generally don’t engage in such unlawful deeds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun pondered, committing every word to memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her listen intently, Wang Feiyin smiled faintly and elaborated further: “But your current method fails to merge internal and external primordial qi, and the latter half of its path has been altered—so much of the qi you absorb never reaches the dantian before dissipating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of this qi scatters into your limbs and bones, some leaks outward. Though the qi scattered into your limbs does offer slight nourishment and strengthening, it falls far short of the orderly nourishment and conditioning you achieve by channeling your refined qi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun understood: her current method’s greatest flaws were low efficiency and insufficient internal cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin looked at her and said: “I see you’ve made some progress, but your physique is weak—your five viscera and six bowels are all frail, even weaker than an ordinary person’s. This is mostly due to your method. So switch to this one as soon as possible. First strengthen your body, then advance further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun wanted to defend the method, her gaze flicking toward the black cat crouching nearby, silently huffing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the Spirit of the Realm, even the leaked spiritual energy alone would have strengthened her body, let alone how much better she’d become after achieving cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun said nothing, merely accepted the half-scroll and bowed respectfully: “Thank you, True Person. Pan Yun will practice diligently and correct the method.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin stroked his beard, smiling: “Good, good. Come ask me if you have questions. This method is harder to master than others, and more forceful—your qi intake yesterday alone proves it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun’s opening posture was correct—this part draws and absorbs qi—but once inside, only a fraction of the meridian path was properly followed; the latter half had veered off course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin grew increasingly puzzled: “Could this child have been targeted by some unscrupulous heretic? Knowing your talent, they used you to test a new method?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who else would be so cruel as to deliberately alter the latter half?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun opened her mouth but couldn’t speak—perhaps too many ancient texts had been lost; maybe only a fragment remained, and earlier masters had tried to reconstruct the latter half. It wasn’t perfect, but at least people could practice it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sigh—thinking of those earlier masters, they were pitiful: forced to fight wars while coping with sudden environmental changes and sudden appearances of demons and monsters. To reconstruct even half this method was already remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget your old teacher. I’ll find you a new master,” Wang Feiyin enthusiastically offered. “I have a second junior brother—kind-hearted, gentle, learned, and brilliant. Let me take you on as his youngest disciple?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun immediately sat up straight, her expression solemn: “Senior Brother, I dreamed last night. I saw the Mountain God, Lord Pan. He wished to take me as his direct disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin stared blankly. “What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s true. I not only saw Lord Pan, but also the Lord of Spiritual Treasures. He too wanted to take me as his disciple, but said his true form couldn’t remain long in the mortal realm. He entrusted me to Lord Pan, allowing Lord Pan to accept me as his direct disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin: …\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his mouth several times, unsure what to say, then closed it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun gazed at him hopefully. “Senior Brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin weakly waved his hand. “No, don’t call me Senior Brother. Let me think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, he spoke earnestly: “You’re so young. You’re the same age as Miao Zhen and Miao He. Wouldn’t it be better to grow up together? You have so many elders to care for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun’s face remained solemn: “Senior Brother, I’m already eight. I’ve been frail since childhood, so I’m especially considerate. I have three siblings, and we’re all deeply affectionate toward each other. I’ll treat Miao Zhen and Miao He with kindness and care as my junior disciples. I’ve grown up—I don’t need your special attention. And I’ll treat you and the other senior brothers and sisters just as I treat my own brothers: with brotherly love and sisterly respect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun nodded earnestly at Wang Feiyin. “I’m very considerate, Senior Brother, truly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The request you just made is not considerate at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing he was reluctant, Pan Yun asked: “Senior Brother, don’t you believe I dreamed of Lord Pan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin smiled but said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun sighed: “I know it sounds strange, but it’s true. The Lord of Spiritual Treasures liked me so much he granted me a divine skill as proof for me and my master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good heavens—in one breath she’d gone from Lord Pan to master?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her hopeful gaze, Wang Feiyin relented and asked: “What divine skill did the Lord of Spiritual Treasures give you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun replied immediately: “The Speech of All Things!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It lets me communicate with all things. Any sentient being—animals, plants—I can commune with them. The Lord of Spiritual Treasures named this skill ‘The Speech of All Things.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin was certain the Lord of Spiritual Treasures had no such skill. Even if he could commune with all things, he wouldn’t call it that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name was likely her own invention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even if it wasn’t granted by the Lord of Spiritual Treasures, that didn’t mean the skill didn’t exist—so…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin stood up, half-skeptical: “Let’s test your skill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun rose instantly. “How? Senior Brother, can I use my cat? I’ll make it meow, then tell you what it’s saying.” Wang Feiyin nodded: “Fine, try it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun tapped the black cat with her toe, urging it to rise. “Say hello to Senior Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meow—you fool, he doesn’t believe you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun’s smile didn’t waver as she translated: “It says it loves Mount Sanqing and wants to stay here to cultivate. It especially loves Senior Brother, whose body radiates harmony.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin: “Just a few ‘meows,’ and you translated all that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun nodded. “Exactly. It talks a lot. Sometimes I find it annoying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin decided not to follow her rhythm. “Let’s find other animals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Mount Sanqing didn’t even keep a chicken. Finding any animal was difficult, so Wang Feiyin led her toward the summit, where the terrain was flatter, the trees denser, and the ground covered in soft, decomposed leaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they walked, Wang Feiyin said: “Mount Sanqing is mostly granite—solid stone throughout. Trees grow between the rocks, and over time, fallen leaves accumulate, forming soil. After millennia, the entire mountain is lush green.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are more plants here, so birds and beasts often come to forage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin led her up with practiced ease. In the undergrowth, a pheasant startled and flapped away—he caught it in one hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!. Read\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pheasant squawked frantically: “Gaa, guu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin looked at Pan Yun expectantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “...It’s calling for its mother. Mother, help, help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin fell silent. He couldn’t say she was wrong, so he released it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pheasant squawked curses as it flapped away, stumbling through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “It’s cursing you, Senior Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t have to translate that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun changed the subject: “Senior Brother, shall we test another animal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need.” Wang Feiyin had realized—he didn’t know whether she could commune with all things, because he couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he could detect was her spiritual sense clinging to the black cat the night before to eavesdrop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was a human soul—he could notice it. Animals’ souls? He wasn’t familiar with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So how could he be sure her translations were true?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stared at each other. Wang Feiyin asked: “Do you really want to become Lord Pan’s disciple?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun nodded eagerly: “Mainly because I want to be your junior sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you take Yin Song as your master, I’ll be your senior uncle. I’ll still train you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun shook her head, eyes sparkling at Wang Feiyin: “Senior Brother, Master really did accept me as his disciple. If you don’t believe me, ask him in your dreams tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A junior disciple is nothing compared to a junior sister—there’s a whole layer between them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin: “Fine. I’ll take you on as my master’s fifth disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun beamed. “Senior Brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin rubbed his temples and led her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smoke curled from the kitchen, steam rising. As they entered the courtyard, the boy trailing Tao Ji had already set out the long table, arms full of bowls and chopsticks. Seeing them, he greeted warmly: “Senior Uncle, Little Auntie, breakfast is ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy set down the utensils and bowed. “Auntie, this humble Daoist is Tao Yanbai, your third senior brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin said: “Don’t call her that. She’s your junior aunt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” The boy froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji, hearing from the kitchen, rushed out with a wooden spoon in hand, eyes wide in outrage: “What? What did you just say, Senior Brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Miao and others gathered from all around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin said: “You’ve arrived just in time. Everyone’s here. Let me formally introduce you: this is my master’s fifth disciple, your junior aunt, Pan Yun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third, Fourth—you’re her senior brothers. She’s young; you must care for her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji’s lips trembled. “Senior Brother, I know she’s talented, but… do you really need to make her your junior sister? You could take her as your own disciple!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Feiyin: “I’m not suited to be a teacher.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucky number: any number ending in 0, screenshot as proof\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1811,"2026-06-20T22:03:57.478Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6ea82bd2fc89e538f6878184702108692068705ce734daa56b86210e3cbbf675","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-41","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-39",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-cover.jpg"]