Chapter 97
Zheng Fa glanced at the meticulously prepared booklet in his hand, then at the smug expression on Yuan Shijie's face. With a flick of his finger, a chill coalesced in the air, forming a sharp blade of ice that sliced through a potted plant in the corner.
A single leaf fell slowly to the ground.
"Shidi?" Yuan Shijie looked puzzled.
"…I’m just testing it out," Zheng Fa replied, a hint of frustration in his voice.
(End of this chapter)
**Chapter 110: Peeping**
At the docks of Jiu Shan Sect, Zheng Fa was seeing off Han Qi and the others.
Sister Zhang was the type of leader who acted decisively; within just a few days, the transport ship was ready.
Since it was their first attempt, both Zheng Fa and Sister Zhang were cautious—they only dispatched one ship and planned to visit a few nearby sects and markets, expecting to make a round trip in about half a month.
Along with Sister Zhang's crew and a few senior brothers from the market, Zheng Fa had also arranged for Han Qi and his companions to accompany them.
Han Qi and his friends weren’t just there to curry favor; after two days of discussion with Sister Zhang, Zheng Fa had refined his earlier ideas—now, the vacant guest rooms were filled with talismans collected from the market.
The current model for the transport ship was to carry talismans out and bring customers back, maximizing their capacity.
Although Han Qi and his friends weren’t particularly skilled, they did have a knack for business, and Zheng Fa intended for them to help sell the goods.
"Han Shixiong, this is just a trial run, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself," Zheng Fa said, noticing Han Qi’s evident anxiety.
"Shidi…" Han Qi forced a smile, "I’m in charge of such a large stash of talismans. What if something goes wrong…"
Sister Zhang was quite bold; she had recommended Han Qi and his friends, and without hesitation, she entrusted the ship's talismans to Han Qi, leaving the selling price and strategy entirely up to him.
Han Qi had always been at the bottom of the hierarchy in Jiu Shan Sect; he had never shouldered such a heavy responsibility before.
It was only natural for him to feel anxious.
Zheng Fa patted his shoulder and said thoughtfully, "As long as you do your best, no one can touch you. I’ve got your back, and Sister Zhang has mine."
Han Qi nodded, the tension on his face easing a bit.
As the ship gradually rose from the water, Han Qi watched Zheng Fa’s figure on the dock grow smaller, as if bidding him farewell.
He turned around and led his two junior brothers into the cabin.
On their way up, they encountered two senior brothers.
These two were familiar faces from their patrols in the market, and Han Qi and his friends had always held them in high regard.
Or rather, they had been in awe—afraid to offend them yet eager to curry favor, but they had never found a way to do so given their previous status.
Now, upon seeing the two, the three of them instinctively stopped, their faces breaking into ingratiating smiles as they greeted the seniors.
To their surprise, the two senior brothers also halted, smiling kindly at them. "Han Shidi, no need for such formalities!"
"Shixiong?"
"We're all part of Zheng Shidi's crew…" One of the seniors casually draped an arm over Han Qi's shoulder, as if they were old friends. "You've been with Zheng Shidi for a while now, so you have some clout. You’re in charge of this ship’s talismans! Just make sure to say a few good words for me in the future."
"…Sure!"
After a few friendly exchanges, the two senior brothers took their leave.
The tall, thin junior brother beside Han Qi watched the two seniors disappear and smirked, "So… we’ve got some status now?"
"…That’s just Zheng Shidi’s status!" Han Qi shook his head.
"Shixiong, we might actually make a fortune this time!" The tall junior brother suddenly changed the subject, excitement bubbling over. "Before, it was just small-time stuff, but now… we have a whole ship of talismans!"
"…If you’re looking for trouble, don’t drag me into it!" Han Qi smacked the back of his head.
"…"
"We’ve only just started to get by, and you’re already asking for trouble!" Han Qi took a deep breath and whispered angrily, "Do you really think the seniors on the ship won’t be watching us? The way they’re treating us now is just as much about wanting to take our place!"
"Well…"
"Zheng Shidi has a bright future ahead. This is just the beginning. If you’re so naive… don’t follow me next time!"
After saying that, he added a few more warnings: "We may not be strong, but we can only rely on our wits. Keep one eye open while you sleep these next few nights."
The tall junior brother rubbed the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Shixiong, ever since you started following Zheng Shidi, you’ve changed."
"…" Han Qi glanced at him, then at the distant seniors, and suddenly said softly, "With Zheng Shidi, I feel more like myself."
"?" The tall junior brother looked confused, not quite understanding.
"Isn’t it good?" Han Qi didn’t feel like explaining further.
"Good."
"Then why are you talking so much?"
…
Under the waning moon, the night was deep.
In a slightly larger courtyard two streets away from Zheng Fa's small residence, Sun Daoyu and Zhou Qianyuan were sitting in a loft.
Sun Daoyu's gaze was fixed on the direction of Zheng Fa's courtyard.
"Shixiong? What are you looking at?" Zhou Qianyuan asked.
"Looking at Zheng Fa."
"Zheng Fa?" Zhou Qianyuan was taken aback, glancing toward Zheng Fa's courtyard but seeing nothing.
When he turned back, he noticed that Sun Daoyu's eyes had changed color; his originally black pupils now shimmered with a silver light, appearing mysterious and unfathomable.
"洞虚灵眼 (Dongxu Lingyan)?" Zhou Qianyuan's expression turned astonished, and a somewhat frightening thought suddenly surged in his mind…
He took a cautious step back, distancing himself from his senior brother before saying, "Shixiong, isn’t this a bit rude?"
"It is a bit rude," Sun Daoyu sighed. "But I can’t just stare at him in person."
"Actually… it’s not entirely wrong. Many young masters in the secular world have interests similar to yours, right?" Zhou Qianyuan pursed his lips and awkwardly suggested, "We cultivators shouldn’t be so narrow-minded. Why not just go and express your feelings to Zheng Shidi directly?"
"…Feelings?" Sun Daoyu paused, slowly turning to look at Zhou Qianyuan.
Zhou Qianyuan looked at him with encouragement and understanding.
Sun Daoyu’s face showed signs of contemplation, as if he finally grasped the meaning behind the word "feelings," and his expression gradually crumbled.
"I’m after the thousand-year Purple Bamboo Tears!" Seeing Zhou Qianyuan’s skeptical expression, Sun Daoyu gritted his teeth and explained, "A few days ago, Sister Zhang went to see the Master, saying she wanted to exchange the 'Talisman Foundation Establishment Method' for two portions of the thousand-year Purple Bamboo Tears."
Zhou Qianyuan looked at his senior brother, still somewhat unconvinced. "What does this have to do with Zheng Fa?"
"Sister Zhang said that Zheng Fa’s cultivation speed with the 'Talisman Foundation Establishment Method' is incredibly fast, even doubling after forming the Yuan Talisman foundation."
"…Is it really that impressive?"
"Not just you, even the Master is skeptical," Sun Daoyu shook his head. "And he doesn’t want to give away two portions of the thousand-year Purple Bamboo Tears."
Seeing that Zhou Qianyuan still didn’t quite understand, Sun Daoyu explained softly, "The thousand-year Purple Bamboo that the Master has produces less and less Purple Bamboo Tears over time; he currently only has enough for two portions."
"Because of me?"
"Exactly. If he gives Sister Zhang two portions, you’ll have to wait at least ten years," Sun Daoyu clarified.
"…"
"And the 'Talisman Foundation Establishment Method' has flaws, so it’s not worth that much."
Sun Daoyu’s words left Zhou Qianyuan stunned, prompting him to ask, "But the Master has always wanted this method."
"On one hand, this method is indeed marvelous and very suitable for talisman masters. The Master once said that just because Sister Zhang can’t make up for its flaws doesn’t mean he can’t; he actually has some ideas already," Sun Daoyu smiled. "Moreover, the Master also has plans to surpass another lineage by repairing the 'Talisman Foundation Establishment Method.'"
"…So, are you here today for that?"
"The Master sent me to see if Zheng Shidi’s cultivation speed is really that fast, and more importantly, to check if Sister Zhang has already repaired the flaws in the 'Talisman Foundation Establishment Method,' allowing Zheng Fa to cultivate so quickly."
Zhou Qianyuan’s expression was a bit conflicted.
Seeing this, Sun Daoyu chuckled, "Don’t worry, no matter how fast he cultivates, I’ll tell the Master that the 'Talisman Foundation Establishment Method' isn’t worth two portions of the thousand-year Purple Bamboo Tears."
Zhou Qianyuan nodded, feeling a bit ashamed. He whispered, "Thank you, Shixiong."
"You’re my junior brother! Of course, I’ll prioritize you," Sun Daoyu smiled gently at him.
Zhou Qianyuan bit his lip, his expression a mix of gratitude and hesitation.
He whispered, "Shixiong, I… only have respect for you in my heart."
Sun Daoyu: "?"
…
Zheng Fa was unaware that someone was peeping at him, and that someone was a man.
He had already arrived in the modern world in his dreams.
In the old man Bai's house, a laptop sat before the three of them, its screen displaying categorized talisman diagrams.
"Not quite right."
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