Chapter 124
“Over the past few days, you’ve been following them to learn talismans every day, and at night, you’re studying the way of talismans. You have no time to cultivate.”
Zhou Qianyuan’s expression eased slightly.
“But… Qianyuan, you must understand that both Zheng Shizi and Zhang Shizi are the most outstanding talents of our Jiu Shan Sect in this generation.” Master Pang’s tone carried a hint of warning. “The reason they value you now is because of your talent, but if you fall too far behind…”
“I understand, Master!”
Zhou Qianyuan’s expression tightened.
“Look at Zheng Shizi. You have many worries, but doesn’t he have even more on his plate? Markets, plays, and the way of talismans…” Master Pang continued his lesson. “Yet in my eyes, he has never slacked off in his cultivation.”
“Disciple…” Zhou Qianyuan felt even more ashamed.
“I asked you to follow him not just to learn the way of talismans, but more importantly, to see how Zhang Shizi and Zheng Shizi approach their cultivation,” Master Pang said softly.
“Yes, Master!”
“A few days ago, you mentioned that Zhang Shizi intends to let Zheng Fa take charge of the Talisman Pavilion.” Master Pang nodded. “You should see if he has the ability to win over your senior brothers—if he can, then leave it to him.”
Master Pang took out a jade tube and handed it to Zhou Qianyuan.
“Master?”
“Consider it my ticket for the play,” Master Pang said with a smirk.
……
“Done!” On the Ninth Peak, the Sect Leader proudly announced to Zheng Fa and Sister Zhang.
Zheng Fa was taken aback.
This old man is surprisingly quick!
Indeed, cultivation is the primary productive force!
“Why don’t we give it a try?”
Sister Yuan, hearing this, was eager to jump in.
She had been interested in this game ever since she heard Zheng Fa’s ideas.
Sister Zhang also showed a glimmer of interest.
The Sect Leader tossed out a dozen spirit talismans.
Zheng Fa blinked—only to find nothing had changed.
Before him was still the Jiu Shan Sect.
Now he understood why the old man was so quick.
“I set the illusion based on the Jiu Shan Sect,” he heard his master’s voice beside him. “In this illusion, you possess your own cultivation, treasures, and talismans—the only difference from reality is that you don’t fear death!” Somehow, Zheng Fa sensed a strong malice in his master’s voice.
……
Half an hour later, Zheng Fa looked pale as he faced the three in front of him.
The Sect Leader wore a satisfied smile.
Sister Zhang gazed at the sky.
Sister Yuan stared at the ground.
They wouldn’t look at him.
Among these three, two were Golden Core cultivators, and one was a Nascent Soul—what was it like for a Qi Refining stage cultivator like him to play games with them?
To put it this way—
For him, it was like Liu Laolao entering Shitou Ridge three times.
For these three, it was like the Three Heroes battling Lin Daiyu.
Hundreds of spectacular deaths!
The one who was the most ruthless was his own master.
“Ahem…” The Sect Leader, feeling uncomfortable under his resentful gaze, turned to Sisters Zhang and Yuan. “What do you two think?”
“Pretty good.”
“I think it’s great!”
Both nodded in agreement.
“No way!” Zheng Fa interjected. “It needs to be changed.”
“I know you had a rough time just now…” The Sect Leader said somewhat reluctantly.
Clearly, the old man was unwilling to make changes.
The looks from Sisters Zhang and Yuan also conveyed this sentiment—they thought Zheng Fa was opposing it simply because his gaming experience was too poor.
“... That’s not the reason; the entire rule needs to be changed.”
Zheng Fa’s expression was serious.
“First, the illusion map is too limited, and the Jiu Shan Sect is too familiar with it. It doesn’t test the disciples’ adaptability in unfamiliar places.”
Sisters Zhang and Yuan nodded lightly at his words.
Clearly, they were taking Zheng Fa’s suggestions seriously.
“Second, these disciples shouldn’t fight alone.” Zheng Fa added, “One reason we’re doing this is to cultivate their practical combat abilities, and another is to encourage teamwork. Especially for lower-tier disciples, cooperation significantly increases survival rates compared to going solo.”
“You mean…” The Sect Leader began to ponder.
“Form teams and compete in small groups.”
Seeing that the three were beginning to be swayed by his words, Zheng Fa added his most important consideration: “Lastly, there’s the cost issue. Master, how much does it cost to set up this talisman array?”
“Fifteen earth-grade talismans.”
The Sect Leader frowned, clearly understanding his point.
“This cost is too high,” Zheng Fa said. “One trial costs more than a play… which goes against our intention of allowing disciples to undergo more trials—might as well let them really fight for their lives.”
“Add maps, change the mechanism, and reduce costs.” Zheng Fa smiled at his master, whose expression was resistant. “Master, it all depends on you.”
……
In modern times.
After another monthly exam, the atmosphere in the classroom was unusually joyful—
Exams, of course, weren’t something to be happy about.
But the brief relief after finishing them was something to cherish, and the students knew that during this time, the teachers would be a bit more lenient with their demands.
Zheng Fa put down his textbook and suddenly turned to Wang Chen behind him. “Do you have time?”
“... Whether I do depends on what you want,” Wang Chen replied cautiously.
“I just want to ask you to teach me how to play games.”
Zheng Fa’s words made Wang Chen’s eyes widen. He thought for a moment. “What game? Connect the dots? Little tadpoles looking for their mom?”
“Just the popular games on the market, preferably something competitive.”
Zheng Fa had focused on his studies for the past few years and hadn’t played many games.
He couldn’t help with improving the simulation trials, changing maps, or reducing costs.
But he could draw inspiration from game mechanics.
Upon hearing this, Wang Chen perked up. He secretly pulled out his phone from his desk and said, “Come on, I’ll teach you!”
Zheng Fa also took out his phone and followed him to download a few popular games from the app store, diving into play.
“Zheng Fa, my mom said the investigation team has sent back the report.”
As he was engrossed in the game, Tang Lingwu’s voice came from above.
“Then let’s go visit Teacher Bai later.” Zheng Fa replied without looking up, still focused on the game.
Tang Lingwu didn’t leave; she stood beside Zheng Fa, curiously watching the screen of his phone.
It was clear she hadn’t played many games either.
“Wang Chen! What are you doing?” Just as Wang Chen was immersed in the game, Old Chen’s ominous voice came from behind him. “Playing games?”
Wang Chen’s hand trembled as he looked at Old Chen’s angry face in terror.
“Did you do well on the exam? Are you guaranteed to get into a prestigious university? What time is it, and you’re still thinking about playing games?”
After scolding Wang Chen, Old Chen looked up and saw Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu huddled together, seemingly studying. He turned to Wang Chen with disappointment.
“Look at Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu! They’re the top two in the class again! What are they doing? Why can’t you learn from them?” As he spoke, he walked over to Zheng Fa’s desk.
Seeing the familiar screen on Zheng Fa’s phone, Old Chen’s mouth twitched. “Can’t you learn from their spirit of balancing work and play?”
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 133: Worrying
“Still, I need to see it in person.”
Looking at the materials sent by the investigation team, Zheng Fa pondered for a moment.
It’s not that Aunt Ye’s investigation team wasn’t diligent.
On the contrary, they were likely professionals, and their investigation was quite thorough.
The materials sent over included not only photos but also some geographical data collected locally.
There were even videos taken with drones.
However, the “Ling Mountain Method” is not a technique of this world, and the discussions in “Ling Mai Lun” seem somewhat mystical from a modern perspective, making them hard to explain.
Only by going there in person can he truly determine if the location is suitable for the “Ling Mountain Method.”
“At least we’ve ruled out two places.” Tang Lingwu nodded and comforted him. “There are still two more; we should find time to check them out.”
Zheng Fa thought for a moment, feeling a bit troubled. “We won’t have time before the college entrance exam.”
Right now, they only had one day off every two weeks.
And a trip to the capital would take at least half a day round trip.
Plus, going to the mountains for an investigation would take at least two or three days.
But he also wanted to confirm the location for the nursing home as soon as possible—he was now at the fifth level of Qi Refining, and it would only take two or three months to reach the seventh level.
It would be best to have Aunt Ye start the construction before he reached the seventh level.
“Can’t we take a leave of absence?”
“Old Chen…” Zheng Fa shook his head gently. “He’s a worrywart.”
Old Chen had been his homeroom teacher for almost three years now.
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