I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times-Chapter 366Book 2: : Teaching According to Aptitude, The Harmonious Iron Fist
Vol 2 Chapter 366: Teaching According to Aptitude, The Harmonious Iron Fist
"Master... perhaps we shouldn't publish the thesis yet?" Gu Chang hesitated for a long moment before speaking.
Zheng Fa looked surprised as he gazed at his eldest disciple.
"If the other disciples learn about this... I fear their expectations might become too great." Zheng Fa was taken aback when he saw the gloom in Gu Chang's expression. "I nearly went mad and damaged my cultivation body—much of that suffering came from spiritual root issues. The other senior and junior brothers likely face similar struggles."
"It would be better to wait until we achieve concrete results before making any announcements..."
"So they won't experience false hope."
Hearing this, Zheng Fa nodded inwardly. Spiritual root modification was enough to drive most Jiushan Sect disciples wild with anticipation. This was indeed no trivial matter, and Gu Chang's considerations made sense.
From his tone, Gu Chang seemed worried both about the pressure of public expectations and that some Jiushan disciples might recklessly follow his path. His intentions were genuinely kind.
It was clear he still deeply cared about his current spirit-rootless condition.
Seeing Gu Chang's complicated expression, Zheng Fa raised his palm, causing starlight to gather and form a luminous screen in the air.
On the left side of the screen was a transparent human figure depicting nerves and meridians. On the right were written treatment suggestions and ideas for spiritual root modification.
"Master, this is..."
Gu Chang stared at the tangled nerves on the screen, his eyes showing dawning comprehension while his lips trembled slightly, as if afraid to believe his own speculation.
"This is the treatment plan drafted for you. The main approach uses thunder techniques supplemented by spiritual medicines..."
"The thunder techniques are straightforward, but the medicines will require more research."
Zheng Fa looked at Gu Chang and explained carefully:
"But there's significant hope. You needn't be too anxious..."
"...Yes!"
Gu Chang stared at the densely packed text on the screen for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out that single word, his lips curling slightly.
Mu Qingyan, however, lowered her eyes slightly, feeling a pang of bitterness in her heart.
The master had planned so much for her senior brother. When she had become his disciple, she hadn't asked for much—after all, by following the conventional path, she could still form her Nascent Soul.
She had only sought a place to rest.
But seeing how much thought the master put into Gu Chang's situation compared to her own, how could she not feel the disparity?
Zheng Fa continued speaking to Gu Chang: "Beyond this, there's much knowledge you need to study—neuroscience, biology, and talismanic topology. Here's a reading list. Go through these first."
"After reading, it would be best if you could write several review essays for me."
Gu Chang bowed respectfully: "This disciple will devote myself fully!"
Mu Qingyan increasingly felt that her senior brother was truly the disciple the master cared about most, while she was just an afterthought.
Though the thought of writing review essays already gave her a headache, being personally guided like this by the master... was something she deeply envied. 𝙧ＡƝő𝖇Ɛ𝙎
Hadn't she seen how quickly her senior brother agreed?
Forget it. I'm a Nascent Soul cultivator reborn through hardship, my Dao heart tempered like iron. I don't need such things...
"Qingyan."
"Master?"
Mu Qingyan looked up to see Zheng Fa gazing at her, leaving her momentarily confused.
"Qingyan, what would you like to learn?"
"Ah?"
"Since you've entered my tutelage, of course I should teach you something." Zheng Fa frowned slightly, seeming troubled. "But you're different from your senior brother. His talents are obvious, while you excel in many areas..."
Mu Qingyan was stunned.
She and Gu Chang were indeed different. Gu Chang was rather specialized:
Leaving aside his innate gifts, his performance was average in all subjects except talisman arts.
Regarding temperament, Zheng Fa could sense this disciple had some inferiority complex, often wavering between hope and fear.
Though nominally the senior brother, he often felt more like Mu Qingyan's junior.
Mu Qingyan was different:
She performed well across many disciplines.
She was socially adept, strong-willed, and commanded great respect in the archaeology team.
Given her experience, providing her with the same hand-holding guidance as Gu Chang would actually be counterproductive.
It would be better to let Mu Qingyan decide for herself:
He might not be able to teach three thousand Great Daos, but with some effort, he could probably assemble three thousand academicians.
Though he did value Gu Chang more, he had originally wanted to accept Mu Qingyan as a disciple too—he certainly wouldn't treat her as just a tool.
Mu Qingyan remained dazed for a long moment before speaking as if waking from a dream: "You're letting me choose?"
"You choose. Of course, don't feel pressured. If you want to study something else later, you can switch." Zheng Fa's tone was extremely patient. "Just tell me what you most want to learn now."
Mu Qingyan noticed her senior brother Gu Chang looking at her with sudden envy.
She envied herself too.
Even with her two lifetimes of experience, when had there ever been a master who gave disciples such freedom and tolerance?
How could this mean the master didn't value her?
On the contrary, it showed he valued her too much...
Mu Qingyan's smile was sickeningly sweet as she raised her head and declared loudly: "...This disciple excels most in alchemy!"
Whether secret techniques or ruins from her memories, they would eventually be exhausted.
What she had truly mastered in her past life was the alchemical arts from the Qingmu Sect—it was through this that she had step by step reached Nascent Soul.
"Alchemy?"
What a coincidence.
Zheng Fa had been thinking about how to introduce modern pharmaceutical concepts here.
Compared to others, Mu Qingyan's talents and background made her the most suitable candidate.
...
Long after leaving Zheng Fa's courtyard, Mu Qingyan remained silent, while Gu Chang chuckled and teased her: "Not feeling wronged anymore?"
"Senior brother!"
"I heard you went through no less effort than I did to become master's disciple. Earlier, you looked at me with such disdain." Gu Chang continued cheerfully, ignoring Mu Qingyan's annoyed expression. "And now?"
Mu Qingyan didn't respond, only stopping to look back at the master's courtyard.
Against the courtyard wall grew a peach tree, only three years old but already lush with branches and vibrant blossoms, promising abundant fruit in the future.
Senior Sister Zhang stepped slowly from her own courtyard, watching the two figures disappear at the horizon before shaking her head and entering Zheng Fa's yard.
"Those two disciples of yours would probably die for you now."
"Why would I want them to die?" Zheng Fa looked baffled. "Besides, isn't this what a normal teacher should do?"
Normal?
Seeing the utter matter-of-factness on her junior brother's face, Senior Sister Zhang felt momentarily lost.
She had never understood where her junior brother's definition of "normal" came from.
But in Xuanyi Realm, whether as sect leader or teacher, his actions were anything but normal.
Yet some people were truly willing to dedicate their lives to this abnormality.
Setting this aside, she stated her purpose: "Junior brother, I'm preparing to go into seclusion."
"For Nascent Soul transformation?"
"Mn. My spiritual energy accumulation is nearly complete." Senior Sister Zhang sighed. "If not for Jiushan Realm's increasing abundance of spirit materials, I wouldn't have progressed this quickly."
She had to admit that as Jiushan Realm prospered, the greatest beneficiaries were higher-ups like Zheng Fa and herself:
They worked hard, but also earned the most merit points, exchanging them freely for spirit materials.
Jiushan Realm was after all a power comparable to the Five Great Sects. With its productivity, the Hundred Immortals Alliance's wealth, and support from Haori Mountain and Taishang Dao, nurturing a few late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators was simple.
Moreover, the dual cultivation between Senior Sister Zhang and Zheng Fa had its benefits—her Nascent Soul had been reforged, and she had begun mastering the Heavenly and Earthly Fiend Transformations, progressing nearly as fast as Zheng Fa.
Senior Sister Zhang continued:
"For now, the Administrative Hall's affairs will be handled by the Nine Chapters Calculation Spirit. I've assigned tasks to my disciples, and my own master will oversee their further training."
Zheng Fa was stunned.
You're relying on your master to teach your disciples too? Truly my senior sister!
"I've also informed Junior Sister Yuan and the others. The Nascent Soul transformation can't be delayed any longer."
Senior Sister Zhang's urgency likely stemmed from the Trapping Immortal Sword situation.
Regardless, Haori Mountain had given them only eighteen or nineteen years.
After her transformation, while her combat strength wouldn't match Dao Fruit cultivators, her endurance wielding the Tranquility Bamboo would be incomparable.
"Senior sister..."
Zheng Fa felt reluctant.
Once true Nascent Soul transformation began, interruptions were inadvisable—like Elder Yuan, who had entered a critical phase and was now in true life-or-death seclusion.
No one dared disturb him.
Since joining the sect, Senior Sister Zhang had been by his side, assisting him greatly.
Once she entered seclusion, they likely wouldn't meet for years.
Even as cultivators, how could their hearts remain completely unmoved?
"Junior brother." Senior Sister Zhang gazed at Zheng Fa, her eyes soft as water, as she formed hand seals to shield the courtyard completely.
"Yes?"
"I only have five days."
The peach tree by the courtyard wall suddenly trembled violently, its blossoms cascading down like spring snowfall.
...
How ruthless senior sister was.
True to her word—exactly five days, then she was gone the moment she dressed, without a second's delay.
But Zheng Fa understood: the pressure from Haori Mountain was simply too great.
After several discussions, their best-case scenario involved Zheng Fa obtaining the Trapping Immortal Sword, destroying Haori Mountain's spiritual veins, and making them lose on both fronts—though this would bring many future troubles.
In terms of pure strength, Jiushan Sect couldn't hope to match Haori Mountain.
When Haori Mountain sought revenge, Jiushan Sect would face immense pressure.
Senior Sister Zhang's determination to transform stemmed partly from wanting to increase her cultivation and bolster Jiushan Sect's reserves.
But she also wanted to pave the way for Zheng Fa's own transformation.
Zheng Fa currently possessed four Nascent Soul transformation techniques: "Vermilion Heaven Jade Manual," "Trapping Immortal Sword Canon," and the "Great Freedom True Technique" and "Ten-Thousand Demons True Explanation" from the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor.
Each was among Xuanyi Realm's most supreme techniques.
But Zheng Fa was too ambitious—he looked down on all four and distrusted other Dao Fruits, wanting only to study their principles to develop his own optimal method.
Senior Sister Zhang's Nine Chapters Calculation Array derived from the "Vermilion Heaven Jade Manual," representing one research outcome.
Her current transformation was also an experiment in technique development.
Truthfully, progressing from Nascent Soul to transformation wouldn't greatly enhance Jiushan Realm's strength.
Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang would gain slightly better endurance, but other transformed cultivators wouldn't significantly affect the balance.
The only true counters to Dao Fruits were those treasures:
The Trapping Immortal Sword, Fusang Wood, Tranquility Bamboo, Qingping Sword, and the currently incomplete Dao Fruit—the Ten-Thousand Demons Banner.
No matter how they tapped internal potential, this was their limit.
To gain more certainty, they needed external assistance...
At this thought, Zheng Fa looked down at the sapphire orb on his chest—the Ocean Pearl.
Xiao Yuying had left this with him for protection.
Given Sect Master Yan's wariness toward Xiao Yuying and her own confidence, her master behind this Ocean Pearl was likely at least a Loose Immortal.
"We probably only have one chance..."
Though he got along well with Xiao Yuying, he'd never met her master.
Moreover, he instinctively distrusted all Dao Fruits now.
If Xiao Yuying's master helped Jiushan Sect even once, it would be a miracle.
Beyond this, only one external force could be relied upon—
The Tianhe Sect!
Though their goals differed, their enemy was likely the same.
Zheng Fa stepped out of the courtyard, gazing toward the Tianhe Sect's direction, wondering how far that sect master's rebellion had progressed...
Best if they could destroy Haori Mountain.
Failing that, drawing away two or three Dao Fruits would still greatly aid Jiushan Sect.
"Zheng Fa?" Uncle Pang's voice called out. "What are you standing here for?"
"Nothing. Did you need me for something, Uncle?"
"There's a storybook you should see."
"Storybook?"
Zheng Fa was stunned, then gave Uncle Pang a strange look.
Since the new Tongjian devices appeared, storybooks on Jiushan Entertainment had attracted many cultivators.
Not just reading—they wrote them too.
Within a month of the new Tongjian's release, over a hundred storybooks had appeared.
Zheng Fa actually approved—
Most cultivators lived too long, and some grew extremely bored. The entertainment industry had massive unmet demand.
Reading and writing stories passed time and stimulated spending—contributing to Jiushan Sect.
Zheng Fa rarely read them.
By modern standards, these were early web novels. Though influenced by his "Jiushan Immortal Path" and already quite distinct from Xuanyi Realm's traditional stories,
To Zheng Fa, they remained too crude and amateurish.
But Uncle Pang read them!
The more amateurish, the better!
This uncle reportedly never went out now without his Tongjian, completely addicted to storybooks.
Was he here to recommend one?
"Uncle? Did you find a good story?"
"Good?" Uncle Pang looked startled, then his expression turned odd. "Good it is, but..."
"Hmm?"
"Just read it yourself."
The Creation Jade Slip leaped from Zheng Fa's forehead and opened Jiushan Entertainment's storybook section.
"Check the rankings."
Zheng Fa tapped again, opening the storybook rankings.
First place remained his "Jiushan Immortal Path." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
But second place was new—"Tianhe Cultivation Chronicles."
"......"
Zheng Fa turned to Uncle Pang with a questioning look.
Uncle Pang nodded: "That's the one. It appeared half a month ago, still short, but its readership has exploded recently..."
Xuanyi Realm had such talent?
Already writing fanfiction to ride on popularity?
Tianhe Venerable's popularity among Jiushan disciples was considerable.
Intrigued, Zheng Fa began reading.
Then... he understood why Uncle Pang had come.
"...This doesn't seem fictional?"
Uncle Pang looked pained: "I asked Fairy Xie. She said about twenty to thirty percent matches what she knows..."
"The remaining seventy to eighty percent, she can't verify, but it seems plausible."
"......"
Zheng Fa stared at the story, speechless and conflicted.
He'd thought it was fanfiction.
Turned out it might be biography?
Rereading "Tianhe Cultivation Chronicles," especially its names of people, places, and sects,
A biography itself wasn't problematic.
But a biography of Tianhe Venerable was explosive—enough to shake the heavens.
The story had just begun, with Tianhe Venerable still only at Nascent Soul stage, but besides Tianhe Sect, characters from Xuanyi Realm's other four great sects had already appeared—
All as villains.
Currently being successively pummeled by Tianhe Venerable.
One Haori Mountain disciple, whom Zheng Fa recognized—a certain Lu, practically an ancestor of his—was named accurately.
Even more outrageous, the story detailed Tianhe Venerable creating the "Nine-turn Golden Pill Method" during Golden Core stage.
"Zheng Fa, so far the story reveals little that's truly secret... but if it continues..."
Uncle Pang said quietly.
This was Zheng Fa's concern too:
Though he'd bashed Haori Mountain in "Jiushan Immortal Path," that was because their sects were mortal enemies—he'd actually held back.
But this "Tianhe Cultivation Chronicles"? Even if the author dared write it, Zheng Fa wouldn't dare publish it!
Whoever knew these secrets was no minor figure. They might fear no reprisal from the Five Sects—perhaps the Five Sects couldn't even find them.
But everyone knew Tongjian belonged to Jiushan Sect...
The Hundred Immortals Alliance couldn't escape!
Against Haori Mountain alone, Zheng Fa had to calculate meticulously, considering even distant Dao Fruits.
If this story continued, the Five Sects' reaction was predictable—claiming it was fiction meant nothing when they knew the truth.
"What should we do?"
Uncle Pang had come precisely because he recognized the danger.
Gazing at the Creation Jade Slip, Zheng Fa sighed inwardly:
When I read novels, I cursed platforms.
Now, I've become the platform!
Seeing Zheng Fa tap twice, making "Tianhe Cultivation Chronicles" vanish from rankings without a trace, Uncle Pang blinked: "That's it? Who was that author?"
Zheng Fa tapped again, trying to trace the author's origin.
But he couldn't detect which Tongjian the messages came from, let alone identify the writer.
"Can't find them. Must be someone powerful..." Zheng Fa told Uncle Pang.
Uncle Pang nodded, then sighed: "I actually quite liked it."
Zheng Fa regretted it too—keeping the book would have boosted Tongjian's popularity. Who didn't enjoy unofficial histories?
The problem wasn't their informality, but their accuracy.
Jiushan Sect truly couldn't withstand the consequences.
...
A day later, Zheng Fa stared blankly at the stream of messaging talismans resembling spam.
"Where's my storybook?"
"What did you do?"
"I'm busy now and can't visit Jiushan Realm! Without explanation, I'll come teach you a lesson later!"
This aura felt familiar—wasn't this the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor?
So the banned book's author was you?
Seeing "teach you a lesson," Zheng Fa felt slight regret:
No wonder no one in Xuanyi Realm ran platforms. If you dared censor, some authors truly dared retaliate with iron fists.
The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor might actually enter Jiushan Realm to cause trouble...
The Heavenly Venerate had died horribly enough.
