I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times-Chapter 375Book 2: : Drawing Parallels, Ancestral Craftsmanship
Vol 2 Chapter 375: Drawing Parallels, Ancestral Craftsmanship
People will do anything when it comes to cultivation…
A truck slowly drove through the nursing home's gate. The rear tailgate lowered, and a stone tablet about one and a half human heights tall was carefully carried onto the ground by workers.
Along with the stone tablet came a half-meter square iron box, which contained newly discovered spirit material samples shipped from that island nation.
Speaking of which, these spirit materials were exactly what Zheng Fa wanted.
The stone tablet was insisted upon by those persistent people over there, who were determined to send it to Immortal Zheng for him to see. Their sincerity was strong, and they paid the shipping fee themselves.
Zheng Fa opened the iron box, inside which were several tightly sealed metal cans. Upon opening one, a puff of white smoke suddenly billowed out.
As the white smoke dispersed, the true form of the spirit material was revealed:
It was a silvery-black liquid, thick in texture, resembling mercury but chilling to the bone—the white smoke was actually cold air leaking out.
Zheng Fa immediately recognized it:
“Xuanming Sha, the lowest quality kind.”
Xuanming Sha is a type of Earth Fiend energy, not particularly precious, and abundant under the sea.
This batch of Xuanming Sha had a spirit level in the single digits—meaning low purity with many impurities. In the Xuanyi Realm, it wouldn't sell for much and was generally unwanted.
But in the modern world, this was fresh new material.
Old Bai was naturally curious;he reached out a finger as if to touch it.
“Teacher Bai… this stuff is harmful to the physical body,” Zheng Fa said helplessly as he saw his restless gesture. “Earth Fiend energy is somewhat toxic to humans.”
Teacher Tian glared fiercely at Old Bai upon hearing this.
Old Bai’s finger froze slightly, and he whispered, “Research… research requires dedication;you can’t be afraid of everything.”
Teacher Tian grit her teeth and twisted him at the waist.
Although the Five Thunder Body Technique was perfected, Old Bai clearly couldn’t withstand Teacher Tian’s stormy wrath. He bared his teeth but didn’t dare make a sound.
He wasn’t afraid of poisoning himself, but it was obvious he was afraid of his wife.
In fact, Teacher Tian’s cultivation was now a bit stronger than his.
No wonder Old Bai had been muttering nonstop about spiritual roots lately, worried that his family status might be slipping away.
Still, Zheng Fa could understand Old Bai’s curiosity:
Xuanyi cultivators despised this material.
But to the nursing home, which longed for spirit materials, it was a treasure.
“Spirit material transformation isn’t a technical challenge for us,” Tang Lingwu also leaned over to look at the Xuanming Sha in the can. “We already have alchemy equipment;a bit of modification should suffice. As for cultivation…”
ⱤáꞐ𝐎βËš
She thought for a moment and counted on her fingers: “Our nursing home has five Foundation Establishment cultivators, plus me at Golden Core. Even if you’re busy, Zheng Fa, that’s enough.”
Zheng Fa nodded upon hearing this.
Unless the spirit materials were extremely precious and rare, a Golden Core disciple was generally sufficient to lead the spirit material transformation project.
Besides Old Bai and the two others, there were two more Foundation Establishment talents with decent aptitude in the nursing home.
Add a few Qi Refining scholars with some training, and converting simple spirit materials wouldn’t be difficult at all.
“Can we start forging magical tools now?”
Old Bai’s tone was full of eager anticipation.
Even Teacher Tian looked somewhat hopeful.
Zheng Fa turned to Team Leader Yang, who had come with the truck: “How’s the production volume of this Xuanming Sha?”
“Not much, but from our observations, it seems to be increasing. However, since it’s underwater and poisonous, mining it is quite difficult,” Team Leader Yang frowned and then added, “Director, as you know, too much spiritual energy interferes with many electronic devices… These few cans were extremely difficult to procure.”
An increase was normal.
Spirit material production requires the right environment and spiritual energy.
The sea area where the Xuanming Sha was found probably met the environmental criteria already. With Fusang Wood bringing spiritual energy to the modern world, the Xuanming Sha naturally formed.
Although its quality was low now, with time and abundant spiritual energy, its quality might improve in the future.
Tang Lingwu immediately said, “How about I go?”
She was a Golden Core cultivator and naturally unafraid of this Xuanming Sha.
Mining wasn’t really an issue—though she was very busy, and Zheng Fa was reluctant to have her run around so much.
“What about Nezha?”
Upon hearing this, Old Bai slapped his thigh: “Right, that big toy, it could come in handy now!”
Team Leader Yang nodded: “With the current yield, going once a month is enough.”
Old Bai suddenly asked, “Zheng Fa, what do you plan to do with this spirit material?”
“Too little, and the quality’s too low…” Zheng Fa shook his head slightly. “Making external pills is impossible;only the simplest magical tools can be made.”
“It’s not even enough for Lingwu to refine her innate treasure.”
Both the quantity and quality of this Xuanming Sha were poor.
Even with spirit material transformation, the products would be limited. But for the nursing home, it was still a breakthrough from zero.
There was a slight disappointment on everyone’s faces.
Then Zheng Fa laughed: “The significance of this Xuanming Sha is that it proves spirit materials can naturally form. It’s not viable now, but it will be someday… Besides, when Fusang Wood evolves further or when I reach Nascent Soul, there might be some changes.”
After Nascent Soul, the spiritual energy of Rainbow Mountain would likely improve greatly.
“As for this Xuanming Sha… let the scholars at Rainbow Mountain play with it.”
“Play? How?”
Old Bai was stunned. Zheng Fa said: “Let’s hold a magical tool design competition.”
The others exchanged looks, finding the idea quite interesting.
“You want to see what kind of innovations they can come up with?”
Zheng Fa smiled and nodded.
He had this idea because the Xuanming Sha was too scarce and low quality;the possibilities were limited, so it didn’t matter much to him. Letting the scholars experiment wouldn’t cause any losses.
Secondly, it served the same purpose: leveraging brains.
Jiushan Sect’s forging style, influenced by Madam Xuanhua’s knowledge of modern mechanics and construction, had already changed somewhat, differing slightly from Xuanyi Realm’s traditional approach—for example, with various divine flying boats.
But overall, it still leaned toward Xuanyi Realm’s style.
This was natural since Madam Xuanhua grew up in Xuanyi Realm.
The nursing home crowd was different—they had learned different philosophies from childhood and grown up reading various novels and comics, shaping a way of thinking very different from Madam Xuanhua’s.
Zheng Fa was giving the Xuanming Sha to them to “play” with, hoping their divergent thinking would yield some fresh ideas or surprises.
If he dictated everything, it would waste their intelligence and go against his original intention in forming the nursing home.
Better to give them room for creativity.
Seeing Old Bai’s puzzled expression, Zheng Fa smiled and explained further:
“Teacher Bai, when I teach Immortal Dao, I don’t want everyone to blindly follow me step by step.”
“The nursing home is, after all, a research institution.”
“Diversity and individual strengths are better.”
Old Bai understood. He looked toward Rainbow Mountain, seemingly gazing at the laboratories, and smiled:
“To even take out precious spirit materials to cultivate them… no wonder so many want to come here.”
Team Leader Yang suddenly pointed at the stone tablet: “What about this? I can tell they’re really eager.”
They looked at the tablet, seeing two sections of text: the upper half in classical Chinese, the lower half in what seemed a local language. The inscription was worn, showing earnest effort and a proper form.
The only odd thing was the character “Zheng” was very clear…
Old Bai shook his head and sighed: “Foreigners aren’t fools. This is a cultivation opportunity.”
A few years ago, foreigners not knowing cultivation was understandable.
But in recent years, although Zheng Fa hadn’t made major moves, he never hid it—who didn’t want to become immortal?
“What are their demands?”
Team Leader Yang suppressed a smile: “Acknowledgment of ancestry.”
“No way they really believe that?”
“They know it’s fake, we know it’s fake, the whole world knows it’s fake,” Team Leader Yang looked at Zheng Fa, “But as long as the director says it’s real, then it’s real.”
Zheng Fa thought for a moment and said: “These are minor issues. You decide. I’ll just give two conditions:”
“Director, please.”
“One, spirit materials in exchange for grain. Jiushan Grain Company and later Jiushan Pharmaceutical Company products can give them a share.”
“Two, if they pass the exam, they can enter the nursing home as graduate students in the future.”
In short, Zheng Fa was transferring half of the Hundred Immortals Alliance model here.
This was because Zheng Fa regarded the entire modern world as his cultivation ground. Eventually, these people had to be trained. Whether earlier or later didn’t matter—as long as the brains were good, it was fine.
On the other hand, he was too lazy to bother with other matters;he saw the nursing home purely as a research institute.
Let official channels handle other things.
What he wanted was this small amount of spirit material—or rather, the sea area that produced the Xuanming Sha.
Team Leader Yang looked confident: “With these two conditions, negotiations will be smooth.”
Old Bai asked: “How do they plan to negotiate?”
Team Leader Yang laughed and pointed at the tablet: “Isn’t this a warm invitation? Blood is thicker than water.”
Old Bai looked at the tablet for a long time and sighed: “You say it’s fake, but it actually works as if it’s real.”
Zheng Fa was stunned, then looked at the tablet, his eyes gradually brightening.
…
“I’m going to make a Trapping Immortal Sword?”
Madam Xuanhua pointed at her nose, wearing an expression of feeling honored by the Sect Master’s trust but also utterly unable to accomplish it.
“Fake, fake.”
Zheng Fa explained: “It just needs the appearance. The spirit materials can be approximate.”
Senior Sister Zhang seemed to understand: “You want to make a fake Trapping Immortal Sword and secretly replace the original?”
Zheng Fa nodded.
He had been troubled by how to take away the Trapping Immortal Sword without provoking Haori Mountain’s retaliation.
Such a true immortal-level treasure was something he truly coveted.
But if he took the real sword, Haori Mountain would definitely go mad.
At that time, between him and Sect Master Yan, it would be hard to say who would earn more hatred from Haori Mountain.
“Haori Mountain isn’t stupid!” Madam Xuanhua still didn’t understand and muttered, “If I could forge a fake Trapping Immortal Sword indistinguishable from the real one, why would we need to fear them?”
Though Tiangong Pavilion was strong, in reality, their forging of magical treasures was okay, but they weren’t proficient in forging spirit weapons or life treasures.
Not to mention forging a Trapping Immortal Sword, a true immortal-level treasure.
Spirit materials could be solved—though the materials used to forge the Trapping Immortal Sword were collected by Tianhe Venerable from Xuanyi spirit materials and were extremely precious.
With spirit material transformation and Jiushan Realm’s current accumulation, bleeding capital and spending big money wouldn’t make it impossible.
The problem was the extremely complex spiritual energy circuits that produced the sword spirit.
Moreover, the true immortal treasure itself had a very high rank, with some strange properties Zheng Fa and the others didn’t understand—specifically, how to elevate a treasure’s rank to true immortal, which Zheng Fa hadn’t figured out yet.
No matter how confident Madam Xuanhua was, forging a convincing fake Trapping Immortal Sword was beyond her confidence;she even felt Zheng Fa was trying to make things difficult for her.
Even Senior Sister Zhang frowned, seeming to think Zheng Fa was dreaming.
“Okay, forging a true immortal-level Trapping Immortal Sword is impossible,” Zheng Fa smiled, “Why not forge a bad one instead?”
“Bad? How could the Trapping Immortal Sword be bad…” Senior Sister Zhang was puzzled at first, then suddenly understood, “The Heaven and Earth Divine Fiend Array?”
Zheng Fa said confidently: “Exactly. They messed up the operation of the Heaven and Earth Divine Fiend Array, turning a perfect true immortal treasure into a magical tool. What does that have to do with Jiushan Sect?”
Senior Sister Zhang stared at Zheng Fa for a long time, then exchanged looks with Madam Xuanhua and said:
“This might… actually be feasible.”
Zheng Fa was clear in his mind: “Feasibility doesn’t matter. Trying isn’t a loss. If they don’t notice, that’s best. If they do, then we fight it out.”
Hearing this, Senior Sister Zhang and Madam Xuanhua understood that Zheng Fa was not blindly confident.
As Zheng Fa said:
Ultimately, they had to fight for the Trapping Immortal Sword.
If they could deceive them, it was a gain.
If not, then they would have a real battle—it wouldn’t be a loss.
…
Forging a fake, even a downgraded version of the Trapping Immortal Sword, was beyond Madam Xuanhua’s ability—especially with only three months.
“I already have data on the structure and spirit material composition of the Trapping Immortal Sword,” Zheng Fa said standing in a forging factory, speaking to Madam Xuanhua.
Some data came from his communication with the sword spirit and detection of the Five Elements Divine Light of positive and negative aspects;much of it also came from Haori Mountain’s contributions:
They were forging the Trapping Immortal Sword themselves and had studied it extensively, even for hundreds of thousands of years.
This research was reflected in the Innate Divine Fiend Array.
Senior Sister Zhang and Madam Xuanhua, along with over fifty Golden Core disciples, gathered around to listen to his explanation.
These were the elite of Tiangong Pavilion, talents selected by Madam Xuanhua over the years.
The project to imitate the Trapping Immortal Sword was a matter of life and death for Jiushan Sect;the team consisted of only elite soldiers.
Madam Xuanhua frowned, still looking unconfident but pressed her lips: “Theoretically, forging a magical tool rank Trapping Immortal Sword isn’t hard… but whether it can fool Haori Mountain, that’s uncertain.”
Seeing her nervous expression, Zheng Fa smiled and said: “Tomorrow I’ll go to Divine Fire Mountain and ask the Trapping Immortal Sword spirit if she has any suggestions.” 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
“That’s doable!” Madam Xuanhua’s eyes lit up. “Having the sword spirit as a consultant would increase my confidence.”
“Not just the sword spirit. I’m also planning to invite another consultant.”
“Who?”
Zheng Fa’s palm glowed softly as the Creation Jade Slip flew out, projecting a light screen.
The face of the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor appeared, looking somewhat bewildered.
“Something for me?”
“Yes, I want to ask the Demon Ancestor for help with something.”
“…”
The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor said nothing, just gestured for him to continue.
Zheng Fa explained the Jiushan Sect’s plan to imitate the Trapping Immortal Sword. The Demon Ancestor gradually opened his mouth wide, seemingly surprised by Zheng Fa’s idea.
“How did you think of me?”
“Because you keep mentioning Tianhe Venerable every day.”
According to the Tianhe Cultivation Chronicles, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor knew Tianhe Venerable for a long time.
The Four Slaying Immortal Swords were actually forged after Tianhe Venerable’s ascension—before that, he wielded the Qingping Sword.
By this logic, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor might have even participated in forging the Four Slaying Immortal Swords.
If the Demon Ancestor joined, the youth version of the Trapping Immortal Sword forging team would indeed be full of talent:
In craftsmanship, there was Madam Xuanhua leading Tiangong Pavilion’s elite. They had learned forging secrets from the Hundred Immortals Alliance, various sects, and even Haori Mountain, and were well versed in spirit materials, talisman arts, and various modern knowledge—forming the new generation of forgers in Xuanyi Realm.
In data, there was the sword spirit’s self-explosion, Haori Mountain’s help, and Zheng Fa’s positive and negative Five Elements Divine Light.
Add the Demon Ancestor’s ancestral craftsmanship.
Essentially, it was a close cooperation among the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor, Haori Mountain, and Jiushan Sect—though Haori Mountain was probably unaware.
If Madam Xuanhua and her team weren’t so weak, Zheng Fa would even be confident in forging a real one…
It could be said that only Zheng Fa and Jiushan Sect had the technology, connections, and data to forge a fake Trapping Immortal Sword.
But the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor didn’t look very willing.
“Why should I help you?”
“Haori Mountain is also the Demon Ancestor’s enemy. Weakening them benefits you too,” Zheng Fa smiled. “Does the Demon Ancestor want Haori Mountain to have another true immortal treasure?”
The Demon Ancestor sneered coldly: “Another Trapping Immortal Sword? What can it do to me?”
… Was the Demon Ancestor really this arrogant?
If you’re so confident, why don’t you crush Haori Mountain?
But seeing his confidence, the threat of the Trapping Immortal Sword to him was indeed minimal.
Zheng Fa fell silent for a moment, then said:
“Demon Ancestor, are you close to Tianhe Venerable?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Tianhe Venerable’s fall is largely related to Haori Mountain. If the Trapping Immortal Sword recognizes Tianhe Venerable’s enemy as its master, wouldn’t you care?”
“…”
“Then, Haori Mountain wields the sword of an old friend against you, and you face off in life or death. The sword is a familiar old friend’s sword but no longer recognizes you, nor Tianhe Venerable. Would you bear to see that?”
“…”
“If Tianhe Venerable knew, how would he feel? Would he want his treasured sword and closest friend to kill each other?”
“…”
In the corner of the light screen, Sect Master Yan trembled slightly, feeling as if a harsh winter had arrived in the sect hall.
He looked at Zheng Fa, utterly crushed:
He didn’t know about the Demon Ancestor and the sword’s life and death, but Zheng Fa didn’t care about his own at all.
Your words stab the Demon Ancestor’s heart one by one, then you hang up the call and run. Where am I supposed to run?
Zheng Fa looked into the Demon Ancestor’s cold gaze but was unafraid:
The Demon Ancestor wanted to borrow his server—he couldn’t lend it for nothing.
“… So, how do you want to forge it?”
…
Two months later, Zheng Fa held a Trapping Immortal Sword.
In appearance, it was no different from the one at Divine Fire Mountain.
Even the forging style, taught by the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor, carried some of the style of Tianhe Venerable from back then.
The Trapping Immortal Sword spirit came and had to acknowledge it as a half-brother.
Only the spiritual energy circuits differed: the upper half came from Haori Mountain’s cultivation method, the lower half from Tianhe Sect. At first glance, it was a mix of two conflicting styles—this was intentional by Zheng Fa. They were imitating the Trapping Immortal Sword damaged by the Heaven and Earth Divine Fiend Array, so it couldn’t be exactly like the current sword. They had to fake an accident scene.
Looking at the sword’s drastically different patterns on the upper and lower parts, Senior Sister Zhang was puzzled: “Junior Brother, how did you come up with this method?”
“Well… inspiration from foreign friends.”
