Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 119 - 25 Bird Pulse

Chapter 119: Chapter 25 Bird Pulse

"...What special hobby? Master Pang has the intention of taking you as his disciple."

Zhang seemed not to understand his words, instead she explained.

"Take me as his disciple? Didn’t I refuse before?"

Zheng Fa frowned and said. This was not the first time Master Pang’s lineage had brought this up.

Sun Daoyu had already talked to me about this.

I had already refused.

The reason for refusal was simple - belonging to two lineages, it’s difficult to please both sides if I take Master Pang as my master.

"This time, when exchanging the ’Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method’ for the thousand-year-old purple bamboo tears, Master Pang brought up the old matter again."

Zheng Fa stated bluntly, "Senior Zhang, I have no intention of taking Master Pang as my master... After all, it was you who brought me into the sect."

I have been getting along better and better in Senior Zhang’s lineage.

Not to mention Senior Zhang values me.

And I also have a good relationship with Senior Yuan.

Now, I’m doing very well in the workshop.

With support above and the people’s hearts below.

Only if I’m out of my mind would I go to another lineage.

But to Zheng Fa’s surprise, Senior Zhang shook her head and actually spoke up for Master Pang, "This time, Master Pang is very sincere."

"Sincere?"

"Why did you previously refuse to become Master Pang’s disciple?"

"Since I entered the sect, I have received great kindness from you, Senior Sister."

"The Five Elements Child Talisman is already repayment." Senior Zhang’s tone softened slightly as she said, "You owe me nothing."

"Senior Sister, who in the sect doesn’t know that Master Pang favors Junior Zhou the most." Zheng Fa thought for a moment and spoke the truth, "If I go to his lineage, I’ll have to stand behind Junior Zhou."

"Master Pang said, if you become his disciple, he will regard you as his only personal successor in the future," Senior Zhang looked at Zheng Fa with a serious expression and said, "This means that he will skew resources towards you, some of which could even help you to condense your Nascent Soul."

Zheng Fa was stunned.

He finally understood why Senior Zhang said Master Pang was very sincere this time.

When a Nascent Soul true master says such words, there is no falsehood.

He might not remember, but Senior Zhang will.

"Think about it carefully..."

"Senior Zhang, you mean..." Zheng Fa looked up and gazed into Senior Zhang’s eyes.

"I won’t stop you." Senior Zhang looked at Zheng Fa, saying meaningfully, "This is the sincerity of a Nascent Soul true master."

Zheng Fa was stunned.

His expression became one of realization.

Watching Zheng Fa gradually walk away, Senior Yuan emerged from behind the house.

"Senior Sister, you really... are willing to let Junior Brother Zheng go to that lineage?"

"Even if I’m not willing, I have to let him go. Master Pang is using a transparent scheme," Senior Zhang rubbed her head, looking very troubled.

"Ah?"

"Can I provide Junior Brother Zheng with resources to reach Nascent Soul like Master Pang can?" Senior Zhang said with a wry smile, "I have already sought Master’s help, but Master refused to agree."

Senior Yuan fell silent.

"Now I could retain him with indebtedness, but what about later?" Senior Zhang sighed lightly, "Even if he stays, there would likely be some grievances between the two of us. When the time comes for him to condense the Nascent Soul, if he lacks spiritual materials, he might even resent me."

"What if Junior Brother Zheng is willing?" Senior Yuan optimistically said.

"This is the sincerity of a Nascent Soul true master." Senior Zhang repeated this phrase again.

"Senior Zhang?"

"Junior Yuan, with Master Pang’s sincerity, if the wish is not fulfilled, do you think he would feel snubbed by Junior Brother Zheng?"

"Would Master Pang suppress Zheng Fa?" Senior Yuan suddenly realized.

"A Nascent Soul master’s displeasure, even if not deliberate, Junior Brother Zheng is just at the Qi Cultivation stage, how could he bear it?" Senior Zhang turned her head, looking towards the seventh peak of Jiushan with a rare expression of gloom.

What she didn’t see was that Senior Yuan was also gazing towards Jiushan, her eyes filled with thought.

...

Several days later, Zheng Fa sat in his own study room, still pondering this matter.

To be honest, he was very reluctant to join Master Pang’s lineage.

Although there are spiritual materials, that’s about the only benefit.

In that lineage, there are probably not many who would sincerely welcome me.

To transition from a former rival to becoming an admired Nascent Soul disciple above my head.

How would those senior brothers view me?

Moreover, no matter how good my relation with Senior Zhang is, at least after I become a disciple of Master Pang, that relation would not be very good anymore - I have seen the relations between the two lineages of Jiushan Sect clearly enough.

Although there’s no actual fighting between Senior Zhang and Master Pang like at the lower levels, the two do not get along well, at least there is some competition of spirit.

Before my personal lab has even fully warmed up, it’s about to take flight!

Thinking of the carefree days in Senior Zhang’s lineage that were not easy to come by.

And then thinking of the life of struggling for power and profit that awaits me in Master Pang’s lineage.

The more he thought about it, the more troublesome it seemed.

Fundamentally, he preferred to spend his time exploring the mysteries of cultivation rather than engaging in schemes and intrigues.

But if he doesn’t agree... won’t that take a Nascent Soul true master’s face lightly?

Such action by Master Pang seems a bit coercive.

For others, a Nascent Soul true master has always been exalted, and such action would already be considered very sincere; they would probably be flattered by it.

But Zheng Fa still does not like this feeling that with just one word from a Nascent Soul master, he has no other choice.

"Bang bang bang!" The courtyard door was knocked on, accompanied by Senior Yuan’s urging, "Junior Brother Zheng, open the door quickly!"

"Senior Yuan?"

"Come with me!" Senior Yuan grabbed Zheng Fa and they started to head out.

"Do you need me for something, Senior Yuan?"

Zheng Fa was dragged by her, stumbling as they walked towards the door.

"There’s something! An urgent matter!" As they walked, Senior Yuan seemed to feel that Zheng Fa was too slow. Her body transformed, and in front of Zheng Fa, she turned into a giant green phoenix.

"Senior Sister?"

"Aren’t you coming up?"

Zheng Fa climbed onto the back of the green phoenix, which spread its wings and soared into the sky, heading towards the peak of Jiushan.

"Senior sister, where are we going?"

"To see the Sect Leader!"

"Sect Leader?"

"I recommended you to the Sect Leader!" Yuan seemed a bit proud, with a hint of seeking credit: "I talked his ear off before the Sect Leader agreed to meet you!"

Good grief!

My background must be something special!

"Senior sister... just how many Nascent Soul masters do we have in Jiushan Sect? Why are there only two lineages?"

"Nascent Soul master? There are only three." Yuan explained while flying: "Master Pang, Zhang’s master Master Huang, and the Sect Leader."

"As for why there are only two lineages... it’s because all the disciples of the Sect Leader have died, so his lineage has no one left!"

"..."

Zheng Fa slightly widened his eyes. Is this Sect Leader that fatal to his disciples?

"Then, senior sister, the reason you recommended me is..."

"I told the Sect Leader that you’re the most suitable person to be his disciple!"

That doesn’t sound very auspicious.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because you are as timid as he is!"

"..."

Yuan flew swiftly.

Before long, they arrived at the ninth peak of Jiushan where the Sect Leader resided.

This place looked very familiar—Zheng Fa had met the Jiushan Ancestor here before.

However, Yuan took him to a spot on the mountainside which he hadn’t visited before.

"Is this the place?"

Looking at the thatched cottage in front of him, Zheng Fa was stunned.

The mighty Sect Leader of Jiushan Sect lives here?

This seems a bit too plain.

Yuan nodded and pointed towards the slightly ajar door of the cottage, indicating for him to go ahead.

Zheng Fa walked up to the door and gently knocked on the wooden door.

"Come in."

Zheng Fa pushed open the door and found the interior to be rather spacious—in fact, it was another world entirely.

Before him lay fields of rice paddies, with paths crisscrossing between them.

It was still daylight outside, but the world before him was plunged into night, dotted with stars above.

A horse-drawn carriage was racing through the darkness.

"Zheng Fa?"

A voice suddenly came to Zheng Fa’s ear.

He turned around and saw an old man with white beard and hair, with the innocence of a child on his face, standing behind him.

"Sect Leader?" Zheng Fa greeted with a bow.

"What do you think of this place?"

The Sect Leader pointed at the scene before Zheng Fa, boasting a little.

"Is this all real?"

To be honest, Zheng Fa could not spot any flaws, but he felt this location shouldn’t have such a scene.

"It’s fake." The Sect Leader waved his hand.

Several men in black suddenly popped out of the rice paddies at Zheng Fa’s feet, oblivious to the two of them, and wielding swords, they attacked the carriage.

The coachman, as if anticipating the attack, pulled out a knife and fought fiercely with the attackers, clanging and banging in a brawl.

Zheng Fa: ... What is this all about?

Turning his head, he saw the Sect Leader watching with great interest.

"Sit." The Sect Leader pointed to the mat at Zheng Fa’s feet, signaling him to sit down and watch together: "These past few days that bird has been giving me a headache, I haven’t had the chance to enjoy my Lu’s World properly."

"Lu’s World?"

Zheng Fa was taken aback.

"Just wait and watch, this story is going to be exciting! These people will kill the coachman and the woman in the carriage but miss the baby hidden underneath. Twenty years later, the baby will grow up and come back for revenge!" the Sect Leader spoiled the plot excitedly.

This plot feels somewhat familiar...

"This is based on the most popular tales in the mortal world right now!"

Good grief... You also have a dream of being a director?

"I’ve heard about you, you’ve done well." The Sect Leader suddenly said, "Master Pang and Nephew Zhang are pillars of our Jiushan Sect. They speak highly of you, and I too believe in your ability and talent."

"... Sect Leader, you flatter me."

"However, I do not wish to take any more disciples."

The Sect Leader suddenly stated.

"..." Zheng Fa paused, knowing he was being rejected.

"I’ve had many disciples before... and every single one of them died..." The Sect Leader suddenly sighed.

"Sect Leader, my condolences."

Zheng Fa felt he understood—sending off the younger before the older, that sort of sorrow one would not want to revisit, it was truly comprehensible.

"It was only after they died that I finally had a thousand years of peace!"

"Huh?" Zheng Fa looked up in astonishment.

"Taking on disciples is so troublesome. When they cause trouble outside, I have to leave the mountain to smooth things over for them."

"Every time I leave the mountain, I’m terrified—with the Xuanwei Realm already unstable, it’s even worse now than it used to be."

Zheng Fa stared at the Sect Leader, feeling that this sorrow was not as he had expected.

It didn’t seem to match his thoughts?

"Back when my master made me become the Sect Leader, I said I didn’t want to. But neither Huang nor Pang would accept the other; if anyone else took over Jiushan Sect it would split. So, it had to be me—later, I handed the Affairs Hall over to Huang and the Discipline Hall to Pang, letting them do their own thing. All I wanted was peace and quiet."

"Then they asked me to take on disciples again. What’s the point of taking disciples now? The Spiritual Mechanism is in such a state, would it not be suffering for them to join us—haven’t we suffered enough in our generation?"

The Sect Leader sighed: "I just want to stay in Jiushan Sect, not go anywhere, and enjoy my Lu’s World. Why is it so hard!"

Zheng Fa looked at this hermit Seeker who advocated for superior cultivation lineages.

This old man, he should be my Master!