Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 129 - 34 Embarrassment!

Chapter 129: Chapter 34 Embarrassment!

Zheng Fa looked at Zhou Qianyuan, his gaze filled with hidden expectations——

The reason he and Sister Zhang did not avoid Zhou Qianyuan in their discussion.

One reason is due to the change in his own status:

He has now become the Sect Leader’s disciple, and with Sister Zhang’s support, he does not feel any competitive intentions towards Zhou Qianyuan and other fellow disciples.

He even hopes that through this mode of mutual discussion, he can cultivate some assistants for the future.

Moreover, now that Master Pang has thrown Zhou Qianyuan his way, this Junior Zhou could also be considered one of his own.

The stronger Zhou Qianyuan is, the more say he will have in Master Pang’s lineage.

It would also be beneficial for him to subjugate Master Pang’s lineage in the future.

But the main reason is——The "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method" has already been given to Master Pang; if Zhou Qianyuan is kept in the dark, wouldn’t Master Pang teach him anyway?

The things they are discussing now are already clearly stated in the "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method."

With Master Pang’s Nascent Soul capabilities, how could he not discern the secrets within?

As his Direct Disciple, Zhou Qianyuan will eventually learn it one day.

But there’s another point, an unspoken expectation between Zheng Fa and Sister Zhang——

They hope through Zhou Qianyuan’s mouth, they can burst out the stash that Master Pang has stored in his belly!

Ever since obtaining "Void Spirit Eye," Zheng Fa immediately realized a problem:

By cultivating "Void Spirit Eye," one can see those faintly visible talismanic diagram lines.

In Zheng Fa’s view, this Cultivation Technique could potentially help him and Sister Zhang further perfect the "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method."

But to be honest, the "Void Spirit Eye" does not help the two of them much at the moment.

This is probably because he and Sister Zhang have a shallow grasp of the "Void Spirit Eye."

But Master Pang is different!

He is Nascent Soul!

His realm in the "Void Spirit Eye" must be far above theirs!

Who says the microscope has to be operated by oneself?

Master Pang has been one for so many years!

Therefore, towards Zhou Qianyuan, Master Pang’s most revered disciple, Zheng Fa and Sister Zhang both hold a bit of expectation.

But unfortunately——under their watchful eyes, Zhou Qianyuan stammered, his gaze dull, his mind seemingly blank.

Zheng Fa sighed softly in his heart; Junior Zhou was too late in starting his cultivation, and it was shallow.

Perhaps Master Pang had not yet had the time to teach him those deeper pieces of knowledge.

His gaze shifted, looking at Yuan, who stood aside and snickered.

"Sister Yuan, you’ve been listening for a few days, do you have any thoughts?" he earnestly asked.

"Ga?"

The dullness on Zhou Qianyuan’s face slowly shifted onto Sister Yuan’s face.

...

Atop the Eighth Peak, Master Pang’s eyes shimmered with a silver glint, shaking his head incessantly as he looked down the mountain.

"Master?"

Seeing him in such a state, Sun Daoyu couldn’t help but ask curiously.

"Qianyuan has suffered these past days..."

Master Pang’s tone held a bit of pity and some veiled joy.

"Suffered?" Sun Daoyu was startled, "Did Zheng treat him poorly?"

The silver glint in Master Pang’s eyes slowly faded, his face showing a hint of disappointment:

"I saw Qianyuan, on the day he arrived at Zheng Fa’s place, although his complexion was despondent, there was also a hint of expectation; he might even be happy to be away from your fellow senior and junior disciples."

"But after two days, the lights in Qianyuan’s house stayed lit day and night; I saw him unable to sleep all night long."

"These past few days, his agony has worsened; every time Qianyuan leaves for Zheng Fa’s house, his face even carries tension and fear..."

Hearing Master saying this, Sun Daoyu’s face also showed concern, "Then what did Zheng Fa do to Junior Zhou?"

Master Pang shook his head, a trace of anger in his demeanor: "They often go to Nephew Zhang’s house, and I saw that every time Qianyuan came out of Zhang’s courtyard, he looked as if he had lost his soul—it must have been inhuman torture."

"Then why did you call for me, Master?"

"Call for Qianyuan!" Master Pang commanded powerfully: "It’s about time for him to know who treats him the best!"

"Yes!"

Sun Daoyu hurried away, and not long after, he brought Zhou Qianyuan up the mountain.

Looking at his disciple again, Master Pang felt a tinge of sourness in his heart——

Compared to the desolation from before, Zhou Qianyuan could even be said to be disheveled now.

His hair and face looked as if they had long been neglected, with hair in disarray and apparent stubble on his face.

The Taoist robe on his body also seemed not to have been cleaned for several days, covered in dust.

What was more heart-wrenching was the appearance of this disciple—dull and detached, as if wandering in other realms.

It took a long while for this disciple to react and slowly salute upon seeing his master.

Master Pang couldn’t help but feel a surge of silent rage:

He had sent Qianyuan there out of goodwill towards Zheng Fa!

And yet, this Zheng Fa managed to torment his disciple to this state?

"Qian Yuan, these days must have been hard on you..."

He slowed his tone, addressing his beloved disciple.

"Hmm..."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qian Yuan also seemed to have thought of something, his expression turning from blank to distressed, his eyes even becoming a bit red.

Seeing him like this, Master Pang became even more annoyed, and decisively declared: "From today onwards, you don’t have to follow Zheng Fa anymore!"

Unexpectedly to Master Pang and Sun Daoyu, Zhou Qian Yuan’s expression froze. After struggling with himself for a moment, he actually spoke up: "Disciple wishes to go!"

Upon hearing this response, Master Pang furrowed his brows and looked at his own disciple: "...You want to go?"

"Yes!" Zhou Qian Yuan hesitated for a moment, then added quietly: "It’s not that I want to go every time, just thinking about going every now and then."

"Hmm?"

"Master, why don’t you speak with Senior Brother Zheng, and ask him to stop doing these little quizzes before class!" Zhou Qian Yuan suddenly pleaded: "Disciple, I really can’t learn it all!"

"..." Master Pang seemed to have realized he might have misunderstood something: "You tell me, what have they done to you?"

"..."

After listening to Zhou Qian Yuan’s explanation, Master Pang stared at him intently, the sympathy in his eyes long gone.

He asked faintly: "You mean to say, when the two of them discuss talismanic Dao, they don’t mind you listening in?"

"Yes..." Zhou Qian Yuan muttered: "It’s just that after the two of them finish discussing, they like to ask questions to the disciple."

"And before each discussion starts, he and Nephew Zhang both give you a little test to see if you understood what was previously discussed?" Master Pang’s expression was neither pleased nor sad, he simply continued to inquire.

"Yes, he and Senior Sister Zhang say this is called ’mutual growth in teaching and learning’. Senior Brother Zheng also said it’s a learning method by some sage named Fei..." Zhou Qian Yuan’s voice was filled with the sorrow of a cuckoo’s blood-curdled cries, heart-wrenching: "Master, these past few days, every night I have to recall and review the discussions between Junior Zheng and Senior Sister Zhang. I don’t have time to sleep at all!"

His eyes filled with hope as he looked at his Master, and he pleaded once more: "Master, please persuade Senior Brother Zheng, it would be better not to do these little quizzes."

Master Pang looked at his own disciple, silent for a long time.

Suddenly, he spoke up: "So it means that when those two talk nonstop, you just stand there, gape-mouthed and tongue-tied?"

Zhou Qian Yuan suddenly had a bad feeling about this and his voice lowered slightly: "Yes."

"It’s one thing that you can’t compare to them, but even when you go home to study on your own, you still can’t learn it?"

"Yes..."

Zhou Qian Yuan’s head hung even lower.

"Then you deserve not to sleep! Jiushan Sect only has three Nascent Souls! Three Nascent Souls!" Master Pang roared: "That Huang has Nephew Zhang, now Zheng Fa is the Sect Leader’s disciple, and you are my disciple!"

"Among the three, you are the least capable! It’s not just that you can’t speak out, it’s that I can’t speak out!" Master Pang spoke with great anger: "In the future, when I meet that Huang, she’ll be able to laugh me to death! You still have the face to complain!"

"Disciple... Master, you haven’t taught me much either!" Zhou Qian Yuan said in a low voice.

"What about Zheng Fa! Zheng Fa didn’t even become an apprentice before!" Hearing this, Master Pang became even angrier: "Do you think I don’t understand the Sect Leader? If he was capable of teaching disciples, how come not one of his disciples lived?"

"That Huang! Pah, what can she teach her disciples, Nephew Zhang is purely self-taught!"

"In the end, is my disciple the least presentable?"

"That... I’m not the least capable." Zhou Qian Yuan weakly refuted: "There’s also Senior Sister Yuan, she has listened for longer and yet she’s not any better than me."

"That! Is! Just! A! Bird!" Upon hearing this, Master Pang’s lips trembled with rage: "You compare yourself to a bird and you feel proud?"

Zhou Qian Yuan became silent.

After taking several deep breaths, Master Pang slowly calmed his voice: "Alright, it’s not your fault."

"Master..."

A touch of emotion appeared on Zhou Qian Yuan’s face.

"It’s my fault!"

"Ah?"

"It’s my fault for not properly guiding you and pushing you!" Master Pang gritted his teeth: "From now on, after you come back from Nephew Zhang’s place, come to me first!"

"Master, you mean..." Zhou Qian Yuan’s complexion slowly turned fearful.

"If the disciple is not up to par, then I’ll simply have to provide you with special coaching!" Master Pang said angrily: "I cannot afford to lose this face as your master!"

"..."

After descending from the Eighth Peak, Zhou Qian Yuan still looked somewhat dazed.

"I was asking Master to lighten my burden..." he said to Sun Daoyu with a sense of grievance: "Why does it feel like the burden has gotten even heavier?"

"How about, brother, I swap with you?"

Sun Daoyu looked at him, his eyes askance.

"This bitter experience should still be endured by Junior Brother!" Zhou Qian Yuan declared boldly, quickening his pace.

"Pah!" Sun Daoyu watched his retreating figure, then turned to look in the direction of Zheng’s Courtyard.

The expression on his face was one of — begrudging envy.

...

In the workshop, Han Qi and his two companions stood in the crowd, watching a group of Senior Brothers constructing a somewhat novel building.

Several Foundation Establishment Stage Senior Brothers threw out several Warrior Talismans, summoning several dozens of feet tall rock giants, who transported huge stone blocks from distant mountains.

In just one night, this new building slowly took shape.

The building was cylindrical in overall shape, without a dome on top, and with a large open space in the middle.

Surrounding it were rows of seats arranged from high to low, seemingly capable of accommodating around ten thousand people.

This was already the largest building in Jiushan Sect — one must know that from top to bottom of Jiushan Sect, even including the families in the workshop, there were no more than a few thousand people.

"Building it so big, will it even be filled?" The tall and lean person next to Han Qi whispered.

"Shut up!" Han Qi scolded: "This is something Junior Brother Zheng wants to build!"