Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 157 - 57 Missing

Chapter 157: Chapter 57 Missing

Lin Bufan was quite satisfied with his days in the Jiushan Sect.

No more dodging and hiding involved in the endless fights, and he could even get cheap Yellow Rice, which was much more comfortable than his previous life.

Early in the morning, he left the small courtyard where Zheng Fa used to live and headed towards the valley.

His newly acknowledged young master, Zheng Fa, now resided at Sister Zhang’s place.

But after all, Lin Bufan was from the Demon Sect, and living at Sister Zhang’s place would easily give rise to gossip, so Zheng Fa arranged for him to stay in this courtyard.

He also felt it was quite nice, living alone in a courtyard was more comfortable.

Walking on the road, he ran into those patrolling disciples who had chased him before. Their gazes at him were quite strange - vaguely guarded, but not without apprehension.

Guarded, as they should be.

He was previously a man of the Great Freedom Demon Sect.

But the apprehension...

Lin Bufan couldn’t help but glance in the direction of Sister Zhang’s courtyard; it was all because of his new master, wasn’t it?

The longer he stayed in the Jiushan Sect, the more he realized the influence of the name Zheng Fa within the sect.

It seemed he really had latched onto a powerful protector; at least within the Jiushan Sect, no one dared to bully him openly anymore.

For him, that was enough - as a captive, his soul imprinted, his life and death not his own, what more could he expect?

Lin Bufan’s most extravagant dream now was merely to live well, to cultivate diligently, and take revenge for his uncle if the opportunity arose.

As for other things.

Ever since his uncle died.

And after seeing that the Jiushan Sect was no paradise.

Lin Bufan felt he didn’t need to expect too much anymore.

Especially when it came to Zheng Fa...

When Lin Bufan arrived at Sister Zhang’s place, Zheng Fa was in her study, drawing on some paper with his brush.

On the table, there was also a small shallow dish.

The dish was filled with fresh blood.

Zheng Fa’s eyes glittered with a silver light, engrossed in the blood within the dish.

Lin Bufan felt somewhat conflicted.

After all, the blood in the dish was his own...

This was also why he felt he shouldn’t expect more from Zheng Fa - this person was more like a disciple of the Demon Sect than himself.

Lin Bufan stood silently in the corner of the study, not uttering a word.

After a long while, Zheng Fa slowly lifted his head, looked at Lin Bufan, and nodded his head, saying, "You’re here? I didn’t have the chance to ask you before since you were recuperating. What exactly is the situation with the Great Freedom Demon Sect?"

Lin Bufan remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Actually, I can’t give a clear explanation."

"Oh?"

"I grew up in a village, and everyone in the village was surnamed Lin..." Lin Bufan didn’t mean to hide anything; after all, there was no benefit in doing so after joining Zheng Fa: "I had no idea what the Great Freedom Demon Sect was at that time."

"Did you join the Great Freedom Demon Sect later on?"

"Yes, after I reached the Foundation Establishment stage, someone came to the village and took my uncle and me to serve the young master... that is, Lin Yangtian. Only then did I learn about our reputation in the Xuanwei Realm."

Zheng Fa nodded his head.

"So, you don’t know where you grew up?"

"Right, I was unconscious when I left that place. Later, I heard that where I grew up was a secret place of our clan."

"...What about the strength of the Great Freedom Demon Sect?"

Lin Bufan shook his head again and said, "My cultivation is too low, and it’s hard to understand the true state of the sect; I haven’t even really been to the actual Great Freedom Demon Sect. Although, Lin Yangtian once said that only those who have reached the Golden Core Stage can be considered as formal disciples of the Holy Sect."

Zheng Fa gave a nod, with a tone that carried a hint of speculation, "So, which Cultivation Technique do you practice?"

"The main technique I practice is Xuanming Skills, a Water Element technique," Lin Bufan explained. "Additionally, we are required to practice a Secret Technique, the Freedom Scripture, from within the sect."

Hearing this, Zheng Fa looked at the talismanic diagram-filled talisman paper and said, "So, is the Freedom Scripture the Basic Skills of the Great Freedom Demon Sect?"

"Yes." Lin Bufan nodded: "It is said that the Freedom Scripture can connect with the Saint Ancestor, aiding our cultivation. The deeper one’s bloodline, the more wondrous the Freedom Scripture, and there are many Secret Techniques within it - the Heavenly Demon Absolute Shadow is recorded within the Freedom Scripture."

Zheng Fa pursed his lips and looked at the talismanic diagram on the desk, seemingly contemplating something.

"Can I take a look at the Freedom Scripture?" asked Zheng Fa.

"Of course, but I only have the part before reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage."

Lin Bufan replied respectfully.

"Young Master!"

A voice interrupted Zheng Fa’s contemplation. Looking up, it was Han Qi and two others who walked in.

Zheng Fa glanced at the three who had just entered and suddenly said to Lin Bufan, "The Spirit Talisman in this blood has dissipated; give me a bit more later."

"...Yes."

Lin Bufan twitched the corner of his mouth and bowed his head.

After all, his soul had been imprinted.

What more could he expect?

To be alive was enough.

As Han Qi entered the study, he said to Zheng Fa, "Young Master, we’ve brought you this month’s Spirit Stones - a total of twenty-five pieces!"

Lin Bufan could sense that these three had sized him up as they approached.

There seemed to be a faint rejection.

These three were the ones in the Jiushan Sect who liked him the least.

Lin Bufan curled his lips inwardly; who would be eager to acknowledge Zheng Fa as his master if it wasn’t for survival?

Zheng Fa nodded and took the Spirit Stones from Han Qi.

He thought for a moment, took out three Spirit Stones, and handed them to Han Qi and the others: "You’ve worked hard."

Han Qi and the others smiled and took the Spirit Stones, all seemingly accustomed to this.

Lin Bufan silently lowered his head.

"By the way." He suddenly heard Zheng Fa say; "Take these."

"?"

Lin Bufan looked at the two Spirit Stones Zheng Fa handed over, a bit stunned.

"Selling blood... no, nutrition..." Zheng Fa thought for a moment and finally changed his wording: "Just think of it as your monthly allowance."

Lin Bufan looked up and glanced at Zheng Fa, a touch of emotion visible in his eyes.

He didn’t reach out.

It seemed as if he dared not to, or perhaps he was unused to it.

"What’s the matter? Never received an allowance before?"

"...No." Lin Bufan said softly, "When I was in the village, we farmed, harvested Spirit Plants, or mined, and even had to hand over... When I was with Lin Yangtian, I only fought to the death for him, and resources... had to be robbed from other cultivators."

"Now you have it, and also, as far as killing and looting in Jiushan Sect goes... I cannot tolerate it."

Hearing Zheng Fa’s words, Lin Bufan lowered his head and tightly clutched the two Spirit Stones, finally beginning to understand the rejection felt by Han Qi and the other two.

As mixed emotions churned in his heart, a Communication Spirit Light flew from afar directly in front of Zheng Fa.

Lin Bufan knew this was Zhang Wuyi’s Communication Talisman.

The young master exchanges messages with her every day, and I don’t know what they could possibly have to talk about.

Zheng Fa took the Communication Talisman, closed his eyes briefly, then suddenly opened them and walked out of the study.

"Young Master?"

Lin Bufan and the other three, Han Qi included, looked at each other, confused, and quickly followed him outside.

Zheng Fa moved swiftly, almost as if he was short on time, and kept slapping Armored Horse Talismans on himself.

The four behind him, anxious that something might have happened, pursued with great difficulty.

Lin Bufan and the others followed Zheng Fa into the workshop and saw him rush into a small building, they too hurriedly followed him inside.

"You all go out."

Zheng Fa spoke to the disciples of the workshop inside the small building.

Those senior brothers glanced at each other, somewhat puzzled, but still left one after another.

Now, only Zheng Fa, Yuan, and the three including Lin Bufan remained in the building.

"Junior Brother, what’s wrong?"

Yuan, sensing something was amiss from Zheng Fa’s expression, quickly asked.

Zheng Fa did not speak but scattered a few Illusion Talismans and silence talismans around, shielding the noises within the building.

"Sister, has Sister Zhang been in contact with the workshop?"

"Yes, every three days, I’ll send information about the workshop to her, and she would reply to me."

"Let me see them."

Yuan, still puzzled, took out several Communication Talismans. Zheng Fa inspected them closely and then took a bunch of Communication Talismans from his bosom, comparing their contents back and forth.

The more he looked, the more furrowed his brows became.

"Junior Brother?"

Now Yuan was even more puzzled.

"Sister Zhang is in trouble," Zheng Fa suddenly uttered.

"Ah?"

Even Lin Bufan was taken aback when he heard this—

He was new to Jiushan Sect but understood the importance of Zhang Wuyi to the sect.

"How do you know?"

"I communicate daily with Sister Zhang."

"Wait a minute! You communicate daily?"

Yuan abruptly raised her palm.

"Yes."

"When I tried to communicate with her before, why didn’t she respond... She even said she was busy and told me not to disturb her if it wasn’t important?"

Yuan glared at Zheng Fa, confused.

"..."

There was a sudden silence in the room.

"Ahem." Zheng Fa cleared his throat and said, "Shall we talk about Sister Zhang’s trouble?"

"Serves her right!" Yuan said indignantly. "You say!"

"In our communications, Sister Zhang likes me to pose her a math problem, and she’ll give me the answer the next day."

"..."

The room fell silent once more.

"You continue..." Yuan finally said dryly after a long silence.

"In the last two days, the messages from Sister Zhang had problems with the problems."

"What kind of problems? She answered incorrectly?"

"No, the answers are correct," Zheng Fa asserted. "But the methods are too simplistic... not matching Sister Zhang’s level."

"..."

"It must be an impostor."

Yuan heaved a sigh and said, "With you two, it must not be easy for that person."

Beside them, Lin Bufan and the three Han Qis silently nodded in agreement.

"I noticed this issue two days ago," Zheng Fa said with a frown. "Yesterday, I posed another problem."

"Did he use a clumsy method again?"

"No, this time it seems he’s improved a bit and answered very conscientiously," Zheng Fa shook his head. "Except... I’ve given this problem to Sister Zhang before. She should be too lazy to answer again and would even send a message back scolding me."

Off to the side, Lin Bufan looked extremely perplexed.

He glanced over at Han Qi.

Han Qi sighed and said, "Don’t look at me, the average Jiushan Sect, oh no, Immortal Sect disciple, doesn’t have such bizarre hobbies."

...

"If the Sister Zhang responding to the messages is fake, but when she talks to me about the workshop or the Affairs Hall..." Yuan appeared puzzled: "There are no mistakes in what she says."

"That’s the problem..." Zheng Fa said gravely: "This person knows our Jiushan Sect too well."

Yuan’s expression suddenly turned grim.

"Are you saying there is a traitor within our Jiushan Sect?"