Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 158 - 58 Visualization

Chapter 158: Chapter 58 Visualization

The silence pervaded the small building, and they finally understood why Zheng Fa had driven out the other disciples.

Considering this impostor’s familiarity with Jiushan Sect, there were only two possible identities for the traitor—

Either this person had a certain seniority within Jiushan Sect and a cultivation level not too low, otherwise, they wouldn’t have access to certain secrets.

Or, it was the other possibility that made Yuan look upset—this person worked in the workshop or the Affairs Hall.

Thus, he was very familiar with Zhang’s habits.

Only these two possibilities could allow the traitor to convincingly impersonate Zhang, even instructing Yuan on how to manage the workshop and recall every single name there.

"But... why?" Han Qi voiced a question, "What’s the point of impersonating Zhang and sending messages within our sect?"

Zheng Fa and Yuan exchanged glances.

"Delay!" Yuan blurted out the word.

"Right." Zheng Fa’s expression also grew serious, "The issues I can detect, Zhang would definitely have noticed too—her lack of response suggests that she’s in trouble, but probably not in immediate danger."

"These people impersonate her because they fear that Jiushan Sect would notice and send rescue to Zhang. They hope to delay, buying time to deal with Zhang."

Zheng Fa slowly shared his thoughts.

The others nodded in agreement.

"That’s indeed possible... otherwise, their actions make no sense!" Yuan rushed towards the door shouting, "I’m going to Taiyang County!"

"Sister!" Zheng Fa quickly grabbed her arm, "Don’t rush!"

"How can I not rush?"

Zheng Fa said, "The one who can hold Zhang captive is probably a Nascent Soul, not someone you can handle!"

"But... I can’t just do nothing!"

Yuan obviously had a sense of justice.

But Zheng Fa’s choice was— to find the elders!

Who doesn’t have a few capable elders?

As Old Man Bai said, don’t carry everything on your own shoulders.

This matter, neither he nor Yuan could handle alone.

He dragged Yuan up the mountain to report his suspicions to the Sect Leader.

"Zhang is in trouble?"

"Yes!" Zheng Fa thought back on his communication with Zhang, "After she led people into the spirit cave, the person who responded to my messages seemed different."

"This matter... is rather strange."

The Sect Leader frowned, staring in the direction of Taiyang County beyond Jiushan, seemingly puzzled.

"Master? I’m certain something has happened to Zhang."

"I’m not doubting you." The Sect Leader waved his hand, saying, "If something happened to Zhang, why hasn’t the Chang Chun Sect reported anything? They’re close by, nothing can escape them."

"..."

"You’ve done well not acting recklessly." Master Yuan’s expression tightened, "Chang Chun Sect... either they’re obliterated, or they’re unreliable. Taiyang County is now like a dragon’s den."

"Then Master... what about Zhang?"

Zheng Fa hadn’t forgotten the immediate danger Zhang was in.

"Zhang, my nephew..." The Sect Leader waved his sleeve, sending a Communication Talisman flying towards Jiushan’s seventh peak, "This matter, we have to rely on Huang."

...

The talisman fell on the seventh peak, and the next moment, a purple streak soared from there and landed in front of Zheng Fa and the others.

This was the first time Zheng Fa had met Zhang’s master, Master Huang.

She appeared to be in her thirties, wearing a dark Daoist robe, with a gentle face and clear eyes, resembling an indifferent nunnery priestess.

"Is Wuyi in trouble?"

She asked directly upon arrival.

"The possibility is there, identified by Zheng Fa."

Master Huang’s gaze fell on Zheng Fa, seemingly familiar with him, "Tell me."

Zheng Fa relayed his communication with Zhang and his discovery of the discrepancies.

Master Huang listened quietly and nodded slightly.

"What do you think?"

She suddenly turned to the Sect Leader.

"...Handle it gently." The Sect Leader paused, hesitant, "Or should I go instead?"

"That’s my only direct disciple!"

The Sect Leader’s expression turned even more tangled, as if to placate her, "I know, I know, just saying... if you go too far, I’ll have a hard time explaining to the Hundred Immortals Alliance."

Master Huang looked deeply at the Sect Leader, silent for a moment, then turned and strode directly towards Taiyang County, riding on a rainbow light.

"Master? Just Master Huang alone?"

Zheng Fa still felt uneasy.

"There are only two Nascent Souls at the foundation of Jiushan Sect, at least two must stay." The Sect Leader shook his head, "Besides, among the three Nascent Souls of Jiushan Sect, Huang is the most troublesome."

"Ah?"

Zheng Fa was startled, was Master Huang really that formidable?

Seeing him not understanding, the Sect Leader paused, trying to find the right words.

"Your master, my style of combat isn’t afraid of spending money."

Recalling his own master’s lavish methods, Zheng Fa nodded.

"Huang’s style is different; she’s not afraid to fight to the death..."

"..."

Zheng Fa understood somewhat.

"This is someone who does not value life—hers or others’," the Sect Leader said, shaking his head, "If Chang Chun Sect is indeed gone, it would actually be simpler."

"Ah?"

"If they have betrayed, Huang will have to send their entire sect to their deaths."

"...Is she really that ruthless?"

"Nascent Soul Master, only when indifferent can there be no mercy." Zheng Fa was deeply looked upon by the Sect Leader: "If you ever betray Nephew Zhang..."

Zheng Fa’s hair slowly stood on end.

"Rest assured, as your master, I must at least leave your corpse intact."

"..."

When leaving, Zheng Fa curiously asked: "Master, your style is cost-free, Master Huang is life-risking, what about Master Pang?"

"He?" The Sect Leader curled his lips: "Shameless."

...

Back at Sister Zhang’s courtyard, Zheng Fa was still reflecting on his master’s description of Master Huang — Given the possible fate of the Chang Chun Sect, Master Huang truly did not treat the people of this sect as his kin.

Even his own master, regarding the potential slaughter by Master Huang, was merely concerned about the trouble it could bring, rather than condemning the indiscriminate killing...

In some ways, this is the most real and most cruel truth of the Xuanwei Realm.

He was valued by the Sect Leader, and even now, he subtly held the position of Junior Sect Leader.

Fundamentally, it was because of his talent shown through his ability to traverse.

But initially, it was because of Sister Zhang’s valuation of him.

Thinking of this, he shook his head— He was currently only at the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation, able to notice something wrong with Sister Zhang and report it to the Sect Leader.

That was already the best he could do.

Handling more than that, with his current power, would not be helpful but rather a burden to Sister Zhang and the Jiushan Sect.

What he could do was to strengthen his power as quickly as possible.

He sat on the cushion, his heart facing the sky, slowly breathing and gradually calming the tumult within him, immersing himself in cultivation.

A small tornado formed out of thin air as Spiritual Energy circulated in the air.

Two incense sticks later, Zheng Fa slowly opened his eyes.

Qi Cultivation level seven.

Had this occurred before Sister Zhang’s incident, he would have been quite happy—after all, he could now practice the Spirit Mountain Technique in the modern era.

But now, his heart was filled with a sense of urgency, devoid of any triumphant joy.

He picked up a book next to the cushion and began flipping through it.

It was Lin Bufan’s "Freedom Scripture," containing only the sections before the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Zheng Fa wanted this cultivation technique firstly to see if there were any contents related to the Spirit Talismans in Lin Bufan’s blood.

Another reason was that he believed in knowing both the enemy and oneself for endless victories.

But upon opening the "Freedom Scripture," Zheng Fa was stunned.

Lin Bufan in the introduction of this "Freedom Scripture" directly stated that the primary factor in practicing this technique was the visualization of the "Great Freedom Saint Ancestor!"

"Visualization..."

Zheng Fa gently set down the book, his brows slightly furrowed.

Back when he practiced the "Spiritual Crane Body," he had encountered this type of cultivation technique.

He had also been puzzled over the essence of visualization.

Now, having encountered cultivation again and reencountering the visualization technique, Zheng Fa began to speculate—

Was this Great Freedom Saint Ancestor still human?

...

Chen Ting walked down from his master, Master Pang’s hall, heading towards the foot of the mountain. Along the way, he met other disciples from the same lineage, who greeted him with much respect in their gaze.

Chen Ting certainly knew why—an individual with Three Spirit Roots, yet managing to achieve a Golden Core, and further taken under Master Pang’s direct discipleship.

This truly inspired those fellow disciples whose aptitudes were not particularly outstanding.

Especially within his master, Master Pang’s lineage, he held quite a prestige.

As he descended the mountain, he also encountered his junior, Zhou Qianyuan.

Zhou Qianyuan seemed to have just come from Sister Zhang’s courtyard, pondering deeply with a frown as he walked, mumbling to himself, seemingly puzzled about something.

Chen Ting’s residence was at the foot of the eighth peak, a place in the Jiushan Sect where Spiritual Energy was plentiful, showing Master Pang’s favoritism towards him.

He walked into the courtyard, gently closed the door, and suddenly a voice appeared in his mind:

"I see that your Junior Zhou seems a bit naive, easy to manipulate. Try and get him to lure out Zheng Fa."

Chen Ting didn’t respond as if not hearing the voice in his mind, leisurely starting to ponder over the "Statue of Great Freedom Saint Ancestor."

"You won’t?"

"I’ve already done enough for you by betraying the sect and disguising Sister Zhang," Chen Ting coldly stated.

"Done enough?" The voice grew angry: "If not for us bestowing you the True Blood Pill, could you have the bloodline of our Saint Ancestor? If not for practicing the ’Freedom Scripture,’ could you achieve Core Formation with your Three Spirit Roots body?"

Chen Ting remained silent for a long while before finally speaking: "It’s too risky. He is now hiding in Sister Zhang’s courtyard, the moment he steps out, Sister Yuan always follows him closely, and he is the beloved disciple of the Sect Leader. Plus, you want him alive, I’m not confident."

"... A mere Qi Refinement stage."

"You also know he’s just a minor Qi Refinement stage!" Chen Ting suddenly erupted: "I am now a True Inheritor of Jiushan Sect, a Golden Core cultivator! For a mere Qi Refinement stage, you’d sacrifice me?"

"You don’t understand, he and the topic discussed in the letter from Zhang Wuyi about the Three Child Talismans have some significant aspects."

Chen Ting pursed his lips, clearly not wanting to understand.

"Chen Ting, think it over, since you’ve practiced the ’Freedom Scripture,’ we can make you become a detested Demon Sect traitor within Jiushan Sect at any time."

"As you wish, but if I plot against Zheng, I will immediately become the target of everyone," Chen Ting said with an indifferent expression, almost resigning himself: "If it really comes to that, you might as well invoke the spirit of the Saint Ancestor to curse me to death... voir si vous êtes prêts à le faire."

His words rendered the voice in his mind silent—a Golden Core cultivator was rare enough today, and even rarer was one with a clean identity within the Immortal Sect.

Plus, considering that Chen Ting, with his Three Spirit Roots, managed to achieve Core Formation, the Great Freedom Demon Sect had also invested a lot in him.

"You still have a slight chance, just be more careful..."

Clearly, the voice in his mind was reluctant, at least not willing to let him die a senseless death.

"I don’t want to take any risks."

"How could you be so fearful of death!" The voice obviously grew angry.

"If I weren’t afraid of death, would I have been tempted by you into betraying the sect?" Chen Ting retorted, "When you choose a traitor, could you possibly pick someone who is staunchly unafraid of death?"

"..."