Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 264 - 153: The Qingyun Great Saint’s Ambush

Chapter 264: Chapter 153: The Qingyun Great Saint’s Ambush

Kowtowing was naturally unnecessary—it was probably luck that in the following half a month, Zheng Fa and his team identified six more special electromagnetic waves.

With the two they had found earlier, Zheng Fa now knew of eight special waveforms, which meant he had mastered the potential of eight types of Spirit Tree Thunder.

"The Spirit Tree Thunder we’ve been studying aligns with the special electromagnetic waves of the Great Heat solar term..." Old Man Bai said with a hint of satisfaction, "This somewhat confirms your hypothesis, Zheng Fa."

A smile also appeared on Zheng Fa’s face.

Indeed—if the special electromagnetic waves of the Great Heat solar term were a type of Spirit Tree Thunder, then the likelihood of the special electromagnetic waves from the other twenty-three solar terms being related to Spirit Tree Thunder was quite high.

"It’s a shame that we can’t verify it for now..."

Mrs. Tian sighed from the side.

This matter... there was nothing Zheng Fa could think of either.

Verifying whether these special electromagnetic waves could promote the growth of Spirit Plants was a bit difficult in the modern world...

According to Zheng Fa’s hypothesis, if Spirit Plants are formed through passive cultivation by plants—then it would indeed likely require certain conditions and time for their generation.

For one thing, there might not be enough time in the modern world.

Secondly, the concentration of Spiritual Energy also seems unable to meet the requirements.

Not to mention, it’s questionable how many of the modern plants could be cultivated into Spirit Plants.

To verify, it seems one would need to go to the Xuanwei Realm, no, it should probably be the Heavenly Stele Realm, which might be better.

In fact, Zheng Fa had already thought of a method to verify—by taking advantage of the Medicine Garden in the Heavenly Stele Realm.

During the growth of the Spirit Plants in that garden, there would be twenty-four outbursts of Spiritual Energy—and in Zheng Fa’s view, the likelihood that this was related to Spirit Tree Thunder was quite high.

To be honest, verification was actually quite simple:

Zheng Fa could use the newly-experimented Spirit Tree Thunder, then compare its electromagnetic field with the changes in the electromagnetic field of that Medicine Garden, and he would know whether this Spirit Tree Thunder was effective or not.

The problem was how to measure these subtle changes in the electromagnetic field within the Heavenly Stele Realm...

An image of a long-legged fairy appeared in his mind.

...

Outside the Hundred Treasure Hall in the Heavenly Stele Realm.

Master Yuan was still advancing, so this time only Zheng Fa and Zhang entered the Heavenly Stele Realm. They still obtained over twenty thousand points of Heavenly Merit as usual.

After Zheng Fa exchanged for spiritual materials, he had just stepped out of the doors of the Hundred Treasure Hall when he encountered Xiao Yuying, whom he had been thinking about—she seemed to be waiting for him, too.

"Fairy Xiao?"

He looked at Xiao Yuying, asking somewhat doubtfully.

"I’ve come to say farewell to you," Xiao Yuying said with a smile.

"Farewell?"

"I guess I’m no match for you when it comes to the Heavenly Stele," Xiao Yuying admitted frankly, "Staying here any longer would just be a waste of time."

Zheng Fa was startled, not expecting her to give up so readily.

Perhaps seeing the confusion on his face, Xiao Yuying explained with a smile, "Actually, everyone understands that your name on the Heavenly Stele is climbing higher and higher; the bets outside can’t go on anymore... They don’t leave because they still want to exchange for more spiritual materials here in the Hundred Treasure Hall."

"..."

"I don’t lack these things. If I could get the Heavenly Stele of course I would fight for it... but just now..."

Xiao Yuying shook her head, as if recalling the scene of Zheng Fa exchanging a large number of spiritual materials just a moment ago.

Zheng Fa smiled somewhat sheepishly.

Then Xiao Yuying said: "I plan to look around other places, perhaps I’ll stumble upon some other treasures."

"..."

The way she said that, it seemed he didn’t need to feel embarrassed...

She was far wealthier than him!

Thinking it over, Zheng Fa realized that naturally, the Heavenly Stele was valuable, but the problem was, to someone like Xiao Yuying, apart from the Heavenly Stele, there didn’t seem to be anything particularly attractive here anymore.

But...

Zheng Fa still coveted her abilities!

Xiao Yuying passed over a Jade Pendant and spoke, "I told you before that if Jiushan Sect encounters any trouble, you could find me..."

Zheng Fa glanced at Zhang, who did not speak.

But her expression turned slightly cold.

Xiao Yuying, as if oblivious, placed the Jade Pendant in Zheng Fa’s hand, "My word still stands. If you need to find me, just channel your Spiritual Power into this Jade Pendant, no matter how far, I will sense it."

Zheng Fa was taken aback as he looked at the Jade Pendant—

This thing sounded like a rather precious Magic Artifact...

It seemed Xiao Yuying had come just to say this. After speaking, she waved at him, stepped out of the Heavenly Stele Realm, her figure looking relaxed and carefree.

Yet Zheng Fa’s gaze lingered on her departing figure.

"What is it?"

Junior Sister Zhang beside him asked softly, her gaze flicking towards Zheng Fa.

"Sister... what do you think Fairy Xiao likes?" he inquired.

"..."

Junior Sister Zhang’s eyes grew colder.

"I originally wanted to invite her to research Spirit Tree Thunder together, but now, she’s gone?" Zheng Fa thought over this matter again and again for a long time; Xiao Yuying indeed wasn’t easy to persuade.

She was too wealthy and well-born; it wasn’t that she lacked desires.

It’s just that the things she wanted, Zheng Fa definitely couldn’t provide...

After hearing Zheng Fa’s words, Junior Sister Zhang’s expression revealed deep contemplation, and she too looked in the direction where Xiao Yuying had departed.

...

Just after returning to their residence, Junior Master Huang arrived in a hurry, his expression somewhat grave.

Zheng Fa and Zhang exchanged a glance, knowing that there might be some bad news.

"You’ve received a message from Master Pang."

Junior Master Huang did not explain further, but with a point of his finger in the air, a screen of water appeared in front of them.

The figure of Master Pang was in the center of the water screen, next to him stood an old man with a tall stature and a stern complexion.

The two were standing in the grand hall of the Five Dragons Heavenly Palace, seemingly flying towards the direction of the Jiushan Sect.

Conversations between Master Pang and the old man could be heard from within the screen.

Master Pang said respectfully, "Master, my nephew sent a message saying that Qianhe Sect has met with disaster, and unrest has arisen within the Spirit Manipulation Sect..."

The old man seemed to be none other than Tongming Master, or perhaps it was his Spiritual Treasure.

His tone was somewhat rigid, but there seemed to be emotion in his voice as he sighed lightly, "Our Hundred Immortals Alliance is already like loose sand, with only this true self as a Divinity Transformation... If there were no major forces stirring behind the scenes, it wouldn’t be much, but if there are..."

Master Pang fell into a silent moment before asking, "Then Master, what do you plan to do?"

Tongming Master fell silent for a while before saying:

"If the Spirit Manipulation Sect is decaying, just scrape off the rot. It’s fine whether those with dissenting hearts have emerged or if they harbor any schemes—it’s not a big deal. What’s most important, actually, is the Qingyun Great Saint. Jiushan Sect must not fall into chaos. If it does, and the Great Freedom Demon Sect intervenes, that would be the true disaster for our Hundred Immortals Alliance."

Zheng Fa nodded inwardly as he listened, Tongming Master certainly saw things clearly.

After all, the world of Xuanwei was one where personal might was supreme.

Ultimately, without the Qingyun Great Saint, the troubles of the Spirit Manipulation Sect would not be beyond the means of a Divinity Transformation.

The Demon Race and the Great Freedom Demon Sect stir up trouble with the ultimate goal of driving away Zheng Fa and the others who block their path.

Hearing Tongming Master say this, Master Pang seemed more assured.

"Then Master, do you mean to..."

"The one on Tongming Mountain who reported to the Great Freedom Demon Sect, I have already dealt with them," Tongming Master said with a cold tone, "As for the Qingyun Great Saint, I fear he has forgotten why the Immortal Sects have governed for hundreds of thousands of years..."

Zheng Fa could feel Tongming Master’s confidence in his words.

But when he looked up at Junior Master Huang’s not-so-relaxed face, he knew that things were not as simple as it seemed.

In the water screen, the Five Dragons Heavenly Palace gradually approached Jiushan Sect.

The sunset dyed the sky, and the demonic miasma surged on the ground.

There weren’t many demon beasts near Jiushan Sect, and Master Pang and the others only encountered about a hundred, but each had a high level of cultivation.

"Eight Nascent Soul Demon Kings..."

Zhang remarked softly.

Her tone was heavy.

"Not just those."

Junior Master Huang said.

Master Pang seemed unwilling to provoke these Great Demons and instead wanted to head to Jiushan Sect to meet up with Master Yuan first, as the Five Dragons Heavenly Palace gradually concealed their figures in the clouds.

But after half an hour had passed,

A loud laugh suddenly came from the ground:

"Is that Tongming Master in person?"

The Five Dragons Heavenly Palace stopped in mid-air, as if being forcefully held in place.

"Qingyun Great Saint?"

Tongming Master said quietly, his tone filled with certainty.

At the top of a green peak below, a middle-aged man stood on the mountaintop, smiling at the Five Dragons Heavenly Palace above.

He wore a green robe of a scholar, slender in build, appearing more like a learned man—but a closer look at his gold-colored pupils would reveal a cold and ruthlessness in them.

"Qingyunzi, I have long admired Tongming Master’s reputation."

He said with a cupped fist greeting.

Tongming Master was silent for a while before sweeping his robe, and both he and Master Pang landed on the mountain peak.

"The Demon Sect has hidden in the Secret Realm for hundreds of thousands of years, hunted by our Immortal Sect to the point of desperation," Tongming Master spoke coldly, "yet you, the Demon Race, dare to snatch chestnuts from the fire for them."

This was also something Zheng Fa was puzzled about—

From the aspect of this epoch, the Immortal Sects still had the upper hand.

Yet the Demon Race was risking everything by acting first.

Qingyun Great Saint chuckled and said, "Tongming Master, do you not know what kind of lives we of the Demon Race have lived these hundreds of thousands of years?"

Tongming Master seemed to realize something, and fell silent.

"My Lifebound Spiritual Treasure... Heh, Lifebound Spiritual Treasure..." The Qingyun Great Saint’s face was full of mockery, "Isn’t that all our Demon Race’s fate? The spirit of our Nascent Souls?"

"..."

Zheng Fa and Zhang exchanged a shocked glance.

They had no idea that Lifebound Spiritual Treasures were related to the Demon Race.

It now made sense—As the world of Xuanwei was running low on spiritual materials, the Demon Race naturally became a major source.

More importantly, it seemed the refining of Lifebound Spiritual Treasures was greatly related to the Nascent Souls of the Demon Race—if the Immortal Sects were nowadays dependent on Lifebound Spiritual Treasures, then the Demon Race must indeed be living difficult lives.

Tongming Master stayed silent, seemingly unable to retort.

After a long time, he said, "Just for this reason, you are willing to risk your life for the Great Freedom Demon Sect, against me."

"Risk my life?" Qingyun Great Saint laughed, he said to Tongming Master, "I just want to stop you a bit, as long as you stop here, Master, I shall greet you with Jadescent Nectar. Where does the talk of risking life come from?"

"Block me?"

Tongming Master paused, then suddenly looked up at the direction of Jiushan Sect.

Master Pang’s face showed shock and fear, as the Five Dragons Heavenly Palace tried to soar into the sky but was pressed down by Qingyun Great Saint within the clouds.

"Master has keen eyesight..." Qingyun Great Saint said with a smile, "Our Demon Race and Demon Sect have been biding our time for hundreds of thousands of years, and now on our emergence, only one Divinity Transformation has come; it’s a bit petty."

Zheng Fa’s heart trembled as he looked towards Junior Master Huang.

He finally understood why Junior Master Huang was so anxious and distressed.