Daoist Competition
Chapter 92 - 10 Alchemy Book of Red Fire Separate Citation of Mentorship_2

Chapter 92: Chapter 10 Alchemy Book of Red Fire Separate Citation of Mentorship_2

Feng Shang stroked his sparse beard and said, "In the past, it was agreed among our noble families and the lineage of master and disciple that no entry-level disciple from the Lower Court could directly inherit the title of True Disciple. Anyone born into our noble families must first enter the Lower Court and hone their skills for sixteen years before being eligible for this position. Zhang Yan is an anomaly—ordinary in aptitude, yet he managed to stand out despite being born a mortal, enter the Lower Court, and ascend to higher ranks. This man is anything but simple."

Traditionally, entering the Upper Court from the Lower Court has been the proper path. All other disciples join through endorsements, and such an identity inherently ranks below that of a True Disciple. No matter how high your cultivation is, unless you dominate an entire sect, you are unqualified to inherit the titles of elder or Sect Leader. That’s why Wang Pan was so eager to secure a position as a True Disciple back then.

Feng Zhen sighed and said, "This matter is precisely what worries me. The more extraordinary Zhang Yan appears, the more unsettled my heart and spirit become."

Feng Shang chuckled, "Why fret over this? Zhen’er, you’ve already reached the Xuan Guang Realm. How could you possibly fear a cultivator who hasn’t even stepped into the Ming Qi Realm? I don’t understand, I don’t understand!"

Feng Zhen’s expression turned somewhat awkward. He said, "It’s not myself I’m concerned about—rather, it is about my younger sister."

Feng Shang was taken aback and asked, "What’s going on with Yao’er?"

"Since that day when we returned from Spiritual Paper Island, I noticed her behavior was unusual. Later, I probed her with questions multiple times, and after much persistence, she finally confessed to me. It turns out that since their first meeting that day, she has developed feelings for Zhang Yan and wishes to form a Daoist couple with him." Speaking of this, Feng Zhen sighed deeply. "The troublesome part is that Father once said she could freely choose her Daoist companion. If she persists in this matter, I am powerless to intervene."

In truth, Feng Zhen’s words disclosed only part of the reason. Another factor was Feng Yao’s background. Although she is of Feng family descent, she is also a disciple of True Master Qin Yu from Linglang Cave Heaven. This True Master happens to be the daughter of a previous Sect Leader, holding an exalted status within the sect. Not only is her cultivation profound, but her social connections throughout East Splendor Continent are extensive. Neither the master-disciple lineage nor the Xuanmen noble families dare to provoke her lightly. The Wang family had initially invested heavily to secure her favor as an intermediary, but Zhang Yan disrupted everything by killing Wang Pan.

Upon hearing this, Feng Shang burst into uproarious laughter, shaking his head joyfully as he said, "According to you, Zhang Yan is charismatic and a rare sight—a truly handsome man with an extraordinary demeanor and strategic brilliance. The only thing he lacks is a proper status. If I were a maiden myself, I’d fancy him as well. Yao’er’s taste is not poor, not poor indeed!"

Feng Zhen was left exasperated, half-laughing and half-crying, as he said, "Dear Uncle, I came to you with a serious matter; why must you jest so frivolously?"

Feng Shang watched him with amusement and said cheerily, "You don’t understand. Your uncle, who’s lived three lifetimes of three hundred years yet achieved nothing noteworthy, has only ever been praised for his ’open-mindedness.’"

Feng Zhen felt helpless. He knew his uncle sometimes exhibited deep wisdom and at other times rambled nonsensically, often embarrassing the elders of the Feng clan. During his younger years, Feng Shang was quite the troublemaker, which is why the clan treated him with little regard.

Feng Shang stretched lazily and slowly remarked, "Your urgency is unwarranted. This matter, in my view, can be resolved quite easily."

"Oh?" Feng Zhen’s eyes lit up as he eagerly rose to his feet and cupped his hands, saying, "Please, Uncle, enlighten me."

Feng Shang hummed thoughtfully and asked, "Have you heard that Zhang Yan has yet to take a master?"

"Indeed."

Feng Shang snapped the fan against his knee and declared, "Then find him a master."

Feng Zhen was momentarily stunned. What kind of suggestion was this? Yet, he knew Feng Shang wouldn’t randomly propose unsubstantiated ideas, so he cautiously continued to inquire, "Uncle, whom do you think would be suitable?"

Feng Shang moistened his finger with some water and wrote three characters on the table. "This person will do."

Feng Zhen leaned in for a closer look and asked doubtfully, "Zhou Chongju?"

Feng Shang squinted his eyes and said, "Zhen’er, you’ve spent so much time secluded on the island cultivating that you’ve become ignorant of external matters."

Feng Zhen flushed and murmured, "Your nephew indeed feels ashamed."

"There’s no fault here, so why would I blame you? You’re not like those petty folk from insignificant factions who worry constantly about others scheming against them. As a disciple of the Feng family, the path of cultivation demands a single-minded focus to truly attain the Dao." Feng Shang suddenly sat upright, pointing at the person’s name on the table. "Zhou Chongju is the Dean of the Elixir Cauldron Institute. Years ago, he owed me a favor, and to this day, I have never asked him for anything in return. If I were to request that he accept Zhang Yan as his disciple, he would surely agree."

Feng Zhen was puzzled and remarked, "Even if Zhou Chongju accepts Zhang Yan as his disciple, that wouldn’t stop my sister’s intentions."

"Who said it wouldn’t?" Feng Shang glared at him and replied, "As soon as Zhou Chongju takes him in as a disciple, no one in the sect will question the matter. Moreover, Yao’er would certainly not become his Daoist companion."

"Why?" Feng Zhen’s expression oozed confusion.

Feng Shang responded with a mysterious smile, "Well then, since the matter has been brought up, I’ll explain it thoroughly to you. Zhou Chongju and Qin Yu of Linglang Cave Heaven were once husband and wife. For reasons unknown, the couple eventually turned against each other. If Zhou Chongju were to accept Zhang Yan as his disciple, Qin Yu would undoubtedly block Yao’er’s desire to form such a union."

After considering the idea, Feng Zhen found it plausible and unconsciously nodded. He then muttered bitterly, "Just as Uncle mentioned, Zhou Chongju indeed has considerable status. In the end, it will only benefit Zhang Yan."

Feng Shang chuckled softly and said, "Did your uncle truly not foresee this? Let me tell you, Zhou Chongju’s cultivation is not particularly advanced, but his alchemy skills are indeed extraordinary. Thus, he has long sought a successor to inherit his craft—but his standards for selecting disciples are extremely high. Rarely does anyone meet his expectations. However, once he accepts a disciple, he is extremely strict and insists they exclusively pursue alchemy without deviating into other paths. Do you understand the implications?"

Feng Zhen was momentarily stunned but soon realized the intent. "Ah, it’s to force Zhang Yan to switch to cultivating alchemy, thereby derailing his focus from proper Dao skills!"

"Precisely!" Feng Shang grinned triumphantly. "Alchemy is not so easily mastered. The path requires ten years of practicing Tongue Acupoint Skill, followed by ten years of Nose Acupoint Skill, and culminating in ten years of Eye Acupoint Skill, collectively known as ’Three Apertures Temple Medicine.’ As such, thirty years of tireless dedication is required. No matter how gifted Zhang Yan may be, he will only be able to proceed step by step. If he dares betray his master, he’ll be condemned by all. Ha! Thirty years of cultivation stagnation—will you even bother worrying about him then, Zhen’er?"

Feng Zhen was overjoyed and applauded, exclaiming, "Brilliant, brilliant!"

Feng Shang discarded his fan, raised his arms to allow his wide sleeves to fall to his elbows, and commanded, "Servants! Bring ink and brush!"

Once the servants brought ink and brush, he swiftly penned a letter and handed it to Feng Zhen. "Take this letter to Zhou Chongju. You’ll reap the rewards yourself. Now, go."

...

...