Zanxing

Chapter 21 - The Qing'e Nianhua Staff (1)

The "Qing'e Nianhua Staff" was not an ordinary staff technique; it was compiled by Immortal Qinghua of the Taiyan Sect. After compiling the "Qing'e Nianhua Staff," Immortal Qinghua placed this technique on the first level of the Martial Arts Pavilion. For many years, no new disciple had ever discovered this secret manual—not because their eyesight was poor, but because Immortal Qinghua once said that this technique was extraordinary, and only someone destined could find it.

And now, this "Qing'e Nianhua Staff" had been discovered by none other than the new junior apprentice sister.

"Who is this Yang Zanxing you mentioned?" Xuan Ling asked after pondering for a while.

"I've inquired about her. Junior Sister Yang comes from a small town called Yue City in Duzhou. It's said that she accompanied her fiancé to participate in the selection trials. Her fiancé failed, but Junior Sister Yang passed the trial instead."

"Oh?" Xuan Ling was surprised. "What level has she reached in her cultivation?"

"The Yuan Power Gate during the trial showed that she is at the first level of the Foundation Establishment Stage."

"Foundation Establishment, early stage?" Xuan Ling seemed a bit disappointed. "Still quite immature."

If Yue City's lord had been present, hearing this would likely have made him cough up blood. In Yue City, only one person, Wang Shao, had managed to reach the Foundation Establishment stage before the age of 18, and he was revered as a genius. However, in the Taiyan Sect, they had seen countless young talents, and someone like Zanxing was not worth mentioning.

"What do you think, Sixth Uncle?"

"Since she was able to find the 'Qing'e Nianhua Staff,' perhaps there is something special about her. Let's wait and see how she performs during the sect's examination."

"Understood."

...

Zanxing had no idea that due to a single technique, she had caught the attention of Sixth Uncle Xuan Ling. After selecting her technique, she and Tian Fangfang went to attend a public class at the teaching hall.

The current leader of the Taiyan Sect, Master Shaoyang, had accepted seven disciples in total. The one responsible for teaching the public class was none other than Master Shaoyang's eldest disciple, Daoist Yueguang.

Just hearing the name was enough to make one's wallet feel cold.

Daoist Yueguang was already 80 years old, dressed in a light brown gauze robe, with long white hair and bushy eyebrows, exuding an ethereal and immortal-like aura. His temperament was very gentle, and when disciples asked questions, he patiently answered. However, he spoke incredibly slowly—while others could say three sentences, he would have only finished one.

Tian Fangfang, sitting next to Zanxing, whispered in her ear, "Junior Sister, aren't cultivators supposed to be skilled at maintaining their appearance? But looking at this Senior Master Yueguang's face, it's not very impressive."

Zanxing: "..."

Master Yueguang was still slowly reciting, "In the 'Great Pill Direct Instructions of the Ancestor Qiu,' it is said that when you practice 'Returning Light and Regulating Breath,' gather your mind between the corners of your eyes, drawing it to the center, focusing all your energy at this point. This is the so-called 'bringing together Heaven and Earth in one unified force.'"

Zanxing could understand every individual word, but when put together, it made no sense to her at all. Cultivation was prevalent in the Duzhou continent, and many cultivators began practicing from a young age. For those who had studied these theories extensively, they were second nature. Even those like Tian Fangfang, who were self-taught, could understand the teachings easily.

But to someone like Zanxing, who grew up immersed in a modern, tech-savvy society, it was like listening to gibberish.

She stared blankly, her eyes glazed over, and barely made it through the morning class. When the lesson finally ended, Tian Fangfang pulled Zanxing to her feet and said, "Let's go eat!"

The Taiyan Sect's accommodation was quite good, and the food was excellent. There was a separate canteen for new disciples, offering a wide variety of dishes from different cuisines.

After getting her food, Zanxing sat down with Tian Fangfang at an empty table. The food tasted quite good, and Zanxing commented while eating, "I used to think that sect disciples didn't need to eat."

That's how it was written in novels—they would just live off spiritual energy.

"Junior Sister, you don't understand," Tian Fangfang said as he bit into a large chicken leg. "The food here in the Taiyan Sect isn't just ordinary food. All the fruits, meats, and eggs are nurtured by spiritual energy. Even the tea we drink daily is beneficial for tempering our bodies. You're a bit frail, so you should eat more. It'll help you break through."

Zanxing poked at the green onions in her bowl with her chopsticks. "Isn't the sect wasting resources this way? Won't we eat them out of house and home?"

They didn't pay for room and board, so what would happen if the Taiyan Sect decided to downsize one day?

"How could that happen?" Tian Fangfang gave her a surprised look. "Every year, we explore secret realms and compete with other sects, earning all kinds of rich rewards. We could recruit hundreds more disciples without a problem. Besides, the sect is incredibly wealthy. Why would you worry about something like that?"

Zanxing said nothing, quietly continuing to eat. This must be the occupational anxiety of a corporate worker!

After lunch, new disciples didn't have to attend any more classes for the day.

Public classes were held in the mornings, and in the afternoons, new disciples were free to arrange their time as they wished. With the sect's examination approaching and having just selected their techniques from the Martial Arts Library, most disciples sought a place to cultivate and study on their own.

During the morning lesson, Senior Master Yueguang also mentioned that new disciples should choose to cultivate in areas with the most abundant spiritual energy. The best place for cultivation for new disciples on Gufeng Mountain was the Chuhong Platform behind the dormitory.

Chuhong Platform was located in front of a waterfall behind the dormitory.

Looking down from the mountaintop, amid the sky's radiance and cloud shadows, a rainbow arched across the treetops, making the sunlight appear even more magnificent and beautiful. As soon as Zanxing arrived, she felt her body become incredibly light, surrounded by flowing spiritual energy, which immediately woke up the Xiao Yuan Pearl inside her.

"This place is amazing!" Tian Fangfang stretched lazily. "Cultivating here is so much better than that broken house we lived in before! People in the sect sure know how to live—look at this view!"

Zanxing couldn't help but marvel as well. Setting aside the world's logic and settings, just the natural scenery made the trip worthwhile.

As she was thinking this, a familiar voice came from behind: "Oh, you've come here to cultivate too?"

Zanxing turned around to see her dormmate, Duan Xiangrao, arm in arm with a young male cultivator, looking at her with a smirk.

Tian Fangfang, oblivious, asked Zanxing, "Is she your friend?"

Zanxing replied, "Do you think she looks like my friend?"

Duan Xiangrao's gaze fell on the staff beside Zanxing, and she was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter. "Junior Sister Yang, could it be that you chose a staff technique?"

New disciples were allowed to receive weapons from the armory, though the quality was generally ordinary. If a disciple had the money, they could buy better weapons with spirit stones and bring them up the mountain. Of course, Zanxing was poor, so she used the standard-issue iron staff given to new disciples by the sect.

"Yes," Zanxing replied, "is that not allowed?"

"Of course, it's allowed. Actually, the staff suits you quite well," Duan Xiangrao teased. "But I thought you would choose something pretty, like a ribbon weapon."

The young male cultivator beside her snickered maliciously and added, "I think the staff is perfect. If she chose a ribbon, wouldn't that be an ugly person trying too hard to show off?"