Vol 2 Chapter 92 – Above the Heavens
A few days later.
Inside the grand hall of Five Dragons Palace, another banquet was in full swing.
The difference this ti?
Now, everyone was here to curry favor.
“Congratulations to Jiushan Sect on gaining another Nascent Soul cultivator! A truly prosperous future ahead!”
A Nascent Soul cultivator called out before he even stepped inside, grinning ear to ear.
No one would have guessed that this exact sa man had been the first to run away during the last battle.
Martial Uncle Pang showed no sign of displeasure. Instead, he smiled politely and cupped his hands.
“Senior Sister Zhang’s Nascent Soul breakthrough is a joyous occasion for the entire Hundred Immortals Alliance, is it not?”
“Ah… Yes! Yes, of course!”
The gathered Nascent Soul cultivators exchanged glances.
Their thoughts were unanimous—
Joyous, my ass!
Who in the Hundred Immortals Alliance didn’t know Zhang Wuyi’s personality?
Now that she had successfully ford her Nascent Soul, her power had skyrocketed.
But did anyone think her temper had changed?
Back when she was Golden Core, she was already bullying their disciples.
Now that she was Nascent Soul, she could bully them directly!
So why were they here?
To appease her, of course!
“Where is Zhenren Zhang?”
“She is not at the market,” Pang Qian replied.
“We all ca to congratulate her. We’ve even brought gifts!”
“She’s not here, but that doesn’t an you can’t leave the gifts behind.”
Pang Qian’s gentle smile remained unchanged.
But the others?
Their expressions soured as if they had just swallowed a mouthful of flies.
They knew what was happening.
This was Jiushan Sect’s way of subtly expressing their displeasure at those who fled the battle.
But…
They had failed to get rid of Pang Qian, and now Zhang Wuyi had advanced.
They had no choice but to endure the humiliation.
“Zhenren Zhang must be busy receiving soone important,” soone speculated.
And suddenly, it all made sense.
Jiushan Sect had sohow latched onto Tianhe Sect’s thigh!
“Ah, yes, yes! It’s more important to celebrate Zhenren Zhang’s achievent!”
“Exactly! And of course, our gifts still stand! A stronger Jiushan Sect is a stronger Hundred Immortals Alliance! No need for division between us!”
“Co, co! Zhenren Pang, a toast to you!”
Martial Uncle Pang said nothing.
He simply smiled.
But his gaze drifted, ever so slightly, toward the direction of the Thunder Pool.
Zheng Fa sat on the grass beside Senior Sister Zhang.
Not far away, Senior Sister Yuan had just returned from picking wild fruits.
She casually tossed one into her mouth.
Then her face contorted as if she had just eaten pure vinegar.
She grimaced, her expression folding into eighteen layers of wrinkles.
Yet—
She still didn’t spit it out.
After the recent battles, Zheng Fa felt drained.
He leaned back against a large rock, watching the leaves sway gently in the breeze.
In the distance, birds fluffed their feathers, preening lazily.
Occasionally, faint voices would drift through the trees, but they felt distant—as if they belonged to another world.
His gaze shifted to Senior Sister Zhang.
Sothing about her had changed.
She still carried the sa icy presence in front of others.
But now, in their small group, she seed…
A little more alive.
She must have sensed his gaze, for she suddenly looked at him—
Then, without a word, pulled out a jade flute from her storage bag.
Zheng Fa blinked.
“…Senior Sister? You play music?”
Even Senior Sister Yuan looked surprised.
It seed neither of them had known about this.
“Music and mathematics are deeply connected,” Senior Sister Zhang explained.
“I studied it for a ti. But as my cultivation advanced, my practice beca infrequent.”
Zheng Fa nodded as she brought the flute to her lips.
There were no words to describe Senior Sister Zhang’s flute music.
The mountains seed greener.
The breeze felt softer.
Even the birds paused, listening in silence.
Then—
With a flash of blue light—
Senior Sister Yuan transford into a Qingluan.
She spread her wings and took to the skies, gliding in rhythm with the music.
Even the other birds of the forest began to follow her—
A small flock, weaving through the air, dancing to the lody.
As the last note faded—
Senior Sister Yuan landed, returning to her human form, her face glowing with admiration.
“Senior Sister, that was beautiful!”
Senior Sister Zhang nodded, looking very satisfied with herself.
Then—
She turned to Zheng Fa.
“You are the only one, aside from our master, who has ever heard play.”
She glanced at Senior Sister Yuan.
Paused.
Then corrected herself.
“…The only one.”
Zheng Fa was shocked.
“…The only one?”
She nodded.
“From the past to the future.”
Zhenren Han strolled lazily alongside Yan Wushuang.
Their conversation had been casual—
Until Zhenren Han suddenly stopped walking.
He tilted his head, his eyes half-closed in concentration.
After a mont—
A sly smile appeared on his face.
Then—
He started walking again.
“Han Lao, were you eavesdropping again?”
“What do you an, eavesdropping?” Zhenren Han snorted.
“My hearing is just good. Not my fault.”
“….”
“In any case,” Zhenren Han continued, “this is part of my Dao comprehension.”
“Listening to the voices of thousands…
“Experiencing the emotions of the world…
“In this, one finds the true path of the Dao.”
“What did you comprehend, then?”
“What did I comprehend?”
Zhenren Han glanced at Yan Wushuang, his face utterly deadpan.
“I realized a profound truth of heaven and earth.”
Yan Wushuang raised an eyebrow. “What truth?”
“That every cultivator in Xuanyi Realm is absolute dogshit.”
“…???”
Yan Wushuang was stunned speechless.
“The demonic sect? Nightti dogshit.” Han Zhenren sneered.
“They hide in the dark, and every now and then, you accidentally step in them.”
“The immortal sects? Fancy restaurant dogshit.”
“They serve it up on a plate, trim it with gold edges, and insist you eat it with a smile.”
“And our Tianhe Sect?”
“That’s the oldest pile of dogshit there is.”
Han Zhenren snorted.
“People say the older an immortal sect gets, the stronger it becos.”
“But I say—
The older the dogshit, the worse it stinks.”
“…Han Lao.”
Yan Wushuang fell silent for a long mont.
Then, cautiously, he asked—
“Did you leave the sect to protect … or because you couldn’t handle the stench anymore?”
Han Zhenren snorted again.
“I left because I didn’t want to die from suffocation.”
Then, suddenly—he frowned.
“You wanted to save that Jiushan Sect guy. I’ll be honest—he’s dogshit too. But at least, he’s not always rotten.”
“…You saved him anyway?”
“I did.”
Han Zhenren sighed dramatically.
“But only because—”
He grinned.
“That talisman inscription technique? Profitable.”
“…So your swordsmanship is only worth that much?”
“Not like I had to lift a finger.”
“So… you basically made a profit with zero investnt?”
Han Zhenren scowled. “You little bastard.”
“You won’t even give spirit stones.”
Yan Wushuang countered smoothly.
“You even make pay for everything.”
“…You brat!”
But after a mont, Han Zhenren’s expression shifted.
“This deal wasn’t bad, though.”
“That Zhang Wuyi… she’s a talent.”
Yan Wushuang’s expression brightened. “Right? I knew it! See, Han Lao, this ti, I made a good investnt.”
Han Zhenren fell silent for a long while before muttering—
“She’s not on the sa level as our ancestor, but… she has a bit of his spirit.”
The mont he said ancestor, the filthy-mouthed old man suddenly looked—
Reverent.
Yan Wushuang had never seen him respect anyone this much.
Not even the other elders of Tianhe Sect.
“…Han Lao.”
“You don’t understand.”
Han Zhenren shook his head.
“If this era doesn’t produce another person like our ancestor, then those destined to die…
Will all die.”
“Immortal sects, demonic sects… Jiushan Sect, Tianhe Sect…
“What does it matter if we gain or lose one more pile of dogshit?”
“…Then Zhenren Zhang—”
“She can’t compare.”
Han Zhenren’s voice was firm.
“When our ancestor ford his Nascent Soul, he created an entirely new thod of forging Life-Bound Treasures.
“The heavens themselves rejoiced.”
“Zhang Wuyi has ambition. But she lacks the skill.”
After a mont of thought, he added—
“But within Xuanyi Realm, she’s still… sobody.”
“You saving that Pang guy?
A fortunate accident.
Because now, you’ve secured goodwill with her.”
Yan Wushuang couldn’t help but feel pleased with himself.
He had made the right move.
“…Then what about Zheng Fa?”
“He’s quite remarkable, don’t you think?”
Han Zhenren nodded.
“He is.”
“See?! I knew it—”
“He’s remarkable, just like you.”
Yan Wushuang’s eyes widened.
“…Han Lao, do you really think so highly of him?”
It was true—he had never looked down on Zheng Fa.
But as the son of Tianhe Sect’s sect master, he naturally carried a bit of pride.
To hear Han Zhenren compare him to Zheng Fa—
It felt a little weird.
“…Yes.”
Han Zhenren nodded again.
“You’re remarkable… because you have a good father.”
“Zheng Fa is remarkable…
Because he has a good Senior Sister.”
“…Han Lao, if you want to insult him, that’s fine.”
Yan Wushuang sighed.
“But why are you dragging into it?”
Han Zhenren chuckled.
“Oh, no. I was insulting you.”
“Zheng Fa was just collateral damage.”
“At least, he’s talented.”
“He didn’t just get lucky with his birth.”
“…Then why are you still insulting him?”
Han Zhenren let out a long sigh.
“I never had a good Senior Sister.”
“…Huh?”
“I’m jealous.”
Then, with a mischievous grin, he added—
“I, too, am a pile of old dogshit.
And I stink.”
anwhile, at Zheng Fa’s location.
“Senior Sister Zhang, what was your Heart Demon Tribulation like?”
Senior Sister Yuan leaned forward, eyes filled with curiosity.
Not so much concern—
But more like pure gossip.
Zheng Fa, however, was genuinely interested.
He had never seen Senior Sister Zhang wear those expressions before.
Nor had he ever seen her cry.
“…In my Heart Demon Tribulation,” Senior Sister Zhang murmured,
“I returned to Jiushan Sect.”
Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Yuan both listened attentively.
“…Everyone was dead.”
Senior Sister Zhang’s gaze grew distant.
“The Great Freedom Demonic Sect invaded.
“The Sect Master was slain.
“My master was slain.”
Senior Sister Yuan pointed to herself.
“What about ?”
“…You died.”
“…And Junior Brother Zheng?”
Senior Sister Zhang hesitated.
Then—
“You died, too.”
“…So, that’s why you cried?”
Senior Sister Yuan suddenly understood.
Senior Sister Zhang shook her head.
“I didn’t cry.”
She continued softly—
“I trained endlessly.
“But no matter what I did, I could not break into Nascent Soul.”
“Then, I realized—
“The mathematics you taught …
“It was actually useful.”
“But in the end—
“The Heart Demon Tribulation was just an illusion.
“I spent eight hundred years inside it.
And I never figured it out.”
“…What?”
“…Also.”
Senior Sister Zhang exhaled.
“You were dead.
“So no one was left to teach math.”
“…So, you cried because—”
“I had finally allowed myself to think about the fact that he had died.
For the first ti in eight hundred years.”
“….”
Senior Sister Yuan fell silent.
Then, she groaned.
“I shouldn’t have asked!”
Senior Sister Zhang continued.
“I heard your voice, Junior Brother Zheng.”
“During a Heart Demon Tribulation, it is possible to hear the outside world.
“But the heart demon distorts everything, making you think it’s just your own hallucinations.”
“…Then why did you hear ?”
Senior Sister Zhang smirked.
“Because what you were saying…
“The heart demon couldn’t replicate it.”
“It tried.
“But it really didn’t understand math.”
“…So, in the end—”
“I realized it was all nonsense.”
“….”
“Speaking of which,” Senior Sister Zhang’s expression shifted.
“I made a discovery during my Nascent Soul breakthrough.”
“What is it?”
“The Five-Elent Sub-Talismans…”
She frowned slightly.
“They seed to be resonating with sothing.”
“…Resonating?”
“Yes.”
“And it ca from—”
She lifted her gaze.
“Above the heavens.”
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