Donghua Continent.
Azure Parasol Mountain, Good Abyss Temple.
Zhang Yan slowly withdrew from meditation. He felt that his mind was clear, and his breathing was faintly discernible. His entire body also felt light and comfortable. Obviously, his cultivation had improved again.
However, there was no joy on his face.
"Although this breathing technique makes my body lighter and stronger than mortals, it is not the right path after all. Even if I practice until I die of old age, it will only make my body lighter and my eyes sharper. If I continue to wait for the opportunity, not only will it be difficult for me to reach the Great Dao, it will also be difficult for me to make a living. Perhaps I will have to take a risk today."
Once he took this step, there was no turning back.
Zhang Yan began to ponder. Although he had already calculated the gains and losses, it was inevitable that he would be worried when he was about to take this step.
He subconsciously held a piece of sparkling and translucent jade in his hand and gently rubbed it. Instantly, a smooth and delicate feeling came from his fingers, and his slightly agitated mood couldn't help but gradually calm down.
He could not help but smile. Since he was no longer the original Zhang Yan, he should follow his heart and return to his original self. All the worries of the past could be cast aside.
When he thought of this, he suddenly felt comfortable. Obviously, after letting go of his thoughts, he had finally become perfectly compatible with this specific body.
Ten days ago, a meteor fell from the sky at the back of Azure Parasol Mountain. The original owner of this body accidentally picked up this piece of jade that fell from the sky. Who knew that he would die on the spot before he could take a look at it.
And Zhang Yan, who had struggled in the apocalyptic world for seven years and accidentally died while covering the retreat of the camp, was able to borrow a body to be reborn into this young man with the same name.
Zhang Yan, one of the three lower houses of Qincang School, an in-name disciple of Good Abyss Temple.
His predecessor was originally born in a family of officials. At the age of 16, he came to Good Abyss Temple to seek immortality under the guidance of an expert. However, three years had passed in a hurry. Other than learning some breathing techniques to strengthen his body, he did not learn any of the legendary immortal techniques.
That expert once told him that if he wanted to enter the Profound Gate, he must first build his Primordial Spirit, open his immortal meridians, shed his mortal body, and plant his Profound Root!
This was actually referring to the first threshold that cultivators had to face on the path of cultivation — opening meridians!
Only by opening up the Immortal Meridian and washing away the dirt on one's body could one cultivate the legendary Immortal Arts and Immortal Arts, and from then on step into the Xuanmen Great Dao. As for ordinary breathing techniques, even if one practiced for another thirty to fifty years, they would not be able to enter the Immortal Sect.
At the end of the day, one could not become an immortal without opening their meridians!
If he couldn't do this, then he might as well give up on the Immortal Path!
As the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and a platform of nine floors begins with a single step. Opening one's meridians was not something that could be accomplished in one go. First, one had to condense Qi into Essence Building. However, this step made Zhang Yan feel rather helpless.
His predecessor had repeatedly practiced the entry-level mantra for three years. Every time he went to the Guru in the monastery to ask for a more advanced mantra, the Guru only told him that the fated chance had not arrived, and that his skill was not deep enough, so he had to practice more diligently.
Before his predecessor came up the mountain, he was just a simple and innocent youth. He had no experience in the ways of the world, and had no guidance from others. He thought that it was true, and no matter whether it was summer or winter, he would painstakingly practice, spending six hours a day on this mantra.
Zhang Yan could only smile bitterly in response. This person was too honest. Did he really believe this kind of excuse?
Although he hadn't occupied this body for a long time, he could still see some clues. The so-called fated chance, wasn't it just money and filial piety? Without money and without outstanding talent, who would pay attention to an unremarkable disciple like him?
Fortunately, there were gains and losses. What comforted Zhang Yan was that after several years of bitter practice, this body had laid an incomparably solid foundation. In the entire Good Abyss Monastery, there was probably no one who paid as much attention to the entry-level mantra as he did.
It should be known that this mantra was called "Pure Breath Scripture". As the saying goes, Tao begets One, One begets Two, Two begets Three, Three begets all things. "Pure Breath Scripture" was derived from the word "One", which could be said to be the beginning of all Tao.
As a cultivator's cultivation deepened, there would be differences in the practice of the mantra, but the initial "One" was the same. Most of the orthodox Xuanmen in the world used this breathing technique as the most fundamental foundation.
But this was after all the most superficial mantra. Without the guidance of the superior mantra, no matter how good the foundation was, it could not germinate and bear fruit.
After experiencing the catastrophe of the end of the world in his previous life, in the face of various natural disasters and viruses, Zhang Yan deeply felt the powerlessness and insignificance of mortals. Therefore, at this moment, his desire to pursue Tao was far more intense than anyone else's.
Since he had come to this world, he must not miss the Tao of immortality!
Although he had great determination and perseverance, there were more pressing matters to consider at the moment. After three years of cultivation, his predecessor did not produce, and the money he brought up the mountain had almost been used up. Now, apart from a small cooking tripod, a set of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, he had no other money. Now, he could only eat wild vegetables to fill his stomach.
It was already difficult to make a living, so how could he talk about pursuing the Way of Immortality?
Cultivation was not like escaping deep into the mountains and not eating the food of the world. Instead, it was a matter that consumed a lot of money and food. If one was not from a rich family, they would not be able to support it.
Of course, those who were talented and were chosen by the guru were naturally a different matter.
But for people like Zhang Yan who took the initiative to go up the mountain to seek Tao, he had to bear all the expenses himself.
For the past few days, Zhang Yan had been thinking hard about how to solve the dilemma in front of him. Finally, he thought of a way. If he planned it well, not only could he solve the problem in front of him, but he could also use it to enter the sight of the guru of the Good Abyss Temple.
But this method carried a certain amount of risk. One wrong step would lead to eternal damnation. But since the heavens had given him this opportunity, it was impossible for him to abandon Tao and go down the mountain.
He could only move forward, not backward.
As the saying goes, the arrow on the bowstring has to be released!
In his opinion, the previous Zhang Yan only knew how to cultivate in seclusion and did not know how to excavate his own wealth.
Because his predecessor was originally a scholar, he had spent a lot of time and effort on studying the language used by cultivators, the "Eroded Writing".
And almost all the ancient books of Taoism were written in this language. It could be said that it was the foundation of cultivation.
In Zhang Yan's opinion, the Eroded Writing was not so much a language, but a cultivator's "password" was more accurate. Every word of the Eroded Writing had a thousand meanings. After forming a sentence, understanding it was like a heavenly book. To understand it, one not only had to rely on talent and comprehension, but also had to use bamboo chips to calculate and deduce, sort out the general idea, and carefully comprehend it.
This kind of interpretation relied half on bamboo chips and half on guesswork. Reading it often took a lot of time, and of course, it was not efficient. There were many cultivators who could not understand the meaning of a Taoist book even after reading it for three to five years. This was a headache for most cultivators.
If one did not want to waste time and effort, they could go to the master in the temple to ask for advice. But it depended on whether they had enough "luck".
Perhaps because of his two lives, Zhang Yan, who was quite talented in the Eroded Writing, felt that his mind was now more agile and quick-witted. Not only did he rarely make mistakes in his divination, but his speed was also several times faster than before. He could rely on helping people interpret the Eroded Writing in exchange for money.
But this alone was not enough.
He held the broken jade in his hand and could not help but smile. With it, he would be more confident.
He raised his head and looked at the sky. It was already seven in the morning. The sun was shining brightly outside and the mountain fog had dissipated. He stood up and carried the bamboo basket he had prepared earlier on his back. He held a bamboo banner in his hand and slowly walked out.
His residence was a cave built on the cliff by the Good Abyss Temple. It was convenient for those who went up the mountain to meditate and rest. A wooden plank road was built outside the cave. There was no guardrail on the outside, and within three steps was a cliff that was tens of thousands of feet high. It was a daunting sight.
But he had lived here alone for three years, and the scenery in front of him was like a flat road. Naturally, his steps were relaxed. He walked straight out of the plank road and along the mountain path.
The Azure Wu Mountain had a total of eighteen peaks and thirty-six streams. At the top of the ninth peak, Yue Qiong Peak, there was a smooth boulder called the Thousand Man Rock. Every time the sun rose in the east and the clouds flew, hundreds of disciples of the Good Abyss Temple would get up early to breathe in the old and take in the new.
It took about half an hour to walk from the Star Gazing Peak where Zhang Yan lived to the Thousand Man Rock. By the time he arrived, the disciples had already dispersed from their morning classes. Only a few disciples were gathered together in twos and threes to discuss their cultivation experiences. He did not pay much attention to them and looked for a pavilion with a wide view. Sitting down on a stone bench, he picked up the bamboo banner, laid out the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and sat there with his eyes closed.
Not long after, a man walked over the stone steps in front of the pavilion. He looked at the bamboo banner, and then looked at Zhang Yan, and said with wide eyes, "Explain the Eroded Runes Dao Book? Brother, you don't seem to have a high cultivation, yet you dare to speak such big words? "
The man was about twenty years old, with a broad waist and a sturdy body. He wore a blue robe with his sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his strong muscles. His eyes were spirited and his complexion had a faint jade colour. At a glance, one could tell that he had reached the Essence Building Realm and had already entered the "Essence Condensation Realm". A person with this kind of cultivation should not have a small background.
His doubts were obviously not wrong. Generally speaking, the ability to interpret the Eroded Runes had a lot to do with a person's cultivation. If one had not reached that step, how could one explain the meaning of the book to others? The deeper the pool, the more water it could hold. This was an irrefutable truth.
Of course, if some people spent their entire life studying the Eroded Runes, then they might also have some achievements. For example, those who knew that they had no hope of cultivation, but still had a deep interest in the Profound Truths. However, these people did not have to worry about food or clothing, and all of them were people who had devoted their entire lives to studying.
But Zhang Yan looked less than twenty years old and had not even reached the Essence Building Realm. It could be said that he had no cultivation, so how could he convince people?
Zhang Yan smiled, and his expression was very gentle and polite. He stood up and cupped his hands, saying, "Sir, please give it a try."
Seeing Zhang Yan's calm expression, as if he really had a few tricks up his sleeve, the man could not help but feel a little curious. He also cupped his hands and said, "This humble one is Min Lou, a disciple of the Virtue Cultivation Temple. How should I address this Junior Apprentice Brother?"
Zhang Yan returned the courtesy and said, "I don't dare, this humble one is Zhang Yan, a disciple of the Good Abyss Temple."
The Virtue Cultivation Temple and the Good Abyss Temple were both Qincang School's three Lower Houses, so the disciples of the two factions often came and went to discuss the Dao. However, in the past few days, a major event had occurred in the Azure Parasol Mountain, so many disciples from the three factions had gathered here. Most of them lived in the relatively flat Yue Qiong Peak.
Min Lou laughed and sat down in front of Zhang Yan, saying, "I don't know what Junior Apprentice Brother needs to pay attention to in interpreting the Eroded Runes."
"Rice, you can exchange it for silver." Zhang Yan pointed at an inconspicuous line of words at the bottom corner of the banner. The first thing he needed to solve was the problem of his livelihood. This was the most important thing right now.
Min Lou looked at it and found that Zhang Yan did not ask for much. If he could really interpret the Eroded Runes, then it could be considered as a "cheap sale".
"Alright, I can still afford to pay for rice. Come, I have a Daoist book here." Min Lou was also a straightforward person. He took out a thin Daoist book and slapped it heavily on the stone table. His expression was rather playful as he said, "Please take a look!"
Zhang Yan calmly took the Daoist book. After flipping through a few pages, he smiled faintly and dipped his brush in ink. Without thinking, he quickly wrote on the white paper.
Min Lou's expression froze as he said in surprise, "Oh, you don't need bamboo chips to deduce?"
Usually, when interpreting Daoist books, one would take out bamboo chips for divination and deduction. He had only seen this kind of ability from a few senior apprentice brothers with profound cultivation.
"No need."
Zhang Yan didn't even raise his head. Although his tone was flat, the confidence in it was enough to infect others. Even though Min Lou was still doubtful, his expression unconsciously changed from playful to serious.
Zhang Yan flipped through a dozen pages in a row and did not feel that there was anything difficult about it. If it was a high level Daoist book, then the other party would not have been willing to let him read it so casually. However, after flipping through a few more pages, he frowned and his brush paused.
Min Lou glanced at Zhang Yan's expression and couldn't help but smile inwardly.
The content at the beginning of the Daoist book was nothing special, but there were a few parts that were quite puzzling. He had to ask a senior apprentice brother to understand it. Even so, there were still some obscure details that he still had questions about. He did not believe that a mere nominal disciple would be able to decipher them.
Although he had encountered a difficulty, Zhang Yan did not panic. Instead, he quietly held the jade in his sleeve with his left hand and immersed his mind in it. After a while, he continued to write.
From Min Lou's point of view, Zhang Yan just closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before picking up the brush and writing again. He couldn't help but reveal a puzzled expression. He thought that Zhang Yan should have skipped this part, but this was also a common thing in interpreting the Inscription Erosion. This time, he was just acting on a whim and with a little sense of teasing, so he did not expect any results.
About half an hour later, Zhang Yan's brush paused heavily before he finally stopped. He picked up the white paper and blew it dry before handing it to Min Lou.
Min Lou took it with a faint smile, glanced at it, and casually praised, "Good writing, good writing."
However, after a few more glances, he was shocked. The more he read, the more shocked he became. Finally, he actually stood up and looked at Zhang Yan in a daze.
The words used in this interpretation of the Daoist book were very concise and incisive. It could be seen that this Zhang Yan was not only a scholar, but he was also quite accomplished in the field of Inscription Erosion. Not only that, but he had also clearly written down some of the doubts that Min Lou had originally had. It had to be known that this was all interpreted in less than an hour.
The way Min Lou looked at Zhang Yan suddenly changed. He put on an expression of admiration and sincerely said, "Senior Apprentice Brother's methods are good. This little brother is in awe." Before, he had doubted Zhang Yan because he did not believe that the other had the ability to do so. Now that he saw that Zhang Yan was the real deal, his attitude and tone immediately became much more respectful.
Zhang Yan cupped his hands and said, "I am ashamed to only rely on this to make a living."
Min Lou waved the paper in his hand and laughed, "Senior Apprentice Brother has such skills, why are you worried about making a living? I believe that my fellow apprentices and I will come often in the future to disturb you. "
To be able to interpret the Daoist book with just a few grains and goods, to him, this was a great bargain! Right now, although Zhang Yan was down and out, he would definitely make a name for himself in the future. If he did not make friends with such a person now, he would not have the chance in the future.
Zhang Yan immediately stood up and cupped his hands, saying, "If that is the case, then thank you, Senior Apprentice Brother, for your help."
Min Lou was startled and then laughed, "Senior Apprentice Brother Zhang is a wonderful person!"
Zhang Yan smiled but did not say anything. Not everyone was as confident in him as Min Lou was. However, since he said that he was willing to find fellow apprentices to take care of his "business", whether it was polite or not, Zhang Yan might as well make it clear so that he could not refuse. Moreover, it seemed that Min Lou was not an ordinary Daoist disciple. Over time, he would naturally be able to build a relationship, so why not?
Min Lou then bid farewell and left. Before he left, he did not mention anything about the money. Zhang Yan also did not ask, his expression was firm, as if both of them had forgotten about this point.
When it was noon, four people dressed like servants each pushed a wheelbarrow to the Thousand Zhang Yan Pavilion. The person in front bowed respectfully to Zhang Yan, saying, "Are you Young Master Zhang? We are Young Master Min's servants, following Young Master's orders, we delivered these grains and money to Young Master's residence. "
Zhang Yan nodded, saying, "Please wait for a moment."
He was not in a hurry to return, and these servants did not have any impatient expressions, quietly waiting at the side. This scene naturally attracted many people to stop and watch.
However, on this day, other than Min Lou, no one else came to take care of his business. Only a few people asked a few questions, and no matter who it was, Zhang Yan answered them one by one. It was not until the sun was in the west that he closed the stall and returned to his residence with the four servants pushing the wheelbarrow.
Not long after Zhang Yan left, a middle-aged scholar in his early thirties rushed over, but found that the pavilion was already empty. He could not help but stomp his feet, his face full of regret.
…
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