Ai Zhongwen was shocked. He had thought of all kinds of possibilities, but he never imagined that Zhang Yan and Zhou Zishang were actually related!
The Dingyang Zhou Clan could be said to be extremely prominent in the Donghua Continent. As far as he knew, in the past hundred years, there were no less than ten cultivators above the Nascent Soul realm. To be able to marry the daughter of the Zhou Clan, this Zhang Yan's background was obviously not simple!
However, Zhang Yan did not mention his background, so he naturally did not continue to ask.
At this moment, the way Ai Zhongwen looked at Zhang Yan was different from before. Although his attitude was also very polite when they first met, the reservation that came from both his body and mind could not be erased. However, at this moment, he clearly placed Zhang Yan in the same position as a disciple of a Xuanmen aristocratic family, perhaps even slightly higher.
Zhang Yan observed coldly and sighed in his heart. Although the cultivation world mostly looked at people based on their level of cultivation, it also paid attention to one's background. Nowadays, Xuanmen aristocratic families were all over the major cultivation sects, and such people had already firmly controlled the superior path of cultivation. For disciples who were not from aristocratic families, even if they were talented, it would still be difficult for them to stand out without excellent opportunities.
Thinking of this, he secretly promised himself that if he was successful in cultivation one day, he would definitely find a way to change this situation.
Because both of them wanted to make friends, they chatted happily after a few sentences. At this moment, Ai Zhongwen changed the topic and said, "Senior Brother, do you know about the Xuanwen Spell Conference?"
Zhang Yan's expression was indifferent. He put down the teacup in his hand and nodded. "How can I not know? Such a grand event only happens once every three years. I originally wanted to go and take a look, but I only focused on cultivation in the three years I came up the mountain and did not make friends with others, so I could not enter. "
There were 16 major sects in the Donghua Continent and countless small sects. Every three years, there would be a Xuanwen Spell Conference among the lower houses of each sect. At that time, famous and outstanding cultivators from the lower houses of each sect, regardless of whether they were new disciples or registered disciples, would come to exchange cultivation experiences.
This year, it was Cangwu Mountain's turn to host the conference.
The reason why the Dharma Assembly was named "Xuanwen" was because of the Eroded Characters.
Since the creation of the world, the mountains, rivers, and the surface of the earth had undergone the natural evolution of millions of years. After being exposed to the sun and the wind, a vast and profound diagram of latitude and longitude was formed on it. The secrets of the world contained within the diagram were calculated and organized by the ancient Taoists, and only then did they gradually form into the characters in the ancient books unique to the cultivators.
Legend had it that in ancient times, cultivators could enter the Grand Dao and ascend to the Heavens just by comprehending the Erosion Runes.
Although this was only a rumor, it was enough to prove that the Corrosive Runes were the foundation of the Great Dao. If one could comprehend the Corrosive Runes, then the Gate of Immortality would be in sight.
In ancient times, when cultivators cultivated the Dao, they would first learn the Erosion Runes before cultivating the Xuan techniques.
However, this method of cultivation was incomparably slow, and whether or not one could achieve anything depended entirely on one's talent in the Art of Erosion Runes.
Therefore, after the gradual rise of the aristocratic families in the Celestial Sect of Wonders, the disciples of the Celestial Sect of Wonders no longer followed this path. This was because when they first learned the Dao, they already had the guidance of their elders. Not only could they avoid taking the wrong path, but they also didn't have to carefully study the Erosion Runes. They only needed to follow the instructions of their elders step by step. Not only would they have a solid foundation, but they also wouldn't have to worry about making mistakes. When their cultivation gradually increased, they could go back and study the Erosion Runes.
This was also one of the reasons why Ai Zhongwen believed that Zhang Yan's background wasn't simple. Cultivators who didn't come from an aristocratic family would spend their limited time cultivating the Dao, so why would they spend more time studying the Erosion Runes?
It could be said that there was no one like Zhang Yan's predecessor who studied the Erosion Runes step by step.
But now, competing and deducing the Erosion Runes at the Xuanwen Assembly had become a method for the aristocratic families to measure the strength of their own family. It was no longer used for cultivation.
Ai Zhongwen secretly looked at Zhang Yan's expression. Although he said it was a pity, he didn't seem to take it to heart. For a moment, Ai Zhongwen couldn't guess what he was thinking. He probed, "To be honest, Junior Brother, I came here today with the intention of inviting Junior Brother to attend the assembly. With Junior Brother's attainment in Erosion Runes, how could you not show off your skills at the assembly?"
Zhang Yan glanced at Ai Zhongwen and said with a smile, "Since Senior Brother Ai invited me to go with you, how can I refuse?"
Ai Zhongwen let out a sigh of relief. He took out a bronze token and presented it with both hands. "This is a token of the assembly. You can enter the mountain with it." After hesitating for a moment, he took out a bottle of medicinal pills and placed it on the table. He cupped his hands together and said, "This is a bottle of 'Positive Source Pills' for smoothing the Qi and regulating the meridians. There are Heavenly Spirits inside. This is Senior Brother Bian's apology. I hope Senior Brother will accept it."
As soon as he finished speaking, he didn't wait for Zhang Yan to speak before he bowed once more and said, "Senior Brother Bian and I have some friendship. He was impetuous a few days ago and offended Senior Brother Zhang, so he asked me to apologize repeatedly. I hope Senior Brother can forgive him."
Zhang Yan understood Ai Zhongwen's intentions. How could he not know what Ai Zhongwen was planning? But since he had taken a Daoist book from Ai Zhongwen, he naturally had to return the favor. After a moment of silence, he deliberately sighed and said, "I have long since stopped caring about such a small matter. That day, I was just angry that Bian Qiao had used Senior Brother Hu to pressure me."
Ai Zhongwen smiled. "With Senior Brother's status, why should you lower yourself to the level of a servant?"
"Oh." Zhang Yan took out the page of scriptures and handed it to Ai Zhongwen.
Since his goal had been achieved, and it was getting late, and Zhang Yan wanted to send him off, Ai Zhongwen did not want to stay any longer. After a few more words, he bid farewell and left.
After sending Ai Zhongwen off, Zhang Yan returned to his cave residence. He took out the bronze plate and looked at it. Even with his composure, he could not help but feel happy.
Ai Zhongwen did not know that this Xuanwen Dharma Assembly was his real goal. It could be said that Zhang Yan had put in so much effort just for this assembly.
However, not everyone could participate in the assembly. Even if he wanted to go, he needed someone to recommend him.
He was just a nominal disciple without any connections or cultivation. The reason why he was so high-profile before was because he wanted to use his outstanding ability in deciphering the Eroded Runes as a stepping stone to gain the qualification to participate in this assembly.
Once he became famous in the assembly, the significance would be completely different from before.
To put it bluntly, with his current status, even if he was famous, he would only be famous among the nominal disciples. Perhaps there would occasionally be people like Ai Zhongwen who would appreciate him, but those inner disciples would not really look up to him. But if it was a Dharma Assembly, it would be a completely different story. It was a gathering of the elite disciples of the 16 major sects. To put it bluntly, perhaps in the future, the elders and heads of the major sects would appear among these people. The difference in influence would not be small.
Once he became famous at the Dharma Assembly, the Guru of the monastery would first consider him when accepting disciples.
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Zhang Yan was in a good mood. He took out the 'Lin Yao Questioning Method' that Ai Zhongwen had given him in disguise and started reading it.
Who knew that when he read it, he would be greatly surprised.
It turned out that this' Lin Yao Questioning Method 'was one of the' Ten Questions of the Heart's Heart '. The content of it was related to the last step of the Essence Building Realm,' Yuan Cheng Entering True '.
It was obvious that Ai Zhongwen saw that his cultivation had already crossed the threshold of 'Yuan Cheng Entering True', so he specially gave him this book to show his sincerity.
Zhang Yan could not help but smile, the Profound Sect Aristocratic Families really had a deep heritage. This kind of precious Dao Book was something that Zhang Yan did not even dare to think about before. It was only by chance that he was able to obtain this book, but they actually gave it away casually. Perhaps for them, this Dao Book was not worth mentioning, but for a disciple like him, it was a genuine treasure.
But not long after, this Daoist book made him frown.
The eroding words were not difficult for him, but there were many terms that referred to the Profound Sect Aristocratic Families. Although Zhang Yan knew a little bit about it, but he was not from an authentic Profound Sect Aristocratic Family, so it was somewhat difficult for him to understand it. For example, there was the phrase 'Fighting Ginseng, Rui'. 'Fighting Ginseng', he knew that it was a term that referred to the Qi in the main arteries. There were three types of Qi rising and falling, and 'Rui' presumably referred to one of them, but the problem was, how would he know which one it was?
This was not something that could be easily tested, and a careless mistake could easily occur. Therefore, this book was useless in his hands.
But now, he had no choice but to practice it.
He could not guarantee that Ai Zhongwen's intentions were as simple as they seemed. If there was a hidden purpose to test him, as long as he did not fully understand it, then there was no need to look at his cultivation. Just by answering his questions, he would be able to see through him.
And if he wanted to participate in the spell assembly, he would meet Ai Zhongwen again sooner or later.
Standing up, he paced back and forth a few times. His eyes flashed, and he sat down again, taking out the remnant of the jade from his sleeve.
The doppelganger in the jade was no different from him. Previously, he tried to practice it, but cultivating the doppelganger did not improve his own cultivation. Later, he focused on deciphering the Erosion Inscriptions, so he did not delve into it. Now that he came back to his senses, he could not help but catch a glimpse of an idea.
Sinking his mind into the remnant of the jade, his consciousness merged with the doppelganger, and he began to practice according to the mnemonics of the Lin Yao Questioning Method. At first, he passed the first two checkpoints smoothly, but when he reached the third checkpoint, when his breath entered one of the meridians, he suddenly felt a pain in his chest, and his body suddenly became numb. He could not move, and he immediately knew that his Qi Meridian had gone awry.
But he was not discouraged at all. Instead, he was very excited. This proved that his previous idea was feasible!
This was just a doppelganger, and it did not affect his original body at all. So what if he went awry? At worst, he would have to start all over again! Moreover, the world in the jade was ten times larger than the real world. He could easily understand the cultivation method in the jade, and then go back to his original body to practice.
Zhang Yan calmed his mind and retracted his breath that had gone awry. He was ready to try again.
However, after easily making this step, he made a new discovery.
Since he could retract his breath, did that mean that the state of this doppelganger was completely dependent on his own thoughts?
With this idea in mind, his curiosity was aroused, and he tried to directly control the doppelganger's cultivation.
Sure enough, with the change of his thoughts, the doppelganger suddenly lost its cultivation, and was no different from an ordinary person. The next moment, the doppelganger's cultivation rose again, and in the blink of an eye, it jumped over the Rudimentary Dao Foundation and went straight to the Essence Building Realm.
He tried to take another step forward, but he could no longer do so. This meant that the doppelganger could only evolve to the level of his current cultivation. But for him, this was not a small surprise. It meant that in the future, even without the guidance of a teacher, he could rely on himself to explore the way of cultivation!
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