Chapter Twenty-Nine: Passing on the Art

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Lord Sheng had only ever wanted him to stay hidden away in the Pure Yang Monastery to develop quietly, but Wang Li longed for the thrilling world outside. Reflecting on all the times Lord Sheng had intervened, Wang Li realized something alarming.

—He seemed to have fallen into Lord Sheng’s trap!

First, Lord Sheng had used his supposed predicament as an excuse, prompting Wang Li to go along with the mistake and fully assume the identity of a “reborn soul usurper.” Then, Lord Sheng had urged him to strike a deal with the headmaster, making the headmaster see his value and plot to use him in a grand scheme against his fellow cultivators. Finally, Lord Sheng had convinced him to bring his family into the Pure Yang Secret Realm.

Would the headmaster, now aware of his value, ever allow him down the mountain again? And if those sects who had been deceived learned the truth, wouldn’t he be the enemy of the entire world?

Upon careful analysis, every step Lord Sheng had taken was meant to sever his ties to the outside world!

Revealing the truth behind the phonograph incident was absolutely something Lord Sheng would do! His sole purpose was to make Wang Li stay in the Pure Yang Monastery and focus on cultivation!

Thinking of this, Wang Li felt a chill of terror.

He was frightened by Lord Sheng’s deep scheming, but even more so by his own youthful naivety.

“This foolish boy actually caught on so quickly, but alas, it’s a little too late. The die is cast, and over at Liuguang, the rice is probably already cooked—there’s no turning back now.”

Lord Sheng was delighted, truly delighted. This brat finally had no chance to go out and play!

How wonderful to keep a low profile and survive!

Wang Li was furious, his very soul trembling. “Lord Sheng, I’ve made up my mind. The moment I reach the Nascent Soul stage, the first thing I’ll do is erase your consciousness!”

“Oh ho, the boy’s learned to make threats now—very good, very good, Lord Sheng is pleased!” Lord Sheng said, “But allow me to remind you: the Primordial Saint is an existence beyond your wildest imagination. Do you really think mere Nascent Soul cultivation is enough to dispel a Saint’s consciousness? You’re dreaming!”

“If the Nascent Soul stage isn’t enough, then I’ll reach the Earth Immortal stage. If that’s not enough, then the True Immortal stage. And if I still can’t wipe you out, I’ll travel to other worlds!”

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Wang Li felt like a bird deprived of freedom, growing increasingly hysterical.

“Don’t think being a Saint is so impressive. The one who shattered you into a remnant soul is still out there. At worst, I’ll find him! I refuse to believe that a mere fragment of consciousness like you is truly invincible!”

“Heh heh, boy, you’re overthinking it. Not to mention that fellow—even those a tier below me, or my peers, you’d never meet them without my guidance.” Lord Sheng’s confidence was unshakable. “I’m not like a piece of sticky candy; if you want to shake me off, you’ll have to reach the level of Primordial Golden Immortal. Otherwise, it’s simply impossible to erase me with your own power.”

“And even if I guide you, could you really grow to the level where that fellow would acknowledge you? Even I don’t have that kind of confidence! Remember what I said about his grand scheme? What makes you, a mere chess piece trying to jump off the board, think he’d help you instead of simply using you up?”

“Though I don’t approve of your dangerous ambitions, I’ll give you time and even personally help train you. I’m actually very curious to see how you plan to erase Lord Sheng. I’m truly looking forward to it!”

Listening to Lord Sheng’s mockery, Wang Li felt a deep sense of helplessness rise in his heart.

“Am I really going to be trapped in this Scripture Pavilion forever?” he asked, full of unwillingness.

Lord Sheng laughed. “How could that be! The way of survival doesn’t mean staying rooted to one spot. Sometimes you need to go out and see the world. As long as you avoid entangling yourself in karmic cause and effect, there’s no problem.”

“You mean I can go down the mountain?” Wang Li’s heart flickered with a tiny flame of hope.

But Lord Sheng immediately snuffed it out.

“Going out for a look is fine, but remember this: don’t be reckless, don’t meddle in other people’s affairs. Karma is a mysterious thing and will find its way to you. When trouble comes, just avoid it.”

“Then what’s the point of going out at all?”

“There’s a point, of course there’s a point. See the world’s splendor, experience birth and death, savor the brevity of life, witness the surging tides of the mortal realm—there’s plenty you can do.”

“What’s the difference between that and being a salted fish? I want to vanquish evil, uphold the Dao, right the world’s wrongs, and become a respected immortal!”

“Heh, what’s wrong with being a salted fish? I want you to be the best salted fish there is! Stop dreaming about things that don’t matter. Compared to the endless road of life, those are but fleeting clouds—what could be more meaningful than simply staying alive?”

“No, that’s not the future I want!”

“No, that is the future you want!”

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After debating with Lord Sheng for two full hours, Wang Li was finally defeated. He had no choice but to agree to lie low in the Pure Yang Monastery as Lord Sheng wished, and even when venturing outside, to avoid karmic entanglements.

Lord Sheng sang a cheerful ditty in celebration of his victory, while Wang Li shifted his focus, passing on the “Thunderous Justice Manual” to Granny Zheng as instructed by Lord Sheng.

Wang Li did not understand why Lord Sheng wanted him to impart a cultivation method to someone whose cultivation was higher than his own, but he knew that since Granny Zheng had sought him out and Lord Sheng had arranged it, there must be a reason. So he did as told.

Granny Zheng was very kind to Wang Li. In fact, in the past two years, Master Chu Xuan had rarely visited the Scripture Pavilion; it was mostly Granny Zheng who looked after him, so their bond was close.

But now Wang Li had to play the role of a master, and when facing Granny Zheng, he found himself unsure how to behave.

“Granny Zheng, just treat me as you always have. I’m not used to all this formality,” Wang Li couldn’t help but say, trying to return to their old way of interacting.

Granny Zheng shook her head. “I wish we could go back, too, but rules are rules. Since you are passing on your cultivation method to me, I must not neglect the proper etiquette. May I know your original name, so I can address you respectfully? Of course, if you think it’s inappropriate, I’ll use your title instead.”

She hadn’t believed Wang Li had been possessed at first, but recent events—and the testimony of Xu Jing—had left her no choice. She simply couldn’t treat this mysterious elder as she had Wang Li.

Wang Li had no choice. He was Wang Li—he had no other name—so he simply let her address him as she wished.

“The method I’m passing on to you now is called the ‘Thunderous Justice Manual.’ It’s based on the ‘Thunderous Body Method’ in the Scripture Pavilion, but incorporates three other fragments: ‘Thunder Palm,’ ‘Body-Tempering Thunder Technique,’ and ‘Supreme Thunder Canon.’ Its grade is not high, only upper yellow-rank, but it should benefit you. Practice it diligently. In the future, I’ll upgrade it to a higher grade and pass it to you as a formal transmission.”

“Then I thank Steward Wang deeply.”

The process of transmission was not complicated.

Wang Li recited the key points of the technique to Granny Zheng. Once she memorized them and began practicing, Wang Li used his spiritual power to guide her through the circulation routes.

Granny Zheng was already at the Golden Core stage, her meridians and body thoroughly refined, so practicing a new technique was much smoother for her.

Perhaps because she was naturally attuned to thunder-attribute spiritual energy, after only five complete cycles, pure thunder-attribute power appeared in her core.

When her Golden Core absorbed this thunder energy, it trembled violently, then began spinning rapidly, voraciously devouring the thunder-attribute power within her dantian.