Xie Lingyun was searching for herbs inside the house when suddenly a familiar voice came from the courtyard: "Elder Zhang, are you deceiving me? The medicine you gave me to treat schizophrenia has no effect at all."
"Schizophrenia?" Xie Lingyun was taken aback: "Who has schizophrenia?"
At this time, Elder Zhang was attending to the noblewoman, and upon hearing Chengyu’s blunt words, he couldn’t help but be shocked, fearing she might offend the noblewoman.
He was well aware of the temperament of these nobles.
"Go and send her away, don’t let it be known that I’m here." Xie Lingyun waved his hand dismissively, and Elder Zhang gratefully exited the house.
"It’s impossible, right? The medicine I prescribed should calm the nerves and aid sleep, helping to restore mental health. How could it have no effect?" Elder Zhang asked Xiaodouding.
"Don’t mention it. After taking your medicine for a month, I thought he was getting better. But who knew he was meditating and cultivating today, starting to practice Qi Refining and Cultivating Immortality again." Xiaodouding said in exasperation.
If Zhang Chen heard Chengyu’s words at this moment, he would surely give her a good beating. He had been in a daze for the past month, listless when with Chengyu during the day, and sleeping during idle moments. He thought he was exhausted from excavating the Spiritual World for Divine Objects but never suspected Xiaodouding.
He wasn’t neglecting his cultivation these days; he just rescheduled his cultivation to late at night. Only after the effects of the medicine wore off at night did he regain clarity and begin his meditation and cultivation. By that time, Xiaodouding was already asleep, how could she know?
Today’s cultivation after dismissing Xie Lingyun was purely on a whim, feeling that too much time had been wasted in the morning.
"It shouldn’t be, could it be that the dosage isn’t enough? Here, let me increase the dosage for you." said Elder Zhang.
Inside the house
Upon hearing Xiaodouding’s words, Xie Lingyun suddenly recalled the scene of Zhang Chen taking the medicine, and his mouth twitched involuntarily. In an instant, the truth unraveled slowly before his eyes.
"So... all that ’nourishing the body’ talk was just an excuse? Zhang Chen looks like such a normal person, is he really mentally ill?" Xie Lingyun thought it amusing: "Qi Refining and Cultivating Immortality? Really got some imagination."
Xie Lingyun shook his head and continued searching for herbs, pondering over herbal formulas.
As for Zhang Chen, he had already entered the Spiritual World, arriving once more before that mysterious ruin. After summoning the Fox Spirit, he began digging up the soil in the ruins.
Strangely enough, items from the outside world would turn into runes when picked up. Yet the soil near the fountain, once dug up and thrown aside, remained unchanged, staying as soil.
"This Spiritual World is truly peculiar." The Fox Spirit tossed dirt onto Zhang Chen’s face, revealing a puzzled look at the grains of sand.
She did it on purpose, as payback for Zhang Chen making her dig.
"This world has always been strange." Zhang Chen replied, following the Fox Spirit and continuing to excavate.
The two of them dug another two meters after which their magical power ran out, and their consciousness returned to their physical bodies.
"At this pace, if I work overtime, excavating twice a day instead of once, I’ll break through to the underground world in seven or eight days. I’m really curious to see what’s unique about that fountain." Zhang Chen’s curiosity was getting the better of him. He believed there were great secrets hidden within the Spiritual World, especially concerning that spring, which surely would bring unexpected surprises.
Afternoon
Xiaodouding started boiling herbs in the courtyard again, but this time the herbal smell was even more potent, somewhat pungent.
"I say, is this herbal medicine really effective?" Zhang Chen sniffed the herbal scent and couldn’t help but step outside the courtyard to ask.
"Please remove the ’really,’ my senior sister’s potions cured illnesses on the spot." Xiaodouding said with pride, reassuring Zhang Chen: "Don’t worry, these herbs will definitely work. I know you’re anxious, but don’t be, just yet."
Zhang Chen felt puzzled: Anxious for what? I’m into Cultivating Immortality, totally uninterested in Martial Dao, okay?
Seeing Xiaodouding confidently boiling the herbs, Zhang Chen didn’t stop her but went back into the house to study, pondering over the manuscripts left by his master.
He hadn’t descended the mountain for some time since the Daoist Temple’s strict prohibitions began.
Looking at the manuscript in his hands, Zhang Chen had to admit that although Chen Sanliang was arrogant, he had some insights. But merely a ’bit.’ His theories were similar to those of the 21st-century Saint Wang Yangming’s Heart Learning, though only rudimentary, far from touching the core concept of ’Unity of Knowledge and Action.’
"No wonder this fellow dared to directly argue that the great path created by the Confucian Dao’s founder, Master, is a useless learning. Turns out this fellow already conceived the idea of Unity of Knowledge and Action; having such a thought is somewhat understandable." Zhang Chen muttered.
The Confucianism, in essence, is a useless discipline, aside from teaching benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust. However, these virtues inherently go against human nature; humans are animals, and no animal follows benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust.
Confucianism lacks the practicality of the Legalist School, the craftsmanship of the Mo Family, and the ingenuity of the military strategists. Isn’t it a study for fools?
Beyond creating a good living environment, it serves no other purpose. Anyone adhering to Confucian principles in life will surely meet an untimely demise.