"I’m not thinking about cultivation; rather, I’ve already successfully cultivated immortality." Zhang Chen solemnly corrected Xiaodouding’s words.
Xiaodouding fell silent upon hearing this, lowered her head to look at the decoction in her hand, and then handed it to Zhang Chen: "Junior Brother, quickly drink the medicine. You haven’t had the Washing Marrow and Cutting Hair elixir for several days. Delaying your Martial Dao cultivation could be dire."
She thought Zhang Chen’s condition was more serious than her own, so it was better to have him drink it first, and then she would decoct some more for herself later.
Zhang Chen looked at the decoction Chengyu handed over and was speechless. He now knew that Chengyu’s decoction was a treatment for mental illness, and there was no way he would continue drinking it.
"I think this decoction makes one feel groggy and lifeless all day. How about I drink it after I’m done with my tasks?" Zhang Chen looked at Chengyu, carefully choosing his words to explain his actions.
Upon hearing Zhang Chen’s words, Xiaodouding, unaware of Zhang Chen’s real thoughts, thought he genuinely meant to drink the medicine later, so she put the decoction down and advised, "You must drink this decoction; you can’t forget."
Then Xiaodouding turned and left, worryfully going to decoct more medicine.
Seeing Xiaodouding leave, Zhang Chen immediately extracted all the moisture from the decoction, leaving only the dry medicinal residue at the bowl’s bottom. He quickly stuffed the residue into his sleeve and continued studying the runes nonchalantly.
Drinking the medicine was out of the question; he wouldn’t drink it even if it killed him.
At least Zhang Chen had already mastered two runes, gaining insights into Talisman Drawing. Moreover, his runic understanding had reached a mysterious level, achieving a delicate mastery over the runes.
Learning runes was like practicing calligraphy. Zhang Chen had completely mastered two characters, reaching a master-level of accomplishment. Even when writing new characters, it wouldn’t look too bad. Whether or not he recognized the characters, it didn’t hinder his writing. Even in the process of writing, he could discover sequence issues and gradually experiment to correct them.
This gave Zhang Chen a foundation, making it easier to learn.
Of course, Zhang Chen wasn’t just focused on practicing the first rune; in his spare time, he would also flip through the runes in the back, sketching a few strokes of the subsequent runes and attempting to mimic them.
"This is when the importance of lineage becomes apparent. With the guidance of a famous teacher, entry-level skills could be mastered in a few days." Zhang Chen muttered to himself.
Studying the Upper Pure Handwriting, entering the Spiritual World to excavate ruins and seek treasures, and Qi Cultivation became Zhang Chen’s daily tasks.
Now, both Zhang Chen and Xiaodouding had been relieved of their chores and had become free people in the Daoist Temple. As for why they were relieved? Naturally, it was Xie Lingyun who spoke up, and how could the temple not give face to Xie Lingyun?
In the afternoon, Observatory Master Liu Feng came.
"Master." Xiaodouding happily rushed over to Liu Feng, who caught her in an embrace.
Liu Feng held Xiaodouding, patting her head, clearly fond of her. After showing affection to Xiaodouding, his eyes turned to Zhang Chen, who hurriedly performed a respectful bow: "Greetings, Observatory Master."
"It’s been a while; you’ve made something of yourself now. I heard you’ve gotten the favor of a noble lady with bright prospects for the future." Liu Feng looked at Zhang Chen with a smile.
"It’s just the noble lady’s kindness." Zhang Chen responded politely.
Liu Feng put Xiaodouding down and instructed, "Go to the kitchen and fetch a jar of wine for your Master."
"I’ll go," Zhang Chen quickly interjected.
Liu Feng waved his hand, "Let her go. I have something to discuss with you."
Xiaodouding trotted off, but Zhang Chen felt a chill in his heart: ’Liu Feng dismissing Xiaodouding to speak with me alone certainly means the conversation isn’t suitable for others to hear.’
"Come, let’s talk inside." Liu Feng took the lead and sat inside the room.
Zhang Chen stood aside, not daring to sit. Liu Feng pointed to the seat opposite: "Sit down; we don’t have that many rules."
Zhang Chen then sat down with a respectful demeanor and proactively asked, "Does the Observatory Master have something to instruct?"
Liu Feng pondered for a moment before saying, "How is your Martial Dao training going?"
"No progress." Zhang Chen shook his head, "Please forgive my dullness, Master."
"Martial Dao relies on gradual honing over time to achieve results; it’s not easy to attain." Liu Feng offered comfort, then suddenly shifted the topic:
"I heard that the noble lady values you? Was she with you all morning today?"
"She was merely teaching me some knowledge; not really valuing me." Zhang Chen humbly responded, meeting Liu Feng’s gaze while pondering, "Why does the Observatory Master keep beating around the bush? Could it be there’s something difficult he wants me to handle? And it’s related to the noble lady?"
Just as Zhang Chen was considering this, Liu Feng spoke again, confirming his suspicion: "The Ancestral Master issued an edict. You must, if possible, ask the noble lady to take you down the mountain and arrange for a position in the Inspection and Supervision Department."
Zhang Chen was stunned, a thought sprang to his mind: "What is Yellow Heaven Dao planning? Do they want me to be a spy in the Inspection and Supervision Department?"
Historically, spies have never had good outcomes, especially in a place like the Inspection and Supervision Department, where experts are as numerous as the carp crossing the river. A single misstep could lead to a disastrous end, with even the soul being scattered and the ashes thrown to the wind.
"What virtue or ability do I have to be promoted to the Inspection and Supervision Department?" Zhang Chen feigned trepidation.
"Success depends on effort. As long as you perform well in front of the noble lady, with her power and status, promoting you is just a matter of saying the word." Liu Feng’s eyes bore into Zhang Chen, scrutinizing his expression and carefully watching his reaction.
Zhang Chen promptly agreed: "Rest assured, Observatory Master. If the noble lady promotes me, I will surely make the request to her."
Liu Feng nodded with satisfaction: "Zhang Chen, you’re a clever person. I have high hopes for you. If you can accomplish this, not only will you gain wealth and honor, but you will also secure a place in the upper echelons of Yellow Heaven Dao in the future."
Liu Feng chatted a bit more about mundane matters and gave Zhang Chen some pointers in Martial Dao before leaving.
As Zhang Chen watched Liu Feng’s departing figure, he stood in the courtyard, deep in thought, his eyes revealing a hint of seriousness: "Yellow Heaven Dao’s ambition is too great, daring to extend their reach to the Inspection and Supervision Department. This will undoubtedly lead to calamity. Once I’ve found the subsequent Cultivation Techniques of the Qi Cultivation Technique, I must quickly extricate myself."
Xiaodouding returned, seeing Liu Feng had already left, and trotted over with the wine jar, delivering it to Liu Feng.
Zhang Chen continued his runic cultivation, delving into the drawing techniques, as the night passed quickly. The next morning, Xie Lingyun entered the small residence with a food box, calling Zhang Chen and Xiaodouding to join her for breakfast.
After breakfast, Xiaodouding decocted and drank her medicine, then fell asleep, leaving Zhang Chen and Xie Lingyun to discuss the Qi Cultivation Technique.
However, Xie Lingyun still gained no insights.
After their discussion, Zhang Chen looked at Xie Lingyun and said, "The Observatory Master sought me out yesterday."
"Oh?" Xie Lingyun raised an eyebrow, knowing that Zhang Chen mentioning this was not without reason.
"He asked me to request you to promote me to join the Inspection and Supervision Department." Zhang Chen said, looking at Xie Lingyun.
Xie Lingyun regarded Zhang Chen thoughtfully and asked, "So do you want to leave the mountain and join the Inspection and Supervision Department? If you wish to go, it’s just a matter of my saying the word."
"The busyness down the mountain cannot compare to the tranquility up here." Zhang Chen smiled.
"I, however, hope you can come down the mountain and lend me a helping hand. You have real skills and shouldn’t waste your talents in the mountain." Xie Lingyun’s voice was full of regret.