Chapter 106: The Great Scholar Debates the Classics; Aunt Ran’s Night Raid
Negative emotions from Qi Haoran +23 +27 +31…
Not long after Zhao Qingchan returned to the Dragon-Tiger Institute, Shen Yanzhou also went back to the Daoist Courtyard. His senior sister, Luo Qiushui, was still frowning in deep contemplation, deducing and calculating, seemingly unaware of his return.
He walked over, sat down beside her, and picked up a freshly washed, aura-filled fruit to take a bite.
It was sweet, juicy, and refreshing.
The young Daoist nun sat cross-legged on a square bluestone slab beside the pond. Her clean, fair face was as delicate as fine porcelain, still carrying a trace of baby fat. The oversized Daoist robe fluttered slightly in the wind, giving off the impression of a disciple secretly wearing her master’s robe.
Shen Yanzhou did not disturb her.
A moment later, the little Daoist nun opened her clear, watery eyes. She first furrowed her brows in thought, then softly sighed before looking at Shen Yanzhou with her cool, serene voice:
“Junior brother, have you been at the Chilin Guards these past few days?”
“Mm. There have been quite a few cases in the capital lately. Many required me to take charge and oversee the situation, so I’ve rarely come by.” Shen Yanzhou nodded, rubbing his temples with a weary expression.
He certainly couldn’t say he’d been spending time in the brothels instead.
“But you have a heavy scent of rouge and peach blossoms on you,” the little Daoist nun said. Her watery gaze was calm yet penetrating, as if she could see straight through the heart.
“…”
“I’ve had to interact with victims’ families, many of whom are women. Perhaps the fragrance rubbed off from them,” Shen Yanzhou replied evenly.
He had clearly already cast the Dust-Cleansing Technique—so how could Luo Qiushui still smell it?
The little Daoist nun lightly averted her gaze, choosing not to expose him. Instead, she said gently, “Junior brother, though you are a banished immortal, blessed with talent far above ordinary men, you must not become complacent. Cultivation is like rowing upstream—if you do not advance, you fall back. To indulge in women will damage your vital essence.”
“Senior sister’s advice is sound. I will certainly be more cautious in the future.”
Shen Yanzhou nodded, then shifted the topic. “How has your deduction progressed these few days?”
“I’ve developed some ideas. But based on the might of the divine art you described, I fear it could only be used once one reaches the First Rank.”
“Such heaven-shaking divine arts naturally require immense power. Without First-Rank cultivation to sustain it, one could never manifest its full might.”
“At my current realm, I cannot yet cast it,” she admitted, her tone tinged with confusion.
Shen Yanzhou hadn’t expected Luo Qiushui to actually gain insights from his words.
“True divine arts are not easily grasped. The systems we have today in the Daoist sects are merely lesser techniques—far from being worthy of the name ‘divine art’…”
“Senior sister, don’t be disheartened. Since it is a divine art, it must naturally stand above the ordinary. If it could be created in just a few days, wouldn’t that make all the Daoist forebears blush with shame?”
He spoke naturally, nodding solemnly, gently coaxing her.
Luo Qiushui thought for a moment. Indeed, he had a point. She seemed to have trapped herself in a dead end, believing that to “reverse yin and yang” one must have limitless mana to sustain it.
But perhaps… she could drastically scale down its power so that it could be cast at a lower realm.
“Junior brother’s words are indeed reasonable.”
“Take a look—see if it has reached even one ten-thousandth of the effect you described.”
Luo Qiushui nodded. Her slender, jade-like finger pointed, and a streak of light shot into Shen Yanzhou’s brow.
“This is…”
“The simplified version you’ve developed over the past two days?”
Shen Yanzhou was momentarily startled. Then he felt torrents of information flooding his mind—intricate Daoist patterns, countless formulae interweaving, shining like a constellation of stars, before simplifying into a series of mantras and seals.
Though he didn’t fully understand them, he could grasp the essence of what they meant.
“The Minor Art of Reversing Yin and Yang.”
The corner of Shen Yanzhou’s mouth twitched unconsciously. He had only been speaking casually, and she had taken it seriously enough to actually deduce and develop it?
Who was the real banished immortal here?
Moreover, she had passed it to him so openly and freely that he could master it instantly without even studying.
It was as if she had open-sourced her research results—allowing anyone to improve upon them.
But in truth, no one besides her could perceive those complex Daoist patterns.
Even Shen Yanzhou, though he could learn it, could not see the construction of the runes.
It was like being able to play a game—but even if the developer handed you the source code, you could only stare blankly.
Luo Qiushui’s way of creating and deducing Daoist arts was completely unlike that of any sage before her.
Her method gave Shen Yanzhou the impression that if she wanted to create something—even a physical object—she could find a way to make it real.
“Not bad. Senior sister truly is brilliant. Though it’s far from the power I envisioned, one can already see the budding form of it.”
Shen Yanzhou calmly glanced at his internal panel:
【Techniques: The True Explanation of Primordial Unity (Incomplete, Second Realm 1/16)】
【Name: Shen Yanzhou】
【Secret Arts: Selfless Sword Heart (Fragmented, Minor Accomplishment 1/4), Grand Ascension of Five Emperors, Immovable as the Mountain Art, Dragon-Seizing Force…】
【Daoist Arts: Void Escape Art (Can Be Perfected), Concealment in the Void (Can Be Perfected), Five Elemental Method (Can Be Perfected), Minor Art of Reversing Yin and Yang (1/4, Can Be Perfected)…】
【Realm: Fifth Rank in the Martial Path; Fifth Rank in the Daoist Path】
【Available Basic Points: 0 (379.33/100)】
He could clearly sense a new Daoist art appearing in his mind—and it was one that could be further perfected.
With enough basic points, he could even evolve it into the True Art of Reversing Yin and Yang.
Just who exactly was his senior sister?
In other words, the Minor Art of Reversing Yin and Yang she had deduced truly was a simplified version that connected directly to the Grand Dao.
“Does junior brother see any flaws that need correction?”
Unaware of his thoughts, Luo Qiushui looked at him with bright, hopeful eyes, as though sincerely awaiting his guidance.
“…”
Shen Yanzhou sighed inwardly, heart aching slightly. Still, he spent 1 point of basic attributes to carry out the next deduction.
In that instant, countless images and insights of the divine art poured into his mind.
He saw an immortal standing within the boundless void. With a casual wave of the hand, heaven and earth changed color, sun and moon lost their light, order collapsed, everything turned chaotic—as though returning to the primordial age of creation.
“Perhaps senior sister can consider approaching it from this perspective.”
Shen Yanzhou nodded slightly, his expression calm. Meeting Luo Qiushui’s expectant gaze, he lifted his sleeve, and in that moment, the Primordial Qi within his body surged, transforming into a vast tide of spiritual energy racing through his meridians.
Whoo—whoo—whoo—
At once, a black gale swept through the courtyard. The trees trembled, bricks and tiles rattled as if they would be torn apart. The rolling black winds rose like dragons, soaring into the heavens.
Even though the courtyard was warded with formation patterns, they could not contain those ascending black dragons. The clear sky above suddenly darkened, heavy clouds pressing down like a collapsing city.
The entire district around Vermilion Bird Street dimmed at once.
Pedestrians and merchants on the street felt an oppressive, suffocating weight descend upon them. Thunder rumbled faintly within the massing clouds.
“It’s going to rain! Hurry home and bring in the laundry!” someone shouted.
Vendors began to pack up their stalls.
But the next moment, everyone on the street—whether cultivators or common folk—felt a wave of dizziness and unease. Their vision blurred; the world itself seemed to flip upside down. Some even felt themselves floating midair, their sense of up and down completely reversed.
Across the river, cries of alarm erupted.
People stared wide-eyed as one side of the river remained bright and clear, while the other was shrouded in dark clouds—day and night reversed, stars and moon swirling chaotically, a sight both magnificent and terrifying.
“What’s happening?”
“Are we under attack?”
Inside the Dragon-Tiger Institute, chaos erupted. Elders and disciples from all branches stared toward the Daoist Courtyard in shock.
There, waves of black clouds surged, transforming into dragons that broke free from the formation barriers and soared skyward.
In some areas, radiant light flared as the defensive formations tried to resist the twisting, reversing force—shaking violently under the strain.
On the ground, many could no longer stand steadily.
This distortion and reversal brought with it an imbalance of power—gravity flipped, the Five Elements twisted, limbs and body suddenly disordered, making it difficult even to control one’s own movements.
Even within the Martial Courtyard, several elders with formidable willpower barely managed to maintain their balance without collapsing to the ground.
At the same time, in the Bureau of Immortal Inspection within the capital, several white-bearded elders in feathered robes and star crowns were suddenly alarmed—Gu Chengyun of the Gu Family was among them.
“The heavens are in chaos, the Five Elements distorted, day and night reversed—who is casting such a spell?” The Deputy Sacrificers were all shocked.
Without anyone needing to issue orders, several Great Immortal Officers from the Bureau immediately set out, rushing toward the direction where the celestial changes had erupted.
Meanwhile, within the Daoist Courtyard, Shen Yanzhou was already finding it difficult to stop himself.
He had originally intended only to demonstrate the Minor Art of Reversing Yin and Yang before Luo Qiushui, to observe its power. He hadn’t expected that the very first attempt would cause such a tremendous disturbance.
“Worthy of my junior brother indeed.”
“With just a casual display, you’ve gone in a direction I hadn’t anticipated. The power is far greater than what I deduced myself—and you came up with this in just a few breaths.”
“Is this truly the difference between a mortal and a banished immortal?”
Luo Qiushui clearly hadn’t thought too deeply about it. Her clear, liquid gaze remained fixed upon Shen Yanzhou, as if wanting to memorize every one of his gestures in order to verify and refine her own deduction.
Hummm!
A ripple of energy surged through the courtyard, and in an instant, several figures appeared.
Besides the two Vice Deans of the Daoist Courtyard, Pu Chengjun and Fang Wendao, the Vice Deans from the Confucian Courtyard and Martial Courtyard had also arrived.
The Great Scholar Fang Jinhan stared at Shen Yanzhou in astonishment.
The Martial Courtyard’s Vice Dean, Lin Qi, looked equally grim—he hadn’t expected that the commotion would once again be caused by Shen Yanzhou.
“What’s going on here?”
Pu Chengjun and Fang Wendao both demanded.
They were deeply shaken—having sensed the change in celestial phenomena, they had rushed over, thinking an enemy was attacking. Who would have thought it all stemmed from Shen Yanzhou’s own courtyard?
“Junior brother is creating a new art, demonstrating it for me. Do not disturb him.”
Luo Qiushui cast a cool glance at the Vice Deans as she spoke.
“L-Little Grandmaster Uncle is… creating a new art?”
The two were stunned. Such a heaven-altering divine art—was it truly created by Shen Yanzhou himself?
Previously, when he had asked them for the cultivation methods of the Void Escape Art and Concealment in the Void, they had reluctantly handed them over out of respect for his status and seniority—never expecting he would actually master them.
After all, they themselves had spent years studying those high-grade arts without success.
Yet the very next day, Shen Yanzhou had already performed them outside the city gates.
To master a high-grade art in one day—
The two were utterly crushed. They had once considered themselves prodigies; otherwise, they would never have risen to the position of Vice Deans of the Daoist Courtyard. But compared to Shen Yanzhou, their brilliance was but fireflies before the moon.
And now, witnessing him create a divine art—one that could alter the heavens and reverse day and night—surely this was at least of the First Rank!
“Little Grandmaster Uncle is truly a banished immortal…”
Pu Chengjun and Fang Wendao were completely convinced, speechless with awe.
The Great Scholar Fang Jinhan was likewise dumbfounded. Though not of the Daoist Path, he could still sense the magnitude of the art. In the Confucian tradition, to alter the heavens required at least the level of a Sub-saint.
Even he, a Great Scholar of the Third Rank, Realm of the Saintly Word, could not hope to achieve such a feat.
Lin Qi fell silent as well. An indescribable feeling rose in his heart before he quietly turned and departed, saying nothing further.
“Do not panic.”
“It is merely our Little Grandmaster Uncle, Shen Yanzhou, deducing and creating a divine art.”
“Inform the elders to calm the students. As for the envoys from the Bureau of Immortal Inspection, simply tell them the truth.”
Pu Chengjun and Fang Wendao turned to the other approaching elders, stepping outside the courtyard to intercept them.
Such an uproar was bound to draw the Bureau’s attention—but who would have thought this was merely Shen Yanzhou creating an art?
“Senior sister, did you see it clearly just now?”
Ignoring the commotion outside, Shen Yanzhou turned to Luo Qiushui, retracting his power as he asked. His wide sleeves fluttered elegantly, his manner calm and detached—indeed, he now seemed the very image of a transcendent immortal.
Having already put on the act, he could only maintain the bearing of a so-called “banished immortal.”
“I saw it clearly.”
“Thank you for your guidance, junior brother.” Luo Qiushui nodded, her eyes still sparkling with admiration.
“As long as senior sister saw it clearly. If not, I can demonstrate it again…” Shen Yanzhou said.
“No need. Seeing it once is enough.”
“…”
Outside the courtyard, Pu Chengjun and Fang Wendao exchanged glances, their hearts complicated.
The circle of geniuses—clearly, they were not part of it.
Negative emotions from Pu Chengjun +6 +6 +6…
Negative emotions from Fang Wendao +8 +8 +8…
Though Shen Yanzhou hadn’t done it deliberately, he had still harvested quite a bit of negative emotion from the incident.
Even within the Dragon-Tiger Institute, many elders could not help but feel envious and secretly bitter.
The Great Qian Dynasty was vast, teeming with talent. Only the most extraordinary geniuses from each province—one in hundreds of thousands—could even enter the Dragon-Tiger Institute and meet these elders.
To them, such geniuses were the bare minimum.
But before people like Shen Yanzhou and Luo Qiushui, all those so-called prodigies were nothing more than cabbages on the roadside.
As Shen Yanzhou withdrew his art, the darkened sky gradually brightened again. The black clouds and dragons dispersed, restoring the daylight as if nothing had happened.
On the streets below, the vendors who had rushed to gather their laundry were dumbfounded to find the sky sunny again, muttering curses under their breath.
Heaven itself: “…”
Only those who had just experienced the world’s inversion and sensory confusion felt a lingering dread as they gazed toward the Dragon-Tiger Institute, realizing that a Daoist master must have cast some great divine art.
Several Great Immortal Officers from the Bureau of Immortal Inspection arrived at the Daoist Courtyard, but were stopped by the elders before meeting Shen Yanzhou.
As fellow Daoists, they immediately understood what the celestial phenomenon had signified.
“Grandmaster Uncle Shen is truly gifted beyond comprehension…” the Great Immortal Officers sighed, then departed to report back.
Word of the incident spread quickly. Though not Shen Yanzhou’s intent, his status in the Dragon-Tiger Institute soared higher than ever—surpassing even many elders.
In certain aspects, he had become the true representative of a genius.
Students from every division could not forget the sight of the heavens darkening, the world turning upside down, their minds spinning, the Five Elements in chaos—unable even to stand upright.
And all because Shen Yanzhou had merely created an art.
If he were to fully unleash it—how terrifying would that be?
His former arrogance in the Martial Courtyard, his disregard for rules, even striking elders—were now seen as youthful boldness and unrestrained elegance.
Even his infamous days as a wastrel in the capital had become reinterpreted as “a gentleman concealing his brilliance.”
Thus the saying proved true—
Once he entered the gates, great scholars would arise to defend his every word.
…
Night fell.
On Linchuan Street, near the headquarters of the Chilin Guards, within Ningshi Alley.
Having moved into a new residence that very day, Shen Yanzhou had returned from the Daoist Courtyard by afternoon.
He had no desire to return to the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion, unless he needed to see the Princess Consort.
For now, only the matter concerning Princess of Beiyu, Ji Ningyun, might require him to sound out Princess Consort Yu Chenyu’s intentions.
That great manipulator—hidden behind the scenes through much of the story—was likely about to make her move.
After blowing out the lamp, Shen Yanzhou lay down with his clothes still on. His eyes had barely closed when his heightened spiritual senses detected a figure vaulting over the outer wall.
He was slightly surprised. Now that he was famous throughout the capital—and after showing off at the Daoist Courtyard that afternoon—he was practically known to all under heaven.
Who would be foolish enough to attempt an assassination at such an hour?
Sensing carefully, Shen Yanzhou closed his eyes again, his breathing steady, pretending to sleep soundly.
Before long, he heard the door gently creak open. A faint night breeze drifted in, and even the moonlight seeping through the window lattice was suddenly blocked.
The room fell into complete darkness.
Then came the rustling of something falling to the floor—followed by his warm quilt being lifted, letting a chill wind slip in.
“Hiss…”
“Aunt Ran, are you a dog or something?”
Unable to stand it any longer, Shen Yanzhou opened his eyes, staring at the bulging silk quilt before him.
“Mmm… then I’ll be gentler…”
“Who told you to pretend to sleep and ignore me?”
“A little punishment.”
The alluring, sultry voice of Ran Yi murmured through the quilt.