Rear Mountain

"Not bad, not bad. You know that if talent falls short, hard work can make up for it. Teachable indeed!" Jiang Ming's voice rang continuously through the bamboo grove. The sudden voice startled Zhang Xiao Fan and Tian Ling'er so badly that Zhang Xiao Fan thought a ghost was causing trouble.

"Who's there?"

"Senior Sister, could there be ghosts in this bamboo grove?"

"Ghost my ass. What little ghost would dare appear in Qingyun? That was a human voice." Tian Ling'er smacked Zhang Xiao Fan hard on the head. She did not believe his talk of ghosts; someone was clearly hiding in the bamboo grove.

Hearing this, Zhang Xiao Fan covered the spot Tian Ling'er had hit and hurriedly said, "Then who is it? Could the senior brothers be trying to scare us?"

"Impossible. Eldest Senior Brother and the others have been watched closely by my mother lately. How would they have time to tease us? Besides, they don't have that kind of skill." Seeing Zhang Xiao Fan suspect Song Daren and the others, Tian Ling'er thought it over and immediately ruled out the possibility.

"Who's there? Come out at once..."

"I'm right in front of you, little Ling Er..."

Tian Ling'er: "Seventh Senior Brother?..."

Jiang Ming then descended from the top of the bamboo and appeared before Zhang Xiao Fan and Tian Ling'er. Smiling at Tian Ling'er, he said, "What is it, little Ling Er? Do you still remember this senior brother?"

Seeing the unfamiliar young man appear before him in an instant, Zhang Xiao Fan was stunned. Hearing Jiang Ming speak like that, he hurriedly turned to look at Tian Ling'er.

Tian Ling'er was just as startled as Zhang Xiao Fan when Jiang Ming suddenly appeared before her. Looking at that familiar face, she confirmed without doubt that he was her Seventh Senior Brother. She knew his cultivation was profound and that he cultivated at an astonishing pace, but she had never expected that after being down the mountain for such a short time, he would return having reached such a level. Snapping back to herself, Tian Ling'er asked excitedly, "Seventh Senior Brother, you're back? When did you return?"

"Yesterday evening. It was already late, so I didn't go see any of you. Yesterday, Master told me that he had accepted another disciple after I went down the mountain, so I came to the rear mountain early this morning to take a look." Jiang Ming looked at Tian Ling'er, then shifted his gaze to Zhang Xiao Fan. Seeing Zhang Xiao Fan's stunned expression, he immediately said,

"You must be Master's new disciple, Zhang Xiao Fan. I'm your Seventh Senior Brother—Jiang Ming."

"I watched your morning lesson just now. You worked very hard. Your aptitude may not be outstanding, but with such diligence and temperament, you can make up for shortcomings through hard work and surpass those ahead of you."

Having recovered his senses, Zhang Xiao Fan saw that the newcomer had introduced himself as the Seventh Senior Brother he had never met, and immediately let down his guard. But when Jiang Ming said he could surpass those ahead of him, waves surged through his heart. He said excitedly, "Se... Seventh Senior Brother, hello. I'm Zhang Xiao Fan..."

"Hmph... Seventh Senior Brother, perhaps you don't know this, but Xiao Fan still hasn't even mastered the first level of Taiji Xuanqing Dao since entering the sect. At this rate, he's nearly angered my father to death, and you're talking about surpassing others..." Tian Ling'er thought Jiang Ming did not know Zhang Xiao Fan's situation and immediately refuted him.

Jiang Ming did not blame her for saying so. After all, Zhang Xiao Fan truly would set a Qingyun Sect record—the record for taking the longest to master the first level. Yet Jiang Ming had seen far too many people of extraordinary talent, and those who ultimately achieved Great Accomplishment were not necessarily such people. This was even more true for cultivators. To those who pursued the Dao, a heart steadfast in the Dao was far too important. There were countless people with ordinary talent who later surpassed others. Thinking this, he shook his head at Tian Ling'er and said,

"Xiao Fan, Ling Er, you must understand that cultivators walk against the heavens. Those who achieve Great Accomplishment are without exception people of unyielding will. Moreover, one should not fight over temporary gains and losses in a lifetime. Until the very end, no one knows what may happen. Do you understand?"

"Xiao Fan, I think highly of you. Your future achievements will surely surpass Master's, perhaps even Sect Leader Uncle's. You must persevere and do what you believe is right." Jiang Ming thought of the repeated ordeals Zhang Xiao Fan suffered in the original story. Anyone without a firm mind would have long since fallen into demonic cultivation. With that in mind, Jiang Ming looked at Zhang Xiao Fan and offered him a warning, preparing him in advance. Only after meeting Zhang Xiao Fan did he feel that Zhang Xiao Fan's future cultivation was not due merely to those experiences or various fortunate encounters, but also determined by his own character and virtue. Jiang Ming had always believed: talent determined one's lower limit, while character and perseverance determined one's upper limit.

Hearing this, Zhang Xiao Fan saw how highly Jiang Ming regarded him and how firmly he believed Zhang Xiao Fan would surpass Master. His heart burned. Since becoming a disciple, only this Seventh Senior Brother, whom he had just met, had spoken to him this way and believed in him so much. Overwhelmed with excitement, Zhang Xiao Fan finally could not help saying, "Th... thank you, Seventh Senior Brother... I'll work hard."

"Pfft... Seventh Senior Brother, are you joking? Xiao Fan surpassing my father, even Sect Leader Uncle? My father would laugh if he heard that." Tian Ling'er had held it in until now, but finally burst out laughing. She completely failed to notice the flash of disappointment in Zhang Xiao Fan's eyes when he heard those words.

Tian Ling'er found Jiang Ming's words utterly ridiculous. Such obvious nonsense, yet Xiao Fan believed it. He was foolishly adorable!

More than two years passed just like that. During that time, Zhang Xiao Fan finally completed his Buddhist and Daoist foundation establishment, officially mastering the first level of Taiji Xuanqing Dao and stepping into the second level. Tian Ling'er had long since finished her bamboo-cutting training, and Zhang Xiao Fan was the only one who came to the rear mountain early every morning to cut bamboo, never stopping through heat or cold.

Ever since Jiang Ming spoke those words to Zhang Xiao Fan more than two years ago, Zhang Xiao Fan had become even more serious and hardworking. He knew that one senior brother had always believed he could surpass those ahead of him and exceed Master. Even though he had spent three years on the first level and been mocked for three years, only Seventh Senior Brother encouraged him before dinner every day, telling him to work hard and believe in himself.

Zhang Xiao Fan knew he could not disappoint Seventh Senior Brother, nor could he let Seventh Senior Brother be mocked by everyone. He had to let his senior brothers and sisters know that Zhang Xiao Fan could do it.

Jiang Ming had always watched Zhang Xiao Fan's hard work. He had not stepped in to help him, though he knew that if he gave Zhang Xiao Fan the first volume of the Heavenly Book, Zhang Xiao Fan could definitely shorten the time needed for foundation establishment.

But Jiang Ming believed this was a necessary path for Zhang Xiao Fan's growth. Three years of tempering would eventually lead to soaring into the sky. Just like Xiao Yan in Battle Through the Heavens, three years of ridicule had forged an unyielding will, leading to the Flame Emperor of later days.

Over the past two-plus years, Jiang Ming's apparent cultivation had risen from the fifth level to the eighth, and he had also gained some ideas regarding the fusion of cultivation arts. Jiang Ming's rapid progress once again stunned Tian Buyi, Su Ru, and the others. Zhang Xiao Fan in particular was shocked by his Seventh Senior Brother's speed, and it gave Tian Ling'er another excuse to tease him. Whenever she had nothing to do, she would say to Zhang Xiao Fan, "Look at Seventh Senior Brother. He advanced four levels in two years, while you only finally completed the first level in three years. So, Xiao Fan, don't dream of surpassing my father. Just work hard slowly! After all, there's no way you can do it!"

Tian Buyi also forbade anyone from spreading word of Jiang Ming's exact cultivation. He wanted Jiang Ming to take first place in the Seven Peaks Tournament and prove that Tian Buyi knew how to teach disciples—especially so he could show Cang Song what he was made of.