Stirring the Nine Heavens

Chapter 40: Stirring the Nine Heavens

"Can't cultivate it..." Seventh Young Master even stammered, seemingly unable to understand what his mother meant. "What does that mean?"

"Can't cultivate it means can't cultivate it." The Madam seemed not to notice his expression, her gaze still resting on the tea leaves floating in the cup. "Spirit Crane Body was never a martial art meant for ordinary people."

"Didn't Instructor Xu say this martial art could lead one into the Dao through martial cultivation and enter an Immortal Sect?"

"Lead one into the Dao through martial cultivation? More like a rumor passed from mouth to mouth." A faint sneer touched the Madam's face. "People often mistake the effect for the cause, indulging in wild fantasies."

"Why?" Seventh Young Master's expression darkened further.

"It isn't that cultivating this martial art lets one enter an Immortal Sect. It is only after entering an Immortal Sect that one can cultivate this martial art."

Seeing the confusion on her son's face, the Madam explained, "Do you know where Spirit Crane Body came from?"

Seventh Young Master shook his head.

"People say cultivating immortality depends on aptitude. What is aptitude, then?"

"Spirit Roots?"

"Yes, Spirit Roots are the most important, but besides Spirit Roots, Immortal Sects also value another kind of aptitude—Dao Bodies. The most outstanding geniuses in Immortal Sects often possess a Single-Spirit Root along with an Innate Dao Body." The Madam continued, "Dao Bodies are naturally formed from birth, but some great seniors have also created methods to acquire Dao Bodies after birth."

"Spirit Crane Body is actually..." Seventh Young Master's expression showed a trace of temptation.

"What are you thinking? How could a mere martial art accomplish that? Still, Spirit Crane Body was indeed created based on a certain Innate Dao Body. Its effects may not even reach one-tenth of the original, and it may only be useful in the early stages of cultivation."

"If it can only function in the early stages of cultivation, and ordinary people cannot cultivate it, then what meaning does this technique have?"

Seventh Young Master pointed out the contradiction.

"Because although such techniques do not require any cultivation level to practice, comprehending them often demands extremely high aptitude." The Madam revealed the reason. "Take Spirit Crane Body, for example. I heard that to comprehend it, one must observe every kind of bird under heaven. How could an ordinary person possibly accomplish that?"

Seventh Young Master was still confused, so the Madam explained, "These martial arts were originally meant for those great cultivators to train their own descendants."

"Those descendants of great cultivators could invite True Persons at least at the Nascent Soul stage to use the Mirror Flowers, Water Moon Technique to reflect the vast world and observe all feathered creatures beneath heaven."

The Madam stared at Seventh Young Master. "Can Zheng Fa do that?"

Seventh Young Master understood. "So from the very beginning, Mother, you knew Zheng Fa couldn't cultivate it?"

"Yes."

"Why? If you knew from the start that he couldn't, why did you give him Spirit Crane Body?"

The Madam seemed not to hear the anger in his voice. Her gaze fell back upon the teacup. Her right hand gently swayed, and the tea leaves in the water drifted helplessly with the current beneath her movements.

"Back then, Instructor Xu achieved mastery in martial arts after twenty years of practice and began to entertain thoughts of leaving the Zhao Family to try his luck in the martial world." She seemed to be answering a different question. "I did not wish to use power to force him and damage our relationship, so I gave him Spirit Crane Body. Then... he stayed peacefully at Zhao Residence as an instructor for another twenty years."

Seventh Young Master looked at his mother, half understanding and half not.

"Failure made him realize that his little bit of talent amounted to nothing. He saw himself clearly, and accepted his fate."

"Zheng Fa... is the same?"

"The same." The Madam raised her head to look at Seventh Young Master, her gaze utterly devoid of warmth. "He has better talent, but also greater ambition. And he has not the slightest respect for you."

Seventh Young Master could no longer hold back. "Mother! I don't care about that!"

"But I do! If he lacks the aptitude to enter an Immortal Sect, I can tolerate that ambition. But if he can enter one, I cannot!"

"I'll go tell him!" Seventh Young Master abruptly rose to his feet.

"Zhao Jingfan!" The Madam's voice rose sharply. "You are the master; he is the servant! Zheng Fa should be your hands and your legs. He should assist you in managing the Zhao Family and help you enter an Immortal Sect."

"But I will never tolerate him stepping on my son's shoulders! You may forget your own status, but he must remember his!"

Seventh Young Master looked at his mother, his cheeks puffed out, yet he could not say a word. In the end, he could only flick his sleeves and leave in silence.

The teacup on the table was still steaming. The Madam watched her son's departing back and remained silent for a long while.

"Madam." The maid beside her spoke cautiously. "Don't be angry with Young Master. Young Master is simply kind-hearted."

"Kind-hearted? I think he's just stupid!" The Madam curled her lip and sat down. "Stupid since childhood!"

"His father played around with women outside and produced several illegitimate sons. And what did he do? Ran off to be their little brother! He got played and did not even know it!"

"Later, he became a little wiser and spent every day clinging to his sister. Wherever she went, he went! When she entered an Immortal Sect, he went crying and sniffling to sleep in her room, hugging a pillow and blanket, for an entire year—like a little girl!"

The Madam complained coldly, "Does he hate me because he himself cannot enter an Immortal Sect? If he had that ambition, I would actually be happy! He hates me because I separated him from his sister!"

The maid beside her lowered her head and did not dare speak.

The Madam continued scolding, "After growing up, he wore that damn cold face all day and offended everyone, pretending to be clever. Then he met a bookboy he liked and poured his heart and soul into him!"

"Madam, didn't you say before that as long as you were watching over him, it was no harm for Young Master to be a little innocent?" the maid asked with some confusion.

Hearing this, the Madam rubbed her forehead. "His sister sent a letter. She said she would return early and find a way to get this brat into an Immortal Sect."

"First Young Lady?" The maid looked somewhat delighted. "That's a good thing!"

"Good my ass! With that brain of his, what will he do once he enters an Immortal Sect and no one is there to protect him?"

"So, Madam, you..."

"Zheng Fa is a good seedling. He has aptitude and a steady temperament, though he is a little proud. I planned to have him accompany this brat into an Immortal Sect, so I could worry less." The Madam shook her head. "It's just that before they leave, I need to prune this seedling a little. Unfortunately, I was too hasty."

The maid understood as well and could only sigh softly. "Madam has gone to such painstaking lengths for Young Master."

"Giving birth to him in this life means I owe him." The Madam sighed.

"I'm only afraid... Young Master may truly tell Zheng Fa, and Zheng Fa may develop resentment."

"Resentment? Whom would he resent? Me, of course." The Madam smiled, looking toward the training ground. "Didn't this brat pry the secret of cultivating Spirit Crane Body out of my mouth for him? Isn't he now planning to sell out his own mother to comfort him? Shouldn't Zheng Fa be even more grateful to his Young Master? The worse I, the Madam, am, the more loyal and righteous my foolish son appears, doesn't he?"

"But Young Master doesn't understand you, Madam, and Zheng Fa will hate you too..."

"I don't need him to understand. I need him to be well. As for Zheng Fa? I can bear the hatred of a bookboy." The Madam blew on the tea leaves floating in her cup, utterly unconcerned.

After a long while, the maid finally spoke with some hesitation. "If... if Zheng Fa's aptitude truly is extraordinary, and after entering an Immortal Sect he soars into the heavens with a single leap, what then?"

"What then? My son is a fool blessed by fortune. He has always been forging good ties with Zheng Fa and giving him his heart and soul. Could Zheng Fa truly disregard that bond and beat me to death?" The Madam seemed amused and joked, "If he truly has such talent, I would be delighted to see it happen!"

After saying that, she frowned toward the training ground, tilting her ear slightly, her eyes intent.

A faint crane's cry came from the direction of the training ground. It began melodious and pleasant, then gradually became lofty and fierce, shooting straight into the nine heavens. The white sea of clouds above rolled endlessly with the sound waves.

Everyone in Jingzhou City raised their heads one after another, gazing curiously at the sky in search of the sound's source.

The Madam recalled the records she had read. Her hand trembled, and though the teacup fell to the ground, she paid it no mind. She murmured, "He cultivated it?"

The maid lowered her head, looking at the tea leaves drifting recklessly and freely in the spilled tea upon the ground, and sighed deeply within her heart.

Madam, you do not look delighted at all.

(End of Chapter)