A rosy glow rose from Senior Sister Zhang, illuminating the Heavenly Palace Nine Isles. Aunt-Master Huang could hear the exclamations of surprise from the distant Paradise Island.
"What's wrong?"
An anxious voice came from afar, and Uncle-Master Pang landed in front of the group, clearly drawn by the strange phenomenon.
" Wuyi..." Aunt-Master Huang waved his hand, signaling him to lower his voice, and said softly, " Wuyi has attained enlightenment."
Uncle-Master Pang was slightly stunned, his gaze fixed on Senior Sister Zhang, his fingers trembling slightly. "Enlightenment?"
"Yes, Zheng Fa gave her a formation, and she entered a state of enlightenment."
Upon hearing this, Uncle-Master Pang's face broke into a wide smile, as if he were about to burst into laughter, but then he lowered his voice and said, "Good, good!"
Aunt-Master Huang naturally understood what he was happy about.
For cultivators, enlightenment is often an extraordinary fortuitous opportunity, during which their cultivation progresses greatly, and they may even experience a period of rapid advancement.
However, this state is rare and hard to come by. She had never experienced it before, only read about it in some casual notes. In the Xuanwei Realm, it is said that those who comprehend the Dao will at least become Nascent Spirit Transformation in the future!
Wuyi now attained enlightenment.
This is a tremendous good thing for Wuyi and for the Nine Mountains Sect!
Thinking of this, she glanced again at the Jade Slip in Wuyi's hand, remained silent for a moment, then looked at Zheng Fa, and couldn't help but sigh:
" Zheng Fa's birthday gift is actually a fortuitous opportunity enlightenment... In the entire history of the Xuanwei Realm, there has probably never been anything more precious..."
Uncle-Master Pang did not leave either, but instead followed Aunt-Master Huang and Zheng Fa to protect Senior Sister Zhang.
Senior Sister Zhang sat cross-legged on the chaise longue, her long eyelashes falling on her cheeks. Her temperament grew more aloof and serene each day. The five-colored rays of sunlight above her head shone on her face, making her skin look even more radiant.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Suddenly, Senior Sister Zhang opened her eyes, tilted her head back, and two beams of white light shot out from her eyes, shooting straight into the sky.
Immediately, her body transformed into exquisitely beautiful and pure crystal, and the Nascent Soul within her Dantian leaped out from the top of her head, standing cross-legged upon the rosy light.
The Spiritual Qi in the sky was boiling and surging, and the colorful clouds rolled back into Senior Sister Zhang's three-headed nascent Nascent Soul, enveloping her like a cocoon.
For a moment, no one could see clearly what was happening in the glow of the sunset. All they could see was a neon ball of light in the sky, sometimes large, sometimes small, as if it were breathing.
The sphere of light "breathed" a hundred times before suddenly exploding, shooting out blinding light in all directions.
Even the three Nascent Soul, including Aunt-Master Huang, couldn't help but narrow their eyes. Upon closer inspection, they saw that Senior Sister Zhang's Nascent Soul stood gracefully in the air, indistinguishable from her True Person.
Nascent Soul Late Stage?
Aunt-Master Huang opened his mouth in a daze, only to hear Uncle-Master Pang as if in a dream, his tone surprised, envious, and even a little inferior.
Aunt-Master Huang silently shut his mouth.
Wuyi's cultivation level has greatly improved, which naturally makes her happy.
But when Wuyi's cultivation level suddenly surpassed hers, she... had very mixed feelings.
"How long has it been?"
The muttering of the man surnamed Pang made her silently calculate in her mind: Wuyi only condensed her Nascent Soul in five or six years, and now she had actually become Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator?
This speed is astonishing, even comparable to Zheng Fa achieving the Nascent Soul in less than ten years!
It's important to know that she and the man surnamed Pang wasted thousands of years in the early and middle stages of the Nascent Soul...
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look at the Jade Slip again, and surprisingly, she didn't miss her deceased dao companion as much anymore—he had given her so many birthday gifts, but hadn't even given her Jade Slip that could help her comprehend the Dao.
I'm too lazy to reminisce.
Senior Sister Zhang's Nascent Soul stood in the air, holding Flying Immortal Brush in her hand. She pointed at the void in front of her, and a rune array diagram took shape at the tip of the brush.
This array seems to contain billions of runes, scattered and intricate, yet they also appear to be a unified whole, their energy interconnected.
" Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation..." Senior Sister Zhang Nascent Soul emitted a soft, golden murmur, "My Dao... is complete!"
She looked down at Zheng Fa, her eyes shimmering like rippling water, and then leaped into his body.
As everyone watched Senior Sister Zhang opened her eyes, seemingly having finished her enlightenment, they all walked towards Senior Sister Zhang.
"Senior Sister!"
Senior Sister Yuan rushed to Senior Sister Zhang's side, her eyes filled with envy. "You've reached the Nascent Soul Late Stage?"
Senior Sister Zhang nodded with a smile, "Yes, Master, I am ready to prepare for the Spirit Transformation."
Aunt-Master Huang was even more gratified upon hearing this. "Two cycles of sixty years, and you've already broken through to the Spirit Transformation... I never imagined I had such a powerful disciple!"
"Isn't there such a capable son-in-law?"
Senior Sister Yuan blinked and asked in return, sounding somewhat indignant.
Aunt-Master Huang glanced at Zheng Fa, his tone unusually sarcastic. "To find a son-in-law like this, isn't it because my disciple is so capable?"
"..."
Senior Sister Yuan looked completely bewildered, as if she found the argument very reasonable and couldn't refute it. Her eyes darted around, and suddenly she looked hesitantly at Senior Sister Zhang and said:
"That Jade Slip..."
"Um?"
"Can I see it?" Senior Sister Yuan asked cautiously, then swore, "I'll give you all my snacks for next year!"
A look of heartache flashed across her face, clearly showing her reluctance, but her eyes were filled with longing as she looked at the Jade Slip.
Senior Sister Zhang glanced at Zheng Fa, and seeing Zheng Fa nod at her, she asked Senior Sister Yuan, "Want to learn?"
"Yes! I also want to attain enlightenment!"
Senior Sister Zhang handed over the Jade Slip: "We don't need the snacks, Master, you should also take a look. This formation will be very useful in the future."
Upon hearing this, Senior Sister Yuan beamed with joy, grabbed the Jade Slip, and began to read it.
In just two or three breaths, Senior Sister Yuan loosened her grip, and the Jade Slip slipped from her palm.
Aunt-Master Huang waved his hand, catching the Jade Slip that was about to hit the ground in his palm, a look of lingering fear on his face. "Why did you throw it?"
"I... I have a headache."
Senior Sister Yuan covered her forehead, seemingly experiencing some phantom pain.
"Headache? I think it's because you're an incompetent good-for-nothing!"
Aunt-Master Huang enveloped the Jade Slip with his Divine Sense, and after a moment he opened his eyes expressionlessly and handed the Jade Slip to Uncle-Master Pang, who was eager to try it out.
After reading it, Uncle-Master Pang remained silent for a while before saying:
"The formation is good... Um, I still have some business to attend to at the Nine Mountains Military Academy, which has delayed me for half a month. I need to go and check on it."
Aunt-Master Huang followed closely behind, instructing Senior Sister Zhang, "I'll go too. Your cultivation has just made great progress; you need to consolidate it for a few days."
After saying that, the two nodded to Zheng Fa and the others, and then slipped out of the courtyard.
The senior and junior disciples walked side by side in silence to the Immortal Strife Island, then looked at each other, and simultaneously covered their foreheads, grimacing in pain.
In the courtyard, Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang watched their two elders walk away, and after holding back for a long time, they finally shook their heads and laughed.
In Zheng Fa's view, the only people in the Xuanwei Realm who can currently understand the Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation are probably himself and Senior Sister Zhang.
Firstly, this formation is extremely complex, using Talisman Diagram as its underlying language, and the resulting operating system has an astonishing amount of code.
Without a certain level of professional knowledge, trying to learn this will only lead to a brain fart.
On the other hand, the Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation is unprecedented in the Xuanwei Realm.
Among the Xuanwei array formations that Zheng Fa was familiar with, those with immense power were unprecedented in history, as were those designed for deduction.
Not to mention, the Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation is based on mathematical logic, and even symbolic logic...
In Zheng Fa's view, there is still a lot of room for improvement for Xuanwei cultivators in this regard.
"My two senior uncles probably won't understand," Zheng Fa shook his head and sighed softly. "They only think that you had a sudden enlightenment, but they don't know that it was actually the culmination of years of accumulation."
Senior Sister Zhang was able to gain so many benefits from the Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation because it was the result of a long period of accumulation.
The extraordinary nature of the Primordial Spirit Dao Body.
Her own mathematical talent, interest, and passion.
Experience from manipulating the Nine-Mountains Seal multiple times.
Of course, most importantly, Zheng Fa brought her many theoretical books on computers.
Many cultivators of the Xuanwei couldn't understand these books, but Senior Sister Zhang had read most of them carefully.
Being able to independently create a rough Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation... that represents Senior Sister Zhang's level of expertise.
Thinking of this, Zheng Fa added, "However, in the future, disciples of the Nine Mountains Sect will need to learn an additional course on formations."
Senior Sister Zhang nodded gently. "Yes, the Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation and Deduction are extremely useful."
"Senior sister, I plan to set up the Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation on University Island. I would appreciate it if you could take charge of it."
Although the Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation has not yet been perfected to include artificial intelligence—the theory itself is not difficult, but its implementation is.
What Zheng Fa did in the modern era was actually a simplification of Senior Sister Zhang's original calculation array; it was a subtraction.
However, various artificial intelligence algorithms are additive, and they have to consider the properties of Spirit Stone and the selection of Talisman Diagram, which makes them much more complex.
But this doesn't mean they can't use the Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation.
"What do you want to deduce? The Heaven and Earth Divine Array? A Nascent Soul cultivation technique?"
" The Heaven-Earth Divine Baleful Array naturally needs to be deduced," Zheng Fa nodded. "However, the most important thing is actually controlling the allocation of resources within the Nine Mountains Realm."
"Resource allocation?"
"Senior sister, don't you think there's a huge waste in the Nine Mountains Realm right now?"
Zheng Fa said.
"Of course I know, but there's nothing I can do..."
There's no other way.
To some extent, the economic operation of the Nine Mountains Realm is entirely determined by Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang's wishes.
Of course, he and Senior Sister Zhang would never want to do anything harmful to the Nine Mountains Realm, but wanting to do good deeds... doesn't mean it won't cause bad results.
" Nine Mountains... no, the entire economic system of the Xuanwei Realm is riddled with loopholes," Zheng Fa said. "The currency of Spirit Stone is inherently flawed and cannot meet the needs of a large quantity of goods."
"On the other hand, trade is fraught with barriers, such as those imposed by Vast Sun Mountain and my Nine Mountains Sect."
Zheng Fa was not born with innate knowledge; after taking control of the Nine Mountains Realm, he also read a large number of books in modern times.
In his view, the Nine Mountains Sect currently lacks the conditions for a market economy— the Xuanwei Realm hasn't even completed the division of labor in society.
Needless to say, Nine Mountains Realm simply didn't have enough time to develop.
That's why the First Fifty-Year Plan came into being.
But that doesn't mean there's no problem; on the contrary, it means there's a big problem!
This type of economic planning inherently requires extremely high data capabilities...
Within the Nine Mountains Sect alone, there are thousands upon thousands of spiritual materials needed by cultivators.
Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang had to make plans and issue instructions regarding how much of each spiritual material needed to be produced, how much it needed to be consumed, and how resources should be allocated.
The simplest example is that the Medicine Garden needs to produce a vast amount of spirit medicine to meet the needs of the Nine Mountains Sect disciples, which requires enormous calculations.
Even if Senior Sister Zhang were a human being, or even if she were a computer... she'd still have to be burned.
Previously, Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang had no choice but to focus on the big picture and put manpower and resources into the most important projects.
It's not that it's bad, but the amount of resources and time wasted is enormous.
"Senior Sister, I want to use the Nine-Chapter Calculation Formation to allocate resources within the realm in order to maximize resource utilization," Zheng Fa said, explaining his idea to Senior Sister Zhang.
"Perfect timing! We can also input the data that Uncle-Master Pang compiled into the formation."
"In my opinion, using this method to utilize the Nine Mountains Calculation Formation is the fastest way to develop the Nine Mountains Realm. Of course, deducing the array's Cultivation Method is also necessary, but it's not the primary task."
Zheng Fa's idea can be summed up in one sentence. "Fools, the problem is the economy!"
Although the Xuanwei Realm and the Modern World are very different, the differences in human nature are not that great, and they naturally follow roughly the same economic laws.
Whether it's formations or various Cultivation Method, they may enhance the martial power of the Nine Mountains Sect, but they cannot fundamentally improve the Nine Mountains Sect's overall strength.
Some knowledge may seem harmless, but it can be enough to slay dragons.
Senior Sister Yuan listened in a daze, her mind blank, and couldn't help but turn her gaze to Senior Sister Zhang.
Seeing Senior Sister Zhang's expression, Senior Sister Yuan nodded, understanding; Junior Brother was right!
After all, the senior sister's eyes were practically glued to the junior brother!
"Senior sister, also... if we're going to deduce Cultivation Method, I think we should deduce your Spirit Transformation Cultivation Method first."
Zheng Fa continued.
Upon hearing this, Senior Sister Zhang's gaze softened further, but she shook her head and said, "When I was comprehending the Dao, I actually tried to deduce the path to the Spirit Transformation stage, but I was still missing something."
"Um?"
"The methods of the Great Freedom Devil Ancestor are not compatible with my Dao Path."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Fa fell into deep thought. The method of the Great Freedom Devil Ancestor was, in essence, the Demonic Sect Dharma Body.
If the Demonic Sect Method don't work...
What about Vast Sun Mountain?
Oh, right, and the Tianhe Sect too!
I wonder if Fairy Xie can get her hands on the Cultivation Method of the Immortal-Trapping Sword lineage.
Xie Qingxue has been back at the Tianhe Sect for some time now.
However, she did not rashly seek out the Cultivation Method of the Immortal-Trapping Sword lineage for Zheng Fa —after all, this was the True Disciple of the Spirit Transformation of the Tianhe Sect, which even she, as the current True Disciple disciple, had no way of learning.
How could we so easily give it to Zheng Fa?
She emerged from the Scripture Tower, her brow furrowed, looking troubled.
There were very few records in the building about the Four Lineages True Disciple Method, and she wasn't even qualified to see some of them.
If they kept it so secret from her, it would be even more difficult to give it to Zheng Fa.
After some thought, she realized that the only possible breakthrough might lie with her master—if Zheng Fa's suspicions about her master were true.
Is it true?
Thinking about the people and things she had seen and done since returning to her parents' home, Xie Qingxue frowned, finding it difficult to make a decision.
After a moment's thought, she turned and flew towards the Sect Leader hall.
The hall remained deserted and empty, with only Sect Master Yan sitting on a futon, eyes lowered as he cultivated.
Xie Qingxue stood before her master, head bowed, waiting quietly, pondering what to say.
"Qingxue?"
"Greetings, Master."
"Did you need something?"
Xie Qingxue gritted her teeth and asked:
"Master, it seems that Xuanwei is about to descend into chaos. How should my junior brother and I handle this?"
Sect Master Yan looked up at his disciple.
" Nine Mountains Sect."
" The Nine Mountains Sect is still in its infancy and its foundation is weak. Why not return?"
Sect Master Yan looked at her, a hint of understanding flashing across his face. "The sect is in danger; I have no time to worry about the two of you."
"Then why not seek refuge with Four Sects?"
"... If you want to seek refuge with them, will they accept you?"
Xie Qingxue nodded silently, then suddenly gripped the Green Duckweed Sword tightly and whispered:
"I've been thinking that my junior brother is making rapid progress in his cultivation while he's out there."
Sect Master Yan nodded slightly without saying a word, only looking at Xie Qingxue with an inscrutable expression.
Xie Qingxue continued:
"But he is, after all, in the Hundred Immortals Alliance. If he wants to receive instruction from within the sect in the future, it will be very difficult," Xie Qingxue said softly, her head lowered. "If... something happens within the sect, he will have no future."
A moment of silence fell over the hall.
So what are you trying to say?
"I was thinking, if my master could pass on the True Disciple Secret Method of our sect to me, wouldn't it be convenient for me to pass them on to my junior brother in the future?"
The silence in the hall lasted even longer.
" Secret Method True Disciple? Which one does he want to learn?"
"My junior brother said that he recently obtained a formation for refining the Immortal -Immortal-Trapping Sword Immortal-Trapping Sword, so he must have a special connection with it."
Sect Master Yan's expression changed drastically as he stared intently at Xie Qingxue: "The formation for refining the Immortal-Trapping Sword...?"
"Yes."
"He's got a good fortuitous opportunity."
After a long while, Sect Master Yan finally let out a soft breath.
"Unfortunately, it's not enough."
"Not enough?"
"This fortuitous opportunity isn't enough for him to learn the secret techniques of our sect..."
"Master..."
"However..." Sect Leader Yan looked at her, then suddenly curled the corner of his mouth, "If he himself possessed a Nascent Soul cultivation technique useful for refining the Immortal-Trapping Sword, that opportunity would be enough."
Upon hearing this, Xie Qingxue looked at Sect Master Yan and saw that he was looking at her without a smile in his eyes.
She remained silent for a moment before nodding gently, bowing silently, and leaving the main hall.
Watching her figure disappear into the horizon, Sect Master Yan slowly closed his eyes again.
"Your disciple..." a mocking voice echoed from the shadows of the hall, "Is actually not afraid of your wrath."
There was suddenly an extra person in the hall, Sect Master Yan remained motionless, not even blinking, as if he had known all along.
The Nine Nether Devil Ancestor stood behind him, which was natural and aboveboard.
It seems that the Tianhe Sect, which is fraught with danger for the people of the Demonic Sect, is like their own home.
"She's a smart woman; she's been back for so many days, she's probably already figured something out."
"More than just intelligent." Upon hearing this, the Nine Nether Devil Ancestor nodded approvingly. "I sensed a very familiar aura emanating from her. Given time, she will likely far surpass you."
"Given time..." Sect Master Yan looked up at the sky, "How much time is left?"
Upon hearing this, the Nine Nether Devil Ancestor shook his head, seemingly unable to refute it. "Have you made up your mind?"
"The arrow is on the string, it must be released."
"Then why are you still clinging to the sect's True Disciple Secret Method?"
Upon hearing this, Sect Master Yan looked at him with a strange and intriguing expression, seemingly finding the question a bit silly, "What does Zheng Fa's desire for the Nascent Spirit Transformation Cultivation Method have to do with me? He's not really my son, why should I give it to him?"
The Nine Nether Devil Ancestor was speechless, then asked again, "So you want the Cultivation Method of Vast Sun Mountain?"
"I have no shortage of formations, but if I could obtain the True Disciple Secret Method of Vast Sun Mountain, I could glimpse the true strength of Vast Sun Mountain and have a better chance of winning."
Upon hearing this Nine Nether Devil Ancestor nodded, and after a while said, "I think you're just dreaming."
"..."
"If you're unwilling to give him the Nascent Soul cultivation technique, how could Haori Mountain possibly give it to him?" The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor sneered, "Is Haori Mountain stupid?"