Moving the Nine Heavens

"I can't practice it..." The Seventh Young Master stammered, seemingly not understanding the Madam's words: "What do you mean."

"If you can't practice it, you can't practice it." The Madam acted as if she hadn't seen his expression, her gaze still fixed on the tea leaves floating in the teacup: "The Crane Body Technique is not a martial art for mortals to cultivate."

"Didn't Instructor Xu say this martial art could allow one to enter the Dao through Martial Arts and join an Immortal Sect?"

"Entering the Dao through Martial Arts? It's more like spreading rumors." The Madam's face held a hint of mockery: "People often mistake the cause for the effect and indulge in wishful thinking."

"Why?" The Seventh Young Master's expression turned uglier.

"It's not that cultivating this martial art allows one to enter an Immortal Sect, but rather that one must be in an Immortal Sect to cultivate this martial art."

Seeing the confusion on her son's face, the Madam explained: "Do you know the origin of the Crane Body Technique?"

The Seventh Young Master shook his head.

"Everyone says cultivating immortality depends on aptitude. So what is aptitude?"

"Spiritual Root?"

"Yes, Spiritual Root is the most important, but besides Spiritual Root, Immortal Sects also value a type of aptitude—Dao Body. The top geniuses in Immortal Sects often have a single Spiritual Root combined with a congenital Dao Body." The Madam continued: "Dao Bodies are formed congenitally, but some senior mighty figures have created methods to achieve a Dao Body postnatally."

"Crane Body Technique is actually..." The Seventh Young Master's expression showed a hint of interest.

"What are you thinking? How could a single martial art do that? However, the Crane Body Technique was indeed created based on a type of congenital Dao Body. Although its effect might not even reach one-tenth of the original, and it might only be effective in the early stages of cultivation."

"Since it can only be effective in the early stages of cultivation, and mortals can't practice it, what's the point of this technique?"

The Seventh Young Master pointed out the contradiction.

"Because although this technique has no requirements for cultivation level, the comprehension required is often very high." The Madam revealed the reason: "Take the Crane Body Technique for example. It's said that to comprehend it, one must observe all kinds of birds in the world. How can mortals achieve this?"

The Seventh Young Master was still confused. The Madam explained: "These martial arts were originally created by those mighty figures to train their own descendants."

"The descendants of those mighty figures could hire true cultivators, at least of the Nascent Soul stage, to use the Illusory Flower Water Moon technique to reflect the vast world and observe all kinds of birds."

The Madam stared at the Seventh Young Master and said: "Can Zheng Fa do that?"

The Seventh Young Master understood: "So, from the beginning, Mother, you knew Zheng Fa couldn't practice it?"

"Yes."

"Why? If you knew it wouldn't work from the start, why give him the Crane Body Technique?"

The Madam seemed not to hear his anger, her gaze returning to the teacup. She gently shook her right hand, and the tea leaves in the water were involuntarily swept along by the current.

"Back then, Instructor Xu's martial arts reached great accomplishment in twenty years, and he had the thought of leaving the Zhao Family to try his luck in the jianghu." She seemed to answer a question with a non-sequitur: "I didn't want to use my influence to pressure him and damage our relationship, so I gave him the Crane Body Technique, and then... he contentedly served as an instructor in the Zhao Manor for twenty years."

The Seventh Young Master looked at his mother, half-understanding.

"Failure made him realize his talent was nothing. He recognized himself and accepted his fate."

"Zheng Fa... is the same?"

"The same." The Madam looked up at the Seventh Young Master, her gaze devoid of warmth: "His talent is better, but he's more ambitious and shows no respect for you."

The Seventh Young Master couldn't help himself: "Mother! I don't even care!"

"But I do! If he didn't have the aptitude to enter an Immortal Sect, I could tolerate his ambition. But if he does, I won't tolerate it!"

"I'll go tell him!" The Seventh Young Master stood up abruptly.

"Zhao Jingfan!" The Madam's voice was stern: "You are the master, he is the servant! Zheng Fa should be your hands and feet. He should assist you in managing the Zhao Family and help you enter an Immortal Sect."

"But I will absolutely not tolerate him stepping on my son's shoulders! You can forget your identity, but he must remember it!"

The Seventh Young Master looked at his mother, his cheeks puffed out, but he couldn't speak. In the end, he could only silently turn and leave.

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

"Madam." The maidservant beside her said cautiously: "Don't be angry with the Young Master. He's just kind-hearted."

"Kind-hearted? I think he's just stupid!" The Madam pouted and sat down: "Stupid since he was little!"

"His father was out having affairs and had several illegitimate sons, but he, on the other hand, went to be a brother to them! He didn't even know when he was being tricked!"

"Later he got a little smarter, pestering his sister all day long. Wherever his sister went, he went too! When his sister went to an Immortal Sect, he cried and hugged his pillow and quilt, sleeping in his sister's room for a year, like a little girl!"

The Madam said with a cold face: "Does he hate me because he can't go to an Immortal Sect? If he had that ambition, I'd be happy! He hates me for separating him from his sister!"

The maidservant lowered her head, not daring to speak.

The Madam continued to scold: "When he grew up, he put on a cold face and offended people every day, pretending to be smart. In the end, he poured his heart out to a page he took a liking to!"

"Madam, didn't you say before that with you watching, it's not bad for the Young Master to be a bit naive?" The maidservant asked with some confusion.

Hearing this, the Madam rubbed her forehead: "His sister sent a letter saying she's coming back early and wants to find a way to get this boy into an Immortal Sect."

"Eldest Miss?" The maidservant sounded a little surprised: "That's great news!"

"Great my foot! With his brain, what will happen if he enters an Immortal Sect without anyone to protect him?"

"So, Madam, you..."

"Zheng Fa is a good seedling, with aptitude and a steady personality, just a bit arrogant. I plan to let him go to the Immortal Sect with this boy, so I can rest a little easier." The Madam shook her head: "It's just that before he goes, I need to refine this seedling. Unfortunately, it's a bit rushed."

The maidservant understood and could only sigh: "The Madam's painstaking efforts are all for the Young Master."

"I guess I owe him for giving birth to him in this life," Madam sighed.

"I'm just afraid... Young Master might have really told Zheng Fa, and Zheng Fa might harbor resentment."

"Resentment? Who would he resent? Me, of course." Madam chuckled, her gaze drifting towards the training grounds. "Didn't this boy pry the secret of cultivating the Crane Body Technique from me? Now he's preparing to sell me out, his own mother, to comfort him? Shouldn't he be more grateful to his Young Master? The worse I am, the more loyal and righteous my foolish son becomes, right?"

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

"I don't want him to understand me; I want him to be well. As for Zheng Fa? I can handle the hatred of a mere page," Madam said, blowing on the floating tea leaves in her cup without a care.

After a long pause, the maidservant spoke with some apprehension, "What if... what if Zheng Fa's aptitude is truly exceptional, and he soars to great heights after entering an Immortal Sect in the future, then what?"

"What then? My son is a fool with a fool's luck. He's been building good karma with him, giving him his heart and soul. Could he really disregard that bond and strike me down?" Madam seemed amused, joking, "If he truly has such talent, I'll be happy to see it!"

After speaking, she frowned and looked towards the training grounds, her ears twitching slightly, her eyes focused.

A faint crane cry came from the direction of the training grounds. It started melodious and pleasant, gradually becoming high-pitched and intense, soaring straight into the heavens. The white sea of clouds in the sky churned restlessly with the sound waves.

Everyone in Jingzhou City looked up, curiously searching the sky for the source of the sound.

Madam recalled the records she had read. Her hand trembled, and she didn't notice the teacup falling to the ground as she murmured, "He's mastered it?"

The maidservant lowered her head, looking at the tea leaves drifting wantonly and freely in the spilled tea on the ground, sighing deeply in her heart.

Madam, you don't seem happy to see it happen at all.