Origin Control Technique

Another first-year participant in the Three Cities Dao Discussion was actually a student from the previous inner academy term, barely scraping by on the tail end of the first-year period. As for the two third-year representatives, they were both acquaintances of Jiang Wang's—Li Jianqiu and Wang Changxiang.

The other person besides the fifth-year Zhang Linchuan was a senior brother Jiang Wang didn't recognize.

Because Dao Merits were consumable items, the rankings on the Dao Merit Board didn't fully reflect strength—at least in Dong A's view, he had his own criteria for judgment.

Of course, this discussion was still led by Zhang Linchuan, and Dong A had placed his hopes on Wei Quji and himself to take the top spot. If Zhu Weiwu were here, they might not have to worry so much, but since Zhu Weiwu was nowhere to be found, Dong A could only keep a tight watch on Zhang Linchuan.

To this, Zhang Linchuan expressed that the pressure was immense.

The Three Cities Dao Discussion was set to begin on the tenth day of the tenth month. Before that, everyone—including Zhang Linchuan and Jiang Wang—had to undergo "special training."

It wasn't about using some method to squeeze the students' combat power to the limit in the short term; that wasn't the right path. Even if they won the immediate match, they'd lose the students' futures. Instead, Dong A himself would personally offer guidance to each participant—this was an enormous benefit in itself, and it showed just how much Dong A valued this.

Dong A would give a lecture once every ten days, and that class was always packed to the brim. Many senior brothers who were usually out on missions would make a point to return to the Dao Academy that day. Jiang Wang never missed a single session.

But Dong A's lectures were aimed at the entire academy, so naturally, he couldn't tailor them to Jiang Wang's progress. As a result, Jiang Wang struggled to keep up and gained little from them.

He had met Dong A many times by now, yet he still dared not act rashly in front of him. He wasn't exactly tiptoeing around, but he remained respectful. After all, this powerhouse was known for his unyielding temperament—he'd even clash head-on with high-ranking officials in Xin'an City. Even Wei Quji felt uneasy in Dong A's presence, let alone Jiang Wang, a mere student.

"You've been opening your meridians for a while now. Why haven't you laid your foundation yet?" As soon as he sat down, Dong A asked directly.

Jiang Wang braced himself and replied, "Perhaps this disciple is dull in talent..."

Before he could finish, Dong A reached out a hand. "Forget it, I'll see for myself."

Jiang Wang didn't dare resist, only hoping Dong A wouldn't uncover his secrets. And even if he did, it probably wouldn't be a big deal. The bond between academy students and the dean was one of master and disciple, and in the future Zhuang Kingdom's officialdom, they'd be seen as one body. Essentially, their fortunes rose and fell together. As long as there were no major issues of principle, Dong A wouldn't do anything to him.

Besides, the Heaven and Earth Gate served as both a barrier and a concealment. Before it was opened, the situation deep within the Heaven-Connecting Palace wasn't easy to probe. Unless Dong A personally acted to force open Jiang Wang's Heaven and Earth Gate from the outside—but that would destroy Jiang Wang. Dong A wouldn't do that.

The moment Dong A's hand touched Jiang Wang's spine, he frowned. "Your foundation-laying is already extremely slow. Why are you also cultivating a body-tempering technique?"

Major schools like Dao, Law, and Confucianism had a broad-minded demeanor and didn't forbid disciples from practicing techniques from other schools. What concerned Dong A was whether Jiang Wang would be distracted, neglecting that cultivation was the foundation.

Jiang Wang replied, "This disciple opens his meridians morning and night without ever slacking. But limited by his blood and qi, he can only open them twice a day. So he took up body-tempering to strengthen his blood and qi, allowing more meridian-opening sessions to gather more Dao Essence and lay his foundation sooner."

"Twice a day is enough. More Dao Essence isn't always better—control is the true path." In the end, these were minor details, so Dong A only offered a responsible reminder. Using a secret technique, he sensed the situation within Jiang Wang's Heaven-Connecting Palace from outside his spine.

"The Foundation Array Diagram you're using isn't the Return to Origin Formation?" Dong A suddenly asked.

Found out! Jiang Wang felt a strange sense of relief in his heart. Hiding anything from an experienced powerhouse like Dong A was nearly impossible.

"Yes," Jiang Wang admitted honestly. "The Foundation Array Diagram this disciple uses is far more complex than the Return to Origin Formation. That's why he hasn't been able to lay his foundation yet."

"Nonsense," Dong A scolded. "There are plenty of Foundation Array Diagrams superior to the Return to Origin Formation. Do you know why our Yujing Mountain lineage still uses it universally? Because it's stable, safe, and efficient—it can be reliably applied to any scale of Heaven-Connecting Palace. It's the most adaptable Foundation Array Diagram! How could you take such a major matter as foundation-laying into your own hands without consulting your master?"

Jiang Wang's face burned with shame. Wasn't it because, after Fang Pengju's betrayal, he'd become like a startled bird? Not that he constantly harbored paranoid thoughts of persecution, but he no longer dared to reveal his fortuitous encounters.

At the end of the day, he hadn't fully built the trust a disciple should have in his master toward Dong A.

That day when Dong A saw his injuries and immediately sealed off the academy, it had moved him. But in his past time with Fang Pengju, hadn't he experienced plenty of such touching moments?

He was about to tell Dong A what Foundation Array Diagram he was using when Dong A waved a hand. "Enough. Now that time has passed, more words are useless."

He thought for a moment, then untied a green jade pendant from his waist and handed it to Jiang Wang. "This jade pendant contains a secret technique that can help you improve your control over Dao Essence, allowing you to complete your foundation-laying sooner. Wearing it regularly also clears the mind and sharpens the nature. Take it."

"This disciple dares not," Jiang Wang said, seeing it was such a personal item. He repeatedly refused. "This is something Master treasures. How could this disciple take it?"

Dong A stroked the jade pendant, and a rare look of nostalgia crossed his usually stern face. "A gift from an old friend. That old friend is now dust."

He quickly returned to his normal demeanor and pressed the jade pendant into Jiang Wang's hand without room for argument. "This item is useless to me now. Take it. The future of Zhuang Kingdom belongs to you."

Holding the jade pendant, Jiang Wang sank his mind into it slightly, and a secret technique flowed through his heart—named the Origin Control Technique.

Jiang Wang gripped the jade pendant tightly and bowed deeply to the ground. "This disciple thanks you, Master!"

Dong A wasn't one to indulge in displays of master-disciple affection. He pulled Jiang Wang up briskly, gave a few more pointers on cultivation, and waved him away.

Today, because he had to train with Dong A, Jiang Wang had asked Ling He to pick up Jiang An'an. So he didn't need to make a special trip to the private school and could head straight to the dormitory.

The newly acquired secret technique was of great significance to Jiang Wang. Now that his body-tempering had borne fruit and his blood and qi were abundant, he could open his meridians four times a day, absorbing four Dao Essences. But the Celestial Star Formation Map grew more complex the further he went. With his current control over Dao Essence, each time he laid out the array points nearly drained his mental energy—this was actually the real issue holding back his foundation-laying.

The Origin Control Technique could help Jiang Wang manage Dao Essence with minimal mental effort, allowing him to lay out array points with ease and avoid wasted labor.

Dong A had seen the problem at a glance and provided the solution. A master's words were worth ten years of hard work.

Carefully tying the Origin Control Jade Pendant to his waist, Jiang Wang resolved never to take it off for the rest of his life.

Dong A saw him as a future prized disciple and was willing to part with a treasured personal item. At this moment, hadn't Jiang Wang also come to see Dong A as someone he could rely on?

"There's an invitation for you."

When he went to pick up Jiang An'an from Ling He, Ling He suddenly said.

Jiang Wang held Jiang An'an in one arm and took the invitation with the other. After reading it, he understood why Ling He's expression was so grave.

The sender of the invitation was Fang Zehou.

The strongest contender for the next head of the Fang Family, Fang Pengju's uncle, Fang Heling's father.

And the venue for the banquet was the Moon-Gazing Pavilion.

The same place where, months ago, Fang Pengju had set a trap to poison him.