Listening in Openly

Qi Wanshi had been thinking of creating a few opportunities for her two daughters.

As someone who had been through it all, she knew full well that a few more "chance encounters" and a little more contact could indeed gradually change the feelings between young men and women.

If there was fate between them, many marriages that had originally faced heavy resistance would soon fall into place as naturally as water flowing downhill.

Of course, that was assuming neither side had any glaring flaws.

Without question, neither Zhang Jian nor the two girls from the second branch had any obvious shortcomings.

Fengyang Commandery, Gu family of West City

Gu Linlang's experiences over the past month had all been observed by the Gu family's patriarch, Gu Chengyan.

Gu Chengyan was of medium build and not particularly tall. His face was gloomy, the corners of his eyes narrow, yet his gaze was exceptionally deep. He appeared to be a man of few words, but among the heads of Fengyang Commandery's great clans, none dared underestimate him.

He had been given the nickname Sly Fox, and he was no ordinary troublesome opponent.

Gu Xiu'er was also standing to one side at that moment.

In truth, when it came to winning over the Zhang family through marriage, the family had been more inclined to send her, the Gu clan's legitimate daughter, in person.

Because Gu Xiu'er and Zhang Jian already shared a "special" connection!

But Gu Xiu'er had recommended Gu Linlang.

Because Gu Xiu'er knew that although Zhang Jian had spoken frivolously to her, it had only been lust without affection.

Yet Zhang Jian's various actions now indicated that the marriage alliance had basically failed.

Gu Chengyan merely gave a cold snort and said,

"These father-and-son Zhangs truly do not know what is good for them. They think that because their clan has gained two unorthodox cultivators, they can stand shoulder to shoulder with great commandery families like ours. They should know that even among extraordinary men and strange adepts, there are ranks of high and low!"

Another figure beside him pondered silently. It was Ji Ming, his eyes somewhat dark.

If extraordinary men and strange adepts truly were divided into ranks, then what rank did that leave him, someone who had been defeated by the other party?

"Master, since they refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit, why don't we simply sit back and watch?"

Gu Chengyan's eyes flickered. This time, the Gu family had learned in advance that someone intended to move against Iron Immortal Abbey before the sixtieth birthday celebration of Mighty Distant General Qi Yi. It was possible that the Commandery Governor Yu Tongguang would seize the opportunity to strike at the Qi family as well, forcing them to choose a side.

The abbey master of Iron Immortal Abbey and Mighty Distant General Qi Yi were inseparable friends. If Iron Immortal Abbey were uprooted, it would be no small blow to the Qi family.

Although Gu Chengyan was angered by Zhang Jian's rejection of the Gu family's goodwill, he ultimately restrained himself.

He merely nodded faintly.

"Go. Have Linlang find a way to reveal this information to that young master of the Zhang family in advance!"

Ji Ming gave Gu Chengyan a surprised look. Not only was the Gu family head not kicking them while they were down, he was instead showing goodwill to the Zhang family?

Gu Chengyan took in Ji Ming's surprise, feeling somewhat helpless within. He had no choice.

The Commandery Governor's methods had become increasingly brutal. Gu Chengyan knew that the Commandery Governor's patience had reached its limit, and that he would likely move against the commandery's three great families before long. The time was probably at hand. Gu Chengyan could only do his utmost to win over the forces around him, hoping to increase their odds of victory by even a little.

But he knew that compared to the Commandery Governor, who held great power in his hands, even if the three great commandery families united, they would not hold much of an advantage. In fact, they stood at an absolute disadvantage.

Yet when a rabbit was driven into desperation, it would still bite!

Let alone great families like theirs, with roots sunk deep into the earth!

By the time Zhang Jian returned to the Qi family, he already had an idea.

He had made a round of several old streets and found quite a few fine goods there, but they were still not enough to outdo his several aunts.

But Zhang Jian quickly came up with an idea.

Some things did not need to be priceless treasures to seem precious. As long as his grandfather Qi Yi considered them precious, they would possess extraordinary value.

Once he had finished everything, Zhang Jian began his daily routine.

Aside from meditating to temper his spiritual power, his daily routine involved trying to comprehend the mysteries of his Fate Palace.

But for the moment, Zhang Jian had no direction in this regard.

Although Nine Chapters of Paulownia Mountain Purity mentioned that Foundation Establishment required one to combine the spiritual power formed from the three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit with the Fate Palace in order to forge a supreme Dao foundation, it said little about how to manifest one's fate or condense dharma power.

There were only a few profoundly mysterious mnemonic verses.

With no reference to draw upon, Zhang Jian could not make head or tail of them for the time being. He estimated that he still needed to accumulate more experience along this path. Fortunately, he was in no hurry. He still needed time to rebalance the three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit, and build his spiritual power up to its limit once more.

He had only just barely broken through the Spirit Nourishing stage. There was still much he could accomplish in cultivation at this stage, allowing for deeper accumulation.

The richer one's accumulation before Foundation Establishment, the sturdier the Dao foundation one forged.

Other than that, he had taken up the business of eavesdropping.

Though it did not really count as "eavesdropping." He was listening openly and aboveboard.

The two Well Dragon Kings deep within the well had probably spent too long in that sealed place at the bottom, and they greatly enjoyed talking.

Though most of it was gossip between deities, with only a small portion concerning cultivation secrets, Zhang Jian still listened with great relish.

At the same time, it filled in much of the "knowledge" he had always lacked.

Although he had already encountered some unorthodox cultivators, most had been enemies, while the few others had been difficult to approach for special reasons.

Thus, his understanding of the path of immortality had been limited to the text of Nine Chapters of Paulownia Mountain Purity. Yet from the two Well Dragon Kings, he had made up for some of the perspective he lacked due to his "lack of social contact."

Leaving aside bits of obscure knowledge, such as the preferences of the dragon race, some common knowledge regarding cultivators had truly opened Zhang Jian's eyes.

It turned out that not every cultivator possessed spiritual power as pure as his. Many unorthodox cultivators had merely stumbled upon a cultivation art by chance and used it as their foundation. In the end, the spiritual essence within them became muddled and impure, making breakthroughs nearly impossible.

There was also the difference between unorthodox adepts and cultivators who had obtained true Great Dao methods.

Most unorthodox cultivators had only chanced upon an inheritance of some technique, thereby cultivating spiritual power. Their techniques might be formidable, but their prospects were bleak.

Using techniques as one's foundation might be savage, but it could not grant longevity, much less endure for long.

Only cultivators who had truly obtained a Great Dao lineage could continually strengthen their spiritual power and gradually embark upon a path of longevity and enduring sight.

Moreover, cultivators who had obtained a true Great Dao lineage were better able to adapt to the imperial court's power, such as Zhang Jian himself.

Although he had been suppressed by the Dragon-Tiger aura, the lineage within him remained and his foundation was firm. Only the circulation of many techniques had been disrupted, while the circulation of the incomparably pure spiritual power within him had not been greatly affected. He still retained the ability to resist.

This was because orthodox cultivators grasped true principles of dharma. They had already delved deeply into the mysteries of Heaven and Earth's Great Dao, no longer merely knowing that something was so without knowing why. They possessed some ability to actively unravel the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. And the farther one went, the more terrifying one might become.

Most unorthodox adepts, meanwhile, were water without a source and trees without roots.

Without a foundation, they lacked the basis to study the mysteries of Heaven and Earth's Great Dao in depth. They could only delve further into ruthlessness and slaughter.

Zhang Jian thought of Heavenly Void Daoist from Iron Immortal Abbey. Among the many extraordinary men and strange adepts he had encountered, only Heavenly Void Daoist's methods appeared somewhat orthodox. He might possess part of a Dao lineage inheritance.

Yet among common folk, cultivators who truly possessed orthodox Great Dao methods remained exceedingly rare, apart from those cultivators born into genuinely famous sects.

Furthermore, Zhang Jian learned from the discussions of the two Well Dragon Kings that they had already decided to contend for the Whitewater Divine Office. However, the Dragon Lord was currently trapped within a water eye in the earth's crust, while the imperial court's Dragon-Tiger aura sealed off the outside. The two Well Dragon Kings had not yet discovered the situation within and did not dare act rashly.

Their power was sufficient to shatter the outer Dragon-Tiger aura, but they could not determine Whitewater Dragon Lord's current condition. If Whitewater Dragon Lord was not, as the rumors claimed, a "dragon trapped in shallow waters," they feared inviting disaster upon themselves.

This gave Zhang Jian a sense of urgency.

The cards he held were limited. Aside from the Dragon Pearl, what he relied upon was that he remained in the shadows while the two before him stood in the light.

To complete his arrangements, he still needed to do something more.

For instance, truly learn a thing or two about Whitewater Dragon Lord.