Writing Carries the Way

Xu Yan calmly leafed through the Daoist text. Seeing that he had scarcely thought for long before lightly touching brush to paper and swiftly writing across the white sheet, the Daoists gathered around began whispering among themselves.

His handwriting was exquisitely beautiful, the standard Golden Seal script of Great Yin. Without more than a decade of practice, it would have been impossible to write with such natural grace and lively spirit.

Zhang Gan stared fixedly at the writing on the page. His expression was tense at first, then gradually eased, until his eyes filled with increasing astonishment. It was not as though he knew nothing of Yan script; he could understand one or two parts out of ten of the contents in this ancient Daoist text.

He had always been doubtful of Xu Yan, believing this young master had merely acted on a whim and intended to give it a try. He had not expected him to be serious. Now that he had truly seen the contents on the page, the contempt in his heart receded.

This man was so young, yet he had delved into ancient writing to such a depth. Zhang Gan thought.

The quiet discussions around the Daoist grounds gradually vanished as well, replaced by a deathly silence.

Everyone's eyes were fixed upon the words on that sheet of paper.

Half an hour later, Xu Yan's brush slowed to a halt. After pondering for several breaths, he flourished his brush and completed the final passage, then lifted it. Xu Ling Sha, standing behind him, took a close look before strolling forward. With a flick of her cupped hand, a thin stream of slightly scorching spiritual power swept over the paper, instantly drying the ink.

Xu Yan picked up the translation and handed it to Zhang Gan. The latter accepted it with a pounding heart. After scanning it a few times, his expression grew ever more astonished. This translation was concise and capable, with every point of doubt clearly marked. If one truly scrutinized it, it might not compare to the Imperial Cabinet Scholars or the old masters of the great academies—but this translation had come from the hand of a fourteen-year-old boy. It was enough to inspire admiration.

"Young Master, what masterful work."

He hurriedly put away the translation, then placed the rehmannia essence into a rosewood box and presented it with both hands. "Thank you, Young Master Yan, for answering my questions and clearing my doubts. Zhang Gan is endlessly grateful!"

With that, he left in high spirits, presumably returning to Daque Temple.

"Several thousand Yan characters, translated in half an hour?" A Daoist looked at Xu Yan and spoke in disbelief. He had long heard of the adopted son of Prince Wu'an's intelligence, but he had never imagined it had reached such a degree.

"Young Master Yan, I also have a passage in Yan script. Please help resolve my doubts!"

"Young Master, this old man also has ancient Daoist scriptures he cannot understand. Please enlighten me. This old man will surely reward you generously."

These Daoist grounds had originally been a place for discussing the Dao through the principle of "writing carries the Way." Most present were Daoists interested in ancient writing. Seeing that Xu Yan seemed versed in Yan script, they immediately crowded around him, speaking over one another.

Xu Yan remained unhurried. He clasped his hands to the crowd in salute and said, "Everyone, if you have questions you cannot resolve in the future, you may seek me at Shangyin Academy. But I have no time now."

"Young Master Yan is going to Shangyin Academy?"

"That Master Xun is terribly strict and old-fashioned besides. Why would Young Master wish to study there?"

"My daughter is also cultivating at Shangyin. Could Young Master look after her a little?"

"Young Master should be at the age to open your apertures, yes? May I ask how many you can open?"

"With Young Master Yan's exceptional intelligence, he will certainly open more than thirty apertures in the future. Such dragon-and-phoenix bearing—why even ask?"

Xu Yan grew somewhat irritated by the barrage of questions. Grabbing Xu Ling Sha, he fled the place as though escaping.

The Immortal Market was enormous, spanning at least a thousand mu of land.

The two walked side by side. The matter of opening apertures had been brought up again, and the atmosphere was somewhat silent.

"When are you leaving Moat Dragon?" Xu Ling Sha asked, pursing her lips.

"Shangyin Academy will open in the next couple of days. I'll leave for Dongli Commandery early tomorrow morning," Xu Yan said.

"So soon?" Xu Ling Sha frowned.

"It is a journey of several thousand li, but it is still within Prince Wu'an's territory. If the Commandery Princess has time in the future, you can ride a dragon colt there. You'll arrive within half a day." Xu Yan smiled.

"I'm not going." Xu Ling Sha curled her lips. Her gaze dimmed as she said, "Father is sending me to Fire Spirit Valley, within Prince Kang's territory..."

Xu Ling Sha possessed the Heavenfire Spirit Aperture and had been born with thirty-one apertures. With such outstanding talent, Xu Fei naturally did not dare be negligent in cultivating her.

Fire Spirit Valley enjoyed immense fame throughout the Great Yin Dynasty. It was a prestigious Daoist lineage passed down through the ages. Xu Fei intended to let her come of age there first, then formally take the master of Fire Spirit Valley as her teacher after the Dragon Gate Examination.

Xu Fei had begun planning this path toward the summit when he discovered that Xu Ling Sha's natural endowments inclined toward the fire element. To that end, he had even paid special visits to Prince Kang and the master of Fire Spirit Valley, currying favor with them.

Prince Kang's fief and Prince Wu'an's territory were separated by nearly a million li. Even atop a Blood-Sweat Dragon Colt, the journey would take more than half a month. Once they parted this time, they likely would not meet again until the Great Yin Dragon Gate Examination two years later.

Neither spoke. The air grew somewhat heavy as they wandered through the Immortal Market, gazing around absentmindedly.

Xu Yan was departing for Dongli Commandery at dawn tomorrow, so he naturally had preparations to make.

Several currencies circulated throughout the Great Yin Dynasty.

There were copper coins and silver taels used by ordinary commoner families, as well as a kind used by those cultivating and seeking the Dao: Great Yin spirit coins, which mainly circulated through Immortal Markets and Daoist merchants in various places.

These spirit coins were only the size of a thumb, yet contained abundant spiritual energy. They were minted by the Treasure Spring Bureau in the imperial capital from ancient-vein spirit stone, bearing the seal of the Great Yin Dynasty and impossible to counterfeit.

Xu Yan bought quite a bit of brush, ink, paper, and inkstones, along with a storage pouch to hold them.

The storage pouch was gray and bound with a peculiar locking clasp. It was the lowest-grade variety. Since Xu Yan had yet to open his apertures and could not wield even a thread of spiritual power, he could only buy this kind of storage pouch.

He had yet to open a single aperture, so spirit coins were of little use to him. Still, he had accumulated quite a number over the years—more than ten thousand in all.

This was already no small fortune, yet compared with the children of the other princes, it appeared somewhat shabby. That was inseparable from Prince Wu'an's upright and incorruptible character.

As night gradually fell, the two returned to Prince Wu'an's Residence.

Xu Yan went back to his own small courtyard. Entering the study, he lit an oil lamp, searched through the dim bookshelves for a while, and took out an ancient book titled Complete Translation of the Travelogue of Dongzhou. He then sat before the desk and began to read.

"In ancient times, one without form opened his apertures, his qi locking the Nine-Aperture Dragon Palace. His spiritual power was so vast and weighty that it rivaled the radiance of sun and moon. This Daoist was the first since the heavens and earth were opened to attain the Dao with the body of a formless mortal. His talent was so great that, throughout all ages, few could compare. History calls him the 'Formless True Person'..."

The translator's name on this book was the two characters, Xun You.

Of the Shangyin Xun Clan in Dongli Commandery, Xun You was the founder of Shangyin Academy and the great-grandfather of the current Master Xun of Shangyin Academy. The term Formless Aperture had also first been translated by Xun You. This distinguished clan held extraordinary influence in Great Yin literary circles.

Could this be why Foster Father sent me to study at Shangyin? Xu Yan thought as he leafed through Travelogue of Dongzhou.

At Cliff Sea that day, Xu Fei had been somewhat disappointed by his natural endowments, but he had not entirely given up on him. Formless Apertures were exceedingly rare in the world and extremely difficult to open.

Though Xu Fei did not expect him to achieve much in cultivation in the future, if he wished to enter official service in the imperial capital, he needed at least some cultivation. Great Yin revered martial strength, and the immortal path flourished. If he could not open a single aperture, it would be difficult for him to advance further in an official career.