Name and Reality

Compared to the first day when he was more groggy than lucid, Wu Zheng saw again that when he woke up in the morning, his head was no longer so throbbing and dizzy, and his injuries were no longer serious.

He nimbly rolled out of bed and went to the window, where he saw his benefactor, Second Brother Ding, practicing his sword in the courtyard again. Every move he made was as smooth and natural as flowing water.

"My benefactor's Swordsmanship is indeed outstanding, worthy of being Martial Grandmaster of the Law Realm..." Wu Zheng watched in awe.

Although he was only at the Mid-Stage Dayan Realm and had been assigned the Fifth Rank "Probing Mystery" title, he still had some insight, after all, his father was also a Martial Grandmaster.

Wu Zheng couldn't understand was why his benefactor's Swordsmanship practice yesterday was so fragmented, even worse than that of a beginner.

Is he learning a new Swordsmanship? Wu Zheng didn't want to look any longer, so he turned and went back to his bed.

Just then, he saw Ding Songyan's Swordsmanship change, becoming fragmented once again, like a child dancing wildly.

"This..." Wu Zheng couldn't help but stare at it for another dozen breaths, but still couldn't figure out what the mystery was.

He felt that such Swordsmanship could be easily broken by his own "Rightless Blade," so what was there for his benefactor to practice every day?

Subconsciously, Wu Zheng put himself opposite Ding Songyan and began to consider how to counter those sword moves.

As he watched and thought, he gradually broke out in a cold sweat.

What happened?

I couldn't even withstand three moves from those seemingly harmless sword techniques...

What seemed like a weakness became a trap with the next strike...

This is unbreakable...

I can't crack it...

Wu Zheng abruptly withdrew his gaze, not daring to look any longer. He feared that if he continued watching, he would go completely insane.

He had never heard of such Swordsmanship before!

Twelfth Madam Luo rested her right elbow on the stone table, propped her chin on her hand, glanced at the East Wing Room, and Ding Songyan, who had finished practicing his sword:

"Showing such a rudimentary form of Swordsmanship to a martial artist who hasn't even reached the Perfected Dayan Realm will only harm him."

This is not a level of skill or technique he should be exploring.

Even Martial Grandmaster of the Law Realm, without sufficient accumulation, can be led astray by such Swordsmanship, overthinking and attempting to run before learning to walk.

"Twelfth Madam, you overestimate him. He probably didn't even understand it. He just felt that he couldn't withstand such Swordsmanship." Ding Songyan sat down opposite Twelfth Madam Luo and glanced at the East Wing Room.

In comparison, Li Linquan, who has already entered the Law Realm, will gain more understanding.

That's actually more troublesome.

Upon this thought, Ding Songyan suddenly realized:

I wonder if Li Linquan has recovered from his madness yet. If not, I'll have to find a way to give him a good talking-to and bring him back to his senses after a while.

Sigh, I have to take responsibility for the problems I created. I can't let my own sword practice harm innocent people.

Twelfth Madam Luo only meant to remind Ding Songyan something, and didn't say anything more. She picked up a pork bun from the plate and took a small bite.

"I thought it would be leftovers from last night." Ding Songyan smiled and picked up a steamed bun. "Twelfth Madam, you got up early today just to make steamed buns?"

Twelfth Madam Luo glanced at him:

"I do make it myself when I'm in the mood, but I buy it from Zhang's Shop's South-Pacifying Street."

"The Auntie Wang from the alley entrance went out to visit relatives yesterday and asked me to look after their dog A Huang. I delivered the leftovers to them."

Ding Songyan took a bite of the steamed bun, felt the glistening oily juice oozing out, and nodded in satisfaction:

"Zhang's Shop's uses high-quality ingredients."

As he ate, his gaze gradually drifted off into a daze.

When he came to his senses, he saw Twelfth Madam Luo's eyes filled with curiosity.

"What are you thinking about?" Luo Mingyin asked directly without any politeness.

Ding Songyan pondered for a moment and said:

"I'm thinking about Wu Zheng. His Divine Soul is recovering quickly, and he should be able to move around normally tomorrow, regaining 60-70% of his original strength. How can I deceive He Jin and his group and send him to Phoenix Terrace Studio?"

Ding Songyan paused for a moment, then looked at Twelfth Madam Luo and said:

"Yu Chongyuan is the Great Grandmaster of the Five Saints Sect in Flame Capital. Can he be trusted?"

"Rumor has it that he, His Majesty, and Prince Kang are sworn brothers."

Twelfth Madam Luo was silent for a moment before saying:

"Can be trusted."

" Those among the Five Saints Sect who attained the status of Celestial Person all prioritized 'virtue' over 'righteousness'."

"That's good." Ding Songyan thought for a moment and said, "Twelfth Madam, if someone wears my clothes, disguises himself as me, and makes several people around him think that he is me, then wouldn't that be considered having a 'name'? You can use this to make the 'reality' match the 'name', so that more people will believe that he is me?"

"Yes," Twelfth Madam Luo nodded slightly, "But it can't be hidden from close friends and acquaintances. Moreover, using it on others is like changing one's name and reality; it's difficult to maintain for long. It depends on the other party's level of understanding and the difficulty of the matter."

"That's enough." Ding Songyan smiled.

He strongly suspected that Twelfth Madam Luo's current disguise was achieved in this way: first, hide her strength, then disguise herself. It didn't need to be too elaborate; as long as it could fool a few ordinary people and gain their recognition and the desired "name," the "reality" could be made to match, thus achieving a disguise that was almost flawless.

Once Luo Mingyin, also known as Twelfth Madam Luo, had become famous throughout the surrounding streets and alleys, and everyone knew what she looked like, she could simply disguise herself every day and use her "name" to change her "reality".

As he pondered, Ding Songyan, being a time traveler, gradually went astray:

This is strikingly similar to deception...

First, gain the trust of a small group of people. With their endorsement, you can then gain the trust of many more people, thus completing the scam...

Is this a scam exploiting the concept of "fame"?

The Dao of Name and Reality permeates all things in the world...

"What are you thinking about again?" Twelfth Madam Luo tilted her head slightly.

Ding Songyan recounted what he had just thought of and then asked Twelfth Madam for advice on the Dao of Name and Reality.

Twelfth Madam Luo slightly raised her eyebrows:

Why did you think of deception first?

"Human nature is full of backstabbing and deception. I don't deceive others myself, but I still have to be wary of others deceiving me," Ding Songyan explained with righteous indignation.

"Liar." Twelfth Madam Luo stared at the guy opposite her and gave a simple assessment.

Ding Songyan did not offer much explanation, believing that the innocent would clear themselves.

He said thoughtfully:

"After that person impersonated me, they came to you and asked, 'Am I Ding Songyan?' You said 'Yes.' Does that mean you've initially established your 'name'?"

"Isn't this just a weasel begging for an official title?"

"The weasel's demand for a title stems from the common people's slight understanding and knowledge of the Dao of Name and Reality. Under special circumstances, it's not impossible to use the Dao of Name and Reality to temporarily transform those Demon Race who cannot take human form." Twelfth Madam Luo didn't refute Ding Songyan's statement, but instead provided a more detailed supplement. "Knowing 'it's not' but answering 'it' has some effect on establishing 'name,' but it's very poor. Well, with our level of cultivation, we can make up for that."

"I understand, it's backed by an authority..." Ding Songyan smiled.

"Twelfth Madam, after you finish your duty at the side gate today, please take good care of Wu Zheng when you get back. I'd like to go out for a walk."

Find out where the hidden sentries are.

"Be careful." Twelfth Madam Luo nodded almost imperceptibly.

She knew Ding Songyan's purpose.

Ding Songyan picked up a few steamed buns and walked towards the East Wing Room.

After finishing his duty at the side gate, Ding Songyan returned to the Rear Courtyard of the Cheap Wine Shop and found Twelfth Madam Luo curled up on the Carefree Chair near the Main Room, flipping through the storybook she had written.

"Why are you looking at it again?" Ding Songyan chuckled.

Twelfth Madam Luo didn't even raise her head:

I skimmed through it last night, but I'm reading it more carefully today.

"Don't you go to the Wine Shop lunch?" Ding Songyan glanced at the bustling front yard.

Twelfth Madam Luo said quite casually:

Stealing half a day of leisure from a busy life.

She happened to be reading a section, looked at Ding Songyan, and asked curiously:

"When Princess Iron Fan was propping up the window, the bamboo pole fell and hit Cao E, thus beginning their karmic entanglement. How did you come up with this plot point? Did you experience it yourself?"

"To make important characters meet, I can make up all sorts of unbelievable plots, like being struck by lightning right after making an oath, or His Majesty disguised as Dragon Fish and falling for a vinegar seller, or leading an army of 800,000 to invade the capital, only to be overwhelmed by the His Majesty's domineering aura and accepting amnesty on the spot... Are these things I've actually experienced?" Ding Songyan replied with amusement.

Twelfth Madam is too serious at heart; how can she take family gossip seriously?

To keep the story going, he could even make the protagonist die and come back to life!

If it weren't for the need to connect to the future, he would have liked to change the bamboo pole into Golden-Hooped Rod, smashing the Spirit-Communicating Precious Jade until it lost two of its three souls and five of its seven spirits, which would then be called a perfect match.

Twelfth Madam Luo thought for a moment, then chuckled at the farcical plot Ding Songyan had made up.

At first, she found it ridiculous and absurd, but after thinking about it carefully, she found it quite amusing.

After a moment, she said with a smile:

"Some of them are obviously fabricated, while others sound like they were based on real experiences."

You'd have to ask the original story about that; I was only in charge of sewing... Ding Songyan went to the East Wing Room to take care of Wu Zheng until Twelfth Madam Luo brought him food.

In the afternoon, he put on his Carefree Headwrap, changed into a thick cotton Lantern-Sleeved Robe, picked up his Cold Shadow Sword, and left Tiger Tail Alley, heading towards Golden Pool Lake.

Although it was early winter, the roadside was still quite lively. Ding Songyan walked and stopped, looking around and asking questions, as if he were choosing a gift for his confidante.

"There's only one follower... Besides, there should be one or two others watching the Rear Courtyard of the Wine Shop... It seems that creating a diversion is still effective; He Jin's group isn't as focused on the Wine Shop as before... We need to get Wu Zheng to Phoenix Terrace Studio before the diversion is completely exposed. Tomorrow is perfect..."

"I wonder if He Jin and his group could guess that Wu Zheng seek refuge with the Five Saints Sect... There are very few sects like the Five Saints Sect that have such an excellent reputation and absolute strength..."

"Could He Jin and his group have sent people to lie in wait around the Five Saints Sect, waiting for Wu Zheng to go there?"

Ding Songyan used his Heavenly Mind state and the "Hundun State" to survey his surroundings. By constantly changing his direction and route, he pulled out his pursuers and gained sufficient control.

Snap!

Suddenly something fell from a great height.

Ding Songyan instinctively stepped aside and saw the object land beside him.

It was a bamboo pole used to prop open the window.

The bamboo pole propping up the window... Ding Songyan was stunned at first, then his scalp tingled.

So far, only three people have read that chapter of the storybook:

One is Twelfth Madam Luo, one is Jiang Lanting Gongzi, and the other is...

Ding Songyan suddenly raised his head and looked at the spot where the bamboo pole had fallen. He saw a pretty figure standing behind the window, wearing a plain white short jacket with yellow flowers, a light white cloak with fur trim, and a white Veil Hat with a draped veil. At this moment, the veil was lifted by a slender hand, revealing a beautiful face that was ethereal, indescribable and exquisite.

The woman leaned against the window with her other hand, her bright eyes looking at Ding Songyan with a mixture of pleasure and reproach.

At this moment, the bustling streets and alleys seemed to quiet down.

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