A Conversation Seated on the Ground

As Jiang Yang listened to Shang Qingzheng's flowing account, he could not help marveling:

"As expected of a noble breed of spirit beast. Who would have thought it possessed such extraordinary gifts? An inheritance carried in the blood truly is sacred by nature."

This was not something he could have learned from the Beast Compendium. Such abilities hidden within the bloodline truly opened Jiang Yang's eyes.

Ever since he had stepped out of the Lower Court, everyone and everything he encountered had reminded him how little he still knew about this world of cultivation.

Fortunately, among any three people, one could serve as his teacher. As a direct disciple, Shang Qingzheng could reveal things he would not ordinarily learn even in casual conversation.

Shang Qingzheng thought little of Jiang Yang's praise. She lowered her head and stroked Little Sixteen's head.

"Not entirely. As the saying goes, bloodline makes you, and bloodline breaks you. It's hard to untangle the gains from the losses."

Although Jiang Yang did not quite understand the secrets involved, he grasped the principle and nodded solemnly in agreement.

Seeing the boy nodding in innocent confusion, looking rather blank, Shang Qingzheng found it amusing and lowered her head.

"And you understand the shackles of bloodline?"

Jiang Yang bristled at that and could not resist giving her a sidelong look. "Aren't you underestimating me?"

Then he folded his arms across his chest and paced back and forth, speaking confidently:

"I may not understand these bloodline shackles you're talking about, but the underlying principle is the same. A cultivator's Spirit Root is determined by heaven. Even you and I differ in aptitude, so what's strange about spirit beasts having higher and lower bloodlines?

"You're an outstanding direct disciple, while I came from the Lower Court. There's your wealth gap right there."

Finding his reasoning sound, Shang Qingzheng nodded repeatedly.

"You do have a point, but what does this wealth gap mean? That you're below and I'm above?"

"Uh..."

Jiang Yang froze for a moment. He had spoken too quickly and let that phrase slip, but it was easy enough to explain. He answered casually:

"More or less. You can think of it as a difference in status."

Shang Qingzheng gave a soft snort. She did not care much about status; otherwise, she would not have spent so long talking with Jiang Yang here.

After some thought, she offered him a pointer:

"Becoming a direct disciple isn't beyond reach. There are quite a few paths to promotion.

"There is one that would suit you. Our Rain Xiang Mountain belongs to the Celestial River Tradition. Each peak has its own lineage, and we follow the ancient rules: a peak master's disciple is a direct disciple."

"The Celestial River Tradition... you mean taking a master?" After a moment's thought, Jiang Yang understood what she meant.

Shang Qingzheng's thin lips parted slightly. "Of course."

Jiang Yang's interest stirred. Whatever the case, having a master was better than stumbling around in the dark on his own. As long as he could truly learn something, he had no objection to taking a master. Besides, becoming a direct disciple meant more resources would be allotted to him, not to mention all the other benefits.

There was also the matter of his cultivation method. Good as his current Dew Essence Consumption Method was, it was merely a reward from the Lower Court. It reached its limit at the peak of Qi Refining. If he wanted to advance further, establish an Immortal Foundation, and even climb to the Violet Palace realm, he would have to resolve the issue of his cultivation inheritance.

His eyes shifted, and he said lightly:

"Then isn't that easy? I'll just take you as my master."

Naturally, he was only joking, teasing her for fun. Jiang Yang had realized that Shang Qingzheng was actually quite rebellious at heart and disliked rigid rules and dogma, so keeping the conversation light could draw more words out of her.

Jiang Yang himself was much the same. His usual formal, scholarly way of speaking to others was merely a necessity. Now that he no longer had to weigh every word, he felt much more at ease.

Sure enough, his words brought a smile to Shang Qingzheng's face. Holding the cat, she turned her head slightly aside and chided him:

"Stop talking nonsense. I haven't even completed my own apprenticeship, so how could I be qualified to accept a disciple? Besides, we're of the same generation and realm. Wouldn't that turn everything upside down?"

Jiang Yang laughed heartily, then changed tack:

"Then I'll join Dawn Rain Peak. Your master will be my master, and you really will become my senior sister."

Shang Qingzheng paused briefly, then smiled.

"In your dreams. Never mind that my master never accepts male disciples—even if she did, I doubt you would meet her requirements.

"A Violet Palace True Person commands wondrous divine powers and no longer accepts disciples lightly. Let me ask you: how is your aptitude?"

At the mention of aptitude, Jiang Yang opened his mouth, only to choke on his words. After a pause, he replied:

"Barely enough to count as average."

Shang Qingzheng regretted the question as soon as she asked it. Jiang Yang had come from the Lower Court. If he possessed outstanding aptitude, how could he have ended up there? Her question had been pointless and only embarrassed him.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up." After some thought, she lowered her head in apology.

"Oh, it's nothing. I don't find it embarrassing."

Jiang Yang waved a hand to show he did not mind, and he truly did not. For one thing, he was naturally broad-minded. For another, he had a gift that could transform his aptitude. He could not possibly remain mediocre all his life. That was the confidence his Dao Fruit gave him.

Seeing that the boy's expression remained unchanged, his face cheerful and free of resentment, Shang Qingzheng relaxed. Still, she did not pursue the subject, instead changing the topic:

"I've only heard of the Lower Court. What is it actually like?"

Now that was something Jiang Yang knew well. He beckoned to her and sat down on the ground, saying frankly:

"There's nothing remarkable about it. Really, it's much like a school in the mortal world. Just basic instruction."

Seeing Jiang Yang sit down without the slightest concern for decorum, yet looking so relaxed and unrestrained, Shang Qingzheng hesitated briefly before actually sitting down with the cat in her arms.

Her white skirt spread like a flower unfurling. An hour earlier, she would never have done such a thing; now, she accepted it calmly.

Letting Little Sixteen go, Shang Qingzheng knelt with her hips resting on her heels and listened with interest as Jiang Yang recounted a few little incidents.

"A school? Doesn't that mean there are lots of people?"

"Of course. Several hundred of them, all clamoring away, as chaotic as a marketplace."

"Interesting. Can they manage to teach everyone?"

Curiosity shone in Shang Qingzheng's eyes. Ever since childhood, she had received instruction one-on-one, so she found it hard to imagine several hundred children gathered together.

"Of course they can't keep track of everyone. Some are slow, some daydream, some bawl, some fight, and some play around. They all just grow wild in their own ways.

"Most instructors cast a spell to cow everyone into silence. Those who can take the lesson in listen; those who can't are left alone."

"Wow... how lively."

As Jiang Yang spoke, he watched her marvel and thought, You call that a crowd? That's nothing. Back when I was in school, if I went to the bathroom during group exercises, I could easily end up in the wrong line when I came back.

Hearing about the instructors reminded Shang Qingzheng of her own master, so she asked:

"Then what do you learn? And what are the instructors like?"

At the question, a face surfaced in Jiang Yang's mind. He considered it, then answered:

"Reading and understanding meaning, recognizing meridians and distinguishing channels, entering meditation and cultivating the mind, observing propriety and etiquette, spells and cultivation formulas, spirit beasts and spiritual herbs—the list goes on. Strictly speaking, it's a process of selection, sifting sand from the waves. Fail, and immortals and mortals stand worlds apart.

"As for the instructors, most are just old pedants. They read straight from the books, so there's hardly any fun in it..."

There had certainly been others in the Lower Court with better aptitude than Jiang Yang. He was among the few who worked hard, and that was how he had distinguished himself.

"Oh..."

As Shang Qingzheng listened to his account of life in the Lower Court, her understanding of Jiang Yang gained greater depth.

"Wasn't there anything fun or interesting?" she pressed.

"Hmm..."

Jiang Yang pondered briefly, then turned to look at her. "Interesting things... does fighting each other for spiritual energy count?"

"Huh? You even have to fight over spiritual energy?"

"Of course. Quick hands get it, slow hands get nothing. Uh... I mean entering meditation. Whoever enters meditation faster and has a higher-quality Spirit Aperture absorbs more, and faster."

"That sounds... hard."

"Hahaha, never mind you—even I find it rather amusing when I look back on it now..."

"Mm-hmm, and what else? What else?"