Tang San opened the Dharma Sutra, and Grandmaster taught him how to read the words on its pages.
Following Grandmaster's lead, Tang San recited the scripture. Even on his first lesson, he sensed all manner of profound mysteries.
An even stronger sense of familiarity arose within his soul.
The Dharma Sutra was neither particularly long nor particularly short. By the time the two finished reciting it once, the sun had already set.
"Little San, what are your impressions?"
"Hmm... I feel as though some questions I had before have been answered."
Tang San discovered that his control over the soul power within his body had grown stronger. At the same time, a method emerged in his mind.
It was a meditation method, but it differed somewhat from the one his father had taught him. It also seemed better suited to his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.
After Tang San told Grandmaster about this, Grandmaster's brow twitched, and he marveled inwardly at how terrifying the boy's comprehension was.
"To comprehend a new meditation method on your very first reading... Tang San, your talent is even greater than I imagined."
Grandmaster praised Tang San, though he did not find it all that unbelievable.
He had once met another genius who, like Tang San, had comprehended a new meditation method from a remarkable book.
"Teacher, if even I can learn something from it, why not spread the Dharma Sutra so more people can benefit from it?"
Tang San asked, reflecting on the great wisdom contained within the Dharma Sutra. He had sensed its many mysteries after only a single reading.
If more people learned the principles within it, perhaps the world could become a better place.
"I once had that same naive thought, but not everyone uses wisdom and power for righteous purposes."
At this point, Grandmaster's expression grew somewhat forlorn.
"In fact, there was another remarkable book in those ancient ruins."
"A friend of mine gradually began to grow more evil after studying that book."
"In the end, we went our separate ways, and that book remained in her hands. Of course, she had been the main force behind obtaining both books in the first place."
"Later, when I struck out on my own, I made some new friends. I shared the Dharma Sutra with one close friend, but it drove him somewhat astray in his cultivation."
"It's been a long time since I last contacted him. He runs an academy now, and his educational philosophy is quite extreme."
After listening to Grandmaster's account, Tang San nodded thoughtfully.
A tool was neither right nor wrong in itself; its consequences depended entirely on the mind of its user.
Grandmaster had been unlucky, encountering nothing but disastrous outcomes. It was only natural that he felt worried and wary about spreading the Dharma Sutra.
After all, no one could say for certain whether the world held more good people or bad.
Good people might only have been good because they previously lacked the power or a reason to commit violence.
Yet bad people might also be moved by some of the ideas in this book and become good.
Regardless, Grandmaster did not dare gamble on the consequences.
Tang San soon understood the crux of the matter.
"It's getting late. Little San, you haven't had dinner yet, have you? Come, as your teacher, let me treat you to a good meal."
"Sure!"
Only after hearing Grandmaster say this did Tang San realize his stomach was completely empty. It growled in protest, and he readily agreed.
Tang San followed Grandmaster to the dining hall and ate his fill.
Although the food was not as filling as the meat Tang Hao had brought him back in the village, it tasted considerably better.
After eating and drinking his fill, Tang San accompanied Grandmaster to buy a new set of bedding, then returned to the dormitory.
When he returned to Dorm Seven, Wang Sheng and the others were already back. The academy's healing soul master had treated them, and they had mostly recovered, though they still wore plenty of bandages.
They were now waiting on Xiao Wu, clustering around her like stars surrounding the moon.
The work-study students kept calling her "Sister Xiao Wu," which pleased her immensely.
When Tang San returned and saw that no one paid him any attention, he was happy to enjoy the peace.
Seeing that the timid boy seemed utterly uninterested in her, Xiao Wu decided to go over and pester him.
How lovely it would be to hear Tang San, with that clean little face of his, call me Sister Xiao Wu.
"Sister Xiao Wu, don't go bothering that kid. He's really close to Grandmaster now."
Wang Sheng stepped forward to advise Xiao Wu.
Throughout Nuoding Academy, Grandmaster's intimidating presence rivaled even the dean's. Although he was only rank twenty-nine, no one dared talk back to him.
Aside from his close relationship with the dean, he was equally strict with every student, and many had suffered under him, wailing their grievances to the heavens.
Of course, they had ultimately made considerable progress as well.
Thus, the students both respected and feared Grandmaster.
After learning that the man who frightened her somewhat was Grandmaster, Xiao Wu temporarily abandoned her plans to pester Tang San.
When she first met Grandmaster, Xiao Wu had felt as though he could see right through her.
I came here on a mission. It wouldn't do to expose my true form.
Still, I'm going to be the boss, Sister Xiao Wu.
Unaware that he had escaped trouble for the moment, Tang San found a bed in a corner, sat down, and began cultivating with a calm mind and focused spirit.
The method he practiced was precisely the meditation method he had comprehended from the Dharma Sutra.
After completing several full circulations, Tang San felt that his soul power had become richer than before and had acquired quite a few new qualities.
It was balanced and peaceful, renewing itself without end, and carried a hint of coolness that cleared Tang San's mind. As his soul power circulated, he also felt his body receiving further nourishment.
In truth, this nourishment came from the meat Tang Hao had brought him earlier.
That meat had all come from soul beasts around ten years old and contained a certain amount of soul power.
Tang San had been unable to absorb it fully at the time. Now, with the help of his new meditation method, the accumulated energy was being absorbed.
Most of it strengthened his body, while some was refined into soul power, helping Tang San break through his bottleneck and reach rank four.
The night passed without incident as Tang San continued practicing his new meditation method.
He savored the pleasure of feeling his strength steadily increase.
He even gave this new meditation method a name: the Blue Silver Creation Dao.
In truth, Tang San found it rather strange. Why did cultivating come so easily to him?
It was as though he had cultivated this way before.
He was also intimately familiar with the meridians within his body. He knew how to guide his soul power and understood what effects its circulation would produce.
Tang San did not delve into it. For now, he simply attributed it all to the power of that remarkable book, the Dharma Sutra.
That evening, Grandmaster was reviewing the newly enrolled students' records, considering what direction to set for their cultivation.
Then he turned to Xiao Wu's records.
"Hmm?"
Grandmaster noticed that many details were vague, but the information about her rabbit martial soul and full soul power gave him pause.
Could she be a disciple of some hidden sect?
I should pay more attention to her from now on. This girl is far too combative and needs more guidance.