In the Name of Divine Abilities, Part 28

"I never claimed that the Federation was absolutely fair. Looking back through history, no one managed to let ordinary people enter the Imperial Academy through a system that did not depend on clan or family status, or on the support of influential patrons."

"The new dynasty can, even if it's only a few dozen people each year."

The old Daoist's face remained calm, but a trace of displeasure rose in his heart.

The boy's stubbornness reminded him of someone, a man named Hai Rui.

He said, "Even if this injustice were done to you?"

"The state raised me and has done me no injustice." Lu Zhao shook his head. "It's just that some people harmed me. One day, I'll strike back."

The old Daoist spoke a little faster, his displeasure audible in his voice. "They hold high positions. How can a commoner like you strike back?"

"I can sit in that high position too!"

His voice rang out clearly, echoing through the Realm of Primordial Unity.

The old Daoist was slightly taken aback. At last, a ripple disturbed the calm on his face.

He gazed intently at Lu Zhao, his eyes showing both a strange reaction to having his sophistry exposed and an ancient soul's astonishment at the great wheel of the age bearing down on him.

The young man before him was unlike anyone the old Daoist had met before. In his time, no one had ever dared say, "I can sit in that high position."

He was not blindly loyal, much less another Hai Rui.

Silence reigned in the Daoist temple for a long time.

Looking at the silent old Daoist, Lu Zhao thought he had probably messed things up again.

But he did not regret it.

He had only been able to meet the old Daoist because he had broken through the mental tsunami, and he had only been able to gain admission to the Imperial Capital because he had worked hard enough.

He did not need to roll over and expose his belly like a lapdog, hoping to gain benefits by groveling.

He could repay the kindness of being taught in other ways.

At last, the old Daoist stirred.

He slowly raised his head. There was no anger in his eyes; instead, he let out a faint sigh.

"Your Dao heart is steadfast, layman. I won't press you."

Relieved, Lu Zhao immediately said in a solemn tone, "Daoist priest, I will remember the kindness you showed in teaching me, and I will do everything I can to repay you."

"That's not what I meant." The old Daoist shook his head gently, his gaze turning appraising.

"Although our beliefs differ, and we should therefore be unsuited to becoming master and disciple, there are exceptions to everything. Those of exceptional talent deserve preferential treatment, and I think you qualify..."

He paused, his tone no longer distant and politely cordial.

"Let me ask you: are you willing to take me as your master?"

The boy was undoubtedly not to his liking, but people like him were often better suited to becoming successors.

Lu Zhao nodded without hesitation. "You have already shown me the kindness of teaching me, Daoist priest. I should take you as my master."

"Don't agree so quickly. I have two conditions."

"Please tell me."

"First, I need Fate Bones." The old Daoist raised one finger. "One every three months, regardless of category, grade, or the strength of its Divine Ability."

Lu Zhao immediately found himself in a difficult position.

He was not surprised that the old Daoist needed Fate Bones. If he had not needed them, he would not have hinted at it before.

But Fate Bones were controlled by the state. In theory, anything below the mediocre grade could be purchased. The lowest-grade, minuscule Divine Abilities could be bought at official specialty stores with nothing more than registration.

The average price was around ten thousand, with no limit on quantity.

There were also cheaper black-market "beast bones," bones stripped from demonic beasts, which could cost only a few thousand on average.

The Divine Abilities granted by these Fate Bones were so weak that they could do no more than make the tips of one's hair tremble slightly, or even produce no response at all.

Lu Zhao could have exploited the loophole, but he said frankly, "Not all Fate Bones are like the one I brought in a few days ago. Many are useless. Would those count too?"

"They would."

The old Daoist's answer was somewhat unexpected. Stroking his beard, he smiled and said, "A gift to one's master is about the thought behind it. I'm taking a disciple, not making a deal."

"Do you know why I knew but did not lightly bring up the matter of taking you as a disciple? This is the difference between ancient and modern times. With education widespread under the new dynasty, it seems teachers are regarded no differently from private tutors in the streets, as though it were merely a transaction."

Hearing this, Lu Zhao felt a little embarrassed.

This really was a difference between ancient and modern times. He had subconsciously overlooked it before.

Now that the old Daoist was treating him sincerely, he could not resort to tricks either.

The old Daoist continued, "Second, until you can construct your own Inner Landscape, you may call me teacher, but not master."

"Those are all my requirements."

Lu Zhao rose from the cushion, knelt on both knees before the old Daoist, and pressed his forehead to the ground. "Your disciple Lu Zhao pays his respects, teacher."

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The sounds of his three kowtows echoed clearly through the empty Daoist temple.

"Good."

A smile appeared on the old Daoist's face. With a light sweep of his sleeve, a gentle yet irresistible invisible force steadily lifted Lu Zhao to his feet.

"Sit back down. I will give you your first lesson."

Lu Zhao returned to his seat. Before he had settled down, the calm voice drifted over.

"The paths of cultivation in this world have been passed down for a thousand years, and none go beyond the Dual Cultivation of Nature and Life. The path of Life Cultivation is relatively straightforward. It mostly relies on external things such as pills and elixirs, and one can always accumulate small steps to travel a thousand miles."

The old Daoist looked at Lu Zhao, his usual affability gone. Frowning slightly, he said with extreme dissatisfaction, "As for you, you eat your fill all day and apply yourself to nothing. How hopeless!"

Lu Zhao's mouth twitched. It was the first time he had ever been scolded for not working hard enough. His teacher was rather petty too.

He nodded rapidly and said, "Teacher, what must I do not to be someone who eats his fill all day?"

The old Daoist answered, "Cultivating the Dao is both defying heaven and acting in accordance with it. Those who follow heaven succeed when conditions are ripe; those who defy heaven climb a ridge to see the peaks, then scale a peak to gaze upon the mountains."

"You've managed to act in accordance with heaven, but you haven't defied it at all. Are you content just to get your hands on what already belonged to you?"

The words struck like a thunderclap, instantly connecting Lu Zhao's somewhat scattered thoughts.

Chapter 34: Beyond Foundation Establishment, the Golden Core True Immortal

He followed the prescribed steps in cultivation, and he did the same at work.

It was mine to begin with, so of course I got it. I should only be satisfied when I get more.

Power, resources, and a voice in affairs.

My monthly quota of eleven bottles of life supplements was the fruit of my own sweat and blood to begin with. They should have given it to me. The same went for those merit points. They belonged to me in the first place.

I need more: an outstanding performance award at the station, an extra quota of life supplements, faster promotion through the ranks, and so on.

Lu Zhao's thoughts cleared, and his consciousness body solidified a little further.

He said, "Thank you for your guidance, teacher."

The old Daoist seemed to notice something and praised him. "You're not entirely dim-witted. Let's continue the lesson."

"As for cultivating nature, under the new dynasty it seems to have been entrusted entirely to Divine Abilities themselves, with people seeking only to pass each stage without error. This is wrong."

He paused and asked, "Lu Zhao, do you think I'm wrong?"

Lu Zhao became even more certain that the old Daoist was petty. Nodding rapidly, he answered, "Your insight is piercing, teacher. There really are materials at school that say Life Development is a simplification of the ancient methods."

The old Daoist asked again, "Let me ask you: does the present method of Life Cultivation temper the skin, tendons, bones, and flesh one by one?"

Lu Zhao answered truthfully, explaining the current Life Development system to his teacher.

Modern Life Development was very simple: vitality points made the degree of development visible, while stages served as realms.

Leaving aside the differences between Divine Abilities, a first-stage transcendent had ten to fifty vitality points. Their defining traits were the ability to use Divine Abilities and a tremendous improvement in physical attributes.

At ten points, strengthened muscles increased strength. At twenty, the dermis grew denser. At thirty, the strengthened fascia could withstand some piercing damage and impacts. At forty, the muscles began to contract voluntarily, allowing bleeding to be stopped at will.

Finally, upon reaching fifty points, the body, with its dermis, fascia, and muscles all reinforced, could withstand small-caliber handgun bullets.

Bullets could not effectively penetrate the dermis, and muscle contractions could also stop the bleeding.

In this way, advancement to a second-stage transcendent came naturally.

Those with fifty to two hundred points were second-stage transcendents, whose defining traits were qi sense and the ability to heal.

A peak second-stage transcendent could regenerate anything except the brain. Even if the heart stopped, the muscles throughout the body alone could circulate blood and maintain the bare minimum of life.

At the third stage above that, firearms no longer worked. Its defining trait was the ability to foresee danger, an extension of qi sense.

Life Development had no realms, only stages; all abilities were built up through accumulation.

"The new dynasty's Life Cultivation is passable."

After listening, the old Daoist nodded in considerable approval and said, "Today, I will correct the gaps in what you learned before, so that it may be complete."

"At the first stage, condensing an Outer Form must not be limited to its shape. You must also condense the five senses and forge the rudiment of an inner divine intent."

Lu Zhao asked, "Teacher, is the rudiment of divine intent an Inner Landscape?"

He could understand the five senses. That was part of the transformation of a second-stage transcendent's consciousness body, developing inward from a simple form.

A consciousness body with five senses also allowed one to discern hallucinations and prevent madness.

But he had never learned about divine intent. At the third stage, mental-type transcendents had an Inner Landscape, constructing a mental palace of their own.

To touch upon the third stage at the first was a little too incredible.

The old Daoist nodded. "In cultivation, you must look three steps ahead for every step you take, just as a child learning characters cannot learn only the characters, and a youth studying scriptures cannot study only the scriptures."

"On the proper path of Dual Cultivation of Nature and Life, one refines the five senses and condenses the rudiment of divine intent at the first stage. At the second, one manifests the imagery of the divine palaces of the five organs, establishes the circulation of qi, and blends the inner and outer. At the third, one constructs an Inner Landscape to forge the spiritual platform."

"Only then is Foundation Establishment complete, and one hears the Great Dao for the first time."

Lu Zhao's breathing grew slightly heavier. He felt that what he had learned before might all have been too superficial.

He asked, "Teacher, what realm are you in?"