Flying Straight Back to an Old Haunt

Under the bright sunshine, the large, purplish-red flowers on the trees, each with dozens of soft petals, swayed gently in the breeze.

In a classroom at the Yi Province Military Academy, a student gazes out the window at the flowers, lost in thought.

Suddenly, the teacher rang the school bell outside.

The students who had been daydreaming snapped out of their daze and started organizing their textbooks, while the students who had been wandering around returned to their seats.

Ma Zhengwu walked into the classroom, dressed in a long black robe and wearing round-rimmed glasses.

Since becoming a teacher, he hasn't drunk as much as before, and his nose isn't as red as it used to be.

"Alright, class is starting."

He didn't like to waste words. He glanced around the classroom, and seeing that everyone was present, he got straight to the point.

"Today, we'll talk about the Weapon-Warding Talisman. Turn to page seventy-two of the talisman book."

"Starting from this page, the next nine pages are all about the visualization steps for Weapon-Warding Talisman against weapons and enemies, and the material requirements for drawing the talisman..."

The class that Ma Zhengwu led was the Talismanic Arts Class, a rare group of students in the Military Academy who Aperture Opening into the Spirit Communication Path.

In military Military Academy and even the army, those who Aperture Opening through martial arts training far outnumber those Spirit Communication Aperture Opening.

Martial arts practitioners have strong endurance and adaptability. Once the basics are taught well, they can be sent out to learn and practice on their own.

These spiritual mediums are currently required to study for at least four years, covering more subjects than those taught in martial arts, and the instruction is very detailed.

"The original meaning of guarding swordsmen is to avoid swordsmen."

Ma Zhengwu used chalk to write a big word "PI" on the blackboard, and then added a bottom line.

"Leaving aside the various gunpowder weapons of today, even in ancient times, sorcerers rarely would put a talisman on themselves and stand still, letting themselves be hacked at."

"That's not called Weapon-Warding Talisman; it should be called a golden bell protective talisman or something like that."

"Therefore, the true purpose of this talisman is to detect whether there are any weapons, traps, or dangerous situations ahead, allowing one to avoid them in advance..."

Ma Zhengwu's lectures are insightful yet easy to understand.

The teaching materials he used were compiled by Principal Li Genyuan.

It can be said that the principal set a framework for them. As long as they have real talent and ability, they can fill in the content within this framework and follow the steps to achieve good teaching results.

The student sitting in the second-to-last row by the window, who already knew today's lesson by heart, was somewhat distracted.

"Student Zhu!"

Ma Zhengwu tapped the blackboard with his chalk and said, "Come up here and replicate the drawing method I just demonstrated. Show me where you need to use continuous strokes and where you need to trace repeatedly."

The student went to the blackboard and drew it without any mistakes.

Ma Zhengwu nodded in agreement. "You learn things very quickly, but you also need to concentrate in class. I heard that you are young and have only been in the army for a short time, yet you have already had the opportunity to be promoted to the position of pistol captain by Governor Cai's side."

"But since Principal Li discovered that you also have talent in magic in addition to martial arts, do you feel that this is a waste of your talents and that you miss the battlefield?"

The student stood ramrod straight. "Teacher, I love reading!"

"I was just thinking that the enemy across the border likes to make landmines using hard-shelled berries and some Shitou from the rainforest."

"The army's detectors are almost ineffective against these traps, but the Weapon-Warding Talisman is effective."

"If we could simplify this spell and integrate it with the existing detection equipment, that would be ideal."

Ma Zhengwu pondered for a moment and said, "Talismans and instruments can easily interfere with each other; they need to be coordinated..."

The student exclaimed in surprise, "Teacher, you have a solution for this?"

"No."

Ma Zhengwu said coldly, "I'm just an old-fashioned sorcerer. It's good enough if I can learn and teach the old-fashioned things well."

He smiled. "The new usage is for you young people to figure out. Go back to your seats."

The student returned to his seat and subconsciously glanced again at the flowering tree outside.

Two or three petals were blown off the tree by the wind.

Under the tree, a young man with a sword at his waist and a bundle in his hand, had appeared at some point.

The person had jet-black hair, bright eyes, and was looking into the classroom, smiling casually.

The location of the podium makes it difficult to see the people under the flowering trees.

Ma Zhengwu continued speaking for quite a while, and it wasn't until the end of class, as he left amidst the students' farewells, that he saw that person.

"You!"

"When did you get back, you little brat?!"

Student Zhu opened the window and peeked out. He saw the teacher's face, which showed both surprise and joy. He strode over to greet her.

Other students also noticed what was happening outside and gathered around the window, discussing it animatedly.

"Who is that?" "Is it someone from the Governor's Office again? Wait, I've never seen them before."

Student Zhu aligned the textbooks, placed them on the table, and tapped them. "The newspaper that came out yesterday had his picture on it, and you guys don't recognize him?"

The student next to him had noticed that his deskmate often looked out the window during class, so he nudged him.

"The photo in the newspaper is completely black; who could recognize it? Then tell me, who is it?"

Student Zhu exclaimed excitedly, "That person... is a miracle doctor!"

"What an amazing doctor!!"

The two people in the courtyard had already walked away.

Instead of going to the teachers' office, they turned onto a path lined with flowering trees outside the school, heading towards the sanatorium.

As Chu Tianshu walked along the road, he muttered to himself, "The longer I live, the more my horizons broaden. I think I've seen someone who resembles my grandfather's idol..."

Ma Zhengwu asked in surprise, "What?"

"Nothing."

Chu Tianshu chuckled, "I've done some quick calculations, and the student you called to the blackboard to solve the problem is incredibly determined, persistent, and highly talented."

Ma Zhengwu chuckled.

"Come on, I've heard so much about you these past few months, but I've never heard that you've learned divination techniques."

Ma Zhengwu rubbed his mustache with his knuckles and said, "But that student is indeed very good. He's very brave in battle, and after transferring to the school, his grades in all subjects quickly caught up to the top."

"He is especially good at organizing people. There are many people in the school who come from different hometowns and have different habits, but he gets along with them all very well."

"Who knows, in the future they might all be lured away by him to research the combination of magic and military equipment."

Chu Tianshu smiled without saying a word. A person with such a firm will and tireless learning would still achieve something even if not on a battlefield on the verge of despair.

Changes in external conditions will not bury them; they will only make them walk more steadily. The ancient Origin Canon may be tenacious, but who could have known that there are so many heroes today, whose will surpasses even the strongest iron torrents!

"Hey, weren't you still in the capital yesterday?"

Ma Zhengwu's initial surprise cooled slightly, and he finally remembered, "You rushed all the way from the capital overnight?"

Chu Tianshu chuckled, "Uncle Ma, there's something called an airplane."

Back in the Great Tang, he fled from Nanzhao back to Chang'an, a harrowing journey that nearly made him want to throw the route map back at Hai Donglai's face, inscribed with the two characters, "A Deceitful Scammer."

However, in this world where airplanes already exist, and with Beijing largely under control, this is a significant development.

Chu Tianshu only changed flights once before returning to Kunming from the capital.

It's really comfortable not having to move your legs yourself.

Ma Zhengwu slapped his forehead. "I forgot about this."

Kunming is a city with mild summers and winters, a place that can be called the Spring City or the Flower City.

As Chu Tianshu and his companions walked along the road, they saw many flowering trees. When they finally arrived at the sanatorium, they were greeted by a garden.

The sanatorium's buildings are not particularly luxurious; in fact, they are rather old and mostly made of bamboo and wood.

However, it is well-designed, with good ventilation and air purification, making it a pleasant place to relax.

These flowers range from tiny wildflowers, as small as a fingernail with delicate petals, to large, exquisite flowers, deep purple and pinkish-white in color.

Chu Tianshu was knowledgeable about many flowers with medicinal properties, but upon arriving here, he realized at a glance that he probably only recognized about a third of them.

Despite their diverse variety, the layout is well-organized and pleasing to the eye.

Many people who come here for recuperation like to bring a small bamboo chair and sit in the garden.

Chu Tianshu walked through most of the garden and arrived at a place where trees and flowers intertwined, where he saw a bench in front of him.

Old Yu sat on a bench, head tilted back, eyes closed, a thin, hollow bamboo stick between his teeth, which he used to reach into the teapot beside him.

Zhong Jinqiu was behind the bench, swinging his arms and striking a large tree with a gentle motion. Judging from his posture, he wasn't really exerting any force; he was just loosening his muscles.

"Uncle Zhong! Old Yu!"

Both of them turned to look, their expressions a mixture of surprise and delight.

Zhong Jinqiu just kept laughing, coughed twice, and hadn't said anything yet.

Old Yu said, "Doctor Chu, why are you back so soon? There must be many important matters to attend to in the capital."

"Let them handle the rest of the important matters; I'm here to rest for a couple of days."

Chu Tianshu placed the bundle he was carrying on the bench, revealing the thick stack of books inside.

"I'll bring you some martial arts manuals and also help you treat your illnesses."

Last time I came to Kunming, I didn't have time to properly explore and appreciate the beautiful scenery. This time I can make up for it.

Besides, once we leave this world, who knows when we'll meet again?

Given the age of these old men, it's possible they'll never see each other again.

Chu Tianshu reached out and patted Old Yu's shoulder.

He had already lost an arm, and after being shot in the shoulder years ago, that arm always trembled, making it difficult for him to even hold a teapot.

"I can treat this. I'll give you a few acupuncture needles first, then prescribe a medicine. I guarantee that in a few dozen days, your arm will be exactly the same as it was in its prime."

As soon as the silver needles pierced his flesh, Old Yu grimaced in pain and couldn't utter a single word.

Chu Tianshu sat down on the bench, arms outstretched, legs crossed, looking extremely relaxed.

"Besides, I only managed to get two manuals from the Military Academy back then, but this time I'm going to read them all."

Ma Zhengwu laughed and said, "Are those things still of use to you?"

"Why is it no longer working?"

Chu Tianshu said earnestly, "Maybe there's some inspiration in it. Besides, it can be read as a storybook too."

The Nian Army sorcerer who escaped that day was eventually captured by Liu Yanqi.

Chu Tianshu was very interested in that family's secret recipe. He even shaped hair into needles, feeling that he could modify it and use it himself.

Moreover, the hair regrowth solution they used was really effective.

This miraculous remedy for baldness will definitely find a market back in my hometown.

The Five Rampancies Dharma Sect has quite a few secret manuals, but most of them are evil arts. If they were posted on the Special Investigation Bureau's website, they probably wouldn't sell more than a few times.

The Military Academy is still the best.

A fresh tip! I'll have some extra income when I get back!

"Let's have some Kunming specialties tonight!"

Chu Tianshu made a stretching sound and said, "This is the season when mushrooms are plentiful."

"Don't be too afraid of poisoning. Prepare it however you like it to taste best. My skills are superb, so indulge yourself a bit."

(End of this chapter)