24: The innate Qi, the leader of literature and Taoism, the first of the seven sages

“Who is the first to awaken from a great dream? I know myself in this life, ah, how refreshing!”

Qin Chuan got up from the soft bed in the Inn and looked at the bright sunshine outside the window, his mood improving.

Just then, Su Jun’s voice came from outside the door:

“Master, breakfast is ready! Should I bring it in for you?”

“Wait.”

“Oh.”

A moment later, Qin Chuan, fully dressed, pushed open the door and saw Su Jun holding a tray with the Inn’s food on it.

He instinctively took two steps back, coughed, and said, “Put it on the table first!”

“Okay!”

Su Jun nodded vigorously, making the tray sway.

Under Qin Chuan’s trepidatious gaze, the tray was placed on the table with a clang, finally avoiding the fate of its predecessors.

—One must know that the bowls and dishes Su Jun had broken during this period, even with their unique money-making skills, were no small expense!

As for what unique money-making skills?

Su Jun looked proud: “Master, look, the jade pendant is back again today!”

Qin Chuan did not stint on his praise: “Well done!”

“Then Master, when will you teach me peerless divine martial arts?”

“Soon, soon…”

—These past few days, Qin Chuan had been attempting something bold, and it was on the verge of success!

That was: the attempted cultivation of the Innate Qi Taiyi Scripture!

At the same time, in the Inn’s lobby on the first floor.

After personally witnessing Su Jun carrying the food tray upstairs, the goatee-bearded man almost choked.

“This brat, he, how dare he! And Jun’er, you are the young lady of my Su family…”

Gritting his teeth for a while, he then lowered his head to calculate.

“Redeeming the jade pendant cost another gold, and that was only because they gave me face. The allowance Big Brother gave me is almost gone. I hope Jun’er will truly realize the dangers of the martial world after this incident! As for this brat…”

Qin Chuan was unaware at this moment that someone was secretly seething with hatred towards him.

With Su Jun as his little money-making expert, he hadn't spent too much thought on earning money.

Achieve life goals, strengthen oneself.

These were the two core objectives.

Life goals were untraceable; the first two required tracing back more than twenty years.

Regarding the most crucial Human Martial Saint aspect, although explicit requirements hadn't been given, Qin Chuan already had his own guesses.

Martial arts levels were definitely required, but he didn't know what additional conditions there were.

Thinking this, Qin Chuan continued to recall the contents of the Innate Qi Taiyi Scripture in his mind.

—Here, one must mention the photographic memory talent.

Although Qin Chuan recorded messages in his mind and wouldn't lose them due to reincarnation.

But after losing this talent, the difficulty for him to recall and utilize that talent to remember things was no less than finding a specific piece of content in a book within the Jinling Library.

Yes, the kind without sections, no table of contents, or book titles.

Qin Chuan guessed that the main reason was that he had only memorized things by rote, without truly internalizing that knowledge as his own.

None of this was important now, and he didn't have that much time to internalize it.

The content of the Taiyi Scripture was not recorded by him with the help of his photographic memory talent; he could recall it easily.

He silently recited in his heart: “Innate Master General, One Qi Divine Lord…”

As he operated the Taiyi Scripture in his familiar way, he felt his entire body begin to heat up and tingle.

Feeling this, Qin Chuan was not discouraged; instead, he became excited!

—He had forcefully attempted this in the Main World before, which was why he was severely injured and hospitalized.

But the feeling back then was like being thrown into a furnace or touching a high-voltage wire; he almost lost his life just by starting.

But now—it was like static electricity from clothes!

It couldn't be said to be acceptable, but at least it was bearable!

He could definitely cultivate it!

“Hmph!”

Qin Chuan’s eyes were slightly closed; when he opened them again, the shadow of thunder and fire flashed in his pupils.

He murmured: “Taiyi? Is this cultivation or martial arts practice?”

It was no wonder he said this; the so-called Innate Qi Taiyi Scripture was about preserving the Innate One Qi spirit, commanding five hundred heavenly spiritual officials, refining the body, and sublimating the spirit.

Cultivating it to the extreme could even rival the thunder that echoed through eternity.

“No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem like something from the martial arts side…”

Soon, Qin Chuan stopped dwelling on this question.

—If that were the case, wouldn't it be even better!

For now, he should continue to strengthen himself… then go find the old man from twenty years ago!

To strive for the completion of his life goals!

The next day.

Qin Chuan got up early. Seeing Su Jun, who was now much more practiced, bring him tea and snacks, he uncharacteristically showed a hint of embarrassment.

—As a young lady from a distinguished family, Su Jun being able to serve someone so diligently and without complaint was truly remarkable.

If Qin Chuan were to truly take her as a disciple, this naive girl might be genuinely moved.

The key was—he had no peerless divine martial arts!

Oh, he couldn't say he had none; the Taiyi Scripture could barely count.

But firstly, he wasn't prepared to expose the Taiyi Scripture.

Furthermore… according to his estimation, a physique of 9 could only barely cultivate it. To truly reach the minimum standard for cultivation, the lowest physique needed to be 10.

Otherwise, the former Qin Chuan in the Main World was a lesson learned—death or injury was no joke.

After finishing the tea and snacks, seeing Su Jun’s expectant gaze, Qin Chuan coughed.

He said, “Shall we go out for a bit later?”

“Mm-hmm! Okay, are we going to sell the jade pendant?”

As soon as Su Jun said this, Qin Chuan inexplicably felt a chill all around him.

He pulled his clothes tighter and then said, “No need, this money is enough for us for a while… You accompany me to a place first… Hmm, don’t worry, I’ll teach you divine martial arts in the next two days!”

“Yay!” The mere mention of “divine martial arts” was enough to make Su Jun forget all her troubles.

Seeing her reaction, Qin Chuan just shook his head.

—This child was lucky to have met him; if it were someone else, she’d probably be helping them count money after being sold…

Uh, that statement sounded pretty similar to her current situation.

Never mind!

Qin Chuan felt: at least he wasn't a bad person, right!

At noon, the young man and girl sat before a tea stall in the city, leisurely sipping tea.

In front, the storyteller was exerting himself, trying to attract the attention of the surrounding diners.

“…Picking up from last time! Our exiled immortal Chen Wenyuan’s essay was presented to the imperial court, causing an uproar! Emperor Wu listened from behind the curtain, and the high officials in the court debated endlessly. Just as no one could convince anyone else—clang, clang, clang! Guess who stepped forward? To know what happens next, please listen…”

“Clink…”

Two pieces of broken silver were tossed in front of the storyteller. He looked up and saw Qin Chuan, dressed in a Daoist robe with a sword on his back, leading a young girl.

The storyteller bowed and said, “Thank you for the reward, young Daoist! This old man wishes the Daoist master a heart of Dao, a heart of virtue, a heart of non-action; may your heart welcome the Green Ox under your command, with no need for a thousand vows…”

Qin Chuan: “Stop with the auspicious words, continue the story.”

“Alright, my lord, listen well!”

After putting away the silver, the storyteller didn't stand on ceremony. He cupped his hands to the surroundings and continued.

“…When the high officials debated endlessly over this, a world-shaking figure stepped forward. Who was he, you ask? This was the current foremost scholar of the literary path, the number one scholar under heaven, the head of the Seven Sages of the Literary Path—Wang Zhongshu!”