Chapter 6 Chopsticks are really not sturdy

Once the Awakening of Insects arrived, the temper of the wind on the mountain changed. A few days ago, it was still lazy, but now it was desperately drilling into people's sleeves, urging them not to waste their days anymore.

Mount Longhu also began to tense up.

For those Disciples who had just entered the sect and hadn't yet touched the threshold of cultivation, today was more important than the New Year. If the New Year passed, there would be another next year, but if they couldn't bring out their Qi, they wouldn't be able to get past that obstacle in their hearts.

Zhang Guanchen got up very early.

It wasn't that he had suddenly become diligent; it was mainly because he hadn't slept well at all last night. After that bit of Qi mechanism drifted out from the Daozang Stele Forest, he was completely distracted. When he closed his eyes, it was there; when he opened them, it was still there.

It made him itch with anticipation.

When he pushed the door open and went out, the sky was just brightening, and the mountain path was still damp. Zhang Lingyu was already waiting outside, his back straight, his face expressionless, but his two hands were gripping his sleeves, clutching them tightly.

Zhang Guanchen glanced at him and chuckled.

"Junior Brother, with your posture, anyone who didn't know better would think you were about to be beheaded today."

Zhang Lingyu pursed his lips.

"Senior Brother, I am not nervous."

"Fine." Zhang Guanchen nodded. "Then let go of your sleeves first; you've almost twisted them into a dough twist."

Zhang Lingyu looked down, silently let go, and his earlobes turned a bit hot.

The two walked side by side toward the dining hall.

On the way, they saw many fellow Disciples. As usual, some greeted them, some called out Junior Martial Uncle, and some called out Little Junior Martial Uncle. Zhang Guanchen was long used to it and would just smile and respond a couple of times before moving on, while Zhang Lingyu remained proper and returned the greetings strictly by the book.

As they walked, Zhang Guanchen suddenly tilted his head.

"Lingyu."

"Hm?"

"If you're really nervous, I have a way."

Zhang Lingyu's eyes lit up.

"What way?"

Zhang Guanchen looked serious.

"First, go to the back mountain, find a spot, dig a hole in advance, and bury your face in it. Then, whether you succeed or not later, it won't be embarrassing."

Zhang Lingyu was stunned for two seconds before realizing he had been teased again. The tension on his face dissipated a bit, and he said softly.

"Senior Brother."

"Yeah."

"Are you not afraid at all?"

Zhang Guanchen didn't stop walking, his gaze drifting forward.

Afraid? How could he not be?

He had a rough idea about Zhang Lingyu; his Heart-Nature was stable, and his foundation was good, so obtaining Qi was only a matter of time; it wasn't a big problem. But he himself was different. What kind of ghost thing was the Dao Treasury Echo? Whether it could actually help, and to what extent it could help, he had no clue.

Besides, no matter how loudly he bragged, if he got stuck at the first step, it wouldn't be him watching others' jokes; it would be others lining up to watch his.

However, he couldn't say this.

Especially not in front of his Junior Brother.

He coughed and pretended to be calm.

"Is being afraid useful? No."

"Besides, if it really doesn't work out, you still have to be full first. Losing face while hungry—what a loss that would be."

Listening to this twisted logic, Zhang Lingyu was actually persuaded by two points and nodded lightly.

When they arrived at the dining hall, it was much livelier than usual inside.

The tables were filled with people in groups of threes and twos. The aroma of food mixed with the sound of chatter, and the whole room was noisy. Many people were eating, but their minds were not on the food at all.

"I heard that for this matter of obtaining Qi, half is talent, and half is luck."

"Oh, forget it. If there were really luck involved, I would have succeeded last year."

"Ninth Senior Brother obtained Qi in three days; that's true."

"Three days? That's too outrageous."

"What's outrageous? His talent is right there for all to see."

"Then today, Tenth Junior Uncle and the Little Junior Martial Uncle are going to start too, right?"

"They were brought back personally by the Grandmaster; they surely won't be bad."

"Who can say for sure? Cultivation isn't like learning characters. If you're smart, you can learn characters, but obtaining Qi involves much more."

The conversation circled around and around, and before long, it circled back to the two of them.

Zhang Lingyu held his chopsticks, his ears pricked up. The more he listened, the straighter his face became. By the end, his hand began to tense up, and the clump of rice he had picked up dropped back into the bowl with a plop, then rolled onto the table.

Zhang Guanchen almost burst out laughing.

"Look," he lowered his voice. "Even the chopsticks think your hand is too stiff and have started a strike."

Zhang Lingyu quickly raked the rice back, stuffed it into his mouth with his head down, and mumbled softly.

"I really am not nervous."

"Fine, fine, fine, you're not nervous; it's the quality of the chopsticks that's bad."

Zhang Guanchen said this while picking up food as well, but as soon as he finished speaking, the chopsticks in his own hand snapped with a "crack."

Both of them lowered their heads at the same time.

The air was quiet for a second.

Zhang Lingyu looked up at him.

Zhang Guanchen put down the broken chopsticks without changing his expression.

"See? I told you this batch of chopsticks in the dining hall today wasn't any good."

Zhang Lingyu's mouth twitched slightly; he almost couldn't hold it in.

A fellow Disciple nearby heard this and couldn't help but chuckle, and the atmosphere relaxed a bit.

Zhang Guanchen went to get a new pair, but in his heart, he was cursing.

Damn chopsticks, they just had to undercut him at this moment.

On the surface, he was calm, but in his heart, he was pounding. The words he spoke with Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei on the cliff on the night of the Lunar New Year had been circling in his mind repeatedly these days. Today was the first hurdle.

If he passed, the road lay ahead.

If he got stuck, he would still have to grit his teeth and keep pushing.

After breakfast, the two headed toward that small hut as usual.

The road wasn't long, but Zhang Lingyu became quieter as they walked. By the end, even his breathing had become light.

Zhang Guanchen suddenly reached out and patted his arm.

"Don't be so tense."

"Mm."

"You really don't need to be afraid. Ninth Senior Brother succeeded in three days back then; you can't be too much worse than him, or else his tail will be wagging in the sky again."

Zhang Lingyu's eyes relaxed from being teased, and he asked in a low voice.

"Senior Brother, what about you?"

Zhang Guanchen grinned.

"Me? My requirements are low; just don't let me lose face today."

That's what he said, but when he entered the door, his back still tensed up for a moment.

Inside the room, Ninth Senior Brother had already arrived, sitting cross-legged with a very imposing posture. It was clear he had specially tidied up, preparing to be a proper Senior Brother today.

As soon as he saw the two enter, he cleared his throat and pointed to the side.

"Sit."

Zhang Lingyu sat down properly.

Zhang Guanchen also sat down. As soon as he raised his eyes, he saw Ninth Senior Brother staring at him with a hint of inexplicable vigilance in his eyes.

"Why are you looking at me?" Zhang Guanchen looked innocent.

Ninth Senior Brother snorted.

"Let's get this straight: be honest today. No joking around, no leading Lingyu astray, and no intentionally angering me."

Zhang Guanchen immediately protested.

"Ninth Senior Brother, that hurts. When have I ever intentionally angered you?"

Ninth Senior Brother bared his teeth.

"When are you not intentional?"

Zhang Lingyu sat between the two, looking left and right. The tension in his heart was actually dissipated quite a bit by this nonsense.

After Ninth Senior Brother finished scolding him, his expression became serious.

"You both know what day it is today. I won't say those empty words. Whether you can obtain Qi depends on yourselves. At most, I can lead you to the door; once you truly go inside, no one can help you."

Zhang Lingyu nodded solemnly.

Zhang Guanchen didn't joke around anymore either, listening quietly.

When Ninth Senior Brother saw that the two finally looked like students, he felt a bit better and began to explain the most basic things.

"What is an Outcast, what is Qi—you hear about these often. Today, I won't talk big; I will only talk about what is most practical. The difference between an Outcast and a normal person is not in martial arts or courage; it is whether or not that breath of Qi within the body can be born."

He picked up a scroll and slowly unfurled it.

"Before obtaining Qi, you must first have Qi sensation. If you can't even touch that breath, everything else is in vain."

Zhang Guanchen's eyes had already fallen on the chart.

It was a Qi Circulation Chart. It wasn't flashy; the meridians, nodes, and Qi pathways were all very simple. At a glance, it didn't look mysterious; instead, it had a straightforward clarity.

But the moment he saw it clearly, deep in his mind, the Daozang Stele Forest trembled slightly.

It wasn't the air-leaking kind of tremor from last night; it was a deeper echo.

Boom.

It was like someone had struck a bell in the empty stele forest.

Zhang Guanchen's pupils contracted slightly.

In the broken stele forest, on a previously blurry ancient stele, a thin line slowly emerged. That line was neither gold nor white; it was just a faint, clear radiance, rising from the middle of the stele all the way up.

At the same time, the Qi Circulation Chart in front of him quietly changed in his field of vision.

It wasn't that the chart changed; it was that his feeling about the chart had changed.

Those Qi pathways suddenly were no longer dead lines; they seemed to have been brought to life by something. Their sequence, weight, rise and fall, and even where one should slow down and where one should relax, all had an indescribable order.

Zhang Guanchen's breathing stopped for half a beat.

So familiar.

It wasn't that he had seen it; it was that his body recognized this thing.

The Dao Treasury Echo was moving.

He didn't even have time to think; that feeling had already followed his line of sight back into his body. It was like a drop of water falling into soil that had been dry for a long time—there wasn't even a sound; the soil absorbed the water on its own.

The first time, the Qi sensation arose.

It was very light.

But it was real.

The second time, that weak bit of Qi mechanism that had been pushed out by the Daozang Stele Forest last night seemed to have finally found its way home. It turned along his chest and abdomen and gently rippled through his limbs and bones.

Zhang Guanchen's back went slightly numb.

The third time.

Somewhere inside his body, a barrier seemed to loosen on its own.

It didn't take effort, it didn't struggle, and it didn't even count as breaking through. It was more like the door hadn't been locked to begin with, just waiting for him to reach out and push it.

Qi—it was done.

The whole process was outrageously fast.

It was so fast that even Zhang Guanchen suspected he hadn't woken up yet and was daydreaming here.

He didn't move or make a sound, just sat quietly, but his heart was pounding.

It really was done.

It wasn't barely passing the line, it wasn't suffering for half a day; it really just went smoothly like this.

In the Daozang Stele Forest, that lit-up ancient stele trembled slightly, and a shallow mark appeared on the stele face again, as if it had swallowed a part of the Qi Circulation Chart, and then it went silent again.

The room was very quiet.

Ninth Senior Brother had originally prepared to continue speaking for a few more sentences to let the two youngsters have some mental preparation, but the words stopped suddenly at his lips. He frowned and stared fixedly at Zhang Guanchen.

"Guanchen?"

Zhang Lingyu also lifted his head from the chart, looking bewildered.

Zhang Guanchen slowly exhaled a breath.

"Ninth Senior Brother."

"Hm?"

"I think, I succeeded."

Ninth Senior Brother was stunned for a moment, then his voice shot up.

"What did you say?!"

"I said, I obtained Qi."

As soon as the words fell, the room felt like it had been hit by a hammer.

Zhang Lingyu was dumbfounded.

Ninth Senior Brother was even more frozen in place, his mouth half-open, words stuck in his throat, unable to recover for a long time.

"Impossible." He reflexively retorted.

"It's true."

"Don't talk nonsense."

Ninth Senior Brother rushed over in a stride, his hand pressing on Zhang Guanchen's shoulder. Once the subtle sensing between Outcasts touched, the expression on his face cracked on the spot.

It was real.

He really had obtained Qi.

And that bit of Qi mechanism, although still very shallow, was frighteningly smooth; it didn't look like a novice at all.

Ninth Senior Brother stared at him for a long time, his voice becoming hoarse.

"How long has it been?"

Zhang Guanchen blinked.

"Three breaths?"

Ninth Senior Brother's face turned black, then white.

He had obtained Qi in three days back then, which was considered a talent worth showing off on the mountain. Yet today, as soon as he unfurled the Qi Circulation Chart, this kid had succeeded after looking at it three times.

Three looks.

He couldn't even pretend anymore.

Ninth Senior Brother's brain was buzzing, as if there were a hundred bells ringing inside.

Zhang Lingyu hadn't even understood the chart yet, and he was first stunned by this news. It took him a long time to find his voice.

"Senior Brother, did you really succeed?"

Zhang Guanchen nodded.

"I think so."

"What do you mean 'I think so'!" Ninth Senior Brother was about to explode. "Success is success; failure is failure. How can there be an 'I think so' in this matter?!"

Zhang Guanchen was honest.

"It's mainly because it was too fast; I also have a hard time believing it."

When these words came out, Ninth Senior Brother almost couldn't catch his breath.

You have a hard time believing it?

Then what does that make me?

He turned around and paced in the room, his steps getting larger, muttering to himself.

"Something is wrong, something is not right. This matter is not right. How can it come like this? Whose obtaining of Qi is like eating tofu—just pick it up and it's done? It's unreasonable."

Zhang Guanchen wanted to laugh, but he didn't dare to laugh too obviously.

Zhang Lingyu looked at Ninth Senior Brother, then at his own Senior Brother, his eyes full of shock, and a bit of undisguisable envy.

Zhang Guanchen saw this, and his heart stirred.

He reached out and patted Zhang Lingyu.

"Don't think too much. Everyone's path is different; take your time."

Zhang Lingyu pursed his lips and nodded, but his eyes couldn't help but drift toward the Qi Circulation Chart.

He also wanted to succeed.

Very much.

Ninth Senior Brother paced for two laps and stopped abruptly.

"No, this must be told to Master."

After he finished speaking, he rushed toward the door.

Just as he reached halfway, a calm voice came from outside the door.

"What are you looking for me for?"

Ninth Senior Brother slammed on the brakes with his feet and almost lost his footing.

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei was already standing at the door, with Elder Tian beside him.

The Old Celestial Master still had that ordinary appearance, but his eyes held an indescribable depth. Elder Tian was staring into the room, his eyebrows raised high; it was clear he had heard the commotion outside perfectly clearly.

Ninth Senior Brother immediately turned around.

"Master, Guanchen, he... he obtained Qi in three breaths."

Elder Tian's mouth twitched.

"It really was three breaths?"

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei didn't speak, only looking at Zhang Guanchen.

That gaze fell upon him, as if it wanted to see through him from the inside out.

Zhang Guanchen's heart tightened. It wasn't because of a guilty conscience; he really had obtained Qi, and the problem was real. What he was afraid of was the Dao Treasury Echo being discovered.

But Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei looked for a long time and only asked one question.

"Is the Qi mechanism stable?"

Zhang Guanchen nodded.

"Stable."

"Is your body uncomfortable?"

"No."

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei gave a light "Mm," his expression unchanged. But Ninth Senior Brother, seeing his Master's calm appearance, felt even worse.

"Master, this is three breaths!"

"I know."

"Aren't you surprised?"

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei glanced at him.

"If I were surprised, could you turn back into three days?"

Ninth Senior Brother opened his mouth and went completely silent.

Elder Tian laughed from the side and patted the armrest of his wheelchair.

"Alright, stop stabbing his heart; it's not that wide to begin with."

Ninth Senior Brother pulled a bitter face, thinking this wasn't just a stab; it was like taking a stick and poking inside.

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei walked into the room, his gaze slowly sweeping over the faces of the few, his voice not loud but very steady.

"Remember this matter today, those in the room; do not spread it outside."

Ninth Senior Brother immediately nodded.

Zhang Lingyu also sat straight.

Zhang Guanchen's heart stirred. He knew that this move of his was a bit eye-catching, but with Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei personally sealing the lips, the weight was different.

This meant that obtaining Qi in three breaths was even more valuable than he had thought.

And even more dangerous.

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei finally looked at him.

"Especially you."

Zhang Guanchen was stunned.

"Why do I have to be singled out?"

Elder Tian laughed uncontrollably from the side.

Ninth Senior Brother also chuckled.

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei was expressionless.

"Because others know the weight of things; you may not."

Zhang Guanchen was immediately unconvinced.

"Master, that's biased; my mouth is the tightest."

"Is that so?"

"Of course."

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei said calmly.

"Then start by showing off less."

Zhang Guanchen coughed dryly and shut his mouth.

The room quieted down. Outside, the spring breeze blew over the eaves, bringing a light sound. Zhang Lingyu looked down at the Qi Circulation Chart, his fingers tightening slightly, and suddenly he looked up.

"Master, I also want to try."

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei looked at him, his gaze softer than before.

"Try."

Zhang Lingyu nodded and returned his gaze to the chart.

Zhang Guanchen didn't make a sound to disturb him, just sat quietly on the side. The heat of having just obtained Qi hadn't faded yet, and new thoughts were already emerging.

Three breaths was just the beginning.

Since the Dao Treasury Echo could really help him get through this hurdle, then the subsequent Golden Light Mantra and other techniques—could they also leave traces, be dismantled, and become a path more suitable for himself?

His eyes shone slightly.

This thing wasn't a simple cheat.

It was more like a mountain that could grow on its own.

Whatever you feed it, it builds upon for you.

Just as he was thinking, Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei suddenly spoke.

"Guanchen."

"Disciple is here."

"Since the door is open, don't be lazy."

Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei looked at him, his tone flat.

"In a while, continue."

Zhang Guanchen was stunned, but his heart jumped violently.

Continue what?

The Qi Circulation Chart was already passed; what could the next step be?

He subconsciously looked at Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei, then at the scroll of the Golden Light Mantra enshrined by the wall. His mind seemed to have been gently flicked by someone, and heat rushed from his chest to the top of his head.

Golden Light Mantra.

Today, I'm afraid it's not over yet.