9: Chapter 9: I found a brother and sister [

From that day on, in addition to teaching every day, Chu Tianjiao began to deduce a Mind-Cultivation Technique at night.

It was not a profound Imperial Scripture, nor a domineering saber technique, but a basic Mind-Cultivation Technique aimed at how ordinary people could open their Bitter Seas and embark on the path of cultivation.

He wanted to create a Mind-Cultivation Technique that would allow Mortals to also step onto the path of cultivation.

It would not require high talent or rare resources, only a heart directed towards the Dao.

This was difficult, almost impossible.

Because cultivation is inherently Heaven-Defying, requiring talent, resources, and Opportunity. If everyone could cultivate, the world would have long since fallen into chaos.

But Chu Tianjiao wanted to try.

He did not seek to make everyone a great power, only to give ordinary people the ability to protect themselves and the chance to change their fate.

In the days that followed, besides teaching students, Chu Tianjiao would check their physical condition and record data.

He wanted to understand the limits of a Mortal's Physique, the difficulties in opening the Bitter Sea, and how to guide the essence of heaven and earth in the simplest way.

Ten years passed.

Batches of Chu Tianjiao's students left, and new ones arrived. Because he charged no tuition and provided lunch, the reputation of his private School gradually spread, and the number of students increased from the initial dozen to over a hundred.

Villagers from the nearby villages were all willing to send their children—they could learn knowledge and save a meal, so why not?

Chu Tianjiao did not turn anyone away; he accepted as many as came.

Of course, there were also people without eyes who came to cause trouble along the way.

There were local bullies who wanted to collect protection money, low-level Cultivators from nearby Schools who wanted to seize this land, and even nobles from small nations who wanted to capture Chu Tianjiao to be a private tutor.

But these people all "disappeared."

Without a sound, as if they had never existed.

People in town knew that Master Chu was not simple, but no one dared to ask exactly how. They only knew that as long as Master Chu was there, Qingshi Town would be peaceful.

After ten years of accumulation, Chu Tianjiao had already gained some insight into that Mind-Cultivation Technique.

He happily taught the children every day, teaching them reading, arithmetic, and how to conduct themselves. As for cultivation knowledge, he did not teach it for the time being—it was not yet time, and the Heart-Nature of these children was not yet suitable.

Spring passed and autumn came, year after year.

There were more and more children in the private School, and Chu Tianjiao had to keep some older students to help teach, letting them be "little teachers."

Just like that, ten years turned into twenty, and twenty years turned into fifty.

The children who were once little brats grew up, got married, had children, and sent their own children to the private School.

And Chu Tianjiao was still that same young man in his twenties, with delicate features and an elegant demeanor.

The surrounding villagers went from initial astonishment, to later awe, and now to taking it for granted.

They spontaneously built a statue for Chu Tianjiao, placed it at the entrance of the town, and worshiped it daily. In their hearts, Master Chu was the Immortal who guarded Qingshi Town.

Chu Tianjiao watched generation after generation grow up, grow old, and pass away.

He did not interfere with life, old age, sickness, and death, but just observed quietly, comprehending the various states of the Mortal World.

Five hundred years passed just like that.

To Mortals, five hundred years is the succession of dozens of generations; to Chu Tianjiao, it was just a journey of tempering the heart in the Mortal World.

This afternoon, just as School let out, the children ran laughing towards the cafeteria.

Chu Tianjiao packed up his lesson plans and was about to return to his room to continue deducing the Mind-Cultivation Technique when he suddenly heard a faint movement outside the door.

He walked to the gate of the courtyard and saw a ragged brother and sister curled up in the corner of the wall.

The brother was about eight or nine years old, thin and bony, with fear on his face; the sister was six or seven, hiding behind him, revealing only a pair of timid eyes.

Both of them had injuries, and their clothes were tattered; they had clearly been wandering for a long time.

"You..." Chu Tianjiao squatted down, his tone gentle.

"Master, please take us in!" The brother suddenly knelt and kowtowed, "We can do anything—sweep the floor, wash clothes, cook... please give us a bite to eat!"

The sister also knelt down, her little face dirty, but her eyes were very bright.

Chu Tianjiao looked at this brother and sister, and his heart stirred.

He had spent five hundred years in this private School and had seen countless poor children, but this brother and sister gave him a different feeling—it was not that their Physique was special, but a kind of indescribable fate.

"Get up." Chu Tianjiao helped them up, "Come with me."

He brought the brother and sister into the private School and arranged for them to wash up, change clothes, and eat.

The brother was named Xiao Shitou, and the sister was named Xiao Nannan—both were very common names, clearly given casually by a poor family.

Xiao Shitou was very sensible; after eating, he took the initiative to help wash dishes and sweep the floor; Xiao Nannan was very quiet, always pulling on her brother's sleeve, looking around timidly.

Chu Tianjiao did not ask too much, just letting them stay for now.

Three days passed just like that.

At noon on the fourth day, a noisy sound suddenly came from outside the private School.

A dozen people broke in; at the lead were four middle-aged men in gorgeous clothes, whose Aura were all at the Dragon Transformation Realm. Behind them followed a dozen attendants at the Four Poles Secret Realm.

The appearance of these people frightened the children in the courtyard, making them hide to the side.

"Boss, it's right here! His Aura is right here!" an attendant said to the leading middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man scanned the courtyard, and his gaze finally landed on Chu Tianjiao, who was teaching.

Chu Tianjiao frowned, stood up, and walked out of the classroom.

"Who is making noise here? Withdraw immediately." His tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable dignity.

But those dozen people completely ignored him.

In their eyes, Chu Tianjiao was just a Mortal—without any Aura, no different from an ordinary schoolteacher.

"It's inside, Boss!" The attendant pointed inside the classroom.

A dozen people rushed directly towards the classroom, the target clearly being the brother and sister hiding in the corner.

Xiao Shitou and Xiao Nannan were so scared they hugged each other, trembling.

"I haven't killed in a long time, let alone in front of children." Chu Tianjiao sighed, "You are forcing my hand."

He waved his hand casually.

There was no earth-shattering Aura, no brilliant Spell light.

But those dozen people—four from the Dragon Transformation Realm, a dozen from the Four Poles Secret Realm—were like being struck by an invisible giant hand, instantly flying backward, passing through the courtyard wall, and disappearing into the distant mountains and forests.

They didn't even leave behind a scream.

The courtyard went quiet.

The children widened their eyes, looking at Master Chu, then looking at the direction where those bad people had disappeared.

"Alright, children, those were bad people, and they have been driven away by your teacher." Chu Tianjiao turned around, a gentle smile returning to his face, "Let's continue with our lesson."

He had the other teachers maintain order, while he himself returned to the classroom.

In the classroom, Xiao Shitou and Xiao Nannan were still huddled in the corner.

Chu Tianjiao smiled at them, signaled for them to sit properly, and then continued lecturing.

The class was a bit restless because of the earlier episode, but it was quickly calmed down by Chu Tianjiao. Although the children were curious, they were more afraid of missing Master Chu's lesson.

After the afternoon class ended, the children cheered and rushed towards the cafeteria.

Chu Tianjiao called out to Xiao Shitou and Xiao Nannan, who were preparing to leave.

"You two, stay behind."

Xiao Shitou pulled his sister and walked cautiously in front of Chu Tianjiao.