“The Tao is void, yet its utility is boundless. Ah, it is the source of all things. It dulls the sharp, untangles the knot, harmonizes the light, and merges with the dust. Deep indeed! It appears to exist. I know not whose offspring it is, yet it is the image that precedes the Emperor.”

The old Taoist’s voice was gentle, yet it clearly resounded in the ears of every listener within the academy. As the final word faded, his eyes and brows drooped, as if poised to drift into slumber, presenting the picture of a man in his twilight years.

Jiang Wang dared not be remiss. Following his senior brothers, he respectfully offered a salute before rising from his seat.

Do not be deceived by this old man’s unassuming appearance; he is Song Qifang, the deputy dean of the Fenglin City Taoist Academy. More precisely, before Dong Alai arrived, he held the position of head of the Fenglin City Taoist Academy, a post he had held for decades. However, having surpassed the age of eighty and his cultivation remaining stubbornly in the Seventh Grade realm, the Gate of Heaven and Earth remained stubbornly shut to him. Thus, he had long relinquished any desire for further advancement, choosing instead to immerse himself in ancient texts, dedicating himself to the art of teaching and preaching. Consequently, he was held in high regard by all.

Upon Dong Alai’s arrival, he neither contended nor vied for power, instead offering full cooperation, allowing Dong Alai to smoothly assume control of the Fenglin City Taoist Academy. In return, Dong Alai accorded him immense respect.

Indeed, within the entirety of Fenglin City, in terms of virtue and standing, none could surpass Song Qifang.

…

Even after exiting the academy gates, Jiang Wang’s heart remained unquiet, still steeped in a profound sense of awe.

What is the Tao? Invisible and intangible, yet pervasive and inexhaustible. How does one perceive it, comprehend it, and pursue it? The deeper one delves, the more one understands, the more one knows, the greater the sense of ignorance and insignificance.

One can only sigh, “Ah, it is profound!”

Ling He walked and chanted, eager to chew over the words repeatedly. Zhao Rucheng, though never one to place great importance on scholarly pursuits, was also lost in thought. Only Du Yehu yawned, as if he had just awoken from a nap.

Each term, ten students are selected for the inner courtyard. In terms of basic breathing techniques alone, Du Yehu’s progress was only surpassed by Jiang Wang, who had already achieved the outward manifestation of his Daoist meridians. One had to admit his talent. However, those grand classics of the Great Dao truly failed to capture his attention. Conversely, as soon as they transitioned to classes on techniques, his energy levels soared.

The inner door is the true heart of the Taoist academy; this much is true. In the outer door, only rudimentary martial arts were taught, with inner door senior brothers providing unified guidance at intervals. Upon entering the inner door, scripture classes were held every five days, and dharma classes every ten days. The former delved into scriptures, while the latter focused on techniques, both instructed by senior Taoist practitioners. Furthermore, in ordinary times, any doubts regarding cultivation could be addressed by seeking guidance from the teachers. The martial arts that previously required contribution points in the outer door were now freely accessible to inner door disciples without restriction.

However, for the inner door disciples of the Taoist academy, these martial arts held little allure. It was not that the martial arts were weak, but rather that the entire cultivation world of the Zhuang Kingdom was dominated by Taoist cultivation methods. The Fenglin City Taoist Academy had collected some martial arts, but they served merely as a transitional supplement for outer door disciples and were naturally not potent, even paling in comparison to the power of Taoist techniques. Thus, few bothered to seek them out.

…

“Senior Brother Jiang, pray wait!” a voice called out from behind.

Jiang Wang turned his head and recognized Fang Heling, who had been selected for the inner door in the same term – he hailed from one of the three major families of Fenglin City, and Fang Pengju was his cousin.

Strictly speaking, he was not truly qualified for selection into the inner door of the city’s Taoist academy, but in each term’s inner courtyard selection, the three major families were guaranteed a place. This was almost a tacit understanding. Fang Pengju’s selection was naturally justified, but as for Fang Heling, the price the Fang family paid in secret remained unknown.

This is the harsh reality; while cultivation is an extraordinary path, in this world, any path trodden by men will inevitably be entangled with intricate relationships, never truly pure. Even the Fenglin City Taoist Academy is no exception.

“Something amiss?” Jiang Wang asked indifferently.

“Heh, nothing much,” Fang Heling, clad in a moon-white robe, cupped his hands, exuding a hint of elegance. “I merely wish to apologize to you for Fang Pengju’s wolfish ambition. He has already been expelled from the family lineage, and my Fang family disowns such an unrighteous individual.”

“He is him, you are you. There is no need for you to apologize on his behalf, and what he did is unrelated to you.”

Jiang Wang spoke and then departed. He truly had no inclination to accompany such a fop in his theatrics.

But Fang Heling evidently felt slighted. He, a scion of one of the three major families of Fenglin City, had personally offered an apology to Jiang Wang, a person of humble origins. Surely, Jiang Wang should not only have expressed gratitude but at the very least engaged in a display of camaraderie and understanding, hand in hand? Why the utter indifference?

“Senior Brother Jiang, why such haste?” Fang Heling quickened his pace, circled around Jiang Wang and his companions, and said with a smile, “I neglected to inform Senior Brother Jiang, I just took the Meridian Opening Pill yesterday, and my Daoist meridians have already manifested.”

He attempted to restrain himself, but a hint of pride still bubbled to the surface.

“And then?” Jiang Wang inquired.

Fang Heling was taken aback for a moment before saying, “In this term’s inner courtyard selection, only the two of us have manifested our Daoist meridians in advance, so we should naturally forge closer ties.”

After all, he was young, and though the upbringing he had received since childhood had instilled in him the importance of propriety, his words still betrayed a touch of conceit. It was as if he believed that among the heroes of the age, only he and Jiang Wang stood out.

He harbored no genuine resentment towards Jiang Wang for Fang Pengju’s demise. If Fang Pengju had not perished, he would not have had the opportunity he possessed now! Had it not been for the sake of preserving the reputation of the three major families and securing the inner courtyard selection spot within the Fenglin City Taoist Academy, even if his father was implicitly the next patriarch of the Fang family, it would have been difficult to persuade the family to expend such a vast sum to acquire the Meridian Opening Pill.

Then he would have had to wait until the following year to enter the inner door, or perhaps he wouldn’t have been able to enter even then. After all, there were only ten spots available annually, and how many pairs of eyes were fixed on them throughout Fenglin City? If the family had other children who were more outstanding than him, his father could not be too blatant. Previously, Fang Pengju had already reserved that position in advance, which served as proof.

“Oh.”

Jiang Wang uttered a simple “oh” and then bypassed Fang Heling, continuing his journey forward.

He was aware, of course, that Fang Heling was the legitimate son of the Fang family’s next patriarch, a direct descendant of one of the three major families. He also knew that Fang Heling, at least for the time being, had no intention of instigating any conflict with him. In fact, to maintain the Fang family’s reputation, the man would likely call him brother, and everything would appear harmonious.

But why? Why did such an outstanding figure as Fang Pengju have to beg for a Meridian Opening Pill and still be denied, to the point of becoming increasingly extreme and impatient? And just days after his death, this Fang Heling possessed one? What kind of background did Fang Heling possess? Others might not know, but wouldn’t his own kinsmen be aware?

If he possessed any capability, why wouldn’t the Fang family have allowed Fang Pengju to take the lead initially!

Even if Fang Pengju was ungrateful and perished overnight, was this so-called fop before him truly qualified to trample upon him?

Jiang Wang’s restraint in not acting on the spot was commendable.

Ling He, Du Yehu, and the others, from beginning to end, did not even cast a glance in his direction.

The group strode away, leaving Fang Heling standing rooted to the spot, his smile slowly stiffening.

He had not anticipated being disregarded.

Even after swallowing the Meridian Opening Pill and manifesting his Daoist meridians in a single morning, he was still ignored!

He recalled when he first entered the outer door and encountered these prominent figures of the outer door outside the academy. He had eagerly stepped forward to greet his cousin’s friends and introduce himself.

His cousin had not even acknowledged him, walking away shoulder to shoulder with these individuals.

He had never forgotten the sense of loss he felt at that moment. Thus, the moment he consolidated his Meridian Opening, he sought out Jiang Wang and the others.

He did not know if he sought to prove something, but at the very least, he believed these people *must* look at him.

However, nothing.

Everything had clearly changed, yet it still felt as if nothing had changed.

“Jiang Wang!”

Fang Heling roared in his heart.

He struggled to control his expression, but his face was already a mask of displeasure.