“The Dao is like an empty vessel, and in being used, it is never filled. How deep and unfathomable! It seems to be the origin of all things. It blunts sharpness, resolves tangles, tempers light, and mingles with the dust. How still and clear! It seems ever to be present. I do not know whose child it is; it seems to have preceded the Emperor.”

The old Daoist priest’s voice was extremely soft as he lectured, yet it resonated clearly in the ears of everyone listening in the courtyard. As he finished the last word, his eyebrows and eyes drooped suddenly, as if he were about to fall asleep, appearing like a flickering candle in the wind.

Jiang Wang dared not be negligent. He followed his senior brothers in offering a respectful salute before rising to leave his seat.

Despite the old man’s unremarkable appearance, he was none other than Song Qifang, the Deputy院长 (Vice-Master) of the Maplewood City Daoist Academy. More precisely, before Dong A’lai, he had been the 正院长 (Master) of the Maplewood City Daoist Academy, having taken root in Maplewood City for several decades. However, having surpassed eighty years of age, his cultivation had remained stuck in the Seventh Rank, unable to open the Gate of Heaven and Earth. Consequently, he had long lost the will to advance, instead burying himself in scriptures and dedicating himself to teaching and imparting knowledge, and was thus deeply respected.

After Dong A’lai arrived, he did not contend or vie for power, but fully cooperated, allowing Dong A’lai to smoothly take control of the Maplewood City Daoist Academy. In return, Dong A’lai also gave him the utmost respect.

In all of Maplewood City, no one could surpass Song Qifang in terms of virtue and prestige.

…

Even after walking out of the courtyard gate, Jiang Wang’s heart had not calmed down, but was immersed in a profound sense of contemplation.

What is the Dao? Invisible and intangible, yet it is everywhere, boundless and endless. How can one recognize it, understand it, and pursue it? The more one pursues, the more one understands, the more one recognizes, the more one feels one’s own ignorance, one’s own insignificance.

One could only sigh, “How deep and unfathomable!”

Ling He walked and chanted, wishing he could repeatedly chew on the words. Zhao Rucheng, although he had never valued his studies, was also lost in thought. Only Du Yehu yawned repeatedly, as if he had just finished taking a nap.

Each term, the inner court selects ten students. In terms of basic Qi absorption techniques alone, Du Yehu’s progress was second only to Jiang Wang, whose Dao Meridian had already manifested, which showed that Du Yehu’s natural endowment was exceptionally good. However, he simply could not listen to those so-called Great Dao classics. In contrast, as soon as it came to spell-casting and other techniques, he would immediately become full of energy.

The inner court was the true Daoist Academy, which was no lie. Back in the outer court, there were only some simple martial arts techniques taught, and an inner court senior brother would come over every once in a while to give a unified guidance. After entering the inner court, there was a scripture class every five days and a technique class every ten days. The former was for studying the scriptures, and the latter was for learning techniques, both taught by senior Daoists. And if there were any difficulties in cultivation on weekdays, one could also ask the teachers for advice at any time. The martial arts techniques that required contribution points to exchange for in the outer court were also open to inner court disciples without restriction.

However, to the inner court disciples of the Daoist Academy, those techniques were not very attractive. It was not to say that martial arts were weak, but the entire Zhuang Kingdom’s cultivation world was dominated by Daoist cultivation methods. Even though the Maplewood City Daoist Academy had collected some martial arts techniques, they were only used as a transitional supplement during the outer court disciple period, so naturally, they were not very strong, and were far inferior to the power of Daoist techniques, so no one would abandon the near for the far.

…

“Senior Brother Jiang, please wait!” A voice rang out from behind.

Jiang Wang turned around and recognized Fang Heling, who had entered the inner court at the same time as him. He was from one of Maplewood City’s three great clans, and Fang Pengju was his cousin.

Speaking of which, he was not qualified to be selected into the inner court of the city Daoist Academy, but each term, the three great clans had to occupy one spot in the inner court selection. This was almost a default rule. Fang Pengju’s selection was naturally legitimate and justifiable, but in Fang Heling’s case, one did not know what price the Fang family had secretly paid.

This was the reality. Although cultivation was a path to transcendence, as long as it was a path walked by humans, it would always be full of intricate relationships, and would never be so pure. Even the Maplewood City Daoist Academy was no exception.

“What is it?” Jiang Wang asked indifferently.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Fang Heling, dressed in a moon-white robe, cupped his hands, appearing somewhat elegant and refined. “I just wanted to apologize to you for Fang Pengju’s wolfish ambitions. He has been expelled from the family tree. My Fang family has no such unrighteous and unjust people.”

“He is him, you are you. You don’t need to apologize for him. What he did has nothing to do with you.”

Jiang Wang finished speaking and left. He really was not in the mood to play along with this young master’s show.

But Fang Heling obviously felt that he had been insulted. As a member of the prestigious Maplewood City three great clans, he had personally apologized to Jiang Wang, who came from a humble background. Jiang Wang should have been grateful and weeping, or at least held his hand and sympathized with him. How could he be so indifferent?

“Senior Brother Jiang, why are you in such a hurry?” Fang Heling hurried a few steps, moved in front of Jiang Wang and his group, and said with a smile, “I forgot to tell Senior Brother Jiang that I took the Meridian Opening Pill yesterday and my Dao Meridian has already manifested.”

He tried his best to restrain himself, but the smugness was still palpable.

“And then?” Jiang Wang asked.

Fang Heling paused for a moment before saying, “Of the inner court students selected this term, only the two of us have manifested our Dao Meridian in advance. We should be close to each other.”

After all, he was still young. Although the teachings he had received since childhood had made him maintain etiquette, his words revealed his arrogance. He felt like he and Jiang Wang were the only heroes under heaven.

He didn’t really resent Jiang Wang for Fang Pengju’s death. If Fang Pengju hadn’t died, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity he had now! If it wasn’t for the sake of not tarnishing the reputation of the three great clans and preserving the spot in the inner court of the Maplewood City Daoist Academy, even if his father was implicitly the next patriarch of the Fang family, it would have been difficult to convince the family to spend such a huge price to buy the Meridian Opening Pill.

If that was the case, he would have to wait until next year to enter the inner court, or he might not even be able to enter next year. After all, there were only ten spots each year, and countless eyes in Maplewood City were watching. If the family had other children who were more outstanding than him, his father couldn’t be too obvious. The fact that Fang Pengju had booked that spot in advance was clear evidence of this.

“Oh.”

Jiang Wang said “Oh,” and walked around Fang Heling, going his own way.

Of course, he knew that Fang Heling was the direct son of the next patriarch of the Fang family, a direct descendant of the three great clans. He also knew that Fang Heling, at least for now, had no intention of provoking him. Perhaps, in order to maintain the Fang family’s reputation, he would even call him brother and act amicably.

But why? Why was it that a talented person like Fang Pengju could not obtain a Meridian Opening Pill even after desperately seeking it, and became increasingly extreme and impatient as a result? And just a few days after his death, this Fang Heling possessed it? Even if others didn’t know Fang Heling’s background, how could his own brothers not know?

If he had even a shred of promise, how could Fang Pengju have risen to prominence in the Fang family!

Even if Fang Pengju was ungrateful and died in a single night, did this ignorant young master have the right to trample on him?

The fact that Jiang Wang had not lost his temper on the spot was already considerable restraint.

Ling He, Du Yehu, and the others did not even glance at him from beginning to end.

The group walked away, leaving Fang Heling standing there, the smile on his face slowly freezing.

He didn’t expect that he would be ignored.

After he swallowed the Meridian Opening Pill, manifested his Dao Meridian overnight, and entered the inner court, he was still ignored!

He remembered when he first entered the outer court and met these leading figures of the outer court outside the Daoist Academy, he had excitedly stepped forward to greet his cousin’s friends and get acquainted with them.

But his cousin hadn’t even seen him, and had gone away with these people, arm in arm.

He had never forgotten the disappointment he felt at that time. That was why, as soon as he had consolidated his Meridian Opening, he had come to Jiang Wang and the others.

He didn’t know if he wanted to prove something, but at least, these people had to look at him.

But nothing happened.

Even though everything had changed, it was as if nothing had changed.

“Jiang Wang!”

Fang Heling shouted in his heart.

He tried his best to control his expression, but his face was already extremely unsightly.