In the eastern part of the Da Chuan country, vast mountains extend, and clear water flows to the east.
On the summit of the Wanshan Mountains, there stands the Yunxi Sect, with tall pavilions and flying green birds, presenting a spectacular scene.
Beyond the grand sect square, there is a small slope leading to an ancient pavilion. Unlike the bustling atmosphere of the sect, this place is quiet as the night.
This pavilion is named "Ask Dao Pavilion." Disciples of the sect, facing difficulties in their cultivation, can ascend the pavilion and seek guidance. The guardians of the pavilion, in each generation, are the most knowledgeable elders in various scriptures within the sect. With a single phrase from them, a disciple can gain insights surpassing ten years of arduous practice.
At this moment, it is noon. A direct disciple stands respectfully in the pavilion, listening to the elderly voice behind the bamboo curtain expounding on the Dao: "The 'Breaking Sword Technique' you have been studying for three years has not succeeded because of a major misconception in its direction. Breaking the sword does not refer to breaking the enemy's sword but cultivating the essence of 'sword intent.' The essence lies in the four words: expansive meridians, qi extension, relaxed vessel, and
The disciple is slightly surprised, "Third Elder, the 'Breaking Sword Technique' that I have memorized only contains six words: expansive meridians, qi extension, and relaxed vessel. There are no 'machine measurement.' Why is that?"
"Nonsense!" the elder scolds, "The 'Breaking Sword Technique' has eight essential words. The first six are groundwork, and the last two point the way. 'Machine measurement' refers to blending your entire body's energy with the sword in your hand..."
After the explanation, the disciple's confusion turns into delight.
As the bell in the pavilion lightly rings, signifying the end of the discussion, the disciple bows to the bamboo curtain, places a wrapped package gently on the table, exits the Ask Dao Pavilion, bows again at the entrance, leaps into the air, and departs satisfied.
As he disappears, the bamboo curtain is lifted, revealing the face of a young person.
This individual is about seventeen or eighteen years old, with delicate and handsome features. His eyes are exceptionally lively and vigilant as he scans the surroundings. He grabs the package from the table and slips out from behind.
Behind him is a small courtyard with a girl of about twelve or thirteen years old. Although still in the process of growing, her facial features are enchanting, and when she smiles, her nose wrinkles, resembling a princess from a fairy tale.
The girl runs over, "Brother, no one noticed, right?"
"How is that possible? My acting skills are already top-notch," the young man pinches her little nose, taking out a package and placing it on the table.
The contents of the package roll out, revealing a significant amount of shiny silver and a wild chicken.
Upon seeing the silver, the girl's eyes light up, hugging it, "Wow, five taels!"
"Go put it away!"
The money enthusiast takes the silver and runs to her room, pulling out a pottery jar from under the bed. Ding dang, signifying the new five taels of silver entering their small treasury.
Excited, she runs back out, "Brother, it's almost half a jar now! I didn't expect to deceive so much in just ten days since Master left."
"What do you mean deceive?" The young man glares at her, "I've corrected you several times; it's called guidance from a renowned teacher… reasonable fees!"
"Yes, yes, Brother's guidance is very reasonable..." The girl nods like a chick pecking at rice, "Brother, what are you going to do with this money?"
"What am I going to do with the money? That's actually a good question!" The young man looks into the distance at a 45-degree angle, "Normally, men save money to buy a car, a house, or to gather the bride price. But in this damn place, everything is upside down. I just want to save some travel expenses and go down the mountain to take a look."
The girl suddenly gasps, "Elders forbade you to go down the mountain and made it clear."
"I know, but... what can I do if I don't go down?" The young man sighs, "This is a place for cultivation. Everyone is constantly striving to ascend in their cultivation and enlightenment. I, without any innate talent for cultivation, what am I enduring here for? After a few years, I probably won't even be able to beat the rabbits in the sect..."
The girl tilts her head and says seriously, "Brother, don't say that. In Little Yao's eyes, you are very, very amazing. Look at the disciple who came today, wearing purple clothes and being a direct disciple. Didn't he also bow to you differently?"
"Little Yao, you've grown up and learned how to comfort people..."
The young man smiles slightly, gently rubbing her little head.
The girl squints her eyes, enjoying the attention, and her eyes narrow into a crescent moon shape.
Suddenly, the young man's movements stop, and his gaze lifts, lost in thought.
One sentence from the girl has touched him.
The disciple who came today is a direct disciple, what does that mean? Only disciples directly taught by the sect master or top elders are considered direct disciples. Such disciples are at the top of the hierarchy among the disciples, so why would he make such a basic mistake?
The eight essential words of the 'Breaking Sword Technique,' and he missed the two most important words!
This is not normal!
Where is the problem?
His consciousness sinks, entering his mind.
In his mind, there is something mysterious. A withered tree with three branches. The leftmost branch has a hint of green, bearing dozens of leaves. One leaf is enlarged in his mind, and it is none other than the sect's secret scripture, the 'Breaking Sword Technique.' The disciple becomes his eyes, clearly reading the recorded words: "Expansive meridians, qi extension, relaxed vessel, machine measurement"...
This is his secret.
A secret known to no one.
His name is Lin Su, a time traveler!
When he crossed over, the first thing he encountered was this tree in his brain.
He doesn't know if this "withered tree" is a benefit given to time travelers or an ability inherent in the body. Still, he knows that this ability is extraordinary. As long as he touches a book, the withered tree in his brain will grow leaves, perfectly replicating the contents of the book. With this ability, he nearly emptied the sect's library of cultivation secrets below the second floor, interpreting them with insights far beyond the understanding of this era, all in a short time.
It is with this super cheating device that he can temporarily play the role of the "Guardian of the Pavilion" when the master leaves, guiding disciples and changing the habit of free services to earn some travel expenses.
To deceive, eat and drink, amass wealth
, and... not deceive love yet. Originally, things were going smoothly, but today there is a sudden change—the scriptures comprehended by the direct disciple differ from the ones he copied.
This is not a small problem!
This is a significant issue related to his livelihood!
Without a legitimate knowledge system, he has no confidence in deceiving people...
Lin Su lifts his head, "Little Yao, I'm going out. Pluck the feathers of this wild chicken, and I'll make braised chicken for you when I return..."
The girl, without any warning, sheds a crystal-clear tear at the corner of her mouth, picks up the chicken, wipes her mouth while plucking feathers. It turns out that it's easy to move her. If a piece of silver doesn't work, adding a roasted chicken will surely do the trick.
Lin Su leaves the Ask Dao Pavilion and goes to the library. His "registered disciple" nameplate shines, allowing him to enter the second floor.
He finds the 'Breaking Sword Technique,' opens the second page, and under the general outline...
Lin Su is dumbfounded!
The 'Breaking Sword Technique' recorded here really has only six words!
Through his brain's replication process, it unexpectedly added two words, and not just two words—more than a third of the entire technique!
Who has seen a copy that is more detailed than the original?
He can't confirm if this is the same book he first encountered, so he looks for another one to conduct an experiment!
Lin Su has basically finished copying the scriptures on the second floor. Since he cannot access the third floor due to his identity, he looks for omissions. Most of the scriptures omitted on the second floor are incomplete, and he quickly finds a fragmentary 'Floating Steps Technique.'
Upon contact, a leaf forms in his brain, presenting a clear 'Floating Steps Technique,' more than ten times longer than the incomplete one he holds. The incomplete technique is no longer incomplete...
Suddenly, a unanimous exclamation comes from nearby, "Greetings, Holy Maiden!"
Lin Su retrieves his scattered thoughts and stares at the direction where the disciples are bowing. With just one glance, his heart skips a beat, and a poem jumps into his mind: "Dreaming of dressing, desiring a beautiful appearance, the spring wind brushes the doorstep, dew rich and thick. If it weren't for the jade-like mountainside encounter, how could one meet beneath the moonlit Jade Terrace!"
This poem was shamelessly composed by Li Bai to flatter a woman, but at this moment, Lin Su feels it's forgivable.
If it weren't for the Jade Terrace under the moon, how could there be such a celestial being?
This woman's face is delicately carved like a skilled craftsman, her gaze like a fairy looking down upon the mortal world. Her skin is as white as jade, with an unparalleled elegance. If she were to appear on the streets of modern society, causing accidents by overturning cars would be a high probability...
But this woman is very aloof. She floats past, ignoring the bows of the people, levitates a step off the ground, and ascends to the third floor.
Leaving behind a trace of fragrance.
Someone nearby says, "It seems the Holy Maiden is not in a good mood. Could it be that her journey southward is not going well?"
"Indeed not going smoothly. Encountered a big fish..."
When the conversation reaches this point, it seems to touch on a taboo, and the speaker hastily shuts up, leaving the library.
Lin Su scratches his head with suspicion. Encountered a big fish? What does "big fish" mean? Why isn't it a fish, but a singular "big fish"?
Oh well, cultivators are mostly illiterate or semi-literate; what do they know about quantifiers?
Regardless, he decides to go back and cook the wild chicken for Little Yao. Tomorrow, he'll continue deceiving to accumulate enough travel expenses and leave this ghostly place. He doesn't have the physique for cultivation, so he can't enter the path of cultivation. But he doesn't believe there is only one path in this world—cultivation.
A modern person travels to ancient times, competing head-on in the fields they are adept at. Isn't that a bit absurd?
When he returns to the small courtyard, Little Yao has already stripped the wild chicken bare. Lin Su takes a knife and eats heartily. Soon, with a sizzle, steam rises from the iron pot, and the aroma of meat fills the entire courtyard.
She eats the first piece of meat, and Little Yao munches with oil all over her mouth.
She eats the last piece of meat, and she eats it with a happy face.
She calls him brother, but he is not her brother.
She is an orphan in the sect, and her parents died early. When Lin Su first saw her more than a month ago, she had just finished a fight with a stray dog, holding a piece of bone triumphantly snatched from the dog's mouth. Lin Su patted her shoulder and said, "Little Yao, I just grilled a fish, come!"
Since then, her activity circle has not left this small courtyard within a radius of ten yards.
Since then, she calls him brother.
He enjoys having someone call him brother in this unfamiliar world. He also likes to see her happily gnawing on chicken legs, her eyes half-closed in bliss.