Chapter 5, The Explanation of the Path at Qianzhang Rock (Part 2)

This book is titled "Diagram of Purification of Acupoints" and discusses how to refine one's acupoints and meridians in accordance with the timing. Such a superior method is rarely heard of by many present, and upon suddenly hearing it, they realize the rarity of true teachings. Each person holds their breath and focuses intently, listening as if entranced.

Soon, his consciousness arrived in a peculiar space

He shook the thin paper in his hand and said in a deep voice: "Manager Bian, this set of instructions seems simple yet is quite difficult; it will take a considerable amount of time to deduce. You may have to wait for a while."

Although the language used in the manuscript differs slightly from that of Zhang Yan, this is merely a difference in linguistic habits and scholarly cultivation; the meanings are largely similar. Moreover, since Zhang Yan intentionally expresses himself in a straightforward manner, his language is even more fluent and comprehensible. If it were not for the fact that Hu Shengyu had recently reviewed this book, it would have been impossible for it to circulate; Bian Qiao almost believes that Zhang Yan has already read it once.

He once used the method of silently reciting scriptures to calculate time, roughly inferring the conclusion that "ten days inside the jade correspond to one day outside"

In front of a crowd of a hundred onlookers, he was pressured by Zhang Yan to the point of feeling somewhat embarrassed. At this moment, retreating would mean losing all face, and he feared that from now on, those individuals would trample on his reputation. The situation had reached a point where he had no choice but to act.

As soon as these words were spoken, most people around also noticed this detail, all filled with confusion. Indeed, why had Zhang Yanzhu not been seen preparing?

Bian Qiao took out a silk handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his temples, letting out a sigh of relief. He had originally thought that this book would be difficult enough to stump Zhang Yan, but he did not expect Zhang Yan to be so formidable.

Zhang Yan silently glanced at the time; it was now around the hour of Si, which is approximately ten o'clock in the morning. By the time it reaches the hour of Hai in the evening, it would be nearly twelve hours. If calculated by a factor of ten, that amounts to one hundred and twenty hours, which is equivalent to five days for him

This text, titled "Manqu Jing Shi," consists of only sixteen characters; however, it subtly contains sixty-four methods of Daoist songs and formulas. If any one of them is omitted during interpretation, it cannot be considered successful.

Bian Qiao was taken aback, and he nervously pulled out a notebook from his sleeve to compare it with the content that Zhang Yan was reciting. Unconsciously, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and the more he looked, the more the cold sweat increased.

With a sudden crash, Zhang Yanyu's voice paused momentarily. He looked up at the trembling Bian Qiao and smiled faintly.

Zhang Yan, calm and composed, smiled and said: "Manager Bian, do you need me to write another copy by hand?"

It is not surprising that they lack experience; after all, only a few can afford to seek guidance from a master. Even the talismans they manage to obtain are merely copies that have already been interpreted. I have never seen anyone interpret the inscriptions without the aid of bamboo slips. Meanwhile, the few who understand the reasons behind this look at Zhang Yan with expressions of astonishment and admiration

After turning a few more pages, he discovered that this was a superior manual of Taoist techniques. A sudden thought arose in his mind; he had originally sought fame, and was this not a rare opportunity?

Bian Qiao fixed his gaze on Zhang Yan, not believing that the other party could pass this time either

With this fragment of jade, he can spend ten times more time than others on thinking and learning, and when it comes to deducing the erosion script, no one can compare to him

To take a step back, even if one possesses the original text interpreted by Hu Shengyu, it is certain that even if Zhang Yan can interpret it, his interpretation will undoubtedly be riddled with errors and omissions, and a comparison will reveal his true colors!

He couldn't help but smirk inwardly; at this moment, if someone else were to take his place, they would indeed be at a loss. However, as for himself...

Bian Qiao let out a cold laugh and said in a strange tone, "What, could it be that Junior Brother is facing some difficulties?"

He reached out and grasped the piece of broken jade hidden in his sleeve, his mind sinking into it.

Zhang Yan surprisingly did not need to look at the book at all; relying solely on his memory from a single reading, he began to interpret it word by word. A chorus of gasps erupted around him, clearly indicating that Zhang Yan's actions had greatly astonished them. However, before long, as Zhang Yan's clear voice resonated, the previously whispering crowd gradually fell silent, their minds slowly captivated by the content of the Daoist text.

Having made up his mind, he quickened the pace of his flipping through the pages. After finishing, he immediately closed the book and sat in silence with his eyes closed

Bian Qiao was taken aback for a moment, and then his face turned somewhat dark. This book indeed resembled what Zhang Yan had said, being a counterfeit made with eroded text; in reality, it was quite substandard. It was not something that someone who had not immersed themselves in eroded texts for a long time could easily discern. When he first obtained it, he had intended to sell it for a good price. Today, he had merely brought it along to deal with Zhang Yan. He had thought that even if Zhang Yan managed to interpret it, if he did not grasp its true foundation, he could still use that to mock Zhang Yan and diminish his face. Unexpectedly, it turned out that Zhang Yan seized the opportunity to ridicule him instead. He found himself unable to explain, and a wave of frustration welled up within him.

Seeing his actions, everyone was taken aback, speculating whether this book had posed a challenge for Zhang Yan

Do not be fooled by Bian Qiao's grand words; Zhang Yan roughly calculated that even if he were to interpret this book without rest, it would still take at least three days to fully comprehend it.

This avatar, whether sitting, lying down, or walking, does not affect his main body in the slightest; they are both independent of each other and yet completely unified.

Among them, there were those who, in urgency, sat down on the spot and began to meditate quietly. The crowd did not disturb them and naturally made way, forming a circle around them

In an instant, only Zhang Yan's voice remained on the Qianzhang Rock, not particularly loud, yet rich and resonant.

Just now, he discovered that as his cultivation improved, his thoughts became clearer when interpreting the inscriptions, akin to a moonlit clear spring, untainted by any dust. Moreover, his speed was somewhat faster than usual, indicating that he still did not need to resort to that trump card for the time being

Zhang Yan sighed and said, "It is merely a patchwork of breathing techniques, likely a playful creation of some senior, deliberately written in a cryptic script for amusement. Those who do not understand the truth are easily deceived. If Manager Bian wishes to pursue the path of cultivation, I believe 'The Classic of Unified Qi' would be a more suitable entry point."

Zhao Ying had originally been deeply engrossed, feeling the internal energy within her body swirling endlessly, as if she had immersed herself in a mysterious realm, her whole body warm and unable to extricate herself. Now, coming to her senses, she thought that this little thief indeed had some skill, but how could her elder brother be spitting blood? Could it really be as her elder brother said, that she had acted too hastily? Had she truly wronged a good person? For a moment, her gaze towards Zhang Yan was filled with complexity. Could it really be as her elder brother said, that she had acted too hastily? Had she truly wronged a good person? For a moment, her gaze towards Zhang Yan was filled with complexity.

At this moment, someone in the crowd exclaimed, "This interpretation of the eclipse text actually did not use bamboo slips!"

When he came, he had prepared a total of three books, each more profound than the last. However, he had never intended to take out the last one; it was actually just a set of teachings that Hu Shengyu had other uses for. If he were to take it out now, ... what if Hu Shengyu pursued the matter ...

Just now, he noticed that Zhang Yan's words were sharp. If he were to grasp a painful point in Zhang Yan's speech, it would likely be difficult for him to retaliate. He was just waiting for Zhang Yan to make a mistake, and as soon as that happened, he would immediately strike, not giving Zhang Yan any time to respond, and would first solidify his position before proceeding.

Bian Qiao's face turned pale; he did not expect that Zhang Yan would be so formidable. If this technique were to be leaked, he would not be able to bear the blame from Hu Shengyu. Observing Zhang Yan's demeanor, it was clear that he intended to read the entire text word for word. In that moment, he could not afford to feel distressed and grabbed the purple clay teapot in his hand, throwing it to the ground.

His facial muscles twitched for a moment, and with a clenched jaw, he took out a piece of yellowed thin paper. "This verse contains only sixteen characters. Since the first two volumes of this book posed no challenge to Junior Brother Zhang, this one should be a piece of cake for him as well"

He picked up the thin sheet of paper, and Zhang Yan's brow furrowed slightly. He could tell that although this Daoist scripture was brief, it was intricate and profound. The script used was exceptionally obscure, and it concealed many derived variations within, making it far from as simple as it appeared on the surface.

Here lies the greatest secret of this piece of jade; within the jade exists a "duplicate" of him, which not only resembles his physical appearance entirely but also shares the same sensory and mental attributes, akin to a mirror image of the original.

After holding the Taoist scripture in his hands for about a quarter of an hour, Zhang Yan shook his head and set it down

No need for that

The most remarkable aspect of this is that the time and space within the jade are not synchronized with the outside world

Moreover, it is crucial to note that the deduction of this formula is mentally and temporally demanding, and cannot be accomplished in a single day

Everyone finally came to their senses, all wearing expressions of regret and emotion. Most people looked at Zhang Yan with admiration, while their gazes towards Bian Qiao were filled with resentment. At that moment, a series of "thud thud" sounds were heard, and those in the front row fell to the ground, exclaiming "ouch ouch". It turned out that while listening to Zhang Yan interpret the Daoist texts, everyone unconsciously leaned forward, their chests pressed against each other's backs, one on top of the other. The person standing at the very front, feeling relaxed at that moment, naturally lost their balance.

After a considerable amount of time, Zhang Yan opened his eyes and spoke: "This book is titled 'Diagram of Purifying the Apertures', and the incantation states: 'The apertures connect to the divine gates, purifying the spiritual elixir' ... ... "

He smiled lightly, sitting upright among the jade, using his hand as a counter, and began to calculate this sixteen-character formula by counting on his fingers

Bian Qiao let out a grunt, forcefully sweeping the book off the table, causing it to fall to the ground. With a sullen expression, he took out another book, first raising it slowly, then loosening his grip, allowing it to fall onto the stone table with a "thud." He curled his lips into a smile that did not reach his eyes and said, "I kindly ask my junior brother to take a look."

As soon as the mind entered the shattered jade, the originally motionless "self" immediately became lively and animated, as if it had suddenly been endowed with life

Bian Qiao chuckled coldly to himself, for it is known that there are both complex and simplified forms of the script. When Hu Shengyu first read this book, he had to lay out bamboo slips and interpret it carefully. Even if Zhang Yan were to be more proficient in the script, could he surpass Hu Shengyu?

Bian Qiao had absolute confidence in this Daoist decree. He glanced at the sky; it was already dusk. He thought to himself, even if Zhang Yan could predict tomorrow, what difference would it make? Wouldn't the result still be the same? Thus, he feigned magnanimity and waved his hand, saying: "It is of no concern. Let us set tonight as the deadline. I believe by then, Junior Brother Zhang will not be unable to decipher even these mere sixteen characters of the inscription, will he?"

Bianqiao's eyelid twitched slightly, and his gaze was far more piercing than that of anyone else present, yet it carried an ominous undertone.

Upon seeing the appearance of Bianqiao, Zhang Yan realized that this book was likely quite extraordinary. However, instead of feeling intimidated or retreating, he became increasingly interested. As he read through it carefully, he discovered that it indeed posed some challenges, but with his abilities, he was still able to manage it. Surprisingly, he felt a slight sense of disappointment.