I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Vol 2 Chapter 67 – Pursuit

Standing by the window, Zheng Fa gazed at the vast expanse of clear blue sky.

Looking down, an endless sea of white clouds stretched beneath him. The clouds rushed past his feet like raging waves in a typhoon, surging forward relentlessly.

It wasn’t that the clouds were moving too fast—it was that he was.

Zheng Fa had never realized that the palace where Uncle Pang summoned disciples daily was actually one of his magical treasures.

...

Zheng Fa stepped out of his room and headed toward the main hall.

Ever since Uncle Huang had delivered news about the Heavenly Stele, the entire nature of Taiyang Commandery had changed.

Beyond the matter of Senior Sister Zhang’s disappearance, the Heavenly Stele was an even greater concern.

A rare, heaven-sent opportunity—one that was both an immense fortune and a monumental challenge for Jiushan Sect.

Originally, the Sect Master had planned to send Sun Daoyu with a few disciples to Thunder Pool first.

But now, Uncle Pang had no choice but to go personally.

He brought along quite a few disciples:

One group was following the original plan—to search for Senior Sister Zhang.

Another was heading to comprehend the Heavenly Stele.

And the last group, based on Zheng Fa’s suggestion, was tasked with scouting a location near Thunder Pool to establish a new market district.

Uncle Pang sat in the main hall, discussing something with Sun Daoyu and a few others. When he saw Zheng Fa approach, he beckoned him forward.

"Uncle."

"What do you think of my Five-Dragon Celestial Palace?" Uncle Pang gestured toward the doors of the main hall.

Zheng Fa turned to look. From this angle, he could clearly see that the interconnected palace buildings were actually floating above a golden sea of clouds.

At the very front of the cloud sea, five golden dragons soared through the mist, pulling the entire palace forward.

Looking closer, it became evident that these five dragons weren’t solid entities, yet they were strikingly lifelike—their long whiskers fluttering in the wind, their golden scales gleaming brilliantly.

More importantly, Zheng Fa could distinctly sense that these dragons weren’t just decorative displays of grandeur.

Every time their massive eyes glanced his way, the golden light within them sent a chilling sense of dread through him.

"Uncle’s magical artifact is truly an eye-opener for me."

Uncle Pang’s lips twitched, as if he wanted to smile but restrained himself. He simply waved his hand. "This Five-Dragon Celestial Palace was crafted after I reached Nascent Soul. I slew five demon serpents that were on the verge of transforming into flood dragons, refined their souls, and had someone forge this artifact for me."

"…Uncle’s might is awe-inspiring."

Demon serpents on the verge of becoming flood dragons were never weak. Based on Zheng Fa’s understanding, the weaker ones would have at least formed a Demon Core, while the stronger ones could rival a Nascent Soul cultivator.

For Uncle Pang to have such an achievement upon entering the Nascent Soul stage, it was truly impressive.

"If I wasn’t capable of this, how could the Sect Master have recalled that Huang fellow and sent me to Taiyang Commandery instead?"

Speaking of Uncle Huang, Uncle Pang didn’t bother concealing his satisfaction.

Zheng Fa found the reasoning quite logical.

The moment Uncle Pang set out, the Sect Master had summoned Uncle Huang back. As the Sect Master had put it, Jiushan Sect must always have at least two Nascent Soul cultivators stationed at home, unless absolutely necessary.

Could it be that Uncle Pang was simply stronger, making their master feel more at ease?

...

"Uncle, how far can this Five-Dragon Celestial Palace travel in a day?" Zheng Fa asked curiously.

"Around eight thousand miles per day."

Noticing Zheng Fa’s expression, as if he was worried about underestimating this artifact, Uncle Pang added, "It can go faster, but with the Demonic Sect lurking in the shadows, it’s better to stay cautious."

Zheng Fa nodded.

He thought for a moment and said, "That means we should reach Taiyang Commandery in about three days?"

The Xuanyi Realm was far more vast than the modern world. Although Taiyang Commandery fell under Jiushan Sect’s jurisdiction, it was still thirty thousand miles away—practically the outermost edge of the sect’s territory.

For this reason, Jiushan Sect had left the commandery under the management of the Changchun Sect. After all, for most Jiushan Sect disciples, traveling back and forth would take months, making it highly inconvenient.

"Three days isn’t enough."

"Hmm?"

"We took a detour."

"A detour?" Zheng Fa considered for a moment. "Then five days?"

"At least half a month."

...You’re not charging a fare, so why are we taking such a long detour?

Seeing Zheng Fa’s confusion, Uncle Pang looked slightly embarrassed. "With the Demonic Sect hiding in the shadows, there could be an ambush if we head straight there."

"…So what’s our detour route?"

Uncle Pang pulled out a rough map and traced an absurdly winding path. If he hadn’t explained, Zheng Fa would have thought he was drawing talismans on the map.

"…"

"This route passes through several sects of the Hundred Immortals Alliance, so if anything happens, we can easily call for reinforcements."

Uncle Pang justified his plan.

"Besides, if the Demonic Sect has set an ambush, they’d never expect me to take this route!"

"Not just the Demonic Sect…" Zheng Fa sighed, staring at the convoluted path. "Even a normal person wouldn’t expect this."

"…"

At that moment, Zheng Fa understood why their master had recalled Uncle Huang and sent Uncle Pang to Taiyang Commandery instead—Uncle Pang was just too cautious.

…

"Ahem, I estimate there will be quite a few cultivators heading the same way this time."

Perhaps feeling his route was indeed excessive, Uncle Pang provided further justification.

"Fellow cultivators?"

"The Heavenly Stele is a grand opportunity. Which sect in the Hundred Immortals Alliance wouldn’t be tempted? Taking this route also allows us to communicate with others beforehand, especially regarding the market district."

Zheng Fa nodded.

That was a valid point.

Sure enough, along the way, numerous cultivators followed them. However, likely due to the overwhelming presence of the Five-Dragon Celestial Palace, none of them were Nascent Soul cultivators.

These groups merely paid Uncle Pang a visit, then trailed behind in their own flying artifacts—clearly seeking safety in numbers.

By the eighth day, when they were about halfway to Taiyang Commandery, Zheng Fa suddenly noticed Uncle Pang’s expression had turned serious.

"Follow me," Uncle Pang said gravely.

Uncle Pang turned to the gathered disciples and spoke before leading them to the hall entrance. With a wave of his hand, the five golden dragons came to a halt.

Standing beside him, Zheng Fa peered outward.

A massive, oval-shaped shadow loomed beneath the sea of clouds. As it gradually emerged from the mist, Zheng Fa finally saw it clearly—it was a Black Tortoise.

The creature was immense, its body so vast that Zheng Fa estimated the palace he stood in could only cover half of its back.

Unlike the Five-Dragon Celestial Palace, the tortoise bore no buildings—only a densely packed crowd standing upon its shell.

"Which esteemed Nascent Soul cultivator of Beast Taming Sect do I have the honor of addressing?"

Uncle Pang clasped his hands in greeting.

Zheng Fa was taken aback—Beast Taming Sect was also a part of the Hundred Immortals Alliance.

It had Nascent Soul cultivators within its ranks and was one of the top nine sects in the alliance.

Most notably, Beast Taming Sect was famous for breeding spirit beasts. In fact, Li Nuo had been scammed out of quite a few spirit stones by them before.

"I am Ling Chengfeng. And may I ask, is this Real Person Pang?"

A middle-aged man at the front spoke. He was broad-shouldered and robust, his hair and beard carrying faint golden hues.

"So, it is Real Person Ling, the Black Tortoise Master! A pleasure, truly a pleasure!" Uncle Pang’s voice brimmed with enthusiasm. "I’ve heard of Real Person Ling’s great renown for years, yet never had the fortune to meet you. To encounter you today—it is a rare honor indeed!"

His tone and expression were so incredibly sincere that the middle-aged man across from him seemed momentarily stunned, as if unaccustomed to such overwhelming warmth.

Uncle Pang gave a subtle glance to the side.

Before Zheng Fa could process it, the senior disciples from Uncle Pang’s lineage all spoke in unison:

"Greetings to the Black Tortoise Master! May your cultivation soar, and your lifespan match the heavens!"

Standing among them, Zheng Fa felt strangely out of place.

Wait—did they rehearse this?

Why wasn’t I included?

Still, this display managed to bring a genuine smile to Real Person Ling’s face.

He returned the courtesy with his disciples and even agreed to join them for a banquet later in the palace.

As the Black Tortoise slowly drifted away, Zheng Fa couldn’t help but turn to Uncle Pang and ask, "Is this guy really powerful?"

"Powerful?" Uncle Pang frowned slightly and shook his head. "He may be Nascent Soul, but all his strength comes from that Black Tortoise. His foundation is weak—he’s not that strong."

"Then… is he famous?"

"Not particularly. Beast Taming Sect still revolves around its Sect Master. Ling Chengfeng has no notable battle achievements."

"Then why did you…"

"You don’t understand." Uncle Pang waved a hand knowingly. "In the cultivation world, connections and social graces matter just as much as strength."

"…"

"People don’t hit those who greet them with a smile," Uncle Pang continued patiently. "By flattering him today, he’ll think twice before making things difficult for Jiushan Sect in the future."

"…"

At that moment, Zheng Fa fully understood why his master had sent Uncle Pang to handle the Thunder Pool affair.

Uncle Pang was Jiushan Sect’s social butterfly!

…

Later that evening, Real Person Ling arrived for the banquet with a few of his disciples.

Uncle Pang, accompanied by his own closest disciples, received them warmly.

With Uncle Pang occasionally throwing in some flattering remarks, the atmosphere only grew livelier.

Perhaps because of the good mood—or perhaps due to drinking a bit too much—Real Person Ling eventually chuckled and spoke:

"I heard Jiushan Sect’s Zhang Wuyi got trapped in Thunder Pool?"

Uncle Pang’s hand paused on his wine cup, but his expression remained unchanged. He simply gave a slight nod.

"I also heard that she was constantly at odds with you within the sect?"

"That is entirely untrue." Uncle Pang set down his cup and replied calmly, "Zhang Wuyi and I merely had differing viewpoints—there was never any enmity between us."

Real Person Ling lifted his wine cup, pointing at Uncle Pang with an amused smirk, his expression one of ‘I know, but I won’t say it out loud’.

"I always knew Zhang Wuyi’s personality would lead to trouble," he added.

"…"

"So what if she has talent? She offended far too many of her peers—even my own disciples suffered at her hands." Real Person Ling’s tone turned condescending. "Now that she’s met with misfortune, it’s just fate."

"You’ve had too much to drink," Uncle Pang said flatly.

The smile on his face slowly faded, his fingers lightly gripping his wine cup, as if restraining himself.

"Too much?" Real Person Ling shook his head, clearly not intending to stop. "Zhang Wuyi’s misfortune is a loss for me. But in a hundred years, Beast Taming Sect will have disciples to settle this grudge."

He gestured to a young man standing behind him.

"This disciple of mine joined the sect after the Immortal Talent Conference—he’s only been cultivating for nine months. And yet, he’s already reached Qi Refining Seventh Layer."

"…"

"That Zhang Wuyi may have been the fastest to reach Foundation Establishment, but my disciple isn’t far behind. More importantly, I heard her Golden Core has flaws." Real Person Ling sneered. "Once my disciple surpasses her, let’s see how much of a ‘genius’ she really is."

"…"

At that moment, a ripple of spiritual energy suddenly surged from the side hall.

"Hm? Someone just advanced to Qi Refining Eighth Layer?"

Being a Nascent Soul cultivator, Real Person Ling sensed it immediately.

Uncle Pang took a sip of his wine, then suddenly said:

"This disciple also entered our sect after the Immortal Talent Conference."

"…"

"He was personally brought in by Zhang Wuyi herself."

Real Person Ling’s smile vanished.

Uncle Pang turned his gaze toward him and added, "Your disciple… might want to focus on catching up first."

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