Scripture of Days Past

A thought occurred to Chu Qiguang after hearing what Qiao Zhi had said about Li Jian.

It seems like Li Jian is researching medicinal plants. I thought he was just some deranged mad scientist, but it seems there may actually be some value to his work. Once I return to Jade Face Mountain, I should get closer to him and find out exactly what he’s been working on.

Chu Qiguang then asked Qiao Zhi if he had any more information about the four prized arts of the Demon Vanquishing Department, particularly the Myriad Ghost Journal and the Silent Shadow Step.

”I don’t know much about those two cultivation arts. All I’ve heard is that the death rate among those who pursue them is very high,” Qiao Zhi said. ”Even among those who succeed, the side effects are extremely severe, to the point that they can affect your basic intelligence and future potential. Even if the Demon Vanquishing Department tries to get you to cultivate these two Dao arts, you must make sure to stay far away from them.”

While browsing the historical records of the Demon Vanquishing Department, Chu Qiguang had read many stories about cultivators throughout history who had attempted to go beyond the Dao Comprehension state.

For example, the current emperor of the Great Han Empire was pursuing that exact goal in his Palace of Eternal Life.

”Is there a higher state above the Dao Comprehension state? Is that why potential is so important?” Chu Qiguang asked.

”Of course,” Qiao Zhi confirmed with a nod. ”For example, if you can ascend back to the immortal realm, then you’ll definitely have gone above and beyond the Dao Comprehension state. However, I don’t know what states exist between Dao Comprehension and ascension. Anyone capable of reaching the Dao Comprehension state is already considered a peerless prodigy, and very few people throughout history have gone beyond it, so information on the subject is extremely scarce and difficult to come by.

”Perhaps such records can only be found in the most prestigious archives of the oldest religions in the world. Even among those who managed to go beyond the Dao Comprehension state, they all used different cultivation arts and cultivation methods, so their descriptions of what lies beyond the Dao Comprehension state would most likely differ as well.

“What I’ve heard is that after reaching the Dao Comprehension state, there are different paths one can take to advance even further, depending on which of the twenty-five orthodox arts they pursued. However, further progression beyond the Dao Comprehension state concerns the operation of the Heavenly Dao, and it isn’t something that can be decided by one’s aptitude or disposition.”

After hearing what Qiao Zhi had to say, Chu Qiguang was reminded of the contents of the page he had read on the second floor of the Demon Vanquishing Department’s archive building.

”I read on the second floor of the Demon Vanquishing Department’s archive building that the Vajra Monastery once possessed several scriptures above the Sumeru King Scripture. They’re called Naga Mahesvara Power, the Many Appearances of the Vajra, and the Secret Vajra Guardian Scripture. Have you heard of any of them?”

”I had no idea!” Qiao Zhi exclaimed with an intrigued expression. ”It sounds like those scriptures were written by past mighty figures of the Vajra Monastery who were seeking to go beyond the Dao Comprehension state. The Demon Vanquishing Department wiped out the Vajra Monastery, so perhaps those three scriptures are still in their possession. You’re already cultivating the Sumeru King Scripture, so I think it would be a good idea for you to try to find those three scriptures.”

Chu Qiguang nodded with a thoughtful expression, then asked Qiao Zhi about the four kingly scriptures mentioned by Shi, but Qiao Zhi hadn’t heard of them either.

Before long, they returned to Hidden Fiend Village. Chu Qiguang went to check on Zhou Yujiao, only to discover that she had already abandoned the test paper in her room.

She had made it to the seventh question, which required her to identify a pattern in a sequence of numbers and write down the next few numbers in the sequence.

Several answers had been written down, but all of them had been crossed out, and Chu Qiguang could almost see her gradual descent from agitation to despair with each crossed-out answer.

Looks like these questions may be a little too difficult for her right now.

***

Zhou Yujiao was crouched beside a small creek near Hidden Fiend Village, staring at her own reflection in the water with a sullen expression.

Her confidence had been completely shattered by the questions on the test paper, and she was beginning to think that Chu Qiguang had been right to call her stupid.

All of a sudden, she caught a whiff of a fragrant aroma and began to drool involuntarily as her empty stomach began to grumble.

She glanced at the pancake Chu Qiguang was offering her, then pouted, ”I’m not hungry.”

Chu Qiguang took a bite of the pancake, then asked, ”Why’re you crying?”

Zhou Yujiao watched as Chu Qiguang quickly devoured the pancake, and tears began to well up in her eyes again as she wailed, ”I don’t know how to answer any of the questions on the test paper! Am I really stupid? Why am I so stupid when you’re so smart? You must be adopted, right?”

For once, Chu Qiguang didn’t denounce Zhou Yujiao. Instead, he patted her on the head and consoled, ”I took a look at the answers on your test paper, and you’re already doing quite well. Someone else in your position wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

”Really?” Zhou Yujiao asked as a hint of hope resurfaced in her eyes.

”Of course!” Chu Qiguang replied. ”You’re not stupid. You’re smart!”

Zhou Yujiao was overjoyed.

”I’m smart?”

”I’ll be leaving soon, smartypants,” Chu Qiguang continued. ”While I’m away, make sure to study hard under Master Qiao Zhi and keep doing those questions. Once you’ve mastered everything, you can teach the other fiends in the village.”

As he spoke, Chu Qiguang pulled something out of his pocket and offered it to her. Zhou Yujiao was ecstatic at the sight of the handful of silver cat fur.

”Is that your fur? It’s so pretty!”

Qiao Zhi was watching from nearby, and Chu Qiguang turned to him and said, She’ll be alright. From now on, keep making her study, and don’t let her give up no matter how much she cries or complains. If I want everyone else in the village to become educated, then my own sister should lead by example.

He turned his gaze back to Zhou Yujiao, and several words drifted across the field of vision of his Dao pursuer eyes.

”Lucky Jiaojiao.”[1]

Is luck supposed to be some type of special attribute? Chu Qiguang wondered to himself. What is it going to do for her?

After making sure that everything in Hidden Fiend Village was in good order, Chu Qiguang returned to Jade Face Mountain atop one of the Chongming Birds.

From there, he settled back into his peaceful and regimented lifestyle, continuing to study and cultivate every day. Both his power and his knowledge were rapidly improving with each passing day.

Just a few days later, a fourth tentacle finally emerged fully from his shadow, indicating that he had already caught up to Yang Ling.

***

On this day, Chu Qiguang was reading in his private courtyard when Zhang Haizhu suddenly barged in, looking completely distraught.

”I have some terrible news, Brother Chu!”

”What’s wrong?” Chu Qiguang asked without even bothering to raise his head.

”Jiang Longyu has reached the fourth state!” Zhang Haizhu wailed.

”Isn’t that only to be expected?” Chu Qiguang asked nonchalantly. ”Instructor Yang already said last month that Jiang Longyu was close to reaching the fourth state.”

”Why aren’t you worried?” Zhang Haizhu asked. ”He’s been dying to get back at you ever since you beat him in the last monthly examination!”

”Why should I be worried?” Chu Qiguang asked with a composed shrug. ”I’m still only at the third state, while he’s already at the fourth state. I don’t think he’d be so dishonorable as to pick on someone a state below him.”

His voice had only just trailed off when another voice rang out in the distance.

”Oh? If it isn’t Zhang Haizhu and Chu Qiguang! Fancy seeing you two here!”

Jiang Longyu swaggered into the courtyard as he continued, ”I was going to take a few Ginseng Ganoderma Pills to help me recover after training, but I accidentally took the Purple Sun Pill bestowed upon me by His Majesty instead. How silly of me!”

1. In Chinese, it’s common practice to take a character from someone’s name, then repeat it to make it a pet name. In this case, Jiaojiao is a pet name for Zhou Yu”jiao.” ☜