Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Chapter 77: Chapter 76: White Light from the Eyebrow, Zhang Fan’s Memories

The heavens thundered in rage, black clouds stretched across the sky.

A bolt of lightning split the firmament, fierce as a giant python, like an evil dragon lashing its tail—its dazzling brilliance terrifyingly sharp, illuminating the vast night, striking toward the direction where Wuqilu stood.

”Acting tough and get struck by lightning!?”

In a flash, Zhang Fan’s mind surged with this thought.

What sort of master was Wuqilu? He reacted in an instant, but no matter how fast, could he really outrun lightning?

Rumble rumble...

With a deafening bang, the spot where Wuqilu stood exploded, the terrifying shockwave whipped up a fierce wind and fire.

Everyone’s expression changed drastically. Staring hard, they saw that the giant crater was empty—only scorched earth, pitch black—there wasn’t a trace of anyone!

”Blown to bits?” Zhang Fan’s eyes widened with surprise. He couldn’t help but look up at the sky.

This lightning came way too conveniently... it even blasted away [Wu Ma] of the famed Thirteen Zodiacs!?

Buzz...

In an instant, the talisman shackles binding Zhang Fan, Jiang Hu, and Qi Ji all dissipated, vanishing like smoke and mist.

”Talk about luck.” Jiang Hu curled his lip, finding it all too unbelievable.

”The Heavenly Dao is vast, evil can never suppress good.”

Qi Ji puffed up with righteousness, as if seeing through the mystery, raised his head to the sky, eyes revealing a touch of deep reverence.

”Quit your damn act!”

Zhang Fan cast him a sidelong glance, silently grumbling.

Dee doo... dee doo...

Just then, a flurry of police sirens blared. Zhang Fan looked up to see police cars, fire trucks, and vehicles bearing Daoist Alliance emblems rolling in grandly, pulling into the Shen Family estate.

”Was this your doing?” Jiang Hu looked at Qi Ji. The latter kept silent, only nodded.

”Next time you call for help, can you do it a bit earlier?”

Zhang Fan couldn’t help muttering—everything was over, so what’s the point?

”Next time? You really think there’ll be a next?” Qi Ji narrowed his eyes. ”Don’t you know, this was already reckless—one wrong move and it brings disaster to the mortal world. Think about how many...”

”Enough, enough... You think we want to get mixed up with you again?”

Jiang Hu raised his hand to cut off Qi Ji’s preaching.

As soon as he finished, his hand still hovering in midair, a pair of silver handcuffs snapped on.

”What’s this...”

”Wait—we’re good people...”

Zhang Fan bowed his head, quickly trying to defend himself, but with barely another word, he was already escorted to the car.

”Damn it, I’m this old and I’ve never been inside before.”

”First time’s unfamiliar, second time you’ll get used to it.”

In the car, Jiang Hu leaned against the window, chin up, eyes shut.

At the station, it wasn’t ordinary police who’d come to interrogate them, but two Daoist Alliance Daoists—after all, this kind of affair falls directly to specialized departments.

Regarding the [Profound Mirror Treasure Talisman], Zhang Fan could only skirt the details—anything that happened in Refining Talisman Temple involved his own secrets, and the Zhenwu Jade Scroll, so he just played dumb all the way.

”I’m playing dumb... I blacked out!”

”Blacked out?” The two slightly older Daoists glanced at each other, then stared at Zhang Fan in suspicion.

After half an hour of questioning, this kid either ’blacked out’ or had ’amnesia and can’t remember a thing’.

”I have a history of memory problems... forgetting stuff is normal, if you don’t believe me, go check.”

”...”

Just then, a knock came at the door—a police officer walked in, whispered a few words to the two Daoists.

The two Daoists exchanged a look, then picked up the file and came over to Zhang Fan.

”Sign here, you’re free to go.”

”Just like that? I can leave?” Zhang Fan blinked in confusion.

”What, you want to stay the night?”

”No need to take up space.”

Zhang Fan chuckled awkwardly and scrawled his signature. As soon as he stepped out of the interrogation room, Jiang Hu walked out from another room.

In the lobby, Bai Buran was already waiting.

”Sorry to trouble you all.”

Bai Buran placed his hands on Zhang Fan and Jiang Hu’s shoulders, bowed, and took the two away.

”Bai Buran... that Zhenwu Mountain dropout. Who’d have thought he was hiding out in Yujing City.”

The Daoist Alliance Daoists watched Bai Buran’s retreating figure, eyes growing thoughtful.

”Celestial Master Liu from Zhenwu Mountain personally called tonight... Even though this one’s been expelled from Zhenwu, the friendship’s still there.”

At that, another Daoist chimed in.

”I don’t know about that... Liu Nanxu is something else. Among Zhenwu’s three Celestial Masters, he’s the youngest and the one who hates evil most. He’s never liked Bai Buran.”

One Daoist shook his head. ”It was spelled out clear in the call...”

”That Zhang Fan kid—they said he’s a Zhenwu disciple. If there’s any problem, Zhenwu will take full responsibility.”

”Zhang Fan... that weird, off-the-wall kid just now?” The other Daoist raised his brow, glanced at the entrance, his face taking on a strange look.

”Celestial Master Liu Nanxu himself, vouching for a brat like that!?”

”What kind of person is he?”

”Hard to say.” One Daoist sighed deeply.

”Next September ninth, Dragon Tiger Mountain is scheduled to reopen... Things are getting tense, every sect is preparing... training a few disciples is nothing...”

”Some are out in the open, some are kept hidden...”

Right now, Daoist sects all over are vying for prominence—it’s a time for newcomers to rise. The famous names like Xia Weisheng of Zhenwu, An Wuyang of Zhongnan, Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang brothers of Laojun Mountain...

These young prospects have already made names for themselves, enjoying prestige among their generation.

But those are just what’s visible—big sects never put all their eggs in one basket. What kinds of talents they train in private, outsiders never know.

Take Chu Chaoran—back at Zhenwu Mountain, he never showed off or drew any attention...

And then...

”Before Chu Chaoran was twenty-five, no one knew him... but after his battle at Mangdang Mountain, five of the elder Thirteen Zodiacs died at his hand...”

”Even the [Immortal] of that era couldn’t suppress him—he made his name in one fight, becoming known throughout the world.”

The Thirteen Zodiacs are led by one: codename [Immortal].

”Are you saying Zhang Fan is some secret disciple trained by Zhenwu Mountain?” The other Daoist’s face grew stranger by the minute.

”He’s way too unserious—it’s all bad habits with that kid, not a trace of a proper cultivator.”

Earlier, they’d just sat down, and the brat asked if they smoked!

”...”

”Well... forget it, can’t snub Zhenwu’s reputation. After all, Chu Zhenren still holds court there.”

The two Daoists looked at each other, then shook their heads. After what happened at the Shen Family tonight, sleep was out of the question.

On the way back, Old Yu drove the Five Spirits Grand Light. Bai Buran sat in the passenger seat, face full of displeasure, glancing every so often at the back seat.

”I sent you two to deliver goods, and you bring me all this trouble? Want to quit?”

”Boss, the Shen Family was committing murder and arson... We’re the victims here, come on.” Zhang Fan couldn’t help but retort.

”Why are you everywhere?” Bai Buran glared into the rearview mirror, shooting Zhang Fan a deadly look.

Before Zhang Fan arrived, business had been booming, everything smooth.

And after Zhang Fan came along—good lord—endless trouble.

The He Family’s Dragon Vein fiasco had barely settled, and now the Shen Family and their [Profound Mirror Treasure Talisman] stunt has made Night is not bright a name with the Daoist Alliance.

”Just watch, soon the officials will be calling you in for tea.” Bai Buran said helplessly.

”Boss, you’ve got real pull—one word and the Daoist Alliance let us go.” Jiang Hu, more savvy to such matters, quickly grinned.

”Keep it quiet, don’t spread it around.” Bai Buran said with depth.

”Of course, and gotta thank that kid from Maoshan Shangqing Sect, who vouched for you two.”

”Qi Ji!?”

Jiang Hu and Zhang Fan exchanged glances.

Five Spirits Rainbow Light sped along the high road; in barely half an hour, Jiang Hu and Zhang Fan were home.

At the gate of Hongfu Garden, Zhang Fan got out, said goodbye to Bai Buran and Old Yu.

Watching Zhang Fan’s figure fading into the distance, Bai Buran rolled down the window, lit a cigarette. The tip glowed, smoke curling out of the window.

”Old Yu, did you see it? The kid’s changed...”

”Changed? How?” Yu Fu raised his brow, glanced instinctively at Zhang Fan’s receding figure, staring at that silhouette walking slowly into the night.

”White light from the brow—Divine Refining True Yang!” Bai Buran said in a low voice.

Primordial Spirit Refining True Yang, Three Returns and Nine Transformations—like forging steel a hundredfold. Only with a certain depth of cultivation does this phenomenon appear: white light from the brow.

The Elixir Book says: a constant pale gleam between the brows, refining True Yang beyond impermanence.

In ancient Alchemy Dao, those of masterful cultivation could radiate infinite light from the brow, exposing all worldly falsehoods—such insight meant attaining the Dao, called the [Void Generating White] realm in Daoist texts.

Now, there’s a faint gleam from Zhang Fan’s brow—meaning his skill and cultivation as a Technique Apprentice are already profound.

Bear in mind, some Technique Apprentices even having mastered twelve Small Skills and reached Profound Master level, still never manifest [White Light from the Eyebrow].

”How long’s it been since he mastered [Celestial Pig Fang]? This...” Old Yu’s brow furrowed deeper; he didn’t doubt Bai Buran’s eyes, only the speed of Zhang Fan’s progress stunned him.

This rate of cultivation—unbelievable.

”Unintentional has greatest effect, possessing something doesn’t mean understanding... The strength or number of skills has never been the true measure of cultivation...”

Bai Buran shook his head: ”Some Alchemy Dao masters even disdain learning skills or Divine Techniques—once the realm is reached, all techniques come naturally.”

”Zhang Fan... this time, he really is different.”

Bai Buran looked toward the gate of Hongfu Garden. The window rolled up, Five Spirits Rainbow Light drove off slowly.

...

At that moment, in Zhang Fan’s home.

On the desk in the room lay the little bottle of sleeping pills left behind by Zhang Lingzong, gold-foil pills scattered across the surface.

Zhang Fan sat cross-legged on the bed, deep in thought.

In the darkness, faint moonlight streamed through the window, casting light on his face—his lips curled into a slight grin.

”I think... I’m starting to remember some things...”

Zhang Fan murmured softly. His right hand formed a seal, and in the air he drew a black-and-white stream of light, painting a strange rune figure.

”Spirit Void Talisman Drawing—Mountain-breaking, Peak-stabilizing!!!”