The Programmer Cultivator

Nangong Cheng fell silent.

Zhang Deming smiled. ”Rest assured, the organization is like an Alliance. It doesn’t require you to betray the Academy or anything.”

”Membership isn’t mandatory?” Nangong Cheng asked, still uneasy.

Zhang Deming glanced at Nangong Cheng and said, ”I’m just giving you a heads-up. It’s not even certain you’ll be able to get in. You should know, even for my family, getting in is incredibly difficult. I’m only telling you this because I recognize your exceptional talent; I figured I’d take a chance and see. Your talent is impressive, but for the place I’m talking about, it’s honestly not at a level where we would force you to join. If you don’t pass the review, you could cry and beg all you want, and you still wouldn’t have a sliver of a chance.”

Nangong Cheng seemed to understand the nature of the organization now. After a long hesitation, he looked at the beads in Zhang Deming’s hand and said, ”Alright, I accept!”

A smile spread across Zhang Deming’s face, and he tossed the beads in his hand.

Nangong Cheng frantically raised a hand. With a surge of Spiritual Power, he carefully caught them before asking, ”You trust me this much? Aren’t you afraid I’ll take this and go back on my word?”

Zhang Deming smiled. ”I trust your character, Qing Lian Hermit. Besides, my possessions are not so easily taken. Your master understands that better than you do.”

”Since you’ve placed such trust in me, I, Qing Lian, will not let you down,” Nangong Cheng said with a solemn expression.

Zhang Deming just smiled, not particularly concerned. He couldn’t be bothered to care whether Nangong Cheng’s attitude was genuine or not.

’What a joke. As long as you’ve set your sights on these Spirit Nurturing Beads, there’s no escape.’

’Of course, if you don’t prove useful enough, it’s still undecided whether I’ll even accept you. I’m not bluffing. After all, I’ve finally made some headway.’

’I’m no longer desperate for members. The prestige of a clandestine organization must be built one step at a time!’

”In that case, allow me to congratulate you in advance on successfully changing your path, Fellow Daoist Qing Lian,” Zhang Deming said, rising to his feet.

Nangong Cheng looked at the Spirit Nurturing Beads in his hand. ”Then I shall take you up on those auspicious words.”

Zhang Deming nodded. He turned, stepped out of the pavilion, and walked across the surface of the lake with his hands clasped behind his back.

After taking a few steps, Zhang Deming paused. ”I have a few words for you.”

”Please, go on,” said Nangong Cheng.

”I once had the good fortune to read a line in an ancient text: ’I alone love the lotus, for it emerges from the mud yet is not stained, cleansed by pure water yet not seductive.’ The sentiment of it seems to resonate strongly with your current state. Therefore, I gift these words to you.”

With that, Zhang Deming continued across the lake, slowly walking away.

Behind him, Nangong Cheng stood frozen in place. He remained motionless for a long time, as if he had once again turned into a statue.

...

After Zhang Deming left the pond, Gu Donglin and the others, who had been waiting outside, saw him and asked eagerly, ”How did it go?”

Zhang Deming smiled. ”I believe it went quite well.”

Gu Donglin was overjoyed. ”Really!”

He immediately made to head toward the pond.

Zhang Deming held out a hand to stop him. ”Give him some time. There might be a pleasant surprise when he comes out of seclusion.”

Gu Donglin paused for a moment. ”You’re right.”

He then looked at Zhang Deming and said, ”If Qing Lian can truly overcome this, then, young brother, should you need anything in the future, please don’t hesitate to come find me at the Academy.”

Zhang Deming smiled, not taking the offer too seriously. ”Yes, I’ll remember that,” he replied.

Zhang Deming paused before continuing, ”I’ve been away for some time now. Since my business here is concluded, I won’t impose any further.”

”You won’t stay a few more days?” Gu Donglin asked.

Zhang Deming smiled. ”I was supposed to leave yesterday, but some things delayed me. It’s time I returned.”

”Very well. In the future, if you’re ever in Huayue City and need anything, young man, feel free to come find me at the Academy,” Gu Donglin said.

Zhang Deming nodded. He said his goodbyes to the old Monk Fuyuan, and after exchanging bows with everyone, Light Wings unfurled from his back. A Spirit Wind surged beneath his feet, and he flew off in the direction of the Celestial Spirit Sect.

Gu Donglin watched Zhang Deming’s retreating figure until long after it had vanished. Only then did he speak. ”Old Monk, did your inquiries yield any results?”

Fuyuan shook his head. ”Yesterday, I sent a message to my martial brother Fude in the Precepts Hall, asking him to investigate thoroughly. There wasn’t much to be found. The Celestial Spirit Sect is, after all, an Upper Sect directly under the Hundred Spirits Blessed Land and part of the Spirit Nurturing Holy Land’s Direct Lineage. We at Leiyin Temple on Spirit Mountain don’t know much about them. But one thing is certain: the elder who appeared yesterday was definitely not one of the Celestial Spirit Sect’s publicly known Four Symbols Elders. As for whether he’s one of the Celestial Spirit Sect’s reclusive old masters, I cannot say. After all, they are a major Upper Sect; it’s only natural they’d have some hidden reserves of power. As for this Zhang Wu... his Disguise Technique yesterday was so exquisite that I couldn’t find any flaws. Therefore, I couldn’t find out anything about his identity. I suspect this current appearance isn’t even his real face.”

Gu Donglin paused. ”So, you’re saying that your great Blessed Land has not a single clue about his family, the man from yesterday, or even this young disciple?”

Fuyuan glanced at Gu Donglin. ”This is the sphere of influence of the Hundred Spirits Blessed Land. How much do you expect us from Leiyin Temple to know?”

Gu Donglin paused, no longer dwelling on the issue. Instead, he gazed in the direction Zhang Deming had disappeared. ”Xuande Temple has produced a Huixin, who will soon enter Spirit Mountain. The Spirit Nurturing Holy Land is about to name a new Saintess. And the Hongmeng Holy Land, not to be outdone, has produced someone with a Sword Heart and Zither Heart, a Dao Heart Innate.”