Hidden moth

Chapter 312 Returning as a Youth After a Century

The Four Seasons Flower Screen, when not in use, resembles a ivory card, smaller than a playing card but much thicker. It consists of four cards stacked together, making it very delicate and easy to carry.

Upon receiving this magical artifact, He Kao also received a divine thought from Guo Qianhuai, which introduced the wonderful uses of the Four Seasons Flower Screen and the intricacies of its refining, saving He Kao a lot of effort in figuring it out on his own.

As a master weapon refiner, Guo Qianhuai certainly possessed more than one treasure, but the best magic weapon he could give away was this Four Seasons Flower Screen.

Although he had made preparations in advance, he still needed to meet He Kao in person. If he didn't like her, he might have chosen someone else. However, after meeting her, he felt not only satisfied but extremely satisfied.

Jiang Daozhen was about to speak with a smile when Wei Luo's voice suddenly rang out: "Master, someone has come to request a visit to the mountain!"

Jiang Daozhen: "Who is it?"

Wei Luo's voice was full of surprise: "It's actually a child... and he even claims that his name a hundred years ago was Zhao Sanjin... uh, is he the Patriarch Huailin?"

Jiang Daozhen: "Quickly invite him in!" Then he called to the two people beside him, "Let's go outside to greet him."

As the group arrived outside the Ancestral Hall, they could already see a figure walking across the bridge and through the stone archway from the other side of the basin. The figure was incredibly fast, as if flying, but without any rudeness, it landed in front of the stone archway inscribed with "Jingmen".

He Kao was dumbfounded. What he saw was actually a middle school student?

The newcomer looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, about 1.7 meters tall, wearing red pants with white stripes along the seams, and a red shirt with large white trim. Upon closer inspection, one could see the school badge printed on the chest... This was clearly a middle school uniform!
Luckily, he wasn't carrying a schoolbag yet, otherwise he would have looked exactly like someone who had just finished school.

He Kao had seen many highly accomplished cultivators who appeared much younger than their actual age, yet possessed a remarkably mature demeanor. But the boy before him, in both his expression and the vibrant energy emanating from him, was unmistakably a middle school student.

But he happened to have such amazing cultivation, and after passing through the stone archway, he took a few steps and arrived in front of him in a flash.

The three who came to greet him bowed and said, "It's been many years since we last met. Uncle-Master's demeanor is even more impressive than before, reaching an unbelievable level!"

According to the generational order in the lineage records, Zhao Sanjin is one generation higher than Guo Qianhuai, two generations higher than Jiang Daozhen, and three generations higher than He Kao and Wei Luo. He should be over 140 years old this year, which is truly unbelievable.

Guo Qianhuai had seen Zhao Sanjin when he was a child. At that time, Zhao Sanjin was already an elderly man. Today, however, a child had come. The child's appearance was completely different. However, a cultivator who had achieved mastery of cultivation would have other ways to confirm his identity. It was still undoubtedly Zhao Zu.

Zhao Sanjin waved his hand and said, "No need to be polite or surprised. I stopped interfering in the affairs of the magic sect many years ago. Today, I am just a high school student who has not yet graduated."

Jiang Daozhen and the others temporarily suppressed their astonishment and invited Zhao Zu inside to have a talk.

After passing through the main gate and turning right, you will arrive at the east side courtyard, which has been transformed into a small garden. There is a flower hall where the sect receives distinguished guests.

With Wei Luo stationed in the cave and guarding the array's core, and no other junior disciples present, He Kao voluntarily took on the role of a tea-serving boy.

The tea set and tea leaves were readily available, but there was no stove or water dispenser. He Kao then waved his hand and used magic to condense mist into dew, gather the dew into spring water, and pour it into a pot, then boiled it with his magic... serving tea to the elders.

This set of movements looked very skillful; at least there were no awkward or clumsy flaws. I have to thank Elder Li; just the day before yesterday, Li Xiuyuan gave a brilliant demonstration at the Bashan Herb Garden, which He Kao observed throughout, and today he's putting it to good use.

Zhao Sanjin took a sip of tea, put down the cup, glanced at Jiang Daozhen, and was about to speak when he suddenly turned his head as if to say to thin air, "Say what you have to say, don't stare at me like I'm a monster."

None of the three people in the hall were staring directly at him. Then Wei Luo's voice rang out, "Grand Uncle, I mean no disrespect, I'm just genuinely curious..."

Zhao Sanjin: "What questions do you have?"

Wei Luo: "Excuse me, are you... reincarnated?"

This sentence almost made He Kao lose his composure, but he still tried his best to maintain a serious expression and wait for what was to come. Looking at Jiang Daozhen and Guo Qianhuai, they were clearly also suppressing their curiosity.

Zhao Sanjin said expressionlessly, "That's not the case. No ancestor has ever verified the so-called reincarnation. I am still the same person I am in this life."

Wei Luo: "When you used your supernatural powers to fly across the canyon, I personally witnessed the great power of our ancestor. But when you sat down to drink tea, you were just an ordinary young man, and I couldn't see any flaws in your abilities."

Wei Luo was in charge of the cave array at this time, and Zhao Sanjin was in the cave. If even she couldn't see any flaws, then in everyone's eyes, Zhao Sanjin really was just a high school student.

Zhao Sanjin replied, "I am not deliberately changing or pretending; I am simply describing the natural flow of my state of mind."

Wei Luo: "May I ask your current identity, and why you have become like this... If it's not appropriate to ask, then Zhao Zu need not answer."

Zhao Sanjin: "As a sorcerer of the Lingxi Sect, can't you do the math yourself?"

Wei Luo: "No, no, I was just asking a passerby for directions." This was quite interesting, a double entendre. Jiang Daozhen spoke up at the right moment: "Children speak without thinking, Grandmaster Uncle, please don't take it to heart."

A cultivator who has reached the Great Completion stage possesses a state of mind where body and mind are truly one. This can be described as a state of mind that can range from very old to very young. Many years ago, Zhao Sanjin had already broken through to the Great Completion stage and was an elderly man in his eighties.

The changes described years later are understandable, but what is truly unbelievable is that he has completely transformed into a different person, and not by using any means such as the Hidden Silk Gauze to disguise himself; this is his true face.

That's why Wei Luo asked this question, and everyone else present was naturally quite curious as well.

Zhao Sanjin turned to Elder Jiang and slowly said, "It's not that I don't want to answer, but if her cultivation level is not high enough, she won't understand even if I explain. Forcing her to try to understand would only add to her wild guesses, which might be detrimental to her cultivation."

I have broken through to the eighth level of cultivation. After being reborn, I have even transcended the differences between all living beings and races, but my original form is still human, and I am still me.

As for how I am now, it's simply my fate in this world.

These words were both an answer and a disanswer. Jiang Daozhen, however, could not hide his excitement and said in a trembling voice, "Ancestor Zhao, so you really have broken through to the eighth level of cultivation!"

Zhao Sanjin narrowed his eyes: "I was wondering why Elder Jiang would try to make me show myself? It turns out you've already come this far... but my path of cultivation isn't suitable for you."

Jiang Daozhen: "It's enough to see you in person!"

Elder Jiang wanted to see Zhao Sanjin for a reason that wasn't as complicated as many people imagined; in fact, it was quite simple: Jiang Daozhen himself had taken that step and was undergoing the trial of breaking through from the seventh to the eighth rank, a process known in ancient times as a complete transformation.

This stage is also known as the Bone Transformation Tribulation, while going back further, the stage where the sixth-level cultivator breaks through to the seventh-level is called the Vacuum Tribulation.

Before breaking through to the seventh rank, Jiang Daozhen was trapped in the Void Tribulation for twenty-three years, finally advancing to the seventh rank of Grand Calculator. Now, less than two years later, he has actually taken another step forward and entered the Bone Transformation Tribulation?

At his level, cultivation has no fixed rules, and many opportunities are irreplaceable. Therefore, even Zhao Sanjin can only offer guidance on cultivation levels; he cannot simply follow his established methods.

Moreover, Zhao Sanjin was the founder of the Body Observation Sect, while Jiang Daozhen cultivated the Spirit Rhinoceros Technique; their foundations and paths were completely different. After a Spirit Rhinoceros Sect practitioner breaks through to the Great Perfection stage, the opportunities for advancement become even more unpredictable.

He Kao already suspected that Elder Jiang's so-called "advancement ceremony" was related to the overall changes in the Technique Sect and the Free Alliance.

So what was the significance of him inviting Zhao Zu to appear? Of course it was significant, and extremely important! The person with the highest cultivation level in the current magic sect is Jiang Daozhen himself, and no one has ever seen an eighth-level magician.

No one can even be sure whether that kind of realm really exists.
Some might wonder, what's there to doubt? The art of magic has clear records from ancient times, and various divine artifacts have been passed down through generations. Let alone the eighth rank, it's enough to prove that there must have been a founder who broke through to the legendary ninth rank.

However, on the other hand, none of the practitioners in this field have actually seen it with their own eyes.

Ancient masters may have reached this level, but have modern practitioners received the complete and true transmission? Or has the social and historical environment changed so drastically that people today can still achieve that level of accomplishment?

These all need to be proven with facts, and Zhao Sanjin's appearance is equivalent to telling Jiang Daozhen two words - it's possible!
Zhao Sanjin continued, "I heard that the sect has recently mastered the Pure Yang Pill. In your current state, the Pure Yang Pill can still be somewhat helpful. However, the key point is not to change your tendons and marrow, but to allow you to more clearly experience the changes within yourself."

During the Bone Transformation Tribulation, one's spirit and energy are unstable and one's magical power is not flowing smoothly. One cannot take pills with others, otherwise it would be tantamount to harming the other party.

You can only take the Pure Yang Pill and the Peony by yourself. If the effects are not balanced, you may suffer internal injuries. If you control them well, they will improve your condition.

One pill is enough; no more is necessary. You must be careful when taking it; I don't think you're fully prepared yet.

Although you can't simply refer to my experience of breaking through the barrier, I can share some information about the process of transformation and the corresponding insights gained..."

Zhao Sanjin must have told Jiang Daozhen a lot about the intricacies of the matter, but he used his divine sense, which was inaudible to others. Even if they heard it, they probably wouldn't understand it. Forcing themselves to understand only a little might not be a good thing.

Jiang Daozhen rose and bowed, just as He Kao had done for him earlier; he also performed a deep bow to Zhao Sanjin.

Zhao Sanjin accepted the greeting without hesitation, then stood up and said, "Now that you have seen me, your plan has succeeded. I have other matters to attend to, so I will not stay here any longer."

This patriarch was quite efficient; he showed himself briefly and then left without any hesitation.

Guo Qianhuai also quickly stood up: "Uncle Zhao, there is something else I would like to ask you for guidance on."

Zhao Sanjin stopped and turned to look at him, saying, "Guo Qianhuai, you are already a Supreme Elder and should no longer interfere in sect affairs. What happened today?"

**
(End of this chapter)