How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

An umbrella opened in front of me, like a flower blooming in the rain and mist.

Under the umbrella was his sister, Zhou Shuang.

"Brother, our parents have gone back. I'll see you off one last time," Zhou Shuang said.

"That's right! A paper umbrella in the rain, not crazy or wild, just like a young lady. Girl, you've matured after the New Year!" Zhou Wenju exclaimed.

"Of course! I'm eighteen, I'm an adult!" Zhou Shuang puffed out her chest: "From now on, I have to act like an adult and support this family."

Zhou Wenju's eyes darted around: "Support this family? Well... let's forget about it. That's too ambitious. Let's set a smaller goal, like... not squandering this family's entire fortune..."

Zhou Shuang glared at him: "What do you mean by ruining this family? Don't look down on me! Now that you're gone, your sister will definitely help you keep our cement factory afloat! Brother, write me a note that's three fingers wide, and have Zhang San and Xu Hai hand over all the money to me to manage, so they don't mess it up."

Zhou Wenju stood still.

His gaze was fixed firmly on Zhou Shuang.

Zhou Shuang's eyes slowly widened: "Brother, what's wrong?"

"I knew you were being all warm and gentle today! Turns out you were planning to seize power while I was out..."

"Brother, how could you do this? I'm your sister..."

"It's precisely because you're my sister that I know if the money ends up in your hands, it will inevitably go to that Ruyan!" Zhou Wenju sighed deeply. "Only those spoiled brats give their fortunes to brothels. You're a young woman, you can't even afford to play around with any of that, what are you getting involved for?"

"What do you mean I can't play anything? What am I supposed to play? I listen to music, a very refined pursuit..."

"Alright, alright, your true colors have already been revealed. There's no need for us to pretend to be close siblings anymore. The cement factory business is too much of a burden. Even if you dare to give it to Ruyan, she wouldn't dare to accept it. So don't even think about it. Let's stick to the old tradition of occasionally robbing someone small, and let our relationship remain amicable..." With a slap, a thousand taels of silver notes landed in Zhou Shuang's palm.

He turned and passed the pavilion, disappearing into the wind and rain.

Zhou Shuang tucked the umbrella over his shoulder, counting his money in the wind and rain, his heart overflowing with joy...

Zhou Wenju had never seen this scene before.

But on the lonely mountain, Su Xin saw it, and she kept rubbing her forehead the whole time...

No, stroking his bald head...

Zhou Wenju bid farewell to his family, his steps light and nimble, the rain and mist barely touching him, thanks to his true energy.

We are now at the border between Qishan and Lingnan Prefecture.

A big tree serves as a road sign.

On the sixth day of the first lunar month, there were few pedestrians, but one person still stood quietly under the tree.

This man was dressed as a constable, had short hair, and a smile on his face.

It was Old Zeng.

"Actually, you didn't need to see me off alone," Zhou Wenju said as he approached.

"No, it's necessary!" Old Zeng said, "because I want to give you a gift."

"Oh? What is it?"

Old Zeng gently raised his hand, and a silver ribbon appeared casually: "Look, what's this?"

"It looks like a belt," Zhou Wenju said.

"You can use it as a belt." Old Zeng handed the belt to him.

Zhou Wenju took it, slightly surprised.

It looks like a flowing ribbon, but it has a metallic feel when held in your hand: "Used as a belt, does that mean... it's not actually a belt?"

"It can be a belt in peacetime, and a gun in wartime!" Old Zeng said, "Young master, why don't you give it a try!"

Zhou Wen raised his hand and added his true energy, causing the belt to suddenly straighten, stretching more than ten feet in length.

Chi!

A spear thrust out!

With a thud, the sound barrier was broken, and the surrounding rain and mist rose up like spear tassels.

With a gentle flick of his hand, the wind and rain on the mountainside vanished.

Sand and stones flew...

"Good gun!" Zhou Wenju's face lit up with joy.

In this world, there are also scholars who carry swords, but in most cases it is just for decoration. Their swords are also called "literary implements".

However, no scholar ever carried a gun.

Because the gun is too long and too deadly, it does not fit the elegance of "literary objects being like ritual objects".

He was a gun repairman, so his life as a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) naturally had limitations.

Old Zeng made up for this deficiency by giving him a belt, which he could use as a belt in normal times, but in case of battle, he could add his true energy and turn the belt into a gun at any time.

Moreover, once the belt takes on a gun shape, it becomes extremely textured, indistinguishable from a real gun.

"It's not a good gun right now, but this evil vine can keep growing by drinking human blood. If it drinks the blood of millions of people, it might truly become a 'demon gun'," Old Zeng said.

"Evil Vine?" Zhou Wen raised his hand and his hand trembled, and the once majestic spear went limp.

"What? Scared?" Old Zeng laughed.

"It's not that I'm afraid, it's just... is it really necessary?" Zhou Wenju said, "I'm still a scholar at heart, and I probably won't kill people directly too often. I've heard of the name of this Evil Vine. It's impervious to weapons, water, and fire, and it grows by devouring blood. If it kills millions of people, a demon spirit will be born within the Evil Vine, and it will truly become an eternally ferocious weapon."

These are all records found in Mohist classics.

The Mohists were famous for their tools; how could they not know about the evil vine?

Among the ten most evil weapons throughout history, the Demon Ruins Evil Spear ranks ninth. This Demon Ruins Evil Spear evolved from an evil vine that killed millions of people.

"Young master, of course I know you are a scholar, and your main adversaries are mostly in the realm of literature. But do you think that means there's no danger? The methods of literature can kill and injure, and their unpredictability surpasses that of cultivation. The greatest effect of this evil vine is its ability to effectively suppress the power of literature. If the time comes to turn against them, at least... you'll have the face to do so!"

Zhou Wenju pondered for a moment, then gently flipped his hand.

The evil vine belt wrapped around his waist, and with a pull of his true energy, the vine's energy vanished instantly.

He chuckled softly: "What? Are you still worried I might not return?"

"Young master, please don't ask such a question. It's really difficult for me to answer. If I tell the truth, it seems particularly pretentious. If I lie, I've never lied to you before..."

"Tch! You haven't lied? When I returned to Qishan that day, the first question I asked you was, 'How high is your cultivation level?' What was your answer? 'It's rather high; I can take on eight yamen runners!'..."

Old Zeng blinked: "Are you lying? Does the young master think I can't beat eight constables?"

Zhou Wenju was speechless: "...If you put it that way, I have nothing to say. I'm leaving..."

With a slight movement of his foot, he leaped into the air.

"Take care on your journey, young master," Old Zeng called out.

"How tacky is this? I'm not taking care of myself! I'm going on a diet!" Zhou Wenju's white robes flashed and he vanished without a trace.

Old Zeng was also dumbfounded. You're just born rebellious! No matter what, you rebel first and then talk about it later—even your "take care" message is about losing weight...

With your temperament, you'd make the master scold you for being a rebellious son every day in Qishan County.

What will happen if you go to the capital?

Ugh, this is such a headache.

However, there was one thing that made him slightly relieved: his flight before departure.

He can fly.

If we travel by air, there shouldn't be any major problems on the journey to Beijing.

What Lao Zeng didn't expect was...

Zhou Wenju's flight was limited to Lingnan.

In the misty rain of Lingnan, it flew by and reached Pingfeng Ridge.

Author Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlit Night awaits you with "How Can You Cultivate Immortality Without Learning Modern Knowledge?"

Upon reaching Pingfeng Ridge, he stepped onto the mountain path, gently brushing his hand across his clothes.

His clothes changed with a flick of his wrist.

A white scholar's robe, combined with his refined and elegant demeanor exuding a scholarly air, made him seem like the embodiment of two lines of poetry...

What poem?

The people on Mo are like jade, and the son is unparalleled in the world.

On the sixth day of the first lunar month, people still visit each other to exchange New Year's greetings.

Such an image, if used to offer New Year's greetings, would probably steal the show; if used to flirt with girls, it would likely stir the hearts of every woman.

However, if Old Zeng were beside him right now, he would definitely be terrified...

Because of his foolish first step into the world of martial arts...

He knew very well that Zhou Wenju's journey to Beijing was fraught with great danger.

Where does the danger come from?

The Prince of Rulan's residence, two high-ranking officials...

Having suffered such a heavy setback in Qishan, how could they not seek revenge?

They knew that if Zhou Wenju went to the capital and successfully participated in the Qingshan Literary Gathering, his literary fame would soar to great heights, making him difficult to subdue.

Anyone with a modicum of sense would want to nip it in the bud.

The long journey to Beijing was the best opportunity to kill him.

With their power, there are countless ways they could kill a scholar who had come to the capital.

If Zhou Wenju had even the slightest sense of crisis...

We should enter Beijing in the most discreet way possible, and absolutely not make a fuss.

But what about him?

Once outside the Lingnan region, he was like a peacock eager to show off his splendor, not wasting a moment. He had no intention of secretly making his way to the capital. He was just short of writing the three characters "Zhou Wenju" on his forehead and then parading through the streets.

From the mountain path, we entered the official road.

In the misty drizzle, his inner energy flowed naturally, and the drizzle did not stick to his clothes.

Inside the sedan chair ahead, a soft, delicate hand quietly lifted half of the curtain, and a pair of beautiful eyes followed him all the way.

He didn't care.

A scholar who brushed past him turned back behind him, looking thoughtful, but he paid no attention.

Ahead lay Nanyang City. He walked across the streets of Nanyang without stopping, heading towards the docks. Behind him, several windows of the restaurant were open, but he paid them no heed...

Behind the window, two men who looked like scholars looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Is it him? Zhou Wenju?" a scholar in blue robes asked.

"It's strikingly similar! Although we only observed from afar at the Nanyang Poetry Gathering that day, this scholar's demeanor, even the clothes he's wearing, are exactly the same as those from that day." Another scholar in white said, "Could it be true, as rumored in the capital, that he will attend the Qingshan Literary Gathering on the seventh day of the second month?"

"If the rumors are true, then that passenger boat heading to the capital ahead is the one he used to travel thousands of miles to reach the Qingshan Literary Gathering," said the scholar in blue. "But will this journey truly be smooth?"

"Brother Ding, do you mean... the Prince of Rulan's Mansion?" The scholar in white frowned slightly.

"The third prince of Rulan died at Huding Mountain because of him. The crown prince of Rulan went to Qishan a month ago and I heard that he also suffered a great setback. How can we watch him enter the Qingshan Literary Gathering and thus achieve his unparalleled literary fame? The long journey to the capital may be the last window to kill this prodigy."

"Even we, as outsiders, can see this, but those within the situation can't?" The scholar in white gently shook his head. "This young man has a legendary record of plotting to kill two vice ministers in Qishan; he's certainly not a fool. Today..."

"Brother Li, do you mean... that today's obvious flaw might conceal something else?"

Zhou Wenju's ostentatious behavior caused a stir in several corners of Nanyang.

Jiang refers to the Yangtze River.

The ferry crossing is Nanyang Ferry.

Although there is still Lingnan beyond Pingfeng Ridge in the Great Yu Dynasty, in everyone's dictionary, Nanyang is the southernmost part of the prosperous Jiangnan region.

Therefore, Nanyang Ferry was very prosperous.

The bluestone path near the ferry was soaked by the spring rain.

Teahouses and taverns line both sides of the road.

Wine flags fluttered in the wind, and flower umbrellas swayed in the light rain.

Most of the umbrellas in Jiangnan are made of paper.

There are often poems inscribed on the paper umbrellas.

For example, the umbrella held by the woman in the blue shirt in front has the following lines of poetry on it: "Willows by the river in the misty rain, autumn in the heart of the one who is parted."

Poetry enters painting, painting enters the heart...

It's very interesting.

He followed the umbrella for more than ten steps, and suddenly had a strange feeling.

The river wind was quite strong, but the light paper umbrella seemed to ignore it.

When the wind is strong, the rain falls erratically.

However, the rain couldn't wet the person under the umbrella.

This woman is a spiritual practitioner!

His skill level is quite high, with a lower limit at the Dao Mountain level and an upper limit unknown. This is because such a level of cultivation that shields one from wind and rain is a manifestation of the outward release of true qi. Below the Dao Mountain level, it is impossible to release true qi so freely and effortlessly.

Who could it be?

Is it none of my business?

Theoretically speaking, even if someone is watching him closely as he passes through Nanyang, the countermeasures against him wouldn't be so quick. However, this is not absolute, because the power of the Prince of Rulan in Jiangnan is truly all-pervasive and ubiquitous.

It cannot be ruled out that someone predicted his itinerary.

Arrange for a woman to sway gracefully in front of him beforehand...

The umbrella-wearing man walked in front, with Zhou Wenju following behind.

His eyes already held a hint of amusement.

Putting everything else aside, this woman in blue is really to my liking.

She has a great figure and a very large bust. Generally, large breasts tend to be heavy and prone to sagging due to gravity. However, this woman has found the optimal balance between large and firm breasts. Her breasts are both large and firm...

Her facial features were practically perfect, but what was most captivating was her waist; with just a gentle twist, it was incredible! It was as if the entire Jiangnan region had stepped into springtime…

Before I knew it, the road beneath my feet seemed to have changed.

Zhou Wenju withdrew his gaze from the silhouette under the paper umbrella and suddenly realized something was wrong. It seemed they had strayed from the main road and ended up by the river.

As the wind blew, the paper umbrella in front suddenly tumbled and was swept towards Zhou Wenju.

Zhou Wen raised his hand and suddenly grabbed the umbrella handle.

The umbrella handle was still warm.

But before him, there was no one, only a river of spring water and a forest of scattered rocks...

His heart skipped a beat, for he sensed a murderous intent emanating from behind him.

"People from the Tianquan Sect?" The six words rang out, chilling to the bone.

Zhou Wenju slowly turned around.

The woman in blue stood on a rock about three zhang behind him, staring coldly at him. This was the first time their faces had met directly, and the combination of all the elements shown from different angles made her even more stunning.

However, it also revealed another quality that it had not shown before: wildness.

Yes, at this moment, she possessed a wildness within her.

She was like a wild rose with thorns...

"What Tianquan Sect? I've never heard of that name..." Zhou Wenju said.

"Judging from your eyes, what you say seems to be true!" The woman in blue's eyes were full of movement, and she locked them firmly onto Zhou Wenju's eyes.

"That's absolutely true!"

The woman in blue nodded slightly: "So, sir... you're simply a womanizer?"

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