I rely on learning to achieve immortality.

Several months have passed since Xu Zhou rescued the cultivator surnamed Zheng.

For the first few months, Xu Zhou found it difficult to let go of this.

Whenever I peruse medical texts and occasionally drift off into thought, the events of that day come to mind.

As time went by and there was no follow-up, he gradually buried the matter in his heart.

One day, a sudden fluctuation of the protective barrier was felt outside the cave.

Xu Zhou stepped out of the gate and, upon recognizing the person who had come to visit, was momentarily stunned.

The person in front of me was none other than the senior brother surnamed Zheng whom I had saved a few months ago.

The other party was now awake, and his injuries had long since healed. His complexion was rosy, his breathing was steady, and his late-stage Qi Refining cultivation was faintly flowing. He was completely different from the person who was on the verge of death and barely breathing on that day.

Upon seeing Xu Zhou appear, the senior brother smiled warmly and bowed deeply to him.

"You must be Junior Brother Xu? Thank you for saving me a few months ago. If it weren't for you, I, Zheng Feng, would have been dead long ago."

Xu Zhou dared not be negligent and quickly returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute: "Senior brother is very fortunate. I only did a little favor, it's nothing to mention."

He led the other person into the house and prepared tea.

Although Zheng Feng was a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, he treated Xu Zhou as an equal, constantly praising his superb medical skills during their conversation. He frankly stated that when he awoke, the sect's physician told him that if Xu Zhou hadn't treated him in advance, even if he had survived, his foundation would have been damaged.

That's why he was especially grateful to Xu Zhou.

After exchanging a few words, Xu Zhou tentatively asked, "Senior Brother Zheng's injuries that day were quite strange. I'm curious, could you tell me how you got injured?"

When this matter was brought up, Zheng Feng's face also darkened.

"This matter is indeed quite strange."

"I was returning from the outside world when I encountered several cultivators of unknown origin. Upon seeing me, they attacked me en masse. I was caught off guard and fell victim to their ambush, which is why I am now so severely injured."

Xu Zhou frowned slightly: "Who would dare to attack our sect's cultivators within the territory of Mu Kingdom?"

"That's what I find strange too," Zheng Feng said seriously. "They attacked me as soon as they saw me, even though I had already revealed my identity beforehand, and they didn't hesitate at all."

The three of them concealed their faces and coordinated their actions. If I hadn't had some trump cards up my sleeve, I probably wouldn't have even been able to escape.

Xu Zhou remained silent, sensing that something was amiss and that it was not something he should concern himself with.

He simply changed the subject.

"Senior Brother Zheng."

Xu Zhou's expression turned somewhat serious as he said, "Forgive my intrusion, but may I ask what happened to you, Senior Brother, who left the sect with Senior Brother Ke and the others several years ago?"

When Xu Zhou asked about this, Zheng Feng's expression was complicated.

He opened his mouth slightly, as if he wanted to say something. But when he met Xu Zhou's firm gaze, he hesitated and looked away.

After a long silence, he sighed and said, "Junior Brother Ke... met with an accident while gathering herbs, and... has already perished."

Xu Zhou was deeply shaken.

A buzzing sound seemed to ring in my ears, and my body swayed slightly.

He found it hard to accept that his senior brother, who used to take good care of him with a cold face, had died mysteriously outside.

Just as he was about to say something, Xu Zhou's gaze suddenly sharpened.

He sensed something was amiss.

When Zheng Feng spoke of this matter, his face was full of shame, but he didn't seem to feel much sadness.

Realizing this, Xu Zhou temporarily suppressed his sadness.

Although he had lived in the sect for a long time, he rarely made friends with others. But before he went up the mountain to cultivate, he had been a top scholar and had his own unique insights into how to read other people's expressions.

Zheng Feng is clearly not good at hiding his true feelings.

That slight awkwardness might have been fleeting to others, but to Xu Zhou it was so obvious.

Xu Zhou opened his mouth slightly, subconsciously wanting to ask a question. But he immediately swallowed the words.

He remained silent for a while, then asked, "Does Senior Sister Ke Qiaoshu know about this?"

"I understand."

Zheng Feng answered instinctively, not finding the question strange at all.

Xu Zhou sighed inwardly, and the sadness that had risen earlier dissipated by most of it.

A few days ago, he went out of the pass to collect medicinal herbs in the Thousand Wood Forest. On his way back, he happened to run into Ke Qiaoshu. The other woman had a similarly complicated expression. She gave him a few words of encouragement, but there was no trace of sadness in her tone.

If Ke Yanfeng were to really get into trouble, Ke Qiaoshu would never be able to remain so calm.

It seems there's more to the story of Senior Brother Ke's disappearance than meets the eye, but because of my low status, I've been excluded from the circle of those who know the truth.

This matter was most likely the sect's doing; otherwise, Zheng Feng wouldn't have looked so guilty when he lied to me.

Thinking of this, a weight was finally lifted from his heart.

Consequently, her attitude towards Zheng Feng became less tentative and more composed.

As long as we know that Senior Brother Ke is still alive, we'll find out where he is and what he's doing in the future.

He maintained a somber expression for a long time before stiffly changing the subject.

Zheng Feng breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Zheng Feng did not press the matter further.

"Junior Brother Xu."

Zheng Feng chatted with him for a while, then suddenly said, "Junior Brother, you saved me earlier, and I am deeply grateful for your kindness and wish to repay you. However, Junior Brother Xu is an alchemist by training, so I imagine you have no shortage of contribution points. Therefore, I can only come to inquire, and I hope you can tell me."

Xu Zhou was slightly taken aback, then couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

After a brief exchange, he could tell that Zheng Feng was rather introverted and not the type to be good at socializing. Anyone with a basic understanding of human relationships should know that such an act of repaying a debt of gratitude should never be asked directly.

He shook his head: "What are you saying, Senior Brother? We are fellow disciples, it is only natural for me to lend a helping hand, why should I repay the debt?"

Zheng Feng was taken aback, then said with difficulty, "But my junior brother helped me out of a sense of justice. If I don't reward him, I won't be able to get over it in my heart."

"Since that's the case..."

Since Xu Zhou knew that the other party was not good with words, he might as well be more direct when talking to him.

After a moment's hesitation, he stopped declining and said directly:

"Since you say so, senior brother, then I won't stand on ceremony."

Actually, I've encountered a bottleneck in my alchemy practice and want to strive for the inheritance of the Hundred Herbs Hall's alchemy lineage. However, I come from an outer sect background and have a shallow foundation within the sect. Even if I have contribution points, I may not be able to apply."

He spoke calmly, looking at Zheng Feng, and said, "If it's convenient for you, senior brother, if I ever come to this point in the future, I hope you can put in a good word for me."

Xu Zhou's original intention was to take advantage of Zheng Feng's youthful appearance and considerable cultivation level, believing he might have connections within the sect. Perhaps when Xu Zhou applied for the inheritance of the Dao of Alchemy, he could leverage Zheng Feng's connections.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Feng's reaction was beyond his expectations.

The other person paused for a moment, seemingly puzzled.

"Inheritance? Is something like that... hard to obtain?"

Xu Zhou: ...

He suddenly realized that Zheng Feng was probably the same kind of person as Song Rou, someone who also had no shortage of inheritance.

After a moment of explanation, Zheng Feng finally understood that it would be much more difficult for someone like Xu Zhou, who had no background and whose talent was not particularly outstanding, to obtain the inheritance of skills from the elders of Baicaotang than for him.

After listening, Zheng Feng remained silent for a while, seemingly deep in thought.

The next moment, his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Since it's so troublesome, let's not bother with them."

He flipped his hand and took out a jade slip from his storage bag, handing it over: "Take this and go exchange it with them."

Xu Zhou didn't quite catch up with the other person's thoughts for a moment and took the jade slip somewhat blankly.

Zheng Feng explained, "This item is a legacy of an array formation, and its grade is at least second-tier."

"The reason Baicaotang won't give you the inheritance is because they feel the benefits aren't enough. This array formation inheritance is of a higher grade than the inheritances within the sect. If you offer this jade slip in exchange for it, Baicaotang will definitely agree."

Xu Zhou looked at him, her gaze pausing slightly, and for a moment she didn't know how to speak.

Second-order inheritance.

He had gone to great lengths to obtain a first-tier inheritance, yet this senior brother so easily produced a second-tier inheritance.

He wanted to agree immediately, but he felt it wasn't real enough and didn't agree right away.

Zheng Feng chuckled to himself, "Junior brother, don't worry. I obtained this inheritance outside, and the sect didn't include it. They will definitely be willing to exchange it."

Besides, I've already seen the inheritance, so even if you trade it for it, it won't be a loss for me.

Xu Zhou opened his mouth slightly, as if he wanted to interrupt and say something.

Zheng Feng, however, was extremely enthusiastic and insisted that he accept it no matter what.

After a few exchanges, Xu Zhou realized that the other party's feelings were genuine and that he truly wanted the gift, so he sighed inwardly.

He cupped his hands and said to Zheng Feng, "This inheritance is too valuable. I am already satisfied with just one look from you, Senior Brother Zheng. I dare not use it to exchange for benefits with the sect. You may hand this inheritance over to the sect yourself."

There is one thing I must ask of you, senior brother, otherwise I absolutely dare not accept it.

Zheng Feng nodded and said, "Junior Brother Xu, please speak frankly."

"I hope that you will not spread the word that I have accepted this inheritance."

Zheng Feng was taken aback: "Then why did you exchange inheritance with Bai Cao Tang?"

Xu Zhou smiled slightly: "Being able to see my senior brother's inheritance is already of great benefit to me. As for the inheritance of Baicaotang, it is not that important."

Zheng Feng thought for a moment and nodded repeatedly: "So Junior Brother is also a studious person! Then this inheritance has been given to the right person."

He immediately agreed to Xu Zhou's request, and even almost made a vow of Dao heart for fear that Xu Zhou would worry.

Xu Zhou was so frightened that he quickly tried to stop him, and it took a lot of effort to get him away.

After Zheng Feng left, Xu Zhou did not dare to check the jade slip immediately. Instead, he inquired around the camp to find out Zheng Feng's identity and character.

After making some inquiries, it was learned that Zheng Feng was indeed someone of considerable influence.

He was the great-grandson of an elder of the Imperial Array Hall, and had shown astonishing talent in array formations since childhood. His talent was even more remarkable than that of Song Rou. Now, at less than fifty years old, he had not only reached the eighth level of Qi Refining, but was also one of the few high-grade array masters in the sect.

When Ke Yanfeng went out to collect herbs back then, he was just hitching a ride with someone else.

In reality, the purpose of that group's departure was that Zheng Feng wanted to see the ancient formations of the Mu Kingdom. He gathered several people to go together, and Ke Yanfeng only accompanied them.

After learning all this, Xu Zhou's doubts were resolved.

No wonder Zheng Feng seems to have no idea how to interact with people. He has been exceptionally talented since childhood and is also a descendant of an elder. When others befriend him, they will only do whatever he wants. How would he know how to make friends with people or even repay kindness?

If they hadn't been injured in this accident and escaped to Qianmu Forest, where Xu Zhou happened to save them, given the disparity in their relationship, they would never have crossed paths for decades.

After understanding these relationships, Xu Zhou finally felt relieved.

He finally dared to take out the jade slip and play with it.

The array formation inheritance that Zheng Feng gave him was far more valuable than Xu Zhou had imagined.

Although the inheritance grade has only increased from the first to the second tier, its value has increased many times over. It can be said that if this jade slip were to appear in the outside world, even Foundation Establishment cultivators might be attracted to it, making it priceless.

Xu Zhou was afraid that if he accepted the jade slip, it would displease Zheng Feng's family, or that the matter would spread and attract the covetousness of others.

But after making several inquiries, he felt much more at ease.

The Zheng family had an excellent reputation within the sect, and there had never been any reports of them abusing their power. Zheng Feng himself was also known for keeping his mouth shut. He was similar to Xu Zhou in that he was a reclusive cultivator who would go into seclusion for a long time after immersing himself in the study of array formations, so news of him was unlikely to leak out.

Since that's the case, he can accept this array inheritance with peace of mind.

As for exchanging it with Baicaotang for the inheritance of alchemy, Xu Zhou would not do that.

The value of a second-tier inheritance is far higher than that of a first-tier inheritance, so exchanging for it would still be a loss for you.

Moreover, this array formation was a gift from Zheng Feng. His family might accept him reading through the inheritance, but they might not accept him using it to exchange for benefits.

That's why Xu Zhou told Zheng Feng to simply hand over the inheritance to the sect himself. He was already content with just the inheritance itself.

Only after confirming that there were no further worries did Xu Zhou hold the jade slip in his hand.

The knowledge passed down within may influence his spiritual practice for decades to come.

He looked at the jade slip in his hand and suddenly remembered a question.

How do I read the jade slip?