Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

After leaving the hustle and bustle of Shanghai, Zhang Zhiwei did not rush to throw himself into the turmoil of the secular world. Instead, he returned to Longhu Mountain and enjoyed a rare period of peace and quiet.

Life in the mountains is long and peaceful, free from the hustle and bustle and calculations of the world. Time seems to flow more slowly than it does down below the mountain.

As the first rays of sunlight paint the sky red, Zhang Zhiwei, as usual, sits cross-legged under the crooked tree atop Tianmen Peak, breathing in the Qi of heaven, earth, and humanity.

Fang Qianhe would sit cross-legged next to him to cultivate. He had already noticed that cultivating with his master not only made his mind more peaceful and his level of meditation higher, but also greatly improved his breathing efficiency, even more so than when he was practicing in the training ground.

Fang Qianhe also asked Zhang Zhiwei about this matter. Zhang Zhiwei did not hide anything from him and told him that when he was breathing, although he only absorbed the Qi of the Three Powers, he would also attract a lot of the Qi of Heaven and Earth. He would naturally benefit from cultivating by his side.

As they said this, the crooked tree behind them shook its branches vigorously, making a rustling sound, as if responding to Zhang Zhiwei's words.

Fang Qianhe was a smart man and immediately understood what was going on. No wonder Tree Brother was able to obtain Qi and transform into a spirit. It wasn't because it was some kind of rare tree, but simply because his master had been cultivating here for many years.

"Tree Brother" is what he called the crooked tree after they became familiar with each other. At first, he called it "Senior Brother," but later, because there were too many senior brothers on Longhu Mountain, calling it that would be ambiguous, he started calling the crooked tree "Senior Brother Tree." Later, he took it a step further and called it "Tree Brother."

The crooked-necked tree was quite pleased with the nickname "Brother Tree." During this time, the Taoist priests of Longhu Mountain had given it many names, starting with "Crooked-necked Tree," then "Dragon-Subduing Tree," "Six Paths Tree," and so on.

But of all these, his favorites are still Brother Tree and Senior Brother Tree.

Because most other names simply refer to a tree, but the latter treats it as a person.

Especially Brother Tree, this undoubtedly acknowledges that it is Zhang Zhiwei's disciple, which it has always considered itself, after all, when it followed Zhang Zhiwei, Fang Qianhe had not even been born yet.

Of course, it also likes the nickname "Brother Tree," which means it's being treated purely as a person.

The mountain breeze blows, the trees rustle, and the two people and the tree create a sense of harmony between man and nature. If someone could paint this scene in the form of ink painting, it would surely have a profound artistic conception.

After finishing his breathing exercises, Zhang Zhiwei would go down to the bustling training ground to chat and boast with his fellow students.

He has already reached a very high level of cultivation and his status is incredibly high, but he never puts on airs. He remains down-to-earth as always, laughing and talking about strange things with his fellow disciples and some new juniors.

After chatting, he would also give pointers to his disciples. If any disciple's cultivation had gone astray or their Qi circulation had become sluggish, he would casually offer a word or two of advice.

His guidance was often incisive and to the core, and a few words could often enlighten his disciples, surpassing the effect of months of hard practice.

Sometimes, he would personally join in, exchanging skills and offering guidance to his fellow disciples, such as Zhang Huaiyi and Tian Jinzhong.

Of course, while he claimed it was a friendly exchange of pointers, in reality, he unilaterally and utterly crushed them.

Even many seniors on the mountain, such as Uncle Zhang Yi, are now gradually setting aside their seniority and coming to him to discuss some difficulties in cultivation.

At first, these senior uncles and elder brothers were quite reserved. After all, it was a bit embarrassing to ask a junior of much lower seniority for advice.

But as Zhang Zhiwei's strength became increasingly unfathomable and his reputation resounded throughout the entire world of supernatural beings, their pride naturally faded away.

After all, in the path of cultivation, those who attain enlightenment come first.

Zhang Zhiwei naturally answered all the questions posed by his elders without reservation.

He wouldn't give direct answers, but would use simple and easy-to-understand metaphors or guide them to think from another perspective, which often enabled these elders whose cultivation had stagnated for many years to gain new insights.

For example, an old senior came to ask Zhang Zhiwei, saying that every time he circulated his Qi, he always felt a slight stagnation, as if he had encountered a stubborn rock that he could not force through and had no way to go around. He did not know why.

Zhang Zhiwei thought for a moment and used flowing water as an example to tell him that when water encounters a stubborn rock, does it ever think of trying to break it? Water just flows, day after day, year after year. When you look back, the stubborn rock has already been pierced or its edges have been smoothed. The reason why the flow of Qi is sluggish is because of impatience. You might as well let go of the thought of breaking through the barrier and just keep flowing.

He could only offer advice on this matter. That's how cultivation works. In the early stages, you rely on scrolls, and in the later stages, you rely on your state of mind. The more desireless and unambitious you are, the easier it is to obtain things. The more eager you are to make progress, the less progress you will make.

Not long after he returned to Longhu Mountain, Lü Ci followed him, along with the young couple Lu Jin and Lin Yu.

They came here to fulfill their promise and to treat their friends who couldn't attend the wedding to a celebratory feast at Longhu Mountain.

The arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Lu Jin was warmly welcomed by everyone at Longhu Mountain.

Even the reclusive old master Zhang Jingqing, out of respect for the Lu family patriarch, personally received the newlyweds and offered his sincere blessings.

That evening, the group booked the largest restaurant in Shangqing Town at the foot of Longhu Mountain and set up a nice table.

Upon receiving the news, Zhuge Yunhui, along with his wife Tian Xiaodie, rushed over from Tiantong Temple.

During this time, Zhuge Yunhui has been following the orders of Master Zhuge to cultivate in seclusion on Longhu Mountain, hoping to comprehend the mysteries of Tiantong Qimen.

Before Tian Xiaodie arrived, Zhuge Yunhui had put a lot of effort into this area, occasionally trying to figure it out.

But after Tian Xiaodie arrived, the couple were reunited, and without the supervision of the clan elders, he let his true nature run wild, thinking about his wife, children, and warm bed every day.

He had long since put aside any talk of the Heavenly Qimen Dunjia, since he couldn't learn it anyway, and it was better not to learn it, so as not to delay his good days with his wife.

Although Zhuge Yunhui and Lu Jin weren't exactly close, they knew each other. In fact, Zhuge Yunhui had an older brother who was Lu Jin's senior in school, so of course he came to support him.

Lu Jin and his wife were naturally very welcoming, especially Lin Yu. A group of men from Longhu Mountain were drinking and chatting happily with Lu Jin, and she felt so awkward on the side. So when Tian Xiaodie arrived, the two of them sat together and became good friends, as if they had endless things to talk about.

Soon, the atmosphere became completely lively.

"Old Lu, last time you got married, we were all pretty drunk before you finally came out. That wasn't very nice of you!" Lu Ci shouted, holding a large wine bowl. "You have to make it up to me today. I won't argue with you. You've had one cup, and I've had four. Come on, I'll finish mine, you can drink as you like!"

After saying that, he tilted his head back and downed a bowl of baijiu.

Lu Jin was in a great mood today. He smiled and picked up his wine glass, saying, "I'll make up for it. To express my apology, I'll punish myself with three drinks first!"

Old Lu is a respectable man, but he wouldn't do something like drinking and raising fish. He downed three cups of wine in no time, making Lin Yu want to pull him away, but Tian Xiaodie held her back.

"Let them drink if they want to! We can just carry them back later!" Tian Xiaodie laughed. Seeing Lu Jin drink three cups in a row, everyone cheered, saying Old Lu was straightforward!

Afterwards, the people from Longhu Mountain came to drink with Lu Jin, and Lu Jin accepted them all. He had already prepared himself to be drunk to the point of passing out when he came.

Then, as expected, he was drunk and passed out. Because there were many people surrounding Lu Jin, the pressure on Lü Ci was greatly reduced, so Lü Ci was still in good condition.

After getting Lu Jin drunk, Lü Ci went to drink with Zhang Zhiwei and asked about things in Shanghai. Zhang Zhiwei didn't mention the cathedral, but only said that he had helped the landlord and landlady find their biological son and take on a disciple. Then he got Lü Ci drunk.

Fang Qianhe, who was sitting not far away, was quite curious when he heard that he had gained a junior brother. However, when he learned that this junior brother was an innate extraordinary person who could also cultivate acquired skills, he immediately felt a sense of crisis and secretly resolved to cultivate diligently so that he could become weaker than this nominal junior brother.

The Taoist priests of Longhu Mountain had not drunk alcohol for a long time, so most of them had a low alcohol tolerance and soon became drunk.

Zhang Zhiwei didn't take them back to his residence. Instead, he booked several rooms in the restaurant and sent them in to rest and sober up.

Soon, only a few people remained at the table: Zhang Zhiwei, who could drink a lot; Zhang Huaiyi, who had special fish-raising skills; and Zhuge Yunhui, who was prudent and refused to drink with others.

"In this chaotic world, it is truly rare to have a few close friends like these, to get together, put aside all worries, have a good drink, and chat for a while!" Zhuge Yunhui exclaimed.

Zhang Huaiyi also sighed, "It is indeed very rare. I have seen too much along the way. Ordinary people living down the mountain live such hard lives."

Zhang Zhiwei nodded and said, "This is indeed the rarest and most precious scenery."

“Brother Zhuge, you are from the Zhuge Liang faction. This situation is exactly the time for you to show your skills. Do you have any ideas?” Zhang Huaiyi asked.

"I?"

Zhuge Yunhui pointed to himself with a surprised look: "Brother Huaiyi, you overestimate me. What thoughts could I possibly have? I only wish for peace and prosperity for the country and for people to live and work in peace."

"By the way, I heard from Jinzhong that you came here to cultivate the Tiantong Qimen. How is it? What stage have you reached in your cultivation?" Zhang Huaiyi asked.

He had suffered many losses in the Tian Tong Qi Men technique, including his hard-won victory in his last contest with Zhou Sheng. Therefore, he was quite curious about whether Zhuge Yunhui could learn this technique.

"Well..."

Zhuge Yunhui took a sip of wine and said with a carefree expression, "I can't learn it. I've already given up. Even the clan leader can't learn it, let alone me?"

"Is it a real surrender, or just a fake surrender?" Zhang Zhiwei asked with a smile.

"They've really given up!"

Zhuge Yunhui put his arm around Tian Xiaodie's shoulder. Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, Zhuge Yunhui, who had drunk a little, began to boldly express his feelings.

“I have found what I will cherish for the rest of my life. So-called divination and other such methods are just tools I use to protect what I cherish. How can I ignore what I truly want in pursuit of them?”

Upon hearing this, Tian Xiaodie blushed shyly.

Zhang Huaiyi glanced at the couple, his eyes flickered, and then silently changed the subject.

"You've been drinking, you reek of the sour smell of love!" Zhang Zhiwei laughed, then looked at Zhang Huaiyi and said, "What's wrong, Huaiyi, are you envious?"

"What are you envious of?" Zhang Huaiyi asked, sticking his neck out.

"I envy him for having a wife!" Zhang Zhiwei laughed.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Why would a monk like me envy such a thing? I’ve never even thought about such a thing,” Zhang Huaiyi quickly denied.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhiwei grinned and laughed. If he hadn't really thought about it, how could he have a grandson and a son?
This made Zhang Huaiyi a little embarrassed.

He did have this idea. He was the only son in his family and had really thought about getting married and having children. He even secretly saved up some money for a wife and buried it in a hidden corner of the back mountain of Longhu Mountain.

But he could think it in his heart, but he would never admit it out loud.

Zhang Zhiwei didn't continue to provoke him on this topic, but instead turned to Zhuge Yunhui and said:
"Brother Zhuge, don't go to Tiantong Temple tomorrow. Come to Tianmen Peak. I need to talk to you about something."

Now that you've let go of your obsession with "Tian Tong Qi Men," perhaps it's time to truly pick it up.

The next day, Zhuge Yunhui arrived at Tianmen Peak as promised and found Zhang Zhiwei meditating under a pine tree.

Zhang Zhiwei casually tossed him a scroll of diagrams, which, in addition to the intricate Qimen Dunjia diagrams, was covered with various annotations written in red ink.

"Brother Zhiwei, give me this..."

Zhuge Yunhui curiously unfolded the diagram, and after just one glance, he instantly understood what it was! He felt as if he'd been electrocuted and wanted to return it, waving his hands repeatedly, saying:
"Forget it! Brother Zhiwei, I don't have the talent, I definitely can't learn it, so please don't waste this treasure! If you ask me, even if I let my Xiaodie learn it, she might have a better chance of learning it than I do!"

“You already have the qualifications to learn it,” Zhang Zhiwei said. “If you still have any attachments in your heart, you will be captivated by this picture the moment you see it, and you will be trapped in the illusion of the inner scene and unable to extricate yourself. Only by truly letting go of your attachments to it can you see its true appearance with a calm mind. If you see it without being affected, it means that you have passed this test.”

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Yunhui was somewhat surprised, then clicked his tongue in amazement: "This method is truly strange! You can't learn it when you want to, but you can learn it when you don't want to?"

"So, do you want to learn?" Zhang Zhiwei asked.

Zhuge Yunhui thought for a moment, then said with a troubled expression, "Learning this must be very complicated, requiring years of dedicated practice, right? Then... then I won't have time to spend with my wife. Maybe... I shouldn't learn it?"

Zhang Zhiwei: "..."

This guy's love-struck brain is hopeless... He thought to himself, and was about to give up. After all, he couldn't force him to learn if he didn't want to.

Unexpectedly, the next second, Zhuge Yunhui's mind suddenly clicked. He stroked his chin and muttered to himself, "Wait a minute... if I never learn it, those old guys in the clan might send someone to replace me. That means these leisurely and easy days will be over! Then I'll have to go back to that village where everything is so rule-bound..."

Thinking of this, he suddenly slapped his thigh and smiled at Zhang Zhiwei:
"How about... I learn it anyway! Senior Brother Zhang, you don't need to teach me too seriously, just take it slow. I'll learn just the basics first, enough to appease my elders back home!" (End of Chapter)