A max-level player in Jade Dynasty: Awakening the Innate Dao at the start.

The bamboo door to the back room creaked open.

Zhang Xiaofan walked out and closed the door behind him.

The wooden door made a dull, soft sound when it closed.

The strong, lingering scent of ink and sandalwood was trapped inside.

He stood outside the door for a short while, his fingertips still bearing the marks of when he flipped through those old books.

The rough texture of the paper scraping against his skin, and the sound of Tian Buyi's animated speech still ringing in his ears.

Two full hours.

From the fourth to the ninth level of Jade Purity Realm

Tian Buyi poured out all the key points, crucial details, potential pitfalls, and solutions left by generations of masters.

He talked until his mouth was dry, then picked up his teacup and drank three times before wiping his mouth and continuing.

Zhang Xiaofan listened attentively.

The innate Dao body not only brings fast cultivation, but also frightening comprehension.

Those problems that ordinary people would struggle with for months or even years

It went through his mind like a key being inserted into a lock; with a gentle turn, it opened.

"Master, I'll be going back now." He bowed to the door.

Tian Buyi's reply came from inside, his voice still carrying a lingering excitement:

"Go ahead! Think it through carefully! Feel free to ask if you encounter any problems!"

Zhang Xiaofan turned around and walked out along the bamboo corridor.

Footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, each step producing a soft echo.

Outside the corridor, the afternoon sunlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The wind blows, and the light and shadows sway, like a school of fish at the bottom of the water.

Inside Shoujing Hall, Su Ru was tidying up the tea set.

The celadon teacups clinked together, producing a crisp, tinkling sound.

Hot water is poured into the teapot, creating a misty white steam that carries the unique, rich aroma of Wuyi rock tea, somewhat like caramel mixed with minerals.

She heard footsteps, looked up, and saw Tian Buyi walking out from the back room.

A smile graced her round face.

It wasn't the usual stern, authoritative fake smile.

It was a genuine smile, emanating from the depths of his eyes.

His mouth stretched into a wide grin, but wrinkles gathered at the corners of his eyes.

His face looked like a crumpled and then unfolded piece of parchment, exuding an irrepressible smugness.

"This child..."

Tian Buyi sat down opposite Su Ru, picked up his teacup, and took a big gulp.

It burned him so badly he hissed, but his laughter didn't diminish. "This is incredible, truly incredible."

Su Ru poured him more tea: "How's your comprehension?"

"A monster." Tian Buyi uttered two words, paused, and then added,

"Stronger than Ling'er, much stronger than her."

I only need to explain it once, and he can apply it to other situations.

There were some key points that stumped me for three years back then.

After I finished speaking, he rolled his eyes twice and said, "I understand."

He leaned back, and the bamboo chair creaked slightly under his weight.

"Three months, three floors."

Tian Buyi stared at the roof beams, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

"That old hag Shuiyue boasted about Lu Xueqi for five years, but it took her a month and a half to build the first floor back then."

Even so, she wanted to pamper that girl to the heavens.

Su Ru put down the teapot and said gently:

"Xiao Fan's talent is indeed rare."

"Rare?" Tian Buyi chuckled.

"A once-in-a-millennium event! Since the founding of the Qingyun Sect, no one has ever achieved this speed."

Aside from Master Qingye, I can't think of another one!

He suddenly sat up straight, propped his elbows on the table, and his eyes lit up:

"Five years from now, at the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament, how far do you think Xiao Fan can go?"

Su Ru thought for a moment: "A top-four finish should be within reach."

"Top four?" Tian Buyi shook his head. "That's too conservative. I think top three!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, tapping his fingers on the table in rhythm:

"Qi Hao from Dragon Head Peak, Lin Jingyu from Dragon Head Peak, and Lu Xueqi from Little Bamboo Peak."

These so-called "geniuses" will all have to step aside in the end!

"It's time for our Dazhu Peak to finally hold its head high!"

Su Ru looked at him, a smile appearing on her lips: "Look how happy you are."

How could I not be happy?

Tian Buyi stood up and paced around the hall.

"How many years has it been? Every time the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament is held, our Great Bamboo Peak is just there as an extra."

Other people's disciples are basking in the limelight on stage, while ours are eliminated in the first round and kneel in the second.

My old face...

He stopped, took a deep breath, his chest bulged, and then slowly exhaled.

"No," Tian Buyi suddenly said.

Su Ru looked up at him: "What do you mean, 'no'?"

"I can't sit still." Tian Buyi rubbed his hands together, glancing towards the door.

"I need to talk to my senior brother, the sect leader, about this."

Su Ru chuckled: "Just for this?"

What does "just for this" mean?

Tian Buyi glared, but there was still a smile in his eyes.

"Our Great Bamboo Peak has produced a genius of a thousand years. Shouldn't the sect leader know? Shouldn't certain people... hear about it?"

His words were loaded with meaning.

Su Ru naturally understood who "certain people" referred to.

She shook her head, not stopping her: "Go ahead. But keep it low-key, don't be too flashy."

"Extroverted?" Tian Buyi flicked his sleeve.

"I, Tian, ​​always act with integrity and uprightness!"

After he finished speaking, he strode out.

He walked to the door, then stopped, turned around, straightened his collar and smoothed his sideburns in front of the bronze mirror in the corner.

The round face in the mirror glowed red, and the eyes were frighteningly bright.

Su Ru watched his retreating figure and sighed softly, but there was a hint of a smile in her sigh.

Like a child.

When the Crimson Flame Sword was drawn, it brought with it a trail of fire.

The sword is thick and red all over, like an iron bar just pulled out of a blacksmith's furnace.

Tian Buyi leaped onto the sword, the hem of his Taoist robe being lifted by the heat emanating from the sword, revealing the dark gray lining underneath.

He made a hand seal with one hand, and the Crimson Flame Sword hummed softly, transforming into a crimson rainbow that shot into the sky.

The wind whistled past my ears.

The bamboo forest at Dazhu Peak rapidly shrank beneath our feet, transforming into a rolling green wave.

In the distance, Tongtian Peak stands like a giant pillar, piercing straight into the clouds.

The summit is hidden in the clouds and mist, with only a corner of the eaves occasionally peeking out, shimmering with the light reflected from the golden tiles.

Tian Buyi's speed in controlling his sword was extremely fast.

A crimson rainbow streaked across the sky, leaving a long tail, like a comet streaking across the heavens.

Disciples from other lineages passed by on their swords, and upon seeing the arrogant crimson rainbow, they all gave way, some muttering under their breath:

"Uncle Tian from Dazhu Peak? What's he rushing off to?"

"Who knew, her face turned as red as if she'd drunk three catties of strong liquor..."

Tian Buyi ignored him.

He straightened his back, raised his chin slightly, and the barely suppressed smile on his face was forced into an "unfathomable" expression in the strong wind.

We've arrived at Rainbow Bridge.

A long white jade bridge spans between two mountain peaks, with a bottomless abyss below.

The sea of ​​clouds surged in the abyss, and when the sunlight shone on it, it rippled with golden waves like fish scales.

According to the rules, one must dismount and walk upon reaching the Rainbow Bridge; this is a sign of respect for the sect leader's lineage.

Tian Buyi landed at the bridgehead.

With a clang, the Crimson Flame Sword returned to its sheath, the heat emanating from its blade scorching several clumps of wild grass by the bridgehead.

He straightened his Taoist robe, smoothed out the wrinkles in the sleeves, cleared his throat, and stepped onto the bridge.

His steps were very steady.

Each step was firm and solid, as if he were pressing all the frustration he had suffered on Tongtian Peak into the white jade bricks of the bridge.

The bridge was very long; it took almost half an incense stick's time to walk across it before the outline of the Jade Purity Hall came into view.

The palace gates were open.

The interior was dimly lit, with thirty-six coiled dragon pillars supporting the high dome, the reliefs on the pillars appearing particularly ferocious in the shadows.

In the very center, the statues of the Three Pure Ones overlook the hall.

The smoke from the incense burner rose straight up, only to be dispersed by the draft when it reached a height of three feet.

There are people inside the hall.

Dao Xuan Zhenren sat on the futon in the main seat, flipping through an old book.

He wore a plain white Taoist robe, his hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, and the lines of his profile looked somewhat cold and hard in the shadows.

Below him, Daoist Cangsong sat in a chair on the left, holding a teacup in his hand, and was blowing on the tea foam with his head down.

Hearing footsteps, he raised his eyelids and glanced towards the palace entrance.

Tian Buyi walked in.

Footsteps echoed in the empty hall, each step producing a clear reverberation.

He walked to the center of the hall and bowed to Dao Xuan: "Sect Leader, Senior Brother."

Dao Xuan put down his book, looked up at him, and his gaze lingered on his face for a moment.

"Junior Brother Bu Yi."

Dao Xuan's voice was calm, "What brings you to Tongtian Peak today?"

Tian Buyi straightened up, his "unfathomable" expression tightening even more.

But the light in his eyes couldn't be suppressed: "There's something I wanted to report to Senior Brother Sect Leader."

The Taoist Cangsong put down his teacup, which clinked against the rosewood tea table with a crisp "ding".

He leaned back in his chair, a half-smile playing on his lips:

"Junior Brother Tian looks quite well. What's wrong? Has your cultivation improved again?"

His words were barbed.

Tian Buyi didn't look at him, only at Dao Xuan:

"I wouldn't say I've made any progress."

That's the new little apprentice I took in; his cultivation has improved a bit recently.

I'm so happy, I came here specifically to share the good news with my senior brother, the sect leader.

"Oh?" Dao Xuan became interested.

"That kid Zhang Xiaofan? He's been studying for three months now, how's his progress?"

The Taoist Cangsong let out a "heh".

The sound wasn't loud, but it was very clear to hear in the quiet hall.

He picked up his teacup, took another sip, and then slowly spoke:

"Junior Brother Tian, ​​I'm not trying to be mean, but I'm telling you the truth."

That child was the one everyone else had rejected.

With mediocre talent and average abilities, it's already a sign of your compassion that you accepted him as your disciple.

Spiritual practice cannot be rushed.

Take your time. Reaching the third or fourth level of the Jade Purity Realm will be a reward for all your hard work.

As he spoke, he put down his teacup, leaned forward, and looked at Tian Buyi:

"Unlike my apprentice, Jingyu."

After two months of learning, I've already reached the threshold of the first level of the Jade Purity Realm.

At this rate, I'll definitely be able to break through to the second level within six months.

He paused, waiting to see the expression on Tian Buyi's face.

Surprise? Jealousy? Embarrassment?

But Tian Buyi simply said "Oh".

He looked up at the coffered ceiling of the main hall, his hands behind his back.

Her belly was slightly protruding; her posture and expression...

It looks exactly like a big orange cat that has just eaten and drunk its fill and is sunbathing.

"Junior Nephew Jingyu, you are indeed quite good."

Tian Buyi said it in a light, casual tone, as if he were commenting on a roadside weed.

Cangsong frowned.

This reaction is wrong.

He stared at Tian Buyi, his voice deepening:

"Junior Brother Tian doesn't seem to care much?"

"How dare I?" Tian Buyi withdrew his gaze and looked at the pine tree.

The taut, enigmatic expression on his face finally cracked.

His barely suppressed, almost overflowing, smugness was on full display.

"It's my apprentice Xiao Fan. He's dull-witted, and I'm sorry to have made Senior Brother Cang Song laugh at him."

He paused, as if considering how to say it.

Then, casually tossing out a sentence:

"After three months, I barely managed to reach the third level of the Jade Purity Realm."

"..."

The hall remained silent for a full three breaths.

The expression on the face of the Taoist Cangsong froze.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. The cup of tea in his hand...

Forgot to put it down, the tea sloshed slightly, creating ripples around the rim of the cup.

"You..." he finally managed to squeeze out a single word, "What did you say?"

Tian Buyi repeated it again, pronouncing each word clearly:

"Zhang Xiaofan, after three months of training, has reached the third level of the Jade Purity Realm."

"impossible!"

The Taoist priest suddenly stood up. His movement was so sudden that he overturned the tea table beside him.

The teacup shattered on the ground with a "crack," spilling its bright green tea everywhere.

Shards of porcelain splattered across the white jade bricks, creating a chaotic mess.

He stared at Tian Buyi, his eyes like knives:

"Tian Buyi! In the Jade Purity Hall, in front of the sect leader, how dare you spout such nonsense?"

Three months, third level? Do you think cultivating Taoism is child's play?

Do you think the Qingyun Sect's thousand-year-old heritage is a joke?!

Tian Buyi remained silent.

He simply stared at the pine tree, at that face contorted with anger and disbelief.

He looked at the fury blazing from those eyes, a fury that seemed to burn him to ashes.

Then he smiled.

It wasn't a loud laugh, but a deep, suppressed laugh that overflowed from the depths of the throat.

Laughter echoed through the main hall, hitting the dragon-carved pillars, the statues of the Three Pure Ones, and the taut nerves of the Taoist Cangsong.

"Senior Brother Cangsong," Tian Buyi said, his voice carrying a hint of laughter and a certain joy.

"I, Tian Buyi, have been a disciple for over three hundred years. Have I ever uttered a single lie?"

The pine tree choked.

Dao Xuan Zhenren spoke up at this moment.

He stood up and walked to the center of the hall.

The hem of the plain white Taoist robe swept across the ground without getting a single tea stain.

His gaze swept over Tian Buyi, then over the pine trees, and finally settled on the surging sea of ​​clouds outside the palace.

"Junior Brother Buyi, you have never uttered a lie."

Dao Xuan's voice was calm, but each word was like a nail driven into the air: "I believe it."

He turned to Tian Buyi, a slight smile appearing on his face:

"Congratulations, junior brother, on taking on a good disciple."

Tian Buyi bowed: "Thank you, Senior Brother Headmaster."

Then, he straightened up and looked at the pine tree.

The chief of Dragon Head Peak was still standing there, his body stiff, his fingers clenched tightly, his knuckles white and bluish.

He stared at the broken porcelain shards on the ground, at the spilled tea stain, his eyes vacant, his lips trembling slightly.

"impossible……"

The pine tree murmured, its voice hoarse.

"Absolutely impossible... three months, three floors... this... this doesn't make sense..."

He raised his head and looked at Tian Buyi, something shattering in his eyes.

Tian Buyi met his gaze, and the corners of his mouth slowly widened.

"Now."

He asked softly, each word like a hammer blow striking the heart of the ancient pine tree.

"Do you believe me now?"