“Brat, take a seat!”

Today, Yu Chenran was brewing tea in the courtyard. He gestured to the seat beside him, signaling Chen Qingyuan.

“Thank you, Master.”

Chen Qingyuan took a seat without hesitation and poured himself a cup of tea.

“It seems the decades of seclusion weren’t in vain; you’ve grown quite a bit.”

Yu Chenran appraised Chen Qingyuan with a satisfied expression.

“It’s all thanks to Master’s excellent guidance.” Chen Qingyuan said with a sly smile, buttering up his master.

“What are your plans moving forward?”

Yu Chenran inquired.

“I plan to continue cultivating at the Academy; there’s still so much I haven’t learned.”

The top Dao Techniques of the Academy are numerous. Not to mention mastering them, even getting through them all once is quite the effort.

“Do you really think you can learn them all?” Yu Chenran warned, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Choose a few Dao Techniques that resonate with you and master them. Don’t aim too high.”

“Disciple understands.” Chen Qingyuan nodded, “But I’ve already mastered all the Dao Techniques I’ve learned, so I can only learn new things.”

“What?” Yu Chenran’s teacup paused mid-air, slightly stunned, doubting his own ears, “Besides the Qiankun Finger, what else have you learned?”

“I’ve mastered the initial chapters of the Supreme Forgetting Love Scripture. I haven’t cultivated the middle and final chapters. If I were to master the entire scripture, I’d probably become heartless, which wouldn’t benefit me.”

The initial chapters of the Supreme Forgetting Love Scripture were already sufficient for Chen Qingyuan’s needs.

The key elements of this technique could stabilize the Dao Heart, prevent disturbances from inner demons, solidify the foundation, and speed up cultivation.

“Who told you to learn the Supreme Forgetting Love?”

Yu Chenran asked loudly.

“There are so many books in the library; I just picked one up to read.”

Chen Qingyuan replied softly.

“Good thing you knew when to stop and didn’t continue.” Yu Chenran said seriously, “That Dao Technique can easily lead to deviation. It’s not so easy to forget worldly attachments amidst mortal life.”

Chen Qingyuan’s residence had special prohibitions and laws, allowing direct access to the Academy’s library without any restrictions on him personally, a privilege granted by Yu Chenran.

Normally, disciples must contribute to the Sect to earn the chance to learn a specific Dao Technique.

“Master, rest assured, I know what I’m doing.” Chen Qingyuan assured.

“Anything else?”

Yu Chenran pressed on.

“The Tianhua Heart Sutra, Zhaoyang Heart Sutra, Juqian Heart Sutra…”

Chen Qingyuan listed nine Heart Sutras and their uses, not for combat but for enhancing cultivation and stabilizing the Dao Heart.

Due to the three Saintly Golden Elixirs within him, Chen Qingyuan had to proceed with caution, not rashly. A single misstep could lead to irreversible regret.

It was precisely because Chen Qingyuan had cultivated many Heart Sutras and secret techniques that he was able to steadily transform the three Golden Elixirs, truly breaking through to the Elemental Infant realm.

From initial indifference to inner turmoil and self-doubt.

Yu Chenran’s face showed a rich array of expressions, at a loss for words, dumbstruck.

“In just a few decades, you’ve learned so many true scriptures and secret techniques?”

Yu Chenran swallowed hard, questioning.

“Yeah, it wasn’t too hard, got it after reading twice.”

Chen Qingyuan nodded lightly.

“…”

Listen, is this something a human could say?

Yu Chenran felt struck, his heart heavy. Back in his youth, he racked his brains to master a single cultivation scripture, from beginner to mastery, which took at least three to five hundred years.

If it were the old Chen Qingyuan, of course, this wouldn’t be possible.

After a trip to Sky Abyss, Chen Qingyuan was well-taught by the Red-Dressed Girl, gaining a new understanding of many Dao Laws, making learning them not too difficult.

Moreover, with the talent of the three Saintly Elixirs, Chen Qingyuan couldn’t fail to learn if he tried.

“Currently, I’ve only grasped the first realm of the Qiankun Finger. I need a higher cultivation level to continue practicing it, which is a pity.”

Chen Qingyuan sighed.

Hearing this, Yu Chenran also sighed inwardly.

Thank goodness this guy is my disciple. If it were someone else, I’d strangle him.

Yu Chenran consoled himself and quickly changed the subject, “Let’s not talk about this. Your Senior Brother visited the Academy a couple of years ago. Since you were in a critical period of seclusion, you couldn’t meet.”

“Senior Brother? Which one?”

Chen Qingyuan thought it was a Senior Brother from the Academy and was stunned. In his memory, Yu Chenran only had him as a disciple, right?

“Mystic Azure Sect, Lin Changsheng.”

Yu Chenran explained.

“Big Senior Brother!” Chen Qingyuan exclaimed with surprise and joy, “Why did he come to the Academy?”

More surprised than joyful.

With Big Senior Brother’s strength, it was unlikely he could find the Academy’s location, right?

“He wanted to see you, and then he had something to do.”

Yu Chenran said.

“What is it?”

Intuition told Chen Qingyuan it wasn’t something simple, his heart tightened.

“Can’t say.” Yu Chenran shook his head, “You’re not ready to know yet. When you reach that step, you’ll understand.”

That same line again.

Chen Qingyuan sighed, feeling helpless.

It wasn’t that Yu Chenran deliberately kept secrets, but telling Chen Qingyuan would definitely trigger a series of crises.

Certain top beings in Imperial Province have been searching for traces of Mystic Azure. If Chen Qingyuan knew, who knows what he might do, making it easy to be discovered.

Besides, there are no walls in the world that don’t leak.

The fewer people know, the less danger there is, allowing more time for stable growth.

Apart from the two vice-chancellors of the Academy and Zhao Yichuan, only the old abbot of the Buddhist Sect of the Eastern Land and the old patriarch of the Song Family of the Ancient Clan knew about this.

Unless absolutely necessary, the news must not be leaked.

Now, Chen Qingyuan was too weak, and Mystic Azure Sect lacked a strong foundation; they must proceed with caution.

“Master, will my Big Senior Brother be in danger?”

Chen Qingyuan asked in a different way.

Hearing this question, Yu Chenran fell silent, unable to answer.

Seeing Yu Chenran’s solemn expression, Chen Qingyuan already had his answer, involuntarily clenching his fists.

“Don’t overthink it; just take care of yourself for now.”

Yu Chenran stood up, patted Chen Qingyuan’s shoulder, and spoke.

“Okay.” Chen Qingyuan tried not to worry unnecessarily, focusing on improving his own strength.

Only by becoming stronger could he clarify everything and protect those he cared about.

Just as Chen Qingyuan was preparing to continue his seclusion and cultivation, a jade pendant inside his Sumeru Ring suddenly shattered.

“Old Han is in trouble!”

Chen Qingyuan immediately realized, his expression changing.

The mother-and-child jade pendants, if one breaks, the other will sense it and shatter no matter the environment.

The last time he met Han Shan, Chen Qingyuan gave him one of the pendants.

He also warned Han Shan, if he encountered insurmountable trouble, to crush the jade pendant, and he would rush to help at the first opportunity.

“Master, I have to leave on urgent business.”

Leaving behind these words, Chen Qingyuan hurriedly prepared to depart.

Just stepping out of the Academy, Chen Qingyuan located the general direction of the shattered pendant, crushed a powerful teleportation talisman, and sped off as fast as he could.

These teleportation talismans were a meeting gift from the old patriarch of the Song Family, meant to be life-saving talismans for Chen Qingyuan. Now, they were being used for travel, quite the prodigal act!