Chapter 00228: On Site Teaching
# On-Site Teaching
Chapter 228
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 228: On-Site Teaching
"Um, the token he mentioned is a Turtle Shell Talisman, do you have it in your possession?"
"I do."
He pulled out a small piece of Turtle Talisman from the ring he had taken from Dong Li Zhenren.
"As a token of gratitude, you can take whatever you want from the Great Return Sect."
Now that sounds reasonable.
When asking someone for a favor, shouldn't there be some form of compensation? "What kind of things are there?"
"Not mentioned."
The Great Return Sect had been abandoned for many years; Dong Li Zhenren probably had no idea how much was left inside.
However, Sun Fu Ling added, "Dong Li Zhenren learned divination from the Wood Spirit Venerable, which is originally the forte of the Great Return Sect."
He Ling Chuan's heart stirred as he recalled the prophecy from the Turtle Demon: "Isn't it said that after natural disasters, divination often fails?"
"The Great Return Sect excels in this art; there can't be only Dong Li Zhenren as its inheritor."
Sun Fu Ling smiled, "This immortal sect once had a wealth of talent. If Dong Li Zhenren can correct divination, can’t others do the same?"
He Ling Chuan was enlightened by her words.
The divination of the Turtle Demon originated from the Great Return Sect.
In today's world, where information and means are scarce, wouldn't it be best to visit the Great Return Sect to seek clues to break this prophecy?
Moreover, Dong Li Zhenren also mentioned that as long as he helped return the relics to the sect, there would surely be a reward.
Time had passed, and hopefully, the "reward" still existed.
"Where is Shou An Mountain? I don't think I've heard of it."
"Have you heard of the Six Sects of Kai Yuan?"
He Ling Chuan honestly shook his head.
"The Great Return Sect is one of the Six Sects of Kai Yuan, situated at Shou An Mountain, which is today's Xu Mountain!"
"Xu Mountain?" This place sounded somewhat familiar.
"Hey? Isn't it within the territory of the Northern Demon Kingdom?"
Yes, he had heard it mentioned in the play scripts while in Heishui City.
So he would need to find a way to visit the Demon Kingdom afterward?
"That's it; the final words end here."
He Ling Chuan retracted the rubbing he had made: "Thank you very much; otherwise, I wouldn't know where to find someone to interpret it."
"The existing spells and divine abilities were all improved by the immortals and passed down."
Sun Fu Ling said gently, "Nowadays, when immortal relics are occasionally discovered, new divine abilities and heart methods may emerge, so mastering the language of the immortals is very necessary. If you want to learn, I can teach you."
He Ling Chuan was overjoyed: "That's wonderful! I must trouble Miss Sun then!"
"Teaching someone to fish is better than giving them fish. If you learn, you won't need to trouble me anymore; you can go to the History Pavilion to check the books yourself."
Sun Fu Ling leaned on the wall and looked at him, "When do you plan to start?"
"Now?" He Ling Chuan thought for a moment; there was no time like the present.
"If you have no other matters."
Sun Fu Ling withdrew again, and He Ling Chuan suddenly realized they had been chatting across the wall for such a long time.
He heard her stepping down the wooden ladder to the ground.
The Sparrow Hawk did not fly away, standing on the roof tiles, pecking at its feathers.
He Ling Chuan asked it: "Aren't you going to carry out your mission?" Was there nowhere else to go?
The Sparrow Hawk let out a loud burp, "I just finished a high-intensity mission and need to take a nap."
It had taken down three Fat Magpies today and was too full, needing a break.
He Ling Chuan discovered today that the Sparrow Hawk could actually roll its eyes.
Was flying around with General Hong to the Ghost Needle Stone Forest considered a high-intensity mission?
After a few breaths, the sound of a door opening and knocking followed one after another.
He Ling Chuan invited Sun Fu Ling in, habitually being polite: "Would you like some water? I still have some tea leaves from Xiluo, the others sent them."
The tea leaves from Xiluo were considered top quality here, only served in large taverns for guests.
Sun Fu Ling had already removed her face veil and said cheerfully, "Sure."
As soon as He Ling Chuan opened the door, she saw the half-filled small courtyard, piled high with gifts like a small mountain: "People really like you."
He Ling Chuan scratched his head: "I'm sorry."
Sun Fu Ling's brother, Sun Jiayuan, also sacrificed himself in the battle at the Ghost Needle Stone Forest and was posthumously honored as a hero, but Sun Fu Ling's doorstep was cold and quiet, with no one sending gifts.
"What are you sorry for?" Sun Fu Ling looked at him curiously.
"…It's nothing."
"Oh, you mean my brother?" Sun Fu Ling realized, shrugging, "His residence isn't here, so people won't send gifts here. I've been to his house a couple of times and collected all the gifts to donate."
"Donate?" He Ling Chuan's heart stirred, "I have too many things in this courtyard that I can't use up; selling them wouldn't be appropriate. Is there a place to donate?"
"Of course. In a place like Panlong City, are there not the widowed, the elderly, and the lonely? The families of fallen soldiers also need special care."
Sun Fu Ling picked up a wind chime made of ground shells, gently shaking it, producing a melodious sound, "If you are willing, I can help you donate them."
"Wonderful."
He Ling Chuan was overjoyed, "Then I must trouble Miss Sun to pass on everyone's goodwill."
Sun Fu Ling nodded.
He Ling Chuan prepared the tea and served it, and the two fell silent.
Whoosh, a gust of cold wind swept through, stirring up the leaves on the ground.
Uh, he had called Sun Fu Ling over for…?
He Ling Chuan rubbed his hands, breaking the strange awkwardness: "What should we do now?"
Sun Fu Ling placed a thick book down on the bench with a "thud": "This is a reference book comparing ancient and modern characters; you need to memorize it all."
"…"
So thick, it was as wide as his palm!
Just when he thought he had finally left the days of memorizing books behind, he was now going to have to bury himself in study again in his dreams?
A nightmare revisited?
"Your expression is just like that of my students."
Sun Fu Ling couldn't help but laugh, her apricot eyes turning into crescent moons, "Don't worry; it's not difficult. Modern characters are derived from ancient ones, and there are traces to follow. I will teach you. If you are diligent, you can master it in two or three months at most."
Just like running script and seal script?
"Sit down. Take out that rubbing. We'll start marking the comparisons from it."
He Ling Chuan led her into the kitchen.
The room was too small, and the courtyard was too cold; only the kitchen had a small table.
He quickly added charcoal to the brazier and honestly took out the rubbing.
Before closing the door, the Sparrow Hawk took the opportunity to fly in, flapping its wings to shake off the cold and standing by the brazier to warm itself.
Who would want to stand outside in the cold when there was a brazier to roast by?
"Don't mess with my things!" He Ling Chuan warned it.
There were two packs of roast chicken hidden in the basket on the stove, each weighing four pounds, which he had bought on the way back as a snack.
Ha.
The Sparrow Hawk ignored him completely and began to preen its feathers.
Sun Fu Ling breathed on her hands: "Paper, ink, and brush?"
"Uh…" None.
In this room, he was either practicing martial arts or bathing; when would he have the chance to use a brush?
Sun Fu Ling somehow produced these three items and was about to grind the ink when He Ling Chuan, being perceptive, said, "I'll do it."
He poured a little clean water onto the ink stone and gently pushed the ink.
Just then, Sun Fu Ling had just laid out the rubbing when she heard him ask: "When I entered the city, I saw the former Wei City governor leading the people out through the south gate to return home. The number of people was at least over thirty thousand."
"I know; I encountered them too. This is a big deal in today's Panlong City; the streets are all talking about it."
Sun Fu Ling dipped her brush in ink and began to mark the comparisons, "This is just the first batch; there should be more residents of Wei City returning home gradually."
"I asked an old acquaintance from Wei City why they wanted to go back. He only said they weren't used to it here."
"Different lands nurture different people. Dong Li Xianren also entrusted you to return his relics to the Great Return Sect. People are like this; they are attached to their homeland, hoping to return to where they belong."
Sun Fu Ling changed the subject, "Are you getting used to living in Panlong City?"
"Getting used to it."
He Ling Chuan replied without thinking, "Life is easy and pleasant."
In his dreams, he could be himself again, either practicing martial arts or fighting, and he could chat and boast with friends in his spare time.
This was far easier than reality, and he didn't have to deal with He Chunhua and others.
"That's because you chose the fastest path to advancement, which is to engage in battle and accumulate military merit."
Sun Fu Ling said softly, "In Panlong City, having military merit is almost equivalent to having everything; conversely, those who can't accumulate military merit or do so too slowly will find their lives unsatisfactory."
He Ling Chuan recalled Liu San the wine merchant and his wife's bitter smiles.
They were not skilled in combat, being standard commoners, and could only exchange their hard-earned but stable labor for living materials.
How could they save up more to exchange for military merit?
It was more than just "difficult."
However, Panlong City was not a place where one could argue "everyone has their own aspirations."
If you couldn't provide what it needed most, then sorry, you would be pushed to the back.
Living on this harsh land, the survival rules of the city were equally cruel.
"I heard that there are even residents of Panlong City trying to take advantage of the chaos to leave the city with them, only to be sent back after being registered at the government office."
"That's a bit foolish."
He Ling Chuan shook his head, "The lower-middle class has a hard life no matter where they are. At least Panlong City has security."
"They'll know once they go out."
Sun Fu Ling continued, "The governor of Wei City seems to have the surname Sun?"
"Yes, at that time, Xiao Xiaowei went to assist them, and the Sun governor brought three or four dozen boxes of belongings to escape. He even blocked the slope, preventing the refugees behind from passing."
Sun Fu Ling marked without raising her head, but it seemed she smiled a little: "Although this Sun governor is wealthy, according to Panlong law, he can only buy a Golden House in the city at most; anything above that, like a third-class mansion, must be exchanged for military merit, which he cannot afford. If I remember correctly, the army he brought has long been dispersed."
Panlong City's mansions are divided into four classes, with the lowest being the Golden House, which is the only type that allows the wealthy to purchase with money.
Many wealthy merchants have already bought Golden Houses, and the Sun governor lives in the same district as them, surrounded by upstarts and unscrupulous merchants, which must be uncomfortable for him.
Moreover, Panlong City does not allow private ownership of armies or armed forces; the Sun governor could only keep a few guards at most.
The worst part is that he can't even afford servants here!
Yes, the qualification to employ servants must also be exchanged for military merit! For these wealthy people, living in Panlong City is too inconvenient.
Of course, there is another way; contributing more to Panlong City can also be exchanged for military merit.
However, the connotation of this "contribution" is very broad, and the Sun governor's purse is worrying.
He Ling Chuan nodded: "Better to be a head of a chicken than a tail of a phoenix."
Rather than staying in Panlong City as a third-class citizen, the Sun governor might as well return to Wei City to continue wielding power and influence.
This book was first published on Qidian Chinese Network.
(End of Chapter)