"Brother Ai, if this matter were to reach the young master's ears, I'm afraid my life would be forfeited. Please, Brother Ai, save just this once," Bian Qiao pleaded as he bowed deeply before the young man in front of him.
The commotion in front of Thousand Feet Rock had already beco the talk of the Three Temple Lower Institute, known to nearly everyone there.
However, Bian Qiao losing face was a trivial matter. The scripture-poem in question had been prepared by Hu Shengyu for a different purpose. He had rely intended to use it to embarrass Zhang Yan that day, but unexpectedly, Zhang Yan had taken it under the pretense of borrowing it, thus seizing this vital piece from him.
Bian Qiao had initially wanted to reclaim it, but the group around him, while adept at oppressing ordinary disciples, would undoubtedly only humiliate themselves if they confronted a Foundation Establishnt cultivator like Zhang Yan.
Fortunately for Bian Qiao, Hu Shengyu had been in seclusion for years, cultivating in isolation. His pride and aloofness ant he had few close friends, and so far, no one had brought up the matter before him. Thus, Bian Qiao ca today specifically to ask Ai Zhongwen, a notable figure in the Three Temple Lower Institute, to diate and retrieve the scripture. Regardless of the ans, he had to first resolve the imdiate crisis.
Though Ai Zhongwen was rely a Registered Disciple, he had three advantages: first, he hailed from the Xuann noble family of the Anfeng Ai Clan; second, he had an extensive network of connections; and third, he and Zhang Yan were fellow disciples of Shanyuan Temple. Furthermore, the Upper Court's temple master, Shi Shoujing, had shown a clear intent to formally accept him as a disciple. It was only a matter of ti before he officially ascended to that rank. For these reasons, most in the Three Temples were willing to give him face.
Ai Zhongwen smiled and said, "Brother Bian, no need to fret. Let first inquire into this Zhang Yan's background."
He waved his hand, and one of his long-term attendants understood his intent. The attendant retrieved a roster from the bookshelf behind him, flipped through it, and said, "Zhang Yan, originally from Dingyang in East Splendor, ascended the mountain in the seventeenth year of Cheng'an."
Ai Zhongwen asked in surprise, "That's all?"
The attendant nodded.
Ai Zhongwen seed lost in thought. While it was not uncommon in the Cultivation World to encounter prodigies adept at interpreting Erosion Text, most of them ca from Xuann families, as their clans possessed thods to teach the deciphering of Daoist Books. Zhang Yan's proficiency in Erosion Text suggested he could not have been without so background. Why, then, had he gone unnoticed until now?
At this mont, a disdainful voice beside him remarked, "So, it's just an unknown youth. I thought we were dealing with so three-headed, six-ard being. Who knows where he learned an Upper Grade technique of calculation? How dare he insult Brother Bian? Brother Bian, fear not. Your trouble is mine, and I will personally seek justice for you, so that this boy learns the rules!"
Bian Qiao was overjoyed upon hearing this and imdiately bowed, saying, "If Senior Brother Lin is willing to intervene, I, Bian, will be eternally grateful and will present a generous gift once the matter is resolved."
"Senior Brother Lin" was nad Lin Tong. He had an elder cousin, Lin Yuan, who was an entry-level disciple of Shanyuan Temple. Lin Tong and Ai Zhongwen had long been close friends. By coincidence, Lin Tong had co to visit Ai Zhongwen for a drink today and happened upon this incident.
Ai Zhongwen glanced at Lin Tong and cautioned, "I've heard that Zhang Yan has already achieved Foundation Establishnt. Senior Brother Lin must not underestimate him."
Lin Tong burst into laughter and said, "I've been on this mountain for nine years and reached 'Condensing Yuan and Manifesting Intent' two years ago under my elder brother Lin Yuan's guidance. How long has Zhang Yan been here? I suspect it's all exaggerated rumors and empty boasting!"
Bian Qiao's eyes flickered with uncertainty. He had witnessed Zhang Yan's cultivation level with his own eyes that day and was certain it was no mistake. However, it was not convenient to speak up in front of Lin Tong now. Still, he was secretly delighted—if Lin Tong took action, regardless of the outco, it would spell trouble for the little thief Zhang Yan. And if Lin Yuan were dragged into the matter, it would be even better.
Ai Zhongwen frowned silently.
Lin Tong, on the other hand, paid no attention to these considerations. Arrogant by nature, he hailed from the Lin Family, a long-standing noble lineage within the Da Wei Dynasty. With Lin Yuan as his backing on Cangwu Mountain, he had developed the habit of looking down on others. To him, Zhang Yan was hardly worth his regard. Fueled by the wine he had consud, he pulled Ai Zhongwen along as they headed out. Before leaving, he casually remarked, "Brother Bian, wait here for our good news. Hahaha!"
Ai Zhongwen, however, was far less optimistic than Lin Tong. When he first heard that Zhang Yan had deciphered three different Daoist Books in a single day, without even relying on bamboo divinations, he had been deeply astonished.
One must understand that while ordinary Daoist Books posed no issue, the more esoteric and complex ones often required substantial ti to interpret. For instance, a script of several thousand characters might take a less gifted individual seven or eight years to fully comprehend. Ai himself had once studied a text titled *Heart Inquiry*; even after five days of ticulous calculation and analysis, it had taken him to decode the full 3,612 characters of the scripture. This was enough to earn him pride among his peers, yet compared to Zhang Yan, he was still far behind.
He had heard that so rare prodigies existed in the world who could decipher Erosion Text purely by virtue of their innate talent and comprehension. Yet, he had never encountered such a person before. Could Zhang Yan truly be one?
Beyond this, there were two other possibilities: one, Zhang Yan had recently been noticed by a master and secretly taught an advanced thod of divination; the other, Zhang Yan had deliberately concealed his true origins.
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