His skepticism was certainly not unfounded. Generally speaking, whether one could decipher the Erosion Text was closely related to one's cultivation. If you hadn't reached that level yourself, how could you possibly explain the aning of the words in the book to others? The deeper the pool, the more water it holds—this is an irrefutable truth.
Of course, it was also possible for soone to achieve results by dedicating their entire life to intensively studying the Erosion Text. For instance, people who had no hope of cultivation but harbored a deep interest in Xuanli. However, these individuals were invariably well-off in terms of food and clothing, and without exception, they were the kind of figures who burned the candle at both ends, devoting their entire lives to this pursuit.
Yet this Zhang Yan seed to be under twenty, hadn't even succeeded at Foundation Building, and could barely claim any cultivation to speak of. How could he possibly convince anyone?
Zhang Yan gave a slight smile, his expression very gentle and courteous. Rising to his feet, he cupped his hands and said, "You may test ."
Seeing Zhang Yan's calm deanor, as if he really had so substance, the man couldn't help but grow curious. He cupped his hands in return and said, "I am Min Lou, a disciple of De Xiu Temple. May I know how to address this junior brother?"
Zhang Yan returned the gesture and replied, "You flatter . I am Zhang Yan, a disciple of Shanyuan Temple."
De Xiu Temple and Shanyuan Temple were both among the three main Lower Courts of the Mingcang Sect. Disciples of the two temples frequently gathered to discuss the Dao. However, over the past few days, a major event had occurred on Cangwu Mountain, drawing together many disciples from these three Daoist Temples. Most of them stayed on Yueqiong Peak, where the terrain was relatively flat.
Min Lou burst into hearty laughter and took a seat opposite Zhang Yan. "I wonder, junior brother, do you have any specific thods for deciphering the Erosion Text?"
"Rice, silver taels—they all suffice as paynt," Zhang Yan said, pointing to an inconspicuous line of small characters beneath the long banner. His most urgent priority was solving his livelihood problem; this was, without doubt, his most pressing concern.
Min Lou glanced briefly and found that Zhang Yan's asking price wasn't high. If he truly could decipher the Erosion Text, then this would certainly be selling it cheaply.
"Fine, a little rice and money is no problem for . Here, I happen to have a Daoist book." Min Lou was a straightforward person. He pulled out a thin Daoist book from within his robes and slapped it heavily onto the stone table, wearing a sowhat playful expression. "Please have a look!"
Zhang Yan calmly picked up the Daoist book. Flipping casually through a few pages, he smiled faintly, dipped a brush generously into ink, and began writing rapidly on white paper without a mont's hesitation.
Min Lou's expression turned serious, and he exclaid in surprise, "Oh, you don't use bamboo divination rods?"
Deciphering Daoist books typically involved the use of bamboo divination rods to calculate and deduce. Not using bamboo divination rods was a skill he had only ever seen in a few senior brothers with profound cultivation.
"No need," Zhang Yan replied.
He didn't even lift his head. Although his tone was mild, the confidence within it was contagious. Even though Min Lou remained half-skeptical, his previously playful attitude unconsciously beca more solemn.
Zhang Yan flipped through a dozen pages without encountering any obstacles. Naturally, if this were a particularly advanced Daoist book, the other party likely wouldn't have been willing to let him browse it so easily. After flipping through a few more pages, however, his brow furrowed slightly, and his pen paused montarily.
Noticing Zhang Yan's expression, Min Lou inwardly smirked.
The earlier sections of this book were indeed simple enough, but there were a few particularly challenging sections that he himself had struggled to decipher. He had had to consult a senior brother to make sense of so parts, and even then, a few parts still left him puzzled. There was no way a re registered disciple like Zhang Yan could decode it.
Though he encountered this difficulty, Zhang Yan remained composed. He quietly slid his left hand into his sleeve and grasped the Broken Jade within. Imrsing his heart and spirit into it, he stayed focused for just a mont before continuing to write.
In Min Lou's eyes, Zhang Yan appeared to rely close his eyes in thought briefly before resuming his writing. This left Min Lou sowhat perplexed before he suddenly realized sothing: he assud Zhang Yan had skipped over that section. Skipping parts was common in deciphering the Erosion Text, after all. Min Lou had only decided to test him on a whim, spiced with a hint of mischief. He wasn't really expecting much.
About an hour later, Zhang Yan's brush ca to a heavy stop before lifting for the last ti. He finally put down his brush, picked up the white paper, blew it dry, and handed it over to Min Lou.
With a half-smile, Min Lou accepted it. At first glance, he casually remarked, "Good handwriting, very good handwriting."
But after a few more glances, his expression shifted to one of astonishnt. The more he read, the more his surprise grew. Eventually, he suddenly stood up, staring at Zhang Yan in stunned silence.
The decoded text of the Daoist book was concise and insightful. It was evident that Zhang Yan not only had a scholarly background but also significant expertise in deciphering the Erosion Text. Moreover, he had resolved all of Min Lou's previous doubts, writing everything out with perfect clarity—all in less than an hour!
Min Lou's gaze toward Zhang Yan changed instantly. His face now bore an expression of genuine admiration, and he sincerely said, "Senior brother, your skills are remarkable. I am in awe." His earlier doubts stemd from disbelief in Zhang Yan's ability, but now that he saw his true capability, his tone beca much more respectful.
Zhang Yan cupped his hands and humbly replied, "I am ashad. I only rely on this to make a living."
Min Lou raised the paper in his hand and laughed heartily. "Senior brother, with skills like yours, what need do you have to worry about making a living? I imagine my brothers and I will need to trouble you frequently in the future."
Being able to have his Daoist books deciphered for nothing more than so rice and money—that was an absolute bargain! Although Zhang Yan seed down-and-out now, he was destined for great things in the future. Building a relationship with him now was far better than missing the opportunity later.
Imdiately, Zhang Yan stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "In that case, I must thank senior brother for your kindness."
Min Lou was briefly startled before he erupted in laughter. "Senior brother Zhang, you truly are a cunning man!"
Zhang Yan rely smiled and said nothing. After all, not everyone was as confident in him as Min Lou. However, since Min Lou had explicitly ntioned introducing his brothers to support his "business," regardless of whether it was re politeness, Zhang Yan decided to hold him to his word and leave no room for him to back out. Besides, Min Lou didn't seem like an ordinary cultivation disciple. Over ti, their interactions would naturally deepen, so why not take advantage of the situation?
Min Lou excused himself and left, saying nothing about paynt as he departed. Zhang Yan didn't bring it up either, his expression steady, as if the matter had been forgotten by both parties.
By noon, four individuals dressed as servants arrived at the cool pavilion near Thousand Feet Rock, each pushing a wheelbarrow. One of them stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Zhang Yan, saying, "Are you Young Master Zhang? We are servants of Young Master Min and have been instructed to deliver these rice and silver taels to your residence."
Zhang Yan nodded, saying, "Please wait here for now."
He wasn't in a rush to return, and the servants showed no sign of impatience, quietly waiting nearby. This scene naturally drew the attention of other onlookers.
However, apart from Min Lou, no one else ca to patronize his business on this particular day. Only a handful of people ca by to ask a few questions, and regardless of who they were, Zhang Yan answered each one in turn. He only packed up his stall when the sun began to set, returning to his residence with the four servants and their wheelbarrows.
Not long after Zhang Yan left, a scholarly man in his thirties hurriedly arrived. But by the ti he got there, the pavilion was already empty. Stamping his feet repeatedly, his face was gripped with regret.
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