I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Chapter 77: He Taught Me

The moment Zheng Fa stepped onto the transparent walkway, he realized it was designed to mess with one’s psyche—it wobbled.

Though the swaying wasn’t extreme, the unsteady sensation created immense unease.

As the mountain wind howled, whipping his robes into a frenzy, Zheng Fa glanced down slightly. The valleys below seemed bottomless, adding to the tension.

Participating in a talisman examination under such conditions would unsettle anyone, even those without a fear of heights.

Add to that the strict time limits on the walkway, and this trial was downright ruthless—there were certainly some sadists in Jiushan Sect.

Taking a deep breath, Zheng Fa pushed the environment from his mind and focused on the talisman diagrams flashing on the next step of the walkway.

At the Zhao Estate, in Senior Sister Zhang’s courtyard...

“Seeing them reminds me of my younger self,” he said with a chuckle, glancing at Senior Sister Zhang.

“Want to go through it again?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sun Daoyu laughed nervously. “Not at all... I remember my legs trembling back then, and I didn’t understand why we had to endure such torment.”

“Do you understand now?”

He nodded and sighed. “If one can’t remain calm in the face of false dangers and hardships, how can they focus on crafting talismans? Such a fragile state of mind would crumble in the Immortal Sect. Still, it’s better not to understand too soon...”

His wistful tone caught Senior Sister Zhang’s attention, and she looked at him thoughtfully.

Sun Daoyu continued, “Based on past Immortal Talent Conferences, crossing two mountains is the average standard. Crossing four mountains is considered excellent. However, to join Jiushan Sect this time, six mountains might be the bare minimum. Of course, if someone could ascend the Ninth Peak and break the centuries-old records, like you, Senior Sister, they wouldn’t have to worry about standards.”

The others in the room, including Madam Zhao and the Eldest Young Lady, turned to look at Senior Sister Zhang in awe. Though they’d heard of her unparalleled talent, this was their first tangible sense of it.

“You mentioned your junior brother aims to surpass me?” she asked.

Sun Daoyu shook his head. “He’s ambitious, and that’s good... but to be honest, I doubt even my master believes he can match your talent. Your aptitude for talismans is unparalleled in a millennium. I’d be surprised if anyone breaks your record in the next thousand years.”

Senior Sister Zhang, however, seemed unimpressed. She glanced back at the screen, her gaze fixed on Zheng Fa as he steadily ascended.

By now, Zheng Fa had entered a rhythm. This examination, though likely designed to test the participants’ mental fortitude, played directly to his strengths.

After weeks of training, he had nearly internalized his ability to recognize talisman diagrams. His responses had become instinctual, allowing him to make the correct choices without fear or hesitation.

He’d all but forgotten the precarious environment. His entire focus was on the diagrams flashing before him.

The examination’s difficulty escalated with each mountain.

On the first two, corresponding talisman diagrams appeared frequently—every ten or so diagrams included one that matched the foundational talisman beneath the participant’s feet.

This posed little challenge for Zheng Fa or most participants. Over half made it to the third mountain.

But the difficulty spiked dramatically on the third mountain. Matching diagrams now appeared only once every twenty or so flashes, and the walkways’ time limits shortened by roughly a third.

If a participant didn’t move within forty diagram flashes, their foundational talisman and walkway would vanish entirely.

The sudden increase in difficulty caught many off guard. The skies became filled with screams as participants fell like dumplings into the abyss below. Their despairing cries echoed through the valleys, unsettling those still climbing and causing a cascading effect of failures.

Zheng Fa spotted the Seventh Young Master just reaching the third mountain.

Though the Seventh Young Master had been avoiding looking down, the screams around him drew his gaze to the depths below. He froze instantly.

“Zhao Laosan!” Zheng Fa called out.

“You’re the Laosan!” the Seventh Young Master retorted through gritted teeth, though his trembling legs betrayed his fear.

“Zhao Jingfan,” Zheng Fa said calmly, glancing back at him. “You’ve been waiting for this moment for ten years. You’ve cursed it for ten years. Are you really willing to give up now?”

“...”

Without waiting for a response, Zheng Fa turned and continued climbing.

Watching his back, the Seventh Young Master’s eyes reddened.

He recognized Zheng Fa’s current state—the focused, detached determination he’d seen when Zheng Fa used the Sea of Diagrams strategy.

Exhaling sharply, the Seventh Young Master redirected his gaze to the next walkway. His bloodshot eyes reflected only the talisman diagrams that he had poured years of effort into mastering.

One climbed steadily, the other crawled determinedly. Together, they left most of the participants far behind.

Even Zhou Qianyuan, who had been leading, noticed Zheng Fa closing the distance.

Though Zhou Qianyuan’s competitive nature and dissatisfaction with Zheng Fa were well-hidden, his tense expression betrayed him as Zheng Fa passed him without so much as a glance.

Zhou Qianyuan faltered briefly.

Then, to his disbelief, the stumbling yet swift figure of the Seventh Young Master overtook him as well.

The Seventh Young Master even stopped, stood upright, and struck a familiar pose—a look of haughty arrogance that Zhou Qianyuan often wore himself.

“I’m Zhao Jingfan,” the Seventh Young Master announced in a tone and manner eerily similar to Zhou Qianyuan’s own.

Zhou Qianyuan clenched his fists, his expression darkening.

“Oh, and by the way,” Zhao Jingfan added, pointing at Zheng Fa, “my talisman skills? He taught me.”

Zhou Qianyuan’s face twisted as he watched the Seventh Young Master continue climbing.

The message was clear: You think you can intimidate Zheng Fa? I’m his disciple, and even I’m beating you.

Grinding his teeth, Zhou Qianyuan quickened his pace in pursuit of the pair.

Back in Senior Sister Zhang’s courtyard...

Sun Daoyu sighed as he watched Zhou Qianyuan’s flustered movements.

“My junior brother... his mind is unsettled now.”

Nearby, Madam Zhao and the Eldest Young Lady exchanged guilty looks. It seemed they both knew they had unintentionally contributed to Zhou Qianyuan’s current predicament.

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