I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times-Chapter 482Book 2: : Time Reversal, Sitting Among the Lowest
Vol 2 Chapter 482: Time Reversal, Sitting Among the Lowest
In the main hall, aside from Creation Daoist, everyone else wore expressions of utter bewilderment.
Yet their reasons for confusion were quite different.
Golden-Winged Great Peng and the others were thinking: What exactly is this Hongmeng Purple Qi?
Zheng Fa was thinking... What kind of thing was Lu Mo? How could he possibly possess such a treasure?
Seemingly amused by the expressions on their faces, Creation Daoist chuckled lightly.
Gu God's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she asked, "What exactly is this Hongmeng Purple Qi treasure? What supernatural powers does it possess?"
"I told you, I don't know either." Creation Daoist shook his head. "There's only one thing I can confirm."
"What?"
"Fellow Daoist Lu Mo once said that Hongmeng Purple Qi symbolizes the supreme and most revered fruit of heaven and earth."
Hearing this, the main hall fell into silence. Even Zheng Fa had to admit that if this Hongmeng Purple Qi was truly what he imagined, then these words were absolutely correct.
"Supreme and most revered of heaven and earth..." The Great Elder of the Lu Clan spoke in a low voice, unable to resist glancing around at everyone with a wary expression.
A trace of fierce intensity flashed across Golden-Winged Great Peng's face.
Zheng Fa remained inwardly vigilant. Although these people didn't know the name Hongmeng Purple Qi, they could clearly understand the treasure's power, which naturally made them more hostile toward others.
Creation Daoist's proposal to cease fighting seemed difficult to achieve.
Yet Creation Daoist acted as if he didn't see the tension in their eyes, the smile on his face growing even deeper.
At that moment, a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Lu Clan spoke up: "If that's the case, then why didn't the Holy Patriarch come to retrieve it himself?"
"He tried." Creation Daoist answered bluntly. "He just didn't have the opportunity."
The Lu Clan member who asked immediately looked displeased. "Even with the Holy Patriarch's world-spanning power, he couldn't obtain the Hongmeng Purple Qi. How could we..."
Zheng Fa also nodded inwardly. To put it bluntly, these people were all Lu Mo's subordinates. If even Lu Mo couldn't obtain the treasure, what right did they have to get it?
Even Zheng Fa himself had enough self-awareness to know that the gap between his current strength and Lu Mo's was still enormous.
Seeing everyone's lack of confidence, Creation Daoist finally said mysteriously:
"First, obtaining this Hongmeng Purple Qi doesn't depend on magical duels, nor can it rely on any supernatural powers."
"Second, Fellow Daoist Lu Mo is merely sending us to attempt this. He..." At this point, Creation Daoist's tone gained a trace of reverence. "He has never been attached to any treasure." ⱤＡ𐌽ọ𝐛Ěş
Even Zheng Fa couldn't refute this.
He had indirectly dealt with Lu Mo several times now. The man's talent and strength went without saying, and his temperament could be described as indomitable.
Reincarnated across three lifetimes, just when he was about to prove his Dao, Tianhe Venerable struck him with a sword, so he immediately entered Leiyin Temple.
Previously forced back by Nine Nether Emperor in the Underworld, yet he showed no signs of decline, seemingly still making arrangements in the Northern Continent.
Though they were enemies, Zheng Fa had to admit his admiration.
"What do you mean, it doesn't depend on magical duels?" Gu God asked.
"Not that it doesn't depend on them, but that we cannot engage in duels."
"What do you mean?"
"Because the situation in Nine Luminaries Heaven is special."
Everyone was naturally even more puzzled.
"Look."
Creation Daoist pointed outside the pavilion. Everyone turned to look down the mountain, and immediately expressions of astonishment appeared on their faces.
The previously charred earth was now graced with clear waters and green mountains.
Looking into the distance, the continent of Nine Luminaries Heaven seemed much broader, stretching beyond sight.
A large city had appeared at the mountain's foot, filled with bustling traffic and countless merchants, a scene of thriving mortal activity.
On distant green mountains, immortal men and women rode clouds upward, their laughter faintly audible.
"Who are they?"
"Fellow Daoist White Bone, don't be impatient."
Seeing Creation Daoist's expectant expression, Zheng Fa sensed something strange was coming and looked more carefully.
Upon closer observation, he couldn't help feeling shaken, exclaiming aloud: "Is time flowing backward?"
In the city, a household hung white mourning decorations. An old man lay dead in the main hall, with filial children and grandchildren kneeling beside the bed, weeping and wailing.
Then, the mourning hall gradually disappeared, and a middle-aged man walked out. His face was sixty to seventy percent similar to the old man on the deathbed. He seemed to be going out to make a living, his wife holding their son's hand, reluctantly seeing him off.
Zheng Fa then watched him celebrate his wedding night, watched him become a toddling child playing at the alley entrance, and finally watched him enter the world with his first cry.
Later, even the city at the mountain foot disappeared, leaving only wilderness beyond civilization.
Only their mountain remained frozen in the flow of time.
"Why is this happening..."
White Bone Demon Ancestor's voice had always been hoarse, but now Zheng Fa could hear genuine tension in it.
Zheng Fa looked up at the nine golden crows flying from west to east.
"Young Friend Shi has good insight." Creation Daoist praised him upon seeing this. "This is Fusang Wood's memory."
"Memory?"
"Fellow Daoist Lu Mo passed down the altar to control these nine golden crows, making them fly backward to recreate Fusang Wood's memories."
"So that's how it is..." The Great Elder of the Lu Clan murmured. "This is the Holy Patriarch's arrangement?"
"No, it's Fusang Wood's trial for us."
"Trial?"
Everyone looked at Creation Daoist, who said: "Fusang Wood has its own method for selecting those with fate."
"We're... going to the First Epoch?"
Gu God said with sudden realization.
"Yes, the First Epoch." Creation Daoist nodded. "I don't know exactly what we'll encounter, but Fellow Daoist Lu Mo seemed to have glimpsed the First Epoch and told me that the ownership of Hongmeng Purple Qi was predetermined by heaven."
"......"
Everyone grew more puzzled listening, but Hundred Bones Demon Ancestor sneered coldly: "After all you've said, I still don't believe it!"
Creation Daoist turned to look.
"So many secrets, such a supreme treasure—why would you tell us?"
Everyone looked at Creation Daoist, also feeling puzzled and highly vigilant.
"I said, we're all Fellow Daoist Lu Mo's people."
No one spoke.
"Alright then, because the First Epoch we're going to is fake."
"Of course we know it's fake!"
White Bone Demon Ancestor said impatiently.
Zheng Fa agreed inwardly. To put it bluntly, they were entering a memory fragment of Fusang Wood, not truly returning to ancient times.
"Fusang Wood has already fallen. This space-time is extremely fragile now."
"......"
White Bone Demon Ancestor paused, then understood: "It can't withstand the aftershocks of magical duels?"
"Exactly."
No wonder Creation Daoist proposed ceasing fighting upon meeting.
According to this explanation, if they fought recklessly, they could easily shatter this illusory space-time, causing everyone to lose this opportunity.
Creation Daoist waved his horsetail whisk, his gaze sweeping across everyone's faces: "I wonder what you all think about this?"
After a moment of silence, it was the seemingly most ferocious Golden-Winged Great Peng who spoke: "I have no objections."
The white-robed monk from Leiyin Temple showed a compassionate smile and said softly: "This humble monk dislikes conflict. This is excellent."
The others also nodded slightly.
They were all here to eat—who would want to smash the pot?
Even the Great Elder of the Lu Clan deliberately avoided looking at Zheng Fa now.
Zheng Fa also nodded. Inwardly, he was absolutely delighted.
Seeing everyone agree, Creation Daoist appeared extremely pleased and said with a smile: "Fellow Daoists are all true cultivators who understand reason. Since you've come to my humble pavilion, I have little to offer as hospitality."
He pointed to the jade boxes on each low table and enthusiastically introduced: "I've merely refined some pills myself to show basic courtesy."
Everyone exchanged glances. The white-robed monk put his palms together, thanked Creation Daoist, and gently opened the jade box before him.
The others secretly looked over, and their expressions changed dramatically.
Inside the jade box lay a baby with fair skin tinged pink!
The infant was only half a palm long, eyes closed with long eyelashes resting on its cheeks, limbs like lotus root segments—plump, round, and fleshy.
White Bone Demon Ancestor let out a hoarse laugh: "This is the pill you refined?"
Creation Daoist also opened the jade box on his table, pinching the baby between his thumb and forefinger. He gestured toward Zheng Fa and the others, saying: "This is Grass Return Pill, my unique formula refined using the spiritual herbs from my pavilion. Consuming it has marvelous effects."
Then he opened his mouth, his cold rows of teeth like knives slicing off an arm from the baby before him.
"Wah!"
A shrill cry arose from between his fingers, but he seemed not to hear it. In two or three bites, he chewed and swallowed the small thing, his expression satisfied.
Seeing that no one else moved, he grinned, white fragments visible on his gums, and urged Zheng Fa: "Eat! One Grass Return Pill can increase a thousand years of cultivation!"
Zheng Fa looked down at the jade box, not even intending to open it.
Not just him—no one in the hall partook. Even Gu God, who loved eating people, seemed picky now.
It wasn't that she didn't want to eat humans, but cultivators developed good habits from childhood, the most important being: when traveling outside, don't randomly eat pills given by others.
This Grass Return Pill looked too strange, and Creation Daoist's intentions were too unpredictable. Who wouldn't be cautious?
Seeing their wariness, Creation Daoist shook his head, deeply disappointed: "Having eyes but failing to see! Having eyes but failing to see!" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
He didn't force them, instead calling out:
"Qingfeng! Take the Grass Return Pills back and store them properly."
"Yes!"
Qingfeng entered with Mingyue, carrying the jade boxes from everyone's tables. He swallowed saliva and asked: "Master, can I..."
"Glutton! The next batch will be enough for you!"
"Yes!"
Watching the two Daoist novices leave the main hall, Zheng Fa felt surprised. From the sound of it, was this Grass Return Pill actually something good?
After this episode, the atmosphere in the main hall cooled. Even their host Creation Daoist seemed angered and stopped speaking.
Everyone sat in the hall, watching the nine golden crows pass across the sky again and again as wind and clouds shifted within Nine Luminaries Heaven.
After who knows how long, the nine golden crows suddenly stopped in the sky, crying out in unison before scattering into points of golden light that sprinkled across the earth.
"It's coming."
Creation Daoist stood at the entrance at some point, looking up at the sky with eager eyes.
Zheng Fa looked toward the ground, inwardly surprised. The earth again showed no traces of civilization—not even people—only dark, vast forests and wilderness covered with wild grass.
The immortal mountain where divine men and women had been earlier was now enveloped by a powerful demonic aura.
Though he knew everything before him was illusory, Zheng Fa had a feeling that the demonic beast in that mountain was stronger than Golden-Winged Great Peng!
Was this the ancient immortal world?
Why did it feel somewhat wrong?
Just as Zheng Fa pondered this, a magnificent voice suddenly came from the sky:
"I am Hongjun, born in the chaos of beginnings, obtained the Creation Jade Disc, and understood the mysteries of the Great Dao. Now I feel the primitive beings of the primordial world are ignorant and unaware of heaven's will. Therefore, I establish a lecturing platform at Purple Heaven Palace to teach the methods of primordial chaos and impart the ultimate principles of the heavenly way. Those with fate may come to listen."
Standing in the main hall, Zheng Fa felt only confusion. Where had this brought him?
Looking up, he felt the chaos beyond pressing down, chaotic energy churning incessantly like a pot of boiling black rice porridge.
Suddenly, a purple light cracked through the sky, landing before them like a passageway.
While everyone in the hall was still stunned, Creation Daoist seemed prepared. He flicked his horsetail whisk and said without looking back: "This humble Daoist goes first!"
With that, he flashed into the purple light, swaying as he flew toward the chaos.
The others exchanged glances. Golden-Winged Great Peng sneered coldly, spread his wings, and also flew into the chaos, with the white-robed monk close behind.
Zheng Fa no longer hesitated, following Gu God and the others into the area enveloped by purple light.
He felt as if someone was supporting his legs and pushing him forward from behind.
Passing through the rolling chaotic energy, Zheng Fa finally saw a majestic, ancient palace.
The palace gates stood wide open. Inside, there were no beams or pillars—only three thousand cushions floating in space. At the very front, seven cushions were enveloped in purple energy, appearing noble and extraordinary.
Most cushions were already occupied. Nearly three thousand powerful beings waiting to hear the lecture seemed to be waiting for them.
Zheng Fa understood inwardly—this wasn't the true scene of the lecture at Purple Heaven Palace but an illusion created by Fusang Wood. Otherwise, how would they have the face to be here?
These people were somewhat like NPCs. Zheng Fa and their fourteen were the players. Only when they arrived would the lecture begin.
Just as he pondered this, a tremendous force suddenly came from behind. Zheng Fa stumbled and landed on an empty cushion.
Looking up, this cushion was almost at the very end, among those closest to the palace doors.
The moment he sat on the cushion, information flowed into his consciousness. Zheng Fa immediately understood—where he could sit depended partly on his current cultivation level and partly on his comprehension of the lecture content. Simply put, it depended on what cultivators called Dao attainment.
He looked forward and indeed, Creation Daoist and the others were positioned much further ahead.
Gu God and White Bone Demon Ancestor were in the middle section. Golden-Winged Great Peng was nearly in the first thousand. And Creation Daoist, for some reason, was actually sitting right behind those seven cushions.
What surprised him even more was the white-robed monk's seat—he was right next to the seven cushions, with two people dressed as monks in front of him.
Golden-Winged Great Peng and the other two relied on their own cultivation levels.
Creation Daoist was truly profound and unpredictable—Zheng Fa couldn't see through him at all. The man had revealed too many secrets, making people even more wary.
But this white-robed monk... was he connected by relationships or extremely powerful?
As for himself, having not yet achieved Dao Fruit, he could only reluctantly take what was essentially the last seat. He turned his head and suddenly laughed.
The eight Nascent Soul cultivators of the Lu Clan sat behind him, staring at him with dark expressions.
Seeing him laugh, the Great Elder of the Lu Clan said coldly: "Shi Nandang, don't get cocky! After the lecture, we'll see who ends up in front and who behind!"
Zheng Fa chuckled lightly, not even deigning to respond. He simply turned back to look at the seven cushions.
The Great Elder of the Lu Clan was correct about one thing—probably due to rules set by Fusang Wood, the cushion positions weren't fixed. After each lecture, they would be reordered based on the individual's cultivation and comprehension.
Until after three lectures...
Zheng Fa stared at the seven cushions at the very front. Six already had owners—he could only see their backs.
The last one remained empty.
Only the person who finally sat on this seventh cushion could obtain the Hongmeng Purple Qi.
Only now did he understand Lu Mo's words—the master of Hongmeng Purple Qi was predetermined by heaven.
Zheng Fa felt like memories from his early years were attacking him: This trial truly didn't depend on magical duels—it depended on fucking exam results, with public rankings!
