I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Vol 2 Chapter 49: A Gift

Tang Lingwu had mastered the Linghe Technique.

Just as a person holding a hammer instinctively looks for nails, and someone finding a perfectly straight stick immediately wants to poke a cluster of foxtail grass—

Tang Lingwu had achieved mastery of Linghe Body—and now she just wanted to run free.

So the three of them headed to the same small park where Zheng Fa used to train.

—

It was late at night, and the sky was devoid of stars, leaving the nightscape particularly dark and heavy.

The park was old, with sparse streetlights casting dim, yellowish glows, leaving long stretches of shadowy paths in between.

It was midsummer, and the air was filled with buzzing insects. Not exactly an ideal place for a nighttime stroll.

Yet, the park wasn’t empty.

As they walked, they occasionally passed by young and middle-aged couples strolling hand in hand.

At first, the three of them were cautious, keeping their voices low whenever discussing cultivation-related topics.

But as they walked further, they realized—

They weren’t the ones who should be worried.

It was the other people who were terrified of them.

The young couples would immediately lower their heads when passing by.

The middle-aged ones were even more dramatic—they would instantly let go of each other’s hands, increase their distance, and pretend to be strangers.

“…Tch. I’m not sure who’s actually more embarrassed to be seen,” Old Man Bai muttered, shaking his head, his face full of envy for the younger generation’s shamelessness.

—

Old Man Bai and Zheng Fa walked side by side, while Tang Lingwu bounced ahead of them, her ponytail swaying up and down, shimmering like black silk in the dim light.

To passersby, it probably looked like she was just jogging—taking long, energetic strides like a sprinter in training.

But only Zheng Fa and Old Man Bai could see the truth—

Her feet barely touched the ground.

She wasn’t even bending her knees—she was simply grazing the rough stone path with her toes, floating forward effortlessly, covering two to three meters with each step.

She was still holding back, controlling her speed.

Tang Lingwu clearly loved the sensation of wind rushing past her face. She grinned as she moved, her expression radiating pure joy.

Only when other people came near did she pause and wait for them, momentarily restraining herself.

Watching her, Old Man Bai couldn’t help but smile indulgently.

Even Zheng Fa felt his mood lighten just by looking at her.

—

“You’re not as anxious anymore?”

Seeing Zheng Fa’s relaxed expression, Old Man Bai asked softly.

Zheng Fa nodded slightly, glancing forward—Tang Lingwu had stopped and was looking back at them, concern in her eyes.

“…I’m still anxious, but worrying won’t change anything.”

To be honest, it wasn’t just anxiety—it was unease.

Just when he had finally started enjoying life in Jiushan Sect, the situation in Taiyang Commandery was giving him a bad feeling.

“…That’s right. Worrying won’t change anything.”

Old Man Bai nodded and motioned for Tang Lingwu to come closer, as if he had something to say.

Tang Lingwu, curious, walked back to them.

—

“I’ve taught you both a lot of things,” Old Man Bai began, pausing to gather his thoughts.

“I taught you how to do research.”

“I taught you how to study mathematics.”

“I told you to work hard, collaborate, and strive forward.”

He looked at the two of them thoughtfully before glancing around at the silent, dimly lit park.

“But there’s something I’ve been debating—whether or not I should be the one to teach you this.”

“?”

Both Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu tilted their heads, puzzled by his hesitation.

—

“…Aside from hard work and teamwork…” Old Man Bai spoke slowly, carefully choosing his words.

“You also need to learn when to give up.”

“……”

“We’re all human—none of us can solve everything.”

He turned to Zheng Fa.

“Even in cultivation, there are endless struggles and frustrations, aren’t there?”

Zheng Fa let out a wry smile.

Was cultivation great?

Of course it was.

But did the people of Xuanwei Realm live happier lives than modern-day people?

Zheng Fa doubted even Immortal Sect disciples would answer that with a definitive yes.

—

“Did I want to be a great mathematician?” Old Man Bai tapped his own chest.

“Did I dream of winning the Fields Medal or the Wolf Prize? Of course I did.”

“Did I want to cultivate to the level of ascension? That too. But let’s be real—Tang Lingwu’s already mastered Linghe Body, while I’m still far behind.”

Tang Lingwu’s face twitched slightly—she suddenly felt self-conscious, realizing she had been showing off a little too much earlier.

—

“I don’t mean anything by it,” Old Man Bai waved dismissively.

“What I’m saying is—it’s normal to have limits.”

“Don’t think you have to carry everyone’s burdens. Don’t assume everyone’s fate depends on you.”

“Because that kind of thinking? That’s arrogance.”

Zheng Fa froze.

—

“Especially in research—pride and stubbornness are the worst things to have.”

“Push yourself too hard in cultivation? You’ll suffer Qi deviation.”

“Push yourself too hard in research? You’ll go down the wrong path.”

“…Sometimes, whether it’s academia or cultivation, neither is more important than simply being at peace.”

After finishing his speech, Old Man Bai rubbed his bald head, looking a bit unsure.

“…I rambled a bit. Honestly, I don’t even know what I was trying to say.”

Zheng Fa blinked and turned to Tang Lingwu.

“Did you understand what Old Bai was talking about?”

Tang Lingwu shook her head.

Zheng Fa chuckled.

“I didn’t get it either. But, Old Bai…”

“……”

“I’m not anxious anymore.”

—

In a way, Zheng Fa had understood.

If all of Old Bai’s past teachings had been as a teacher,

Then tonight—he had spoken as a senior.

A teacher wanted their students to succeed.

But a senior sometimes told you—success isn’t more important than happiness.

—

Back at Zheng Fa’s home.

Seated at his dining table, Zheng Fa was bare-chested, wearing insulated gloves connected to a transformer, which was plugged into an electrical outlet.

His expression was calm—far calmer than before.

Old Man Bai’s words, though rambly, had somehow worked—his anxiety had dissipated.

He had been shouldering too much.

Would Jiushan Sect collapse without him?

Would Senior Sister Zhang be doomed if he didn’t interfere?

No.

Jiushan Sect had three Nascent Soul cultivators.

Senior Sister Zhang was exceptionally gifted.

He was just a Qi Refining cultivator.

Worrying this much was just arrogance.

He closed his eyes, feeling the electric currents pulse into his palms and muscles, stimulating his body.

His physique had changed significantly—

Lean, sculpted muscles, honed by his Five Thunder Talisman Body, steadily absorbing the nutrients from his spiritual meals.

And now, he could feel it—

This phase of training was nearing its limit.

As time passed, Zheng Fa’s muscles began to tremble and expand, sweat beading across his skin.

Under the dim lighting, he looked like he was wearing a bulky, exaggerated suit of armor made entirely of muscle.

But after a while, his muscles started to contract again, leaving only lean, well-defined lines beneath his skin.

If he put on clothes, he might even appear thinner than before.

When Zheng Fa finally opened his eyes, he slowly stood up, feeling as if his entire body was weightless—

As if he had reached a perfect harmony between body and mind.

According to martial arts texts he had read back at the Zhao Estate, this state could be described as "body and will as one."

Or rather, he had gone beyond that level.

—

He set up his phone on the dining table, switched on the camera, and performed a set of Linghe Piercing Cloud Hand techniques.

Then, he played back the video.

The difference was immediately clear—

The camera couldn’t capture his movements at all.

Even at the highest frame rate, his hands appeared as nothing more than a blur of motion.

He had become even faster.

Zheng Fa grinned.

He sat back down, putting on his insulated gloves again, preparing to advance to the next stage of Five Thunder Talisman Body—Bone Tempering.

But moments later, he opened his eyes in disappointment.

The voltage wasn’t high enough.

Each new stage of Five Thunder Talisman Body required a drastic increase in electrical intensity.

This transformer could only reach 300V—not enough for Bone Tempering.

Zheng Fa sighed, storing the transformer away.

This so-called "immortal treasure of the modern era" had finally fallen behind his cultivation speed.

…Though, he figured he could still use it to electrocute Old Bai for fun—the old man was always interested in Five Thunder Talisman Body.

—

The Next Day – School

Zheng Fa sat in his classroom, absentmindedly thinking about how to continue his Five Thunder Talisman Body training.

Around him, everyone else was intensely focused, pushing through the final stretch before the college entrance exams.

Then, Tang Lingwu walked up to his desk.

By now, no one reacted to her presence anymore.

Not even Wang Chen.

It was as if her being next to Zheng Fa was the most natural thing in the world.

Or maybe, the pressure of the exams had made everyone too exhausted to care.

Tang Lingwu was carrying several things—

A bulging folder and a notebook.

Zheng Fa blinked and looked at her face.

Had she been staying up late again?

But no—Tang Lingwu looked completely refreshed.

Her fair skin glowed with vitality, and ever since mastering Linghe Body, she had grown even more beautiful.

—

“…Why are you staring at me?”

Tang Lingwu stopped walking, puzzled, and touched her face.

“…You’ve gotten even prettier.”

Zheng Fa spoke his thoughts honestly.

Tang Lingwu’s ears turned red.

From behind them, Wang Chen’s bitter voice rang out.

“Enough already! If you’re going to flirt, do it outside!”

“……”

Weren’t you supposed to be studying?!

—

Tang Lingwu ignored Wang Chen and placed the folder on Zheng Fa’s desk, flipping it open to reveal architectural blueprints.

“These were designed by my mom’s firm,” she explained, pointing to the drawings. “Look over them and tell me if you want any changes.”

Zheng Fa glanced at the blueprints—they depicted a small estate.

Because it was located on a mountainside, flat land was limited, so the buildings were compact.

There were only two main structures—

Upon entering the estate, there was a three-story Chinese-style building.

“This will be for guests or patients,” Tang Lingwu explained. “Like a combination of a guest house and a medical ward.”

Behind this building was an open space, reserved for Zheng Fa’s future farming plans.

At the far end of the estate, near the mountainside, was an area marked with a question mark.

“My mom said this area is for us to live in, so it should have more privacy.”

“She wants to know what kind of house you would like.”

Zheng Fa shook his head.

“I don’t have any preferences. You decide… Oh, and ask Old Bai—you’ll all be living there too.”

—

From behind them, Wang Chen’s voice rang out again.

“…Wait a second.”

“…Hmm?”

“Your mom is building a house for him?”

Wang Chen pointed at Zheng Fa, then at Tang Lingwu.

“…You two are going to live together?!”

“…Aren’t you supposed to be focusing on studying?!”

Zheng Fa narrowed his eyes at him.

“I tried to focus!” Wang Chen gritted his teeth, stabbing his finger at his "College Entrance Exam Guidebook."

“I was trying to read my damn book, but I kept hearing you two talk, and I couldn’t concentrate!”

“Then I started reading between the lines of my textbook.”

“…And do you know what I saw?”

“What?”

“Two words. "Pure Jealousy."”

Wang Chen dramatically turned to Tang Lingwu.

“Tang Lingwu, do you happen to have a younger sister?”

“???”

Tang Lingwu looked utterly confused.

“I’m not after the house!” Wang Chen declared.

“I just can’t bear to lose my best bro!”

“I just want to be his brother-in-law!”

—

With Wang Chen making things weird, Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu had to continue their conversation outside in the hallway.

Once there, Tang Lingwu handed Zheng Fa the notebook she had been carrying.

Flipping through it, Zheng Fa immediately recognized Old Bai’s handwriting.

And then—his eyes widened in shock.

—

The notes were based on Master Pang’s talisman diagrams.

First, Old Bai had simplified some of the overly complex structures.

Then, with Tang Lingwu’s help, they had applied previous classification methods to find recurring patterns.

On the first page, Old Bai had written—

"Algorithmic proof: Five Element Sub-Talismans are not unique. Every talisman diagram contains three distinct sub-talismans, with the Five Element Sub-Talismans being just one type."

"The Five Element Sub-Talismans are the most easily observed, but other sub-talismans seem incomplete or less defined."

"I hypothesize that every talisman is composed of three sub-talismans, but aside from the Five Element Sub-Talismans, the meanings of the others remain unclear."

Zheng Fa turned more pages.

The handwriting was new, slightly rushed—

Clearly written in the past few days.

Old Bai had even analyzed Zheng Fa’s first Yuan Talisman—the True Form Shadowless Talisman—breaking it down into three components.

One of them was the Earth-element sub-talisman.

The other two… remained a mystery.

—

“Old Bai… he…”

“He’s been working nonstop these past few days,” Tang Lingwu said. “I also asked that senior brother to run more tests. We weren’t expecting much, but since the talisman diagrams were more complete, the patterns became more obvious. The computer automatically classified them.”

“I worked with Old Bai, and we realized—

All talisman diagrams are composed of three core components.

We call it The Three Sub-Talisman Principle.”

Zheng Fa exhaled slowly.

This was no small breakthrough.

“…Old Bai said he—”

“He said he’s sleeping for two days and told you not to bother him.”

Tang Lingwu smirked.

—

Zheng Fa suddenly felt the weight of the notebook in his hands.

“That old man… was just telling me not to push myself.”

“…He lied,” Tang Lingwu said, squinting playfully.

“This is a gift.”

“…Huh?”

“You’re eighteen today.”

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