Chapter 318 - 4: Rebirth of the Origin Turns the Cycle of Years, a Dragon Coiled in the Dantian Proves Withering and Flourishing
Chapter 318: Chapter 4: Rebirth of the Origin Turns the Cycle of Years, a Dragon Coiled in the Dantian Proves Withering and Flourishing
Setting aside Ji Qinglian and Ji Qingyue, who were bound to wait for him anyway, there were others to consider.
Luo Zhiwei, Chu Hanzhen, and Chu Yuling were all focused on the results of Zhong Ming’s comprehension.
During the long wait, they inevitably began to discuss whether Zhong Ming could actually succeed.
"Qinglian, Qingyue, do you think Zhong Ming can do it?" The first to speak was Ji Qingque. She had a restless personality and would have left long ago if not for her curiosity about Zhong Ming and the final result.
"He doesn’t have any foundation in Arrays. It’s impossible."
Before Ji Qinglian or Ji Qingyue had a chance to answer, Chu Yuling spoke up first.
Her answer wasn’t entirely dismissive; it carried a degree of professional expertise. "That’s not how you cultivate Arrays. If he wants to learn, he should start with fundamental theory, then study the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, and try setting up a few minor Arrays. From there, he should choose a path to specialize in—the Three Talents, the Four Symbols, the Five Elements, the Eight Trigrams, the Nine Palaces... Only after all that training can he even begin to touch high-level Arrays."
"The Rebirth of the Origin involves a trace of time-aspected Dao Rhyme, making it a top-tier Array. I’ve been studying Array theory with my master since I was a child—for a full fifteen years—and even I wouldn’t dare claim I could comprehend it easily. Yet he thinks he can just learn it on his first try? That’s pure fantasy!"
"..."
This highly technical answer left Ji Qingque at a loss for a rebuttal.
But just as she was rendered speechless, Zhong Ming opened his eyes and stood up.
He then turned his gaze to Luo Zhiwei, his tone filled with admiration. "Master Zhiwei, you truly live up to your reputation. I am very satisfied with the Array you devised."
His words and his expression made Luo Zhiwei raise a delicate eyebrow. "You learned it."
"Yes."
CRACK!
When Zhong Ming answered, he didn’t bother to mock Chu Yuling.
But his confirmation that he had learned it still made Chu Yuling’s face flush red, as if she’d been brutally slapped by an invisible hand.
Zhong Ming might have ignored her, but Ji Qinglian, who had argued with her before, was not so magnanimous and had no intention of letting her off the hook.
"Young Master Zhong Ming, are you sure you’ve learned it? Just a moment ago, someone was saying how difficult Arrays are. A certain someone spent fifteen years studying Array theory, and even so, she said she had no confidence at all."
This passive-aggressive taunt made Chu Yuling’s eyes well up with tears.
Seeing her daughter so aggrieved, Chu Hanzhen had to step in and smooth things over. "Alright, Yuling, don’t be so upset. Your situation is different from Zhong Ming’s. The One Origin Rebirth·Chronological Tree Diagram is an Array that Zhiwei tailored specifically for him. The difficulty for him to learn this Array is only one-tenth, or even one-hundredth, of what it would be for a normal person."
"Of course, this Array still involves time. Even with the reduced difficulty, it’s not something just any prodigy could learn."
These words did make Chu Yuling feel a little better. Her admiration for Lu Yuan, combined with her desire to strike back, made her subconsciously lift her chin. Trying to save face, she said, "I forgot about that—if Brother Lu Yuan were here, give him half a day... no, just two... just four hours, and he could definitely reach Initiation too."
Unwilling to admit defeat, Chu Yuling brought up Lu Yuan.
Then, another statement rang out, stunning her and everyone else in the room.
"Initiation in four hours? Are you sure it’s a good idea to insult Lu Yuan like that?"
"Huh?!"
"???"
This single sentence left everyone stunned.
Chu Yuling was the most bewildered. Her almond-shaped eyes went wide as she snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting? When did I ever insult Brother Lu Yuan?"
Zhong Ming shrugged, his expression calm. "To need a full four hours to reach Initiation for a tailor-made Array like this... what is that if not an insult? With such high compatibility, taking a second look to learn it can’t even be called talent. Reaching Initiation at a single glance is the only reasonable outcome."
"..."
"..."
"..."
These words left everyone in the room speechless. Even Luo Zhiwei wouldn’t dare claim she could learn an Array on the level of the Rebirth of the Origin with just a single glance.
"What kind of tall tales are you telling? A single glance? You didn’t... Mmmph!"
Chu Yuling wanted to say more, but before she could finish, the perceptive Chu Hanzhen clamped a hand over her mouth.
Sensing something, she held her daughter back from speaking recklessly while turning to Zhong Ming, her tone now several degrees more respectful. "Young Master, you spent quite a long time just now. Could it be you were delving into the mysteries of the Second Realm?"
Chu Hanzhen thought she had grasped the deeper meaning of Zhong Ming’s words, but his next statement made her hand tighten and her heart pound.
"The Second Realm? Who are you looking down on? It was tailor-made for me, and I still spent half a day on it. If my progress stopped at the Second Realm, how could I have the face to be called ’supremely perceptive’?"
"You comprehended this Array to the Third Realm."
This time, even Luo Zhiwei couldn’t help herself.
Having examined Zhong Ming’s situation before, she had some expectation that he would be able to learn the Rebirth of the Origin Array.
But comprehending it to the Second Realm, let alone the Third Realm, in half a day was beyond her predictions.
Forget about when she was at his level; even now, she wasn’t confident she could accomplish such a thing herself.
’A top-tier Array... Initiation at a glance, and the Third Realm in half a day... Does such a genius really exist in this world?’
As she reeled in disbelief, Zhong Ming gave a slight nod.
"Naturally. I have no penchant for lying."
BUZZ—!
As the word fell, a unique sense of majesty emanated from Zhong Ming’s body, and this aura was constantly and rapidly shifting.
As the aura within Zhong Ming shifted and cycled, the flowers, grass, and trees in the small courtyard began to change along with it.
Sprouting, blooming, bearing fruit, withering away... In a brief moment, the plants seemed to live out their entire lives.
This scene proved Zhong Ming’s comprehension and mastery of the Rebirth of the Origin, and it made the way Luo Zhiwei looked at him change completely, her gaze now filled with shock and scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Chu Hanzhen’s hand clenched tighter and tighter, her heart thumping wildly in her chest.
’Everything he said... it’s all true. With such Talent... the situation in Immortal Martial City is about to change!’
’No, with a Talent like that, we absolutely cannot make an enemy of Zhong Ming. I must report this to the family immediately.’
The Talent Zhong Ming had just revealed sent the noblewoman Chu Hanzhen’s mind racing.
"Mmph... mmph..."
However, her train of thought was soon interrupted.
A desperate struggle erupted in her hand.
Lowering her head, she realized that in her shock and tension, she had completely forgotten to release the right hand covering her daughter’s mouth.
"Mother, you nearly suffocated me," Chu Yuling complained resentfully after breaking free.
What brought Chu Hanzhen a sigh of relief was that, after her complaint, her daughter showed no intention of continuing to antagonize Zhong Ming.
’Yuling is finally learning some sense.’
After this moment of reflection, she exchanged a few more pleasantries with Zhong Ming, left Yuling behind, and hurried back toward her clan’s residence.
She had to inform her family of this matter and establish a connection with Zhong Ming.
’Zhong Ming’s reputation isn’t widespread yet. This is the perfect time for us to get on his good side.’