I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times-Chapter 298Book 2: : Development Blueprint, Praise for the Demon Ancestor

Book 2: Chapter 298: Development Blueprint, Praise for the Demon Ancestor

Vol 2 Chapter 298: Development Blueprint, Praise for the Demon Ancestor

Zheng Fa’s claim on the sea domain brought another wave of silence to the hall.

The five sect leaders, including Sect Master Yan, though their expressions didn’t change, were clearly exchanging opinions through sound transmissions in private.

Zheng Fa had already decided to try claiming the sea region before even coming to the alliance meeting:

The main reason was to demonstrate confidence—if he made no demands and simply accepted everything the Five Sects arranged, his stance would seem too weak.

But the request couldn’t be something that truly angered the Five Sects, to avoid flipping the table—

The sea, vast yet not highly valued by the Five Sects, was the perfect option.

Although the Great Freedom Demon Emperor had practically become a worn-out cliché by now, this strategy was still crossing the river by feeling for stones:

The sea had long been demon territory, and after being claimed by the Great Freedom Demon Emperor, the Five Sects had weighed the pros and cons and ultimately acquiesced.

That proved this land was not something the Five Sects valued.

If the Great Freedom Demon Emperor could rule the seas, why couldn’t I?

From the standpoint of the Five Sects, the human race was what they truly cared about.

But unfortunately, the human populations in the sea region had been devastated by the Netherworld Immortal. On many islands, the human population had plummeted off a cliff.

Thus, the sea region held minimal value to the Five Sects.

It was highly unlikely they would flip over this.

That had been Zheng Fa’s thinking before he came—in simple terms, it was the self-discipline of a method actor. This persona of his had to project strength.

But now things were different… he actually wanted the sea!

Based on what Fairy Baihua and the others had revealed, what Zheng Fa needed most now were two things:

Before Dao Fruit—resources for progression.

After Dao Fruit—large populations.

And both, the more the better.

The spiritual materials and ores in the ocean were hard to gather, yes—but there were plenty of them.

On top of that, marine aquaculture was a highly valuable development path: it could support massive populations and also pave the way for post-Dao Fruit cultivation.

In short, the sea, which the Five Sects dismissed, was a treasure trove in Zheng Fa’s eyes.

But the value of the sea didn’t stop there.

“No agriculture, no stability;no commerce, no wealth”—what Zheng Fa cared about most was the potential for maritime trade!

Anyone with even a basic grasp of modern world history knew the massive profits in oceanic commerce.

The Xuanyi Realm was vast;between the Eastern and Western Continents lay a great distance.

Even a Nascent Soul cultivator needed over half a year to make the journey.

And that didn’t account for the various sea monsters and perilous areas blocking the way.

Soul Formation cultivators and above could travel faster, but intercontinental exchange remained highly inconvenient.

Trade was limited to high-end goods, and the prices were sky-high—as expected. If you had to rely on Nascent Soul-level couriers for shipping, the labor costs alone would be astronomical. ṙΆƝÔʙĘṥ

Furthermore, due to cultivation and geography, each continent had its own specialties. What was cheap and common in the Western Continent was rare and precious in the Eastern Continent—and expensive.

That profit margin made Zheng Fa’s eyes go red with envy.

If he wanted to amass a huge amount of cultivation resources, this was the fastest way!

And as it happened, Jiushan Sect had a flying transport tool that was fast, low-cost, and unique—Shenxiao Airships!

Zheng Fa stared at the floor, eyes fixed on the map. He was studying the islands—already sketching a rough route in his mind:

According to his plan, he just needed to install simplified Divine Thunder External Pills on a few islands to create a stable, low-cost trade network!

And with the sea under control, Jiushan Sect could monopolize this trade route—gaining an endless stream of profit and resources.

At that thought, Zheng Fa’s heart was beating a little faster—

The future pressures weighed heavily on him. He had the “status” now, but not the matching strength.

But this plan could help him and Jiushan Sect quickly gather a massive fortune and resources, increasing their power.

Even aside from himself, scientific research was a money pit—the deeper Jiushan’s research went, the more resources they’d need.

What had started as a roleplay idea had now become a matter of life and death, essential to Jiushan Sect’s future.

Senior Sister Zhang gave him a glance, seemingly sensing his slight tension. Though she didn’t fully understand, her gaze also carried hope as she looked at the sect leaders.

“This matter… actually…”

Fairy Baihua was the first to speak.

She seemed adept at dealing with all sides, and now appeared eager to make up for earlier suspicions, so her tone was quite flexible.

“No!”

The Leiyin Temple monk Zhi Xu suddenly cut in.

He raised his eyes and looked at Zheng Fa, his tone filled with righteous dignity:

“The sea is vast and treacherous, easily exploited by ancient immortals and divine spirits. Though Sect Master Zheng is capable, the Hundred Immortals Alliance may be inadequate for the task. If anything goes wrong, the consequences would be catastrophic.”

His words made Fairy Baihua frown slightly, her expression tightening.

Zheng Fa’s face remained calm, though inwardly he sneered—what Zhi Xu said had some logic, but everyone could see he was targeting him and the Hundred Immortals Alliance.

Unlike his ambiguous rapport with Fairy Baihua, Zheng Fa and Leiyin Temple had already clashed several times.

They’d even nearly drawn swords earlier.

Zheng Fa had embarrassed Leiyin Temple just a bit.

While there wasn’t deep enmity, there was definite mutual dislike.

What’s more, as Zhi Xu spoke, his eyes subtly lingered on Tranquility Bamboo.

Clearly, he hadn’t given up on that Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root.

All of these factors combined into his opposition to Zheng Fa controlling the sea—just because the Five Sects didn’t value the sea, didn’t mean they were stupid. They knew there was profit there. If nothing else, the ocean’s spiritual materials weren’t imaginary.

Just as Zhi Xu finished, Zhenren Luo of Haori Mountain chimed in: “It’s not that we’re being stingy—truthfully, the Hundred Immortals Alliance is still too weak. The demon race’s high-ranking members have dwindled. Maintaining peace in the sea might be beyond your reach.”

Zheng Fa glanced at Zhenren Luo.

He could understand Leiyin Temple’s hostility.

But Haori Mountain…

Was it because of the Fusang Tree? Or territory?

Or… was it because of Leiyin Temple?

Zheng Fa couldn’t help but sense a certain coordination between them…

Fairy Baihua looked even more hesitant now. Zheng Fa understood her dilemma—though she seemed willing to befriend him, with two sects opposing him, picking a fight over the Hundred Immortals Alliance wouldn’t be worth it.

Right at that moment, the Taishang Dao Daoist Li lazily spoke up:

“If he’s walking the Demon Emperor’s path, it’s only natural he controls the sea.”

Zheng Fa glanced over at the middle-aged Daoist, who didn’t return the look and simply continued:

“As for not being strong enough—well, the Great Freedom is dead, so clearly he wasn’t strong either. Yet you still let him take the sea, didn’t you?”

His reasoning was flimsy and even casual, but Fairy Baihua immediately responded, “That makes perfect sense. Sect Master Zheng ruling the sea—Yaochi agrees.”

Zhi Xu’s expression darkened slightly, though not surprised. He simply turned to look at Sect Master Yan of Tianhe Sect.

At that moment, Zheng Fa understood something subtle:

Among the Five Sects, Leiyin Temple and Haori Mountain seemed to be aligned, while Taishang Dao and Yaochi had a degree of tacit understanding.

Tianhe Sect appeared more neutral.

Considering the sects’ territories, the reason for this alignment became clear—classic “ally the distant, strike the near”:

Leiyin Temple held great power. To ease the pressure, Yaochi naturally leaned toward Taishang Dao, the largest sect in the Eastern Continent.

Haori Mountain likely had Leiyin Temple’s silent backing.

Now that this Daoist Li from Taishang Dao supported him, it might have something to do with Zheng Fa saving Head Seat Mingde and Zhenren Chengkong.

But objectively speaking, the Hundred Immortals Alliance bordered Haori Mountain by land, and faced Leiyin Temple across the sea—a real thorn in both sides’ flesh.

Exactly the kind of “distant” one befitting “ally the far, strike the near.”

If each side’s statements were considered a vote, it was now two versus two.

Sect Master Yan of Tianhe Sect would cast the deciding vote.

In the hall, all eyes turned toward him.

Senior Sister Zhang seemed to sense Zheng Fa’s desire for the sea—her gaze was quietly hopeful.

Among Tianhe Sect’s disciples, Xie Qingxue’s lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to speak.

Sect Master Yan didn’t turn around, only raised a finger slightly, and Xie Qingxue dared not speak further.

He looked at Zheng Fa, then slowly smiled—with surprising warmth.

Sect Master Yan looked at Zheng Fa for a long while without saying a word. Then, from within his sleeve, he pulled out a jade formation disc. It was covered in dense golden talisman patterns—complex and ornate, clearly extraordinary—but at the center of the disc was a shallow hollow pit. It was immediately obvious the piece was incomplete.

Zheng Fa’s heart gave a hard thump. That shallow pit’s shape—perfectly matched the Yin-Yang Fish Jade Pendant in his mind!

“This is…”

“Fellow Daoists, our sect possesses a Cave-Heaven World known as the Myriad Swords Realm. Its Cave-Heaven Treasure was lost—surely you’ve heard?”

Everyone in the hall nodded.

Xie Qingxue had once told Zheng Fa that Sect Master Yan had retrieved something from the Myriad Swords Realm. It must’ve been this.

But… a Cave-Heaven Treasure?

His gaze couldn’t help falling on that hollow.

Fairy Baihua’s eyes flickered, as if she had the same thought as Zheng Fa. Curious, she asked, “So this is the Cave-Heaven Treasure of the Myriad Swords Realm? I thought it’d be an immortal sword. You said it was lost, yet here it is?”

Sect Master Yan smiled and countered, “The Cave-Heaven Treasure and the Cave-Heaven itself are one and the same. Damage one, and both suffer. How could they be separated?”

“The Myriad Swords Realm fell into disorder because this formation disc is incomplete…”

“So although the Cave-Heaven still exists, it’s uninhabitable—a liability for our sect.”

Incomplete…

Looking at that familiar pattern, it was clear—the missing part was the Yin-Yang Fish Jade Pendant!

Only now did Zheng Fa truly understand the pendant’s origin!

What he didn’t expect was for Sect Master Yan to bring it out at this moment.

Sect Master Yan looked at Zheng Fa and said:

“This formation disc resonates naturally with the missing piece.”

“Sect Master Zheng, if you wish to claim the sea region, all you have to do is test the formation disc…”

“If all is well, Tianhe Sect will fully support this matter.”

Zheng Fa’s expression remained calm, but waves surged in his heart.

At this moment, he had no way to refuse—

Clearly, Sect Master Yan had seen through his desire for the sea. If Zheng Fa declined, it would look like he was guilty of something!

Although he’d mentally prepared, Sect Master Yan’s tone was utterly unpressuring—gentle, as if he were going with the flow.

Even his face bore that warm smile.

Yet it was precisely this smiling face that pushed Zheng Fa into the most dangerous moment since the alliance began.

Being exposed for lacking power was already a disaster.

But being linked to Tianhe Venerable—that was taboo. If it stuck, it would be a death sentence.

Sect Master Yan… really was a sly one!

Zheng Fa furrowed his brows, saying nothing.

“Sect Master Zheng is unwilling?”

“…Sect Master Yan, is it really that simple?” Zheng Fa unexpectedly asked back.

“…”

He wore a look of doubt, as if he were totally ignorant of the dangers involved, and continued, “What do you mean by ‘test the formation disc’?”

“This formation disc simply reacts to the missing piece. If Sect Master Zheng possesses it, there will be a phenomenon. If not, all remains normal—it proves you have no connection to the missing object.”

Zheng Fa nodded slowly. Looking at Sect Master Yan again, he asked, “Sect Master Yan, how do I know there’s no trap hidden in this disc?”

Sect Master Yan’s expression turned angry, seemingly insulted. He immediately replied, “Sect Master Zheng, do you not trust me?”

Zheng Fa paused, then muttered under his breath after a long moment:

“The most famous person from your sect who was trusted… I know exactly how that turned out.”

Though he said it quietly, the high-level cultivators in the hall heard it clearly.

The Daoist from Taishang Dao let out a “ha!”

Even the Leiyin Temple monk Zhi Xu twitched a smile.

Wasn’t that just calling Zhi Xu a bald fraud?

Sect Master Yan’s face changed, but he couldn’t reply. Instead, Daoist Li from Taishang Dao stepped forward with a smile, took the disc, examined it for a while, and then handed it to Zheng Fa. “How about I act as a guarantor? If there’s a problem, I’ll know.”

Zheng Fa knew that although he’d just mocked Yan Wushuang’s father, this was something he couldn’t avoid. So he simply reached out and held the bottom of the formation disc.

The countless talisman diagrams on the disc seemed to come alive, flowing like water—from the disc up his arms, over his torso, head, and face.

Within a few breaths, the diagrams seemed to melt and merged into Zheng Fa’s skin, diving into his body!

Xie Qingxue and Senior Sister Zhang exchanged a glance—one hand on the Qingping Sword, the other gripping Tranquility Bamboo.

The hall’s atmosphere grew tense.

Even the always-smiling Daoist Li now looked serious, his eyes fixed on the disc, occasionally glancing at Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa’s full awareness was turned inward.

Hundreds of talisman diagrams had entered his body, flowing through every muscle and meridian as if searching for something.

They passed through every acupuncture point without result, yet seemed to sense something—gathering outside Zheng Fa’s Niwan Palace.

Inside his Niwan Palace, the Yin-Yang Fish Jade Pendant floated within his sea of consciousness, beneath it—lay the Nine Nether Edict.

The talisman diagrams, drawn by the pendant, surged forward to invade his sea of consciousness.

They were about to “find” the pendant!

Just then, the Nine Nether Edict suddenly emitted a dark, arcane light.

Waves rippled through Zheng Fa’s mind—strange, undulating, and gradually concealing the Yin-Yang Fish Jade Pendant.

The talisman diagrams suddenly lost their target—bewildered, they lingered at the edge of his sea of consciousness, then slowly exited his body.

Zheng Fa felt a bit of relief.

But just then, he saw a strange talisman not only refuse to leave—it reversed course, rushing straight into his sea of consciousness.

It seemed… to have consciousness of its own!

Zheng Fa opened his eyes and looked at Sect Master Yan’s warm smile—what a damn schemer!

Sect Master Yan turned away and glanced at the Qingping Sword at Xie Qingxue’s waist. It seemed he wasn’t just suspicious of Zheng Fa’s ties to Tianhe Venerable—he was also curious… how Zheng Fa had convinced his own disciple to willingly hand over the Qingping Sword.

Only now did Zheng Fa realize—among the Five Sects, the one most wary of him wasn’t the one with the most direct conflict, but the one with the most “friends”—Tianhe Sect!

…

At that moment, the Nine Nether Edict in Zheng Fa’s sea of consciousness lit up again and charged toward the obviously Yan-affiliated talisman.

Far away, in a mortal town without a trace of spiritual energy, three figures strolled along a bustling street.

Chen Ting and the Netherworld Immortal Qin Mu noticed the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor raise his head, curious.

“Holy Ancestor?”

“Nothing,” the Nine Nether Sacred Ancestor shook his head.

“An old friend from Tianhe Sect… Tsk. I haven’t gone looking for them yet, and they’re already getting impatient?”

Chen Ting blinked, instantly thinking of the Nine Nether Edict on Zheng Fa.

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor clearly didn’t plan to explain, only muttered:

“Well then… I’ll collect some interest.”

…

In Zheng Fa’s Niwan Palace, the Nine Nether Edict pulsed and wrapped around the strange talisman, then shot out of his mind.

Zheng Fa watched as Sect Master Yan’s face twisted, the immortal sword at his waist let out a mournful cry.

The next moment, Sect Master Yan’s eyes blinked, and twin trails of blood tears streamed down his face. His eyes—now completely black, devoid of any white.

Even Daoist Li was stunned, staring at Zheng Fa.

Everyone else was shocked.

A Dao Fruit cultivator—how could one look like this without having suffered grave injury?

With Dao Fruit-level power, who could possibly inflict such a wound without a sound?

Just then, the formation disc suddenly flared with Sect Master Yan’s divine soul aura.

At that, Fairy Baihua and the others instantly understood—Sect Master Yan had somehow hidden his soul inside the disc to probe Zheng Fa’s secrets, only to be thwarted.

Daoist Li’s expression turned stormy. He’d acted as the guarantor, yet had been misled by this surname-Yan. He’d lost face.

“Did the disc show any signs?” he asked coldly, looking at Sect Master Yan.

Sect Master Yan’s expression was strange—twisted with pain or fury. His former warmth gone, he simply shook his head.

“Then by prior agreement—Tianhe Sect supports the Hundred Immortals Alliance’s claim to the sea?”

Sect Master Yan still said nothing—only nodded.

Daoist Li gave an apologetic nod to Zheng Fa, but Zheng Fa didn’t even glance at him. He turned instead to the Leiyin Temple monk Zhi Xu and Zhenren Luo of Haori Mountain.

“Haori Mountain and Leiyin Temple—do you still think I lack strength?”

The two were stunned. They raised their heads to see Zheng Fa staring coldly at them, clearly pressuring them.

Both were Loose Immortals. Neither had been stared down like that in who knew how long—their faces darkened in unison.

But a moment later, both looked at Sect Master Yan of Tianhe Sect. Those blood tears—it was as if they flowed straight into their hearts.

Zhi Xu was silent for a long time before finally pressing his palms together and murmuring: “Sect Master Zheng possesses extraordinary strength. The sea region… should indeed belong to the Hundred Immortals Alliance.”

Zheng Fa praised inwardly—Demon Ancestor, when it comes to getting results, you’re the real deal.