Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life-Chapter 137: This thing is much harder than the imperial examination.

Su Ming walked out of the meditation room, the glaring sunlight making him squint slightly.

Wang the fat man was standing outside the door, and the moment he saw Su Ming emerge, he immediately stepped forward with a face full of smiles.

His small eyes were sparkling with nothing but appreciation and warmth.

"Su Ming, what did Elder Ma tell you? Did he have some important task to entrust to you again?"

Su Ming shook his head, tucking the jade slip further into his sleeve.

"Nothing much. The elder just offered a few words of encouragement."

He didn't want to reveal this matter too early.

"Oh, oh, but that is still an immense honor!" Wang the fat man rubbed his hands together, wearing an expression that said 'I understand'. "Su Ming, from now on, the Accounting Office will rely entirely on you! If you need anything, just say the word!"

Su Ming exchanged a few polite words with him, then bid farewell and left.

He walked out of the main hall of the External Affairs Hall, the glaring sunlight making him squint slightly once more.

He did not linger outside the hall. Instead, as usual, he walked with his gaze fixed straight ahead, following the fixed route directly towards the direction of the menial disciples' courtyard at the foot of the mountain.

The hand in his sleeve held the jade slip steadily, but his mind was already operating the Aura Concealment Art, firmly locking away the anticipation and curiosity that might otherwise show on his face.

With a treasure in hand, one must be even more cautious.

Investigating it in this place bustling with people would be no different from a naive child carrying gold through a crowded market.

He understood deeply that any trace of untimely eagerness could attract unnecessary attention.

Just as he was about to turn onto the stone steps leading down the mountain, a somewhat teasing, youthful voice sounded beside him.

"Looks like Elder Ma didn't do anything to you. What's that in your hand?"

Qingfeng was standing with his hands clasped behind his back, impatiently kicking pebbles on the ground with the tip of his foot.

Mingyue was squatting on the ground, curiously watching a line of ants moving house.

"What are you two doing here?" Su Ming was somewhat surprised.

"Just passing by."

"We were waiting for you! We went to the Accounting Office, and the manager there said you came here." Mingyue stood up, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled. "Senior Brother said he wanted to see if Elder Ma would chase you down the mountain."

Hearing this, Qingfeng's little face flushed red, and he glared at Mingyue.

"Nonsense! I... I was just passing by!"

He cleared his throat, walked up to Su Ming, and looked him up and down like a little adult.

His gaze fell on the slightly bulging cuff of Su Ming's sleeve.

Su Ming knew he couldn't hide it from him, so he took out that old jade slip.

"A jade slip bestowed by Elder Ma. He said... it's for me to learn something, so I can have a stable future path."

Qingfeng took the jade slip, glanced at it only once, then curled his lip in disdain and tossed it back.

"Basic Overview of Formations? The most common, worthless stuff. It's piled up like mountains in the sect's library, and no one even looks at it."

He snorted, his tone carrying a hint of contempt.

"However, Elder Ma being willing to give you this does set a precedent. You, kid, really have some luck."

Mingyue leaned over to take a look and asked curiously, "Formations? That's really hard to learn! I heard from a senior brother at Formation Peak that just memorizing those runes can make your head explode!"

"Su Ming, you... can you understand it?"

Su Ming shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Haven't looked at it yet. But I have to try."

"Having that kind of spirit is acceptable." Qingfeng snorted noncommittally.

"But don't say I didn't warn you. Without guidance, relying solely on this broken jade slip, you won't even find the door. Let's go, Mingyue."

Having said that, he didn't speak further. Pulling along a still somewhat worried Mingyue, he turned and left along the small path, their figures quickly disappearing amidst the verdant bamboo.

Su Ming watched the direction they disappeared in, knowing that although Qingfeng's words were unpleasant, they were the truth.

Su Ming stood where he was, watching them leave, then lowered his head to look at the jade slip in his palm.

He clenched the jade slip tightly, turned around, and walked towards the cluster of courtyards where the menials lived at the foot of the mountain.

His footsteps were steady and resolute.

...

Late at night.

Courtyard Ding-Qi was completely silent.

Thunderous snores came from the west room where Zhang Meng was. In the north room belonging to Manager Zhao, the lamplight had long been extinguished.

In the south room, Li Kai was, as always, utterly silent.

Su Ming sat cross-legged on his bed, carefully pressing that jade slip against the center of his forehead.

Imitating the way sect disciples did it, he tried to slowly channel that faint wisp of spiritual energy from within his body into it.

The spiritual energy, like a tiny stream, touched the jade slip.

"Hummm—"

In Su Ming's mind, vast, complex, and profound information, like a bursting flood, surged madly into his Consciousness Sea!

Research on the Origins of Formations...

Detailed Explanation of Basic Runes - Three Thousand Six Hundred Forms...

Preliminary Discussion on Constructing Spiritual Energy Circuits...

Analysis of the Interplay of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements and Their Compatibility with Formation Attributes...

Every single character felt like a mountain, pressing down heavily upon his soul.

Those twisted, complex runes, like living creatures, swirled and danced in his mind, making him dizzy.

After just a short moment, Su Ming felt a splitting headache, his mental energy completely exhausted.

He grunted, abruptly moving the jade slip away from his forehead, gasping for breath in large gulps.

Cold sweat had already soaked through his back.

It's too difficult!

This was a hundred times harder than memorizing the entire Da Xing Compendium! 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

No guidance, relying entirely on self-exploration.

This feeling was like an illiterate child being thrown into a massive library containing tens of thousands of scripture scrolls, not even knowing which book to start opening.

Forcing himself to endure the mental fatigue, he once again pressed the jade slip against his forehead.

This time, he didn't dare to be greedy for more.

He concentrated all his mental focus, looking only at the first section of the Detailed Explanation of Basic Runes.

One of the simplest runes, representing the meaning of "gather".

That rune was composed of three strokes. Every turn, every pause in each stroke contained a unique rhythm.

He stared fixedly at that rune, copying it over and over again in his mind.

He would write it and forget it, forget it and write it again.

One hour passed.

He finally managed to barely imprint the shape of this single rune deep into his memory.

And his spirit had already reached its limit of exhaustion, his eyelids feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds.

"No good... this is way too slow."

Su Ming leaned against the wall, his heart filled with a sense of powerlessness.

Three thousand six hundred basic runes. Even memorizing one a day would take ten years to finish.

And that was just the most basic memorization, not to mention comprehension and application.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

Can't rush.

The more it's like this, the more one must not lose composure.

He closed his eyes and began to operate the Aura Concealment Art, entering a state of meditation.

The fatigue in his Consciousness Sea slowly recovered during meditation.

He suddenly remembered his work in the Accounting Office, remembered those tedious ledgers...