“The Wanxiang Battle Disc is the foundation for the cultivation of all things in the world, just like a thousand-zhang high platform that must be built with layers of stone and earth. Generally speaking, when a person first steps onto the path of cultivation and completes the master-disciple ceremony, they can activate the battle disc under the guidance of the power of the heavenly and earthly contract. The larger the battle disc, the higher this person’s talent might be.”

Fudao Shanren gradually regained his wits, and as he looked at Jian Chou, his eyes gradually brightened.

For that instant, Jian Chou almost thought she was about to turn into a chicken leg or a big white goose.

She forcibly endured that tingling sensation on her scalp and asked again, “Do you mean my talent is not bad?”

“…It’s fairly decent.” Fudao Shanren nodded.

Jian Chou understood—that meant it was already very good.

Thinking about it, she couldn’t help but feel curious: “Does everyone who cultivates have a battle disc? How big was your battle disc initially? Three zhang?”

“…”

His facial expression suddenly stiffened. Fudao Shanren’s eyeballs rolled around, looking everywhere: “Uh… it seemed to be one zhang and one cun!”

One Zhang…

And one cun?

Jian Chou looked at Fudao Shanren suspiciously.

Fudao Shanren’s eyes widened: “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“This disciple wouldn’t dare.” Jian Chou had already understood in her heart and honestly said, “Whatever you say it is, that’s what it is. Although this disciple cannot compare to the Master, seeing that the Master’s battle disc can still grow larger, I imagine the current size of the battle disc doesn’t determine everything.”

Well, these words were barely pleasant to hear.

Fudao Shanren couldn’t wait to quickly gloss over the matter of talent and battle disc size, and hurriedly said: “That’s naturally the case. Generally speaking, the Wanxiang Battle Disc will grow larger as one progresses in cultivation. As for how much larger it grows, that depends on individual ability. So, current talent is only temporary. On the path of cultivation, talent and effort are both indispensable. How many geniuses have perished on the path? Instead, those who initially had average talent are more likely to achieve something. When you officially step onto the path of cultivation, you’ll know that those who can illuminate the battle disc are the true geniuses.”

All these concepts were very fresh to Jian Chou.

With the night wind blowing outside, she felt no drowsiness at all and continued asking: “What’s this about illuminating the battle disc?”

“Aiya, you’re so annoying! Why do you keep asking and asking?”

Fudao Shanren, holding the big white goose, had the urge to faint. How could taking on a disciple be so troublesome? It had been too long since he last took on a disciple, and he had almost forgotten how difficult it was to teach disciples.

Now, as soon as he heard Jian Chou start asking questions, memories from the past directly broke through the dam and came rushing toward Fudao Shanren.

Jian Chou quietly said: “The sage said, ‘Don’t be ashamed to ask questions…”

“What kind of sage is that!”

Fudao Shanren had naturally heard of mortal sages, and immediately rolled an even bigger eye roll.

“Sigh, I have no choice with you. This is your last question for today. After I answer this one, you’re not allowed to ask anymore.”

“…Alright.”

If he wouldn’t answer, she had no way to make him either.

Jian Chou naturally had no reason to refuse and nodded.

So, Fudao Shanren gently stroked the big white goose’s head, then extended his right foot wearing a worn straw sandal and lightly tapped it on the moist, muddy ground.

Swoosh—

In that instant, the entire courtyard was illuminated by a strange, brilliant light.

A huge octagonal battle disc, three zhang in circumference, appeared beneath Fudao Shanren’s feet!

That massive battle disc even extended beneath Jian Chou’s feet and spread to under the eaves. The faintly flickering light instantly gave this peasant courtyard a dreamlike quality.

Unlike Jian Chou’s earlier dim and chaotic battle disc, Fudao Shanren’s battle disc was much brighter, especially the crisscrossing meridian lines on it, which displayed a dazzling snow-white color.

On this battle disc, there were quite a few black “chess pieces” densely scattered about. These “chess pieces” were distributed in an orderly fashion, three to five forming a group, and under the outline of the snow-white meridian lines, they looked like one talisman after another.

“Do you see these light rays in eight directions?” Fudao Shanren’s broken bamboo pole had somehow appeared again, and he lightly tapped one of the lines on the battle disc. “In the Six Paths and Jiushijiu Zhou, we collectively call this the Kunxian. Kun represents earth, and this Kunxian grows on the battle disc, born close to the ground, and is the foundation of cultivation.”

Kunxian.

Jian Chou carefully distinguished those four lines extending in eight directions and firmly memorized the name.

Fudao Shanren withdrew his broken bamboo pole and tapped again.

This time, it was the “chess pieces” on the battle disc.

“These black ones look like chess pieces, and we call them dao seeds. Heaven’s course is constant, the stars are brilliant, and the Dao emerges from this. These dao seeds are the methods a cultivator uses in their practice—they are ‘techniques.’ Different arrangements of dao seeds will form different spells.”

Dao seeds.

Another new term.

Jian Chou silently nodded, listening attentively.

Originally, Fudao Shanren thought that someone with no understanding of cultivation didn’t need to know so much—future matters could be discussed later.

But just as he was about to withdraw his broken bamboo pole, he looked up and saw Jian Chou’s completely serious expression, her brows lowered as she focused intently on the battle disc beneath his feet.

For some unknown reason, the bamboo pole he had just raised mysteriously descended again, drawing a circle around a group of seven chess pieces that were very close together.

“You can see that the arrangement of dao seeds across the entire battle disc follows certain patterns. Sometimes, there are places without dao seeds, leaving the grids formed by the Kunxian empty. These seven pieces represent a spell that I, this mountain dweller, have cultivated. On the battle disc, they are called a Dao Seal.”

Dao Seal.

Looking at those mysteriously arranged dao seeds, Jian Chou thought this was also understandable.

She unconsciously touched her chest and asked: “Master, when you saved me, did you also use the spells from this battle disc?”

Fudao Shanren raised an eyebrow. Hearing Jian Chou mention his heroic rescue, pride immediately surged in his heart, and he opened his mouth to say: “That was natural… Bah!”

Halfway through his words, he suddenly felt something was wrong and immediately cut himself off.

Looking up and glaring at Jian Chou, Fudao Shanren exclaimed: “Didn’t I say that was your last question just now! How can you be such an unconscious and troublesome disciple? You’re too bad!”

“I—”

Jian Chou was somewhat dumbfounded and opened her mouth to defend herself.

Fudao Shanren waved his hand: “No talking!”

The words that had reached Jian Chou’s throat had to be forcibly swallowed back, and she closed her mouth tightly.

“Look, you’re still not behaving properly.”

Only then was Fudao Shanren satisfied. He leisurely shouldered his bamboo pole and said: “Wanxiang Battle Disc, Kunxian, dao seeds, Dao Seals—you should understand all of these now. Now, without my explanation, you should also understand why the battle disc is called a ‘battle disc.’ What you asked about earlier—illuminating the battle disc—means illuminating the Kunxian. The battle disc itself is chaotic, but human power accumulates cultivation, so starting from Tianyuan… uh, Tianyuan?”

It seemed he had forgotten to mention this rather crucial thing.

Fudao Shanren slapped his forehead, somewhat embarrassedly chuckling twice, then lifted one foot to reveal the cluster of light that had been under his foot all along.

It turned out that in the very center of the entire battle disc, there was the largest “chess piece,” about the size of a fist.

The color of this piece was very similar to the original color of the entire battle disc, only much brighter, as if someone had aimed a beam of light at drifting mist, with firefly-like spots of light constantly flickering within the “chess piece.”

Without Fudao Shanren saying anything, Jian Chou already knew this piece was “Tianyuan.”

“Haha, Tianyuan, Tianyuan is here.”

Laughing dryly twice, Fudao Shanren felt somewhat embarrassed.

He had forgotten even the most crucial thing.

“Tianyuan is the key for a cultivator who has just stepped onto the path of cultivation. After absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, one must gradually fill Tianyuan. When Tianyuan lights up, only then can one illuminate the originally dim Kunxian. You see, these Kunxian—some are bright, while others are not. Theoretically speaking, every Kunxian on the battle disc can be illuminated, but human strength has its limits. Due to talent and effort constraints, many people cannot illuminate the entire disc and begin Foundation Establishment.”

In other words, when cultivating, one must first illuminate Tianyuan on the battle disc, then use Tianyuan as the center to illuminate as many Kunxian as possible.

This wasn’t difficult for Jian Chou to understand. She listened while nodding.

Fudao Shanren continued: “Foundation Establishment is just one realm in cultivation. Before this is the Qi Refining Stage. Refining qi means refining essence into qi, which can gradually illuminate the battle disc. After illuminating the battle disc, one can seal the battle disc, attempt Foundation Establishment, and after successfully establishing the foundation, begin cultivating spiritual treasures and spells, officially stepping onto the path of cultivation. Do you understand now?”

“Thank you for Master’s instruction. This disciple understands.”

Jian Chou finally firmly memorized these concepts, and at the same time speculated in her heart: everyone’s initial talent Wanxiang Battle Disc might be of different sizes, and her battle disc was not small.

That meant she was not without potential.

She just didn’t know what Xie Buchen’s battle disc was like.

Unconsciously thinking of this person again, Jian Chou was momentarily dazed.

Fudao Shanren didn’t notice. He thought to himself that he had acquired both a disciple and a big white goose—truly the best of both worlds.

He was also delighted in his heart. Looking up, he said, “Then pack up and come with this mountain dweller. Since you’re going to step onto the path of cultivation, there’s no point staying in this place. Master will take you to eat delicious food and drink good wine!”

Was it time to leave?

Although this was expected, when it was suddenly brought up, Jian Chou felt somewhat uncertain.

After a moment of silence, Jian Chou looked around this peasant courtyard and said, “In that case, please allow Master some patience. Let Jian Chou handle some matters and pack up her things.”

Fudao Shanren’s eyes lit up: “Could it be that your family is hiding many more big fat geese?”