Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

Zhang Zhiwei slapped both of their heads, slamming them into the ground.

He crouched down, looking down at them, and pinned them to the ground with one hand on each arm, like holding down two fluttering chicks.

The crowd below the stage stared in astonishment at this scene.

They had anticipated that Zhang Zhiwei would try to stop them, but they didn't expect it to be in this way.

Too...brutal!

How could two delicate sorcerers withstand such a heavy blow?

However, to their even greater astonishment, even though the two men were beaten until their heads were bleeding profusely, with blood crawling all over their faces like winding little snakes, they still showed no signs of waking up!

They were still screaming and talking nonsense, as if they were completely oblivious to the physical pain they were experiencing!

Li Linfeng even burst into wild laughter:

"Hahahaha, an extraterrestrial demon?"

"My magic array has covered the entire universe. I am invincible among mortals and am about to challenge the heavens. You've come at the perfect time!!"

The crowd below the stage: "…………"

These childish words made someone awkwardly clench their teeth: "In my opinion, the little Taoist Master's slap just now... was a bit too light."

Someone chimed in, "They deserve a beating for their mouths."

Some people who knew Lai Linfeng said with concern, "Their qi deviation is quite severe. If they can't be woken up by this, what other way can we wake them up?"

"This method is definitely not going to work. When qi goes mad, it's because the qi in the body is circulating incorrectly. At this time, the most important thing is to help them straighten their meridians and guide their qi back to normal, not to slap them with a big hand. This is a wrong approach, it only treats the symptoms and not the root cause, and it may even worsen their qi going mad," someone analyzed seriously.

But then someone raised an objection: "What you're saying makes perfect sense, but did you notice how they were casting spells one after another before?"

"If the Qi within the body is disordered, can one still exert their abilities in this way?"

"I suggest you think before you speak. Don't start by questioning the Little Celestial Master's actions. With your shallow knowledge, do you even deserve to be questioned?"

"You..." The man was scolded until his face turned red, but he didn't know how to refute it.

……

"Senior brother, we weren't like this when we went into qi deviation before, were we?" Xiao Lu asked Zhou Sheng in a low voice, his face showing lingering fear.

Zhou Sheng chewed his food heartily, looking at him with a half-smile.

Xiao Lu felt flustered under their gaze.

At this moment, Hongyin said, "We shouldn't be like that, right? We are monks, and we value modesty and restraint in our nature. How could we possibly be like those two madmen on the stage, spouting such arrogant and outrageous nonsense as being invincible in the world and having the universe under our control?!"

"Gulp!" Zhou Sheng swallowed the food in his mouth, glanced at Hong Yin with annoyance, and said:
“Xiao Hong, although I don’t know the specifics of your experience in the inner realm, you talked a lot of nonsense when Senior Brother Zhang was treating you.”

"From your words, I've figured something out. You were the Imperial Advisor and the Celestial Master inside, quite the powerful figure!"

"You're so powerful that when we, your fellow disciples, call your name, we get scolded by you."

Zhou Sheng shook his head, rolled his eyes, and said sarcastically, "What do you mean by saying that in public you should address people by their official titles and not as brothers? That's so rude!"

"Look at you, your style is just as impressive as the two on stage."

Hong Yin: "…………"

Wanting to be the Imperial Preceptor, and also wanting to be the Heavenly Master... Several people looked at Hong Yin with surprise. They couldn't believe it. This kid is usually so honest and unassuming, but he actually has such ambitions.

But what's the point of addressing someone by their job title in public? Has this guy become successful and forgotten about his poor, struggling fellow students? What happened to the promise of "if you become rich, don't forget me"?
Hong Yin blushed deeply under the gaze and stammered, "This...this...it's all fake, it's an illusion in the inner world, it can't be taken seriously."

Seeing Hong Yin's embarrassed and ashamed appearance, his fellow disciples burst into laughter.

Meanwhile, the audience below the stage continued to discuss the current situation of the two people on stage.

Many people even offered suggestions, with some proposing the use of a mind-purifying mantras and others suggesting acupuncture to stimulate acupoints...

Most of these proposals are impractical or just empty talk; when it comes to actually implementing them, they chicken out.

In contrast to the enthusiastic discussion among the crowd, the bigwigs in the main seat had solemn expressions.

"Master Li, you are a first-rate master of magic in the martial arts world. Do you have a solution to this situation?" The Wang family head looked at the red-faced old man.

The red-faced old Taoist shook his head and said, "Although Zhou Sheng is my disciple, he has a very insightful understanding of divination. Even he was helpless and could only desperately ask young friend Zhiwei for help... If I were to take action... the result would probably not be any better than his."

The Left Gate Master, who was standing to the side, also spoke up: "The cause of their illness is internal, not external, so it is difficult for outsiders to help them. Even if they can be awakened, it can only be done temporarily. It is a temporary solution and does not address the root cause. Without solving the internal problem, they will continue to fall into it. I really can't think of any wonderful method that young friend Zhiwei has to completely eradicate this disease."

Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing remained silent. He was familiar with Zhang Zhiwei's methods, so he could roughly guess how Zhang Zhiwei had saved them.

But the method was a bit too shocking, involving a deeper level of the soul and consciousness. He even felt that it was more astonishing than the Heavenly Tong Qimen.

Although no one dared to investigate Zhang Zhiwei's methods, it was better to have as little criticism as possible.

On the other side, seeing that the two were still unable to wake up, a skilled healer finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Me! I am a disciple of Jishetang! Let me see!" a young man shouted, quickly walking onto the stage.

Jishetang is a sect in the world of supernatural beings that specializes in medical skills. If judged by worldly standards, all of its disciples are divine healers.

Doctors are highly respected in both the secular and supernatural worlds, since no one can guarantee that they will not get sick or injured.

"Jishidang?"

Lu Ci, who was arguing with Lu Jin, was stunned. A figure in a light yellow suit flashed through his mind, and he blurted out the name without thinking.

"Hey! Um... where's Duanmu Ying from Jishetang? Why isn't she here?"

Duanmu Ying? Who's that?! Lu Jin, standing beside her, was taken aback. After a moment of thought, she remembered their brief encounter and asked curiously, "Hedgehog, why are you asking about her? Are you close friends with her?"

"None of your business!" Lu Ci retorted without turning her head.

"You bastard, you're so hot-tempered!" Lu Jin cursed.

The disciple from Jishetang who had been stopped by Lü Ci paused for a moment before replying:
"Senior Sister Duanmu...she heard that medical technology was developing rapidly abroad, so she went abroad to study."

"Study abroad?" Lu Ci frowned. "Disciples of Jishetang can choose to study abroad?"

This was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing. Given the current situation, foreign countries didn't have a good reputation in China. It was a common understanding in China that foreigners were all wolves in sheep's clothing. How could they possibly send their disciples abroad to study? To study what? To learn to be traitors!

The disciple, aware of the implications, gave a wry smile: "Our Jishetang has absolutely no connection with foreigners. Senior Sister left without informing the sect or her family, leaving only a note..."

"A doctor with almost no ability to protect himself dares to travel overseas alone after leaving a note?" Lu Ci exclaimed in a low voice, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. "Truly... bold!"

"Hedgehog, how could you use 'brave' to describe a girl? You're really ignorant. If I were you, I would never say such a shameful thing." Lu Jin immediately seized the opportunity to mock her.

Lu Ren, standing to the side, sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation.

"Get lost, get lost, no one's going to think you're mute if you don't talk," Lu Ci said irritably. But in his mind, he was calculating. The Tian Tong Church's business involved many overseas ventures, all managed by Fatty, who had even traveled abroad several times in recent years… perhaps…

…………

On the other side, the disciples of Jishetang had already stepped onto the stage.

He first bowed respectfully to Zhang Zhiwei, then squatted down and placed his left and right hands on the wrists of Li Linfeng and the middle-aged sorcerer respectively, concentrating on taking their pulses.

After a moment, he frowned and slowly shook his head:

"Aside from a few minor superficial injuries, there are no abnormalities in their meridians, and their Qi is flowing normally without any disorder. Their current condition..."

He then pried open their eyelids and carefully observed their pupils:

"Their current condition is somewhat like hysteria, but not quite. Hysteria is a mental breakdown, a spiritual injury, but they are full of energy and spirit right now, not like they have been harmed... more like..."

He pondered for a long time before finally arriving at a conclusion, albeit with some confusion:

"It's more like... they've locked themselves away in their own mental world, unwilling to come out!"

"Is there any way to wake him up in this situation?" someone in the audience asked anxiously.

The disciple of Jishetang shook his head: "A mental illness requires a mental cure. The soul is imprisoned, and external forces cannot resolve it. I'm sorry, this ailment... is beyond my ability to treat. I'm sure the young celestial master has a miraculous method."

He looked at Zhang Zhiwei: "I just don't know if the Little Celestial Master uses medical skills or Taoist magic and talismans?"

Zhang Zhiwei said calmly, "What is medical skill? What is Taoist skill? The best medical skill is the one that can save lives and relieve suffering."

Before he finished speaking, he stretched out his hands and, as if grabbing a basketball, firmly grasped the heads of Li Linfeng and the middle-aged sorcerer, lifting them off the ground.

Golden light flowed from his palm, instantly spreading to both of their bodies and transforming into a tough "golden membrane" that bound them firmly, rendering them unable to move.

Then, with a thought, he sent out the "Imperial Preceptor" and the Three Corpse Gods to invade the inner world of the two men, using the most terrifying images to shock their minds and awaken them.

At the same time, his true self began to wield the Blue Hand, like the most precise scalpel, accurately cutting into the depths of the two people's chaotic memories, deleting, modifying, and reshaping them...

This series of operations may seem complex and mysterious, but to outsiders, it is just a matter of a moment!

"Cough cough!"

The two people, who were immersed in the inner scene, suddenly coughed and slowly woke up.

"Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?"
Li Linfeng felt as if he had a long and terrible nightmare, but he couldn't remember the details of the dream, only that it was extremely terrifying.

He tried hard to recall, and fragments flooded his mind:
Oh, right! I came here to try practicing "Tian Tong Qi Men" after I met the Little Celestial Master's request!

But... what about the content?

What about the content of my practice? I don't remember.
I've had a photographic memory since I was little, there's no way I can't remember it, I have to remember, I have to remember...

He closed his eyes and desperately tried to recall those fragments of memory, but as soon as he tried to remember, an extreme chill would rise in his heart and his body would tremble uncontrollably, as if it were warning him.

He was panting heavily, drenched in cold sweat, and dared not investigate any further.

At that moment, he noticed a middle-aged man squatting next to him, his head bleeding profusely and his body trembling like a sieve, looking like a frightened quail.

Who is this person? Why is he next to me? And why is he bleeding from a head wound?!

wait?

Li Linfeng suddenly felt that his face was wet, and when he touched it, his hand was covered in bright red blood.

Blood! I'm bleeding too! When did I start bleeding?

He suddenly looked up at Zhang Zhiwei, who stood tall and imposing beside him:

"Little Celestial Master, what...what's wrong with me?!"

“You’ve tried.” Zhang Zhiwei said calmly, “You’re not qualified enough to cultivate the Heavenly Connection Qimen.”

"I'm not qualified enough..."

Li Linfeng muttered to himself, but unexpectedly, he wasn't too frustrated. Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief, as if failing wasn't such a bad thing.

This feeling was very strange, and he didn't know why.

"And what about him?" Li Linfeng pointed to the trembling middle-aged sorcerer beside him.

Zhang Zhiwei said, "Your aptitude isn't high enough, so you got trapped in the inner realm. He came up to check on you, and then..."

"And then what happened?" Li Linfeng asked hurriedly.

"Then you got into a fight with him."

Li Linfeng looked at the bloodstains on the middle-aged sorcerer's face: "Did I beat him up like this?"

"I hit him," Zhang Zhiwei said without hiding it.

Li Linfeng: "…………"

Since he was beaten by the Little Celestial Master, what else can he say? He can't very well say, "Thank you, Little Celestial Master, for the beating!"

"Go down," Zhang Zhiwei said, then looked at the others in the audience. "Is there anyone else who wants to give it a try?"

Upon hearing this, everyone shook their heads. The two examples before them served as stark warnings; this wasn't just a trial, it was a death sentence.

At the head table, the Wang family patriarch suddenly looked at the red-faced old Taoist priest and smiled:
"Master Li, I remember you are proficient in the three arts of divination, and have already mastered the four divination methods of Qimen Dunjia. Your skill level far surpasses that of your disciple, Zhou Sheng. Since your disciple has succeeded, why don't you also go up and give it a try?"

Upon hearing this, the red-faced old Taoist stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes revealing a worldly-wise detachment.

"Zhou Sheng's success does not mean that I, as his master, can also succeed. As the saying goes, a disciple is not necessarily inferior to his master, and a master is not necessarily more virtuous than his disciple."

"In the transmission of Daoist arts, those who have attained mastery come first. I have merely lived and cultivated for several decades longer than Zhou Sheng. As for understanding and breaking through the limitations of numerology..."

He paused, then said frankly, "To my shame, I have spent my whole life adhering to the methods of divination. Whether it is Qimen Dunjia or Taiyi Shenshu, I have only been following the rules and formulas set by the sages and making calculations in a conventional manner."

"Zhou Sheng has already broken free from the constraints of simple numerological formulas; what he seeks is to control the changes in the world."

"Even if it is Fellow Daoist Zhiwei's Heavenly Connection Strange Gate, in his hands it is just a tool to facilitate his control of changes, a tool for him to walk on his own path, just a crutch."

“But for me…” A complex light flashed in the red-faced old Taoist’s eyes, “this technique is almost the ultimate realm that the art of divination can pursue!”

"The same skill will produce different results depending on how much weight it is placed on each person's mind."

“Zhou Sheng can learn it, but I may not be able to. My friend Zhiwei once said that sometimes, if you want to do something, the first thing you have to do is learn to let go of it.”

"I understand the道理 (principles/reasoning), but I can't let go. Since that's the case, there's no need to humiliate myself further!" (End of Chapter)