962: Chapter 260_2 962: Chapter 260_2 Even though the two did not deliberately use mana, as Golden Core stage existences, they still quickly reached the mountaintop relying on their leg strength.
Compared to Four Treasures Peak, there weren’t as many mountains within Seven Star Peak, but the peaks were much more towering.
Cao Zhen, buffeted by a series of rather brisk mountain winds, turned to look at Chao Zi Zai and suddenly asked, “By the way, how is Chen Shizhi doing now?”
He still remembered that after the competition at the Hundred Peaks Sect had ended, Chen Shizhi seemed to have suddenly come to a realization.
However, Cao Zhen had been busy with various matters and didn’t know how Chen Shizhi was faring now.
With a smile on his face, Chao Zi Zai looked at Cao Zhen and said, “Old Chen, he left the Academy and is now a disciple of Immortal Pen Peak.”
“Huh?
Why did he go to Immortal Pen Peak?” Cao Zhen’s face showed a hint of confusion.
Under normal circumstances, Chen Shizhi was supposed to continue teaching at the Academy, and furthermore, Chao Zi Zai used to look down on him greatly.
How come Chao Zi Zai’s tone changed so much when speaking of Chen Shizhi now?
Chao Zi waved his hand and with a burst of qi shot out, he shattered a piece of rock blown over by the wind before continuing with a sigh, “Chen Shizhi has changed, changed a lot.
Initially, he always suspected others’ motives, feeling like everyone was out to get him.
But later, it was after he left Four Treasures Peak that evening when he disappeared for quite awhile.
The next time I heard of him was ten years after you left the Hundred Peaks Sect, and by then he had already joined Immortal Pen Peak.
I was very curious as to why he had joined Immortal Pen Peak and even specifically inquired with the Peak Master of Immortal Pen Peak, Song Xianbi, because I knew that you were in their debt.
I was worried that Chen Shizhi was using your name to deceive Song Xianbi and thus joined Immortal Pen Peak.
But Song Xianbi told me that it wasn’t at all Chen Shizhi who approached them to request joining their peak.
Instead, it was they who had ‘stolen’ him away.
The matter goes back to the selection of disciples from various peaks.
For many consecutive years, the Taoist boys from Chen Shizhi’s Taoist Institution were chosen by the different Calligraphy Mountains, and those boys had exceptionally good calligraphy foundations, some not even needing to claim they had basic skills.
And all of these Taoist boys’ teacher was none other than Chen Shizhi himself.
Thus, the people from various Calligraphy Mountains sought him out and discovered that Chen Shizhi’s calligraphy was better than that of most of their own disciples.”
So, the Peak Masters of each mountain began inviting Chen Shizhi to join their ranks, and in the end, he chose to join Immortal Pen Peak.
Moreover, within just one year of joining Immortal Pen Peak, his calligraphy attainments surpassed all those of his generation.
And, just five years ago, the Peak Master of Immortal Pen Peak personally proclaimed that Chen Shizhi’s calligraphy had surpassed even his own.
Within the entire Hundred Peaks Sect, Chen Shizhi could now be considered the second authority on the Dao of Calligraphy.
Compared to me, his talent is indeed much greater.
After all, Immortal Pen Peak follows the Calligraphy Dao, and the higher the calligraphy attainments, the easier and faster the cultivation.
I started cultivating much earlier than Chen Shizhi and even had the cultivation technique you gave me, as well as the pill you provided.
I have cultivated up to the seventh level of the Golden Core, but Chen Shizhi, who started his cultivation much later and without your help, is already at the seventh level of the Golden Core.
Moreover, he reached this milestone earlier than I did.
It seems likely that he will reach the eighth level of the Golden Core before me.”
Cao Zhen was momentarily stunned.
Chen Shizhi’s cultivation speed was truly terrifying.
This pace of cultivation could easily rival that of the most elite geniuses.
Since Chen Shizhi was also cultivating the Calligraphy Dao, to what extraordinary heights must his calligraphy attainments reach to achieve such a rapid rate of cultivation?
Filled with bewilderment, Cao Zhen said, “I never expected him to have such a high level of calligraphy mastery.
Why had no one noticed it before?”
“His prior level of calligraphy wasn’t that high,” Chao Zi Zai, finding a stone to sit on, began to explain to Cao Zhen: “He came to see me before.
When he found me, I was stunned for a moment, and what’s more, he wasn’t seeking my help but simply handed me a piece of Xuan Yang Fire Stone.
He said that it was of no use to him, but for me, it was an extremely valuable treasure.
He didn’t even give me the chance to refuse; he dropped the stone and was ready to leave.”
I naturally stopped him, and it was then, during our conversation, that I came to understand the changes in him.
Chao Zi Zai paused for a moment before continuing, “He said that after the competition at Hundred Peaks Sect, when he left Four Treasures Peak, he reflected on your generosity.
After returning home, he introspected and realized how ridiculously wrong he had been—too many things had been too wrong.
After that incident, his entire outlook opened up, and he became less petty.
Soon, he found that his calligraphy had improved.
Originally, when he was at the Academy, the Chancellor had said that his characters were the best among all of us, but his writing was too meticulous, lacking soul.
However, the Chancellor also believed that as Chen Shizhi was young then, it was normal for his characters to lack soul and allure.
But who would have imagined that after so many years, Chen Shizhi’s characters still lacked soul and allure?
Yet after reflecting on himself, realizing his own faults, and becoming more open-minded, his characters eventually acquired allure and soul, and naturally, his achievements in the Dao of Calligraphy skyrocketed.”