Chapter 843: Peach Garden Old Friends

Kunlun Realm was originally a sacred land within Yan Kang, known as the King of Ten Thousand Mountains. This sacred land boasted countless peaks, each vying for splendor, and the Dao Sect was hidden among these mountains.

When Qin Mu and his companions returned to Kunlun Realm, they looked around to see magnificent divine mountains soaring like a forest into the sky. Then, comparing them to the mountains of Kunlun Realm, which were considerably shorter and lacked any semblance of a sacred place, they couldn't help but shake their heads.

With the reappearance of the Primordial Realm, Kunlun Realm could no longer maintain its status as a sacred land.

The Dao Sect Academy was built at the foot of Dao Sect Mountain. The Daoists were more laid-back and not as wealthy as the Great Thunderclap Monastery, so they simply built a city at the mountain's base, inscribed "Dao Sect Academy" on its gate tower, and began accepting scholars.

Adjacent to the Dao Sect Academy was a sprawling peach forest stretching for ten thousand miles. The peach blossoms were vibrant, and Qin Mu strained his eyes to see into its depths but couldn't find an end. He could only vaguely discern numerous palaces and even cities deep within the peach forest, wondering who lived there.

The blind man closed his eyes and "looked" towards the peach forest. After a moment, he said, "Powerful beings reside within the peach forest; they have sealed it off. When I used my mind's eye to look, at its deepest point, countless peach blossoms fluttered, blocking my vision."

Qin Mu was surprised and uncertain. "Even Grandpa Blind's mind's eye can't see through?"

The blind man's mind's eye was arguably the strongest divine eye in the world, crucial to his immense achievements in the path of formations.

Even in his youth, he had already cultivated his eyes to the level of a true god. Although known as a "Divine Spear," his ability to perceive everything with his divine eyes was key.

After losing his physical eyes, he cultivated his mind's eye in the Disabled Elder Village.

Now, his physical eyes had been restored, yet his mastery of the mind's eye had become even more unfathomable.

He could battle evenly with Qu He, the captain of the Heavenly Court's Divine Constable Camp, thanks in large part to his mind's eye.

However, even the blind man's mind's eye couldn't penetrate the arrangements within the ten-thousand-mile peach forest, which made Qin Mu somewhat wary. Such a vast peach forest, with inhabitants of no small power, would surely overwhelm the Dao Sect if they were to act against it.

Yet, to his surprise, the scholars of the Dao Sect Academy seemed accustomed to the nearby peach forest. Some residents who lived nearby, surviving under the Dao Sect's protection, even went into the peach forest to pick peaches.

The peach forest was so vast that it experienced different seasons, and some peach trees already bore ripe fruit.

Even with these ordinary people entering and exiting the peach forest, its inhabitants never appeared to stop them.

Qin Mu lingered outside the academy, watching for a long time before finally entering the Dao Sect Academy.

The city was filled with ordinary houses; there were no grand structures like palaces. Many old Daoists were teaching their disciples, some simply sitting on the ground in an open space, with other scholars also sitting on the ground, without much formality.

It was quite unexpected that Yan Kang's foremost sacred land of computation was so simple and unpretentious.

Qin Mu's arrival with Yu Tianzun to seek knowledge naturally caused quite a stir. Dao Master Lin Xuan rushed to greet him, smiling, "Cult Master Qin is a man of his word; you've truly come."

Qin Mu exchanged a few pleasantries, then asked, "What is the origin of the peach forest outside the academy?"

"I don't know," Dao Master Lin Xuan shook his head. "Ever since the Primordial Realm was unsealed, this peach forest suddenly appeared next to the academy. It's strange, but even with so many peculiar places and countless powerful demigods in the Primordial Realm, the area around the Dao Sect has remained very peaceful. No demigods have ever caused trouble here. I suppose it's due to the peach forest. I've also entered the forest to investigate, but I could never get close to the palaces within it, as if there were some kind of formation."

Qin Mu looked puzzled. "I also noticed on my journey that the area around the Dao Sect is very peaceful, unlike other places where demigods oppress humans, treating them as slaves if they're lucky. I thought the Dao Sect had suppressed those demigods, but I never imagined it was the peach forest's doing."

Dao Master Lin Xuan gave a wry smile. "How could the Dao Sect possibly have that power? Many powerful demigods live on the divine mountains nearby. I once saw one of them breathing, and he even pulled the sun in the sky much closer. Of course, it was the sun in the Sky Map. There's another strange thing: it's easy to enter this peach forest, and even easier to leave."

Qin Mu didn't understand.

"When you look at the peach forest from outside, it appears ten thousand miles wide. When you walk into it from the outside, I've walked not just ten thousand miles, but a hundred thousand or even a million miles, and I never reached the end. As I walked forward, the peach trees around me went through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and the weather also changed with the seasons. Clearly, the path I walked was real."

Dao Master Lin Xuan showed a strange expression. "But as soon as I turned around, I'd find myself still at the edge of the peach forest. I only needed to turn back and walk a few steps to exit. That's why many people from nearby come into the peach forest to pick peaches without worrying about getting lost. I originally wanted to explore the secrets of this peach forest, but I eventually gave up. Moreover, the owner of the peach forest didn't seem to have any ill intentions, so I let it be."

The blind man suddenly interjected, "This should be a formation, yet it doesn't entirely resemble one. It's as if boundless space has been condensed by magic power into ten thousand miles, or even into a mere foot! But it's impossible for anyone in this world to possess such immense magic power; only a formation borrowing the power of heaven and earth could achieve this."

Qin Mu asked, "Grandpa Blind, can you tell what kind of formation it is?"

The blind man shook his head. "I can't tell from the outside; I'd have to go inside to know for sure. And I can't see many traces of a formation. If it truly is a formation, then Grandmaster Zi Xi would be far inferior to the peach forest's owner! However, there can't be a formation master much stronger than Grandmaster Zi Xi."

"Since the peach forest's owner has no ill intentions and protects the people here, we need not worry."

Qin Mu smiled. "Dao Master Lin, I've come to the Dao Sect Academy to study. I'll be living and eating here these days. And my brother Yu also needs to learn computational methods. Please find a few excellent instructors from the Imperial College to teach him basic computation."

Lin Xuan nodded. "Don't worry, our Dao Sect has many masters of computation. Let Lan Yutian learn from them. As for Cult Master Qin, I and the elders of the Dao Sect will personally instruct you."

Qin Mu was overjoyed and bowed in thanks.

Lin Xuan quickly returned the礼, stating seriously, "Cult Master, you flatter me. You taught the 'Taiwei Computation Scripture' to our Dao Sect; any achievements we make are merely a return of your kindness."

Qin Mu and Yu Tianzun settled into the Dao Sect Academy. Yu Tianzun followed his teachers to learn various computational methods. The Dao Sect had an abundance of calculation scriptures, and Lin Xuan had brought back a vast sea of them from Qingyun Heaven. Learning all these scriptures would be incredibly difficult.

Studying computation was extremely tedious, yet it was a crucial foundation in the system of divine arts and spells. Except for martial arts and a few other divine arts that had low computational requirements, all other divine art systems needed computation.

The scriptures Lin Xuan brought back from Qingyun Heaven were macro-level computation, classics from the Heavenly Court's Dao Sect, extremely profound, having developed to their zenith.

Micro-level computation, however, had just begun. While Qin Mu initiated this method, it was the Dao Sect that truly developed and popularized it.

Dao Master Lin Xuan and others had already pushed the 'Taiwei Computation Scripture' to a level incomprehensible by conventional computation. They even discovered phenomena where various macro-level grand Dao laws ceased to apply at the micro-level, and also found a micro-level uncertainty principle.

Despite these phenomena, when micro-elements formed macro-structures, the various grand Dao laws became applicable again, which was truly wondrous.

Qin Mu humbly sought guidance, feeling that although the 'Taiwei Computation Scripture' explained and answered micro-level phenomena, its system was incredibly vast and could be applied to various divine arts.

It took him over twenty days to absorb the Dao Sect's achievements and turn them into his own knowledge, filling him with profound emotion.

Dao Master Lin Xuan already knew of his extreme intelligence, so he wasn't surprised that Qin Mu mastered the 'Taiwei Computation Scripture' in just over twenty days. The old Daoists who had taught him, however, were incredulous.

Qin Mu found Yu Tianzun, who, despite his omnipotent and highly perceptive nature, had this time encountered a tough nut to crack. He was listless, tormented by the various calculation scriptures.

In contrast, Long Kirin was energetic, frequenting various departments of the Dao Sect Academy to "audit" classes and gained much.

"Although Lan Yutian's perception is high, in terms of computation, he can only be considered a first-rate talent, not even comparable to Long Kirin," Lin Xuan said to Qin Mu. "He will need to spend more time to master the Dao Sect's various calculation scriptures."

"His strength lies in his perception; computation is merely a tool for him to seek the Dao, so it's not crucial to him," Qin Mu sighed. "Dao Master Lin, have you ever seen a truly peerless genius?"

Lin Xuan became alert. "Are you going to be modest again?"

Qin Mu shook his head. "I suppose I'm a genius too, but I'm strong in aptitude. My perception is only slightly better than yours, because I'm a Hegemon Body. So, as long as I'm willing to work hard, I learn everything quickly. But Lan Yutian is different; he is closer to the Dao itself. The purpose of Dao Ancestor creating computation was to analyze all the Great Daos in the world; computation is a tool for seeking the Dao. If someone is born naturally close to the Dao, able to clearly sense and comprehend the Dao, does he still need computation as a tool?"

Lin Xuan was stunned. He looked at Lan Yutian, who was scratching his head in frustration over a computational problem, his forehead beaded with sweat.

"Where did Grandpa Blind go?"

Qin Mu searched throughout the Dao Sect Academy but found no trace of the blind man. His heart tightened, and he quickly found Long Kirin, who was listening intently and seriously. Long Kirin said, "Old Master Blind went into the peach forest. He said he was going in to take a look and told me not to tell Cult Master."

Qin Mu was furious. "That old blind man is truly troublesome! How long has he been in there?"

"Old Master Blind went in after Cult Master went to study computation," Long Kirin quickly replied. "Cult Master, go and find him. I'll protect Young Master Lan. Young Master Lan can also refine spirit pills, so Cult Master doesn't need to worry about my rations."

"Protect him well; don't let anything go wrong!"

Qin Mu rushed out of the city and arrived at the edge of the peach garden. Looking out, he saw the peach forest dense and full of blossoms, with countless trees and flowers.

He flew high into the sky and looked forward, only to find that the peach trees still stood horizontally before him, preventing him from flying over.

Qin Mu had to descend and walk into the peach forest step by step, his immortal divine sense flying out in all directions to search for the blind man's whereabouts.

He walked for an unknown amount of time. The peach trees beside him grew green peaches. As he continued, the peaches turned red. Further still, the peach leaves withered and fell, turning crimson. And even further, snow began to fall from the sky.

Qin Mu suddenly turned back, only to see himself at the very edge of the peach forest, having not walked much distance at all.

"It's just as Dao Master Lin said; this peach forest is indeed strange! Grandpa Blind should be able to walk out by simply turning around, so why hasn't he come out yet?"

He composed himself and tried to find the formation, but no matter how he activated his divine eyes, he couldn't see any trace of a formation.

His immortal divine sense also couldn't find the end of this peach forest.

By then, the sun had set, and dusk was falling. Stars twinkled in the sky. Qin Mu looked up at the stars, trying to determine his location, and suddenly paused slightly.

"This celestial phenomenon is a bit off... It's definitely off. This isn't the star map that covers Yan Kang; it's the real star-filled sky!"

He abruptly uncovered the willow leaf on his brow and said in a deep voice, "Lord Heavenly Duke, can your true body see me?"

From within the Qin-character Continent, the Heavenly Duke's voice came: "Wait a moment, let me search... Found you! Oh, when did you leave the Primordial Realm?"

Qin Mu's mind was greatly shaken. "I'm not in the Primordial Realm? Heavenly Duke, then where am I now?"

"In a very strange Heaven, standing next to a peach tree."

Qin Mu said solemnly, "Heavenly Duke, are there palaces ahead of me? Can you guide me?"

The Heavenly Duke's clone in the Qin-character Continent chuckled. "Look up at the stars. I'll light up a guiding star for you. Follow that star."

Qin Mu looked up at the sky. Suddenly, an extra star appeared in the heavens. It was presumably the Heavenly Duke creating a sun from somewhere and hanging it in Xuandu.

In Xuandu, the Heavenly Duke moved this star. Qin Mu followed the star's trajectory and walked forward. After a long time, a cluster of palaces suddenly appeared ahead. In the night, ever-burning lamps hung outside the palaces.

Then, a beautiful female voice laughed, "I have a guest, an old acquaintance. Go and invite him in."

"Yes."

Several girls' voices came from within the palace, and then several maidens emerged, rustling, carrying lanterns.

Today is Monday, I forgot to ask.