I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Vol 2 Chapter 33: Exclusion

Returning to the Eighth Peak once more, Zheng Fa could immediately sense a shift in the atmosphere surrounding Master Pang’s faction.

It wasn’t something obvious at first glance, but the signs were everywhere.

The disciples of Master Pang’s lineage moved hurriedly yet aimlessly.

Their gazes, filled with suspicion and subtle hostility whenever they saw him.

The young attendants rushing to report his arrival to Master Pang inside the hall.

And the vague feeling of being watched as soon as he set foot on the mountain path.

All of it made the tension and dejection hanging over the Eighth Peak palpable.

The news of Zheng Fa becoming the sect leader’s disciple hadn’t spread widely—mostly because the sect leader himself had buried himself in scriptwriting, showing no interest in publicizing the matter.

Last time Zheng Fa had visited, some of his senior brothers had greeted him warmly, smiling like family.

This time, their eyes still held a hint of respect, but it was overshadowed by distance.

Zheng Fa couldn’t help but recall what Senior Sister Zhang had told him before—his apprenticeship under the sect leader was a huge blow to Master Pang’s lineage.

She had even warned him to maintain a neutral stance between the two factions.

At the time, he thought she was making a big deal out of nothing. But now, seeing the atmosphere on the Eighth Peak, he finally understood her concern—

The conflict between the two factions of Jiushan Sect ran far deeper than he had imagined.

If not for Senior Sister Zhang’s efforts to keep things under control, the Talisman Hall’s last discussion might have ended in bloodshed.

Now he realized why she had insisted he personally deliver The Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method.

Even in such a short walk, he could already see that the divide between the two factions had overshadowed their bond as fellow disciples.

His joining the sect leader’s lineage and his close relationship with Senior Sister Zhang had placed immense pressure on Master Pang’s faction.

Bridging this gap in the future was going to be much harder than Zheng Fa had initially thought.

"Junior Brother Zheng!"

A voice called from behind. It was Sun Daoyu. "What brings you to the Eighth Peak?"

The way he emphasized you and me made it clear—he was drawing a line between them.

Zheng Fa turned and saw Sun Daoyu approaching with Zhou Qianyuan.

Sun Daoyu’s expression was no longer as warm as before.

And Zhou Qianyuan’s state puzzled Zheng Fa even more—he looked utterly lifeless. He merely nodded at Zheng Fa without any trace of his usual arrogance, but at least there was no hostility.

Zheng Fa still remembered the first time they met.

Back then, Zhou Qianyuan had stood proudly before him, introducing himself with a youthful arrogance.

Now, the man before him was unshaven, his robes wrinkled, his head lowered, avoiding everyone’s gaze.

What confused Zheng Fa even more was that, while the other disciples of the Eighth Peak looked at him with apprehension, their expressions toward Zhou Qianyuan were filled with rejection.

In fact, they seemed to regard Zhou Qianyuan with even more alienation than they did Zheng Fa.

"I’m here to visit Master Pang," Zheng Fa said, glancing at Zhou Qianyuan before addressing Sun Daoyu.

"To see Master?" Sun Daoyu was momentarily stunned.

Just then, the young attendant who had gone inside to report Zheng Fa’s arrival returned and announced, "Master invites Senior Brother Zheng inside."

"Senior Brother Sun, Senior Brother Zhou, Master has summoned you as well."

Hearing this, the three of them entered the hall together.

Inside, Master Pang’s attitude wasn’t as warm as last time.

But neither was he openly hostile—he simply seemed more distant.

He glanced at Zhou Qianyuan with a slight frown before turning to Zheng Fa. "Nephew Zheng, what brings you here?"

Zheng Fa took out The Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method and said, "The other day, you generously gifted me the Thousand-Year Purple Bamboo Tears. I was truly grateful, but I had nothing worthy to repay such kindness. I can only offer this Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method in return, and I hope you won’t find it unworthy."

Master Pang was momentarily stunned, his eyes lingering on Zheng Fa for a while before he finally spoke. "The Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method?"

"Yes."

"The one created by Junior Niece Zhang?"

His tone shifted slightly when he mentioned Junior Niece Zhang.

"Yes," Zheng Fa replied calmly.

Master Pang fell silent.

With a flick of his fingers, the jade scroll in Zheng Fa’s hands floated over to him.

He closed his eyes slightly, scanning its contents with his divine sense.

When he opened them again, a faint smile had appeared on his face.

"This Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method is indeed a remarkable creation. Junior Niece Zhang is truly gifted."

Not only did Master Pang smile—

Zheng Fa also noticed that Sun Daoyu’s gaze toward him had softened significantly.

In just a moment, the previously tense atmosphere in the hall had eased.

"Tell me, Nephew Zheng, what do you think of Junior Brother Zhou?"

Master Pang suddenly asked.

"Junior Brother Zhou?" Zheng Fa turned to look at Zhou Qianyuan, surprised by the question.

Zhou Qianyuan also seemed caught off guard.

"Junior Brother Zhou is exceptionally talented and has an outstanding temperament. He will undoubtedly become a pillar of Jiushan Sect in the future," Zheng Fa said seriously.

He wasn’t just saying this to flatter Master Pang.

Zhou Qianyuan truly had exceptional talent and temperament—so much so that Master Pang had placed great expectations on him, likely hoping he would one day rival Senior Sister Zhang.

However, Zhou’s current state made it clear that he had suffered some sort of setback.

"Qianyuan has always admired your expertise in talismans," Master Pang said lightly. "How about letting him follow you for a while? He can assist you in your work, and in return, you can guide him."

"Ah?" Zheng Fa was taken aback by the sudden proposal. "But Junior Brother Zhou and I joined the sect at the same time—we’ve only exchanged insights on occasion. Besides, he is your esteemed disciple, how could I possibly take on the role of teaching him?"

"Qianyuan, what do you think?"

Master Pang ignored Zheng Fa’s response and turned to Zhou Qianyuan instead.

Zhou Qianyuan hesitated for a moment, but there was an air of resignation about him. He simply nodded and said in a dull voice, "I am willing."

"I just don’t know if Nephew Zheng thinks my disciple is worth mentoring."

Hearing this, Zheng Fa realized he couldn’t refuse.

Now, he finally understood Master Pang’s intent—

Zhou Qianyuan was widely known as Master Pang’s most favored disciple.

By placing Zhou at his side, Master Pang was making a statement of support for Zheng Fa, the sect leader’s disciple.

It was similar to how, in ancient dynasties, the crown prince would be surrounded by the children of loyal ministers. Over time, they would form a faction—the Prince’s Party.

As Zheng Fa led Zhou Qianyuan down the mountain, Sun Daoyu couldn’t help but ask, "Master, are you really letting Junior Brother Zhou follow Zheng Fa?"

"What else could I do? That kid has momentum backing him!"

Master Pang shot a glance at his disciple and snorted.

"Momentum?"

"If that boy dares to distribute The Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method so openly, do you not understand what that means?"

"It means Senior Sister Zhang has a good relationship with him?"

"It means that standing behind him are the Sect Leader, Old Huang, and Senior Niece Zhang—three people! Even if I had three heads and six arms, I wouldn’t be able to fight them all!"

Hearing this, Sun Daoyu grimaced, as if imagining the scene of his master being ganged up on.

"I just don’t get it," Master Pang muttered, frowning. "I originally thought between Senior Niece Zhang and Zheng Fa, it was Zhang who led the dynamic. But today, it seems that it's Zheng Fa who’s taking the lead."

Sun Daoyu finally understood. His master sending Zhou Qianyuan to Zheng Fa’s side was because Zheng Fa was now the force to be reckoned with.

"But what about Junior Brother Zhou…" Sun Daoyu hesitated, recalling Zhou Qianyuan’s defeated demeanor. "I’m just worried he’ll feel abandoned by you, Master."

"He’s been having a rough time lately, hasn’t he?" Master Pang suddenly asked.

Sun Daoyu lowered his head, not daring to respond.

"I see. When I tried to recruit Zheng Fa as my disciple, I neglected him. That must have upset him," Master Pang said as if he had seen through everything. "And these past few days, have your senior and junior brothers started excluding him, thinking he’s fallen out of favor?"

"Master sees all. Junior Brother Zhou has never cared much for faction rivalries. He used to visit Zheng Fa all the time, which annoyed quite a few of our brothers. These past few days… he has indeed suffered some cold treatment," Sun Daoyu admitted honestly.

"That’s precisely why I sent him to Zheng Fa’s side."

"You mean… to separate him from our brothers for now?"

Master Pang nodded but suddenly shifted the topic back to Zheng Fa. "Senior Niece Zhang fully supports this Zheng Fa. But if he truly wants to secure his future position as Sect Leader, he must prove he can treat our faction fairly and win over your brothers."

"Huh? So, Junior Brother Zhou is… a test?" Sun Daoyu finally caught on.

"Qianyuan has always been the least concerned about faction differences among my disciples…" Master Pang shook his head. "Uniting both factions? I couldn’t do it. Senior Niece Zhang couldn’t do it. I want to see if he can."

"And if he can’t?"

"If Qianyuan feels mistreated under Zheng Fa’s care, he’ll realize that I, as his master, wasn’t so bad after all," Master Pang chuckled. "Wouldn’t that make him appreciate me more? As for the future Sect Leader position—who knows what could happen in the long run?"

Leaving the Eighth Peak, Zheng Fa glanced at the dejected Zhou Qianyuan trailing behind him.

"Junior Brother Zhou, what’s with you?" he asked.

Zhou Qianyuan shook his head, clearly unwilling to talk. He simply said in a dull voice, "Please instruct me, Senior Brother."

"Instruct? That’s too much. How about this—tomorrow, I’m going to visit Senior Sister Zhang. Come with me."

Zhou Qianyuan gave a small nod, asked no further questions, and simply cupped his hands in farewell before leaving.

Watching his retreating figure, Zheng Fa frowned.

He recognized this state—

Like a bright-eyed youth, full of ideals, who had just stepped into society and then got beaten down by harsh reality.

The Next Day

Zhou Qianyuan had woken early.

But instead of getting out of bed, he simply lay there, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

Only when the agreed time arrived did he finally push open his courtyard door and step out.

He lived in an area surrounded by other disciples of Master Pang’s lineage.

In the past, he had been greeted warmly wherever he went. He had felt at home.

But now, things had changed.

Keeping his head down, he quickly walked past his fellow disciples, ignoring their varied gazes.

No one said anything outright, but he understood the meaning in their eyes.

Ever since Master Pang gifted the Thousand-Year Purple Bamboo Tears to Zheng Fa, they had looked at him with mockery instead of camaraderie.

Zhou Qianyuan clenched his teeth and continued walking toward Zheng Fa’s residence.

When he finally reached the door, he couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile.

Before he came to Jiushan Sect, his master had valued him highly, and he had carried lofty ambitions.

He had sworn to pursue the Great Dao of talismans.

He had wanted to make his master proud.

He had never cared for faction disputes, confident in his own worth.

But today, he realized just how many enemies he had made.

When the people who had once been friendly started ostracizing him—

He finally understood just how deep the faction divide in Jiushan Sect ran.

Looking at Zheng Fa’s courtyard gate, Zhou Qianyuan shook his head.

Zheng Fa was probably no different from the others.

Those senior brothers had the same master as him, yet their past camaraderie had proven to be just empty pleasantries.

He and Zheng Fa belonged to opposing factions—

Zheng Fa probably saw him as even more of an outsider than those senior brothers did.

All the politeness and respect before? Just surface-level courtesy.

Knocking on the door, he was met with Zheng Fa’s straightforward response: "Let’s go to Senior Sister Zhang’s place."

Following Zheng Fa, Zhou Qianyuan soon found himself standing outside Senior Sister Zhang’s secluded courtyard.

He suddenly felt nervous.

In his faction, Senior Sister Zhang’s name alone carried a certain fear.

This courtyard had always been like a dragon’s den—no one from their lineage had dared to approach it.

Inside, Senior Sister Zhang was already waiting in the backyard, accompanied by Senior Sister Yuan.

Both of them acknowledged Zhou Qianyuan with a slight nod, seemingly unsurprised by his presence.

The group sat by the lakeside pavilion, chatting casually.

Gradually, Zhou Qianyuan began to sense that something was… off.

What’s this about Five Element Sub-Talismans?

What’s a Yuan Talisman Foundation?

And why are they discussing the division of talismans into Yin and Yang?

Wait a minute…

Why was he, their supposed "rival," being allowed to hear all of this?

Sure enough, as the conversation went on, Senior Sister Zhang and Zheng Fa suddenly seemed to realize there was an outsider present.

Both turned to look at him.

Zhou Qianyuan pursed his lips and quickly stood up, ready to take his leave.

"Junior Brother Zhou, what do you think?"

Zheng Fa suddenly asked.

"…Huh?"

Zhou Qianyuan blinked in confusion, suddenly realizing—

He hadn’t encountered the faction rivalry or exclusion he had been expecting.

Instead… he had walked right into the crushing intellectual dominance of two prodigies.

Off to the side, Senior Sister Yuan gave him a look of quiet sympathy.

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