I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times-Chapter 301Book 2: : Hundred Immortals Census, Overdosed Chicken Blood

Book 2: Chapter 301: Hundred Immortals Census, Overdosed Chicken Blood

Vol 2 Chapter 301: Hundred Immortals Census, Overdosed Chicken Blood

Martial Uncle Pang and Xiao Yuying still looked somewhat unconvinced, or rather didn’t quite understand the meaning of this development plan.

The first fifty-year plan was initially outlined by Zheng Fa, with Senior Sister Zhang refining the details.

This little booklet carried Zheng Fa’s hopes and, more importantly, Senior Sister Zhang’s painstaking effort.

But such a grand plan could no longer be achieved by just the two of them—at its core, it required countless details, and the collective efforts of every member of Jiushan Sect and the Hundred Immortals Alliance. Without unity of purpose, the plan would ultimately be nothing more than an empty dream.

Having seen firsthand what it takes to realize such a plan, Zheng Fa knew that the key to success wasn’t just himself and Senior Sister Zhang—but every single member of Jiushan Sect.

Otherwise, it would be like feeding himself empty fantasies—nothing but daydreams.

On another note, many of the projects involved were complicated, time-consuming, and even demanded a certain spirit of self-sacrifice.

To those present, these would no doubt be significant challenges.

Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang needed to ensure they took up these tasks willingly—even enthusiastically.

To instill such willingness, Zheng Fa believed the key was to explain everything clearly, so everyone would understand the meaning behind each project, each word in the plan.

In modern times, he had learned an important truth: advancing a task by command might work, but it was far more effective to let the executor understand the task’s purpose themselves.

Only then could subjective initiative be fully unleashed.

The purpose of this meeting was to persuade the high-level leaders of Jiushan, and then use them to unify the thoughts of all Jiushan disciples—and even the entire Jiushan Realm.

In truth, it was only after becoming Sect Master that Zheng Fa realized—

Meetings might seem like empty formalities, but when used well, they could truly solve most problems.

Or put it another way—meetings might not always solve problems, but not meeting? That definitely won’t solve anything.

“After the alliance meeting, the Xuanyi Realm should enter a period of stability,” Zheng Fa explained to everyone, “and since we now have a bit of status, there are some things we no longer need to shy away from.”

Many past technologies and plans were things Zheng Fa would only dare test within Jiushan Realm—never implement publicly.

At the time, Jiushan Sect couldn’t bear the scrutiny of others.

But now it was different—as one of the Six Factions of the Xuanyi Realm, a rule-maker of the current world, at least within the Hundred Immortals Alliance’s territory, Zheng Fa and his allies could finally rest easy and start farming!

“This stable period is our most important—perhaps even our last—chance to develop.”

Zheng Fa’s voice was calm, yet carried a subtle urgency.

“I believe—we should step bigger, and be bolder.”

The essence of the first fifty-year plan was this: disregard everything else, seize the time, mobilize the entire sect, harness scientific research, and pursue industrialization to achieve leapfrog development.

This model was unheard of by those present—it was their first time encountering it.

But Zheng Fa had already made up his mind.

To be blunt, Jiushan Sect was all name and no substance right now. Though they had the title of a sixth faction, their situation might be even more dangerous than before. ᚱἈŊŎВЕȘ

Neither Zheng Fa nor Jiushan Sect had a choice—just two words: develop or die!

On the flip side, this alliance meeting gave Jiushan Sect its greatest gift—a rare period of security.

Since the Great Freedom Demonic Sect’s emergence, Jiushan had been under constant threat. This was their first golden era of development in a long time.

Senior Sister Zhang glanced at the confused Martial Uncle Pang and the others and added:

“Martial Uncle, though we are hollow right now, time… time is on our side.”

Everyone’s eyes were drawn to the confidence on her face.

She rarely showed such outward emotion or fierce fighting spirit.

“The strongest cultivator in Jiushan Sect right now is Elder Yuan, who’s just a Nascent Soul,” Senior Sister Zhang said firmly, “but we’ve already grasped part of the Dao Fruit secrets. To some extent, we can even hold our own against the Five Sects.”

“The fact that Jiushan Sect stands where it does now already proves our potential—and proves that our cultivation path is the correct one!”

After hearing their words, everyone nodded.

Senior Sister Zhang was not one for flowery speech, but those simple words alone made the atmosphere in the hall noticeably warmer—as if their surging blood was about to blast through the rooftop:

Even Zheng Fa felt a wave of pride—given Jiushan Sect’s foundation, to be able to stand before the Five Sects and force them to take notice—wasn’t that a miracle?

Go back five years—ten years—who among them could have imagined Jiushan Sect would have a day like this?

They were the ones who created that miracle—how could they not feel proud?

Maybe the Five Sects thought Zheng Fa had a terrifying Dao Fruit backing him, or that he himself was secretly a Dao Fruit cultivator hidden in the mortal world.

But those here knew the truth—Zheng Fa may have had a special inheritance, but today’s Jiushan Sect was built brick by brick by him and the people beside him.

There might be wisdom from their predecessors.

But to say it was all thanks to some lucky inheritance or fortuitous encounter? That was an insult.

Senior Sister Zhang’s Talisman Foundation Establishment Technique.

The immortal formations developed by Martial Uncle Pang and others.

Madam Xuanhua’s contributions to the Jiushan Golden Core Method.

Even Xiao Yuying—her work in agricultural science, spiritual materials, and thunder techniques had greatly helped Jiushan Sect—as an archaeology professor, she had now taught nearly a hundred disciples.

Maybe Zheng Fa contributed the most to Jiushan Sect, but every person here had added a brick, laid a tile.

The people in the hall looked out through the main door. Disciples passed to and fro, many discussing the earlier news or questions from class.

It was an ordinary, even mundane scene—but even Xiao Yuying’s face showed a hint of pride. She sighed:

“It wasn’t easy…”

Although Zheng Fa was only a Golden Core, his heart ached a little—it truly wasn’t easy.

Sure, he didn’t suffer like in his childhood.

And it’s not like he’d been badly bullied, injured, or treated unfairly…

But ever since he joined the sect, Zheng Fa had been on edge.

Every step had been taken with caution, some with fear and hesitation. Sleepless nights, difficult decisions—desperate gambles.

And it wasn’t just him—among Jiushan’s Nascent Souls, Senior Sister Zhang worked herself to the bone, managing internal affairs almost entirely alone.

Martial Uncle Pang had risked his life repeatedly. Madam Xuanhua sometimes buried herself in her lab for months at a time. That was how Jiushan Sect had made it this far.

In their faces, Zheng Fa saw the same emotions as his own—because it hadn’t been easy, they were reluctant to let it go.

Martial Uncle Pang glanced back at the development plan, then suddenly asked, “Will it really look like that in fifty years?”

“Senior Sister Zhang and I were actually being quite conservative.”

After hearing that, Martial Uncle Pang’s face flushed, and he said passionately:

“Tell me what to do.”

Seeing him like that, Zheng Fa turned to the others—everyone was looking at him, eyes bright, as if waiting for him to issue a command.

Zheng Fa pointed at the table, where the development plan lay open.

He smiled at Martial Uncle Pang and said, “Uncle, the most important task—is yours.”

“What?”

Martial Uncle Pang leaned in and saw the page’s title:

‘Hundred Immortals Alliance First General Census Plan’

“Census?”

Zheng Fa nodded and explained, “We know a lot about the Jiushan Realm, but we know very little about the Hundred Immortals Alliance and the sea domain.”

“So we have to figure it out?” Martial Uncle Pang partly understood, partly didn’t. “What does census mean?”

“Everything needs to be surveyed.”

“First, people—the number of people, their professions, ages, households, economic status.”

Martial Uncle Pang frowned.

“Second, resources—including land resources, products from different regions, the size of each island, the state of each sea zone.”

“Most importantly—we need to know where the spiritual veins are, where the spiritual materials are, the spiritual beasts, their habitats, industries, and so on.”

“These are just the basic survey categories.”

The more he listened, the more uneasy Martial Uncle Pang looked—his passionate energy seemed to be cooling fast.

“All that’s on me?”

Zheng Fa felt a bit guilty, too.

The size of the Hundred Immortals Alliance was certainly a good thing, but for a survey like this, it added considerable difficulty—especially in surveying the sea domain.

Not to mention the possible remnant spirit beasts still in the sea domain, there were also all sorts of dangerous places. To thoroughly survey it wouldn’t just be a tiring job—it would also be extremely dangerous.

And unfortunately, Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang already had other responsibilities in their plan.

“Not just you, Martial Uncle,” Zheng Fa said, “the investigation teams will mainly consist of disciples trained in Void-Seeking Spirit Eyes, assisted by students good at mathematics, and dispatched across various locations.”

Only then did the others realize why the task fell to Martial Uncle Pang—surveying clearly required keen perception.

Most cultivators of Void-Seeking Spirit Eyes were his disciples.

But Martial Uncle Pang looked hesitant, as if in a bind.

“Uncle,” Zheng Fa said, “if we want this plan to succeed, accurate information is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, not only will the Hundred Immortals Alliance fail to develop, it could even cause irreversible damage.”

Even now, Zheng Fa remained cautious in his approach.

“This census is the first step in our plan, and arguably the most important one.”

“This plan is still just a concept;many things will need to be adjusted based on actual conditions.”

“Only with clear data can we act according to local circumstances.”

“Seeking truth from facts is the most important principle of this plan.”

Martial Uncle Pang sighed and voiced his concern:

“It’s not that I fear for my life. It’s just… with the sea domain so vast and dangerous, and this task being so important, I’m just afraid that if I die, I’ll delay a crucial matter.”

…Had he and Senior Sister Zhang emphasized the importance of the census too much?

To the point where even this elder was now paralyzed by pressure?

Seeing the flicker of self-doubt on Martial Uncle Pang’s face, Zheng Fa quickly said, “This job really is most suited to you, Martial Uncle.”

Martial Uncle Pang looked confused.

“The first step in this investigation is to understand the situation of the former Hundred Immortals Alliance. And in our Jiushan Sect, the one most familiar with the people and affairs of the Hundred Immortals Alliance—is still you.”

You had to start with one bite at a time. Though the sea domain held enormous wealth, Zheng Fa still wanted to first stabilize the resources within the Hundred Immortals Alliance and turn them into his core foundation.

The Hundred Immortals’ social butterfly—wasn’t just for show.

Martial Uncle Pang gave a small nod, thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “Then so be it… Even if I die, I will complete this investigation!”

…That might be a bit much.

…

On Heavenly Palace Island, over three hundred Jiushan Sect disciples stood together, each holding a Tongjian.

Martial Uncle Pang led them. Behind him were personal disciples like Sun Daoyu, all Golden Core cultivators.

There were also some Foundation Establishment and even Qi Refining disciples.

Some excelled in arithmetic, others had cultivated the Void-Seeking Spirit Eyes.

“This mission is extremely challenging,” Zheng Fa addressed them. “We’re short on manpower, and the workload is massive.”

“But I must emphasize again—comprehensive, cautious, and accurate.”

Zheng Fa had faith in these disciples—most of them had been trained by him personally. You could say they were his trusted inner circle.

But with the Hundred Immortals Alliance’s complex forces and a population far beyond these few hundred, their burden—given the need for complete data—was heavy.

So Zheng Fa repeatedly emphasized:

“All data from each survey point can be transmitted via Tongjian,” Zheng Fa added. “Senior Sister Zhang and I will compile it all.”

“As for spiritual lands or materials…”

He reminded them of several key points. Martial Uncle Pang nodded repeatedly, then turned to the disciples behind him and said:

“With Tongjian to send information, I’ve already decided—this census of the Hundred Immortals must be completed. Until it is, I will not return to the sect!”

Even Zheng Fa was momentarily stunned.

Who knew how long this would take—and Martial Uncle Pang was going all in?

“Also, the Sect Master may be softhearted, but I am not,” he said sternly. “If anyone is careless or sloppy, no matter who you are, I will punish you severely.”

As he said this, he was staring directly at Sun Daoyu and the others.

“If you weren’t my disciple, I’d just hand you over to the Sect Master for punishment. But if you are my disciple…”

“Don’t blame me for ignoring our bond.”

The moment he finished, Sun Daoyu and company turned pale.

Zheng Fa had nothing to say—he now definitely knew that his earlier “chicken blood speech” had gotten Martial Uncle Pang too fired up. The man was practically obsessed now.

Not a bad thing, just… a bit terrifying.

…

As they left, Zheng Fa turned around and saw Martial Aunt Huang standing behind him, as if she had something to say.

“Martial Aunt?”

He was puzzled.

“You should go see Wuyi more often.”

“Ah?”

Was she implying… that?

“Your cultivation doesn’t concern only yourself,” Martial Aunt Huang’s tone was serious, even earnest. “It also concerns the future of Jiushan Sect.”

…Now Zheng Fa was certain—Martial Aunt Huang really was implying that.

She’d actually taken on the role of a… matchmaker?! That was even more terrifying!

“This isn’t just my opinion,” Martial Aunt Huang added. “Martial Uncle Pang, even your master—I believe we all think the same.” She looked at Zheng Fa again and reminded, “You must do your best.”

Now Zheng Fa was truly convinced… he and Senior Sister Zhang had overdone it with that motivational talk.

They had actually pushed these two elders to urge them into dual cultivation!

To be fair, the idea wasn’t wrong—Zheng Fa’s cultivation didn’t just impact the safety of Jiushan Sect anymore, it affected whether they could fulfill the “Five Hundred Nascent Souls in Fifty Years” plan…

It really wasn’t just his personal matter anymore.

Watching Martial Aunt Huang slowly walk away,

Zheng Fa scratched his head and returned to Ten Thousand Immortals Island.

He glanced at Senior Sister Zhang’s little courtyard, hesitated for a moment, and ended up heading home first.

But as soon as he walked in, he froze:

“Senior Sister?”

Senior Sister Zhang was sitting in the small pavilion in Zheng Fa’s courtyard, reading a book.

She looked up, expression a little speechless. “My courtyard was… gifted to Senior Sister Yuan by my master.”

“……”

Honestly, Zheng Fa regretted pumping up both their elders so much.

And he wasn’t exactly thrilled either—being pushed into dual cultivation by Martial Aunt Huang made him feel weirdly suffocated, like he was being pressured into breeding.

Still, none of this was Senior Sister Zhang’s fault. He walked over and curiously asked, “What are you reading?”

“My master got this secret technique from Ancestor of the Blood River.” Senior Sister Zhang flipped the book in her hands, as if reluctant to let him see, but still explained, “It’s said to have been created by the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor…”

“Maximum pleasure—it’s one of the most famous techniques in the Xuanyi Realm.”

“Even Sunu Pavilion is sparing no expense to acquire it.”

…It has that effect?

Martial Aunt Huang was really good at getting things done!

Zheng Fa stared at the little book for a long while before finally sighing:

“Senior Sister, while Martial Uncle Pang is out working hard, the two of us… should also do our part for the fifty-year plan.”

“……” Senior Sister Zhang stared at his face silently, then finally replied in a low voice,

“Pah.”