Volume One: Entering the Path Chapter Thirty-Two: Cultivation Through Science

None within Anze were aware of the turmoil unfolding in the outside world. No matter how turbulent things became beyond its borders, nothing could break the tranquility that belonged solely to Anze. Life continued as it always had—some immersed themselves in cultivation, others sparred in small groups, or engaged in philosophical debates. The vitality and harmony of Anze was evident to anyone who beheld it, an atmosphere so serene that it instilled a profound sense of security in all who dwelled within its bounds.

At this moment, Ye Junze, absorbed in his cultivation, knew nothing of what transpired outside. Not that it would have mattered; his temperament was such that even if he had known, he would hardly have cared. If anything, it would only have strengthened his resolve to cultivate and grow stronger.

Having just completed a minor circulation of his internal energy, Ye Junze estimated the time in his mind and, feeling it was about right, withdrew from his practice. He called out, “Meng Yuan, it must be evening by now, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it’s around eight o’clock in the evening,” replied Meng Yuan’s voice from the air.

Reflecting on how long he’d been in seclusion, Ye Junze muttered to himself, “It’s been quite a while. I’m actually a little hungry.” Rubbing his stomach, he spoke up, “Meng Yuan, I’ll head out for now. Today’s cultivation session was quite long. I won’t return tonight. Good night.”

“All right, good night.”

Hearing Meng Yuan’s response, Ye Junze waved his hand and exited the Great Void Illusion.

No sooner had he returned than his stomach rumbled loudly, as if on cue. The hunger hadn’t felt so intense within the illusion, but now it struck him with full force. Indeed, cultivation did consume energy. Shaking his head with a wry smile, Ye Junze decided to treat himself to a good meal.

Just as he was about to order, he thought of Wang Dongdong. “Perhaps I should invite him?” he mused, but then reconsidered. “It’s already so late; he’s probably cultivating as well. Better not disturb him.” Reassured by this thought, Ye Junze began to select his favorite dishes.

It didn’t take long for him to finalize his choices. Nodding with satisfaction, he settled in to await his dinner.

As he waited, Ye Junze began to reflect on the day’s accomplishments: breaking through in the Xuantian Dao Canon, mastering the Xuantian Finger, and clarifying his path forward. These were all significant gains. Pleased, he nodded to himself and murmured, “Not bad at all.”

Even someone as disciplined as Ye Junze couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness at such clear progress. The joy of growth was a universal satisfaction.

Lost in his contentment, he began to daydream endlessly.

Before long, his meal was transported over from the familiar place. Collecting his thoughts, Ye Junze started to eat.

Time slipped by amidst his exclamations of delight and the sounds of his enjoyment. At last, the meal came to an end. Sated, Ye Junze unconsciously patted his stomach. Only then did he realize something was amiss.

“Why did I just mimic that fat fellow?” It must be from dining with him too often—his habits were clearly rubbing off. With a sigh of regret, Ye Junze moved his hand away from his belly. He slouched in his chair for a moment, feeling sleepiness wash over him. Considering he’d been busy all day, he decided it was indeed time for rest. After a bit of tidying up, he climbed into bed and soon drifted off to sleep.

Morning arrived, and with it, gentle sunlight spread its unique warmth across the land, gradually awakening those below.

Rested from a full night’s sleep, Ye Junze awoke as well. No sooner had he opened his eyes than he heard the notification sound from his phone. Checking it, he saw a message from Li Xi in the newly created Daoist Studies Freshmen group: “All students, please log in to Yingze to check your class schedule.” The other students, having just woken up, replied one after another: “Thank you, teacher,” “Thank you for your hard work,” and so on. Ye Junze also sent a message of thanks before preparing to log in to Yingze and review the schedule.

Thinking back to the little episode when the group was created the previous day, a smile crept onto Ye Junze’s lips. This was how it happened: after answering questions, Li Xi suddenly announced, “Now, everyone, please use the face-to-face group creation function on WeChat. We’ll set up a group for all Daoist Studies freshmen to facilitate future communication.” The announcement surprised all the new students, and some couldn’t help but ask, “Teacher, we’re doing something as unscientific as cultivation—are we really going to use such modern, scientific tools as WeChat?”

Li Xi laughed and replied, “What do you think cultivation is? Sitting in an isolated mountain forest, meditating all day, cut off from the world? That’s not the Anze way. Though cultivation may feel ancient, here at Anze we value scientific methods. We use all sorts of modern software, and even develop our own. Don’t underestimate your school! Scientific cultivation, integrating with the times, is one of our guiding principles.”

With this explanation, everyone finally understood and nodded in agreement, quickly joining the group chat.

And thus, the Daoist Studies Freshmen group came into being.

With these thoughts, Ye Junze put aside his musings, logged in to Yingze, and began to check the schedule Li Xi had mentioned.