The young woman, or rather, Zhang Jiao, was sitting in her hotel room, listlessly looking at her phone.
Recalling the events of recent days, Zhang Jiao felt as if she were in a dream.
From birth, she had been the apple of her parents' eyes and the pride of her family.
At seventeen, she entered a prestigious domestic university, and at eighteen, she was admitted to Kyoto University overseas with excellent grades.
Later, she stayed at the university for graduate studies, becoming an elite figure at Kyoto University.
After graduation, she started her own company, which once broke the 10 billion mark.
At that time, she was full of vigor, always feeling that everything in the world could be achieved through her pursuit.
She was ambitious in her youth, keen to make progress, and carried the pride of success in her untamed spirit.
But unexpectedly, in just a few short days, her company was suppressed, her shareholders betrayed her one after another, and her net worth plummeted from billions to nothing.
Even her villa in Kyoto was now out of reach.
Friends she once thought were sincere had left her one after another, and a person in distress was not even as pitiful as a stray dog.
In those days, Zhang Jiao was disheartened.
She indulged herself, enjoying entertainment to the fullest.
She had planned to end it all, but before she died, she met a young man.
He came from the same country as her, a connection of compatriots.
At that moment, Zhang Jiao suddenly didn't want to die, because she still had many things to do.
She hadn't even had time to fall in love.
Faced with the threat of the Takenouchi Consortium, Zhang Jiao simply let go.
She had planned to indulge herself and then end it all, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better.
The handsome man who came with the young man said that he could help her.
Heaven knows, for the sake of being from the same country, she chose to believe him.
"I hope everything can turn around," Zhang Jiao whispered a prayer.
"Are you there? Zhang, Zhang Jiao. Do you want to eat?" Li Mu's knock came from outside the door.
Hearing this, Zhang Jiao jumped out of bed and ran barefoot towards the door.
Without regard for her appearance, she opened the door and saw Li Mu looking at her while holding food.
"You haven't eaten anything all day either, eat a little," he said.
"I'm just too worried, I can't seem to eat," Zhang Jiao said with a bitter face.
"What's there to be so worried about? Just trust Brother Jiang.
He's a very powerful person, how should I put it... um, he's omnipotent," Li Mu said with some reverence.
"If he says he can help you, then he definitely can."
"Really?" Zhang Jiao opened her eyes wide, still somewhat doubtful.
"You haven't interacted with Brother Jiang, so you naturally don't know how amazing he is.
I can't really say anything, maybe you'll know in the future," Li Mu revealed his white teeth, smiling innocently.
Hearing this, Li Mu followed her in, and the two began to chat and laugh in the room.
Meanwhile, in another sea-view room, Jiang Wen was drawing talismans on the table.
He was focused, each stroke carrying a different charm.
Now that the middle volume of the Inner Landscape Sutra was completed, Jiang Wen was waiting for the deduction of the lower volume.
Then he would be able to begin the practice of refining the spirit and returning to emptiness.
Looking at the time deduced on the stone tablet, it would take more than a year.
Even acceleration couldn't be used, and he could only let the stone tablet deduce on its own.
He was now relying on the stone tablet less and less, and he was also figuring out the deduction of some exercises on his own.
Having walked on the path of cultivation for so many years, he also had some of his own insights into the practice of the Golden Core Dao.
In the seventy-odd years in Tai Cang, he had thoroughly studied the upper and middle volumes of the Inner Landscape Sutra.
Even without the stone tablet's deduction, he would eventually be able to deduce the practice method of the lower volume based on his own understanding.
It was precisely because of this understanding of the path of cultivation that the talismans Jiang Wen drew were different from the past.
Even using the most crude ink, he could still draw the most superior talismans.
All methods lead to the same destination, Jiang Wen deeply felt this.
Bai Jing lay on the side watching Jiang Wen's actions, and she had a new understanding of this person's cultivation.
Compared to the time of the crusade against Chi Yao, he was now one step further.
He might have even stepped into that level, beginning to pursue the path of eternal life.
He's too fast. Bai Jing sighed in her heart.
In the past thousand years, she had never seen a cultivator like Jiang Wen.
"What are you thinking about?" Jiang Wen asked, looking at the dazed Bai Jing.
"I'm wondering which ancient god you are reincarnated from," Bai Jing said lazily.
"Tch." Jiang Wen shook his head amusedly.
"I'm just a mortal."
"A mortal? You're really good at talking.
If I'm not mistaken, you should have already stepped into the Dao Palace realm, right?" Bai Jing said unhappily.
"If your achievements are those of a mortal, then wouldn't we be trash."
"Well, maybe," Jiang Wen didn't answer explicitly, just nodded at her calmly.
"Actually, what does it matter what realm you're in? In my opinion, the path of seeking the Dao and cultivating is ultimately about understanding oneself."
"From the lowest mortal to the highest Azure Dragon, even if you have divine power and live for ten thousand generations, if you don't understand yourself, you're just a container for power.
Chi Yao is powerful, almost a demon king, but he harbors strange intentions and is difficult to achieve great things.
On the other hand, Bai Jing, I think you will achieve great things in the future," Jiang Wen said, pointing at Bai Jing.
"Only those who can control themselves can pursue a higher realm.
Look, isn't the Dao of Life Fire like this?"
"Really? I will achieve great things in the future?" Bai Jing perked up, looking at Jiang Wen very happily.
Being praised by him like this, Bai Jing felt that she was indeed very powerful.
"Naturally, if you maintain this childlike heart, the realm of demon king is just within your grasp.
Even the realm of demon saint is attainable," Jiang Wen nodded in agreement, and seeing Bai Jing's beaming face, he ignored her.
He focused on drawing talismans, waiting for the time to come.
On the second day, at the appointed time, Zhang Jiao followed nervously beside Li Mu and Jiang Wen.
This time, she was going to meet the successor of the Takenouchi Consortium, one of the three major financial groups in the overseas country.
Although her mood had relaxed a lot after being comforted by Li Mu yesterday, Zhang Jiao was still extremely nervous when the time came to meet.
After all, having been in the overseas country for so many years, she knew how powerful these financial groups were and what kind of things they could do.
"Relax, you'll be fine," Jiang Wen's voice came, and Zhang Jiao instantly calmed down.
The tense emotions dissipated, and the whole person seemed incomparably calm.
There's nothing to be afraid of anymore. Zhang Jiao thought so.
Arriving in front of her former company building, looking at the business empire she had created with her own hands, Zhang Jiao took a deep breath and led the two towards the agreed place.
