Learning the Art of Playing Dead

Considering that the remaining sixty percent of the technique was difficult to modify, and not something her junior brother could grasp with just a word or two of guidance—and explaining it in full complexity would be like pulling up seedlings to help them grow, detrimental to his development—Yun Zhi decided it would be far simpler to just rewrite it herself. "Leave the matter of the cultivation technique to me." Hearing that he wouldn't have to modify the technique himself, Lu Yang breathed a quiet sigh of relief. It was truly wonderful having Eldest Senior Sister around; he didn't even have to worry about cultivation techniques. *Wait, hadn't I previously resolved to complete the technique entirely on my own, without needing Eldest Senior Sister's help?* After agonizing for a moment, Lu Yang decided that he couldn't let Eldest Senior Sister's good intentions go to waste. It was best not to bring the matter up again, lest it drive a wedge between senior sister and junior brother. If outsiders caught wind of it, they might even think he was trying to establish his own sect. "Little Yangzi, didn't you say you were going to complete your technique independently? How come you just handed it over to Girl Yun?" "..." "Hm? Little Yangzi, why aren't you speaking?" *Fairy, if you keep asking, you're going to lose a pillar minister of the Soybean Dynasty.* To divert the Immortal Fairy's attention, Lu Yang hastily changed the subject: "By the way, Fairy, can one comprehend heaven and earth by using the Art of Playing Dead?" "Of course not! The Art of Playing Dead puts you into a state of death—you just drop dead directly. To comprehend heaven and earth, you need to enter a near-death state. Those are two completely different things." The Immortal Fairy's eyes gleamed as she leaned in toward Lu Yang. "Little Yangzi, are you interested in the Art of Playing Dead? Do you want to learn it?" "The Art of Playing Dead is a technique this Immortal is immensely proud of. Learning it guarantees you won't lose out! Only this Immortal's trusted confidants are qualified to learn it. "Look at Xiao Ling and Lianyi. Although they're outer sect disciples, they are deeply favored by this Immortal, so I made an exception and taught the Art of Playing Dead to both of them. "Then look at Bu Yaolian. Even though he's an inner sect handyman disciple, he lacks immortal destiny, so this Immortal refuses to teach him!" This was the first time Lu Yang had heard of an inner sect having handyman disciples. Did their Immortal Lineage even need handymen? Lu Yang had originally wanted to refuse; this Art of Playing Dead hardly matched his dashing image as a sword cultivator. But looking into the Immortal Fairy's watery, glistening eyes, he simply couldn't bring himself to say no. "All right, I'll learn it." "Come on, call me 'Teacher' and let me hear it," the Immortal Fairy said delightedly. This was the first time Little Yangzi was learning a technique from her, which made her his teacher. If Little Yangzi was the Second-Generation Bean Emperor, that made her an Imperial Preceptor! To look the part of a teacher, the Immortal Fairy even went out of her way to change into a loose, dark scholar's robe and held two books in her hands, looking thoroughly erudite. Lu Yang's eyelid twitched at the sight. On second thought, if he was learning something from the Immortal Fairy, it was indeed proper to address her as Teacher. He could only perform the etiquette of a student, cupping his fists and respectfully addressing her: "Teacher." "Being this Immortal's disciple is quite a bargain. Back in the day, this Immortal was the teacher of the Barbarian clan; everyone respectfully addressed me as the Barbarian Master. By becoming this Immortal's disciple, you're on the same generational standing as the ancient Barbarians—that puts you at a terribly high seniority!" *...So not only am I Man Gu's senior brother, but I've also become Man Gu's ancestor?* "Teacher, could we wait until Eldest Senior Sister finishes revising the cultivation technique before we start learning the Art of Playing Dead?" Lu Yang felt having Eldest Senior Sister nearby to supervise was much safer. "Sure!" Having just become an Imperial Preceptor, the Immortal Fairy was in high spirits and agreed to whatever Little Yangzi asked. About four hours later, the Soul Formation chapter of the *Art of Illuminating the Heart and Seeing Nature* was handed to Lu Yang. Lu Yang read through it carefully and felt utterly ashamed of his inadequacy. Eldest Senior Sister's choice of words was precise, her phrasing succinct—far beyond anything he could match. Lu Yang could faintly tell that Eldest Senior Sister had not written this technique out of thin air. Instead, she had followed the flawed version he had written, tracing his line of reasoning and rewriting it accordingly. It must have taken immense effort. Circulating his energy for a great heavenly circuit according to the technique, everything flowed smoothly without the slightest hindrance, signifying that this technique suited him perfectly. "Don't be in a rush regarding cultivation techniques. Junior Brother, a day will come when you can write them without my help." "I'll work hard!" Lu Yang was full of fighting spirit, vowing that the next time he wrote a technique, he would never make Eldest Senior Sister labor over it again! "By the way, Eldest Senior Sister, the Fairy is going to teach me the Art of Playing Dead in a bit." "The Art of Playing Dead?" Yun Zhi was quite intrigued by this technique as well. The fact that Ao Ling and Jiang Lianyi had survived to the present day was largely due to the Art of Playing Dead. When Jiang Lianyi had challenged her previously, she had even relied on the Art of Playing Dead to fight to a draw with her. It could truly be called a divine skill. Soon, Master Immortal's class began. Lu Yang sat upright as the student, while Yun Zhi sat with her legs crossed, sipping tea on the side and auditing the lesson. "The so-called Art of Playing Dead is a supreme technique created by this Immortal that touches upon life and death, time, and karma. It's exceptionally difficult to comprehend. Back then, Xiao Ling and Lianyi exerted immense effort before they barely managed to learn it. "However, this Immortal feels that with your talent in spells, Little Yangzi, coupled with my instruction, learning it won't be difficult at all. "The Art of Playing Dead is a technique of deceiving the heavens. If you want to fool the heavens, you must first fool yourself. "...You must possess a heart seeking death, your mind cold as dead ashes. Only by maintaining such a state of mind can you deceive everyone and sever karma. "...And you must also preserve a thread of vitality. This is the crucial key to returning from death to life." Speaking on a subject she knew so well, the Immortal Fairy was in high spirits, gesturing animatedly as she spoke. Lu Yang and Yun Zhi listened attentively, immensely satisfying her desire to act as an exemplary teacher. The only flaw was that the Immortal Fairy's train of thought jumped all over the place; sometimes she would wander off to an entirely different topic mid-sentence. Fortunately, Lu Yang hadn't just met the Immortal Fairy yesterday; he was long accustomed to her manner of speaking and could easily follow her train of thought, saving a great deal of trouble. "Well, Little Yangzi? Have you learned it?" "I can give it a try." Lu Yang felt he had grasped roughly seventy to eighty percent of it, enough to test his hand. "Good luck, Little Yangzi!" Lu Yang took two deep breaths to calm himself and tuned out the Immortal Fairy's loud cheers so he could immerse himself undistracted in the mindframe of seeking death. Following the Immortal Fairy's teachings, he circulated his profound arts, recited the incantation in his heart, and concealed that thread of vitality within his death-seeking resolve. Lu Yang felt his consciousness sinking deeper and deeper, until he lacked even the strength to open his eyes. Finally, his vision went dark, and he lost consciousness. "Does this count as a success?" Yun Zhi turned her head and asked the Immortal Fairy. As the creator of the Art of Playing Dead, the Immortal Fairy scrutinized Lu Yang's corpse-like appearance with serious deliberation. "On the surface, he looks quite dead indeed. But it's best if it goes through a test." "For instance?" "For instance, when Lianyi used the Art of Playing Dead, Xiao Ling scalded her awake with fire. You could give that a try." Yun Zhi raised her hand, and a cluster of golden flames appeared in her palm, radiating terrifying heat and an aura of destruction. She hesitated over whether or not to give her junior brother a little scald. Then again, what if something went wrong and severely injured him? Just as Yun Zhi was deliberating, a figure sped over and rushed up to her. "Eldest Senior Sister, something terrible has happened! Junior Brother Lu is dead!" Dai Bufan was clutching an extinguished soul lamp. When the lamp went out, the person was dead. Seeing Lu Yang's soul lamp go dark, he had panicked and rushed over to discuss countermeasures with Yun Zhi! Then he saw Lu Yang lying on the ground, completely devoid of life, while Eldest Senior Sister stood over him holding destructive golden flames, seemingly about to burn him to ashes and scatter them to the wind. "Eldest Senior Sister, you... what are you..." Dai Bufan swallowed hard. *I've just stumbled upon a murder scene!* He stepped backward stealthily, preparing to flee. Yun Zhi hesitated for a moment, then explained, "If I tell you Junior Brother committed suicide, would you believe me?" Dai Bufan: "..." *Do you think I believe that?*