Young Master Lei was struck by lightning, utterly dumbfounded.

Wasn't this the Yin-Yang Dao Rhyme as well?
What was the difference?
A superior version?
If it's so superior, why doesn't it fly to the heavens itself?

And judging by the look of it, this tome had probably been untouched for centuries; the dust on it could build a house.

"Kid, let me tell you, this tome isn't something just anyone can cultivate. Not a single person in the entire Thunder Wind Realm has ever succeeded in cultivating it. It can be called the treasure of my Yin-Yang Sect.
Today, I'll bestow it upon you."

The old man's tone was incredibly solemn, but as he spoke, Wan Lei's gaze had already drifted elsewhere.

In the center of this floor stood a platform. At its heart was a Yin-Yang Bagua seal, and within the seal rested an ancient, pristine tome.

Undoubtedly, that was the genuine Yin-Yang Dao Rhyme.

"Kid, don't be unconvinced. Let me tell you, this tome was improved upon the original Yin-Yang Dao Rhyme by an unparalleled mighty figure named Da Zhuang. He spent a full thousand years refining it.
Do you think that's impressive or not? Take it, take it."

The stout old man generously handed it to Wan Lei.

Wan Lei looked at the dust-covered tome with utter disdain, completely unwilling to reach for it.

"Kid, you must be shocked, right? Let me tell you, that Da Zhuang was a peerless mighty figure of my Yin-Yang Sect. Back in the day, he could command the wind and rain..."

The old man bragged extensively about the person named Da Zhuang.

"You must be eager to meet this expert, aren't you..."

No, I'm not.

"Good question!"

No, I didn't ask.

"That's right, that mighty figure is none other than..."

Seeing the old man strike a supremely arrogant pose, Young Master Lei suddenly had a bad premonition.

"Myself!
I,
Am Da Zhuang!"

Looking at the old man's self-important demeanor, for some reason, Young Master Lei felt an urge to shout,

"Da Zhuang is awesome!"

Truly, truly awesome. To be so engrossed in boasting about oneself. Truly, someone with little skill but immense ambition.

"Kid, when you unleash this divine ability, you only need to shout the four words 'Da Zhuang is awesome'...
Hey, hey, don't go."

Young Master Lei turned and walked towards the genuine Yin-Yang Dao Rhyme without hesitation.

This thing,
He wouldn't take it even if it killed him.

If for no other reason, then for the fact that he'd have to shout "Da Zhuang is awesome," he couldn't accept it.

Just imagine, during a battle with an enemy, suddenly shouting "Da Zhuang is awesome." That would be too embarrassing, would it not? How could he live with himself?

"It's fine if you don't shout it, it's fine. Take it to cultivate, really, this is incredibly potent. No one in the Yin-Yang Sect has succeeded in cultivating it yet. If you can't cultivate it, I'll exchange it for the original version, take it, take it."

The old man, without waiting for a response, shoved the tome into Wan Lei's hands.

As soon as the tome entered his grasp, Wan Lei immediately felt an extreme sense of compatibility with it, as if he had come here specifically for it.

Ah, fine. With this feeling, I'll give it a try.
Perhaps the protagonist's halo is guiding me.

Young Master Lei glanced at the old man, feeling that he was unreliable, and that staying any longer would lead to him being completely swindled. He took the tome and headed downstairs.

The old man watched Wan Lei leave with great satisfaction, stroking his beard and sighing,

"What a fine young man. What a pity, though, that he's mute."

As soon as these words were spoken, Young Master Lei's feet slipped, and he almost tumbled down the stairs.

These words felt so familiar.
The first time he met Fang Xiaoyu, he had said the same thing about her.

Wan Lei was suddenly somewhat surprised. He realized that his personality was slowly becoming very similar to Fang Xiaoyu's.

For example, his previous attitude towards Fang Hanlu. He genuinely felt as though everyone in the world was as insignificant as a chicken or a dog, with the exception of Fang Xiaoyu.

And this time, he truly couldn't be bothered to say another word to the old man.

This was too much like Fang Xiaoyu.

Indeed, over the years of being with Fang Xiaoyu, while she had absorbed his greedy, lecherous, and mischievous traits, he had also been subtly influenced by her.

Thinking of this, Young Master Lei suddenly envisioned a scene.

In the future, when they went out, he would be cold and aloof, looking down on everyone, while Fang Xiaoyu would cheerfully greet this person and playfully interact with that one.

Ugh, he dared not imagine it, dared not imagine...

Fang Xiaoyu had been influenced by him relatively little. After all, in the entire Wood Immortal Secret Realm, apart from Wan Hongxin, Fang Huifeng, and Man Yaoyao, she had spoken to very few others.

Wan Lei and Qian Duoduo left the Venerable Scripture Pavilion. The stout old man returned to his lounge chair and resumed drinking his wine.

Only after the two had walked far away did Qian Duoduo ask,

"Brother Lei, why didn't you speak just now up there?"

"I just felt that old man was unreliable, and I was afraid that if I said a word, some nerve of his would go haywire.
Alas, why didn't you say a word either?"

"Heh, I was afraid he'd try to sell me the superior version of the Yin-Yang Dao Rhyme.
Every time I come here, he spares no effort to push it on me. It's so annoying. Fortunately, you were here to take the hit this time, so he didn't notice me. What if he'd tried to sell it to me if I'd spoken?"

"What you said makes so much sense. Why do I feel like you sold me out? Is this thing really reliable?"

"Definitely not reliable. I'm afraid of cultivating the Dao techniques improved by this mad old man and going mad from qi deviation.
Brother Lei, your fate is strong, you won't die no matter what. You cultivate it, little brother here has no luck to enjoy it."

"By the way, who is this old man? He just seems like an ordinary old man. Why would the sect let him guard the Venerable Scripture Pavilion?"

"Alas, you wouldn't understand. It's obvious you haven't read much.
You don't know that in many sects, there are old monsters who have lived for a very long time. These old monsters have varying temperaments but are all very low-key. Sometimes, if you meet an old man sweeping the floor on the mountain, he might be the founding ancestor of that sect.
Such figures no longer care about false fame or image; they only seek to return to their natural state and comprehend the Great Dao.
This Da Zhuang is very mysterious and should belong to that category.
As for his cultivation level, let alone you and me, even the Sect Master cannot see through it.
I only know that three thousand years ago, when the Sect Master was still a disciple, this Da Zhuang was already guarding the Venerable Scripture Pavilion."

"Wow, so he really is a hidden great figure."

Young Master Lei nodded.

Hidden, my foot. You've been sitting here for three thousand years, who wouldn't know you're a mighty figure?
Who could live that long otherwise?

"Yes, this old man has a very good temper. He knows the names of the disciples who come here often, like an elder in a family.
He's just a bit eccentric and temperamental, but as long as you don't provoke him, it's generally fine."

"And what if one does provoke him?"

"He'll scold you."

"Then aren't there disciples who ask him for advice on cultivation? I see it's quite deserted here."

"Yes, there were, in the past. But after receiving his guidance, those disciples all cultivated to the point of qi deviation.
Over time, no one sought his advice anymore."