"Master , I don't remember you bringing in any wine bottles in the hut . What's in that flask ?"

Xuhan spared a contemptuous glance at his minion and answered in a low voice , "lemonade ."

"...The heck is that ?" Zhanxian said , flabbergasted .

"A drink made of lemon juice , sugar and water ."

"Oh . But why are you using a wine flask to carry the drink around ? You're even pretending to be drunk ."

Xuhan rubbed his temples in annoyance and sighed .

Why did this skeleton not understand the charm of taking up the role of a drunken master ?

"And why are you carrying around that scabbard , master ? If I remember correctly , there isn't any sword in the hut..."

"Shut up , Zhanxian ."

"It's that wooden stick you found at the yard , right ? That's the thing you're trying to pass off as the hilt of a sword , isn't it ?"

Soundlessly , Xuhan cancelled Zhanxian's summoning and proceeded to enjoy the spectacle in front of him .

Yuen Zhou was about to start her lecture . The three of them had come up with a preliminary education plan after much debate . Since both Yuen Zhou and Mu Ran were better at using the language compared to Xuhan , he had let them take the reigns .

Now , fifteen disciples sat on a mattress at the foot of the Black Sheep mountain in the gentle light of dusk , curiously looking up at Yuen Zhou . Han Xuhan himself was very curious to see how she'd handle this .

"Fifteen disciples ?" She began , crossing her arms and nodding imperceptibly .

"Then let us begin . The first question all of you would like to know the answer of , is obviously , 'what kind of technique are you here to learn ?' .

The language of laws is a device for cultivators to use in order to impose their will upon the world around them . Our entire universe operates on laws , and every law exist to keep us balanced and safe . If a single , seemingly superficial law is derailed from its original purpose , then it'd cause a chain effect that would cast the entire world into chaos because all existing laws are connected directly or indirectly , thus forming a giant chain of effect running through the vast universe ."

Xiao Wu spoke up the moment she stopped to take a breath.

"I have a question. If derailing a single law can cause a disaster that large , why is the manipulation of laws not banned and declared a demonic technique ?"

Han Xuhan's brows furrowed in confusion . What the hell was Yuen Zhou talking about ? The script they had devised earlier was nothing like this . Was she improvising ?

Didn't her lecture sound a bit too sophisticated and sure footed to be entirely improvised on the spot ?

Yuen Zhou nodded at Xiao Wu and continued speaking again .

"And here's where law Manipulators come in . Cultivation , in its essence , has always been about transcending our limits . During ancient times , when cultivators realized that manipulating fundamental laws can effectively destroy the universe as we see it , countless precautions were taken by them to stop such a scenario from taking place . And once you delve into the world of law manipulation , you'll learn exactly what sort of precautions they took .

But of course , destroying the entire world isn't as simple as it sounds . Sure , just tweaking with some core laws would do the job very easily , but making sure that the changes you've made stays permanent , or becomes vast enough to encompass this near infinite universe , is a task that even the most powerful cultivators can't hope to achieve . Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation here ; in fact , we wouldn't even exist . From popular myths , it can be theorized that only the heavens can cause a disaster of such a scale . But that's something beyond our understanding right now ."

Speaking this far , Yuen Zhou stopped again to let the information sink in , and to let the skeptics speak their mind .

" Your teachings are quite contradictory . At the start , you mentioned that even messing with a superficial law can affect the universe due to the chain of effect it would form , but then you proceed to say that affecting the entire universe is impossible . What are we supposed to learn from this contradiction ?"

Another disciple asked doubtfully , a question that earned several nods and sounds of agreement .

"Correct . In actuality , both are true based on circumstances . Suppose you nullify the gravity in this planet . How powerful do you think you'd need to be to achieve something of that caliber ?

Let's just say that you'd need to be even more powerful than our sect master , realms above him even , to singlehandedly achieve the feat .

But theoretically , it is indeed possible , and if you manage to do so , what do you think will happen ?" Yuen Zhou said grimly .

For some reason , Xuhan got the feeling that she knew exactly what would happen , which was a rather unlikely possibility considering scientific advancement in this world hadn't gone far enough to stage simulations with gravity or figure out the mathematics behind such hypotheses . As an earthling who had gone through high school , he knew what would happen , but what about martial sister Zhou ?

"Everything that's not attached to the planet would be thrown off it in straight lines , directly out of the atmosphere . Even the air and water on the surface of the planet would share the same fate . Messing with a single law can practically wipe off life from the planet's face .

But to do this , you'd need a power supply beyond your imagination . The laws of the universe can be likened to elastic bands . Even if you stretch one a bit , it'll return to its original form the moment you stop applying external force . This is how all laws operate so that simple manipulations cannot destroy the balance that has been created through a billion year old growth ."

At some point during her speech , the sun had worn a red apparel , dying the world in its own temporary fashion trend . But even more concerning detail was the legion of nimbostratus clouds blotting out the sky overhead . Faint blue streaks cackled across their body , yet no sounds reached Xuhan's ears .

A bad premonition grew in his heart . He had studied much about the tribulation clouds in xianxia land during his stay in the sect . This cloud overhead bore some resemblance with a few obscure details...

From the beginning of her lecture , Yuen Zhou had not followed a single line from the teaching directory they had planned to follow . Everything she said so far were stuff she came up with on her own and the scientific accuracy in her teaching was unnerving .

While he was mulling over the reasons that can summon tribulation clouds , the ringing sound of a guzhen broke his chain of thoughts .

Eyes wide , Xuhan watched dumbfoundedly as Yuen Zhou twirled her fingers over a large guzhen on her lap . Where did that thing come from ? You can't just hide something that big in your pockets !

Judging by the gasps resounding among the disciples in front of him , he wasn't the only one caught off guard...

"Disciples , if a cultivator can grow strong enough to meddle with the laws of an entire planet , what's stopping them from growing strong enough to meddle with the laws of an entire universe ? All over the world , the law of gravity is the same one operating under different circumstances . Like these strings across the guzhen , the law of gravity stretches to every corner of the universe where matter exists ."

Twangs originating from the strings somehow enraptured the senses of all present , hitting their eardrums like sea tides in a storm . Xuhan couldn't even form a coherent thought anymore , his mind being pressured into listening to the lecture in a subtle , yet overwhelming manner .

"All laws originate from one , and thus they are connected . Pluck each string , and a sound shall be produced as the effect of your actions . But when all strings are attached , the echo will resound from all of them . Harmony , or disharmony , it all depends on how you pluck the strings . And that is where we law Manipulators stand ."

The unnaturally silent dusk was quickly changing into a starless night , accompanied by the nonstop waves of sound of the guzhen . In the dull , static corner of his mind that was still struggling against the hypnotic music , Xuhan noted the lack of nature's presence in the mountains . Birds did not screech while moving back to their homes , bats couldn't be seen flying around the trees , the insects that kept the night alive were silent as well , and it made his confusion grow even more .

"The universe as we Law Manipulators see it , is an instrument full of strings , and the language of laws is our fingers trailing across their forms , eliciting music that pleases our senses and imposes our will upon the world . Whether you produce harmony or disharmony , it all depends on your skillful fingers and the state of your heart . But remember , disciples — Laws have come to exist because the universe was born , and the universe now exist because laws continue to function , and we Law Manipulators are but admires of this millenia old harmony , doing our best to learn from it and evolve into a form closer to godhood ."

Soundless thunder tore the sky and blinded the audience as Yuen Zhou finished her speech , falling right on top of Yuen Zhou's silhouette repeatedly . Yet the destruction the onlookers expected to see did not take place . Rather , the aura of a breakthrough spread across the mountains , enveloping their senses once more while the sound of the guzhen's strings died down .

Compared to regular breakthroughs , this aura felt somewhat different , yet Xuhan couldn't exactly figure out the reason behind this discrepancy .

But as his senses all returned , only one thought occupied his mind .

'What the fuck have I done...? What disaster did I invite...?'