"The only thing we can do now is to refine the fruit's strength."

"Not into mana, but into a power that cannot be suppressed."

Ai Changyuan, eating dregs like a pig or dog, ceaselessly pondered in his mind.

"It seems that the plan has to be moved forward. Nevertheless, my accumulation should be sufficient."

A power that cannot be suppressed theoretically exists. Spiritual Energy has very peculiar physical properties and can simulate any type of matter or movement. It can be light, it can be heat, it can be electromagnetic. Naturally, it can also mimic "Gravity."

Gravity is a force that transcends space and dimensions. It cannot be blocked.

"It's not about using spells to increase or control Gravity, but to exhibit mana itself in the form of Gravity."

Gravity possesses all sorts of incredible traits. However, it's far too weak. Its energy leaks into other spaces, other dimensions. Moreover, because it cannot be blocked or restrained, it's difficult to control.

No one has ever thought to use Gravity as a form of mana. It's many times more difficult to master than light, than qi, than other types of energy. If given the choice, most people would never choose this path.

But Ai Changyuan is far from an ordinary person. Since last year, he had been planning to create a Cultivation Technique in which mana is expressed as Gravity.

"It's just that the plan has to be brought forward."

He had already resigned himself to taking this step. In his original plan, all he needed to do was to complete this step before Core Formation. Now it was being moved up slightly. This did not cause him any trouble. Rather, a recent sequence of unexpected events had provided him with even better conditions than in the original plan. Months ago, while creating "Heaven Creation" with Wang Qi, he had already accumulated enough experience to make this step. Now the fact that the Ancient Method Practitioners had suppressed his original mana simply meant he was unbound by the limits of his own power.

In Ai Changyuan's initial plans, the "Newton's Apple" wasn't included. This was a problem because the True Intent contained within the fruit could potentially lead others astray. Just as Wang Qi had been distracted by the Deep Space True Intent, there was a risk that Ai Changyuan could be led astray by the Yuanli Master's influence. However, once this problem was resolved, the fruit's power could become a tremendous aid.

"My ancestor's path was indeed flawed, but after all, he was the one who set the foundations for the Modern Sect. His 'direction of thought' was wrong, but the 'planning direction' was not. Moreover, my own thinking has gradually matured, my path is certain, and the danger of being led astray is not great."

Ai Changyuan carefully sifted through the food remnants, not overlooking a single piece of fruit flesh. To be safe, he even swallowed the core and the seeds. He ate slowly, and for a long time.

"I should have actively refined it. However, now that all mana is restrained, there's no way to do so, thus I can only wait for the fruit's power to be passively absorbed as it's digested." Ai Changyuan swallowed the core with difficulty, feeling as though he was merely eating a stick. The sensation of forceful swallowing even brought tears to his eyes.

At that moment, an Ancient Method Disciple came over. Seeing Ai Changyuan's state, he looked on with contempt. Just as Ai Changyuan was uncomfortably choking and tears were in his eyes, he hurriedly asked, "Excuse me, sir, do you have any water? Could you spare a drink? I'm choking here?"

The man, looking at Ai Changyuan's face covered with food residue, felt disgusted: "You're a disciple of the Modern Sect, how could you be so pathetic?"

"Please, sir, I need some water, it's very uncomfortable..."

The Ancient Method Practitioner snorted, took out water from his waterbag, and poured it onto the ground: "Alright, here you go."

Ai Changyuan looked at the spilled water on the ground, with no intention to drink it. After all, he remembered he was playing the part of a wretch, not a true scoundrel; if he submitted too easily to treatment, it would certainly raise suspicions.

"You wanted water, didn't you? Drink up!" The Ancient Method Practitioner seemed to find the whole ordeal amusing, forcibly pressing Ai Changyuan's face near the puddle.

"Enough, Lin Xiu, take him to Senior Brother Shi!" Another Ancient Method Practitioner came over, reminding him, "You can do whatever you want with him after the interrogation is over."

Lin Xiu then remembered his task. He picked up Ai Changyuan and dragged him to the other side of the grand hall, throwing him onto the ground.

As Ai Changyuan hit the floor, he still took time to observe his surroundings. There were seven Cultivators surrounding him. Four of them were at the Foundation Establishment Stage, including Lin Xiu, who had just brought him over. The other three were Golden Core Cultivators. Among them, the middle-aged man with a smile that did not reach his eyes was named Pan Jueming, a cultivator of Golden Core Perfection from the Emperor's Extreme Heaven Splitting Dao lineage. The other two were Mid-Stage Golden Core, one an old man with white hair called Duanhongzi, and the other a cold young man named Zhong Wenmo, both from the Ancient Method Sect's Heavenly Book Tower.

Ai Changyuan chuckled bitterly, "All familiar faces."

Pan Jueming cheerfully helped Ai Changyuan sit upright, "I heard that Brother Ai is a descendant of the Modern Great Power, a Yuanli Saint, isn't that so?"

Sure enough, even when allowing me to rest, they haven't relaxed their surveillance on me...

Ai Changyuan judged in his mind, but on his face, he deliberately showed an unnatural expression: "This... my surname is Ai, but not..."

"Slap!" Pan Jueming didn't hesitate to kick Ai Changyuan in the face. Ai Changyuan's nose tingled, and two streams of blood crawled across his face like earthworms. Pan Jueming still chuckled, "Brother Ai, why ever did you have to do that?"

"I..."

Just as Ai Changyuan was about to say something, Pan Jueming showed no mercy as he kicked him in the throat, choking off his breath, "Playing dumb can work, sure, but it gets pointless when you take it this far. Just now you were clearly discussing your dual identity with your esteemed junior sister, Brother Ai... Don't tell me you thought by acting this way we'd actually take you for a fool?"

Ai Changyuan coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood, feeling like his vocal cords were about to snap. Covering his throat, his voice was as hoarse as a castrated duck, "What do you... want?"

Pan Jueming once again steadied Ai Changyuan, saying, "Among us, some believe that Brother Ai, you are actually quite shrewd, definitely not as dim-witted as you act. I don't quite see it that way myself, because I always believe that filial piety, respect, loyalty, faith, propriety, justice, integrity, and honor are the principles of being human. If one can't be trusted after making friends, then that person is beyond redemption. If everyone acted like that, the whole world would be in chaos. So, I trust you."

Ai Changyuan said, "You—hiss..."

Ai Changyuan suddenly drew a sharp breath. Pan Jueming's fingers were digging into his shoulders, toying with his bones. His face was serious, "I am a man of my word to you, Brother Ai, but what about you?"

"I..."

"Don't think those little gestures you made with your esteemed junior sister went unnoticed! Writing messages on the palm of your hand and such," Pan Jueming scoffed with a chuckle, "Moreover, Brother Ai, you seem not so foolish, but rather naive, not to know the principle of moderation. Pretending to relish eating dog food? Hehehe, do you really think we're all fools?"

The elder Duanhongzi also spoke, "Coming from the Heavenly Book Tower, I can't claim much, but I do have a little experience. Adding to that my age, I ought to know a thing or two about judging people. Young Master Ai, you strike me as someone proud and lofty. How could someone like that perform the actions of a pig or a dog just because of a beating?"

Zhong Wenmo snorted, "Excess is as bad as deficiency."

"Brother Ai, you act so... despicable and lowly, probably because you hoped we wouldn't take notice of you, right? Now, that makes me wonder. Perhaps all the information you gave us was false?"

"It's all true, you can check," Ai Changyuan now showed a bit of a rogue's defiant spirit. He truly wasn't afraid of them checking since the information he had revealed was indeed factual. The only thing he concealed was Wang Qi's original goal. However, even Wu Shiqin was unaware of that, so there was no concern about being caught in a contradiction.

That was also the reason he hadn't "coordinated stories" with Wu Shiqin.

"Hahahahaha, we'll certainly look into that slowly, and maybe even have a good chat with your esteemed junior sister later. But Brother Ai, your attitude is really not good," Pan Jueming released him and patted Ai Changyuan's back, "Your behavior makes me very suspicious. What exactly are you up to?"

"Since Brother Ai, you're not afraid of us checking, then I might as well believe what you just said," Pan Jueming had overheard Ai Changyuan's recent conversation with Wu Shiqin and confirmed that Ai Changyuan showed no signs of having coordinated his story. He wagged his finger, "I've been thinking it over, and there are essentially only two reasons for you to act the way you do. First, to lower the guard of a few honest folks like us, preparing to escape; second, you still have some big secret on you, like an opportunity or inheritance."

Ai Changyuan once again made an unnatural face, "Senior..."

Slap! Pan Jueming slapped Ai Changyuan across the face again, stopping him from speaking, "I really can't think of a way to verify either possibility. If I ask you, Brother Ai, whether you want to escape and you say no, obviously, I won't believe you. And if there's some big secret on you, without any clue, we can't judge well, and you might just fool us with it. Therefore, I have decided to try a different method, to discern Brother Ai's heart intent."

Ai Changyuan's eyes shifted, "What?"

The elder Duanhongzi said, "Speaking of Yuanli Master, we hold the utmost reverence for him. Though we may follow different paths and not scheme together, we nevertheless respect the Yuanli Master's extraordinary divine skills. So, we would like to ask Brother Ai to tell us, the Ai Family's hereditary mental method."

"What?" Ai Changyuan's eyes widened.

Pan Jueming laughed heartily, "Brother Ai, don't be too quick to refuse. Think about your esteemed junior sister."

Ai Changyuan struggled, "I have no involvement with her!"

"I can see it. Your esteemed junior sister doesn't seem to have any special feelings for you, Brother Ai, but it appears that you might have a bit of affection for her. Oh, right, when we captured you, it seemed there were some talks about you having a lover or something," Pan Jueming said, "Brother Ai, you must be harboring thoughts of having the fortune of many wives and concubines, right?"

Ai Changyuan said, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, I'm just saying, Brother Ai, it's a bit unfair to your esteemed junior sister to aspire to a harem all by yourself," said Pan Jueming, "It just so happens we have some disciples of the Joyful Union Sect here, they could definitely provide your esteemed junior sister with exceptional and attentive care..."

"Enough!" Ai Changyuan seemed genuinely angered, "What do you want?"

Pan Jueming smiled, "Now that's more like it!"

And Ai Changyuan was laughing on the inside too, "Oh really... these Ancient Method Practitioners are quite adorably foolish."

Finally, he had a reason to reveal "certain" cultivation methods to them. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote for it on QiDian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)