Three days later.
Inside the dimly lit storeroom,
the oil lamp wick sparked, illuminating the wall covered in numerous engravings.
Each engraving cut cleanly like a sharp blade.
These engravings varied in depth.
Some barely left a white mark on the green brick.
Others were deeply embedded.
"Sshh—"
A glimmer of gold seeped from his fingertips, dispersing into stars half an inch from the wall.
Chen Ye stared at the wall carved with deep and shallow grooves by the Geng Metal Qi; the deepest crack could hold half a copper coin.
He exercised his aching right arm, his entire body's meridians tormented by the gold element spiritual power, feeling unbearable pain like a thousand cuts.
"Damn, just a low-tier magic, yet acting as if climbing a mountain."
Chen Ye's eyes were bloodshot, dark circles under his eyes, utterly exhausted.
Under normal circumstances, Chen Ye found it hard to grit his teeth and practice magic in a self-torturous manner.
But the theft at his home enlightened him—this world is chaotic!
Although he had always understood this, it wasn't until the event happened to him personally that he profoundly felt the anxiety of lacking order.
"No matter how painful, it's better than being dead!"
"Again!"
He gritted his molars and performed the technique, his fingers already bleeding and dried within the palm wrinkles.
This time, the golden light condensed into a blade about an inch long, swirling at his fingertips.
The next moment,
abruptly nailed towards the green brick!
"Sshh!"
On the green brick, a slot the size of an index finger opened.
Sunlight seeped through the wall, carrying the aroma of earth and heavy moisture.
[Geng Metal Technique Great Success: 1/200]
Chen Ye relaxed in expression and eagerly leaned close to the slot, breathing in the cool air from outside continuously.
After being cooped up indoors for three days, he felt suffocated!
Chen Ye looked at the still swirling gold light at his fingertip and suddenly cracked a smile with chapped lips.
Practicing day and night for three days, he finally cultivated the Geng Metal Technique to Great Success!
For ordinary cultivators, this would take years of hard practice!
But for its power,
Chen Ye was greatly disappointed.
The Geng Metal Technique is one of the most common low-tier Five Elements magic, with mediocre power.
It's slightly more destructive compared to other techniques of the same tier.
Rumor has it that some Spirit Plant Masters practice the Geng Metal Technique simply for pest control.
It's easy to learn and convenient to use.
However, attempting to condense various weapons for combat with Geng Metal Qi is impossible.
This is merely a small energy blade.
Great Success in Geng Metal Technique barely maintains lethality and accuracy within ten steps.
Trying to decapitate someone from hundreds of steps away is impossible, even at Perfection.
"Greedy with insatiable ambition, what can you expect from a three-spirit stone low-tier magic?"
Chen Ye chuckled, regaining his confidence.
Moreover, in the panel, even Perfection is just the start!
Besides, Chen Ye could clearly perceive,
after achieving Great Success in the magic, simply executing it barely increased proficiency.
As the saying goes, shallow is what came from paper.
To quickly improve proficiency, continuous practice is necessary.
Just like previously when treating the Silver Scale Flower, quickly enhancing the proficiency of the Three Spirit Plant Skills.
Chen Ye raised his middle finger, a faint golden blade encircled his fingertip again:
"Hehe, seller's show and buyer's show, right? This thing is merely a blade condensed with gold element spiritual power."
"But, Great Success in Geng Metal Technique, taking a life within ten steps is no problem."
With a thought, he summoned the panel.
[Name: Chen Ye]
[Lifespan: 40/72]
[Spiritual Root: Gold Wood Water Fire Earth]
[Realm: Qi Cultivation Fourth-Layer]
[Cultivation Technique: Evergreen Technique Great Success: 40/200; Heavy Body Technique Introduction: 7/10]
[Skills: Disease Removal Saber Technique Perfection: 100/400; Bone-Scraping Whip Minor Achievement: 30/100; Culinary Skill Great Success: 15/200; Fostering Technique Minor Achievement: 60/100; Cloud Rain Technique Minor Achievement: 60/100; Geng Metal Technique Great Success: 1/200]
Aside from the Geng Metal Technique, he also briefly practiced the Heavy Body Technique.
But the Heavy Body Technique normally progresses over time; it's hard to quickly improve proficiency through intensive practice like the Geng Metal Technique.
Thus, he hadn't achieved much breakthrough.
Yet Chen Ye's expectations for the Heavy Body Technique are much higher than for the Geng Metal Technique.
The reason is simple,
as long as he carries weight, he can endlessly increase the proficiency of the Heavy Body Technique!
These two days, while sitting in the storeroom practicing the Geng Metal Technique, his proficiency in the Heavy Body Technique increased by seven points!
Over time, it will surely give him a pleasant surprise.
Thinking that, Chen Ye bent down and rummaged through the miscellaneous items under the table to find a grass rope, tying a nearly thirty-pound iron sword on his back.
The rusty sword sheath grazed his neck, giving him a shiver:
"So cold... This weather is getting colder."
Chen Ye moved his limbs; it felt as if it was just his illusion.
He always felt his legs were heavy and couldn't move.
Since he began learning the Heavy Body Technique, his legs seemed to feel lighter.
[Heavy Body Technique, Proficiency +1]
"Not bad!" Chen Ye nodded in satisfaction.
He could both increase his proficiency in the Heavy Body Technique and acquire another weapon.
But when he walked, the Iron Sword kept slapping against his hip...
Walking out like that, wouldn't it invite ridicule?
Chen Ye hurriedly untied the grass rope, slung the Iron Sword across his back, and tied the rope tightly again.
Only then did he stop making a fool of himself.
He touched the Bone-Scraping Whip at his waist.
Speaking of which, the former self didn't buy this Tier One Lower Grade Magical Artifact for self-defense, but to discipline his student...
Even the Bone-Scraping Whip Technique was merely a skill gained from practice, not part of magic, and fell within the realm of mortal martial arts.
It was meant to cause more pain without endangering life.
That's why he never focused on mastering the Bone-Scraping Whip.
Chen Ye sighed,
he didn't blame his student for being wary of him, the hardships they endured were beyond his imagination.
In fact, he found it incredible.
Qing Jun had suffered so much, yet her personality remained lively and approachable.
Logically, someone like Zhiwei, cold and distant as if struggling with a psychological barrier, would be more typical...
"But for myself, isn't it a good thing that Qing Jun doesn't have psychological issues?"
Suddenly, Chen Ye felt a sense of unease, shook his head, and strode out of the storage room where he had been in seclusion for three days.
...
"It's snowing! Sister!"
Qing Jun propped her elbows on the windowsill, her small feet kicking against the wall several times before she managed to hang herself below the window.
She poked out her furry head, curiously surveying the scenery outside.
Outside the window,
fine and fragmented snowflakes drifted down, the wind rustling, shadows of trees swayed.
Reflected in the girl's clear eyes,
she was excited and thrilled.
"What!"
The black-haired girl grew weak in her legs, quickly moving a stool to stand on to watch the snow and rain outside.
Her already pale face turned almost transparent, dim and despairing, she trembled as she spoke:
"How... how is it snowing again!"
Snow indicated colder weather.
It was the time of year she and Qing Jun feared most.
One winter, if not for Granny Li giving them a Fire Stone, she and Qing Jun would have nearly frozen to death at home.
Qing Jun detected the despair in her sister's tone, tilting her small face, confused: "Sister, when it snows, we can build snowmen, have snowball fights!"
The little girl's joy was apparent.
It was her rare source of entertainment.
Yet the older girl was staring blankly at her sister's smiling face, eyes misting up beneath her bangs.
She hugged the White Furred Ball tightly: "It's all sister's fault, it's all because sister couldn't protect Qing Jun..."
"Sister?"
The little girl, puzzled, struggled to reach the stool with her small feet.
With a grunt, she stepped onto the stool and quietly hugged her sister:
"It's alright, Master won't bully Qing Jun now!"
Her small face pressed against her sister's thin body, listening to her sister's intense heartbeat.
So strange...
Her sister had always been calm, yet these past few days she had been crying a lot, more often than Qing Jun herself.
"No! It's all sister's fault, if they had just waited for the Myat Pill Pavilion to refine pills, one could find a way to get the poison..."
The black-haired girl bit her lip, filled with hatred.
It was just at that moment that Chen Ye brought her back!
The White Furred Ball poked her head out from her sister's embrace, blinking drowsily: "Eh? Poison? Is it this?"
She pulled out an oiled paper package from her lining.
"Isn't this the oiled paper wrapping the osmanthus cake?" Zhiwei blankly accepted it.
Opening it, she found a lump of ointment emitting a fresh fragrance inside.
At that moment, the black-haired girl's vision went dark, her heart pounding.
"What's wrong? Hmm, it's snowing?"
Chen Ye pushed open the storeroom door, seeing the two girls standing on the stool hugging each other.
Their heads, one black and one white, pressed together.
Behind them, little snowflakes drifted.
Under the feet of the girls, the stool creaked, and Chen Ye felt a clench in his heart.
"Too dangerous, this stool isn't sturdy."
Quickly, Chen Ye opened his arms and lifted both girls off the stool.
Not bad, his body indeed had strength, able to easily lift both girls.
He glanced at the window,
presumably to prevent anyone from climbing in, the windows inside were small and high, forcing his students to use a stool just to look at the snow!
Indeed, it was time to change houses.
The environment around here was too poor...
Chen Ye touched the Spirit Stone in his pocket, making a firm decision.
He noticed his students looking downcast, and sighed suddenly.
He squatted down, resting a hand on each student's head: "In the future, you won't have to endure the cold winters again."
Looking out at the fine little snowflakes, his resolve strengthened.
No matter the weather, he must venture to the wilds to practice magic and enhance his combat experience!