Chu Ning had such a suspicion in his heart, but there was no change on his face.
He quietly watched as Cao Dongxin cast the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill on this patch of Spirit Rice again, then continued to cast it on the areas he hadn't covered yesterday.
"Guard this place, don't let bugs or birds eat the Spirit Rice!"
After leaving those words, Cao Dongxin left on his own again.
Chu Ning waited for him to leave for a while, and then his mind began to become active. He intended to first verify his previous suspicion.
Thus, Chu Ning first found a more distant field, one where Cao Dongxin hadn't cast the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill.
He sat down cross-legged nearby, calmed his heart spirit, and began practicing the Cyan Wood Evergreen Technique.
Progress was normal, similar to yesterday afternoon, without the accelerated feeling from yesterday morning.
Therefore, Chu Ning returned to the last spot where Cao Dongxin cast the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill. The spot next to it was where the spell had not been cast, so even if something strange happened, Cao Dongxin might just think he remembered wrong like today.
After thinking about it, Chu Ning didn't start cultivating directly but cast the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill on the neighboring field where no spell had been cast.
Compared to yesterday, Chu Ning felt it was obviously easier and more proficient.
This time, the spell covered not only 10 strands of Red Spirit Rice but also seemed to have some extra energy left after casting.
Thus, Chu Ning cast the spell again. This time, the magical power was weaker, covering only 8 strands of Red Spirit Rice.
Feeling the spiritual power fluctuations on those 18 strands of Red Spirit Rice, Chu Ning walked back slightly, then sat down and officially began to cultivate the Cyan Wood Evergreen Technique.
As the cultivation technique operated, Chu Ning immediately felt a richness and pace of spiritual Qi that was completely different from before.
The spiritual Qi originally existing between heaven and earth combined with the spiritual Qi on the Red Spirit Rice formed a purer and stronger spiritual Qi, drilling into Chu Ning's body.
The cultivation speed of the Cyan Wood Evergreen Technique was more than twice as fast as before!
"These Red Spirit Rice plants, after casting the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill, can indeed accelerate my cultivation speed!" Chu Ning was secretly delighted.
Then he quickly calmed his heart spirit and continued cultivating.
More than an hour later.
[Cyan Wood Evergreen Technique (Yellow Tier Lower Grade), First Layer (7/300)]
After cultivating last night, the proficiency was 5, now it's 7, with a growth of 2 points!
Looking at this proficiency, Chu Ning quickly calculated in his mind.
"If the first layer of the Cyan Wood Evergreen Technique corresponds to the basic Qi Refining, which is the First to Third Layers of Qi Refining, it should reach about 100 to complete the Qi Refining First-Layer Perfection.
And tomorrow, I can improve the proficiency to 10, which only takes three days in total!
Doesn't this mean that at most in a month, I can achieve Qi Refining First-Layer Perfection, and even break through to the Second Layer of Qi Refining, huh!"
Chu Ning didn't know the cultivation speed of the Outer Sect and Inner Sect disciples, but he was sure that among these servant disciples, his cultivation speed was certainly astounding.
You should know that even after decades here, Cao Dongxin is only at Qi Refining Fifth Layer Perfection and has been unable to break through to the Sixth Layer.
"I just don't know if there's a bottleneck from basic to intermediate Qi Refining."
This thought crossed his mind, and Chu Ning couldn't help but laugh to himself. It was just the third day of Qi Refining, and he was already thinking about future breakthroughs, getting a bit carried away!
Mm, let's stay low-key! Let's play it safe!
Thinking of this, Chu Ning's heart spirit tightened, realizing his previous thoughts were a bit rash.
Every day after Cao Dongxin casts the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill, he should take a bit of advantage. Given the way he treats him, there's naturally no guilt.
However, if he does it too often, the other side will definitely become suspicious.
Not to mention more, even tomorrow when he observes, if there's a previously cast area that's not growing as well as others, he might become suspicious.
Thinking of this, Chu Ning glanced at those Red Spirit Rice plants.
Yesterday he left in a hurry and didn't notice, but now he could clearly see that the 18 strands he cast a spell on, along with the 40 strands covered by Cao Dongxin's spell around them, no longer had the spirit charm they showed when the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill was first cast.
However, they weren't much different from the plants that hadn't been cast on, and there was no additional damage.
Thinking of this, Chu Ning got an idea.
"If I cast the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill on these plants again, wouldn't it go unnoticed?"
He acted on the thought immediately, and with his magical power brimming after just finishing cultivation, and his proficiency in the Cyan Wood Evergreen Technique improved, he naturally had a better understanding of casting the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill.
Rotating his magical power, forming the gestures, and casting the spell, he blessed the rice plants with the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill.
This time, Chu Ning covered 14 strands of rice plants.
Another time, another 14 strands.
And with some energy left, Chu Ning cast a third time, covering only 6 strands.
"Hmm, that's 34 plants altogether!"
Chu Ning looked on with satisfaction, nodding his head, and thought he could handle the remaining 6 plants in the afternoon.
Though his Dantian was now empty and his magical power exhausted, Chu Ning wasn't worried.
This magical power could be restored through meditation or even recover slowly on its own without it.
At this moment, Chu Ning suddenly realized he seemed to have found a shortcut in cultivation.
He could completely cast the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill on spirit plants first and then cultivate. Once cultivation ended and his proficiency increased, cast the skill again.
Doing so would not only benefit the spirit plants but also accelerate his own cultivation.
The question was whether this effect applied to everyone or if it was because of his special Yin Wood Spirit Body.
However, Chu Ning guessed that it was mostly due to the Yin Wood Spirit Body because if it worked for everyone, the method would already have been widely used for cultivation.
Currently, his Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill's coverage isn't enough to support his cultivation fully.
And this would naturally require the help of Cao Dongxin.
Given his attitude toward him, Chu Ning felt no guilt about using him as hard labor.
However, he still needed to confirm whether his actions would go undetected.
That afternoon, Chu Ning cast the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill on the remaining few strands of Red Spirit Rice.
He also chose not to cultivate near the rice plants after casting, waiting to see if Cao Dongxin would notice any anomalies.
The next morning, as usual, after breakfast, Cao Dongxin brought Chu Ning to the fields.
The first thing Cao Dongxin did was check the growth of the rice plants where the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill had been cast before.
He observed even more carefully than the day before.
After ensuring there were no issues, satisfaction crept across his face.
Seeing this, Chu Ning was internally relieved, thinking it was lucky he had the foresight to cover those rice plants with the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill after harvesting their spiritual Qi.
If a repeat of yesterday's situation had occurred, Cao Dongxin would surely have been suspicious.
After this incident, Chu Ning was also convinced that his cultivation method wouldn't be detected, at least not by Cao Dongxin.
Thus, in the following days, Chu Ning employed a similar approach.
Moreover, through several days of practice, he gradually identified patterns, such as realizing that it wasn't optimal to cultivate immediately after casting the Cyan Wood Spring Blossom Skill on the rice plants.
Rather, the best effects were observed about half an hour later.
Additionally, he figured out the approximate range of spiritual Qi he could draw from the rice plants during his cultivation, allowing him to select the optimal spots to practice accurately.
In the blink of an eye, Chu Ning had already spent fourteen days in the Cyan Creek Sect.
That afternoon, as Chu Ning was returning from the fields to enter his house, Qiu Shunyi from the neighboring courtyard suddenly waved at him.
After approaching him, Qiu Shunyi asked with a beaming expression:
"Chu Ning, tomorrow is the time for focused teaching sessions in the Transmission Room. How has your cultivation of the Cyan Wood Evergreen Technique been going?"
Seeing Qiu Shunyi's expression, Chu Ning knew there must have been some progress on his part, so he smiled and said:
"Shunyi, it looks like you're about to make some significant advancements?"
Qiu Shunyi's smile broadened as he shook his hand and said:
"Oh no, saying that it's a significant accomplishment is far from the truth, but I've become quite adept at sensing spiritual Qi over the past two days, just shy of achieving Qi Refining."
I think there's a good chance I'll complete the Qi Refining process and officially reach the First Layer by tonight."
Then he asked Chu Ning: "By the way, how about you, when do you think you'll achieve Qi Refining?"
"I'm also just a little bit away, not sure when I might succeed," Chu Ning replied, out of habit glancing at his proficiency.
[Cyan Wood Evergreen Technique (Yellow Tier Lower Grade), First Layer (61/300)]
Meanwhile, he pondered internally about determining the most appropriate time for his 'breakthrough to Qi Refining.'
Previously, worried about revealing the completion of his First-Layer cultivation too quickly, he had been using the innate concealment ability of his Yin Wood Spirit Body to hide his aura.
Now it seems, the timing is just about right; it's time to 'break through'!