Druid Fairy

Chapter 133 Murder, Alchemy
After returning from Laoyin Mountain, Li Pingcan's life returned to its usual tranquility.

Besides studying newly acquired cultivation techniques and practicing on the Five Elements Stone Tablet, there's also refreshing Druid skill proficiency and planting trees.

[You have mastered one level of the spell Thunder Wave, proficiency +1]

[By communicating with the grass spirit and gifting it a wisp of spiritual energy, you have gained the grass spirit's favor, increasing your Dream Language proficiency by 1.]

[You have cast Plant Growth on Soulwood and Spirit Mulberry Wood. Proficiency +2]

"This druid's life is just like leveling up life skills in a game in my previous life. It can be summed up in one word: grind!"

Li Pingcan sat cross-legged on the edge of the field, complaining as he skillfully guided the natural magical power within his body.

Clusters of emerald green light flew from his palm and landed precisely on each seedling.

This process is extremely energy-consuming. For every ten precious plants he cultivates, he has to swallow a divine berry to replenish his energy.

If it weren't for this amazing "endurance" skill, the daily consumption alone would have been enough to give him a headache.

Even so, looking at the 1,999 experience points on the upgrade bar, he still felt a pang of toothache.

"That'll take forever..."

Fortunately, in these monotonous days, there are always some small figures who can bring him comfort and joy.

"Father! Take this sword!"

A childish shout interrupted Li Pingcan's occasional slacking off.

Li Mengjin was seen wielding a sapling, mimicking the older brothers in the martial arts arena, and chopping at a wooden stake with great skill.

He has an amazing natural affinity for weapons; even an ordinary tree branch carries a subtle sharpness in his hands.

Today, however, we're not practicing swordsmanship, but rather... planting trees.

Unfortunately, Li Pingcan did not demand that his eldest son, Li Mengze, plant trees, as his eldest son was older but had a quiet personality, mediocre talent in martial arts, and was far less physically robust than his younger son, Li Mengjin.

Li Mengjin is different; she is lively and active, and loves outdoor activities the most.

Alas, under the double debuff of being a cultivator and a druid, having children was difficult. He and his wives and concubines tried their best to conceive, but their bellies remained empty. He could only pour all his energy into raising the two children he already had.

"Meng Jin, no, no."

Li Pingcan walked over with a smile and corrected his posture, "You're cutting down a tree, not planting one. Look, you should do it like this: stick this 'divine sword' into the soil, water it, and wait for it to grow more 'little divine swords'."

He packaged the "tree planting" activity into a peerless sword cultivation game involving "forging and nurturing swords".

Li Mengjin nodded as if he understood, but he didn't really understand the connection between planting trees and forging swords. However, he liked playing with his father and especially enjoyed the stories of "sword immortals" who could fly and escape into the sky that his father told him.

He imitated Li Pingcan, using the "divine sword" to dig a small hole in the ground, carefully placed a peach sapling in it, and then clumsily used his little hands to scoop up soil and cover its roots.

Finally, he solemnly carried a small bucket, wobbling as he watered the sapling, muttering, "Grow up quickly, grow into the Xuanyuan Sword!"

Seeing his son's serious expression, Li Pingcan chuckled to himself. This "natural sword body" talent was probably going to be led astray by him. In the future, when others would fly on swords, he would fly on trees. Just thinking about it made him feel like he was creating a very strange scene.

The next instant, a long-awaited message popped up on the panel.

[Your descendant 'Li Mengjin' successfully planted a sapling, and you have gained 1 experience point.]

Lee Pyong-chan's smile widened.

coming!

finally come!

This feeling was a hundred times more exhilarating than when he broke through to a higher realm himself!
This is hardly a tree planting project.

This is clearly an invincible mode of "descendants leveling up for you"!
"Good son! You are truly my fine son!"

He picked up Li Mengjin and gave her a big kiss on her muddy little face, making the little guy giggle.

…………

Another year has passed in the blink of an eye.

The prefectural academy, the orchid garden.

The afternoon sun was warm and gentle.

Su Qingxue, a female cultivator dressed in the robes of an academy teacher, sat in front of a guqin, her delicate hands gently gesturing as she played "High Mountains and Flowing Water".

At the tender age of twenty, she had already reached the mid-stage of Qi Refining and was a renowned talented woman in the academy. With her beautiful appearance and gentle temperament, she was the "fairy teacher" whom countless disciples both respected and admired.

At this moment, beside her, a pretty child of about eight years old was quietly kneeling on a futon, preparing tea for her.

The child was Li Mengze.

His movements were skillful and his expression focused. Whether fetching water, warming the cup, or adding tea and pouring soup, he exuded a composure and elegance beyond his years.

After Su Qingxue finished playing the piece, she picked up her teacup, took a sip, and praised, "Mengze, your tea skills are so good that even the best tea master in the palace would be ashamed of himself."

"Teacher, you flatter me. It's just a hobby I have in my spare time."

Li Mengze smiled slightly, a clean and pure smile that improved Su Qingxue's mood.

She really liked this student.

He was not as mischievous as other children, nor as arrogant as Zhang Ao, nor as scheming as Lin Feng.

He is always quiet and doesn't say much, but when you look at him, you can always see a reassuring tranquility in his clear eyes.

Not to mention, this child is truly adorable, with delicate features, rosy lips and white teeth, making one instantly happy and wanting to pinch his little cheeks.

"Mengze, how's your 'Qi Induction Technique' coming along? Have you encountered any difficulties?" Su Qingxue asked with concern.

Li Mengze shook his head: "Teacher, there is no difficulty. It's just that I am dull-witted and find it hard to draw in Qi. I am still in the early stage of the first level of Qi Refining."

Upon hearing this, Su Qingxue gently comforted her, "It's alright. Cultivation is all about letting things take their natural course. You have excellent spiritual talent, but you are calm and composed, unlike others who are eager for quick success. Take your time, there's no rush."

She said it aloud, but inwardly she sighed.

This child is good at everything, except that his aptitude for cultivation seems to be lacking. Despite having a superior-grade wood spiritual root, his progress in cultivation is slower than some disciples with mid-grade spiritual roots.

Little did she know, Li Mengze wasn't slow, he was ridiculously fast.

The druidic power and immortal spiritual energy within him had long since merged seamlessly, and his cultivation was progressing by leaps and bounds every day. However, the secrets of his cultivation were obscured by that lotus seed, making it impossible for outsiders to see through him.

His daily "ascetic practices" were merely a way of concealing his true abilities.

Just as the teacher and student were having a pleasant conversation, a discordant voice came from not far away.

"Teacher Su, are you personally instructing Junior Brother Li again? You really favor him."

The newcomer was Lin Feng, who wore a warm smile, but a shadowy glint lurked in his eyes.

He approached and said to Li Mengze with feigned concern, "Junior Brother Li, I heard that you made no progress in your test the other day? Sigh, don't be too discouraged. When I first started, I was just like you. Later, I received guidance from Master Chen and took a few Qi Gathering Pills, and then I suddenly understood. How about I take you to visit Master Chen another day?"

His words, seemingly meant to comfort him, were actually stabbing Li Mengze in the heart with every sentence, subtly mocking his lack of talent and his inability to grasp the concepts.

Su Qingxue's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing across her face: "Lin Feng, stop talking nonsense. Mengze is diligent and eager to learn, and as his teacher, I should naturally give him more guidance. But you, if you don't use your mind on the right path, I'm afraid your cultivation will hardly make any progress."

"Yes, yes, yes, the teacher is right."

Lin Feng quickly agreed with a smile, but inwardly he scoffed: 'Future achievements? What achievements can a piece of trash who can't even guide Qi into his body possibly have? Teacher Su is just too kind-hearted; she was fooled by this kid's obedient appearance!'

The more he thought about it, the more jealous he became. Why should he?
Why is it that despite my best efforts to please Teacher Su, she remains indifferent? Meanwhile, this little brat who only knows how to act cute and clever can easily win the teacher's favor?
A wicked thought began to frantically grow in his mind.

…………

When the academy organized its disciples to go to "Hundred Herbs Cliff" in the back mountain to collect herbs and identify spiritual plants, Lin Feng felt that his opportunity had come.

Baicaoya is a scenic spot, but it also has a steep cliff that is shrouded in mist all year round and whose bottom is unknown.

He pretended to talk to a few familiar disciples, subtly leading Li Mengze to the edge of the cliff. "Junior Brother Li, come and see! There's a 'Dew-Condensing Grass' here, which is said to have miraculous effects on stabilizing the soul!" He pointed to an inconspicuous blue grass on the edge of the cliff and greeted it enthusiastically.

Upon hearing this, Li Mengze's face lit up with curiosity, and he stepped over.

He felt a chill in his heart.

'coming. ’

He had long ago sensed the malice in Lin Feng through his ability to "see good from evil".

Without making a sound, he took out a crystal-clear stone from his pocket, which was the "recording stone" given to him by his second uncle.

"Senior Brother Lin, is this the Dew-Gathering Grass?"

He pretended to be focused, squatted down, and pointed the recording stone at the small grass, and... Lin Feng, who was quietly approaching behind him with a ferocious smile on his face.

"Die, you little bastard!"

Lin Feng's eyes flashed with a fierce light. He could no longer suppress the jealousy and murderous intent in his heart. He suddenly stretched out his hands and pushed hard against Li Mengze's back!

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips, as if he could already see this eyesore falling into the abyss and being shattered to pieces.

At this moment, a sudden change occurred!
Li Mengze, who was focused on "recording", walked forward, but his foot tripped over something, and he stumbled and fell to the side at just the right moment.

Lin Feng pushed, but missed completely!
He exerted too much force, and his body's momentum couldn't be reversed in time, causing him to rush straight towards the bottomless cliff!
"what!"

A piercing scream shattered the tranquility of the valley.

Lin Feng's body traced an arc in the air before being instantly swallowed by the churning clouds.

On Hundred Herbs Cliff, the other disciples who were gathering herbs heard the commotion and looked over with surprise and uncertainty.

"What happened? Was that... Senior Brother Lin's voice just now?"

"It seems to be coming from the other side of the cliff..."

Just as everyone was discussing this, Li Mengze stumbled back from the edge of the cliff, his face pale, his lips trembling, and his big eyes filled with tears, as if he had been greatly frightened.

He fell to the ground with a thud, pointing towards the cliff, and gasped, "Senior Brother Lin... he... he fell down!"

Everyone was stunned by these words.

Su Qingxue, who was instructing her disciples on the other side, rushed over upon hearing the news.

"Mengze, don't be afraid. Tell the teacher what happened." She quickly helped him up and comforted him gently.

“Teacher Su…” Li Mengze sobbed, handing over the recording stone in her hand, “Senior Brother Lin… he was going to show me the Dew-Gathering Grass, I… I wanted to record it, but… but I slipped, and Senior Brother Lin, in order to pull me up, sacrificed himself…”

He spoke incoherently, yet he successfully projected an image of a selfless hero onto Lin Feng.

Su Qingxue took the recording stone and infused it with spiritual energy. The scene at the edge of the cliff appeared clearly before everyone's eyes.

In the scene, Lin Feng's face, twisted with jealousy and murderous intent, and his decisive, fatal push, clearly illustrate the cause and effect.

Su Qingxue's gentle and beautiful face was instantly covered with a layer of frost.

"What do you mean by pulling someone to save you? This is clearly premeditated murder!"

This matter quickly alarmed the higher-ups at the academy.

Lin Feng attempted to murder his fellow disciple; there was ample evidence and witnesses to prove it, and the scandal spread throughout the academy.

The Lin family, who held considerable influence in the prefecture, immediately came to the academy to "demand an explanation" upon hearing of the matter. They claimed that their child was usually gentle, kind, respectful, and frugal, and would never do such a rebellious thing, and must have been framed.

Master Chen and others at the academy, who already favored Lin Feng, also found the matter suspicious and had some reservations.

However, when Su Qingxue displayed the recording stone to the public, everyone fell silent.

The blatant pushing in the video is undeniable.

In order to quell the incident and to give an explanation to the Li family and the Mu family behind them, the academy had no choice but to define the nature of the matter.

Disciple Lin Feng, filled with jealousy, attempted to harm his fellow disciple. This was an act against the natural order, and his fall off the cliff was a clear manifestation of divine justice, a fitting retribution!
The Lin family was humiliated and expelled from the academy. Lin Feng, once a promising young talent, was completely degraded into a disgrace in the history of the academy.

Li Mengze, as the "victim," received compensation from the academy.

"Mengze."

The academy's white-bearded headmaster personally summoned him to his study, patting his head kindly. "I'm sorry you were frightened. Well then, since your cultivation is slow, perhaps your talent lies beyond cultivation. Today, I will make an exception and allow you to choose a profound skill, which a teacher from the academy will personally take as your apprentice and teach you with care. What do you say?"

These words were eloquent and persuasive, both appeasing Li Mengze and cleverly mitigating the negative impact of the scandal.

Li Mengze knew perfectly well what was going on, but he immediately put on an expression of being flattered and waved his hands repeatedly: "Headmaster, this... how can this be? This disciple is dull and dare not trouble the teachers."

"Oh! Sure, sure!" The headmaster laughed heartily. "You child, you're just too modest. Come on, I'll take you to meet some of the masters in our academy!"

Li Mengze followed the headmaster to a quiet and elegant courtyard deep within the academy.

Inside the courtyard, the three teachers were already there.

To the left stood a burly man, as imposing as an iron tower, shirtless, his bronze muscles covered in gruesome scars. This was Tie Wuyai, a master weapon refiner, hot-tempered and utterly disdainful of refined, scholarly magic.

"The way of forging weapons is about tempering them a thousand times and proving the way with force! Kid, do you want to learn blacksmithing from me? I guarantee I'll forge you into a human-shaped magic weapon, so that when you fight someone in the future, you can just ram your head into them and no one can withstand it!" Master Tie spat as far as he could.

Li Mengze's lips twitched slightly. 'This style...it's so similar to my brother Yuan Hu! With my small frame, I'd probably get beaten up like a steel dollop on the very first day.'

To the right was an old woman with a withered face and a sinister look in her eyes. This talisman master was eccentric and hated being disturbed by others.

"Hmph, weapon forging is nothing but brute force. How can it compare to the profound mystery of my talisman-making, where a single sheet can communicate with the divine?"

Without raising her head, she said in a hoarse voice, "Young man, if you become my apprentice, after you master the art, turning beans into soldiers and summoning wind and rain will be a piece of cake. However, my craft is extremely demanding, requiring me to draw talismans day and night, which is incredibly tedious. I'm afraid you, a pampered young master, cannot endure this hardship."

Li Mengze secretly shook his head, 'If I learn from this teacher, I'm afraid I'll turn into a 'prematurely white-haired' person before I even graduate, with runes everywhere I look. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.'

And in the center was Su Qingxue.

Today she wore an elegant, moon-white dress. Having spent years refining elixirs, the fragrance of medicine mingled with the faint scent of orchids emanating from her, bringing a sense of tranquility to those who smelled it.

When she saw Li Mengze looking at her, she simply smiled gently and said nothing more.

Li Mengze's heart instantly calmed down.

He took a deep breath, no longer hesitating, and respectfully bowed to the headmaster and the other two teachers. Then he slowly walked to Su Qingxue, lifted his robe, and solemnly knelt down to perform the formal apprenticeship ceremony.

"Disciple Li Mengze wishes to become Master Su's disciple and learn the art of alchemy. I humbly request that Master Su accept me as his student!"

His voice was clear and firm.

This choice was made after careful consideration.

Refining weapons is too arduous, and given his average physique, he probably wouldn't even be able to lift a hammer.

Although talismans are good, the teacher's gloomy temperament makes them unsuitable for him.

Moreover, these two skills are more about enhancing one's own combat power, while alchemy is the most urgently needed basic strategic resource for the entire family.

A skilled alchemist can not only pave a smooth path for their family's cultivation, but also serve as a valuable asset for the family in building connections and acquiring resources. This value far surpasses that of a few magical artifacts or talismans.

not to mention……

He secretly glanced at Su Qingxue's gentle profile.

Learning from such a beautiful and kind fairy teacher would surely improve your mood, wouldn't it?

Seeing this, Su Qingxue smiled gently: "Alright, alright, from today onwards, you will be my personal disciple, Su Qingxue's disciple."

Li Mengze also smiled.

After experiencing a close call with an "accident," not only was a potential threat eliminated, but a blessing in disguise was also found: the fairy teacher was accepted as a disciple ahead of schedule, thus beginning the path of alchemy.

This deal is a guaranteed steal!
(End of this chapter)