I have a panel that reduces proficiency.

Chapter 65 The Dao of Heaven and Earth is Stained

[Yuanyun Technique Proficiency - 1]

【————】

[Yuanyun Technique Proficiency - 1]

Upon his promotion, Fang Shi did nothing.

The skill level that had just increased began to drop continuously.

It was exactly the same as the previous Minor Concealment Technique.

Not only that—

[Proficiency level of protective charm - 1]

[Purification Talisman Proficiency - 1]

【————】

[Lying Down and Returning to Roots Proficiency - 1]

All other skills were also decreasing, but one skill remained completely unchanged.

That was the Minor Concealment Technique that used to suddenly drop from time to time.

[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency +1]

[Minor Concealment Technique (Proficient): 183/200]

Since Wanxia broke through to the proficient level of the Lesser Concealing Breath Technique half a year ago, and then practiced diligently for several days, Fang Shi seemed to have caught a favorable wind.

Even without practicing, his proficiency with the Minor Concealment Technique would increase every now and then.

Wherever the sunset went, he followed.

That's really strange—

"Have you finished your cultivation?"

Xuanzhu's voice came from below.

Six months have passed, and it's deep winter again.

Outside, snow was falling heavily; inside, the stove warmed the house.

Xuanzhu lay listlessly against Fang Shi's thigh, her Taoist robe wrapped tightly around her. Her delicate, porcelain-like face rested on his lap, her eyes closed, looking just like a cat nestled by a warm stove.

Fang Shi glanced down at her and said, "Now you don't even act anymore, you just like to roll over here by yourself."

"nonsense."

Xuanzhu spoke in a lazy tone, and even her rebuttals seemed weak.

"I'm just worried you'll freeze to death. Didn't you see how heavy the snow is outside? With your meager cultivation, you can't even withstand the heat or cold. I'm condescending to warm your legs, and instead of being grateful, you're complaining about everything."

Fang Shi said, "Yes, yes, so when you came over last summer, were you also worried I'd die of heat?"

Xuanzhu opened one eye, glared at him, then closed it again, saying, "Summer is summer, and winter is winter. Summer is to prevent you from being blinded by your obsessions, and winter is to prevent you from freezing to death. I, the Heavenly Venerable, have put in a lot of effort, but you don't understand at all."

Fang Shi said, "Is it because your cultivation level has dropped to the point where you can't take it anymore?"

Xuanzhu suddenly opened her eyes, her clear gaze fixed on Fang Shi.

"You were already powerless in Luofu Mountain outside. Once you enter the core of obsession, do you think you can still maintain it?"

I'm afraid the decline will be even more severe than it was outside. You previously said that the Dao of Heaven and Earth are different, but not different in cultivation, which isn't entirely false, but you missed a point.

"The Dao of Heaven and Earth is omnipresent; even without cultivation, one cannot escape it. With each passing day, one's cultivation level will diminish."

""

"If you rely on me, can you slow down this drain? You say you're sharing your immortal energy to protect your spiritual platform, but actually it's the other way around; I'm the one protecting you."

"You are, after all, a senior master, the Supreme Heavenly Venerable Taiwei Xuanqing of the Great Luo Heaven. Even if your cultivation has been suppressed and you have become no different from a mortal, you shouldn't be so close to a lowly cultivator like me. What 'condescending to your rank' and 'afraid I'll freeze to death'? You're just afraid your cultivation will continue to decline, aren't you?"

Xuanzhu stared into Fang Shi's pupils and said, "You actually managed to notice. I thought you had long been corrupted by the Dao here and couldn't distinguish right from wrong. Well—in the past year, your aura has not only not been suppressed, but has been gradually improving. Everything you have done and comprehended is the righteous path, without the slightest deviation. Indeed, as the divination said, you are the key to survival."

After speaking, a struggle flashed in her eyes, and she said, "However, you've misunderstood something. What fear of a decline in cultivation, what condescension—this Heavenly Venerable fears neither, nor deigns to do such things. It's this damned world—it makes this Heavenly Venerable instinctively drawn to you. Instinct, do you understand? Like plants turning towards the sun, water flowing downhill, this dignified Great Heavenly Venerable has been manipulated into this state by this tiny place, damn it!"

Fang Shi was startled.

His panel could distinguish between correct and incorrect cultivation techniques, but he never expected that there was such a reason behind Xuanzhu's repeated closeness to him.

The struggle in Xuanzhu's eyes lasted only a moment before she regained her arrogance and said, "Since you know it's an instinct to protect you, I, the Heavenly Venerable, will be frank and say that you are protecting me. Very well, I, the Heavenly Venerable, will condescend to allow you to continue protecting me. This is not me begging you; it's you who said you were protecting me. I am merely going along with the flow and giving you a huge favor."

"Anyone else would be delusional to even touch a hem of my robe. But you, you've received a year's worth of my celestial body's nourishment for nothing, and you still complain about being hot, cold, and demanding that I come closer. From now on, if I want to be near you, you'll obediently accept it. This is your blessing, understand?"

Fang Shi felt an indescribable strangeness welling up inside him.

What kind of blessed land is this? Even the dignified deputy abbot of the Sanpan Temple can't withstand it.

He suddenly thought of something.

If they really leave this blessed land and Xuanzhu returns to normal—at that time, when she remembers how she rolled on him every day, hugged his arm, and rested her head on his lap for the past year—what will she do?

Fang Shi glanced at the small face on his lap, which had closed its eyes lazily again, and inexplicably felt a chill on the back of his neck.

This great celestial being possessed unparalleled mastery of divination.

Once the divination is performed, the location is immediately revealed. He wants to run away, but he probably hasn't even decided which direction to run to before the other party has already calculated it.

"Brother, senior, what are you doing?"

A crisp, clear voice came from the doorway.

The door was pushed open at some point, and a cold wind carrying fine snow rushed in, causing the flames in the stove to flicker.

Fang Shi looked up and saw Wanxia standing at the door, one hand still resting on the door panel.

She had just returned from outside, with a few unmelted snowflakes on her shoulders.

The light blue Taoist robe he was wearing was slightly lifted by the wind, revealing the tightly cinched belt around his waist.

Six months later, her delicate, pretty face became even more exquisite.

She had a straight and delicate nose, a pointed chin, and a pair of round eyes that were like two black pebbles on the riverbank, so clear that they could reflect a person's image.

At this moment, however, the expression on that small face was furrowed, her gaze fixed on Xuanzhu's position pressed against Fang Shi's leg, her face even colder than the snow outside.

"She's cold, so she's just coming over to warm up."

Xuanzhu didn't refute, but buried her face further into Fang Shi's knees and made a muffled "hmm" sound, like a cat being stroked.

The sunset crossed the threshold, then closed the door behind it, keeping the wind and snow that had been blowing in back out.

"But I clearly remember that when my brother and senior came to our house last winter, my sister asked you if you wanted a charcoal brazier, and you all said no. At that time, the senior was barefoot in the snow, without even shaking off the snow."

"Yes, look, her feet are still bare."

Fang Shi spoke without changing his expression, reaching out to the side and grasping Xuan Zhu's bare foot, which was peeking out from under the hem of her Taoist robe.

They were cool to the touch, and the five dark toenails gleamed faintly in the firelight of the heater, like five black jade beads inlaid on white porcelain.

He gently squeezed it and said, "It's ice-cold, there's nothing I can do about it."

Xuanzhu's leg tensed almost imperceptibly as he pinched her foot, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she buried her face deeper into his knee and let out a very soft groan, whether it was dissatisfaction or tacit consent, it was hard to tell.

Fang Shi thought to himself: What does it matter if she gets out? At least Xuan Zhu's attitude is friendly for now. After that scare, her reaction was even softer than usual. That's good. At least I don't have to worry about her causing any trouble here—hopefully.

"elder brother."

The evening glow witnessed this scene, and a hint of undisguised displeasure appeared on her exquisitely beautiful face. She said, "If you continue like this, your sister will be unhappy when she finds out after returning from the Jade Cloud Palace."

Fang Shi remained calm, looking at Wanxia's tightly stern face, and said, "If your sister is unhappy, she will naturally come and tell me. But why are you inexplicably unhappy here? If you act like this, your brother will also get angry. Do you want your brother to be angry?"

Wanxia's expression froze, and a hint of panic suddenly appeared on her usually stern and indifferent face.

Her voice softened instinctively, the accusatory tone from before completely dissipating, and she said, "No—"

No, brother, don't be angry. I—I was just saying it casually, I didn't mean to upset you.

"Alright then, come here."

The sunset obediently walked up to him and lowered her head.

Fang Shi reached out and touched her head, his fingertips running through the strands of hair tied up in a bun, gently rubbing the hair on her head.

After entering the outer sect of Mount Luofu, she no longer wore her old pigtails, but instead used a plain wooden hairpin to tie her long hair into a simple Taoist bun, which made her look somewhat like a young cultivator.

"How was your day at Wangxia Foreign Languages ​​School?"

"Today, Uncle Sun taught me the Southern Frontier chapter of the 'Collection of Herbs,' and I learned about several kinds of unique spiritual herbs from that region. After class, I went with a few senior brothers to patrol the medicinal fields in the back mountain. Along the way, I removed a few weeds that were almost becoming spirits and also received patrol spirit stones issued by the sect."

"My elder sister is still cultivating at the Jade Cloud Palace. Today she sent me a letter saying that she has begun to study the 'True Explanation of Heavenly One Response and Transformation of True Water.' This technique is as difficult as ascending to heaven, but I did not expect that she would have grasped the basics in just half a year."

Fang Shi remained silent for a moment.

Six months ago, during the Luofu Mountain disciple assessment, with his and Xuanzhu's secret help, both Chaolu and Wanxia successfully passed.

No one expected that in that test, Chaolu was found to have a hidden water-type single spiritual root, and was immediately noticed by the elders of Yuxiao Dao Palace, rising to prominence in one step.

The evening glow test revealed that he still possessed the three spiritual roots of water, fire, and metal, indicating mediocre talent. He was only admitted to the outer sect and assigned to the Wangxia Outer Courtyard.

Even so, this little girl has never slacked off in the past six months. She cultivates every day without fail, and in addition to completing the sect's tasks, she also follows her senior brothers and sisters to patrol and collect herbs, never complaining.

"Actually, you don't need to do those menial tasks. Your sister is now a true disciple of Mount Luofu. Although you are still in the outer sect, it's only a matter of time before you are brought into the inner sect. You're just going through the motions now. Just focus on your cultivation."

"I want to enter the inner sect through my own abilities."

"But one "6"

"My sister has a single spiritual root, while I have three. My sister is destined to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, but if I can only enter the inner sect because of her, what will happen after I get there? Can my sister overcome the Foundation Establishment hurdle for me? I know my sister will help me and protect me. But my sister's path is hers, and I can't walk her path forever. I want to rely on myself more. When my sister reaches the Foundation Establishment stage in the future, I can stand proudly beside her."

A sense of helplessness flashed through Fang Shi's mind.

This little girl, she clearly has an easy way out but chooses to take the difficult path herself; she's just asking for trouble.

But when he lowered his head, he met the clear, unwavering eyes of the sunset. There was not a trace of grievance or wavering in them, only a pure and unyielding stubbornness.

He suddenly realized that his previous thoughts were too worldly.

Instead of protecting a child who is so earnestly moving forward, you try to stifle her spirit with the calculations of the adult world.

"What my brother said just now was incorrect."

He withdrew his hand, his tone softening, and said, "If you want to rely on yourself, this path is much harder than relying on others. But if you want to walk it, your brother will walk with you."

Upon hearing this, Wanxia smiled and said, "It's okay, brother. I know you're doing this for my own good."

But this is the path I want to take, and I'm determined to try it no matter what.

"Well said."

Xuanzhu's voice suddenly rang out from below.

She had opened her eyes at some point, still lazily resting her head on Fang Shi's lap, but her tone was very serious.

"Foundation Building, Foundation Building forges the foundation for immortality. Magical power and physical body are secondary. The most important thing is that unbreakable Dao heart. Only when the Dao heart is strong enough can the spiritual platform truly manifest in the world through the spiritual sea. Therefore, no one can take the Foundation Building test for you; you must ultimately overcome it yourself. Sister Wanxia, ​​since you have this ambition, then go for Foundation Building. Your sister has her path, and you have yours—who says that those with three spiritual roots cannot achieve Foundation Building?"

Evening Glow nodded vigorously and said, "Senior, thank you for agreeing with my idea. When I reach Foundation Establishment, I will invite you to be the first to attend my ceremony!"

Fang Shi deliberately put on a stern face and said, "Then we won't invite my brother?"

Evening Glow quickly grabbed his sleeve and said anxiously, "Brother will definitely come! But it's not an invitation—brother is family, family doesn't need an invitation, he should be here anyway."

Before Fang Shi could speak, Xuan Zhu slightly lifted her head from his lap and said, "Oh? He's family, but I'm not? I've guided you through your troubles this past year, casting countless divinations, and even drawing the directions for you to gather herbs—how can you still be inferior to this idle person who spends all day meditating and cultivating?"

Sunset blinked her dark, pebble-like eyes and said, "Senior is senior, and brother is brother. Senior has helped me a lot, and I respect senior very much. But brother—brother is different."

"What's different?"

"It's just different."

"You little rascal, you stop halfway through your sentence."

Just as Xuanzhu was about to press further, Fang Shi reached out and gently pressed her shoulder, pulling her back onto his lap, and said, "Alright, ignore her, let her keep making trouble."

Seeing that Xuanzhu had calmed down, Wanxia suddenly remembered something and said, "By the way, brother, I have something to tell you. In a few days, I plan to go with some senior brothers and sisters to a ruin to collect herbs. The place is called something like the Five Yin Cave."

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