Fellow Daoist Entrusts His Child: Immortality Begins with Nurturing a Demoness

Chapter 29 Cultivation Improvement, Uncle Luo Can't Show Favoritism (Seeking monthly votes and to keep reading~)

Three days later, Luo Fanchen took some time to return to his old house and carefully retrieved the Water Dragon Wood, as well as five spirit stones and six spirit dust.

This is the wealth he accumulated through more than ten years of hard work and frugality.

With the spirit stones in hand, he finally had a little more money and began to refine puppets with Qiu Yun's help.

"Uncle Luo, please, please do it again, just once."

In the main hall, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood. Ling Qiuyun hung her head, her pretty face looking miserable, and her little fists lightly punched Uncle Luo's chest in a pitiful manner.

Before them stood a spirit wood puppet that was neither human nor beast, ugly and terrifying.

The puppet was barely up to grade, with an uneven surface covered in burrs. The spiritual patterns on its surface were crooked and ugly, and it exuded a cheap and shoddy feel. Even Qiu Yun, who was frugal, found it hard to bear controlling this body.

"I'm truly sorry I lack talent."

Luo Fanchen sighed softly. He did not dodge Qiu Yun's fierce punches, feeling rather frustrated.

With Qiu Yun's assistance, and by doubling his spiritual power and adding the true essence of Yi Wood, he failed five times in a row, almost wasting a spirit stone, before he finally managed to refine this first-grade low-rank puppet.

I originally intended to give Qiuyun a temporary body to use when receiving guests.

Now it seems that Qiu Yun would be ashamed to even take it out, let alone use it to entertain guests.

"It's alright, Uncle Luo. Nobody's perfect. You're already very skilled at crafting talismans."

Seeing that Uncle Luo was in a bad mood, Qiu Yun smiled and released her fist, then sat up and massaged his forehead, her pretty face full of understanding.

"Uncle Luo, how about I give it a try?"

"Suit yourself, but there's only one piece of material left, so it's good for you to practice."

Luo Fanchen gently shook his head, sat up, gently rubbed Qiuyun's head, and sat cross-legged in front of the locust tree in the courtyard, entering the center of the spirit-gathering array to breathe deeply.

In three days, he had completely refined the spiritual power of the spirit bamboo pulp and the spirit sprout, and his cultivation showed signs of improvement.

The four levels of Qi Refining primarily focus on cleansing and refining the spleen and stomach, involving five main acupoints. Starting from the Mingmen acupoint, the Qi Refining process proceeds through the Zhangmen, Daimai, Wushu, and ends at the Weidao acupoint.

There are six auxiliary acupoints in the middle, which are opened according to the subtlety of the cultivator's qi circulation. Each time a point is opened, half a unit of true essence is added.

His previous longevity techniques could only open one acupoint, but the Lesser Yang Wood Transformation Technique can open all six auxiliary acupoints.

"The Dai Mai acupoint is finally about to open."

Luo Fanchen pursed his lips, took out a Meridian Opening Pill with a hint of heartache, and swallowed it.

He has five Meridian Opening Pills left. These things are scarce, and recently they have been in short supply. He has no connections in Feiyunfang, and if he insists on buying them, each pill will cost nine spirit dust, which is three times the original price.

It seems that a new round of confrontation between the Qinghe Sect and the Yimu Sect is imminent, and he needs to improve his strength as soon as possible.

Luo Fanchen closed his eyes and concentrated, but did not refine the medicinal power.

He maintained the circulation of the Yi Wood True Essence within his body, using the Small Heavenly Circuit method to breathe in and exhale spiritual energy from the spiritual sprout in his liver, accumulating the Yi Wood True Essence.

He sat cross-legged for a long time until dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight fell on his shoulders.

He slowly opened his eyes, watching the sunrise. The spiritual sprout in his liver stirred the true essence of the Yi wood, drawing in the lesser yang qi from all directions into his dantian.

The burning sensation permeates the three meridians, like cooking oil over a raging fire to refine the meridian-opening elixir in the abdomen, strengthening the Lesser Yang Qi, and using the finger-circling method to circulate the liver's spiritual sprout in the Small Heavenly Circuit, nourishing the five internal organs, and transforming into the True Essence of Wood, which then absorbs even more Lesser Yang Qi.

Thus, the spiritual sprout hummed incessantly, and the true essence of the Yi Wood multiplied, endlessly cycling and regenerating.

"call--"

As Luo Fanchen breathed, he could smell the fresh scent of rain and dew.

Within the spiritual sprout, the true essence of the Wood element permeates the lungs and internal organs, yet it does not burden the body, like a gentle spring breeze and nourishing rain.

Once the spiritual sprouts were full, the true essence of Yi wood rose from the liver and went straight into the spleen and stomach, like spring thunder awakening insects, bursting and unstoppable. After breaking through the Zhangmen acupoint, it opened two more auxiliary acupoints, and still had the strength to knock on the gate, causing the Wushu acupoint to tremble and loosen.

"Hmm? The True Essence of Wood is this powerful?"

Luo Fanchen's eyes brightened slightly. The true essence of Yi wood in his body was showing signs of exhaustion, but he still used the balanced and peaceful energy of Shaoyang to slowly pry open the blocked Wushu acupoints like water grinding.

Seizing the opportunity, Luo Fanchen made a quick decision and took another Meridian Opening Pill.

He didn't care whether he could refine the medicinal power or not. If he could break through the Five Pivot Points this time, he could save at least half a year of hard training.

Once the pill entered the abdomen, the medicinal power, which would normally take at least an hour to refine, dissolved in a few breaths with the assistance of the Lesser Yang Qi, transforming entirely into pure spiritual power. This power was then injected into the liver's spiritual sprout and converted into the True Essence of Wood to continue impacting the spleen and stomach.

The five acupoints trembled again, but his five spiritual roots and acupoints were as solid as a fortress. After the initial momentum of the Yi Wood True Essence was lost, it was difficult to open them again.

The five spiritual roots absorb mixed spiritual energy, and over time, the impurities formed by the turbid energy of heaven and earth will block the acupoints, making it at least 30% more difficult to open them.

"I don't believe it anymore!"

Luo Fanchen snorted softly, then swallowed another Meridian Opening Pill and repeated the attack on his acupoints.

By the time he had taken the fifth pill, his hands were empty, and he was so anxious that he almost turned red.

Fortunately, the Shaoyang Wood Transformation Technique was far more exquisite than he had imagined. Through extremely subtle control, it was able to collect the residual spiritual energy that had dissipated in his other organs. This spiritual energy was something he could not access in the past and was almost useless.

Now, all of it has been mobilized by the Shaoyang Wood Transformation Technique, accumulated in the liver, and immediately transformed into Yi Wood True Essence. It burst open the Wushu acupoint in one go, and while the acupoint was trembling, it opened another auxiliary acupoint.

"Wow--"

Luo Fanchen spat out a mouthful of blood, but his face was radiant with excitement.

He has always used a slow and steady approach to opening up acupoints, but this time he directly broke through two main acupoints and three auxiliary acupoints, which felt quite unreal.

Could he really be a hidden genius?
"No, it's the Lesser Yang Wood Transformation Technique. What exactly is this technique?"

Luo Fanchen immediately snapped out of his daze. The degree of blockage in his acupoints was definitely that of a low-grade five-elemental root, with no talent whatsoever.

It is the Lesser Yang Wood Transformation Technique. The way this technique breaks through the acupoints is too ingenious. This method can actually accumulate true essence on its own and control the spiritual power of the whole body with the method of the Great Circulation. It contains the meaning of spring thunder and awakening of insects, and breaks through in one blow.

During his breathing exercises, he had a strange feeling that the technique was leading him to a breakthrough.

When the subtlety is perfected, the concealment of sharpness is moderate and gentle, while the explosive force is like a thunderbolt. This method must be the foundation of Taoism.

His vision was limited; he had never truly seen a Daoist prodigy, and in the past, he could only speculate that the Shaoyang Wood Transformation Technique might be a method passed down from Xuanzhang.

Now he is certain that this is the Xuanzhang lineage, and it ranks among the top in the Daoist sect.

"From now on, I dare not reveal my true energy recklessly."

Luo Fanchen smiled wryly. He was just a rogue cultivator from the countryside, and his previous breakthroughs had been a natural progression. Who knew this method would be so powerful?

He took out the identity token that the jade slip used to transfer power had transformed from his storage bag, and inwardly groaned.

This method is absolutely the foundation of Taoism. If it is leaked to outsiders, we must retrieve it no matter where it is. Perhaps the other party has already set off and is now traversing the Great Wilderness in search of his presence.

"The Luoshen Pavilion is ranked seventh among the Taoist sects, so it's probably not something we can afford to offend."

Luo Fanchen stroked the wooden plaque in his hand, on which the sun, moon, heaven and earth patterns were faintly accompanied by thunder patterns, subtly conforming to the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

Unfortunately, he couldn't recognize the mark. Perhaps some of the higher-ups in the Qinghe Sect or the Jubao Pavilion could? But the risk was too great; he might be tied up and handed over to the other sect to appease their anger.

"It's tough being a lone cultivator. Things have come to this, so we can only take it one step at a time."

Luo Fanchen sighed softly, his gaze lingering on the name printed on the wooden plaque, wishing it were his own name.

Unfortunately, there were only a few scribbled characters, clearly indicating that this was not him.

Later, he began to examine the wooden plaque, trying to glean more clues.

In the end, he actually figured out some of the tricks. First, this thing is indestructible. He used a low-grade magic sword to slash at it and almost broke the sword. Its material is unknown. Perhaps it can be used as a heart-protecting mirror to resist attacks.
Secondly, the wooden plaque was drawn by the true essence of Yi wood and could not be discarded. He tried to throw it into the deep well, but once he activated the true essence of Yi wood, the plaque would be immediately recalled and would not be affected by his own will.

Thirdly, the wooden plaque is unaffected by any energy other than the true essence of Yi wood, and cannot be analyzed by any means within his understanding.

He tried injecting his true essence into the Yi Wood element and could vaguely sense the existence of a magic array inside. He only needed to continuously inject true essence for three breaths to activate the array and emit a location similar to coordinates.

He was nearly scared to death and quickly stopped using his true energy, which brought the wooden plaque back to calm.

For the next seven days, Luo Fanchen devoted himself to preparing for the bandit suppression, refining talismans day and night.

Finally, keep three Bloodthirst Talismans and three Rejuvenation Talismans for later use, and sell the rest for a total of five Spirit Dust, which will be used to purchase Breath Concealing Pills.

After the soul banner's soul power was completely exhausted and the last ghost was consumed, his talisman-making skills also improved considerably.

As a Tier 1 Low-Grade Talisman Maker (150/300), Luo Fanchen has progressed more than halfway through his proficiency. He also plans to return to the present, acquire some other talisman techniques, and begin to try refining Tier 1 Mid-Grade talismans.

After he emerged from seclusion, he had not seen Mo Xue for nearly ten days. The young girl missed him terribly and, disregarding her reserve, took the initiative to seek his guidance on swordsmanship and cultivation.

Inside the courtyard, swords flew like the wind. Luo Fanchen, wielding a wooden sword, clashed with Mo Xue. After dozens of moves, he deftly knocked the sword from the girl's hand, the tip of the sword resting two inches in front of her throat.

"Master Luo won. As expected, I still have a long way to go."

Mo Xue gently brushed her damp hair behind her ear, revealing her glistening, round earlobes.

Her long, slender neck was fair and smooth, glistening with a few drops of fragrant sweat. Undeterred, she casually sheathed her sword, crossed her arms over her chest, pouted, and turned her head away from Luo Fanchen, though her peripheral vision remained fixed on his palm.

They practically have "touch me" written all over their faces.

"Mo Xue doesn't need to give in to me."

Luo Fanchen shook his head with a smile. Mo Xue had extremely high talent in swordsmanship. While he was in seclusion, the girl also successfully comprehended the Gengjin Wufeng Sword.

Gengjin sword intent is swift as the wind, unstoppable yet without form; in swordsmanship alone, he is no match for Moxue.

However, the girl seemed afraid that he would be frustrated, so she would deliberately lose to him at crucial moments.

"I didn't hold back at all, Master Luo, you're just being presumptuous."

Mo Xue lightly nibbled at her lips with her pearly teeth, her waist swaying unconsciously, her gaze fixed on his palm for a long time, feeling a ticklish sensation on her head.

Luo Ye hasn't masturbated to her for ten days!

"Has your cultivation improved recently?"

"How will Master Luo know if there's been any progress if he doesn't try it himself?"

Mo Xue lowered her eyes and murmured, then decided to go all the way and wrapped her two delicate hands around Luo Fanchen's palms, pressing them against her head with an almost forceful pull, and holding the back of his hand firmly.

"Aren't you angry with me anymore?"

Luo Fanchen smiled, while Mo Xue looked embarrassed and sullen, yet couldn't help wanting to be affectionate, which was quite amusing.

Before he could even open his palm, Mo Xue had already tiptoed and pressed her little head against his palm, rubbing and nuzzling it incessantly.

Her jet-black hair flowed through her fingertips, smooth as silk, tickling her and carrying a hint of gardenia fragrance.

"I'm not angry with Master Luo."

Mo Xue narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, her taut oval face relaxed slightly, and she spoke timidly.

"I only blame myself. If it weren't for me, Master Luo would be in a much better position than he is now."

Mo Xue lowered her head and stared at the tips of her shoes, much like a kitten timidly awaiting punishment after breaking a vase.

She always felt somewhat inferior to Master Luo.

The benefits she gave to Master Luo were completely disproportionate to the tolerance, care, and sacrifices he made. She was just constantly leeching off him, and her so-called entry into the Daoist sect was nothing but empty promises.

Qiu Yun can assist Master Luo in his cultivation and wield the Soul Banner to fight enemies; she is merely a burden.

She was always afraid of being disliked by Master Luo, and felt anxious and uneasy.

It's ridiculous. She had long ago made up her mind to protect Master Luo and Qiu Yun, yet she still had to resort to willfulness to gain a sense of security from Master Luo.

"It's me who's dragging Master Luo down."

"Silly girl, these are all my advance investments. You know I have five spiritual roots, right?"

Luo Fanchen's eyes were gentle. He reached out and gently pinched Mo Xue's cheek. His fingertips were slightly damp, indicating that the girl was on the verge of losing a small pearl.

"If you follow the rules and cultivate in a conventional way, you probably won't have the chance to try to establish your foundation in this lifetime."

"You are my only hope for building a foundation, and you are extremely important to me."

Luo Fanchen gently patted the back of Mo Xue's head, pulling her body into his arms.

He vaguely sensed that Mo Xue seemed to be harboring some unresolved issues, which caused her admiration level to rise slowly, remaining at two to this day.

The reason for this is that Mo Xue is sensitive and the unequal status between the two parties leads to her lack of security.

This can only be alleviated gradually as Mo Xue's cultivation level increases. During this period, all he can do is tolerate the girl's stubbornness, which is both charming and adorable.

"Master Luo is lying. Qiu Yun and I have calculated that if Master Luo cultivates normally, he can reach the Qi Refining Perfection stage at the age of seventy-one."

I'm seventy-one years old!

Luo Fanchen was quite fortunate; if he hadn't met Mo Xue and Qiu Yun, he would never have been able to establish his foundation in this lifetime.

He softened his tone and joked, "What, now that I can reach the Qi Refining Perfection stage on my own, Mo Xue won't help me?"

"Hmph! If you take me with you this time when you're refining your soul, Master Luo, I'll help you."

Mo Xue whimpered and buried her face in Luo Fanchen's chest, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him very tightly.

"You won't help if I don't bring it?"

"Of course we'll help!"

Mo Xue gently brushed her nose against Luo Fanchen's clothes, her nose filled with the scent of pine and sandalwood from Luo Ye's body, and her restless heart gradually calmed down.

She tilted her head back, pouted pitifully, and breathed hot and fragrant: "Master Luo, will you take me with you?"

"I'll be heartbroken if I don't see Master Luo for a month."

"I beg you."

The young girl rarely let go of her reserve and spoke softly and coquettishly.

"I've already opened twenty acupoints and am now attempting to break through to the Xuanji point. I can protect myself from the bandits, okay, Master Luo?"

When a tsundere uses direct, cute tactics, it always has unexpected and wonderful effects.

Luo Fanchen felt a ticklish sensation in his heart, and his hands were bound by Mo Xue's soft hands, their fingers interlocked, making it difficult for him to refuse.

However, he had originally planned to have Mo Xue accompany him, and now that Qinghe Sect was not at peace, he was not comfortable letting the girl live alone for a whole month.

Mo Xue is almost at the second level of Qi Refining, so it's a good time for her to go out and train, practice her sword techniques, and break through to the second level.

"Alright, alright, I'll reluctantly take you along, but this is a one-time exception."

"Master Luo is the best!"

Mo Xue's pretty face lit up with joy. She pouted her lips slightly and, taking advantage of Luo Fanchen's momentary lapse in attention, tiptoed and lightly pecked his cheek before running away with a smile.

There was no lust in the girl's eyes; she was charming and adorable. Luo Fanchen lightly touched the lip print and water stain on his left cheek with his fingertips, and was slightly stunned.

"This girl has no manners."

The lip print still seemed to retain warmth, Luo Fanchen muttered a complaint, as the warm, sweet scent of lavender suddenly lingered around his nose.

When he came to his senses, Qiu Yun appeared in her spirit form at some point, and lightly kissed his right cheek with her beautiful red lips, then pulled away after a brief touch.

"Autumn Charm."

"I just helped my sister fill in the parts she missed."

Qiu Yun winked playfully at him, her pretty face slightly flushed, her demeanor tinged with shyness, as she pursed her lips and murmured softly.

"Uncle Luo, you can't show favoritism!"

"Qiuyun, you've gone astray."

Luo Fanchen wiped his cheeks, feeling rather embarrassed.

With her delicate eyebrows arched gracefully, her slender fingers lightly touched her lips, her head tilted slightly, and a single beauty mark adorned her charmingly. She asked, puzzled, "I thought Uncle Luo would like it..."

　Ahem, after yesterday's chapter update, I got 26 monthly tickets. Thank you all, but I still fell out of the new Xianxia (fantasy/martial arts) book category...

　　Two additional chapters (4000 words each) have been added since the book was published.
　　The book's readership has probably dropped recently, and even after testing the waters, the readership hasn't increased much. I'm asking for readership votes—monthly votes and readership are so important during the new book period.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)