novelapdf Chapter 35 Alchemy
Chapter 35 Alchemy
Fang Shi can create his own skills, and the panel can also be used for trial and error.
He had already learned this lesson when he created the "Great Destiny Technique".
But skills created out of thin air are like castles in the air; every attempt is like throwing stones into the dark to test the waters.
It's the kind of response that doesn't even get a reply.
So those piercing eyes eventually faded away.
Instead, the Lesser Concealment Technique was used.
[Minor Breath Concealment Technique (Beginner): 32/100]
Its level has been fluctuating, and its upper limit has increased by 2 points.
But Fang still felt uneasy.
This is his only means of resisting hallucinations at the moment, and how can 32 points put people at ease?
He glanced at Zhao Hu, who was walking ahead of him.
Zhao Hu's silhouette stretched long in the light of the Mingguang Fu, looking no different from usual.
But Fang Shi knew that the biggest flaw was the inexplicable appearance of "Qi Xueyi" in Zhao Hu's memory.
He couldn't alert the enemy. He had to do what he did last time: disguise himself properly, follow the illusion, and not expose himself. Once he had mastered the Minor Concealment Technique, he could break free in one fell swoop.
Hopefully, the three-pan observation system can detect the anomaly soon.
No, let's not find out.
With the help of the Minor Breath Concealment Technique, Fang Shi should be able to wake up.
The intervention of the Three-Plate View is not a good thing.
The only problem was that he didn't know when he started hallucinating.
The journey back to the tent was fine.
If it were within a spiritual vein, that would be truly terrible.
……
What happened next is nothing worth mentioning.
Fang Shi and Zhao Hu walked for a while and then arrived at the supplies distribution point.
The one in charge was still that young Taoist priest, who was holding a pen in his hand and checking something.
Zhao Hu stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Master Zhang, we've come to collect our rations for today."
The young Taoist glanced at him, then his gaze finally settled on Fang Shi. A smirk played on his lips as he said, "Here we go again? This time, are you picking it up for your wife?"
Fang Shi was taken aback, and before he could speak, Zhao Hu interrupted, "That's right, that's right. Since Sister Qi is here, we should naturally have an extra portion."
The young Taoist snorted, flipped through the booklet, drew two lines with his pen, and said, "Qi Xueyi, Grade A, one share. Take it."
As he spoke, he pulled a cloth bag from under the table and threw it on the table.
Fang Shi took the bag, thinking to himself: Qi Xueyi's share? This illusion is quite complete, even the share...
He couldn't help but glance at the young Taoist priest again, but the priest had already lowered his head and continued working, muttering, "Don't try to fool me anymore, don't play house."
Fang Shi said, "Rest assured, Daoist Master, it won't happen again."
After the two left, Zhao Hu kept muttering, "Brother Fang, you see, I wasn't wrong, was I? Sister Qi's share has been there all along, just waiting for you to come and collect it."
Fang Shi hummed in agreement, offering no rebuttal.
Back in the tent, I saw Qi Xueyi standing in the same spot, idly drawing circles on the ground with her toes.
White socks covered her slender ankles with embroidery, and her toes bobbed up and down like a restless kitten.
Hearing footsteps, she suddenly looked up and saw Fang Shi. Her eyes lit up, and she hurried forward, softly calling out, "My husband is back!"
Fang handed her the cloth bag and said, "This is your food rations. You can cook for yourself."
Qi Xueyi took the cloth bag, untied the rope, and frowned upon seeing it: "Green Sprout Rice? Why is it such cheap rice? It's one thing to not use Azure Cloud Rice, but not even Jade Mushroom Rice?"
Fang Shi had thought she was going to cause trouble and was thinking about how to deal with it when she asked, "This... how do I do it?"
Fang Shi paused for a moment, then said, "Just add water and cook it."
He led Qi Xueyi to a corner of the tent, lifted a piece of coarse cloth in the corner to reveal a black iron pot, a ceramic basin, and other household items underneath.
Fang Shi glanced at her, but before he could say anything...
Qi Xueyi nodded, squatted down, and started working.
She poured the rice into the earthenware basin, scooped out some water, stirred it twice with her hands, then scooped it into the pot, added water, and covered it with the lid.
Although the movements were a bit clumsy, they were still quite skillful.
Zhao Hu, watching from the side, couldn't help but laugh and said, "Brother Fang, look at how your wife washes rice, it's like she's catching fish."
[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency -1]
[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency -1]
……
[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency -1]
Fang Shi ignored him, walked to the stove, pulled out a few pieces of dry firewood from the pile next to him, and prepared to start a fire.
Upon seeing this, Qi Xueyi asked, "Husband, what are you doing?"
Fang Shi said, "Light a fire, otherwise how will we cook?"
Qi Xueyi asked, tilting her head, "Light a fire? Won't that work?"
As she spoke, she stretched out her right hand, put her index and middle fingers together, and flicked them lightly—with a "poof" sound, a wisp of orange-red flame jumped out from her fingertip and landed squarely on the stove.
The flames appeared out of nowhere and suddenly burst into flame.
Qi Xueyi looked at the flickering flames, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and said, "It looks just like refining pills, my husband. I used to light the fire like this when I refined pills."
Zhao Hu chuckled from the side, "Sister-in-law, as expected of someone from a family of alchemists, your skill in lighting this fire is truly clean and efficient."
[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency +1]
[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency +1]
……
[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency +1]
Fang Shi recovered and thought to himself: There's actually such a setting.
He said, "This saves on firewood."
Zhao Hu stood there for a while longer. Seeing that the rice was already cooked, he yawned and said, "Brother Fang, sister-in-law, I'm going to rest now. I still have work to do tomorrow."
Fang Shi said, "Brother Zhao, please do as you please."
Zhao Hu grunted in response and turned to go into his tent.
As night deepened, the light from the talisman still illuminated the entire tent area.
Qi Xueyi squatted in front of the stove, resting her chin on her hand as she watched the flames lick the bottom of the pot. After a while, she asked, "Husband, is there only rice? No meat or vegetables?"
Fang swore, "No. There's only pickled vegetables."
He turned and went into the tent, pulled out a small, dusty jar from the corner, lifted the lid, and found half a jar of pickled radishes inside, emitting a salty and sour smell.
He used chopsticks to pick out a few pieces, placed them on a chipped plate that he had dug out of the ruins, and carried it back to the stove.
Qi Xueyi looked down at the few pickled vegetables, her brows furrowing slightly, but she didn't say anything.
When steam began to rise from the cracks in the pot lid, she lifted the lid and ladled out a bowl of rice.
The rice wasn't cooked very well; I added too much water, and the rice grains were soft and mushy, clumped together, and didn't look very appealing.
A few pickled vegetables were placed on the rim of the bowl, their dark color making the dish seem even more bland.
She brought the bowl to her nose and smelled it, then frowned.
After hesitating for a while, I picked up a mouthful of rice and put it in my mouth.
After chewing a couple of times, his whole face scrunched up.
But I swallowed it anyway.
One bite, two bites, three bites, with the pickled vegetables, and they ate it all up.
Then, Qi Xueyi put down the bowl and cast a dust-avoiding spell.
A faint blue light emanated from her fingertips, brushing over her entire body and washing away the ash from her clothes and the soot from her face, revealing a clean, fair face.
She said, "I'm done eating."
Looking at that clean and tidy face, Fang Shi suddenly had a thought—this girl in the illusion was not difficult to please.
However, when he went to sleep, Fang Shi realized that everything he had thought before was just wishful thinking.
"Stay away from me!"
Fang Shi suddenly shrank back, his back pressed against the tent wall, with nowhere left to retreat.
But Qi Xueyi was like a slippery fish, she slid up his arm and stuck to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him tightly.
Fang Shi could clearly feel the softness of her body, and a faint fragrance wafted from her hair, sweet and sweet, going straight into his nose.
Fang Shi said, "Miss Qi, we are not related, what kind of behavior is this?"
Qi Xueyi raised her head, her eyes sparkling in the darkness, and said with a wronged expression, "Husband, what are you saying? We are husband and wife, it's only natural for husband and wife to sleep together, what's so improper about it?"
Fang vowed, "I am not your husband! I'll say it again, I am not!"
Qi Xueyi blinked, buried her face in his chest, and said in a muffled voice, "It's you. They all said it's you."
Fang swore, "That's nonsense!"
Qi Xueyi said, "Master Zhang said it, Zhao Hu said it, everyone said it, how come you're the only one saying it's not true? Husband, are you ill?"
As she spoke, she freed one hand, reached up to touch his forehead, then withdrew it, muttering to herself, "It's not hot..."
Fang Shi was both amused and exasperated by her series of actions, and said, "Qi Xueyi, listen to me. There is no engagement between us, and we are not childhood sweethearts. This is just a misunderstanding. Let go of me, and let's talk this out."
Qi Xueyi looked up at him, then shook her head and hugged him even tighter.
Fang swore, "You..."
Qi Xueyi said, "I won't let go. If I let go, you'll run away again. Last time you ran away, it took me a long time to catch up with you."
Fang vowed, "I won't run away."
Qi Xueyi said, "You're lying."
Fang swore, "I keep my word."
Qi Xueyi said, "You said you'd be right back last time, but you never came back."
Fang Shi sighed helplessly, wondering to himself: Just how many settings were added to this illusion?
Seeing that he remained silent, Qi Xueyi pressed her face back against his chest and said, "Husband, don't struggle anymore. I'll hold you, and you hold me, and we'll have a good sleep."
Fang vowed, "I'm not sleepy."
Qi Xueyi said, "I'm sleepy."
After saying that, he actually closed his eyes, and his breathing gradually became long and even.
Fang Shi looked down at the quiet little face in his arms and tried to move his body. Qi Xueyi, like a startled kitten, snorted in dissatisfaction and tightened her arms around him.
He tried to pry her fingers open, one by one. But as soon as he opened one, the other would snap back in place, completely immovable.
Yes, how could a rogue cultivator at the second level of Qi Refining possibly defeat a girl whose cultivation level was far superior to his?
He could only be held tightly by her, unable to move, like a mouse caught in a cat's jaws, struggling in vain.
Fang simply stopped moving.
He leaned against the tent wall, looking up at the brightly lit ceiling illuminated by the talisman, and thought to himself: This illusion is truly bizarre. During the day, she's so obedient when cooking and eating, but at night she's so unreasonable and domineering. If I had known this would happen, I would have preferred to let her go hungry.
But what's the use of thinking about these things?
What else can you do after you've already hugged her?
Fang Shi tried again, saying, "Miss Qi, let me go, I'll go get you a blanket so you don't catch a cold."
Qi Xueyi didn't move, only vaguely replying, "I don't want the blanket, I want my husband."
Fang Shi completely lost his temper.
He sighed deeply, closed his eyes, and resigned himself to his fate.
Oh well, being hugged won't hurt me. It's right to stay away from hallucinations, but if I can't, there's really nothing I can do.
I just hope this little devil won't take his life tonight.
[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency +1]
……
For the next seven days, Qi Xueyi seemed to take root and became deeply involved in Fang Shi's life.
She went to collect her rations, cooked at the stove, and slept in the tent—everything was perfectly natural, as if she had always been there and had never left.
The independent cultivators showed no unusual behavior, the young disciples showed no unusual behavior, and even Steward Zhou De'an showed no unusual behavior.
Qi Xueyi went to work during the day, and she went with her.
Fang Shi walked ahead, and she followed behind, stepping on his shadow, without saying a word, just quietly following along.
Fang Shi initially thought she was just bored and went along for fun.
But when she arrived at the construction site, she found that she actually had work to do.
The young Taoist priest assigned her the same tasks as Fang Shi.
However, Qi Xueyi's cultivation level was far higher; she had already completed the same task long ago.
Fang Shi said, "Can't you go and rest? Why do you have to sit here and watch me?"
Qi Xueyi blinked and said, "Rest is sitting anyway, and so is watching you. You seem happier watching me."
Fang Shi had nothing to say.
The surrounding independent cultivators couldn't help but laugh when they saw this.
"Brother Fang, you're so lucky! Your wife is staring at you like you're a precious treasure."
"That's right. My husband is always scolding me. He's nothing like Sister Qi, who's so considerate and beautiful too."
"Brother Fang, how many years have you been married? You're still so affectionate, it's truly enviable."
This caused Fang Shi's small concealment technique to drop rapidly, almost causing him to find his way out.
Furthermore, Qi Xueyi began to take care of his daily life.
Although Fang Shi could tell that it was clearly her first time doing this and she was not very skilled, since she had taken the initiative, she did everything perfectly thanks to her cultivation.
One morning, Zhao Hu woke up and saw Qi Xueyi cooking at the stove. He walked over to Fang Shi and said, "Brother Fang, to be honest, I envy you. Look at Sister-in-law Qi, she can cultivate arrays and cook. If I weren't trying to break through to the third level of Qi Refining, I would have found someone like her. Even if I couldn't find someone as beautiful, someone as virtuous would be fine too."
Fang Shi remained silent upon hearing this.
The only downside is at night.
During the day, Qi Xueyi is perfect in every way: gentle, obedient, and diligent—a model of a virtuous wife and loving mother.
But at night, she becomes a completely different person, clingy, willful, and unreasonable.
She insisted on sleeping with Fang Shi in her arms, refusing to let go for even a moment.
Fang Shi tried countless methods—secretly moving away while she was asleep, but she would immediately wake up, reach out and pull him back.
He pretended to be angry and scolded her, but she didn't get angry. She just looked at him with a pitiful expression, her eyes reddening.
He even tried using the excuse of "going out to relieve myself," and as soon as he lifted the tent flap, she followed him, saying, "I'm going too."
Fang Shi completely lost his temper.
By the fourth and fifth day, he simply resigned himself to his fate.
Anyway, being held won't cost me anything, and struggling is a waste of energy, so I might as well save my energy.
Strangely enough, after getting used to it, it wasn't so uncomfortable anymore.
The faint fragrance emanating from Qi Xueyi was like a calming herbal scent, and smelling it would quickly put you to sleep.
Her body was soft and pliable, clinging to my side like a docile little animal. Occasionally, she would mutter "husband" in her dreams, like a child who couldn't bear to leave an adult.
Fang thought to himself, "I'll just treat it as hugging a sweet and soft pillow."
[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency +1]
[Minor Breath Concealment Technique (Beginner): 56/100]
……
Time flies by.
The seventh day, afternoon.
Fang Shi put down his pen and straightened his back.
[Spirit Locking Array Proficiency +1]
【Spirit Locking Array (Proficient): 48/100】
Just as he was about to walk towards the distribution point, he saw Qi Xueyi carrying a bowl of rice, gracefully walking towards him.
Today she wore a light blue shirt, her hair was casually tied up with a wooden hairpin, and her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, revealing a section of her fair forearm.
Fang Shi stepped forward, took the bowl and chopsticks, and said, "Aren't you going to eat?"
Qi Xueyi said, "I've already eaten."
Fang Shi said "Oh" and stopped asking questions, then lowered his head to eat his rice.
Today's meal was no different from usual—the rice was soft and sticky, and the pickled vegetables were still those few dark, pickled radishes.
He took a few bites, then suddenly looked up at Qi Xueyi and asked, "May I learn your alchemy techniques?"