Just as Chen Dengming was helping Eldest Miss Lüo refine gu-insects at the Luo Family estate,
within the rogue cultivators' gathering place,
Qian Yuan and Xu Ning were also using their respective connections to inquire about Chen Dengming's situation at the Luo Family.
Among them, Qian Yuan was the most apprehensive, dreading that Chen Dengming might actually strike blind luck and win the favor of Eldest Miss Lüo.
Should that happen, in the event that Lüo Bing truly held a grudge against him, his days certainly would not be very comfortable.
The master he served was one of the third-generation disciples of the Luo Family, and he offered up no small amount of tributes every year.
For minor matters, his master would naturally protect him, but would also undoubtedly take away no small number of benefits.
However, upon hearing that after entering the Luo Family, Eldest Miss Lüo had never even granted Chen Dengming an audience, merely instructing him to get to work, the stone hanging in Qian Yuan's heart slowly settled back down.
It seems that Eldest Miss Lüo only took a fancy to this brat's ability to refine gu-insects, and doesn't hold him in high regard at all. He's purely a tool.
Qian Yuan hummed a tune in a good mood, though he still felt somewhat annoyed.
That's right, for now Chen Dengming posed little threat to him, but neither could he do anything to Chen Dengming. In fact, he could not actively go looking for trouble in the future and even had to sever ties.
After all, the eldest miss had use for this tool. Once she was done using him, she might temporarily cast him aside, but what if one day she thought to use him again and found that someone had gotten rid of the tool? Who would take the blame for the eldest miss's wrath?
Surviving at the bottom of the Cultivation World required wisdom, and Qian Yuan was not purely a brute.
Over at the Golden Character Workshop,
the news Xu Ning had gathered was much the same as Qian Yuan's.
Although the master behind him was not among the third-generation disciples of the Luo Family, he was a family-born servant of a Luo Family manager and held some power in his hands.
For a Cultivation Family, power and status within the family were sometimes determined not necessarily by blood ties, but first and foremost by strength.
Upon learning of Chen Dengming's situation, Xu Ning's mood relaxed just like Qian Yuan's.
This brat was just bluffing me in front of Zanhua Tower earlier. I thought he actually had a really good relationship with Eldest Miss Lüo, but it turns out he's just so-so.
Xu Ning's gaze flickered with cold malice as he looked at the dozen or so packets of gu poison Chen Dengming had handed him to sell, his eyes narrowing.
This fellow Chen acted first and reported later... Bah, he didn't report at all before snatching a mortal right out of my hands! He made me lose face.
I'll have people try selling these little trinkets. If they sell well, and this brat ultimately fails to gain Eldest Miss Lüo's regard—with the two sides merely engaging in a transaction—I'll have my master step forward, directly subjugate him, and make him exclusively refine gu-insects for us to sell!
He was quite ambitious, intending to turn Chen Dengming into a tool as well, working for the Golden Character Workshop. The bulk of the money earned would go into the pockets of the Luo Family master, and a small portion would go into his own pocket.
Of course, outwardly, he would euphemistically call it protecting Chen Dengming, providing him with a safe and quiet environment for refining gu-insects, and ensuring fair and just cooperation.
Otherwise, would it not be very dangerous for a Qi Cultivation Second Level cultivator to earn so much wealth?
If Eldest Miss Lüo wanted to use Chen Dengming, he would present him again.
Anyway, tools could be shared mutually, and it didn't even matter if Eldest Miss Lüo took precedence.
When that time came, if Eldest Miss Lüo learned that someone from her own estate had taken in Chen Dengming, and she could use Chen Dengming at any time while his safety was also guaranteed, what complaints could she possibly have?
Of course, the premise for executing all these plans would be determined by Eldest Miss Lüo's attitude and handling of Chen Dengming after this gu-refining session.
Xu Ning would not recklessly act based on wishful thinking.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, more than a month passed.
At the Luo Family estate, inside the gu-refining courtyard where Chen Dengming stayed,
accompanied by a burst of spiritual might erupting,
with a boom, a scorching fireball abruptly appeared, suspended in mid-air and spinning at high speed, causing the surrounding air to continuously distort.
"Go!"
Chen Dengming casually waved his hand, and the fireball swooped out along a trajectory, suddenly and nimbly turning back just as it was about to fly ten yards away.
At that moment, Chen Dengming pinched hand seals with his right hand, his technique so agile and fierce that it practically formed afterimages.
A wave of spiritual might instantly whipped up his clothing and hair, causing them to flutter.
Another fireball appeared almost instantaneously, darting out to collide mid-air with the returning fireball, producing a thunderous explosion.
It looked like a large firework blooming, with massive fire serpents and scattered spiritual Qi dissipating in all directions.
A wave of heat carrying a violent gale swept outward, blowing back the hair of both Chen Dengming and Xu Wei, who was watching from the side.
"Clap, clap—"
Xu Wei cheered and clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Chen Dengming and said happily, "Big Brother Chen, the hand speed you just used when pinching those seals was practically a series of afterimages. It's too amazing!"
"Cough! It's alright!"
Chen Dengming gave a modest, dry cough, though inwardly he felt quite satisfied.
The hand speed he had just used for the seals was indeed very fast, nearly rivaling the legendary afterimage-brother from his past life who played a certain dancing game.
In reality, however, he had still held back; just a casual move of his had already been shockingly swift.
The nearly instantaneous Great Fireball Technique was the result of his bitter training during this period in between refining gu-insects and cultivating at the Luo Family.
Far away on the drum tower, Lüo Bing and Xi'er watched the scene of Chen Dengming executing the fireball technique from a distance.
Xi'er gave a light snort. "Eldest Miss, what does this fellow Chen take our Luo Family for? He spends every day casting spells in the courtyard, bombing and exploding things. Sometimes I could faintly hear the commotion at night."
Lüo Bing calmly withdrew her gaze and said, "Xi'er, how long did it take you to practice this Great Fireball Technique to the point of instantaneous execution?"
Xi'er was slightly stunned, then awkwardly chuckled and said, "Eldest Miss, I... I practiced for over four months under your supervision back then."
Lüo Bing nodded slightly. "Over four months. When this Chen Dengming first arrived, he had probably just learned this technique. Yet in a little over a month, he has practiced it to a level comparable to yours. This is the result of his bitter training day and night during this period."
"But he..." Xi'er felt somewhat unconvinced.
Lüo Bing shook her head. "Not only is he practicing the Great Fireball Technique, but he is also simultaneously cultivating the Artifact Control Technique and the Golden Spear Technique. Furthermore, he has broken through a realm and is now at the Qi Cultivation Second Level.
In a mere forty days—his natural talent may not be very good, but he is the most diligent person I have ever seen. It's as if someone holds a knife to his neck every day forcing him to practice, with his duties clearly divided; he can truly be called a time management master. What a pity."
"Eldest Miss."
Xi'er was startled, her two dark, watery eyes staring fixedly at Lüo Bing. "You..."
Lüo Bing turned around and said flatly, "I am not saying this to praise or favor this person. Once this gu-refining session ends, he will be made to leave. The resources of the Luo Family cannot be casually made available to outsiders; this time was merely an exception.
I simply hope that you can learn from his diligence.
No matter how hard this person tries, even recklessly forcing an upgrade to his spiritual root using the Life-Damaging Seedling Pulling Technique, they are conflicting dual spirit roots after all. Damaging one's lifespan is a demonic path practice and the losses outweigh the gains; at most, his future will stop at the sixth or seventh layer of Qi Cultivation.
You are different. You possess the aptitude of a Medium-grade Spiritual Root. Once you follow me to the sect shortly, as long as you seize the time to cultivate, Foundation Establishment will not be difficult in the future."
Xi'er felt a warmth in her heart while also relaxing, thinking to herself that the young miss's vision was still high after all; she hadn't truly compared her casually to someone with little lifespan left.
Yet how could she know that back at the Ascension Convention, Lüo Bing had said that even if Chen Dengming possessed a Low-grade Spiritual Root, his future would at most stop at the third or fourth layer of Qi Cultivation? Now, however, she had changed her tune, elevating it to the sixth or seventh layer.
Perhaps even Lüo Bing herself had forgotten, or perhaps she didn't care.
Diligence was indeed an admirable quality, but unfortunately, when a person's lifespan was nearly exhausted, no amount of diligence would ultimately bring any hope of Foundation Establishment.
Chen Dengming knew nothing of Eldest Miss Lüo's evaluation of him.
Even if he knew, he would probably just laugh it off.
He knew his own affairs best, and the secret that his lifespan grew alongside his cultivation was never leaked to the outside world.
Others did not know that practicing martial arts and spells could extend his lifespan; now, not only had his cultivation broken through, but his lifespan had also once again seen substantial growth.
If not for the fact that cultivating the second layer of the Life-Damaging Seedling Pulling Technique required consuming a hundred and eighty years of lifespan—which was truly too damaging to one's longevity—
he could have boldly squandered a hundred and eighty years to defy the heavens, change his fate, and contend for a High-grade Spiritual Root.
The so-called whale drinks without swallowing the sea, while sword Qi already crosses autumn.
He looked calm on the surface, with frost at his temples, cultivating in a low-key manner without fighting fiercely for dominance.
Yet the ambition for longevity and the proud backbone in his heart never fell from the azure clouds.
However, toward Lüo Bing—a powerful female cultivator who knew his background inside and out—although he utilized her influence, he had long since built up his guard against her in his heart.
It was fine for now while the days were short.
If he were to encounter this woman again in a dozen or twenty years, unless his strength far surpassed hers, he must absolutely not cross paths with her. Otherwise, with this woman's intelligence, she would inevitably guess that he harbored a great secret.
When the time came to contend on the immortal path, harboring luxurious hopes of a romantic story about a fairy's favor would be nothing more than wishful thinking. Whether they would be enemies or friends in this cold and ruthless Cultivation World remained unknown...
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