Chapter 45: Are You Sure This Is Okay?

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Are You Sure This Is Okay?

"The Body Protection Technique shields the body with Spiritual Power, keeping it free from filth."

Inside the bamboo house, having completed his daily cultivation, Liu Chen sat on a chair and examined the paper his master had given him by candlelight.

It was another basic magic skill. If he mastered it, he wouldn’t need to carry an umbrella anymore.

Furthermore, it could prevent his clothes from getting stained with mud. In that sense, it was an essential magic skill for maintaining the ethereal bearing of an immortal.

Liu Chen practiced it for a bit, and after memorizing its principles, he drifted off to sleep to the sound of the rain.

The morning air was very fresh. Liu Chen first completed two rounds of Body Tempering, cleaned himself up, and then walked out of the bamboo house.

After glancing at the scenic bamboo forest, Liu Chen wrapped a wisp of Spiritual Qi around his body before stepping into the yard, leaving a perfectly formed footprint.

Liu Chen looked down at his still impeccably clean shoes and smiled.

[Body Protection Technique Proficiency +1]

He had only taken a few steps before this notification appeared in front of him, making the smile on Liu Chen’s face grow even wider.

After the misty rain, the entire bamboo forest was brimming with vigorous Life Force. The number of weeds was several times greater than usual, but the most rampant of all were the Bamboo Shoots in the forest.

The Bamboo Shoots grew wildly, threatening to take over the entire bamboo forest, but soon, with a flash of a bamboo knife, the finest among them flew up and, guided by Spiritual Power, landed directly in the basket on Liu Chen’s back.

Today’s preparations were quite busy. Besides making breakfast, Liu Chen also had to use the Purification Technique to clean the table and chairs outside the kitchen, then use the Lamp Burning Technique to dry them directly.

During this process, Liu Chen found himself desperately wanting to learn the Clear Wind Technique. He figured that combining the Clear Wind Technique with the Lamp Burning Technique would speed up the drying process, and he could probably even use it to dry clothes on a normal day.

The fragrant aroma of breakfast spread throughout the bamboo forest, causing Ye Linglong and Ji Suyao, who had overslept due to the rainy night, to suddenly open their eyes.

"Looks like we’re late again."

Ye Linglong seemed a little flustered. Ji Suyao rolled her eyes at her. "Senior Brother won’t say anything. What are you panicking for?"

Hearing this, the originally nervous Ye Linglong froze for a moment. Then she went about getting dressed. Judging by recent events, it really didn’t seem to matter, but for some reason, she still felt a little panicked.

After delivering the food to his master and his master’s wife, Liu Chen turned and left. In the bamboo pavilion, Mo Xuan and Bai Qiulan, who were already up, didn’t open the food container. Instead, they stared intently at his departing figure—or more precisely, at how he walked through the mud yet his clothes remained impeccably clean, and at the wisps of Spiritual Power lingering around his body.

"You just have to get used to it."

Mo Xuan was silent for a long time before finally offering this assessment. Liu Chen’s Talent repeatedly shattered his expectations. By now, he felt he had become numb to it.

"That’s true."

Bai Qiulan nodded. Even Mo Xuan felt inferior to Liu Chen’s Talent, so there was no need for her to dwell on it. In fact, even Ji Suyao and Ye Linglong’s talent was a bit better than hers had been.

"Senior Brother, how are you so clean?"

Outside the kitchen, Ji Suyao looked at the spotless Liu Chen in astonishment. She hadn’t even left the Bamboo Garden, yet her shoes were already covered in mud, and now even her dress hadn’t been spared.

"This is the effect of the Body Protection Technique. I’ll teach it to you after we eat."

Liu Chen had no intention of hiding it. His master had passed the magic skill to him specifically so he could pass it on to his two junior sisters. A long time ago, his master would mention it, but now he couldn’t even be bothered, which proved that Liu Chen was doing the right thing.

Liu Chen didn’t think for a moment that his cultivation here could be hidden from his master and his master’s wife. That was impossible. Perhaps it would be possible in a few decades, or even a few centuries, but right now, it was absolutely impossible.

"Senior Brother, are you sure this is all it takes?"

After breakfast, Ji Suyao stared blankly at her senior brother. She had done as he said, but right now, she could barely manage to protect her face, and nowhere else.

Ye Linglong was in the same situation, which meant it wasn’t her problem, but her senior brother’s.

"The Body Protection Technique requires you to cover your entire body with Spiritual Power. The higher your Realm, the more abundant your Spiritual Power, and the easier it is to maintain. The reason for your current situation is likely that you don’t have enough Spiritual Power, or rather, you can’t mobilize enough of it at once."

Liu Chen thought for a moment and roughly understood what was happening. After all, he was at Body Tempering Great Success, while his two junior sisters had only just reached Body Tempering Beginner. This was the most fundamental difference.

"You two can stay here and practice. I’m going to take a walk around the bamboo forest. When I get back, I’ll watch you take the Purple Bamboo Grass."

Seeing that it was about time, Liu Chen gave up on the idea of taking his two junior sisters for a walk in the Bamboo Garden. If they really did a lap, he’d probably come back to find two people caked in mud.

Ji Suyao and Ye Linglong naturally nodded in agreement. Liu Chen strolled leisurely through the bamboo forest, casting the Withering Skill again and again. After reaching Body Tempering Great Success, the number of times Liu Chen could practice ordinary magic skills had likely doubled.

In terms of efficiency, he was also faster. Wilting four or five weeds at once was, one might say, a piece of cake.

Liu Chen also took the opportunity to heal the Cyan Bamboos that had been damaged in last night’s rain with the Recovery Technique.

As he was about to complete his circuit, Liu Chen discovered a mature Purple Bamboo Grass at the base of a Cyan Bamboo.

Compared to other mature Purple Bamboo Grass, this particular stalk looked a bit strange. Liu Chen only needed a glance to understand why.

This was the same Purple Bamboo Grass that Junior Sister Suyao had mistaken for a Purple Cloud Grass and dug up. Later, after Liu Chen’s Recovery Technique had improved, all the other Purple Bamboo Grasses had their former vitality restored, but this one’s medicinal potency had suffered a certain degree of loss.

’I’ll use this one myself later.’

Liu Chen plucked the Purple Bamboo Grass and returned to his Bamboo Garden. After picking up three other undamaged stalks, he went back to the kitchen area.

"After swallowing the Purple Bamboo Grass, just circulate your Cultivation Technique as usual."

Liu Chen placed the two undamaged stalks of Purple Bamboo Grass on the table and looked at his two junior sisters.

There was a hint of anticipation in both their eyes. Liu Chen recalled the taste of the Purple Bamboo Grass and felt they might be disappointed, but since the herb was meant to assist with Body Tempering, it didn’t really matter.

The moment the Purple Bamboo Grass entered her mouth, Ye Linglong’s expression changed slightly; she clearly hadn’t expected this. On the other side, Ji Suyao clamped a hand over her mouth. Seeing this, Liu Chen almost shot to his feet, terrified she was about to spit it right back out.

Fortunately, the worst didn’t happen. The two of them finally swallowed the Purple Bamboo Grass and began to circulate their Cultivation Techniques.

Two streams of Spiritual Sense spread over from the other bamboo grove. Liu Chen knew it was his master and his wife, who were worried. If any accident occurred, the two of them would intervene directly.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly. Once his two junior sisters had initially refined the Spiritual Power of the Purple Bamboo Grass, his master’s and his wife’s Spiritual Sense vanished.

Liu Chen took out the Purple Bamboo Grass that he hadn’t fully restored, consumed it, and began his Body Tempering. According to Liu Chen’s estimate, this stalk of Purple Bamboo Grass only had about eighty percent of its medicinal potency left, so the Proficiency he gained would probably be a little less.