Chapter 6, In the Veil of Darkness

There is something off about Junior Brother Fang...

After Sun Guan Shi finished speaking, he patted Fang Yuan's shoulder with a sense of regret and turned to enter the Sutra Hall to assign tasks

At present, you are merely one step behind them; in the future, the gap will only widen. Cultivating Qi at the first level is just the beginning, and this difference is still small. You will understand this better as you progress. Therefore, it is advisable to focus early, so as to spare yourself the exhaustion.

At this moment, he had delved deep into the recesses of the scripture repository, surrounded by towering bookshelves. Even the voices of the several servant disciples from earlier could no longer be heard, as if he had hidden away in a dense forest, completely alone, with not a sound to be heard, quiet as a grave

After diligently practicing for over a month, he still has several key obstacles yet to overcome, and the path to perfection seems distant, yet he has already...

As soon as Fang Yuan heard this sound, he felt a bit overwhelmed, and it was needless to say that Manager Sun had arrived

Fang Yuan, feeling dazed, thought of the difficult problem he was currently facing in his cultivation, and his heart felt somewhat heavy

Fang Yuan fell silent for a moment and also entered the Sutra Repository, but his thoughts were somewhat disordered

As a servant disciple, it is not sufficient to merely fulfill one's own responsibilities. The Servants' Hall often assigns additional tasks, which can be considered temporary assignments. In this regard, Fang Yuan is unlike those servants who have been in the sect for a long time and have become slick; he never slacks off or neglects his work. The tasks assigned to him are always completed promptly and efficiently, which is a significant reason why Manager Sun holds Fang Yuan in high regard.

Fortunately, years of diligent study have enabled Fang Yuan to master a unique skill. On the surface, he engages in conversation with Manager Sun, nodding and responding from time to time, but internally, he is constantly contemplating the essence of the scriptures and reflecting on the path of cultivation, which does not count as a waste of time

"Ha ha, Junior Brother Fang has come again?"

This indeed caused Fang Yuan to feel a slight heaviness in his heart: being able to manipulate withered leaves indicates that he has at least reached the perfected realm of the first layer of Qi training

The treatment of disciples in the Immortal Sect is exceedingly favorable

Manager Sun kept reminding them along the way, while the other servants followed suit, keeping their heads down as they walked forward

Once in the Immortal Hall of Taiyue City, he, whose aptitude was merely ordinary, has now surprisingly attained such a high level of cultivation

After standing in a daze for a while, Fang Yuan finally leaned against the bookshelf and sat down, his expression somewhat desolate

What made Fang Yuan's heart slightly tighten even more was that among those disciples of the immortal sect, he saw a familiar face—none other than his classmate Zhou Qingyue from the Immortal Hall in Taiyue City. Compared to a month ago, Zhou Qingyue's demeanor had changed significantly, already exhibiting some qualities of an immortal sect disciple. What surprised Fang Yuan even more was that he saw Zhou Qingyue smiling while performing a certain technique.

This is a practice for disciples of the celestial gate to control their magical power, manipulating falling leaves to dance gracefully in the palm of their hands

After lunch, come to the Hall of Miscellaneous Affairs to report for duty, and then go to Xiaozhufeng to tidy up the Sutra Repository

A voice sounded from beside him; it was Manager Sun who had come over. Following Fang Yuan's gaze, he guessed his thoughts and couldn't help but let out a sigh, saying: "Are you envious after seeing the progress of the disciples from the Immortal Sect in their cultivation..."

Gradually, not only was his cultivation steadily improving day by day, but his understanding of the practice was also deepening with each passing day

For those who are willing to work hard, these servant disciples will at least show a bit more respect

However, these scrolls and bamboo slips are not as convenient to preserve as jade slips; they require regular cleaning. The scripture hall is spacious, yet it cannot be managed by just one or two people. Each time cleaning and organizing takes considerable effort.

In the blink of an eye, more than a month has passed, and Fang Yuan's life in the Qingyang Sect has also stabilized.

When Fang Yuan arrived in front of the Sutra Repository, he inadvertently turned his head and was momentarily taken aback

The steward sighed bitterly and said, "Cultivation is indeed a path against the heavens, fraught with dangers at every step, like walking on thin ice. A moment's carelessness can lead to going astray in one's practice, resulting in death and the loss of the Dao. True disciples of the immortal sect not only have abundant resources, but also receive guidance from their masters at every stage of their cultivation journey, and even direct assistance to help them overcome difficulties. No matter how diligent you are in your practice, when faced with a problem, you may find yourself stuck, advancing cautiously without making any progress, while they can pass through without any danger or fear. How can you compare such efficiency?"

At this moment, he has completely immersed himself in his own world of cultivation

He was once the top of the Jiazi list, but the news of his rank being revoked due to the Dao Yuan Zhen Jie has spread throughout the immortal sects. The attitudes of the various servants towards him are naturally complex. At first, seeing him diligently practicing every day, even reading while eating, there were quite a few mockeries. However, more than a month has passed, and although there are still some who disdain his diligence, such voices have diminished significantly.

What was in the past is in the past; now that one has taken on menial tasks and still refuses to accept their fate, it is simply seeking unnecessary trouble for oneself

How has your cultivation progressed recently

Because cultivation is not such a simple matter

Hehe, Junior Brother Fang, what are you looking at

It will be even greater in the future

This left Fang Yuan somewhat surprised, and he felt a vague sense of loss in his heart

Alas, dear heavens, are you truly toying with me

After all, he is still a young man. Even if his state of mind is usually calm, there will always be some lingering sense of discontent

It is precisely for this reason that although life in this immortal sect is arduous and monotonous, it makes him feel exceptionally fulfilled

There are many rules at Xiaozhufeng, so you all should be cautious. If you offend the disciples of the Immortal Gate, you will inevitably face a reprimand

He did not know how long he had been silent, and Fang Yuan could not help but laugh at himself.

Over the past month, he has never ceased his diligent practice, not allowing himself a moment of idleness. However, he did not expect to have fallen so far behind his classmates. In comparison, Zhou Qingyue's aptitude is merely average, yet even he has surpassed himself. What about Qi Xiaofeng

I just saw those disciples of the immortal sect, and he seems to be quite envious...

Once filled with ambition, is it truly possible to reclaim one's top position again

In his palm, green mist swirled, and a withered leaf danced up and down, full of vitality

After the roll call, Fang Yuan ascended the wooden kite of Manager Sun along with several other miscellaneous disciples.

For him, this is the first time he has truly felt the changes that fate has brought to him

After half a day of rambling from Manager Sun, Fang Yuan only managed to grasp this little bit of useful information and hurriedly nodded in agreement

Having been here for over a month, Fang Yuan found everything to be quite satisfactory, except for this Manager Sun who was quite a headache. He would often come to Fang Yuan's small room, pulling him into long conversations that would last for several hours. It was only at this point that Fang Yuan realized that Manager Sun's incessant chatter had indeed become notorious within this sect, as the other miscellaneous workers would avoid him, leaving only this newcomer willing to listen to him speak

And it is rare for Sun to have someone like Fang Yuan who can listen to him speak and even respond, which gives him a strong sense of having found a kindred spirit. Although they had only chatted for half an hour in the morning and met again at noon, it already felt like a long time since they last saw each other

During this month, Fang Yuan gradually became familiar with the miscellaneous disciples who were often seen in this immortal sect

This wooden kite is a type of low-grade magical artifact within the realm of immortals, capable of riding the wind for convenient travel through the mountains. However, it is not very sturdy, especially this particular one belonging to Manager Sun, which clearly looks like it is about to fall apart. Once it takes flight, it creaks and groans, which is quite frightening

In the dim light, he clearly saw the four large characters on the paper: Dao Yuan Zhen Jie

In the dining hall, Fang Yuan walked by holding a scroll, and everyone he encountered greeted him with smiles

However, at that moment, he suddenly paused, not throwing the book in his hand away, but instead bringing it back in front of him

Now he is unwilling to do anything, only wanting to empty his mind and not think about anything at all

Where is Lv Xinyao

In just a short month, one's cultivation has been surpassed by others to such an extent; what will the future hold?

Not far away, within a pavilion, several disciples of the celestial sect are engaged in lively conversation, exuding an indescribable confidence and elegance

Is there really no hope

Fang Yuan was indeed somewhat taken aback, staring blankly as he looked up at Manager Sun

While working, Fang Yuan remained silent, mechanically tidying up, his mind constantly recalling the scene of Zhou Qingyue and several others laughing and chatting in that pavilion. He had thought that his state of mind was already quite peaceful, yet now it was in turmoil!

He lazily pulled a book from the nearby bookshelf and was about to throw it far away, as if he intended to strike that invisible yet omnipresent God, who had caused him great suffering, to vent the pent-up frustration in his heart

The gap between this servant and the true disciples of the immortal sect is too great

The other junior disciples also noticed the frustration in Fang Yuan's heart and secretly began to laugh. Having spent a long time in the sect, they had become quite slick in their dealings, unwilling to engage in hard labor. Seeing Fang Yuan's diligence, they simply left all the work to him and sat aside to chat. Fang Yuan, however, did not mind; he merely focused on organizing the books on the shelves, not raising his head, as if he had forgotten everything.

That kind of chaos and frustration shattered the tranquility he had maintained for a month, spiraling out of control

For a moment, he found it difficult to think further.

During the day, I perform the duties assigned to me, and in the evening, I diligently engage in my practice. Occasionally, when I have some leisure time, I carefully read the books that Mr. Zhu has gifted me, thereby supplementing the knowledge of other practices that I had previously neglected in my pursuit of understanding the Dao Yuan Zhen Jie.

Why

He had lost track of time, and only when he began to feel a slight soreness in his arms did he gradually come to a stop

Indeed, if I had a master to guide me, I would not have reached this point without daring to challenge those few critical thresholds

Master Sun patted Fang Yuan's shoulder and sighed: "Junior Brother Fang, I wanted to tell you this when you first entered the sect. I saw your enthusiasm back then and thought it was good for you to have some aspirations. After all, as a person, one must have a goal to strive for in life. For me, I can't get by without a pot of wine and half a pound of pig's head meat at dinner... However, drifting along like this is not a solution. Although I don't want to discourage you, I must share some heartfelt words with you. In our Qingyang Sect, while there is a rule that allows servant disciples to become formal disciples, to my knowledge, no servant has truly succeeded in the past three hundred years..."

Is the gap really this significant

Fang Yuan remained silent for a moment before he could no longer hold back and spoke up

Ah, who wouldn't envy the disciples of the Immortal Gate? He is mainly feeling a bit unwilling. You must know that our junior brother Fang Yuan was once at the top of the Immortal Rankings. It was only because the Daoyuan True Solution was revoked that he fell from the rankings; otherwise, he would be a true inheritor now

Xiaozhufeng is the location of the Sutra Repository of the Qingyang Sect. Nowadays, the cultivation of mental methods is often stored in jade slips, while paper and even bamboo slips are also quite numerous. These are akin to antiques, left in the Sutra Repository, merely serving as a nostalgic thought

Ah, Brother Fang, long time no see, have you made further progress in your cultivation