I have a panel that reduces proficiency.

Chapter 31 First-Tier Mid-Grade Spiritual Vein

【Small Water Cloud Seal (Proficient): 15/200】

It's not surprising that one can improve proficiency through hallucinations.

After mastering the art of lying down and returning to one's roots, Fang Shi vowed that every night he didn't practice his skills in his dreams.

Hallucinations and dreams are essentially the same.

What truly baffled him was the Lesser Concealing Breath Technique.

[Minor Breath Concealment Technique (Beginner): 23/100]

Not only does he have 23 points of proficiency, but when he woke up just now, he sensed that something was wrong and subconsciously activated the spell, which actually succeeded.

Zhou De'an examined the talisman but found nothing unusual, ultimately concluding that the person's cultivation level was "too low."

Fang Shi knew that he and Zhao Hu were fundamentally different.

He had been infected with turbid energy, but he cleared it away using the Seven Steps of Spirit Invocation.

Perhaps that's why Zhou De'an didn't find anything out.

But returning to the Lesser Concealing Breath Technique, where did it actually come from?

Things in a hallucination?

Could it be true?

Fang Shi had tried to create skills out of thin air.

When he first got the panel, he had some wild ideas and created a skill called "Great Fate Technique". He practiced it over and over again according to the panel's prompts, but all the results were negative and he couldn't get it to be correct no matter what he did.

But the Lesser Concealing Breath Technique is different.

The most bizarre thing is that it can actually practice righteousness.

Could it be that he had incredible luck, and stumbled upon a perfect solution through sheer chance?

Fang swore not to believe it.

Even though those turbid energies can weave illusions according to different people, the illusions are ultimately derived from the memories of the person who has been contaminated.

He had never been exposed to the art of concealing his breath, nor had he even turned a page of the relevant texts. How could he possibly create an effective spell out of thin air in his dream?

This is like asking an illiterate person to write a perfectly rhymed poem.

The probability is so small that it can be ignored.

Unless there is one thing, the turbid air itself contains the knowledge of those small breath-gathering books.

Fang Shi knew that there was something called a "jade slip" in the market—about the size of a palm, made with spiritual energy as ink, inscribed with cultivation techniques, spells, and secrets, which cultivators could read by probing with their divine sense.

Since spiritual energy can store information, then the turbid energy, which is the other side of spiritual energy, can naturally do the same.

The turbid energy that has accumulated deep within the earth's veins for millions of years has swallowed countless ancient relics, so it's not impossible that it might contain information about one or two magical techniques.

Moreover, the Great Wilderness is full of opportunities. Some people find ancient pills, some dig up ancient magical artifacts, and some accidentally enter the caves of ancient cultivators.

He was merely having a hallucination, from which he unleashed a minor spell, which was nothing compared to those legendary adventures.

After calming himself down, Fang Shi continued to practice the Lesser Breath Concealment Technique, following the path he had gleaned from the illusion.

He had been contaminated by turbid air, and the Minor Breath Concealment Technique was just right to hide his aura.

Just as Zhao Hu had worried, Fang Shi also sensed from the atmosphere that something was wrong in the "B" section.

He dared not gamble on what would happen if he were discovered.

……

Meanwhile, Zhou De'an passed through the Jiazi District and headed north along the cracked road.

As you walk further, the scenery on both sides of the road gradually changes.

The ruins and rubble are decreasing, and in their place are complete houses standing side by side.

With its blue bricks and black tiles, neat courtyard walls, and the number "Yi" embedded in the lintel, the Sanpanguan area was quickly rebuilt after the disaster.

The courtyard was quiet; not a sound could be heard, and nothing seemed amiss.

However, the moment Zhou De'an stepped into Zone B, the deathly silence was shattered.

Two figures suddenly appeared on the deserted street directly ahead.

A flying zombie pounced on a middle-aged Taoist priest, its black, hook-like fingernails digging fiercely at his shoulder.

The Taoist priest, with his fifth level of Qi Refining cultivation, used his spiritual shield to block, but was forced to retreat repeatedly.

This flying zombie was far more powerful than the one Fang Shi had encountered in his illusion; each of its attacks stirred up a gust of wind, sending sand and stones flying.

The withered vines on the courtyard wall were uprooted, and the tiles fell down with a clatter.

On the ground, several corpses of rogue cultivators lay scattered about, their faces ashen, their bodies covered in black patterns, and they were long since lifeless.

"Senior Brother Zhou! Help me!"

The Taoist priest Yu Sheng caught sight of Zhou De'an and immediately spoke, his voice changing tone.

Without hesitation, Zhou De'an formed hand seals, and a crimson light emerged from his palms, transforming into a giant fiery python that pounced towards the flying zombie.

The fire python collided with the flying zombie, suddenly tightening its coils. The flames scorched the black body, hissing and spreading a pungent, burnt smell.

Taking advantage of the moment when the flying zombie was entangled, the Taoist priest steadied himself, flipped his hands, and a golden blade of light condensed from his palms.

As the light blade fell, the flying zombie's head snapped off, and black liquid gushed from its neck.

Seeing Fei Jiang collapse, Zhou De'an asked, "Junior Brother Meng, how is the person in Zone B, number 237?"

Meng Yuanliang, panting heavily, said with a wry smile, "It's just as you see it. I've tried my best to suppress it, but I still haven't been able to rid it of the demon. Senior Brother Zhou, why did the temple activate the demonic energy prematurely? Isn't that forcing them to revolt prematurely..."

Zhou De'an interrupted him, saying, "Haven't we already said it? If we don't activate them in advance, and these demons slowly recover their power within the human body before secretly joining forces, the situation will be completely different. Right now, they're fighting individually, and we can defeat them one by one. But if we wait until they become a force to be reckoned with, even if you and I combine our strength, we won't be enough to satisfy their every whim."

Meng Yuanliang said, "I understand that principle. But their premature uprising is putting us under too much pressure. If we could gather everyone together in one place, let their demonic energy merge and coalesce into a single, true demon, and then have the elders kill it with a single blow, wouldn't that solve everything?"

Zhou De'an's expression changed drastically, and he said, "Watch your words! Don't mention such a heinous matter again!"

Meng Yuanliang trembled and said, "Yes, yes... it was Senior Brother, I misspoke. I won't mention it again, I won't mention it again."

Zhou De'an softened his tone and said, "Junior Brother Meng, you must understand that Sanpan Temple is the righteous sect, and its path is not that of the demonic path. Elder Xuanmu used his own power to press down on the earth's veins and quell the changes. He then immediately ordered the sealing off of the four towns and the investigation of each one. His purpose was to nip the root of the problem in the bud before the demon fully awakened. Prematurely arousing the demonic energy was merely to expose it before it could take hold, so that we could eliminate it one by one and defeat it. The elder is compassionate and does not want to sacrifice innocent lives. Have you thought about how many lives this measure can save? And if your words just now were to fall into the ears of others and reach the elder, it would be a capital offense."

Meng Yuanliang lowered his head and said, "Yes, Senior Brother. I was mistaken. Thank you for your guidance."

He looked up again, gazing at other parts of Zone B. "Several courtyards in Zone B are almost out of control due to the rampant demonic energy. Let's go help our fellow disciples. Before it fully takes shape, let's eliminate it first and prevent it from spreading and harming people."

Zhou De'an knew that Meng Yuanliang didn't want to listen to his lecture anymore, so he said, "That's exactly why I came here."

After saying that, he lifted his foot and walked towards another part of the Yi section, with Meng Yuanliang following closely behind.

……

The cultivation of magic cannot be achieved by simply thinking about it.

Thinking about the energy pathways a thousand times in your mind is not as effective as letting the energy actually travel through your meridians.

The magic power can travel through the meridians, but the more one walks, the more tired one becomes.

Just like muscles, once you've done a day's physical labor to earn money, you don't have the extra energy to do strength training.

Cultivation is the same—when the meridians are exhausted, you can only stop and wait for them to slowly recover.

Choosing to make money means lowering one's moral standards.

Once you choose a realm, your magic becomes rusty.

After choosing magic, they couldn't even eat.

But now, Fang Shi is staying in this place designated by the Three Plates Temple. He doesn't have to worry about the grain shed or refine his magic power. He can only sit cross-legged on the dry grass and circulate the Lesser Concealing Breath Technique again and again.

The magical power originated from the perineum, splitting into an extremely fine strand that slowly ascended along the inner side of the coccyx, bypassed the main trunk of the Governing Vessel, and entered the first superficial meridian on the left side.

As soon as he squeezed in, Fang Shi felt the resistance increase sharply—the floating net was so narrow that it was almost non-existent, and a soreness came from his coccyx, as if someone was gently pricking him with a needle.

He endured the soreness and swelling, and without stopping, pushed his magical power forward bit by bit.

After passing Yaoyangguan, the floating veins split into three branches.

Based on his experience with hallucinations, he had already ruled out those wrong directions. After a brief examination, he chose the narrowest one without hesitation.

As soon as the magic entered, it felt immense resistance; every inch forward felt like pushing a cart through sand.

But he knew that this was the right path.

If it is right, then there is no need to hesitate.

He continued along the floating network, passing through the Mingmen, Zhiyang, and Shendao.

Each crucial point is like pushing open a tightly closed door—

This allows the meridians to gradually adapt to the operation of the technique.

Once the divine path was opened, the entire floating network suddenly became clear, and magical power flowed freely within it.

Fang Shi's aura also subsided.

My heartbeat slowed down, my breathing became so shallow it was almost inaudible, and my chest stopped rising and falling.

My body temperature also kept dropping, from warm to slightly cool, and then from slightly cool to ice cold, like a stone left behind in the wilderness.

The faint fluctuations emanating from the magical power within his body were all suppressed deep into his dantian, with not a trace leaking out.

[Minor Concealment Technique Proficiency +1]

……

翌日清晨，天光微亮.

Fang Shi lifted the tent flap, walked to the open ground, and began the Seven Steps of Invoking the Spirit.

Cleanse, settle, shake, guide, step, recite, accept.

The seven steps are interconnected.

As the ritual progresses, spiritual energy rises from the dantian along the Du meridian to the Baihui point, then descends along the Ren meridian back to the dantian.

Then, starting again from the dantian, the spiritual energy mixed with impurities flowed through each place, gently colliding with the meridian walls, gradually crushing the fatigue accumulated during yesterday's arduous practice of the Minor Breath Concealment Technique.

[Seven Steps to Summon Spirits Proficiency +1]

【Seven Steps to Spirit Invocation (Proficient): 37/200】

Just then, the sound of the tent flap being lifted came from behind.

Zhao Hu crawled out of the tent and said, "Brother Fang, didn't you sleep well last night?"

Fang Shi stopped his attack, turned to look at him, and said, "Why do you say that?"

Zhao Hu said, "The Seven Steps of Spirit Invocation have two effects: calming the mind and relieving meridian fatigue. The calming effect is the greatest, while the effect on relieving meridian fatigue is almost non-existent. I can tell you've been performing this ritual so early in the morning that you must be restless and didn't sleep well last night."

Fang Shi said, "Brother Zhao's eyes are sharp. I noticed that you have been cultivating diligently all night. Even in the current environment, you still persevere. I admire your determination and resolve."

Zhao Hu grinned and said, "It's not some kind of Daoist composure or strength, it's just that I'm uneasy and have nothing else to do. That's just how I am, the more flustered I am, the more I want to find something to do—as for cultivation, I've long since left it to fate. It would be best if I could break through, but if I can't, there's no rush. Besides, the spiritual energy here isn't pure, so cultivating here would be twice as difficult and half as effective, just a waste of time."

The two chatted for a while, and the other cultivators around them gradually emerged from their tents.

At this time of day, they would normally be busy drawing and selling talismans, or gathering herbs in the mountains, each preoccupied with their own livelihood.

But now that Qiyuan Town is under lockdown and Panshi Market is closed, coupled with the unfavorable situation, they can only stand outside the tents and discuss the matter.

"How long do you think this lockdown will end? I still have a jar of Biling rice at home that I haven't had a chance to eat yet."

"What's rice? All the fragments of my life's savings are buried under the ruins, and Sanpan Temple won't let us dig them up, saying we have to wait for unified arrangements. By the time they've made those arrangements, my fragments of my life will probably have been dug up by someone else."

"You said it yourself, that I'd come to your house to help with the reconstruction."

"Dream on. I'll dig up my own shattered spirits myself. You don't need to bother."

"It's probably not real."

Fang Shi stood aside, occasionally joining in.

He recognized most of these people—Old Zhou who sold vegetables, Old Sun who collected herbs, and Xiao Chen who helped people watch the stalls in Panshi—they were all familiar faces.

Among them, some had asked him to repair the spirit-locking array, and some had asked others, but none of them had been repaired by Chen Santai.

However, everyone tacitly agreed not to mention it.

As they were talking, someone in the crowd started a conversation: "So, what do you think we'll eat next? Jade Spirit Rice or regular rice? My child needs to cultivate, so he can't eat regular rice. That stuff has no spiritual energy, and eating it for too long will cause his meridians to atrophy."

"Sanpan Temple is so wealthy and powerful, they must be using Jade Spirit Rice, not ordinary rice! Didn't you see the rations they distributed yesterday?"

"Rice is easy to solve, but what about cultivation? What about spiritual energy? The spiritual energy here is impure, with as many impurities as the Great Wilderness. My son has his spring exams in two weeks, and cultivating here alone won't be enough; he'll definitely fall behind."

Upon hearing this, the faces of several independent cultivators with children nearby darkened.

The Spring Examination is a major examination held annually at Songyuan Academy. Students who perform well can have their tuition fees reduced or waived, and may even be recommended to the outer gate of Sanpan Temple.

If the child's cultivation is delayed, his future will be ruined.

As everyone was talking, their voices suddenly lowered, and their gazes all turned in the same direction.

Fang Shi followed the crowd's gaze and saw Zhou De'an walking over from the B-section, his face ashen and his Taoist robe stained with several dark stains.

He walked to the front of the crowd, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and the young Taoist disciple following behind him immediately stepped forward as well.

The young Taoist announced in a loud voice, "Fellow Taoists, listen up! The temple is now recruiting independent cultivators to assist in repairing the buildings and formations in Zone B. Each person will be provided with one pound of green sprout rice per day, as well as a mid-grade first-level spiritual vein suitable for cultivation!"