"Why does this panel look so familiar?"
Chen Ye was stunned for quite a while, the more he looked at it, the more familiar it seemed.
Wasn't this the very cheat from the game "Immortal Fall" he used in his past life?
When Chen Ye played games, he generally didn't like using cheats to avoid ruining the gaming experience.
But in this game, it was extremely hard to advance the cultivation technique skills, so he resorted to using a cheat.
As long as he continued to use the skills, he could gain proficiency.
From beginner — Minor Achievement — Great Success — Perfection and beyond, even reaching Perfection allowed for further breakthroughs, leading to qualitative changes.
With this panel, the Five Spiritual Roots that previously held back his development were now his greatest aid.
Because the Five Spiritual Roots meant Chen Ye could cultivate the vast majority of cultivation techniques and magic in the Cultivation Realm!
Chen Ye's hand holding the Jade Saber started to tremble gradually.
The Dark Old Man was shocked: "Brother Chen, say something? Is my Cyan Spirit Grass beyond help?"
Copper coin-sized raindrops pelted down on the eaves, while the aroma of steaming taro drifted from Li Dageng's kitchen.
Smelling it, Chen Ye salivated, licking his lips:
"There's hope, there's hope! I was just thinking about how to deal with this pest."
He pinched the withered leaf with two fingers, the Jade Saber sliced down the veins, and a sesame-sized black insect mixed with bloody water fell into the mud.
His hands were faster than his mind; a twist of the saber tip spun out a blossom.
Effortlessly, he cut out the pest along the Cyan Spirit Grass's root without harming the plant.
On the panel, the skill Disease Removal Saber Technique immediately rose from [150/200] to [170/200].
With the pests dealt with, Chen Ye pressed his finger on the Cyan Spirit Grass's veins, and the gentle Wood Spiritual Qi flowed through the leaf veins, nourishing the grass.
"Sssss—"
The Cyan Luo Grass shuddered violently, and on the back of its leaves surfaced dozens of sesame-sized black dots, the insect eggs curled into balls rolling down.
Chen Ye, quick-eyed and nimble-fingered, hurriedly fished out half a piece of Rhino Horn Incense from his waist pouch, rubbing nail-sized fragments in his palm to create wisps of green smoke: "Go!"
The smoke coiled snake-like around the stalk, and the insect eggs burst one after another, splattering pale green sap.
"It's cured. As usual, just one Spirit Stone will do..."
Chen Ye wiped the Jade Saber on his trouser leg, carefully placing it back into the pouch,
smelling the fresh scent of taro, he shifted the topic,
"It's not easy to come out this time of night, so give me two more taros."
The Dark Old Man hesitated for a moment; Brother Chen usually cared only for himself, spending Spirit Stones on good food and drink, so why was he interested in his taro now?
Without another word, he went to the kitchen, fetching three steaming taros and stuffed them into Chen Ye's arms, causing him to grimace from the heat.
"Take extra for the child, Brother Chen, don't vent on the child, don't be cruel."
The Dark Old Man advised earnestly, then carefully pulled out a piece of Spirit Stone from his pocket to give to Chen Ye.
Chen Ye didn't respond, knowing words were empty at this point.
With the proficiency panel, raising a disciple would be no hard task.
Without caring about the heat, he clutched the taros to his chest.
As he left, the rain was pouring, and he rushed back to the shabby hut, fearing the food would cool since the little girl likely hadn't had a warm meal in days.
It was nearly dark, and the crooked door of the shabby hut creaked in the wind, a faint light escaping through the gap.
His heart tightened as he hurriedly pushed the door open.
Qing Jun was tiptoeing to hang a raincoat on the wooden rack, startled by the noise when Chen Ye pushed the door, dropping the raincoat, which covered her head with straw.
"Your leg's fine now?"
Chen Ye was carrying a steaming bundle, his trousers still dripping water.
Qing Jun hurried to pick up the raincoat from the ground, her fingers pricked by straw drew a line of blood, tears falling down her cheeks.
The room was already clean and tidy, all thanks to the little girl's efforts.
The broken wine jug's pieces were swept into a small pile behind the door, and she had propped up the heavy wooden rack, rearranging fallen items neatly on the shelves.
This girl, she was so sensible...
Chen Ye's heart ached a little, as he took the taros out from his arms.
Qing Jun smelled the aroma, immediately lifting her dirty little face to stare at the taros, swallowing, the bruise on her neck inadvertently moving.
He glanced at the little girl's leg bandages, the bloodstains seeping through, and handed her the largest taro:
"Don't strain your leg, just rest quietly. Eat while it's hot."
Qing Jun held the taro like a hot coal, feeling awkward all over.
She sneaked a glance at Chen Ye, only to see him break his in half and eat it in big bites.
"Grr—"
Her stomach growled, and unable to help herself, she buried her tiny face into the taro to chew.
The warm sweetness slid down her throat.
Her master, he probably still planned to sell her as a Tripod Furnace.
Just like how you fatten a dog to slaughter, fatten a disciple to sell...
With anguish in her heart, the little girl wept as she devoured, deciding to be a well-fed ghost if she had to die!
Chen Ye didn't have the mind to worry about the little girl's thoughts; after finishing the last bite of taro, he began to study the panel.
With just a thought, the panel could appear in his vision, yet it had no interactive function.
It was plain and simple, like an illusion of Chen Ye's mind.
He casually picked up a ceramic bowl filled with rainwater in the corner and washed his face, the cold rainwater, mixed with a muddy taste, slid down into his collar.
The cold made him shiver, clearing his dull mind suddenly.
But the panel remained before his eyes.
"Ah... I really wish this were all an illusion."
Chen Ye thought bitterly, leaning against the damp wall as the rain outside eased, cold wind laden with moisture pouring in through the roof's holes.
The little girl knelt on the straw mat, desperately eating the taro, looking like a reincarnated hungry ghost.
She was pale and emaciated, akin to a skeleton frame, her frail back marked with overlapping welts new and old.
Though she appeared obedient now, not long ago she had tried to poison him, most likely still plotting against him.
Indeed, the previous self deserved death.
But now Chen Ye had become that person.
And Xu Qingjun, she would become a world-destroying demoness in the future.
This girl was definitely going to be a huge problem!
Chen Ye instinctively touched the whip at his waist, the habitual Bone-Scraping Whip still coiled there, its coarse end stained with dried dark brown blood.
Just a flick to wrap it around the little girl's neck, demoness or whatever, she was just a little girl right now...
"Hiccup~"
The little girl ate too quickly, accidentally choking, and drank the murky rainwater from the ground.
Finished, she gave a satisfied hiccup.
After eating, the little girl curled up on the straw mat, her arm pillow under her head, drowsily falling asleep.
"Tap, tap..."
The weather was too cold, and the house leaked wind from all corners. The little bundle on the mat kept shivering, her small frame almost curling into a ball.
"Sigh."
Chen Ye released the Bone-Scraping Whip, stepping on the creaking wooden rack, pulling down the hanging raincoat to plug the leaks.
Straw mixed with mud was pasted on the holes, and the constantly dripping water finally slowed a bit.
He dismantled half of a dry wooden shelf for kindling, snapping his fingers for a long time to finally spark a flame, coaxing it to catch on the firewood with much effort.