Chapter 5: The Skin Refinement is Complete (Seeking Readers)

It has been more than half a month since Li Xuan took Xu Yan as his disciple and taught him the fabricated cultivation method.

These past few weeks have been the most comfortable days since Li Xuan's穿越 (穿越 means "穿越" in Chinese, which can be translated as "穿越" in English, but in this context, it means "transmigration" or "reincarnation"). Every day, he has been served by his disciple, without having to cook, feed the chickens, or plant vegetables himself.

Every day, he either sleeps, wanders around the village, or lounges in a chair, living a carefree life.

There is only one leaf left of the Nine-Leaf Primordial Ginseng. It will be finished after today's stew.

Li Xuan sighed, acknowledging that the Nine-Leaf Primordial Ginseng truly is a rare treasure. Its effects are amazing. Over the past half a month, he has clearly felt the changes in his body.

His spirit has improved, his vision has become sharper, his body has become stronger, and his strength has increased.

"Should I stew the thousand-year-old mountain ginseng tomorrow? Isn't it too nourishing?"

Li Xuan lay on the chair, muttering to himself.

"Is the thousand-year-old mountain ginseng different? Should I keep it as a treasure?"

He glanced at Xu Yan, who was practicing with a horse stance, feeling a bit puzzled.

"It's been more than half a month, how can he remain so calm? His steady and composed nature is quite good, but unfortunately, his mind isn't very sharp."

"Still, the steadier his nature, the more beneficial it is for me... It's been more than half a month, and he hasn't made any progress in cultivation, yet he hasn't raised any doubts at all?"

Li Xuan was quite surprised.

"I'll ask him about his doubts during dinner and fulfill my duty as a master."

"I need to think of how to bluff and deceive him."

Li Xuan pondered how to fabricate a reasonable explanation, how to comfort Xu Yan, and how to encourage him to keep going...

...

"I have finally completed the skin refinement!"

While cultivating, Xu Yan felt a surge of energy throughout his body, his skin tightened and then relaxed, and at that moment, he felt a significant improvement.

The skin refinement is complete!

"Master was right; cultivation should not be rushed, and one must balance work and rest."

"Every day, I take time to cook, feed the chickens, plant vegetables, and even catch wild game for extra meals. It seems like my cultivation time has decreased, but with the balance of relaxation and effort, my mental state is completely different, and my cultivation speed has actually become faster and easier!"

"Master's realm is truly too high!"

Xu Yan was amazed.

Master is indeed a reclusive expert; every word and action, even a small hint, has greatly benefited him.

Glancing at Li Xuan lying on the chair, Xu Yan's eyes showed envy and admiration.

"When will I reach Master's realm? He seems ordinary and unremarkable, but this is truly the mark of a great expert.

"Perhaps this is what Master once mentioned, returning to simplicity, approaching the Dao?"

"I must not aim too high. I must be down-to-earth. One day, I will become a strong person like Master!"

Xu Yan was self-motivating and self-encouraging.

"In less than twenty days, I have completed the skin refinement, and I am just one step away from perfection. In at most three to five days, I can complete the skin refinement and start the bone refinement."

"After I complete the skin refinement, I will ask Master about the specifics of bone refinement."

"Master said that ancient prodigies completed the skin refinement in five days. Although I can't match them, completing it in less than a month should still be considered good, right?"

Xu Yan checked the time; it was time to cook.

He finished his cultivation, went to the chicken coop, caught a chicken, and stewed it with the Nine-Leaf Primordial Ginseng.

One leaf of the Nine-Leaf Primordial Ginseng per day, and now only one leaf is left.

While slaughtering the chicken, Xu Yan suddenly had a thought.

"Master said that after completing the skin refinement, ordinary weapons cannot harm one. I should try it. I'll lightly scratch my arm to see."

Xu Yan held the kitchen knife and lightly scratched his arm.

As a cultivator who has completed the skin refinement, he naturally is not an ordinary person, so he did not use his energy or apply much force.

Just the strength of an ordinary person.

The blade passed over his arm, leaving only a shallow white mark, which quickly disappeared!

"Is this the defensive power of the completed skin refinement?"

Xu Yan was extremely excited. Although he did not apply much force, that light scratch could easily gut a chicken, and if an ordinary person were scratched, it would cause a deep wound.

However, it could not leave even a tiny mark on his skin.

"Indeed, as Master said, after the skin refinement, ordinary weapons cannot harm one!"

Xu Yan was even more eager for the bone refinement and the organ refinement to come.

...

"These past few days, you have remained calm and composed, neither arrogant nor impatient. I am very pleased."

Li Xuan carefully said during the meal.

"Master, I understand. I will definitely avoid arrogance and impatience and remain calm and composed!"

Xu Yan respectfully replied.

He was glad that he had not been impatient and had remained calm, leaving a good impression on his master.

"After such a long time of cultivation, Xu Yan seems calm and composed, but he must be anxious inside. I need to comfort him and encourage him to keep going. At this point, I can only continue to deceive him."

Li Xuan muttered to himself and then said, "Cultivation is about persistence, firm will, and steady progress. Being overly eager for quick results is not advisable. Remember this."

"Yes, Master, I will remember your teachings!"

Xu Yan nodded solemnly.

He suddenly realized, "I have completed the skin refinement. Master must be afraid that I will be overly eager and rush into the bone refinement without a solid foundation."

"Even if I achieve perfection in the skin refinement, I must be steady and not be impatient, to avoid giving Master the impression of being hasty."

Xu Yan warned himself not to become arrogant and complacent due to the improvement in his strength.

Li Xuan did not know that Xu Yan had already self-interpreted his words and was even more unaware that Xu Yan had already completed the skin refinement and sensed his energy.

Seeing Xu Yan so obedient, he felt relieved.

"This disciple is a down-to-earth person, just not very smart. If he met someone else, he would probably be deceived and lose everything!"

"Unfortunately, I am not a reclusive expert. Otherwise, taking in such a respectful and understanding disciple would be a comforting thing."

Li Xuan sighed.

He then said, "I know you must have accumulated some questions during your cultivation. I can answer them for you now."

Xu Yan's spirit was lifted, and he showed excitement.

"Master knows I am about to start the bone refinement and must have some questions. Master first warned me not to be impatient and to remain calm, and then answered my questions. This not only calms my anxious heart but also helps me understand the bone refinement."

The more he thought, the more he felt that every word of Master was profound and instructive.

"Master, I have no more questions about the skin refinement. I want to ask about the bone refinement. What are the specifics of infusing energy into the bones and continuously tempering and refining them?"

"To what extent must the bone refinement be completed?"

...

Xu Yan asked about the bone refinement, and Li Xuan was taken aback. He had prepared to bluff about sensing energy and the skin refinement stage, but he did not expect Xu Yan to ask about the bone refinement, for which he had not prepared any fabricated explanations!

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