Chapter 112: 110. Shen Qingyi Shows Her Hand (1/2)

110. Shen Qingyi Shows Her Hand (1/2)

Inside the house, the windows and doors were tightly shut.

Chen An, Shen Qingyi, and his group of wives and daughters were all sitting in the main hall.

Inside the house, it was peaceful.

Outside the house, it was a scene of devastation.

The entire alley was covered in Thousand-Eating Insects.

Wherever they went, not a blade of grass remained.

Inside the house, Chen An looked at a transparent glass bottle sitting on the table.

Inside the bottle was a pitch-black insect.

This was a Thousand-Eating Insect he had just risked his life to catch not far from the front of his courtyard.

The insect's mouth was filled with blood-stained fangs, its head bore two lamp-shade-like eyes, its back had thick, jet-black wings, and its legs were covered in sharp spikes; it looked somewhat like a locust from his past life.

The only difference was that this Thousand-Eating Insect was enormous, a full fist in size.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, what exactly is the nature of this Thousand-Eating Insect?"

Chen An observed the Thousand-Eating Insect in the bottle for a moment, then looked up at Shen Qingyi, who was sitting across from him, and asked.

Shen Qingyi explained, "The Thousand-Eating Insect, as the name suggests, is a type of demon insect that eats everything. Whether it is flesh and blood or a spiritual body, as long as it can be eaten, it will be eaten."

"The most terrifying thing about this demon insect is that it reproduces extremely quickly and has incredibly strong adaptability. They often appear in swarms of tens of thousands, and wherever they go, not a blade of grass remains."

"Although these demon insects do not have high cultivation, most being at the Qi Refining stage and a few at the Foundation Establishment stage, their numbers are simply too vast. Even a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage would have to stay behind closed doors upon encountering them; otherwise, the end result would surely be being gnawed down to nothing but a pile of white bones."

Even a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator is helpless against them?

Chen An was shocked, and his expression turned grave.

But soon, his expression softened, and he said with a look of relief, "It's a good thing that when I went to the Qin Clan Firm to get a refund earlier, I bought two home-protection arrays along the way. They can block all living creatures below the Foundation Establishment stage."

"No matter how terrifying the Thousand-Eating Insects outside are, as long as we don't go out, we should be fine."

Song Huaying had been somewhat worried, but now that she heard Chen An say this, she couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief and said, "My husband truly has foresight."

"Alchemist Chen does indeed have foresight."

Shen Qingyi nodded in agreement, then looked at Chen An and asked, "Alchemist Chen, with the Thousand-Eating Insects running rampant outside, I may need to stay at your home for a period of time. Of course, I will pay rent. I wonder if Alchemist Chen would agree?"

Given the current situation outside, where even a powerhouse at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage couldn't step out, Shen Qingyi, who only had Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage cultivation, had no choice but to stay temporarily at Chen An's home.

Although Chen An would certainly agree, she still had to ask out of politeness.

Chen An smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Shen, we are all old acquaintances; talking about rent would be too distant. If you really feel bad about it, then teach me some Dharma Spells. There are many basic Dharma Spells I don't know."

"Then we shall do as Alchemist Chen says."

Shen Qingyi replied with a smile.

She was currently very poor, and Chen An's proposal suited her perfectly.

Seeing that Shen Qingyi was going to stay at the house, Song Huaying happily stepped forward to take her arm and said with a sweet expression, "Sister Shen, come, I'll take you to pick a room and then tidy it up for you."

"I'm troubling you, Ying."

Shen Qingyi was not as reserved as ordinary women; she stood up and followed Song Huaying to pick a room.

Just like that.

Shen Qingyi settled into Chen An's home.

In the blink of an eye.

Time arrived at the next day.

Inside Song Huaying's room.

Chen An gently moved his young wife's slender jade leg off his waist and cast his gaze onto the notification information before him.

【Alchemy Experience +4】x28

【Golden Finger Proficiency +4】x16

"Ying is capable; she has made significant progress."

Chen An looked at the notification information before him with satisfaction, then looked at his young wife beside him, and couldn't help but smile with gratification.

After tucking the quilt back in for his young wife, he quickly got dressed, got out of bed, and washed up, intending to whip up something to eat to pad his stomach before going to the Alchemy Room to learn how to refine the Small Restoration Pill.

When passing through the kitchen, he saw that Gu Xinyue was already busy inside.

"Husband, breakfast will be ready soon. I'll bring it to you in a moment."

Gu Xinyue sensed Chen An at the door, turned her head, and smiled at him.

Her smile was very natural, no longer as cold as it had been in the past.

Chen An was somewhat captivated; without a word, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

"Husband?"

"Come, your husband will feed you breakfast."

About half an incense stick of time later.

【Divine Sense Strength +4】x3

【Golden Finger Proficiency +4】x2

He left the kitchen.

He arrived at the Alchemy Room.

Chen An took a pile of medicinal herbs for refining the Small Restoration Pill out of his Storage Bag and began to learn how to refine the Small Restoration Pill.

Once he started learning, he spent nearly the entire day at it.

He skipped lunch.

He skipped dinner.

Chen An only stood up from in front of the alchemy furnace once his wives and daughter were all asleep; looking at the freshly made Small Restoration Pill in his hand, his face was full of the smile of someone who had tasted the sweetness after enduring bitterness.

He had practiced for an entire day.

It was mentally and physically exhausting.

He had finally learned to refine this Small Restoration Pill!

Starting from today, his future income would at least double.

Chen An calmed his excited mood, and with a thought, he took a Dharma Spell book, "Breath Concealment Technique," out from his system inventory.

He had already learned to refine the Small Restoration Pill.

It was also time to learn the Dharma Spell he had bought back from the Qin Clan Firm.

The Breath Concealment Technique was very simple.

In less than an hour, Chen An had successfully mastered it; it was as easy as pie.

Using the Breath Concealment Technique could not only hide his own cultivation level, but also hide all his aura.

It was an essential Dharma Spell for those who followed the Dao of keeping a low profile.

He left the Alchemy Room.

He came to the bathroom.

Chen An took a comfortable bath, then turned and walked into Gu Xinyue's room to rest.

He had accompanied his little darling wife to sleep last night.

So today, it should be the turn of the "ice cube" concubine.

As for the tsundere concubine, she would have to wait until two months later.

In the blink of an eye,

more than two hours passed.

【Divine Sense strength +4】 x25

【Golden Finger Proficient +4】 x8

Chen An glanced at the notification messages, then looked at Gu Xinyue, who was already lying on her side asleep, and couldn't help but smile to himself: "Times have changed; this ice cube is becoming more and more womanly."

Saying this, he couldn't help but kiss the sleeping Gu Xinyue, then left the room with a look of complete satisfaction.

It was now the middle of the night.

The night was deep and quiet.

It was the perfect time to practice Dharma Spells.

Chen An carried an oil lamp to the main hall and used the lamplight to create a pile of shadows.

Afterwards, he began to diligently study the "Shadow Kill Technique."

The "Shadow Kill Technique" was also bought from the Qin Clan Firm; it was an extremely bizarre Dharma Spell.

Once learned, one could freely leap into the shadows of various living beings.

For example, if a person walked under the sun and a shadow appeared under the sunlight, then even if this person were very far away—a full hundred meters away—the caster could instantly disappear from where they were, and in the next second, emerge from that person's shadow to deliver a fatal blow.

In short, it was a Dharma Spell with excellent ambush capabilities.

Unknowingly.

More than two hours passed.

The sky was beginning to brighten.

Chen An had finally mastered the Shadow Kill Technique, his face full of a gratified smile.

He thought that although his aptitude for cultivation was nothing special, his comprehension was truly high.

No matter what he learned, he could basically master it very quickly.

"Creak—"

The sound of a door opening came from the bedroom area.

Chen An thought it was Gu Xinyue getting up early to make breakfast again, so he stepped toward her room.

He wanted to advise her that since she had been so exhausted last night, she shouldn't get up so early and should sleep a bit more.

When he walked over to look, he discovered it wasn't Gu Xinyue who had woken up and pushed open the door, but Shen Qingyi next door.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, you're up so early."

"I didn't sleep last night; I just finished cultivating and closed my eyes to rest for a moment."

"Fellow Daoist Shen is truly diligent; no wonder you are already a powerhouse at the Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage at this age."

"On the path of cultivation, if one does not advance, one retreats; one cannot afford to not be diligent."

"That is true."

Chen An nodded, then immediately said: "By the way, Fellow Daoist Shen, I have a matter I would like to ask your help with."

"What matter?"

"I would like you to accompany me to test a Dharma Spell I just learned."

"Very well, but I wonder what Dharma Spell Alchemist Chen wishes to test?"

"The Shadow Kill Technique; have you heard of it, Fellow Daoist Shen?"

"I have not."

Shen Qingyi shook her head.

There are millions of cultivation methods and Dharma Spells in the world; unless one has specifically studied them, it is impossible for one person to have heard of them all.

Chen An smiled: "Then that is perfect, I can let Fellow Daoist Shen witness this Dharma Spell."

After speaking, he brought Shen Qingyi to the main hall.

He closed the doors and windows.

Relight the oil lamp.

The entire hall returned to dimness, shrouded by the firelight, creating shadows one after another.

"Alchemist Chen, what are you doing?"

"Creating the conditions to release a Dharma Spell."

"The conditions to release a Dharma Spell?"

Shen Qingyi was somewhat confused, thinking to herself that this Dharma Spell sounded rather useless, as the conditions for releasing it were too restricted.

Chen An moved several meters away from Shen Qingyi and said to her, "Fellow Daoist Shen, I will charge at you and attack you in a moment; use your full strength to block me."

"Alright, I understand."

Shen Qingyi nodded, her sensory perception instantly pushed to the maximum.

Seeing that she was ready, Chen An immediately moved his thoughts and released the Shadow Kill Technique.

Then, in the next second, his entire person instantly vanished into thin air on the spot!

Shen Qingyi's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

Then, before she could react, Chen An had already emerged from the shadow behind her, using his hand as a blade and resting it against her snow-white neck.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, I have finished the test."

As Chen An said this, he took his hand off Shen Qingyi's neck, feeling a surge of excitement in his heart.

This Shadow Kill Technique was even more formidable than he had imagined!

When released in conjunction with the Breath Concealment Technique, he could silently use shadows to teleport behind Shen Qingyi, easily creating an opportunity for a one-hit kill.

"Alchemist Chen, what kind of divine ability or Dharma Spell is this exactly?"

Shen Qingyi's heart could not calm down for a long time; she was shocked by Chen An's Shadow Kill Technique.

Chen An said indifferently, "Shadow Kill Technique."

Shadow Kill Technique?

Shen Qingyi confirmed that she had never heard of it, then asked Chen An, "Alchemist Chen, can you teach me this Dharma Spell?"

"Of course I can."

Chen An smiled and said, "I still have many Dharma Spells to ask Fellow Daoist Shen about in the future, so let me teach Fellow Daoist Shen this time."

Over the next half day.

Under Chen An's guidance, Shen Qingyi quickly learned the Shadow Kill Technique.

However, the results of using it were worlds apart.

When Chen An used the Shadow Kill Technique, he could approach silently and instantly at any time, creating conditions for a kill.

As for Shen Qingyi, her usage was slow and obvious; she was counter-killed by Chen An the moment she poked her head out of the shadow.

Shen Qingyi began to doubt her life, not knowing where exactly she was lacking.

Time flew by.

In the days that followed.

The people in the house did not go out again.

Because the alleyways outside were still being ravaged by the sky-covering Thousand-Eating Insects.

Chen An turned a deaf ear to matters outside his window and focused on cultivating at home.

At the same time, he followed Shen Qingyi to learn Dharma Spells, mastering basic ones such as the Immobilization Technique, Perspective Technique, Diving Technique, and Sound Transmission Technique.

Every time he learned a new Dharma Spell, Chen An would reward Shen Qingyi by giving her a massage.

He would get the Dharma Spells for free.

And he would also take advantage of her.

He was winning big.

This day.

Under Shen Qingyi's patient teaching, Chen An learned another new Dharma Spell—the Myriad Changes Technique.

The name of this Dharma Spell sounded intimidating, like the Seventy-Two Transformations in Journey to the West.

But judging by its effects, it was actually just a disguise technique from martial arts novels.

It could only be said that it was somewhat useful, but not very effective.

If he encountered a cultivator of a higher level, his true appearance would be recognized at a single glance.

In the dead of night.

After his wives and daughters were all fast asleep.

Chen An came to Shen Qingyi's room as usual.

He was there to give her a massage.

As a reward for learning Dharma Spells during the day.

Feeling Chen An's hands pressing further and further upward, Shen Qingyi hesitated for a moment, but finally asked:

"Alchemist Chen, I have a question I have always wanted to ask you."

"Please ask, Fellow Daoist Shen."

"Are you... lusting after my body?"

Shen Qingyi bit her lips, her tone lacking its usual calmness.

Upon hearing her words, Chen An's hand movements froze instantly.

PS: Setting out the bowl, begging for monthly tickets and recommendation tickets!