33: Chapter 33 Adverse Effects of Poisonous Miasma

"How can you conclude that I have an impure body?"

Senior Brother Shao Junwei mocked, "Have you forgotten? You are a Bug Catcher from Dawu Mountain. You have lived in poisonous miasma since childhood and regularly consume various medicines to counteract it. Your body has accumulated too many toxins; it is impossible for you to learn any Cultivation Technique!"

Xia Shaoxin was shocked, "Is there any basis for what you say?"

Senior Brother Shao Junwei looked cold, "Believe it or not, I don't have time to explain it to you."

After speaking, he turned and left.

Xia Shaoxin hurriedly chased after him, blocked his path, cupped his hands forward, and bowed deeply, "Senior Brother Shao, I know you are kind-hearted and not here to mock me. Please, I ask for your guidance."

Senior Brother Shao Junwei stopped and advised, "You are not suited to Cultivate. There is no future for you at the Chiyan Sect. Cultivating is not at all what you imagine. You don't understand anything. It would be better to take the money you have, leave the Chiyan Sect, and you can still live a good life among Mortals."

Xia Shaoxin replied, "Senior Brother Shao, I truly don't understand many things because I was born a slave. My ancestors have been trapped in Dawu Mountain for generations, and this is my first time leaving my hometown."

Senior Brother Shao Junwei looked on coldly, without a hint of sympathy, "There are many miserable people in the world, and plenty who are worse off than you. What is the point of saying these things?"

"I don't know about others, but I absolutely refuse to live that kind of life, to be a slave forever. What crime have I committed!" Xia Shaoxin said excitedly, his voice rising.

"It doesn't matter if Senior Brother Shao doesn't think highly of me; I will definitely learn the Cultivation Technique on the stone tablet!"

After speaking, he turned and walked away, resolutely returning to the stone tablet.

The words on the stone tablet had disappeared. He took out his token again and kowtowed a few more times, and the characters reappeared.

Senior Brother Shao Junwei shook his head and sighed, "This person's determination to Cultivate is very firm, but unfortunately, the matter of Cultivation is not something that can be achieved by determination alone."

After a while, a thud was heard as Xia Shaoxin fell to the ground and fell fast asleep.

"It is nothing but a delusion," Senior Brother Shao Junwei said silently, then turned and left.

Xia Shaoxin woke up in the middle of the night.

People were coming and going constantly in front of and behind the main hall of the Chiyan Sect, but no one woke him up; everyone was used to it.

The newly recruited outer Sect acolytes this year came here to comprehend at the hour of the rabbit and left before the hour of the dragon.

At that time, Xia Shaoxin was busy doing chores with Nangong Yi and the others and could not mix with the new outer Sect Disciples.

The Yangyan Circulation Technique was only an Introductory Cultivation Method. After more than ten days, the new outer Sect Disciples had long since comprehended it, so only Xia Shaoxin was left here.

He had not eaten dinner and did not want to return to his room to sleep, continuing to study in front of the stone tablet.

When he woke up, he would read. After reading a few sentences, he would get sleepy. This cycle repeated three times in one night. When dawn came, he forced himself to return and continue fulfilling his duties as a Utility Disciple.

After three days of this, it was a tremendous torture both physically and mentally.

Xia Shaoxin did not fear this kind of hardship; what he feared was truly having no hope.

When he was at Dawu Mountain, his plan for his future life was to join a Sect to Cultivate. He had never thought about finding a place, buying land, and taking a wife.

His persistent behavior was seen by the Disciples of Xueyan Cliff.

Everyone said that a paying Utility Disciple had come to the Utility Courtyard, someone very crazy and very persistent.

No one thought highly of him.

It was just learning an Introductory Cultivation Method; either you could do it, or you couldn't.

The Seniors of the Sect had carved the Cultivation Technique onto a dozen tablets and scattered them within the Sect; this was actually a means to test innate Aptitude.

An acolyte who could make five sky sound bells ring could finish learning the Cultivation Technique on the stone tablet that very day and could Cultivate on their own within three days.

With the help of the jade bamboo spirit leaf, they would surely succeed in refining Qi within a year.

If one could not even understand the stone tablet, it meant they had no affinity with the Chiyan Sect, so what was the use of working hard day and night?

However, the people of the Chiyan Sect had seen many Disciples like Xia Shaoxin and couldn't be bothered to pay attention.

Perhaps it would be better for him if that delusion in his heart were completely shattered.

After finishing his work that day, Xia Shaoxin was about to go to the mountain as usual, but Nangong Yi reached out and blocked the door.

"Are you made of iron? You work day and night. It would be better if you went to work for someone else!"

Xia Shaoxin smiled and said, "Actually, when I get tired of looking at the stone tablet, I fall asleep. It doesn't affect anything."

Nangong Yi's face was as dark as the sky at that moment, "You are affecting us!"

Xia Shaoxin hurriedly said, "I still work with you guys during the day; I haven't delayed anything."

A roar rang out in the dormitory: "You are affecting our mood!"

"What does that mean?" Xia Shaoxin was astonished.

Nangong Yi snorted, "The Elder told us that the Dao of Cultivation requires a calm and peaceful mind. You are so crazy that you make us inexplicably nervous."

Xia Shaoxin did not accept this accusation and said in a deep voice, "You Cultivate yours, and I study mine. We aren't even together; how can I make you nervous?"

Nangong Yi said, "You are more desperate to learn a Cultivation Technique than we are. Doesn't such a state make people nervous?"

"You have all learned the Cultivation Technique, and I haven't yet. Is it wrong to spend more time learning it?"

"Now, when I Cultivate, whenever I think of you, I always blame myself. If I had been this desperate back then, I would have already refined Qi."

Xia Shaoxin cried out strangely, "Then you can be desperate now too!"

"I am already over twenty years old. Is there any use in being desperate now?"

Xia Shaoxin was even more confused, "Since it's useless, why stay here and waste your family's money?"

Several figures suddenly flew over from the dormitory beds and pinned Xia Shaoxin down.

"How dare you expose my sore spot?"

"Shut up! You are not allowed to say that!"

Nangong Yi hurriedly stopped them, "Don't do anything. Violating the rules will benefit no one."

Those few people calmed down and returned to their beds indignantly.

Xia Shaoxin finally understood that it was his excessive diligence that had aroused public anger.

Scanning the room, these nine roommates included six who had stepped down from being formal outer Sect Disciples to become free Utility Disciples, and they would have to leave at twenty-five.

Three had stepped down from being probationary Disciples to Utility Disciples and had already spent several thousand taels.

Even if they had originally been wealthy, they were now poor.

Each of them was under immense psychological pressure and could not stand seeing a newcomer who was more diligent than them.

Xia Shaoxin found it hard to understand this mindset. Is it wrong to work hard?

At Dawu Mountain, every time he went into the mountains to collect Poisonous Insects, he had to risk his life.

If he didn't catch enough Poisonous Insects within the short span of a month or so, before the antidote powder ran out, his whole family wouldn't be able to live well for the year.

Fearing trouble, Nangong Yi appeased his fellow Disciples, "Everyone, think about it from the other side. This guy is so desperate, studying day and night, yet he hasn't learned it in over ten days. He simply has no Aptitude for Cultivation."

The crowd seemed enlightened.

That's right, he didn't even pass the sky sound bell formation; he just paid to get in.

Deacon Wang only treated him as a Utility Disciple and never considered him a Disciple!

The more they talked, the more vicious their words became.

Xia Shaoxin frowned tightly but did not argue.

He did not like to make empty boasts.

Having spent over ten days without learning the Introductory Cultivation Method was the truth.

If he couldn't change that reality, arguing with others would only bring humiliation upon himself.

He quietly opened the door and walked out.

"Remember to work tomorrow. There cannot be any mistakes, or I will tell Deacon Wang!" Nangong Yi's voice drifted over coldly.

Xia Shaoxin did not respond.

The night wind was very cold, but not as cold as his roommates' words.