It was night, inside the woodshed.
Ye Fan sat cross-legged on a straw mat, once again attempting to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
Though forbidden from cultivation, as the personal disciple of Chen Xingcai, he possessed countless exquisite techniques within his mind. Over these five years, he had never given up trying.
"This body is already five years old. The optimal cultivation period is about to begin." Ye Fan examined himself inwardly, calmly analyzing the situation. "The problem is that the people of this world bear great malice toward me."
Cultivation required wealth, companions, method, and land. How could one cultivate when they couldn't even eat their fill?
Even if he wanted to escape and become a rogue cultivator, the disaster had only just subsided, yet danger still lurked everywhere.
He might not even make it past the Ye family estate before some starving wolf dragged him off.
Alas, how difficult!
"It seems I still need to find an opportunity to change the Ye family's minds." Ye Fan was not discouraged. "For now, I'll continue cultivating the introductory technique of the Immortal Spirit Holy Land from my past life."
Ye Fan quietly slipped out of the woodshed and came into the courtyard.
Tonight, the moonlight flowed like water—an excellent time for cultivation.
He followed the method from his memory, assuming the cultivation posture unique to the Pure Sound Pavilion. His mind sank into his sea of consciousness, and his breathing gradually became deep and rhythmic.
A trace of imperceptible moonlight essence was drawn forth, slowly seeping into his body. This process required extremely powerful spiritual control, but for someone who had once cultivated to the Long Life realm like Ye Fan, it was not difficult.
Moreover, his mental cultivation far surpassed that of ordinary people.
Just as he was fully immersed in cultivation, he failed to notice that in the distant darkness, a pair of eyes was watching him.
It was one of the Ye family's Retainer Elders—Daoist Cloud Crane.
This white-haired old Daoist had noticed Ye Fan's uniqueness five years ago and had been observing him in secret ever since.
"How interesting..." Daoist Cloud Crane stroked his beard, a glint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.
"This child clearly has no spiritual root, yet he can channel the power of moonlight essence?"
"And this technique... it has grown increasingly refined over five years. It is by no means ordinary."
The old Daoist did not disturb him. He simply observed in silence for a full hour, until Ye Fan ended his cultivation and returned to the woodshed.
"A disaster star?" Daoist Cloud Crane mused thoughtfully. "Perhaps not..."
The next morning, Ye Fan was roughly awakened by the steward.
"Lazy worm! Still think you're a young master?" The steward tossed him a broom.
"Go sweep the fallen leaves on the back mountain. No food until you're done!"
"These five years, you've done nothing but bring bad luck to the Ye family!"
Ye Fan silently took the broom and headed toward the back mountain. Over these five years, he had performed all manner of chores daily and had long grown accustomed to it.
The back mountain was the Ye family cemetery, and also the place where the meteor had fallen five years ago. Now it had become an enormous crater, surrounded by scorched earth where nothing grew.
Ye Fan arrived at the edge of the crater and sensed the strange energy still lingering within. Over five years, this energy had weakened considerably, but it still remained.
"This is..." His heart stirred suddenly. "The residual energy from the meteor's fall!"
As a visitor from the upper realm, he was especially sensitive to energy that originated from the same source.
Ye Fan carefully surveyed his surroundings, and after confirming no one was nearby, he cautiously slid down to the bottom of the crater.
The deeper he went, the more concentrated the energy became. Upon reaching the crater floor, he could even sense faint blue points of light floating in the air.
"Wonderful! This energy shares the same origin as me—I can absorb it directly!" Ye Fan was overjoyed. Over these five years, he had occasionally sensed this energy, but today it was particularly strong.
He immediately assumed a cultivation posture and began absorbing the residual heavenly energy within the crater. This time, the process was incredibly smooth, far more efficient than his usual moonlight essence cultivation!
In just a quarter of an hour, he felt the compatibility between his primordial spirit and physical body improve significantly—equivalent to months of arduous cultivation for an ordinary person.
"It seems I've turned misfortune into a blessing." Ye Fan smiled faintly. "This crater is actually an excellent cultivation site for me. If that's the case, then the Ye family isn't my only option after all."
Over the following days, Ye Fan would find opportunities to cultivate in the crater every day. While his strength quietly grew, he also began planning for the future.
"Five years have passed. The others who were sent down should have awakened by now. I need to find a way to contact them."
Ye Fan pondered deeply.
"But the most urgent matter right now is to increase my strength as quickly as possible and leave the Ye family."
He knew that his identity as a "disaster star" would only make things increasingly difficult within the Ye family. He had to gain the ability to protect himself as soon as possible, then seek out other resources and opportunities.
What Ye Fan didn't know was that every time he cultivated at the bottom of the crater, a pair of eyes in the distance was watching him silently.
Daoist Cloud Crane was growing more and more curious. This child, whom everyone regarded as a disaster star, not only possessed a strange cultivation method, but his progress over these five years—though slow—had been steady and unwavering.
"The Ye family's outcast... perhaps this is my opportunity..." The old Daoist silently made a decision.
That evening, when Ye Fan finished his cultivation and prepared to return to the woodshed, a figure blocked his path.
Under the moonlight, Daoist Cloud Crane stood with white hair flowing, appearing every bit the immortal. Over five years, this elder seemed unchanged.
"Child, I know your secret." The old Daoist got straight to the point. "I've been observing you these five years."
Ye Fan's heart jolted, but his expression remained calm. "Elder Cloud Crane, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
"No need to hide it." Daoist Cloud Crane smiled. "What you cultivate is not a technique of the Spirit Realm—you are channeling power from beyond the heavens. Such a method is not something an ordinary person could master."
Ye Fan fell silent for a moment, then asked in return, "What does the Elder intend?"
"How about a trade?" Daoist Cloud Crane's eyes gleamed shrewdly. "I provide you with protection and resources. When you achieve something in the future, you help me with one task."
"What task?"
"It's too early to tell you now. You only need to know that this task will bring you no harm, and may even be a great opportunity."
Ye Fan carefully scrutinized the old Daoist.
He could faintly perceive the other's emotions—there was curiosity, there was anticipation, but no malice.
"I can agree, but with two conditions." Ye Fan said coolly. "First, you must never force me to do anything that violates my Dao heart. Second, you must never pry into the origins of my cultivation method."
Daoist Cloud Crane laughed heartily upon hearing this.
"Good! How straightforward! Then it's settled!"
He retrieved a jade slip from his sleeve.
"This is a fragment of a technique I chanced upon in my early years. It may be of use to you."
"I'll come find you again at this time tomorrow."
With that, the old Daoist transformed into a gust of clear wind and vanished.
Ye Fan held the warm jade slip and let his divine consciousness probe slightly inside. His initial dismissive thoughts instantly evaporated.
This was no ordinary divination art—it was an exceedingly profound "Heavenly Mechanism Deduction Art," one that pointed directly toward the laws of fate!
"This Daoist Cloud Crane is no simple figure..." Ye Fan murmured to himself, yet a flame of excitement ignited in his eyes.
With this technique, combined with the heavenly energy in the crater, his cultivation speed would advance by leaps and bounds!
A disaster star? An outcast?
He was not of this realm to begin with, so naturally he wouldn't make revenge against the Ye family his goal. It was just... if the Ye family kept standing in his way...
Ye Fan gazed toward the brightly lit Ye family mansion, a cold smile forming at the corner of his lips.
...
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