Dual cultivation makes you stronger, everyone else is a prodigy, and I'm the only one slacking

She paused for a moment, then raised her hand and pulled out the treasure-hunting rat that had been sleeping in the jade bracelet, placing it on the wooden table.

The treasure-hunting mouse's eyes suddenly widened like copper bells.

It flapped its four legs and cried out at the top of its lungs, "Master, spare me! Spare me!"

In the past, when it followed the ghost cultivator, it would always get a beating, whether the ghost cultivator was happy or unhappy. So it suddenly developed a stress response.

Yu Luoning looked at it with a puzzled expression, then slowly placed it on the table.

The mouse looked around blankly, and seeing Yu Luoning's calm expression, it finally felt relieved and breathed a sigh of relief.

Yu Luoning: "Can you read?"

Upon hearing this, the Treasure-Hunting Rat King straightened his back instantly.

Literacy? And what can't the Treasure-Hunting Rat King do?

"Of course I can read."

Yu Luoning was amused. Competition was fierce these days; even little mice were learning to read and write.

The Mouse King, with a proud and triumphant expression, began to recount his origins.

"Do you know why my treasure hunting range covers an area of ​​thirty kilometers in radius?"

"That's because when I was young, I sneaked into the library of a top-tier sect, where the scriptures were imbued with spiritual energy. I secretly studied there for three whole years. Constantly surrounded by the fragrance of ink and listening to the teachings of sages, I became wise. Unlike my brothers, who were all lazy and cunning, refusing to read a single book, and now I wonder where they're begging for food."

Yu Luoning smiled after hearing this: "Alright, alright, you're an ambitious little mouse. In that case, I'll leave the task of teaching these two little guys to read to you."

Upon hearing this, the mouse was told it was being asked to work for them for free, and immediately refused, "...Wait..."

"What's wrong? Didn't you say you spend all your time surrounded by the scent of ink and listening to the teachings of sages? Can't you even teach two children?"

The mouse was speechless and could only admit defeat.

He sighed, and a golden halo emanated from his palm, the tiny specks of light drifting out and silently disappearing into the brows of Wenshu and Song Chi.

The next moment, their eyes flickered slightly, and they were able to understand what the mouse was saying.

Yu Luoning immediately assigned them the task of memorizing the first chapter of the introductory cultivation technique within three days.

Not long after, she returned with the writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and several new clothes she had bought.

As soon as you enter the courtyard, you see two children squatting on the ground, earnestly writing and drawing on the sand with twigs.

She stood under the eaves for a while, without saying a word.

To be honest, when she first took them in, she was partly planning to become an angel investor, and partly wanted to see what kind of people the two children were like.

One-sided efforts will not last long; she needs to know whether it's worth it.

Over the past few days, she has come to appreciate both Song Chi and the document.

After dinner, Song Chi knocked on her door.

"Is there anything you don't understand about the technique?"

Song Chi raised his eyes, his gaze in the twilight revealing a stubbornness unique to young people. "I want to learn to read and write with the treasure-hunting rat in the morning, and then go to the dock to move goods in the afternoon. I saw a job posting the other day."

Yu Luoning frowned; the little brat had only just recovered a bit.

"Are you feeling bad because I've been covering your expenses all this time?"

"Actually, you can think of this as an investment. I think your future is limitless, so I'm willing to take the bet. Going to the docks to move goods is just exchanging time for a few coins; it's not worth it."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "There is so much for you to learn. Whether it's practicing boxing or swordsmanship, you can naturally become powerful if you master it, but reading is different. It progresses slowly, but it goes far. Once you truly immerse yourself in reading, you will have your own thoughts on every technique you read, you will understand it faster than others, and you may even be able to create something new from the old methods."

"What you lack most right now is to make up for the books you haven't read in the past ten years, little by little."

Song Chi listened quietly without interrupting.

The twilight streamed in through the window, falling on his still somewhat youthful profile.

After a long pause, he lowered his head, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a quality unique to his age: "I... won't let you down."

After saying that, he turned and left.

The light under the eaves was dim and yellowish, and the boy's shoulders, though not yet broad, were taut and straight.

A few more days passed.

After finishing his morning reading, before even closing the book, Wenshu picked up a broom and began sweeping the courtyard thoroughly, even cleaning out the weeds and moss from the cracks in the bluestone slabs.

Song Chi had already prepared breakfast and set it on the table, waiting for it.

Yu Luoning: "..."

She never actually expected them to do these things. But seeing the two children like this, she felt inexplicably comforted and couldn't help but treat them even better, and she was much more patient with them when explaining her insights on the exercises.

Time slips away quietly in these little moments.

In the blink of an eye, a whole month has passed.

The two already knew the three thousand common characters.

Song Chixiu reached the second level of Qi Refining, and Wenshu also reached the first level of Qi Refining.

This progress caused Yu Luoning to feel a subtle anxiety.

Sigh... It's not like the master can lead you through the door only to have the apprentice catch up in the end, right?

Although the two sides have never officially confirmed the master-disciple relationship, she was the first to enter the sect, so she shouldn't only have this little advantage.

She herself was still stuck on the fifth level, having practiced the second form of the Desolate Bone Chapter.

Compared to other progress reports, this is really not fair.

From then on, Yu Luoning cultivated even more diligently.

Song Chi and Shuwen were also very hardworking, and the three of them formed a virtuous cycle, with none of them willing to slack off or fall behind even slightly.

Two more months passed.

Yu Luoning heard that the Feng clan's academy was recruiting disciples.

This kind of recruitment of disciples is something that every aristocratic family does. In addition to the disciples of the Feng family itself, they also recruit various outstanding guest elders and cultivation seeds from outside, which is a kind of incense offering.

So regardless of whether this disciple becomes mediocre or achieves great success in the future, their affection for the Feng family will remain. To put it bluntly, it's a method of winning people's hearts and cultivating power.

After hearing about it, Song Chi took the initiative to come to her, saying, "I want to give it a try."

Yu Luoning glanced at him but did not object.

In just three months of cultivation, this young man had already reached the third level of Qi Refining.

To be honest, Yu Luoning felt very uncomfortable.

Aside from the beginner's cultivation manual she bought, Song Chi had almost nothing else—no pills, no spiritual treasures, no extra resources—and that's how she cultivated all the way up.

Are people who are missing a bone really this powerful?

Yu Luoning felt both upset and relieved, which showed that her judgment was still good.

If Song Chi continues his spiritual practice in this way, his future prospects are limitless.

I might even benefit from it myself.

The document's progress was also incredibly fast, actually breaking through to the second level of Qi Refining.

She's a full seven years younger than Song Chi.

Oh my god, I found two little monsters.

/

Yu Luoning led them all the way to the Feng family.

The main residence of the Feng family was bustling with activity today. A long queue had formed under the corridor in the side courtyard, filled with children who had come to register.

As Yu Luoning and the other two walked forward, before they even reached the registration desk, they heard the voice of the man in front of them, which carried a casual and dismissive tone.

"Qiguang, I think you should be in charge of the clan's recruitment of disciples and the registration of names. In the past, the clan always gave you the best resources, so you just focused on cultivation. Now that cultivation has been temporarily put on hold, it's time to share the burden with the clan. Don't you think so?"

Those words sounded grand and dignified, but everyone present knew what they really meant.

This is embarrassing for Feng Qiguang.

And this kind of drama is what people like to watch the most.

The once-proud son of heaven has fallen from grace and is now vulnerable to being bullied by everyone.