There were three people in the pavilion.
Two women and one man, all dressed in newly donned cultivation disciple robes, light blue outerwear with white short garments.
Situ Nan stepped forward to introduce Zhang Rongfang to the three.
The three were slightly surprised to hear that Zhang Rongfang had apprenticed under Master Xiao Rong.
"Brother Rongfang is said to be from the Barbarian Race, isn't he? Or is he a Confucian household?" a woman suddenly asked.
Situ Nan nodded, affirming this statement.
Immediately, Zhang Rongfang felt the attention from the three on him diminish drastically.
He didn't mind, as it wasn't the first time he encountered such a situation.
The combination of being a fourth-class Barbarian and Confucian household determined that no matter his future capabilities, he could not ascend to higher positions.
This was not a matter of personal will, but clearly written into the laws of the Great Spirit Court. Barbarians and Confucian households cannot enter mid to high-level official positions.
The Great Spirit Venerable venerates Daoism and Buddhism, but is extremely dismissive, if not disdainful, of Confucianism.
The few of them chatted a bit, and soon after, five more people arrived one after another.
Altogether ten people gathered, making the red pavilion appear somewhat small.
So the group found an open space beside the pavilion and separated into small groups to chat casually.
Zhang Rongfang and another Daoist, who seemed equally isolated, were left unattended.
The two stood together by default.
"Nowadays, even the young are so pragmatic, not even bothering to pretend," the Daoist sighed.
"What's your name, Brother Daoist?" Zhang Rongfang asked.
"Zhang Xintai."
"Pleasure to meet you, I am Zhang Rongfang."
Zhang Xintai discreetly pointed to a man not far away, surrounded by several people.
"Do you see that Zhou Ze? At just nineteen, he's already crossed the blood nurturing and muscle forging realms, entering the ranks.
He cultivates the Primordial Talisman, and his talent is truly terrifying, almost advancing a level each year. It's obvious to anyone with insight that he has a promising future, as long as he withstands real combat experiences later on."
Zhang Rongfang looked over and saw Zhou Ze, robust in stature, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and an energetic presence, indeed possessing an exceptional temperament.
"Then there's Tao Mengjie, whose family is wealthy enough to buy her a spot. Her martial arts are mediocre, but money is a good thing; she may not be able to beat you, but she has people on her side." Zhang Xintai remarked, pointing at another slightly plump woman.
"Besides them, the others have at least cultivated one Talismanic Skill, now either showing talent or financial strength, combined with the right connections; their advancement is not by luck."
"They're all much stronger than I am," Zhang Rongfang sighed.
"Don't underestimate yourself," Zhang Xintai patted Zhang Rongfang's shoulder. "I've heard about the Xiao Qingying incident too, where you clear the grievances and repay the kindness. You dared to stand up even at the risk of offending some people. That's your exceptional quality."
"It was just the right thing to do, no need to dwell on it," Zhang Rongfang shook his head.
"Don't overthink it. I've always admired and respected righteous men," Zhang Xintai patted Zhang Rongfang's shoulder again. "So what if we're of low birth? In the Great Dao Teaching, there are plenty of noble-born swine. People are always more noble than pigs."
Zhang Rongfang didn't know what to say, so he just smiled wryly.
"So, Brother Xintai, what is your martial arts realm?"
"Me? It's not worth mentioning," Zhang Xintai laughed heartily. "I'm leaving. Let's chat another time. If you have free time, you can find me at the Profound Heart Hall."
Before Zhang Rongfang could reply, he turned and left at a rapid pace, disappearing into the woods in just a few steps.
Zhang Rongfang watched him leave, feeling inexplicably bewildered for a moment.
"When did you get acquainted with Brother Zhang Xintai?" Situ Nan quietly approached from the side.
"Brother? Wasn't he newly promoted?" Zhang Rongfang was puzzled.
"No... Brother Zhang Xintai's martial arts already reached the second rank last year. The Talismanic Skill I'm learning is taught by one of his junior disciples," Situ Nan explained in surprise.
Zhang Rongfang was suddenly stunned.
It turned out that he was the only one completely without martial skills here? Even Situ Nan had been taught a talismanic scripture?
With his current constitution and Qi and Blood still needing nurturing, he was still practicing the Void Observation Skill.
After a dull gathering, seeing that Situ Nan, Zhou Ze, and Tao Mengjie were chatting happily, Zhang Rongfang decided not to disturb them and left alone.
Not long after he left, Situ Nan and the others were chatting when they suddenly remembered him and looked around for his traces.
"Are you looking for that Zhang Rongfang? He's been gone for a while," Zhou Ze said.
He showed some interest in Situ Nan and another woman, Liu Meng, as they were the most beautiful of the new disciples.
If Tao Mengjie hadn't been enthusiastically clinging to his side, he would have already invited the two women over for a chat.
Great Spirit supports polygamy, after all.
"Indeed, it was a bit rude. I brought Zhang Rongfang along, so I should have left with him," Situ Nan nodded, squeezing out a smile in response to Zhou Ze's inquiry.
"Are you close with him?" Liu Meng, standing nearby, asked. She was tall, with straight legs and a gracefully toned body from frequent exercise.
"I advise you to stick with him less. It will only harm you without benefit. After all, with his Barbarian and Confucian household background, he will only drift further and further from us as time goes on."
"Yes, some relationships are better cut early, or they'll eventually become a burden," Zhou Ze nodded in agreement.
"That's indeed the case. I had a good childhood friend once, but as our family circumstances diverged, he kept seeking my help. It wasn't that he was a bad person or I was unwilling to associate with him; after a while, he felt embarrassed to come to me," Tao Mengjie sighed.
"Later, a close friend of mine told me that my childhood friend once said to her that he felt unable to hold his head high after constantly borrowing money and asking for help from me, feeling oppressed and uneasy. So he..."
Her words sounded pragmatic, making Situ Nan somewhat uncomfortable inside, but she also understood that what the three were saying was likely to become a reality.
"Eventually, as time goes on, he'll naturally understand," Zhou Ze comforted.
Situ Nan shook her head slightly. In fact, her relationship with Zhang Rongfang was quite good. Immediately cutting it off wasn't something easy for someone like her.
Looking at the new friends around, then at the direction Zhang Rongfang quietly left.
On one side is a new circle that will help his development, on the other is an old friend who is gradually falling behind.
How to choose, she actually has a preference in her heart.
*
*
*
Creak.
The wooden door was swiftly opened, then closed.
Zhang Rongfang exhaled, quickly entered the room, and sat on the only chair.
Then he lowered his head to look at his body, knowing that wherever he focused, attribute panel would appear.
The gray-white attribute panel was exceptionally clear in most of his vision.
Hiss...
Zhang Rongfang took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly in nine segments.
His breath drew a white line in the air.
He stood up and walked to the window, the open window facing the wooden corridor.
In the corridor outside, a man and a woman were leaning against a red pillar nearby, chatting quietly and laughing.
They were both wearing light blue Daoist robes with white cloaks, indicating their status as cultivation disciples.
This was no longer the area of the servant disciples, but the residence of cultivation disciples.
Zhang Rongfang gently closed the window and returned to sit by the chair.
He closed his eyes to rest, quietly waiting for his body to return to peace.
It took a full fifteen minutes before he suddenly opened his eyes.
'After this period of adjustment, the lower limit of the life attribute has increased.
This thing, I don't know all its effects, previously used attribute points to increase life, won't move it this time.'
Zhang Rongfang focused his gaze on the skill panel.
'This time let's try the skill, the only skill Void Observation Skill, see how attribute points boost it.'
Now his status has improved, nutrition in his diet has increased, and he doesn't need to do so much chores, accumulating attribute points won't be as slow as before.
Before, it took nearly half a year to gather a point.
This time in just over two months, a point has gathered.
He no longer hesitated. Focused on the plus sign of Void Observation Skill, imagining pressing harder.
Snap.
The number belonging to the attribute point changed from 1 to 0.
While after Void Observation Skill, a 'First Layer' notation appeared.
In an instant, a surge of heat flowed from his heart, continuously streaming to every part of his body.
Zhang Rongfang felt like he was soaking entirely in a hot spring, infinitely comfortable.
This feeling lasted for a while, then slowly came to a halt.
He stretched his legs, and moved his arms and wrists, standing up to check his situation.
'Zhang Rongfang—Life 8-9, Skill: Void Observation Skill (First Layer Micro Aperture). Available Attributes: 0.'
Zhang Rongfang paused, quickly recalling Senior Sister Zhao Dachong's explanation.
'The realm division of Void Observation Skill is very simple, categorized into Micro Aperture, Body Change, Foundation Establishment, Inner Core, Nascent Soul, Refining God. I should be thoroughly into the first layer of Micro Aperture now.'
He tried swinging his hand, kicking his leg, no abnormal feeling.
Except for slightly improved spirit, no other changes.
"This Void Observation Skill is too..." Zhang Rongfang shook his heart. Fortunately, he tested and confirmed attribute points indeed enhance skills.
With this... if he learns martial cultivation techniques in the future, he can quickly catch up to others' hard cultivation for years.
His body is only sixteen now, slowly accumulating attribute points, the future is promising.
With the confirmation that skills can be boosted with attribute points, a weight in Zhang Rongfang's heart finally fell. Clank.
In the days following, Xiao Rong and his daughter returned, and Zhang Rongfang resumed his previous regular lifestyle.
What puzzled him was that ever since the gathering that day, Situ Nan never spoke to him again, at most nodding when meeting, which counted as a greeting.
Initially, he couldn't understand, then after hearing some rumors, he realized it was the other party's choice.
Situ Nan joined the small circle of Zhou Ze, Liu Meng, and Tao Mengjie, intending to distance himself from disciples like him who have no future.
Zhang Rongfang sighed at people's realism but thought no more, focusing on eating well, sleeping well, waiting for his body to recover soon to qualify for practicing martial cultivation talisman.
What surprised him was that the first layer of Void Observation Skill caused his life attribute to slowly rise.
In a flash, the time reached July.
Zhang Rongfang's life attribute officially broke through the upper limit of 10 points. Becoming 'Life 9-10'.
Carefully noting this phenomenon for later observation.
If the life enhancement brought by Void Observation Skill is greater than directly adding points to life, he might consider focusing on practicing Void Observation Skill.