Chapter 56 Research Conference 9 [Congratulations, host.]
Perhaps because it was late, or perhaps because she was tired today, Xie Jiaoyue was completely unaware of Xin Xiuying's emotional problems.
She only sensed Xin Xiuying's last emotion; after she extended the invitation, the corners of Xin Xiuying's mouth curved up.
Huh, is being on the same team with her this much fun? Then she was worried for nothing. She thought that given their relationship, Xin Xiuying would disregard her invitation.
This is correct. Considering her talent, her previous achievements, and the plan she has prepared this time, the probability of achieving excellent results by teaming up with her is very high.
Now it seems that Xin Xiuying is also a completely unemotional person. She restrained her own aversion to her and decisively chose academic performance. Her amazing rationality is commendable.
In order not to let Xin Xiuying down, Xie Jiaoyue seemed to have been injected with chicken blood, feeling all her fatigue swept away. She patted her chest and assured Xin Xiuying, "Choosing me is choosing number one. We will definitely be number one in the Xiu Rao Cup Research Conference, and you will definitely have the qualification for the secret realm."
Xin Xiuying asked blankly, "Did you choose me as your teammate just to give me a spot in the secret realm? Are you only aiming for first place because of that spot?"
Xie Jiaoyue was confused: "You can say that, don't you want it? I thought you would want it, doesn't it make you really motivated!"
Xie Jiaoyue wanted to grant her access to the secret realm, a realization that completely exceeded Xin Xiuying's previous understanding.
While the qualification for the Secret Realm is indeed the prize for first place, there is a difference between what one seeks: the honor of being first or the qualification itself.
After all, it was something Xie Jiaoyue didn't need at all; if she got it, she would be the only one to benefit.
In fact, Xie Jiaoyue didn't need to participate in this research conference at all. She suffered and worked hard but gained nothing. Only her teammates benefited. In other words, Xie Jiaoyue participated entirely for the sake of her teammates.
After understanding everything, Xin Xiuying's lips trembled slightly. So that's how it is.
Xin Xiuying's hand was still in Xie Jiaoyue's hand. Her hand was inside, while Xie Jiaoyue's hand enveloped her hands from the outside. In the cool night, her hands felt burning hot.
The palms of the two hands, clasped together, were sweating. The damp hands brought an unusual sensation, as if they were immersed in water. The palms, which had been dry and cracked from rubbing the pills, were no longer painful. It was as if the water plants, which had been separated from the water, had finally returned to the babbling brook at the last moment before they died. The cool brook poured into the dying water plants, instantly reviving them, and they swayed carefree in the water once again.
Just like her heart, comfortable and soothing.
Xin Xiuying felt extremely ashamed. It turned out that while she was caught up in her awkward emotions and dwelling on their past competition and unpleasantness, Xie Jiaoyue was still planning for her, arranging more things for her, and paving the way for her future.
Perhaps because of the treasures she obtained in this secret realm, her position as the young clan leader will be stable.
Xin Xiuying finally pulled her hands away, patted her cheeks to force herself to calm down. Xie Jiaoyue trusted her so much and wanted to help her get the qualification, so she couldn't let Xie Jiaoyue down.
She grasped Xie Jiaoyue's hand in return, for the first time completely setting aside past prejudices and disputes, leaving only pure camaraderie.
"You're right, let's get first place together!"
Xie Jiaoyue felt she hadn't made a mistake in choosing teammates: "They have ambition!"
Xin Xiuying was so flattered by Xie Jiaoyue that she only realized after agreeing to join the team that she had decided to see a reliable plan before agreeing to join, but now she had agreed without even seeing a plan.
However, Xie Jiaoyue is a reliable person, so her proposed solution shouldn't be too outrageous, right?
"Didn't you say you already had a plan? Can you explain it?"
Xie Jiaoyue said, "I'm only in the rudimentary stage right now. You see, although I'm a sword cultivator, I'm just a furnace, while you're a pill cultivator, who's known as the most fragile of all the Daoist arts. So what do we two lack the most?"
"Defense measures?"
"Wrong! What we lack most is an offensive strategy. As long as we kill everyone, we will be able to rest easy."
Xin Xiuying: ...
So...so this person is so violent. I'm really grateful that he wasn't killed all these years.
"So, what's your attack method?"
“I am a sword cultivator, and you are a pill cultivator. My strongest offensive method is naturally sword energy. If I could refine sword energy into a small pill, and throw it out when in danger, wouldn’t that be a maximum deterrent?”
Xin Xiuying looked at this wildly imaginative idea. Well, there are indeed ways to seal sword energy in magical artifacts, but those all require special materials. It's as if these special materials remember the sword energy, and then the special materials return to their original state to release the sword energy.
But how do you refine sword energy into elixirs? A bunch of flowers, grasses, and leaves can all be chopped into mud with a single sword strike. How do you do that?
However, Xie Jiaoyue's gaze was so earnest that Xin Xiuying couldn't help but begin to doubt herself, rather than Xie Jiaoyue.
Xin Xiuying hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help asking, "Don't you think that with our current knowledge, we might not be able to make this?"
For example, right now, she has gone through all the materials she knows in her mind, but she can't find a single one that is usable.
Xie Jiaoyue nodded naturally: "Of course, we've only been learning for a short time, so I've prepared a detailed learning and cultivation plan for both of us."
She specifically set aside time at the Heaven and Earth Bureau to work on the plan.
Xin Xiuying: "Huh?"
Xie Jiaoyue swiftly pulled out a piece of paper covered with densely written words. Although there were many words, they were extremely neat. As Xin Xiuying looked at the thin paper pressed against her face, the information flowed into her mind like water.
I sleep for four hours a day, and spend one hour traveling and eating.
Xie Jiaoyue even arranged a timetable for the remaining time, down to the minute, thoughtfully including which books to study at the academy, which books to read in the library (with a book reference list), how to cultivate the mental techniques to improve cultivation (down to the daily cultivation progress), when to submit the first draft plan, when to try the first alchemy, and so on.
Leaving all that aside, Xin Xiuying pointed to the hour-long body training she did every morning: "Why do I, a pill cultivator, have to train my body so hard? And why in the morning? Didn't you always do this in the dense forest at night before?"
Xie Jiaoyue strongly disagreed with Xin Xiuying's first question: "What's wrong with alchemy? Think about it, if you don't have a strong physique, it's fine now, but in the future, alchemy will take ten or twenty days, or even one or two months. You'll be sitting next to the alchemy furnace every day and can't leave for a moment. If you're weak and frail, how can you control the fire? If you faint next to the alchemy furnace, won't everything be ruined?"
Xin Xiuying thought about it and realized that it really was true.
Xie Jiaoyue continued, "Moreover, we need to make a lot of preparations for the research conference. If you don't improve your physical fitness as soon as possible, you might not be able to keep up."
Xin Xiuying was puzzled. Although the schedule was packed, a full four hours of sleep were still reserved. Although alchemists' physical condition was generally not as good as cultivators of other Daoist methods, even ordinary people needed four hours of rest a day. How could they not keep up?
Xie Jiaoyue pointed to the sleep section: "Oh right, I forgot to tell you, I feel that sleeping for four hours is too extravagant, so two of those hours will be for meditation, and the remaining two hours will be for pure sleep. We've already guided our Qi into our bodies, so it should be fine, right?"
Xin Xiuying opened and closed her mouth but couldn't make a sound.
Given their current initial stage of Qi Refining, from level one to three, this is basically the theoretical limit under sustainable development conditions.
No way, what kind of devilish schedule is this? Are they really going to squeeze every last drop out of her? Not leaving her any free time at all?
If her cultivation level increases to the fourth to sixth level of Qi Refining, will her sleep time be further reduced?
Before she could even voice her question, Xie Jiaoyue added, "Oh, by the way, once we reach the fourth level of Qi Refining, we can cut our sleep time by another half an hour. For me, it should be about five days later. Xiuying, you can't fall behind."
Xin Xiuying almost choked on her breath.
She had always considered herself hardworking, but now she realized what it meant to be outmatched by others.
At that moment, she suddenly understood her father.
No wonder my father used to always compare her to Xie Jiaoyue, always saying that she was inferior to Xie Jiaoyue in this way and that way. Now that I see it, it's true.
For the first time, Xin Xiuying's tone carried respect: "Have you always been like this?"
Xie Jiaoyue said, "If you're talking about time management, I do not really like wasting time. However, you may have misunderstood. For me, it is not necessary to spend time on cultivation, reading, or other such things. Spending time on family and friends or pleasing myself is also a reasonable way."
As long as time passes meaningfully, she doesn't mind how she spends it. Her immediate goal is to win first place in the research competition, and her long-term goal is to suppress Chu Xingjin and avoid becoming cannon fodder or a stepping stone. Therefore, she needs to spend a lot of time improving herself.
If she were to leave the system and Chu Xingjin in the future, she could do something else, such as opening a furnace cultivation academy or exploring the world of cultivation with her girlfriends.
Perhaps she and Xin Xiuying will become good friends in the future.
Xie Jiaoyue handed the timetable to Xin Xiuying: "For example, inviting you to join my team now is a reasonable use of my time."
Xin Xiuying couldn't help but confirm one last time: "Is it because of the Xin family's ancestral medicine cauldron, or because of me?"
Xie Jiaoyue was puzzled: "What's so important about that kind of thing? Of course, it's because I trust you."
As Xin Xiuying took the timetable, fireworks exploded in her mind, shattering her thoughts into fragments.
She was indeed the pride of the Xin family, but in Xin's father's eyes, she was nothing more than a vessel that could drive the ancestral medicine cauldron, nothing more than an existence that could inherit his will and continue his family's status.
She used to think it was nothing, and she continued to accept this identity.
But she also really wanted someone to actually see her.
Xie Jiaoyue suddenly heard the beeping sound of the system.
[Congratulations, host.]
Xie Jiaoyue: Huh? Congratulations on what? What happened?
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