Climbing the Stone Steps in Misery

Senior Sister Yuan Xi quickly regained her smile as well. She made a smooth flourish with her sword and sheathed it.

Seeing Lin Qi's envious expression, as if she were about to drool, she could not help but laugh. "Master will teach you in the future. You don't need to look at me with such envy."

Lin Qi blinked but said nothing.

Senior Sister Yuan Xi continued, "I haven't congratulated you on successfully achieving Qi Induction yet!"

"You reached Qi Refining First Stage after just one night. Your talent is so outstanding—Master truly has a sharp eye. I wonder what aptitude our newly arrived Third Junior Brother has?"

Lin Qi blinked and said solemnly, "I know! When Third Junior Brother was climbing the Stone Steps, he bragged to me that he had a Mutated Wind Spiritual Root, full value!"

Lin Qi had been so jealous at the time that she had nearly kicked him down the Stone Steps.

Fortunately, she had held herself back in the end.

Now that Lin Qi had been found to possess an Ice-Lightning Supreme Dual Spiritual Root, she was even considering finding an opportunity to settle the score once Luo Ci climbed up Zonglei Peak.

Senior Sister Yuan Xi nodded after hearing this, without showing the slightest surprise.

"I knew my guess was right. My junior sister and junior brother are both so exceptional that I hardly dare slack off."

After hearing this, Lin Qi guessed that Senior Sister Yuan Xi's aptitude must also be extraordinary.

Zonglei Peak truly was a place where outstanding people gathered, blessed by both heaven and earth.

"I don't know how talented Senior Sister is, but since Master accepted you as her eldest disciple, you must be remarkable. You're so talented and still work so hard—Senior Sister is simply Little Qi's role model!"

Lin Qi gazed at Senior Sister Yuan Xi with starry eyes.

Every word she said came from the bottom of her heart.

She herself was old wine in a new bottle, with a sword hanging over her head, forced to strive and compete. But Senior Sister Yuan Xi was a child born and raised here, only a few years older than her. Talented and hardworking, she was completely worthy of being a role model to chase after.

Senior Sister Yuan Xi had never encountered such straightforward praise. A faint blush spread across her fair cheeks as her jade-like finger lightly tapped Lin Qi's forehead.

"You! So young, yet already so good at sweet-talking people. Who did you learn that from?"

She shook her head with a smile. "Since you've praised me so much, it would be improper for me, as your senior sister, not to show something in return. How about this? I'll climb the Stone Steps with you once!"

Although Lin Qi was somewhat puzzled, she happily agreed.

Having someone accompany her was better than suffering alone.

It was not until she truly began climbing the Stone Steps that Lin Qi understood what Senior Sister Yuan Xi had meant earlier.

The moment her foot landed on a Stone Step, bone-piercing cold surged from the sole of her foot to the top of her head. The pitifully little spiritual energy in her dantian seemed shackled by the chill, and Lin Qi could not mobilize it for a moment.

Senior Sister Yuan Xi spoke unhurriedly, "Calm your mind and focus your spirit. Slowly draw out your spiritual energy and wrap it around your feet, keeping the cold outside."

Lin Qi hurriedly did as she said.

Unfortunately, the chill was too overwhelming, and Lin Qi could not draw out much spiritual energy at once.

She could only pull it out strand by strand, like spun sugar, then send it along her meridians to the soles of her feet.

She stood stiffly in place for nearly a quarter of an hour. A fine layer of sweat beaded on her forehead before she barely managed to control enough spiritual energy to wrap around one foot.

Luckily, Senior Sister Yuan Xi did not urge her on and merely waited patiently at the side.

By the time Lin Qi had wrapped both feet, she had no idea how much time had passed.

With her feet wrapped in spiritual energy, Lin Qi felt incomparably light when she stepped down, and it did not consume much of her strength either.

Previously, she had needed to struggle bitterly just to climb one step. Now, with an easy leap, she could jump down to the next step.

Senior Sister Yuan Xi stood beside her, smiling in satisfaction. "Now you understand why Master set up this path of Stone Steps, right?"

"Once your strength improves, going up and down once will take no more than a quarter of an hour. These Stone Steps are not as difficult as you imagined."

Lin Qi wiped the sweat from her forehead, her face full of misery. "Senior Sister, I understand. But my spiritual energy is almost gone..."

She was only at the first level of Qi Refining to begin with. That tiny bit of spiritual energy was not even enough to fill a tooth gap.

After wrapping it around her feet, Lin Qi's dantian was practically empty.

Several traces of mischief hid within Senior Sister Yuan Xi's warm, radiant smile.

"Once your spiritual energy is used up, the cold will no longer affect your dantian's circulation. Then you can walk just like before."

"You can play it like that?!"

Lin Qi was so shocked that she simply did not know what to say.

No wonder Senior Sister Yuan Xi had said earlier that these Stone Steps could both strengthen one's control over spiritual energy and temper one's physique...

What level of Qi Refining would she need to reach before she could make a smooth trip up and down?

Before she had even reached one-third of the way, the spiritual energy in Lin Qi's dantian had been squandered completely.

She could only continue climbing in misery.

Senior Sister Yuan Xi followed beside her with light steps, encouraging and cheering her on from time to time.

Lin Qi felt that her Master and Senior Sister, who appeared gentle and kind, were actually both hiding wicked intentions in their bellies.

They were bullying people!

Lin Qi wiped the sweat from her face, braced herself, and continued climbing.

By the time she finished one trip, the sky was already bright. She was so exhausted that she was just short of collapsing onto the ground.

The belated hunger in her stomach also made Lin Qi realize that she was still a mortal and still needed to eat.

"Senior Sister, I'm so hungry..."

Climbing the Stone Steps together had instantly brought Lin Qi and Senior Sister Yuan Xi closer.

Lin Qi could now act spoiled around Senior Sister Yuan Xi without the slightest awkwardness.

Perhaps it truly was as Senior Sister Yuan Xi had said: she had wanted a junior sister for company for a long time. And since Lin Qi was especially young, she doted on and cared for her all the more.

She shook her head and told Lin Qi some sorrowful news. "Zonglei Peak has no dining hall. If you want to eat, you'll have to go to Tianyi Peak. You can also go to the Marketplace at the foot of the mountain."

Lin Qi's face turned green. "I have to go down the mountain for all of them?"

Senior Sister Yuan Xi nodded with a smile.

Lin Qi let out a miserable howl. "Senior Sister, why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

If she had known, she would not have climbed up here!

Senior Sister Yuan Xi seemed amused by Lin Qi's exaggerated expression. Usually elegant and gentle, she could not help covering her mouth and laughing.

"I think you still have enough strength for another trip down the mountain. Since you're training, you should do it thoroughly. Giving up halfway is not a good habit~"

Lin Qi could only resign herself to it. "All right, Senior Sister, you're right! I can still do it!"

She struggled back up from the ground again.

Senior Sister Yuan Xi used a handkerchief to wipe her face. Feeling somewhat sorry for her, she softened and said, "If you truly can't move anymore, I can carry you down the mountain."

After thinking for a moment, she emphasized, "But only once! If Master finds out, you'll be punished."

Lin Qi stubbornly shook her head. "I appreciate Senior Sister's kindness, but I think I can still do it!"

Senior Sister Yuan Xi did not insist. She had always supported continuously breaking through one's limits.

"Then I'll accompany you." She spoke gently, her eyes bright as stars.

Seduced by Senior Sister Yuan Xi's beauty, Lin Qi blurted out, "Senior Sister, you're so beautiful when you smile!"

Senior Sister Yuan Xi pinched Lin Qi's nose and said unconcernedly, "It is only a skin. Little Qi, don't let such external things dazzle your eyes."

Lin Qi nodded frantically. In any case, whatever Senior Sister said now, all she could do was nod.

"So, do you want to go to Tianyi Peak or the Marketplace?"