After getting everything in order, a streak of white light spilled across the horizon. Lin Qi, brimming with energy, washed up and prepared to head out.
The last time she had planned to climb the Stone Steps, Senior Sister had already finished a full set of sword forms.
This time, she had deliberately risen earlier so she could practice swordsmanship alongside Senior Sister. That way, she could ask for guidance on anything she did not understand right away.
When Lin Qi spotted Senior Sister Yuan Xi arriving, she happily skipped over.
"Senior Sister! What a coincidence!"
A helpless yet indulgent smile appeared on Senior Sister Yuan Xi's lovely face. But when Lin Qi drew close, surprise flashed across her features.
"Little Qi, you didn't sleep at all last night?"
Lin Qi asked in confusion, "How did you know, Senior Sister?"
"When we parted yesterday, you were still at the Qi Refining First Stage. This morning, you're already at the Qi Refining Second Stage. If you hadn't cultivated through the night, could you have broken through in your sleep?"
Lin Qi scratched her head somewhat sheepishly.
"You reminded me, Senior Sister. Later, I should buy something to conceal my cultivation. When I travel outside the sect in the future, people won't be able to see through my cultivation at a glance."
Senior Sister Yuan Xi nodded. "You really should prepare one."
Mischief and praise glimmered in her eyes. "Little Qi, your talent is astounding, and you're this diligent besides. Even I, your Senior Sister, don't dare slack off in the slightest. It seems I should have urged Master to take in more disciples long ago. Who knows? I might already have broken through to the Golden Core by now."
Lin Qi nodded solemnly. "Senior Sister is right. Starting today, we should actively urge Master to accept more disciples. With junior brothers and sisters chasing after us from below, our cultivation will surely advance a thousand miles in a day!"
Seeing her put on such an adult-like air, Senior Sister Yuan Xi burst into laughter.
"Be careful not to nag Master until she gets sick of it. She might start taking detours whenever she sees you."
Lin Qi raised a hand and rubbed her chin. "That's true too..."
Senior Sister Yuan Xi could not stop smiling. "All right. Didn't you want to practice swordsmanship? Hurry up and begin."
Lin Qi took out her Small Wooden Sword from her storage space, only then recalling how the Thunder Snake Flowers had destroyed her wooden sword without leaving a trace last night.
She could not help complaining to Senior Sister Yuan Xi. "Senior Sister, I was practicing swordsmanship in the backyard last night, but I accidentally touched those purple flowers back there and nearly got charred by lightning."
Senior Sister Yuan Xi paused mid-step. "You didn't read the notice on the jade token?"
"A notice?!" Lin Qi froze.
When the courtyard had been assigned, she had received a jade token used to control the little courtyard's barrier.
After getting it, Lin Qi had tested opening and closing the barrier once before tossing it aside.
Hearing Senior Sister Yuan Xi say this, she hurriedly retrieved the jade token from a corner, turned it over, and sent in her spiritual sense. Sure enough, she saw a line of floating text: Thunder Snake Flowers are planted in the backyard. When attacked, they release a large expanse of lightning. They may assist Lightning Spiritual Root cultivators in cultivation and carry a certain degree of danger. Please use with caution.
Lin Qi: ...
Sure enough, in the Cultivation World, one could not afford even the slightest carelessness.
Once she knew the truth, Lin Qi put the matter out of her mind and devoted herself wholly to practicing the basic Tai Chi Swordplay.
When she caught sight of Senior Sister Yuan Xi's smooth sword forms next door and her fierce, awe-inspiring presence, she could not help feeling envious.
When would she be able to possess such presence?
After practicing three times in succession, the crow of a golden rooster pierced through the depths of the clouds in the distance.
White light pierced the misty clouds and blanketed the towering peaks. Immortal cranes soared among them, free and at ease.
After putting away her sword, Lin Qi told Yuan Xi about how she had arranged to go to Tianyi Peak with Luo Ci.
Just as she finished speaking, Luo Ci came over, rubbing his eyes.
Seeing Senior Sister Yuan Xi wiping Lin Qi's sweat, he instantly perked up. "When did you two get here?!"
Senior Sister Yuan Xi said gently, "Only a little earlier than you, Junior Brother. Aren't you heading down the mountain? Hurry and set off."
Lin Qi lagged half a step behind, then spoke just as Luo Ci breathed a sigh of relief. "We only happened to practice swordsmanship three times. Not early at all, not early at all."
Luo Ci's little face jolted, his entire expression screaming, You two were actually working hard behind my back!
Lin Qi wiped away her sweat and calmly said, "Heading down the mountain?"
Luo Ci puffed out his chest. "Let's go."
Yet inwardly, he had secretly resolved that he would definitely get up early tomorrow!
He absolutely could not let Lin Qi look down on him!
"I still haven't congratulated Third Junior Brother on successfully completing Qi Induction," Lin Qi said leisurely.
Luo Ci instantly deflated like a balloon that had been poked full of holes. "I heard Second Senior Sister completed Qi Induction and reached the Qi Refining First Stage in a single night?"
Lin Qi asked in confusion, "Who told you that?"
Luo Ci had only just arrived at the sect and was unfamiliar with the place. How did he know such news?
Luo Ci said gloomily, "Master told me while guiding me through Qi Induction..."
Lin Qi: "..."
As expected of True Monarch Qingyun. She never forgot to "give pointers" to her own disciples.
Lin Qi did not hold anything back either. She told Luo Ci all the little tricks Senior Sister Yuan Xi had taught her for climbing the Stone Steps.
No matter how proud Luo Ci was, he had to acknowledge Lin Qi's kindness. At once, every other word out of his mouth became "Senior Sister this" and "Senior Sister that."
However, he had only just completed Qi Induction, and the spiritual energy in his body was pitifully scant. Before he had climbed even one-fifth of the way, his spiritual energy was already exhausted.
He could only begin climbing with both hands and feet. Before reaching the mountainside, he was already panting heavily and could no longer care about appearances.
"Second Senior Sister, is there no way to fly straight down the mountain?"
Lin Qi had broken through to the Qi Refining Second Stage, her inner spiritual energy abundant. She landed with an airy, effortless grace. "There is, but Master created this Stone Steps path precisely to temper us. If you rack your brains to slack off, it probably won't end well if Master finds out."
Luo Ci immediately stopped talking nonsense and instead began climbing the Stone Steps with renewed vigor.
He looked quite similar to how Lin Qi had been back then.
This one was not afraid of the grind either, Lin Qi could not help remarking inwardly.
She did not know about the other peaks, but among the few people on Zonglei Peak, not only were they exceptionally gifted, they were also especially relentless. If she did not work harder, she feared she would be left behind sooner or later.
An hour later, Lin Qi dragged the half-dead Luo Ci to the Tianyi Peak dining hall at last.
Their stomachs rumbled at the same time.
Their eyes lit up at the same time.
Using their disciple identity tokens, Lin Qi and Luo Ci each received a fairly decent meal.
Just as they were about to find somewhere to sit, Lin Qi heard a group of disciples gathered together gossiping. Without a second thought, she pulled Luo Ci over to fill two vacant seats.
The big-eyed girl who had been speaking animatedly froze when she saw two more people sitting down. "Who are you two?"
Luo Ci had never inserted himself into a crowd of strangers before, and his little face gradually turned red.
Lin Qi reacted half a beat slower, but spoke without hurry. "We also just joined the sect. We heard you sisters discussing the Ascension Ladder from that day and were very interested, so we wanted to listen too."
From what Lin Qi knew, Tianyi Sect had recruited a total of one thousand and ninety-three disciples this time. Apart from a few who had taken masters and joined peaks early, the rest were assigned to classes at Tianyi Peak to study.
She and Luo Ci were disguised as ordinary disciples, so no one would recognize them.
Sure enough, just as she had expected.
After hearing Lin Qi's explanation, the group of girls eagerly turned their attention back to the big-eyed girl.
The girl instantly launched into the gossip with passion.
Before you continue