Jiang Lingsu did not reject Qi Yuan again.
The Obsession Lineage was different from ordinary people.
As for being obsessed with games and whether that held any potential... that still depended on the person.
A swordsmanship prodigy could practice basic sword arts and still defeat a mediocrity who cultivated the Nine Heavens Divine Firmament Sword.
Of course, was Eldest Senior Brother a prodigy?
In Jiang Lingsu's eyes, he counted as talented, but compared to a true prodigy, he was still far behind.
The Great Shang Kingdom was too small.
And the Azure Wave World was far too vast.
Even the Lineage she belonged to was not much of anything in the Azure Wave World.
"Senior Brother, remember to cultivate well. Cover for me in the future." After saying that, Jiang Lingsu returned to her Thatched Cottage and continued cultivating.
Qi Yuan also returned to his room.
He took out the Technique Jade Slip Jiang Lingsu had given him and carefully read through it.
"Earthly Fiend Demon Soul Art?"
"Four Advances Art?"
"Three Origins Skill."
Qi Yuan rapidly read the techniques within the jade slip.
At the same time, his talent for seeing hidden information continued to activate.
This was the Four Advances Art, created by the Four Gentlemen of Jin. On the surface, it was a high-grade technique, but in truth, it was a dual-cultivation technique for four people. If four people cultivated it together, it could reach Jade Rank.
Cultivation techniques were divided into low grade, middle grade, high grade, Jade Rank, Mystic Rank, Heaven Rank...
The higher the rank, the harder they were to cultivate, but their power and potential were correspondingly greater.
There were a total of 627 techniques in the jade slip. Most were low or middle grade; high-grade ones were rare, and there were only a few Jade Rank techniques.
For two days straight, Qi Yuan immersed himself in the Technique Jade Slip and did not even open the Game Jade Slip.
For him, accumulating this knowledge was greatly beneficial.
With his ability to see hidden information, it was easy for him to create a technique—a technique that would not turn him into Resources.
Of course, this technique might have limited potential.
For example... once cultivated to great mastery, its effect might be comparable to doing a hundred push-ups a day.
On the second night, dark circles filled Qi Yuan's eyes.
He suddenly burst into laughter. "This Daoist has attained enlightenment!"
That was right. Based on the techniques collected by the Shinguang Sect and those given to him by Junior Sister Jiang Lingsu, he had haphazardly created n embryonic techniques. At last, one had succeeded.
He looked at his technique.
This was a technique riddled with flaws. When cultivating it, there was a certain chance of memory becoming confused, but it could be cultivated to Qi Refining Completion.
It was worth mentioning that cultivating this technique would not make one the Resources of some existence.
Qi Yuan was extremely excited.
His hard work and diligent study these past days had not been in vain. At last, his efforts had borne fruit.
"I should give this technique a resounding name." Qi Yuan pondered seriously.
Since he had successfully created this technique himself, he naturally had to treat it seriously.
After thinking for a while, he finally decided on its name.
"From now on, it shall be called the 'Qi Yuan Sutra'!"
The name was simple and easy to understand.
Qi Yuan was very satisfied.
After his joy faded, Qi Yuan felt a wave of intense exhaustion wash over him.
He truly had overexerted himself.
"What a pity that it can only be cultivated to Qi Refining Completion.
Tomorrow, I need to attend some lectures, thoroughly learn about Foundation Establishment, and strive to perfect this technique up to the Foundation Establishment realm."
He picked up the Game Jade Slip and wanted to enter it, but he had ultimately expended too much energy. His uncooperative eyelids closed, and the Game Jade Slip merged into his body.
"I wonder how Jin Li is doing..."
Qi Yuan sank into sleep.
The Xuanyuan Forbidden Area was scarcely visited by anyone.
A forbidden area represented great terror.
Its interior was incomparably perilous, and even its outskirts were filled with danger. Few people ever came to a forbidden area.
Especially the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area, which legend said even Supreme Emperors could not enter.
Yet at this moment, a group of uninvited guests had arrived outside the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area.
There were seven unusually dressed women, as well as three men dressed in prisoners' garb.
Most strangely, every one of them carried a ladder on their back.
Jin Li looked toward the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area ahead.
Around its outskirts was what appeared to be a protective barrier.
Not even Emperors could shatter this barrier.
Yet through it, one could see several hundred meters into the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area.
And within those few hundred meters alone, Jin Li saw quite a few terrifying vicious beasts.
At that moment, the Imperial Guard Commander stepped forward, respect on her face. "Your Majesty, we just questioned people nearby. They all said the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area was no different from before, and there had been no commotion from within."
Hearing this, a flicker of confusion appeared in Jin Li's eyes.
Not long ago, Qi Yuan had told her that he had been farming monsters in the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area all along.
If he was farming monsters, there should certainly have been some commotion within the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area.
Yet this was the information she had received, leaving her somewhat hesitant.
The Imperial Guard Commander beside her was also filled with questions.
However, she served the Empress with unwavering loyalty. Whatever the Empress ordered, she would carry it out without hesitation.
"Mm." Jin Li parted her vermilion lips. Her voice was cold and alluring, yet carried a trace of majesty. "Carry the ladders and head into the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area."
The six direct subordinates of the Imperial Guard drew their swords one after another, pointing them at the three prisoners.
All three prisoners were death-row convicts. Having been brought here, they had no idea what they were supposed to do.
They knew that the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area lay ahead, a place even imperial-level experts could not enter.
How could they possibly go in?
But with blades aimed at them from behind, they could only carry their ladders and slowly walk forward.
At the side, the Imperial Guard Commander finally asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to enter the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area? But... can this really get us inside?"
Jin Li also felt somewhat uneasy inside, though she trusted these six women greatly. "A friend told me that carrying a ladder... might allow one to enter the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area."
"This... is rather inconceivable," said the Imperial Guard Commander.
The other Imperial Guards nearby felt the same way.
Several hundred meters away, two men were perched atop a large tree.
They had been sent here by Grand Chancellor Sima Ting.
Because the Grand Chancellor held no expectations for Jin Li's journey to the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area, he had not sent experts.
The two men looked down from above, curiosity in their eyes.
"What do you think this Empress is doing? Trying to force her way into the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area?"
"Trying to enter it is one thing, but why carry a ladder on her back?"
"It's utterly laughable."
"No wonder men rule the world in most places, while women rarely become emperors. This Empress... is simply too ridiculous."
Saying that carrying a ladder could let one enter the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area was utterly absurd.
It was like saying that whoever farted the loudest could ascend to immortality.
But in the very next instant, the two men's expressions turned stunned.
They saw that the protective barrier of the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area—said to be impossible for even imperial-level experts to break—had simply allowed the three prisoners carrying ladders to walk in openly.
Jin Li's heart was filled with boundless excitement.
What Qi Yuan had said was actually true.
The Imperial Guard Commander and the other Imperial Guards all revealed looks of utter disbelief.
Yet even in her excitement, Jin Li remained composed. "Hua Yue, deal with the two worms behind us."
Upon hearing this, the Imperial Guard woman named Hua Yue vanished.
Jin Li's gaze also became deep and unfathomable.
She looked at the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area, her expression complicated.
No one knew what she was thinking.
Before you continue