Page 17

Qin Shu carefully read through all the messages He Xin had sent her and finally understood what had happened.

She was a bit speechless. All she wanted was to survive—there was no intention to outdo others.

But upon further thought, having everyone strive harder wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Though they didn't feel much danger in the sect right now, once they went out for training, having stronger cultivation could mean less risk.

She casually replied to He Xin, saying she had finished her seclusion.

He Xin responded almost instantly. Her voice quickly came through, "If you had stayed in seclusion any longer, I'd have thought you were aiming for Foundation Establishment in one go..."

Qin Shu chuckled lightly. "No, not at all."

"I knew it. You still think about your sisters." He Xin sounded a bit touched.

However, Qin Shu's next sentence promptly came through, "This month's welfare benefits are due."

He Xin: "..."

The smile on her lips instantly disappeared as she angrily wrung the handkerchief in her hand.

This woman! How could she be like this? All her earlier emotions were wasted!

Unaware of He Xin's reaction, Qin Shu only knew she was dirt poor and couldn't afford to miss out on any free resources.

Although annoyed, He Xin couldn't bring herself to miss out on the benefits either, so she asked, "When should we go? Let's set a time."

"No time like the present. How about now?"

"Alright, meet me at the Mission Hall entrance."

Chen Rong had been meditating when she noticed movement across from her. She quickly got off her bed and ran to the door.

This was her first time seeing Qin Shu in person. Previously, she had only seen a vague silhouette practicing swordsmanship from a distance. But now that she had a good look, she was stunned.

She... She's just a little girl?

"Junior Sister, wait a moment!" Seeing Qin Shu about to leave, Chen Rong quickly called out.

Qin Shu instinctively turned her head and saw an unfamiliar woman. Curious, she asked, "Are you calling me?"

Chen Rong nodded and took a couple of steps closer. "You're Qin Shu, right?"

Qin Shu found it odd. She rarely interacted with anyone since joining Xuantian Sect, and she was sure she had never met this person before. So how could she know her name?

"You... know me?" Qin Shu asked back.

Chen Rong awkwardly rubbed her hands together. "Everyone in Xuantian Sect knows about you. The new outer disciple of the Pill Sect, Qin Shu, who trains day and night without rest."

Qin Shu furrowed her brows. Seeing Chen Rong's expression, a thought occurred to her, and she asked, "This... wouldn't happen to be your doing, would it?"

Chen Rong coughed lightly. "I only mentioned you to a couple of acquaintances. I didn't expect it to spread throughout the entire sect."

Chen Rong, seeing Qin Shu fall silent, felt a bit guilty and quickly whispered an apology. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. But... aren't you exhausted, training all the time without rest?"

She was genuinely curious. Apologizing was one thing, but asking this question was another.

Qin Shu feigned a serious expression and shook her head. "You wouldn't understand."

She desperately wanted to ascend immediately. Even at this speed, she felt like time was dragging on.

Chen Rong: "..."

She didn't understand. But before she could ask further, Qin Shu had already said, "I have something to do. I'll be going now."

Chen Rong stopped her again. When Qin Shu turned back, she quickly said, "Junior Sister Qin, may I have your spiritual imprint?"

Considering they were neighbors, Qin Shu thought for a moment and agreed.

When she arrived at the place she had agreed upon with He Xin, He Xin was already waiting for her.

Seeing Qin Shu approach, He Xin hurried to meet her, her expression serious. "Qin Shu, what's your cultivation level now?"

Qin Shu coughed lightly and replied vaguely, "With my three-spirit-root aptitude, what cultivation level do you think I have?"

Hearing this, He Xin frowned and suddenly understood. She began to sympathize with Qin Shu. If she had the same aptitude, she'd probably be just as desperate to advance.

"Sister, let me give you some advice. With your aptitude, secluding yourself in cultivation won't help much. You might end up stuck at Foundation Establishment for life. You need to find a way to get into the Inner Sect." He Xin held Qin Shu's hand and spoke earnestly.

She had no idea that her little sister wasn't exactly a "waste" in the strictest sense.

He Xin was two years older than Qin Shu and had always thought of her as a bit reckless. So she often tried to look out for her.

In the long years of cultivation, a two-year age gap didn't mean much.

What's more, Qin Shu had been eighteen before transmigrating. She understood He Xin's good intentions.

"The Inner Sect? Of course I want to go. But my aptitude isn't good enough!" Qin Shu sighed deeply, her brows furrowing into a knot.

It was said that the Inner Sect offered excellent benefits. Inner disciples received 100 low-grade spirit stones every month, whereas outer disciples only received ten in their first year.

This was exactly what He Xin had been waiting for her to say. Like a bean pod spilling beans, she told Qin Shu all the gossip she had heard.

"No, no, no, sister. It might not have been possible before, but now there's a chance!"

"What chance?" Qin Shu pressed.

He Xin leaned in and whispered excitedly, "I've heard that Master Lingxu of Lingxiao Peak in the Inner Sect is looking for a final disciple."

"A final disciple?" Qin Shu thought about this Master Lingxu. Wasn't he the senior brother's master who took the heroine as a disciple eight years later?

She didn't recall him recruiting any final disciples during this period.

Could this be the butterfly effect? Had her transmigration rewritten the entire novel?

Even so, with her three-spirit-root aptitude, she didn't think she had a shot at becoming Master Lingxu's final disciple.

"My aptitude probably isn't good enough for that."

While her cultivation speed under the moonlight was fast, her absorption of spiritual energy during the day was painfully slow.

Others could recover spiritual energy while fighting, but she... would be completely drained and rendered useless.

He Xin, however, disagreed. "How would you know unless you try? Pill Sect elders specifically look for disciples like us. Our kind of spirit root is exactly what they want for refining pills."

As she spoke, she leaned closer and whispered, "Sister, I've heard that Master Lingxu has a 'Marrow Cleansing and Gold Refining Elixir.' This elixir can increase your spirit root value by one to three points. I plan to try. You should too. If I lose to you, I'd still be happy!"

Seeing the confident glow in He Xin's eyes, as if the position of final disciple were already hers, Qin Shu couldn't help but remind her, "Sister, Xuantian Sect has more than just the two of us. Those senior brothers and sisters have been here for years. Let's not be too optimistic..."

He Xin found her frowning expression adorable and couldn't help but laugh. "Of course I know that. But this is an opportunity, isn't it? We have to try. What if? What if we're the chosen ones? If we make it into the Inner Sect, remember: 'If we rise together, let's not forget each other!'"