Chapter 61: The Holy Maiden Takes a Master, Accepting Second Place

Hearing the voice outside the door, Qin Xiao knew that Lin Shimeng had arrived.

“Senior Sister, please come in.”

Qin Xiao quickly lowered the formation. She was not his disciple yet, so he still politely called her Senior Sister.

“Master, you’re not talking about her, are you?”

Yun Man looked puzzled.

“You’ll know in a moment.”

Qin Xiao still would not explain. He was confident, but what if it went wrong?

With the formation down, Lin Shimeng came in, her expression conflicted.

She had struggled with the decision. First, she could not swallow her pride. She was the sect’s Holy Maiden, the first of its younger generation to reach Nascent Soul. Qin Xiao had only joined three years ago and could not even cultivate.

Second, Qin Xiao had spent three years keeping a low profile, regarded as useless. How could he suddenly have such methods? Even if Grandpa Qin had left him resources, surely he had used most of them on Yun Man. How could he help her advance that quickly too?

Still, she envied Yun Man’s progress. Beyond talent, cultivation came down to resources. If this really was an opportunity, she wanted to try.

“Please sit, Senior Sister. Until you agree, that is what you are. I know my manners.”

Seeing her hesitation, Qin Xiao got up first and offered her his rocking chair.

“Qin Xiao, my father says you are sure I will become your disciple. Let me see how you plan to convince me.”

Lin Shimeng stayed standing. If this fellow did become her master, she had better show him some respect first.

“Well… I am not that sure. Senior Sister, do you know how much Yun Man has advanced?”

Qin Xiao could not start by offering piles of resources. If she refused, all his secrets would be exposed.

“Yun Man, when you entered the Sect, were you really only at the late Foundation Establishment stage?”

Lin Shimeng still found it hard to believe, so she asked Yun Man.

“Correct. When I first entered the Sect, I was only at the late Foundation Establishment stage.”

Yun Man did not conceal it. Since Lin Shimeng knew her original realm so precisely, there was no point.

Lin Shimeng fell silent and drew a deep breath. So it was true.

How many resources would it take to bring someone from late Foundation Establishment to Nascent Soul in two or three months? She could scarcely imagine. Even with a Heavenly Spirit Root, it would need an enormous amount. You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.

“If I become your disciple, will I get the same resources as Yun Man?”

Lin Shimeng was beginning to waver.

“Of course. I can certainly support another disciple or two.”

Qin Xiao said confidently. At worst, he could reduce his own Spirit Liquid consumption a bit.

Qin Xiao used more resources than Yun Man did. His Spirit Liquid consumption already exceeded production, so he had to cut back on his own training. Spirit Liquid was only meant to supplement Body Refinement, but he had used sheer quantities of it to reach the third layer.

That was why he had not bothered to find another way. Body Refinement existed here too, mostly in the mortal world. Some cultivators practiced it, but few chose to pursue the Dao through the body. It was simply too difficult.

“I want more than empty assurances. I could agree to become your disciple. You promised Yun Man five hundred thousand Spirit Stones when she joined. I am starting at a higher realm. One million a month is not too much to ask, is it? And five drops of Spirit Liquid a month. Surely that is reasonable?”

After thinking it over, Lin Shimeng decided to put Qin Xiao on the spot first. She had asked for a little more than her minimum, leaving room for him to bargain. If he could meet her terms, she could consider becoming his disciple.

“Yun Man, how many Spirit Stones and how much Spirit Liquid do you consume per month now?”

Rather than answer Lin Shimeng, Qin Xiao asked Yun Man about her monthly consumption. He simply gave her resources as needed and had never counted exactly how much she used.

“Master, in seclusion, cultivating as hard as I can, I use about two million Spirit Stones a month. A little more Spirit Liquid—around six hundred drops. At full effort, I can Refine and Absorb twenty drops a day.”

Yun Man made a rough estimate. She did not use that many Spirit Stones. Since starting on Spirit Liquid, she had relied mainly on it, with Spirit Stones as a supplement.

“What? Two million Spirit Stones per month?”

Lin Shimeng could hardly believe her ears. Two million Spirit Stones was one thing. Six hundred drops of Spirit Liquid was another.

“Senior Sister, become my disciple and you will get what Yun Man gets: two million Spirit Stones and six hundred drops of Spirit Liquid a month. That is only for your basic cultivation. If you genuinely need anything else, I will buy it for you at no cost.”

Now that he knew roughly how much Yun Man used, Qin Xiao offered Lin Shimeng the same support.

“Do you mean that?”

Now she understood Yun Man’s speed. She used Spirit Liquid as freely as Spirit Stones! With resources like that, Lin Shimeng would surely have gone beyond Nascent Soul herself.

“Of course. But only after you become my disciple. There is something else you need to know first. You will be the second senior disciple. When Yun Man joined, I promised she would always be Seven Stars Peak’s eldest martial sister.”

He had to make that clear. Once, he had been unable to recruit even one disciple. He had lured Yun Man in with resources, but she had made all of this possible. He could not let her down. Read the latest chapters at novelping dot com.

“What? Let her be my Senior Sister? How old is she?”

Lin Shimeng was immediately displeased. Becoming your disciple is enough of a loss of status. Now I have to call Yun Man my senior martial sister too?

“Age has nothing to do with it. She became my disciple before you, so she is your senior martial sister. Even by cultivation, she is stronger. If you disagree, the two of you can compete. Whoever wins will be the senior disciple.”

Qin Xiao had known she would not accept it, so he offered that solution.

Lin Shimeng had reached early Nascent Soul first, but Yun Man had caught up. Now she was close to the middle stage and a little stronger than Lin Shimeng.

“Then let us compete. I have been at Nascent Soul for over three months. When I broke through, she had not even joined the sect. I don’t believe resources alone could have made her stronger than me in that time.”

Lin Shimeng would not accept it. Call her Senior Sister? Impossible. If I win, I will be the eldest.

“Disciple, what do you think?”

Qin Xiao turned and asked Yun Man.

“All right. I don’t much care whether I rank first or second. Since the Holy Maiden wants a contest, I will oblige her.”

Yun Man had always disliked Lin Shimeng’s superior attitude. She did not mind taking her down a peg.

“Then compare your spiritual power, as before. At your level, a brief test should tell you who is stronger. Don’t take it as far as last time and make it hard to stop.”

Qin Xiao still wanted a contest of spiritual power. This time, they were not to hold out stubbornly. A brief test would be enough.

Qin Xiao stepped back, then ran off. If they lost control again, he would rather be farther away.

“Last time, at late Golden Core, I could just about contend with you. Now we are both at early Nascent Soul, and I am close to the middle stage. How can you match me?”

Yun Man released a great surge of Spiritual Qi. It was much purer than an ordinary cultivator’s—the benefit of training with Spirit Liquid.

“Enough. I Concede.”

Once Yun Man had released all her Spiritual Qi, Lin Shimeng knew the result. Even at full strength, she could only match its quantity. Her qi’s purity still fell short. Continuing would only humiliate her.

“Then perform the discipleship ceremony. Once you have become my disciple, you will be Seven Stars Peak’s second senior disciple.”

Qin Xiao was pleased to hear her concede.