Chapter 61 Holy Maiden Takes a Master, Acknowledges Second Senior Sister
Hearing the voice outside the door, Qin Xiao knew that Lin Shimeng had arrived.
"Senior Sister, please come in."
Qin Xiao quickly removed the Formation. Since the other party was not yet his disciple, he politely addressed her as Senior Sister.
"Master, you're not talking about her, are you?"
Yun Man asked with some confusion.
"You'll know in a moment."
Qin Xiao still did not explain. Although he had great confidence, what if he failed?
Seeing the Formation removed, Lin Shimeng walked in with a complicated expression.
Actually, she had also gone through much internal struggle. First, she couldn't lower her pride. After all, she was the Sect's Holy Maiden, the first among the younger generation to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, while Qin Xiao had only been a Novice for three years and couldn't even Cultivate.
Second, this Qin Xiao had been hiding for three years, playing the waste for three years. How could he suddenly possess such methods? Even if there were resources left by Grandpa Qin, they had basically all been used on Yun Man. How could there be any possibility of allowing herself to improve so quickly as well?
However, she was indeed envious of Yun Man's improvement. On the path of Cultivation, besides talent, what one competes with is resources. If this really was an opportunity, she wanted to try it too.
"Senior Sister, please sit. Before you agree, you are still Senior Sister. I still have this basic courtesy."
Seeing Lin Shimeng's conflicted expression, Qin Xiao was the first to stand up, offering her the rocking chair.
"Qin Xiao, my father said you have confidence in making me agree to become your disciple? I want to see what you'll use to persuade me."
Lin Shimeng did not sit, but remained standing. After all, if this kid really became her Master, it would be better to save him some face first.
"This... actually, I don't have too much confidence either. Senior Sister, are you aware of Yun Man's progress?"
Qin Xiao naturally couldn't immediately throw out large amounts of resources to attract the other party. If he failed, all his secrets would be exposed.
"Yun Man, when you entered the Sect, were you really only at the Foundation Establishment Third Layer?"
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 Foundation Establishment Third Layer."
Yun Man also did not hide it. Since the other party had so accurately stated her cultivation level, there was no need to conceal it.
Lin Shimeng did not continue speaking, but took a deep breath. It was actually true.
Just how many resources had been poured in to allow someone at the Foundation Establishment Third Layer to break through to the Nascent Soul stage in just two or three months? Lin Shimeng didn't even dare to imagine. Although there was the Heavenly Spirit Root boost, it would still require an enormous amount of resources, right?
"If I take you as my Master, can I enjoy the same resources as Yun Man?"
Lin Shimeng was already somewhat swayed, asking Qin Xiao.
"Naturally. Not to mention much, taking in one or two more disciples is still sufficient."
Qin Xiao said confidently. At worst, he could reduce his own Spirit Liquid consumption a bit.
Currently, the biggest resource consumption wasn't Yun Man, but Qin Xiao himself. The Spirit Liquid consumption had already exceeded production, so he could only reduce his own Cultivation. Moreover, Body Refinement with Spirit Liquid was originally supplementary, but Qin Xiao had forcefully used Spirit Liquid to push himself to the Body Refinement Third Layer.
This was also why Qin Xiao was too lazy to bother. This world also had Body Refinement, but it was mostly in the mortal world. In the Cultivation world, very few practiced Body Refinement, but there were still some. Because achieving the Dao through the physical body was too difficult, few people chose this path.
"I don't want to hear this kind of unrealistic talk. If you want me to agree to be your disciple, it's not impossible. When you accepted Yun Man, you promised five hundred thousand Spirit Stones. My starting point is higher than hers. Asking for one million Spirit Stones per month isn't too much, right? Oh, and also Spirit Liquid, five drops per month. This request isn't too much either, right?"
Lin Shimeng thought for a moment and decided to first give Qin Xiao a warning. This was slightly adding to her bottom line to make it convenient for Qin Xiao to negotiate. If Qin Xiao could satisfy this, she could also consider becoming Qin Xiao's disciple.
"Yun Man, how many Spirit Stones and how much Spirit Liquid do you consume per month now?"
Qin Xiao did not answer Lin Shimeng, but asked Yun Man about her monthly consumption. He always gave randomly and truly didn't know Yun Man's specific monthly consumption.
"Master, if it's Secluded Cultivation with full effort in Cultivation, about two million Spirit Stones per month. As for Spirit Liquid, it's a bit more, about six hundred drops. At full effort, I can Refine and Absorb twenty drops per day."
Yun Man roughly estimated. Spirit Stone consumption actually wasn't that much. Since using Spirit Liquid for Cultivation, she mostly used Spirit Liquid as the main resource, with Spirit Stones as supplementary.
"What? Two million Spirit Stones per month?"
Lin Shimeng felt like she was listening to fantasy. Two million Spirit Stones was one thing, but these six hundred drops of Spirit Liquid truly shocked her.
"Senior Sister, if you take me as your Master, the treatment will be the same as Yun Man's: two million Spirit Stones per month, plus six hundred drops of Spirit Liquid. This is only the basic Cultivation treatment. If you need to buy anything extra, as long as it's truly needed, your Master will help you buy it for free."
After knowing the approximate consumption, Qin Xiao directly gave Lin Shimeng the same treatment.
"Are these words true?"
Lin Shimeng finally understood why Yun Man's progress was so fast. She actually used Spirit Liquid as if it were Spirit Stones. If she also had such resources, how could she only be at the Nascent Soul stage?
"Naturally true. Of course, these are only treatments you'll have after taking me as your Master. Oh, there's one more thing that must be said in advance. If you take me as your Master, you can only be the Second Senior Sister. When Yun Man first took me as her Master, I promised her that she would always be Seven Stars Peak's First Senior Sister."
Some things Qin Xiao still had to say in advance. Back then, he couldn't even recruit a single disciple. Although Yun Man was tricked in through resources, after all, Yun Man was the one who started all this. He couldn't betray Yun Man.
"What? Let her be my Senior Sister? How old is she?"
Lin Shimeng immediately became displeased. Taking you as my Master was already lowering my status enough. Now I have to acknowledge Yun Man as Senior Sister?
"This has nothing to do with age. She entered the door before you, so naturally she's the Senior Sister. Moreover, even in terms of cultivation level, her strength surpasses yours. If you're not convinced, you can compete. The winner becomes the First Senior Sister."
Qin Xiao knew Lin Shimeng definitely couldn't accept this, so he offered a solution.
Although Lin Shimeng was the first to reach the early Nascent Soul stage, Yun Man caught up later. Now Yun Man wasn't far from the mid Nascent Soul stage, so naturally her strength was slightly stronger than Lin Shimeng's.
"Compete then. I've reached the Nascent Soul stage for over three months. When I broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, she hadn't even entered the Sect yet. Even if she's been pushed to the Nascent Soul stage through resources during this time, I don't believe she's stronger than me."
Lin Shimeng naturally wasn't convinced. Wanting me to acknowledge her as Senior Sister? Impossible. As long as I can win, I'll be the First Senior Sister.
"Disciple, what do you think?"
Qin Xiao turned and asked Yun Man.
"Fine. Although I don't really care about being First Senior Sister or Second Senior Sister, since the Holy Maiden wants to compete, I'll naturally accompany her."
Yun Man had also always disliked Lin Shimeng's arrogant attitude and didn't mind letting Lin Shimeng suffer a setback.
"Then let it be a literary competition. Presumably, at your level of strength, a slight comparison should reveal who is stronger and who is weaker. Don't be like last time, dragging it out until it's hard to conclude."
Qin Xiao still had them compete in a literary competition, and this time they couldn't stubbornly resist. They should just test slightly.
After saying this, Qin Xiao took a backward step and ran away. In case the two went wild again, he'd better run farther away.
"Last time I was only at the Golden Core late stage and could barely exchange blows. Now we're both at the early Nascent Soul stage, and I'm not far from the mid Nascent Soul stage either. What do you have to compare with me?"
After speaking, Yun Man released vast Spiritual Qi. The purity of her Spiritual Qi far exceeded that of ordinary cultivators. This was the benefit of Cultivating with Spirit Liquid.
"Enough, I Concede."
After Yun Man fully released her Spiritual Qi, Lin Shimeng already knew the outcome. Even if she exerted her full effort and made her Spiritual Qi reach this level, in terms of purity, she was still somewhat lacking. Continuing to compete would only be self-humiliation.
"Since you've Conceded, then perform the disciple ceremony. After taking me as your Master, you will be Seven Stars Peak's Second Senior Sister."
Seeing Lin Shimeng Concede, Qin Xiao said with great satisfaction.