"Tell me, is there any way in this world to quickly increase one's strength?" Jin Li could not help but ask.
"Quickly grow stronger?"
Several answers immediately sprang to Qi Yuan's mind.
Eat a Devil Fruit?
Receive an empowerment from a grandmaster?
And... do push-ups.
In this world, there were no Devil Fruits, nor was anyone bestowing empowerments.
"Doing push-ups can make you stronger," Qi Yuan said earnestly. "I know someone who was plain and ordinary, nothing special, but he worked out persistently every single day—push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups. Before long, though he went bald, he also grew stronger."
"Work out? Push-ups? Sit-ups? Pull-ups? What are those?" Jin Li looked completely bewildered. "Could they be supreme martial arts?"
Seeing her reaction, Qi Yuan was somewhat surprised. "So you're a girl who doesn't like exercise, huh? Allow me to teach you how to work out."
"Is that appropriate?" Jin Li had assumed Qi Yuan was about to impart some supreme cultivation technique to her.
"Don't worry, this is standard, run-of-the-mill stuff. Very simple." Qi Yuan pondered for a moment and spent about ten minutes teaching these exercises to Jin Li.
"This... can increase one's strength?" Jin Li found it utterly inconceivable.
These movements were completely ordinary, lacking any hint of the profound or mystical.
Yet when she remembered that carrying a ladder on one's back granted entry into the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground, she felt this might actually be true.
"Well... not really. Train for ten years, and maybe you can beat a wolf?" Qi Yuan said.
Jin Li was slightly taken aback, then chuckled. "These could certainly be popularized among ordinary soldiers, at least."
"Still, it's not entirely out of the question," Qi Yuan said, taking out the Divine Brush.
The Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground was now under his control.
He could alter its rules.
"Let's add: exercising the body increases cultivation."
After a moment's thought, Qi Yuan wrote down that exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups would increase cultivation.
Once he finished writing, Qi Yuan grew pensive.
"Done... though there seem to be some side effects?"
"Hair loss?"
"So... even when I alter the rules, they change based on my own perception?"
"No, my brain is about to overload. I shouldn't think about it anymore." Qi Yuan felt a headache coming on, deciding not to delve into the underlying principles.
He hurriedly said to Jin Li, "Inside the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground, performing the exercises I told you about will rapidly increase your cultivation. Bring more people over to build up some strength, and try to clear the trial as soon as possible so you can help me run dungeons."
"Doing these in the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground can boost strength?" Jin Li was somewhat dazed.
"Naturally. Why would I lie to you? Keep in mind, though, doing these exercises too much causes hair loss."
Jin Li was still rather bewildered.
Emotionally, she believed Qi Yuan's words.
Yet logically and rationally, she felt he was talking nonsense.
As for the side effect of hair loss, she did not care much.
Compared to raising one's cultivation, what did that matter?
Still, after pondering for a moment, her pearly teeth bit her red lip. "Thank you."
"I have to log off. It's getting late," Qi Yuan said.
"Where are you... going?" Jin Li asked.
"Seven Colors Peak. I'm a disciple of the Divine Light Sect." Having said that, Qi Yuan logged off and went to sleep.
Meanwhile, Jin Li committed the location Qi Yuan mentioned to memory.
"Divine Light Sect? Seven Colors Peak? Where is that?" Jin Li murmured.
Even so, thinking of the method Qi Yuan had offered to grow stronger—though comical and somewhat absurd... no, excessively absurd—Jin Li nonetheless chose to believe it and put it into action.
"Someone come! To the Grand General's residence!"
...
Night slowly fell.
A carriage came to a halt outside the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground.
Inside the carriage were Jin Li's trusted confidants, along with Aunt Qin.
They had traveled for nearly a day and a night without stopping, resting in the carriage only when fatigue overcame them.
At last, they arrived at the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground.
"Do you all remember what I told you?" Stepping down from the carriage, Jin Li looked at the thirty-odd people before her, her expression solemn.
These thirty-odd people were all her true confidants, loyal subjects willing to die for her.
Aunt Qin was among them as well.
They all nodded, showing no resistance whatsoever to Jin Li's orders.
Holding a ladder in her hands, Aunt Qin seemed lost in thought before asking, "Your Majesty, was the imperial medicine retrieved from the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground? It seems Your Majesty has already mastered the method to enter it."
Looking at the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground ahead, Aunt Qin had made a guess.
She was merely curious as to how one actually went inside.
Did the ladder in her hands serve some purpose?
"Everyone, carry a ladder on your back and enter the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground together. Remember, no matter what happens, you must not discard the ladder."
"Understood!"
Though puzzled, the confidants followed Jin Li's instructions.
None of them spoke, yet question marks were practically written across their faces.
Seeing this, Hua Xian, Commander of the Imperial Guard, could not help but chuckle softly.
The first time she had entered the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground like this, she had been just as baffled.
In a moment, once they were inside, their expressions would surely be quite amusing.
Sure enough, when the crowd entered the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground unimpeded with ladders strapped to their backs, even the most well-trained Imperial Guards could not suppress exclamations of shock.
Hua Xian wore a smug smile.
"Carrying a ladder on your back allows entry into the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground. A close friend informed me of this. Under no circumstances may this matter be leaked!"
"Understood." These confidants all grasped the gravity of the matter.
All of them felt it was inconceivable.
No one had been able to enter the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground for perhaps ten thousand years.
Why would... carrying a ladder on one's back... grant entry?
In these ten thousand years, had no one ever tried such a method?
Yet, on second thought, which sovereign or emperor would be so idle as to carry a ladder to enter the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground?
Still, why did it work?
Did carrying a ladder hold some special meaning?
They could not comprehend it.
Venturing into the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground, the group reached its depths.
Jin Li spoke once more. "Keep the ladders on your backs; do not let go. Do you still remember the movements I taught you on the way here?"
"We remember."
"Once you've composed yourselves, we will perform those movements right here in the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground," Jin Li ordered.
Everyone present was utterly dumbfounded.
Aunt Qin also asked, "Your Majesty, what are we doing these for?"
"Aunt Qin, do you believe me?" Jin Li looked at Aunt Qin, her expression earnest.
"Whatever Your Majesty says, this subject naturally believes."
"Performing these movements..." Jin Li looked up toward the sky. "...can rapidly increase one's cultivation within the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground."
"What?"
"Increase cultivation?"
Had they not been Jin Li's confidants, and had Jin Li not been the Empress, then if this were some keyboard warriors from Qi Yuan's previous life, they would certainly be spewing vitriol by now.
Words like 'hilarious' or 'moronic' would have gushed forth in torrents.
Even so, these confidants wore expressions of utter bewilderment.
Aunt Qin was the same.
This was even harder to accept than entering the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground with a ladder on one's back.
If cultivation were that simple, wouldn't the world be overflowing with high-stage cultivators?
Naturally, Aunt Qin did not believe it in her heart, but she still said slowly, "Such a cultivation method is indeed rather intriguing. May I ask where Your Majesty learned of it?"
"It was told to me by that same close friend," Jin Li answered without hiding anything.
"It seems that senior must be an expert who treats the mortal world as a game," Aunt Qin murmured.
The word 'game' reflected her true thoughts.
Even so, she kept the ladder on her back and began doing push-ups. "Allow this old woman to test its effects."
She took action.
Everyone present ceased their movements and turned their eyes toward Aunt Qin.
Chapter 22