Jiang Lingsu's "Low EQ"

"This is... Eldest Senior Brother..." The username of the poster was none other than Origin Celestial Venerable. She knew this was her Eldest Senior Brother, Qi Yuan. It was precisely for this reason that when she read what was written, she ground her teeth in fury. "Given the cold shoulder by Senior Martial Sister Xianxian, exchanged for a Jade-grade art, which was accidentally discovered by a busty junior sister. Junior sister casting flirtatious glances? Serving tea and pouring water? Beating my back and rubbing my shoulders?" Looking at the words on the screen, Jiang Lingsu bit her pearly teeth tightly. She glanced down at her own chest, her face flushing slightly. "Eldest Senior Brother, what do you think you're doing?!" She sent a message through the Divine Flower Society jade slip to demand an explanation. Not long after, a reply came through the jade slip. "I'm at a funeral banquet. Sigh, someone very close to me passed away, so I'm eating at his funeral feast." At this moment, Qi Yuan was attending a funeral banquet at the Chen family residence in Maple City. After emerging from Wind Thunder Valley, he had seen Chen Xiyu still waiting for him outside. Originally, he could not be bothered to pay any attention. However, he remembered that his own bones were barely cold, yet he had not even eaten at his own funeral feast. So, he accepted Chen Xiyu's invitation and arranged for the Chen family to prepare a banquet for him. Right now, he was happily feasting at his own funeral. On the other side, hearing her Eldest Senior Brother's answer, Jiang Lingsu's heart tightened. Her earlier resentment vanished completely. Could it be... that a mortal relative of Eldest Senior Brother had passed away? Yet she had never heard him speak of his origins. She hurriedly comforted him, "Eldest Senior Brother, don't be too sad. You still have Seven Colors Peak, and you still have me, your junior sister. Where are you right now? Should I come over to visit you?" "Actually, I wasn't that sad at first, but hearing you say that, I feel like I ought to be a bit sadder. Sigh, Qi Yuan, you died such a tragic death! Junior Sister, eat a bit more today to add some liveliness to my banquet." As the saying went, the more people who attended a funeral banquet, the more illustrious the deceased's life had been. Hence, Qi Yuan warmly recommended that his junior sister eat too. "Who are you?!" Jiang Lingsu was instantly stunned. Blood rushed to her head, and a sharp pain gripped her chest. "What have you done to my Eldest Senior Brother?! If anything happens to him, I, Jiang Lingsu, will never let you get away with it!" Because... she had seen him mention eating Qi Yuan's funeral feast. She was terrified that something terrible had happened to her Eldest Senior Brother, and that a scoundrel was speaking from the other end. "I am your Eldest Senior Brother. Stop letting your imagination run wild, Junior Sister." Qi Yuan also understood Jiang Lingsu's meaning. A warmth arose in his heart; after all, there were still people in this world who cared about him. "The banquet I'm eating is for the me in the game. Sigh, he died before his prime. What a tragic death." "The game?" Hearing this, Jiang Lingsu froze. That cataclysmic feeling of the sky falling and the earth splitting instantly evaporated. Clasping her chest, a smile appeared in her eyes, though it was utterly frigid. So the banquet being eaten was for a game character? This manner of speaking really was just like Eldest Senior Brother. Her worry vanished. And then anger surged right back. Only then did she remember why she had sought him out in the first place. "Eldest Senior Brother, what did you mean by what you posted in the Divine Flower Society? A busty junior sister casting flirtatious glances at you?!" She recalled that day when Eldest Senior Brother had just finished treating her illness, and she had emerged from the bath clad only in light gauze. Back then, because of the treatment, she was naturally wearing very little. Even though she had wrapped the blue chest binder tightly, it still only covered two-thirds of those snowy-white hemispheres. As she walked, they quivered and trembled, those two plump curves looking as if they might burst free at any second. *So that's why Eldest Senior Brother described her as a busty junior sister,* Jiang Lingsu thought. "Ahem, that was all made up," Qi Yuan answered truthfully. "Although I borrowed parts of your persona when describing the junior sister, it definitely wasn't plagiarism! Junior Sister, if you want to pursue this, I'm willing to pay you... three hundred spirit stones in copyright fees!" "Is this... a matter of spirit stones?!" Jiang Lingsu had half a mind to kick him. "You misunderstand. Not three hundred in total, but three hundred every month!" Qi Yuan applauded his own shrewdness, seeing as he would only play the shill for one month anyway. "Humph!" Jiang Lingsu gave a cold huff, then continued messaging, "I know you made up all that nonsense just to get people to boost your progress bar, right? Fine, but... when you describe that busty junior sister again, you have to depict her in a more positive light!" "Don't worry, no problem!" Qi Yuan responded quickly. That was a trivial matter. "Once I return to Seven Colors Peak, I'll definitely repay the spirit stones to you. By the way, Junior Sister, while I'm away, if your life isn't going well, feel free to stay in my house." Qi Yuan felt rather smug inside. Junior Sister's house could not compare to his. Junior Sister lived in a wooden shack, while his was a concrete bungalow, two tiers higher than hers. Happiness was born of comparison. Originally, Junior Sister slept in her wooden cabin and probably felt nothing amiss. But seeing a concrete bungalow right next to her wooden cabin, she would naturally feel a sense of loss. One who had never seen the sun could naturally endure the darkness. Having seen his concrete bungalow, how could she still be content living in a wooden cabin? Therefore, displaying high emotional intelligence once again, he invited his junior sister to stay in his concrete bungalow. Consider it compensation for "deceiving" her earlier. However, his words took on a completely different meaning in Jiang Lingsu's ears. Was Senior Brother implying that she... was lovesick?! "You're the one whose life isn't going well! Why would I want to live in your house? Do you think I miss you that much? Yearning for you through your things? Am I, Jiang Lingsu, that kind of person?!" At this moment, Jiang Lingsu was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, jumping and pacing restlessly. Qi Yuan was taken aback. He had not expected his high EQ gesture to provoke such a massive reaction from his junior sister. It seemed his junior sister's emotional intelligence was somewhat low; she could not understand his high EQ. Was this what they called "talking about ice to a summer insect"? "Junior Sister, whether you miss me or not, Senior Brother will definitely pay you those three hundred spirit stones. Rest assured, you won't be shortchanged," Qi Yuan replied with high EQ. Junior Sister was angry, evidently thinking he did not want to pay the spirit stones. Right now, Qi Yuan had just cleaned out the Dark Sun's headquarters. Was he lacking three hundred spirit stones? Not at all. "..." Seeing this, Jiang Lingsu was rendered speechless. Only after a long silence did she say, "Eldest Senior Brother, did you upload the cultivation technique I gave you to the Divine Flower Society?" A technique could only be uploaded once. If Eldest Senior Brother had already uploaded it, she would not be able to. "No, feel free to upload it." Qi Yuan thought for a moment and immediately used the Head Society Master's jade slip to grant special permissions to his junior sister. Even if she uploaded a technique that had already been submitted, her personal progress bar would advance. Of course, the overall progress bar would not change. After all, the technique she had given him had long since been uploaded by him into the headquarters' jade slip. Jiang Lingsu was his junior martial sister, so of course he had to open a backdoor for her. "That's great!" Hearing this, Jiang Lingsu was delighted. Clearly, she was getting ready to upload the technique and claim her rewards. That sense of harvest was intoxicating. However, recalling something, Jiang Lingsu added, "By the way, Eldest Senior Brother, my father will probably come to Seven Colors Peak in a while. If you don't have anything urgent, don't come back for now." No one knew a daughter better than her father. Jiang Lingsu did not even need to use her brain—thinking with her chest was enough to know what her father was thinking. He surely believed she had been thoroughly bewitched by Qi Yuan. She found it both incomprehensible and laughable. Was she the type to fall in love so easily? Was she a bootlicker, like Eldest Senior Brother talked about? Obviously not. She had tried explaining to her father several times, but after failing to get through, she could not be bothered to explain anymore. Still, how could she not know the purpose of her father's visit? "Huh? Your father is coming? What does that have to do with whether I come back or not? How strange. A while ago your sister came, now your father is coming... Is your grandmother going to come after a while too? Traveling thousands of li across such a great distance, what is your father rushing all the way here for? Rushing back and forth like this every day is far too exhausting. I suggest your entire Jiang family simply relocate near the Divine Light Sect," Qi Yuan suggested considerately. Otherwise, the Jiang family missed Junior Sister and rushed here all the time; plane tickets alone would be a huge expense. To save money, they might as well move the whole family over. Jiang Lingsu was slightly stunned, her feelings somewhat complicated. "Eldest Senior Brother, do you really want the Jiang family to move over?" She was only asking, of course; that was impossible. Eldest Senior Brother saying this showed he could not bear to let his dainty, lovely junior sister leave. "Yes, it would save a lot on travel fares!" Qi Yuan answered truthfully. After chatting casually with Jiang Lingsu a bit more, his junior sister finally asked Qi Yuan to give her a boost. Only after Qi Yuan boosted her did the two conclude their conversation. At this moment, in Maple Leaf City, Qi Yuan was ravenously devouring meat. At the banquet table, the Chen family head—an old man in his fifties—wore an expression full of humility. The other guests at the feast also stared at Qi Yuan with looks of curiosity and awe. After all, Qi Yuan was a legendary Foundation Establishment Patriarch, an immortal among immortals. Chen Xiyu sat beside Qi Yuan, quiet, gentle, and virtuous. Her cousin kept her head lowered, deep remorse filling her eyes. She had not imagined that Chen Xiyu truly had attained immortal fortune. Moreover, it was a flying Foundation Establishment Patriarch, which filled her with immense jealousy. Yet even with her jealousy, she dared not show it; otherwise, what awaited her might well be death. A Foundation Establishment Patriarch was someone even the sovereign of the Kingdom of Fei had to treat with respect, let alone the tiny Chen family. Qi Yuan ate casually and comfortably, occasionally keeping an eye on the discussions in the Divine Flower Society. Due to Qi Yuan's promotion, the Divine Flower Society forum's most discussed topic right now was cultivation arts. Qi Yuan read with great relish. Because every once in a while, he would harvest a massive batch of techniques. Meanwhile, the banquet was far from quiet. After all, as an immortal master appearing in Maple Leaf City, these mortals were both in awe and fawning, eager to receive some immortal fortune from him. Qi Yuan, naturally, could not be bothered to pay attention to any of it. Aside from Chen Xiyu, he was not familiar with anyone else. If they had not come to attend his funeral feast, he would not even have interacted with them much. After all, he had slight social anxiety and did not really like talking to strangers. Once the feast was finished, Qi Yuan prepared to leave. At this moment, the Chen family head stood up and said respectfully, "Daoist Master, Chen has prepared a modest gift..." In his view, Qi Yuan certainly had not come here just to eat at a banquet; naturally, he was here to demand some tribute. He was well-prepared and had servants bring the gifts forward. A wooden chest was opened, and numerous worldly gold and silver treasures once again met Qi Yuan's eyes. The Chen family head's body trembled slightly and his breathing turned shallow, terrified that this Daoist Master would look down upon these humble offerings. Qi Yuan's gaze swept over the mundane gold and silver, and he could not help letting out a yawn. However, when his eyes fell upon an ancient tome, he suddenly paused. "What is this?" With a wave of his hand, a book flew into his view. Written upon the tattered, yellowed ancient book were four words: *Eagle Claw Manual*. "This is a martial arts manual treasured by my family. The guards practice some of the hand and foot techniques," the Chen family head hurriedly replied with respect. "Martial arts?" Qi Yuan was surprised. To be honest, after entering the Divine Light Sect, he had rarely ventured into the mortal world. Even when he entered the mortal realm, he rarely stayed for long. He had heard a little about the existence of martial arts in the mortal world. However, no matter how powerful martial arts were, they were merely physical techniques that could not even defeat a cultivator at the first level of Qi Refining. Therefore, he had paid no attention to martial arts and had never collected any martial arts manuals. Yet the first time he saw a martial arts manual, he suddenly discovered something he had previously overlooked. This martial arts manual was indeed shallow and ordinary, but... if Qi Yuan were to fully absorb and digest it, what he gained would actually be no less than a mid-grade cultivation art. Now this was interesting, and it caught Qi Yuan somewhat by surprise. "Are there any more martial arts manuals like this? I have some interest in them," Qi Yuan asked. He wanted to see more, worried that this one was just an exception. "Chen has a dozen or so more at home. I will have them brought to the Daoist Master immediately," the Chen family head instructed. A man who looked like the head steward hurried away, and soon returned holding thirteen similar martial arts manuals and mental mantras. With a wave of Qi Yuan's hand, all of these martial arts manuals reflected in his eyes. The progression of these martial arts was exceedingly shallow; the most profound among them merely trained a few forms and physical strength. Yet Qi Yuan discovered that their effect on him was remarkably comparable to ordinary cultivation arts. "Interesting. Truly interesting." This discovery exceeded Qi Yuan's expectations and brought him quite a pleasant surprise. He narrowed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought. *Three thousand Grand Daos, all leading to the same destination?* He wondered in doubt, letting his mind wander into wild speculation. *Could it be possible that all the cultivation arts in the Canglan Realm, and even the martial arts manuals... even if created by a weakling, are influenced by the Heavenly Dao and form a part of this realm's Heavenly Dao rules?* *If the Heavenly Dao rules are like elemental oxygen, then all arts—be they martial arts or immortal cultivation arts—are like oxides.* *What Qi Yuan is doing is simply extracting the oxygen from them.* Of course, what he was extracting might not necessarily be the rules of the Heavenly Dao. "However, why can't the *Qi Yuan Scripture* be created using cultivation arts from other worlds? Could it be... because I have not yet detached from this world? Different worlds have different rules. Even Great Sage Blood Sun's performance in the Mortal Heart Realm seemed inferior to what he was capable of outside it. If I continue to compile the *Qi Yuan Scripture* using the rules of the Canglan Realm, wouldn't that mean that one day, I too will become trapped within the Canglan Realm?" Qi Yuan murmured under his breath. Who would have thought that dropping by the mortal realm to eat at a funeral banquet would yield such an unexpected harvest? His thoughts wandered far and wide. Now, to continue writing his cultivation art, he indeed needed to keep gathering cultivation arts and techniques from the Canglan Realm. However, he could no longer proceed step by step as he had in the past. At that moment, his figure vanished. A few breaths later, a Purple Mansion cultivator stood beside Qi Yuan, his eyes filled with profound reverence. "Greetings, Sword God!" This Purple Mansion cultivator was none other than the Divine Flower Society Purple Mansion expert Qi Yuan had encountered on his way here. Having seen the post made by the Blood-Robed Sword God on the Divine Flower Society forum, his heart had been shaken to the core, prompting him to rush over to Wind Thunder Valley. Qi Yuan glanced at this Purple Mansion cultivator. "You've come at just the right time. Do something for me, and I'll boost your progress bar by eighty percent." A look of excitement appeared on the Purple Mansion cultivator's face. To serve a senior like the Blood-Robed Sword God was an absolute honor. "Please instruct me, Senior!" "Help me collect mortal martial arts. The more, the better. Oh, and use gentle methods—don't cause too much commotion." Qi Yuan spoke casually. After all, he was lawful good and a very kind person.